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Need help with my step by step instructions please

ianpwilliams

By ianpwilliams
in Getting Started With Imaging

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ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

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Ok I think I'll buy the bolts.

Going back to PA

So I illuminate the polar scope and rotate the RA so that the small Polaris circle is in the right place, then I lock the RA and use the alt az bolts to move the real Polaris into the Polaris circle, then move the mount to the Home position?

I think I can use the PolarFinder app for this? So in this case I would rotate the RA to match the little circle, and the onstellation orientation should match? And would it be worth having the RA clock at zero before rotating the RA for more accuracy? It seems like it might be a bit rough just estimating the amount to turn by.post-35725-0-92644400-1416896895.jpg

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ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

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Sorry, that's why you do the fine tuning afterwards isn't it.

So why does Polaris appear to be on the opposite side to the Polaris circle?

Also, I would prefer to avoid using the dials if I can. I've noticed that the RA dial sometimes comes loose and moves even when locked, and I wouldn't want to use pliers on the thumb screw.

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carastro

carastro

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Ok I think I'll buy the bolts.

Going back to PA

So I illuminate the polar scope and rotate the RA so that the small Polaris circle is in the right place, then I lock the RA and use the alt az bolts to move the real Polaris into the Polaris circle, then move the mount to the Home position? 

I think I can use the PolarFinder app for this? So in this case I would rotate the RA to match the little circle, and the onstellation orientation should match? And would it be worth having the RA clock at zero before rotating the RA for more accuracy? It seems like it might be a bit rough just estimating the amount to turn by.

Almost right.

But you will need to adjust the front and back altitude/latitude bolts as well as the Alt/AZ bolts to get polaris into the little circle, that's why it's important to get those bolts sorted.  This is why the dial on the side is not that important as it's only a guide.

I have not seen that version of polarfinder before and I am not sure it will be quite so easy to work out where to place the little circle with that guide.

This one is much easier.  So for example at 00.51 you would need to rotate your RA until the little circle is in the 9 o'oclock position.  At 22.51 it would be at the 47 minutes past the hour position etc etc.

I never use the setting circle dials any-more because they used to slip.  

wp14150e3c_0f.jpg

Can't currently find the download for this I got it from Astronomyshed site, but every time I google polarfinder I come up with a different version of it.

Maybe some-one on here has the link. 

Ah, this might be it:

http://myastroimages.com/Polar_FinderScope_by_Jason_Dale/

Carole 

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glowingturnip

glowingturnip

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hihi, have been following this thread, but not chimed in yet.

You will need to get your polarscope properly aligned first, otherwise it's not doing anything when you're trying to polar align.  Do it in the day time, focus on a distant point, and when you swing the scope through 180 degress in RA, it should still be pointing at the same point.  If it does move, adjust it till it doesn't.  Mine has 3 small allen-key screws round the eyepiece bit for doing that.

Polaris should be obvious enough at night time when you're using the polar scope, but you need to be looking in roughly the right place to start with, and that's sometimes not easy.  In fact it can be quite hard on really clear nights if you can see other stars in the polar scope too, since it's hard to tell exactly where you're looking.  I'm fairly sure I've aligned on the wrong star before.

You can't see the constellations in the field of view of the polar scope, but they should be in the same angular direction as the diagrams you see in the scope.  I usually try to get the angle between alkaid and mizar to look the same in real life as in the scope.

If you want to get the little circle completely accurately in the right place using Polarfinder and the RA setting circle, then this technique from m37 aka Chris looks good:

Find an accurate 12 o clock position by lining polaris perfectly on the central cross hairs, then move it up in the polar scope by turning the altitude bolts. Polaris should now be on the large circle directly above the cross hairs
Rotate through RA until the smaller polaris target circle is directly over polaris at 12 position. Set your setting circle to 12.
Now use a polar finder programming and find out what polaris position is
Rotate through RA using the setting circle to position the smaller target circle where polaris should be AMD lock your clutch
Now use the alt az bolts to position polaris in the correctly located smaller target circle
Rotate through RA with loose clutch and observe whether polaris sticks exactly to the larger circle

