How to do AzEq6 polar alignment?

[Dickba]

As you may guess I am very new to this!

Got a new mount the AZEQ6 , my first EQ job. I can't make out how to use the handset to do the improved polar alignment. What do you do with the MEL and MAZ readings that appear?

Hope this not too daft a question. I am in the middle of a week of totally cloudy sky's and can't have go at it all.. Do you experienced skywatchers get as frustrated as me when you can't see anything?

Dickba

[A40farinagolf]

Hi,

I'm also new to AZEQ6 ownership so not an expert by any means.

The Mel and Maz refer to the polar alignment error when using 2 or 3 star alignment, if you adjust the elevation and azimuth by the Mel and Maz figures stated the polar alignment will be bang on. Sounds easy in theory but I've never tried it.

If Mel is +ve degrees, minutes and seconds then presumably you lower the altitude by that amount and raise if Mel is negative

If Maz is +ve degrees, minutes and seconds then presumably you rotate azimuth anticlockwise by that amount and clockwise if Maz is positive.

This might be the blind leading the blind, hopefully an expert will read this and will advise.

Regards,

M

[Tinker1947]

If you're up to speed on how to get the Polar Align option in the handset (do a 2 star align) Polar align on a bright easy to see star from the drop down list, do this a couple of times, 2 star align, polar align, my NEQ6 run 3 minute subs after 2 PA's it may have gone longer i never tested....

[Snaxmuppet]

Do you have the SynScan Manual or pdf? In there it explains pretty clearly how to do a polar alignment without a polar scope. I have attached it here in case you haven't got it.

Do you have a camera and laptop set up? If so then I suggest you look at using Align Master instead. It is simple to use and very accurate. See http://www.alignmaster.de/

Synscan V4 Hand Control Manual_v4_36_01.pdf

[A40farinagolf]

I didn't start this thread but I'm glad Vacuum did as the answers are most useful.

Sounds like I don't need to use the Mel and Maz but I'm keen to know whether my interpretation (see thread 2) of them is accurate in terms of what they stand for and how you use the information.

Does anyone know?

Thanks,

M

[Snaxmuppet]

From the Polar Alignment procedure in that PDF...

The “Mel” value is the offset in elevation, and the “Maz” value is the offset in azimuth.

Also...

Access the menu “UTILITY FUNCTION \ Show Information \ P.A Error” and press the ENTER key. The screen will display “Mel=+DDDoMM’SS Maz=+DDDoMM’SS”. The “Mel” value is the polar alignment offset in elevation, and the “Maz” value is the polar alignment offset in azimuth. These data is valid only after a 2-star alignment or a 3-star alignment.

From this I would say that the Mel/Maz is simply the amount in degrees that the mount is out of polar alignment so yes, in my opinion, your interpretation is correct

[jambouk]

There are several threads discussing this; the last time I wrote about it was on this thread:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/245865-a-proper-way-to-carry-out-a-precise-polar-alignment/?fromsearch=1

James