is it possible to polar align if you can ONLY see south

[beamer3.6m]

You may think this is a strange question bit can you polar align accurately - for imaging for example) if you can only see the southern aspect of the sky.

Lets assume the north east and west are blocked by buildings so no stars to drift align on etc.

Can it be done and if so how?

[sharkmelley]

Drift alignment?

Mark

[beamer3.6m]

I did wonder that but thought you needed stars visible in the eastern and western sky???

Can you drift align with stars to the south only?

[Scott]

not really. you need south and at least one of east/west to drift aline. i'll be quite happy to find out i'm wrong though

[jambouk]

Yes.

Update the firmware on your handset to 3.35 or later, then read section 11.3 in the manual:

http://www.skywatcher.com/downloads/SynScan_HandControl_web_280313V3.pdf

James

[Tinker1947]

As james typed, a Syscan handset will do PA on any area of sky....

[Owmuchonomy]

As James said but avoid v3.36. Latest is 3.37. Do a 2 star align on stars you can see and then run the polar alignment routine from the manual.

[Scott]

well there you go, I'm wrong AGAIN

[beamer3.6m]

what if you use eqmod?

[jambouk]

Never used eqmod; there would probably be a similar package to do it. Search google for "polar alignment eqmod" and see what turns up.

Good luck.

James

[Tinker1947]

I run EQMod, but stick the handset in to do the PA routine......never checked EQMod for a PA on any star....

[teleskopjo]

Astrotortilla could be an alternative

[beamer3.6m]

But does astrotortilla do PA.

I thought it allowed the mount to accurately find a star not pa the mount.

Does Astrotortilla do this?

[teleskopjo]

Yes there is a polar alignment procedure it gives you the offsets and then you use Polefocus to be able to adjust directly rather than via trial and error. Never used it myself though.

[beamer3.6m]

Does sequence generator pro do the same?

[beamer3.6m]

Does sequence generator pro do the same?

[sgazer]

The eqmod polar alignment is called eqalign!

http://eqalign.net/e_eqalign.html

[teleskopjo]

No that has nothing to do with the Eqmod project.

[teifistar]

There is also a piece of software called Alignmaster, very good.

Peter

[teleskopjo]

Yes - note that it as well as the Synscan procedure etc. assume that the mount is perfectly levelled.

ie. if it is not level then you will shift azimuth errors onto the altitude axis and vice versa, as I understand it. So you need to touch up both axes when doing the adjustments for 'az only' or 'alt only'.

[jambouk]

The other thing you could do, is set the mount up at the front of the house and get it level, and roughly polar align it where you can see Polaris; then take the mount around the back where you can't see Polaris, get it level again, point it north using a compass (keeping the compass away from the metal) and then elevation should be pretty close, then you'll have less adjusting to do whatever method you use.

James

[beamer3.6m]

Thanks guys