Chris

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Hi

FWIW I have upgrade bolts fitted to my heq5 syntrek. At my latitude of 55.8767 deg, the rear alt bolt is screwed almost all the way in with the mount level. There is only a couple of mm spare... As Edinburgh is slightly more North it may not be possible to properly adjust alt. Two possible solutions - get a longer rear bolt or tilt the tripod slightly. The latter is the cheapest way ;) I have a Clinometer app which is actually pretty accurate and have used it in the past to roughly set or double check alt/lat. Of course, when adjusting alt (or az), always loosen one bolt before tightening the other when adjusting. Don't overtighten... Getting good PA only requires very small adjustments once you are close. It takes some practice...

This map tool is useful for getting your precise current lat/long: http://www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com/

Louise

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ianpwilliams

ianpwilliams

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An Android app eh, interesting, I have Clinometer on my android device, my be good to hold against the mount later on, better to start from 54 or 56 than 45.

Do ask question, we have all been there and still make a pigs ear of it sometimes. Good luck with it :smiley:

It's ok, I've come to accept the fact that I will probably just continue to make a pigs ear of it, just hopefully a bit less each time until I finally get it right. Thankfully I'm a patient man, which is definitely required with this hobby, and with the UK weather.
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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Yeah I've got a clinometer app too, could be useful. And I'm 55.96, so it could be tricky. I'll put the longer bolt in the back for now, although hopefully the upgrade bolts will be longer, because I've ordered them now.

You might be ok though I'm not sure how turns of the bolt equate to fractions of a degree. As far as I know, the upgrade bolts aren't longer unless you specifically request longer...

At the same time, you may not actually need longer ones anyway.

Louise

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carastro

carastro

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Well done for sticking with this, I know some people who have got so frustrated they have given up.  But once you have got it all working OK, it's not so difficult.  Worst case scenario, you could use the bolts round the other way as it seems you don't need one so long at the north side.  

Carole 

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Scott

Scott

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Does anyone know of any good SGL threads which list the various pieces of astronomy software that are out there? I want to download all the best ones I can to my laptop, so I can start learning how to use them.

You had best clarify this...all the best, or all the best free. the financial difference between the two could buy you another set-up :D

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Davey-T

Davey-T

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Does anyone know of any good SGL threads which list the various pieces of astronomy software that are out there? I want to download all the best ones I can to my laptop, so I can start learning how to use them.

You obviously need Stellarium then Deep Sky Stacker, EQMod, ASCOM, PHD2. Back Yard EOS if you're imaging with DSLR.

Various other apps for phone.

Dave

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carastro

carastro

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Free ones:

DSS (Deep Sky stacker) for stacking 

Canon Utility capture programme comes with the Canon DSLR so FOC

Stellarium (planetarium software)

Iris (for processing, but you need a mathematical mind to work out how to use it) 

PHD for guiding (excellent) also PHD2 the more recent version 

EQMod if you want to control your mount from the laptop instead of the handset (requires Ascom) 

GIMP post processing, not sure how good this is

Not free but reasonable

APT or BYEOS for capturing DSLR images, very similar so I am told and have many more "tools" than the Free Canon Utility

Nebulosity (can also use this for stacking) I think it was about £50 ish when i bought it.

Star tools 50 euros (post processing).  Never used it so can't comment.

SGPro image capture with lots of tools (45 day free trial) $99 

More than £100:

Astroart - cost me £120 for capture and stacking

Maxim DL  $599 (does everything but complex IMO)

Registar for aligning (registering) multiple images done with different filters on different nights etc (£130 I seem to recall, but a godsend if you do mono imaging)

Photoshop (expensive but essential for post processing), There is a rental version now, or I think they are offering CS2 version for free.

Or Pixinsight instead of Photoshop (big learning curve but does a good job with post processing). 230 Euros

Carole 

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