Adjusting Declination head for Polaris centering

[iksose7]

Does anybody know anything about this? I wasn't aware it was possible until i read it somewhere the other day, probably on here somewhere.

There are hex screws on the EQ mount declination head, in my case the NEQ6. Apparently when you are polar aligned and the scope is pointed at the Northern meridian around Polaris, you can adjust these so that your scope has Polaris bang on centre - making for a much easier set up i'm guessing.

I just received a scope and fancy getting this done but cant find any information on it at all. Anybody care to shed some light on this or point me towards a guide maybe? I cant see any mention of it in the mount manual.

Thanks

[rwilkey]

Hi iksose7, yes, basically you go through this procedure before setting up for a night's viewing, it is not something you can do in advance really.  Basically, before mounting the telescope itself you set up your tripod and mount head, make sure your latitude setting is set for your location (something like 43 degrees probably (for Bayonne), check online), once this is done you don't need to do it again.  Next, remove the (black) stopper from the front of the mount head - this will reveal a hole where you can see the mount workings inside.  Next go to the back of the mount and remove the cone-like covering and then get down on your knees so that you can look up through.  You will see the view is blocked.  Now, twist the head a quarter or half turn and you will see a perfect hole revealed from where you can line up Polaris in the centre of view.  Hope this makes sense, you need to do this everytime you take out your mount.

This is only accurate enough for visual observing, it is not accurate enough for astrophotography, which requires a polar alignment scope.

EDIT: NB. More info here: http://www.astro-baby.com/simplepolar/simple_polar_alignment.htm

[Owmuchonomy]

Hi, as above post for visual but note that if you intend to image then Polaris is not quite at true North but about 41' off centre true north. So aligning very accurately Polaris should not be exactly centred.

[iksose7]

Sorry guys, i should of explained better. I'm not talking about polar alignment. Believe me, i'm familiar with that!

What i read the other day was that once you are polar aligned, and everything is in the home position, chances are if you look through the scope you will not see Polaris. There are little screws around the dec head just under where you would fix your plate. I read that you could adjust these which would in turn adjust the scope or dec head until you have Polaris centered?

Maybe the guy that wrote it was just having a laugh or didnt know what he was talking about   just thought i would ask though

[Owmuchonomy]

As I said, you don't want Polaris centred. So I don't see what he is getting at.

[knobby]

Are you thinking of cone error ... Where the scope isn't parallel to the mount ?

[rwilkey]

You don't need Polaris in the scope as well, so I can't see the point of adjusting these screws.  it is only important to align the mount to Polaris.  When the scope is then mounted, it will be pointing well above Polaris, which does not matter in my view.

[Dave_D]

aren't those screws just to hold the puck on? just a guess, not having a mount as fancy as an NEQ6