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Eq8 polar alignment

jaspalchadha

By jaspalchadha
in Discussions - Mounts

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jaspalchadha

jaspalchadha

Posted
Posted

Hello all

YET agian I struggle to comes to terms with polar alignment. I know some of you been a great help.

I've ditched the polar finder for the eq8

So let's start with the the first steps

I've aligned my ccd and finderscope, mount is level

Can someone now guide me

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
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First of all be clear about the principle of the thing. This isn't a diagram for the EQ8 but the principle is the same.

http://www.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fscienceblogs.com%2Fstartswithabang%2Ffiles%2F2014%2F05%2FAtlas_3-475x465.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Ftopicalscience.info%2F2014%2F05%2F03%2Fcomments-of-the-week-9-from-hydrogen-to-humanity-starts-with-a-bang%2F&h=465&w=475&tbnid=kYDhNcDiOeCItM%3A&zoom=1&docid=ez7drcQ1U4cwIM&ei=bhObU-qqNOWg0QWprYGICw&tbm=isch&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=913&page=4&start=40&ndsp=16&ved=0CL8BEK0DMDM

Note that the two arrows indicating movement in RA and Dec are NOT what you are aligning when you are polar aligning the mount. What you are interested in is the line which, on that drawing, is labelled Polar Axis and To Celestial Pole. You are trying to get the equivalent line through your mount pointing to Polaris. In fact that line DOES go right through the middle of your RA axis but rotating the counterweights around it is not the point. The point is to get the axis itself pointing at Polaris.

For the detail that follows you need an EQ8 owner but getting the principle clear first is essential.

Olly

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Christopher Davenport

Christopher Davenport

Posted
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I don't own a eq8, but I often polar align my eq5 for ap.

If you are pointing north and you have the Dec set for your location, you can look at doing a drift align using a short focal length scope (80ed)

Edit

Don't forget that astro tortilla or align master can help do a software based polar align.

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Gina

Gina

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I use AstroTortilla for PA with my EQ8.  Method is the same as the NEQ6 or other mount but the EQ8 is smoother and easier to control.  I didn't bother to buy it with the polar scope as I didn't like that method on the NEQ6.

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Zakalwe

Zakalwe

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But not placing objects on the ccd

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

That might be nothing to do with the polar alignment though.

GOTO and polar alignment are not the same. You can be perfectly polar align and the GOTO system can have errors.

Personally I am starting to really like Astrotortilla. Switch the mount on, connect to EQMOD and CDC. Run AT. Pick a target in CDC and sew. Then ask AT to plate-solve and update EQMOD and CDC. Perfect alignment in about 3 minutes.

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Zakalwe

Zakalwe

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Here's an excellent start-up guide for Astrotortilla

http://lightvortexastronomy.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/tutorial-imaging-setting-up-and-using.html

Make sure the 'Append on Sync' option is selected (it should be by default). This ensures that the EQMOD pointing model is updated each time AT successfully solves an image and thus improve the accuracy of subsequent gotos through the night.

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Zakalwe

Zakalwe

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Great stuff will look at that tonight. Another thing is in eqmod if I wanted to park the scope in a any position could I? And resume from that position

.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Yes. You can specify a number of Park positions...from memory, at least 6 or 7

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stephen_usher

stephen_usher

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But not placing objects on the ccd

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Using the handset I've found that the got accuracy is fine for visual work but not for imaging. i.e. it'll get the target within a 26mm eye piece with my 11" Celestron EdgeHD but not necessarily near the centre, and it's not consistent.

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Zakalwe

Zakalwe

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Using the handset I've found that the got accuracy is fine for visual work but not for imaging. i.e. it'll get the target within a 26mm eye piece with my 11" Celestron EdgeHD but not necessarily near the centre, and it's not consistent.

I've only really used my handset to polar align and to update the motor control firmware. From then on it's been chucked in the PC box in the obsy.  EQMOD all the way!

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