Scope balancing question???

[northcanadian]

Hi all:

When imaging Saturn at its highest point should the scope be slightly camera end heavy?  Last time out it was a bit heavier on the other end and I noticed some dec drift while autoguiding with Firecapture...could that be partly the cause?

Thanks again

Cheers

Roger

[ollypenrice]

This shouldn't matter for the brief duration of planetary imaging. Loading the mount east heavy or camera end heavy is a long expsoure technique intended to keep backlash on one side of mesh. It doesn't cure drift, it cures backlash. (In fact camera or objective heavy loading only works till you are near the zentith then the scope is vertical and the imbalance you've created disappears.)

Systematic drift will be arising from polar misalignment if the drift extends beyond the 8 mins or so of worm wheel rotation. Periodic error is limited to the duration of one rotation. Polar misalignment accumulates indefinitely.

Olly