Advanced VX Series polar scope

[jambouk]

An astro mate has had this mount from new and says there is no polar scope, which I find odd.

So:

a) should this mount be supplied with a polar scope (and if so is it pre-installed or somewhere in the box)

if not, where can he buy one from (which one would fit)?

Thanks for any replies.

JD
 

[triton1]

Flo sell them for£32,the one for the cg5 should fit but ask them first

Jonn

[Squagnut]

Yes, you can get a suitable polarscope for a VX mount, but I'm not sure they've yet reached the UK market. As it says here, "Please note: This is the NEW version of Celestron's # 94224 polar finder. It no longer has the silver aluminum ring that the previous version had and that you will see all over the internet. The old version was modified by Celestron very recently to also work with its latest Advanced VX mounts. The item we ship will match the photo above."

Usually mounts don't come with a polarscope included.

I'm sure FLO would tell you about its availability.

[jambouk]

We worked out that the polar scope for the HEQ5 fits; we just took the silver collar off with the times on. Fits like a glove; and managed to align it to the mount in under 45 minutes too!

Thanks for the replies.

JD

[jambouk]

We fitted one of these:

http://www.365astronomy.com/hm5-polar-alignment-scope-for-eq5-equatorial-mount-p-2034.html

(I had a spare one on the shelf as I've cracked the reticle in mine but not actually got around to swapping it over yet)

JD
 

[Chris Rowland]

Or forget about the polar scope and use ASPA.

Chris

[jambouk]

Aligning with the polar scope can be done in under a minute or two; my experience of the Skywatcher ASPA-like routine wasn't good, so I am biased against that method, but appreciate others may have found it useful / accurate.

James

[Jon Sales]

Whats ASPA?

[jambouk]

http://www.celestron.com/astronomy/technologies/all-star-polar-alignment/

A routine where you can polar align the mount without looking at Polaris; so useful if you can't see Polarisfrom your observing site, or if you don't have a polar scope, or don't know how to use one if you do.

I've used a similar routine on the Skywatcher mount which goes like this:

You set up the handset with the location and date and time, do a two or three star alignment, then the hand set slews to where it thinks a star should be if the mount was perfectly polar aligned... you look down the eye piece and see that the target star is not in the centre of the field of view, and using just the azimuth and altitude bolts centre the star in the centre... then you do another star alignment, and do it again...after a few goes, the target star ends up being in the centre of the field of view when the mount slews to it and that suggests the mount is then polar aligned.

My experience with the skywatcher version wasn't great, and it just made polar alignment really wrong. As I said above, if the polar scope is aligned with the mount, and you know how to polar align with the polar scope, polar aligning can take under a minute, and that will be good enough to keep an object in the field of view all night (but not good enough for long exposure astrophotography).

I'll be interested to see this ASPA in action and see if it is better than the Skywatcher version.

James

[Jon Sales]

Interesting to try out tho. I'll have a go when I get an EQ mount.

[Chris Rowland]

ASPA uses the normal scope and, for the Celestron mounts at least, just involves centring a star twice, once using the HC buttons and once using the mount Alt and Azm controls. I've not tried the Skywatcher version.

No need to mess around aligning some tiny scope and working out where Polaris is at present, no trying to peer up at 50 degrees.  And for me no house in the way.

But if that's what you enjoy don't let me stop you.

Chris

[jambouk]

As i say, i'm interested to see ASPA in action, and see how a) easy it is, and how accurate it is.

I no longer get on my knees to look up the polar scope as i use this:

http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/5751-right-angle-polar-scope-viewer/?fromsearch=1

Jd

[Alien 13]

As i say, i'm interested to see ASPA in action, and see how a) easy it is, and how accurate it is.

I no longer get on my knees to look up the polar scope as i use this:

http://www.eastmidlandsstargazers.org.uk/topic/5751-right-angle-polar-scope-viewer/?fromsearch=1

Jd

 

I have to use a polar scope no other option and i use a right angled finder too, i can set up the polar position with stellarium in the kitchen before i go out and be up and running in minutes and manage 2 min subs.

Alan

[jambouk]

I'm not sure why there is a smiley face with glasses on in my post; it was meant to be "b)".

Jd