newer skywatcher polar scope reticle.

[theghettostylus]

Hello! Does any body have any experience using the newer polar scope from skywatcher? I got mine last week and its nothing like what I see on the tutorials and what not, I believe it works for both northern and southern hemisphere.

I have attached a photo of said reticle.

Thanks in advance.

[jambouk]

I suspect if you are in the northern hemisphere;

Rotate the RA axis until 0 is at the very top, then put Polaris inbetween the lines at the appropriate time position according to where it is on it's journey around the NCO. Looks brilliant.

James

[theghettostylus]

Thanks for the reply, that's how I thought it might work.

Makes sense!

Just wanted some other opinions.

Just need to get the alignment with the mount bang on now.

My mount isn't not playing ball though.

[jambouk]

Aligning the reticle with the RA axis is a tedious and time consuming job, but a worthwhile one. Best done in daylight on a very distant terrestrial object if possible and whilst seated. Put aside an hour or more to do it and take your time; you'll get very close several times then mess it up again.

James

[theghettostylus]

For some reason when I turn in RA and get to the 180 turn my mount moves very slightly, so I have to start over. It is very frustrating. I think its the cheap grease they use as the movement is nice and smooth until I do the 180 flip and then the mount sticks.

[jambouk]

It's not uncommon, in my experience, that even when the reticle is perfectly centred that rotating the RA results in some slight movement of the cross hairs. I think this is because the RA axis machining is not perfect.

When you talk about the RA sticking, it probably isn't grease, it is probably again poor machining of a perfect circle but also when adjusting for backlash it is possible to cause this problem when it sticks at one part in the full 360 degree rotation.

James

[theghettostylus]

I only have the eq3-2 so not top end but it is by far better than my previous eq2, that thing wobbled more than jelly aha I have it pretty much spot on just want it that little bit better, but I know it will never be perfect as that is impossible.

The new mount, motor and polar scope has upped my exposure time from 10 seconds to 1 minute so I can't complain.