Polar Axis Issues... or i might be stupid!!!

[Mav359]

Hi Guys

I have a Celestron CGEM mount, in November i am planning to go to drumroamin so i got the GPS cordinates and typed them into Stellarium to see what targets are available. Then i noticed that according to stellarium Polaris is pretty much at Zenith as in 90degs over head

My mount doesn't appear to move that far back in alltidude in fact the scale on the side doesn't go much past 70degs, is this a limitation of the mount and in which case there is no point in going or am i doing something really stupid

these are the cordinates i have for Drumroamin.

[nightfisher]

I think you will be setting your mount to 57 degrees oops make that 54 degrees

[Mav359]

Its just me being REALLY stupid

had the equitorial grid on

Idiot mode:OFF

[Charic]

I live 57N and had no problems aligning to Polaris with my old Celestron 127EQGEM, which as you rightly mention, appears to be directly over-head. I'm sure its just an oversight rather than any stupidity ? Someone with that very mount will offer some more accurate set-up instructions , unless you discover the reason first. Everything here is a big learning curve!

[Charic]

.....well there you go, it was stu.......... lol? Only kidding Take care.

[Mav359]

I live 57N and had no problems aligning to Polaris with my old Celestron 127EQGEM, which as you rightly mention, appears to be directly over-head. I'm sure its just an oversight rather than any stupidity ? Someone with that very mount will offer some more accurate set-up instructions , unless you discover the reason first. Everything here is a big learning curve!

No no its just me being stupid........

I always have the equatorial grid on in stellarium but for what ever reason my brain decided that as soon as i had the new cordiinates typed in i was looking Zenith

Worse thing is i haven't even had a drink

[cfpendock]

It's an interesting point.  What mount do astronomers use who live at high latitudes use?  For example Spitsbergen (Svaalbard) which is 80 agrees north. Perhaps they don't use equatorial mounts????

Chris

[Mav359]

It has got me wondering

I couldn't take my celestron past 70degs, i don't know about the sky watchers.

[Scott]

No no its just me being stupid........

I always have the equatorial grid on in stellarium but for what ever reason my brain decided that as soon as i had the new cordiinates typed in i was looking Zenith

Worse thing is i haven't even had a drink

Therein lies the problem .

[Mav359]

LOL

Just had a look at Google Earth north Alaska is at 69deg 

i should stress i'm not planning to go to the north pole

[perfrej]

It's an interesting point.  What mount do astronomers use who live at high latitudes use?  For example Spitsbergen (Svaalbard) which is 80 agrees north. Perhaps they don't use equatorial mounts????

Chris

Of course we do! Mounts like NEQ6, for example, will do about 60 before the bolts starts slipping off the pusher inside. My 10Micron mounts do 90. Now, having actually been on the geographical North Pole, I can assure you that you do not perform astronomy duties there for two reasons:

1) The ice drift carries you at about 0.3-0.5 knots, constantly and in different directions

2) When actually CAN be there you will find eternal light

/p

[triton1]

I,m not going to the North Pole either,my bones won,t like it.

[Ibbo!]

if you are struggling chuck a brick under the N leg of tripod

[Mav359]

I wont have a problem because it never was one, the only use for the brick would be to knock some sense back into me

[russ.will]

2) When actually CAN be there you will find eternal light

/p

Doesn't that contravene this forum's rules on religion?  

Russell

[perfrej]

Haha! One wonders...

/p