Polar Alignment ? confused

[JemC]

Hi all

Just got my scope yesterday, Skywatcher 200p chuffed to bits with it, please excuse this if it is just me being really thick

got it all setup and now looking to polar align it with the polar scope, when I look through the polar scope is this the correct image I should be seeing? Fig 1 I ask this because what I see is Fig 2 but with Polaris not at the top but more in the 11 o clock position, to get fig 1 leaves me with my counter weight bar sticking up in the air?? which I'm sure is not right, can someone please tell me I am being really thick and just need to do xxxx to correct it

Fig 1

Fig 2

Regards

JemC

[knobby]

Naaa not thick!

Just rotate the mount til the big dipper etc looks in the same place as it does in the sky. This tells you where on the circle to get polaris.

When you're done just put the mount back into home position... Weight down, ota pointing north

[Alien 13]

The actual position that polaris ends up in relation to your mount is completely random, you can adjust it by adding/removing the spacers on the polarscope.

The thing to remember is that Polaris does a complete revolution during a day so it will allways be at an odd angle at certain times.

The other important thing is that you only use the polarscope to initially align so the RA axis goes back to a more normal position.

Alan

[JemC]

Thanks for that Knobby,

[JemC]

Thanks Alien 13

[oldpink]

its easier to do PA without the weights or telescope mounted
otherwise things can get tricky esp if the weight bar is up