Oh and another thing! guiding

[simmo39]

If you are using a guide camera set up does your polar align still have to be spot on or is it a bit more forgiving?

[red dwalf]

a little more forgiving,

another trick is to slew to a bright star near to the object you are wanting to image, then centre and sync that star on the camera chip then it`s a short goto move to the target and your certain to have the target on the chip, may need to centre it slightly.

i use that method at star partys when my polar alignment is not up to the standard i use when i`m at home on a permanent set up.

[tingting44]

ive never got my PA bang on and i happily run off 10 min subs no problem.....

[DaveS]

The closer you can get your PA the better, as you will still get field rotation around your guide star, which may not even be in the field of your main camera. The rotation will be worse at higher decs, something that's been giving me problems with NGC 281.

[Shelster1973]

As what red has said, you do not need ot be as accurate as you would be without the guider, but you need to be failry close so as to not put too much strain on the guide software to make the ncessary corrections.  If yoiu are massively out you may end up where the guide program wil not be able to 'push' the mount in either Az or Dec to keeo up with the tracking errors.  You wil be able to alter the maximum step that can be sent, but is best to keep it to a minimum where possible.

[lensman57]

If you are using a guide camera set up does your polar align still have to be spot on or is it a bit more forgiving?

It does not need to be spot on but a great deal depends on the FL of your scope, short FLs will be, OK at 1.5 meters of FL you'd have no chance.  If the PA is spot on the guide software will issue less correction and this could mean better rounded and tighter stars. With less than perfect PA you may find that you will have to crop the borders due to rotation. Best to get it as close to perfect as possible.

A.G

[simmo39]

Hi all, thanks for the repllys, i havent go a guider yet but am just trying to get my head round it all. So at the end of the day best to get PA as best you can I think. No real short cut there! darn!

[wuthton]

PA gets quicker with practice. It takes me 5-10mins to get very close.

[DaveS]

If you use PHD2 as your guide software it includes a drift-align utility that can get your PA very close.

[Starlight 1]

If you use PHD2 as your guide software it includes a drift-align utility that can get your PA very close.

Do this work at its best if you can see low East to West.?

[Leveye]

Always strive for perfection in all aspects. That includes leveling, polar alignment and balance.

[DaveS]

Do this work at its best if you can see low East to West.?

Either East *or* West, you only need one. And to be able to see the meridian around 0 deg declination.