Polar or drift align....?

[triggertrevor]

Hi all I've been a member of stargazing lounge for a wile but with other commitments and bad sky's for a wile I've not had the scope out.

I have just returned from a camping trip were when things went dark the sky just comes alive,unreal compared to back home were on a good night the sky's are not bad but not great.

Now in November I'm going camping again but this time I'm taking the scope and would like to get some photos if possible but I feel like I'm starting from scratch seen as it's been so long since I got all my gear out.

At home I find it so hard to polar align due to polluted sky's so what I'm wanting to know is can anyone advise me on a good tutorial for drift aligning as I think this May be better suited than polar aligning.

Or a better idea would be if anyone from the South Yorkshire area would be so kind to show me how to drift align I would be forever in there debt.

Cheers all.

Kev

[triggertrevor]

sorry everyone spell check must have changed Drift for dirt

[Steve Ward]

My favoured method is the D.A.R.V. using the camera rather than an illuminated reticle EP .

http://www.cloudynights.com/page/articles/cat/articles/darv-drift-alignment-by-robert-vice-r2760

[jambouk]

Yes, i used the camera method twice and it's pretty nifty. Ideally get as well polar aligned as possible using whatever method first (assuming you know which way to turn the knobs when the drift method suggests you need to make a small adjustment).

James

[Stu]

Title amended

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[Pete Presland]

used this when i first started http://www.andysshotglass.com/DriftAlignment.html  did a drift alignment tonight, first since last season and it still looked pretty good!

[mrjonathanbrown]

align master might be an option too mate? If your using a laptop while out using the scope. 

[johnrt]

Drift aligning is used to perfect a rough polar align with the polar scope in your mount. You need to be fairly well polar aligned before you start to drift align. The polar scope in a decent skywatcher mount HEQ5 or above is accurate enough to get 15/20 minute exposures at 900mm focal lengths, so should be good enough to serve you well.

Practise your routine, once you have it down you'll be amazed how easy it is.

[triggertrevor]

Drift aligning is used to perfect a rough polar align with the polar scope in your mount. You need to be fairly well polar aligned before you start to drift align. The polar scope in a decent skywatcher mount HEQ5 or above is accurate enough to get 15/20 minute exposures at 900mm focal lengths, so should be good enough to serve you well.

Practise your routine, once you have it down you'll be amazed how easy it is.

Cheers for the info. The problem I get is that light pollution is an issue from we're I normally use my scope (the back garden) so practicing polar aligning isn't that easy but I'll have to keep at it.

Cheers kev

[triggertrevor]

Thanks everyone for your input on my problem.

Cheers kev

[johnrt]

Cheers for the info. The problem I get is that light pollution is an issue from we're I normally use my scope (the back garden) so practicing polar aligning isn't that easy but I'll have to keep at it.

Cheers kev

Your light pollution is so bad you can't see Polaris?

[Pete Presland]

i have made myself a chart showing which way is N, S, E, & W through my scope. also instructions as to which way to move the mount, depending on the drift in each location of the sky.

[triggertrevor]

Your light pollution is so bad you can't see Polaris?

No not that bad but I just find it hard finding polaris in polar scope.

I know I just need to practice which I have but just wondered if there was any aid's say software wise that could help/speed things up.

Cheers kev