Just don't get Polar Alignment

[Foo Fita]

Finally managed to get my new scope out tonight. Saw a few things but no idea what. I can't for the life of me get my head around Polar Alignment. (I know what it is & why it's necessary, but the books I have and articles I've read seem to assume that the reader has some previous knowledge.) Can anyone explain an 'Idiot proof' method for me.

The main part I am confused about it that it says 'point to Polaris'. Does this mean just face the mount in the general direction of Polaris or do I also have to center it in the eyepiece. Once I've found it do I need to set any of the setting rings to a certain figure?

I know this may sound very basic but I'm struggling with it and it's driving me bonkers.

I have a Skywatcher 130 PM with EQ2 mount.

Please help!

Thanks,

FF

[John]

Finally managed to get my new scope out tonight. Saw a few things but no idea what. I can't for the life of me get my head around Polar Alignment. (I know what it is & why it's necessary, but the books I have and articles I've read seem to assume that the reader has some previous knowledge.) Can anyone explain an 'Idiot proof' method for me.

The main part I am confused about it that it says 'point to Polaris'. Does this mean just face the mount in the general direction of Polaris or do I also have to center it in the eyepiece. Once I've found it do I need to set any of the setting rings to a certain figure?

I know this may sound very basic but I'm struggling with it and it's driving me bonkers.

I have a Skywatcher 130 PM with EQ2 mount.

Please help!

Thanks,

FF

Hi FF,

Don't worry - it is confusing at 1st

For visual observing you don't need precise polar alignment - I think on the EQ2 mount one of the tripod legs should have an "N" at the top of it - just make sure that that leg is aligned more or less north. You don't need to use the setting circles at all if you don't want to - they are generally considered more trouble than they are worth !.

Once your mount / tripod is pointing north then loosen the knobs on the 2 axis of the mount then your should be able to point the scope in any direction you want.

Practice moving the scope about on it's mount in daytime so that you know where the controls are at night.

It does feel odd to start with but you will soon get used to the way the scope moves.

John

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Like John said, the North marked leg goes, er, North. The Upsetting circles don't come into it at this stage, or at all with your setup.

The MOUNT needs aligning, not the 'scope, so you can point the 'scope anywhere, but if you have it weights down, 'scope up, then the 'scope should be pointed in the same direction as the leg marked N, and you should be able to see Polaris in the finder.

Feel free to ask further questions as this is one of those "penny dropping" things which turns out to be simple once grasped.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[jonno]

Would I be right in saying you also have to set your latitude with the turney, screw thing at the back of the mount?

[John]

Would I be right in saying you also have to set your latitude with the turney, screw thing at the back of the mount?

Your right - I've assumed that the latitude is more or less correctly set already.

John

[Foo Fita]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I have the Latitude set correctly, checked on Google earth.

I can't seem to find an N on any of the legs, so should I rotate the mount using the Azimuth until it points North, lock it, then move the scope using only the DEC and RA controls?

The tripod/mount is the one shown here.

http://www.scopesnskies.com/images/products/large/explorer130pmSQ.jpg

I know I can view lots of things without knowing this stuff, but unfortunately I'm the sort that if I could know something, then I have to know it.

Thanks again guys.

FF

[jonno]

Finally managed to get my new scope out tonight. Saw a few things but no idea what. I can't for the life of me get my head around Polar Alignment. (I know what it is & why it's necessary, but the books I have and articles I've read seem to assume that the reader has some previous knowledge.) Can anyone explain an 'Idiot proof' method for me.

The main part I am confused about it that it says 'point to Polaris'. Does this mean just face the mount in the general direction of Polaris or do I also have to center it in the eyepiece. Once I've found it do I need to set any of the setting rings to a certain figure?

I know this may sound very basic but I'm struggling with it and it's driving me bonkers.

I have a Skywatcher 130 PM with EQ2 mount.

Please help!

Thanks,

FF

If the EQ2 is the same as the EQ3-2 then the "N" should be on the joint of a leg where it attaches to the mount.

[John]

If it helps, I've annotated the picture of your scope to show which part of the mount points north.

John

(click to enlarge)

[Starflyer]

Hi FF,

I have the same setup as you, and yes I did find it all very confusing to begin with, so you're not alone It's much easier to do than to explain, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it very quickly.

The EQ2 tripod doesn't have a north marked leg.

Here's what I do;

I set the 'scope up with the weight pointing down over one of the tripod legs. It can be any of the three legs, I then point that leg roughly north.

I set the altitude using the scale - the scale isn't very accurate but it gives you a starting point.

I level the tripod as best as I can using a cheap bubble level.

The mount is now roughly polar aligned and you should use the RA and DEC controls to move the scope around the sky. This will probably feel unnatural but you quickly get used to it.

This is good enough for visual use and the motor drive should keep your target in the eyepiece for at least a few minutes even at high magnifications.

Don't get too hung up on it for now, enjoy using the 'scope.

If in the future you want to do some planetary / lunar imaging, with a webcam for example, then you'll need more accurate polar alignment.

I'm still very much a beginner myself but if I can help in any way all you need to do is ask.

Cheers,

Ian

[jonno]

theMcdonalds.net

I used this guide for the basics. It made things much simpler - don't think I would have gotten by without it.

[Ant]

I agree for visual observing polar alignment isn't vital!

But assuming you mount is roughly like this one - you need to stand to the south of the mount and look along the "the red line".

The red line needs to point as close to polaris as possible (for visual).

Cheers

Ant

[Foo Fita]

Thanks a lot everyone, I think I've got it now. It does seem simpler than I thought, as usual I was over complicating things. (Not gonna say how I was trying to do it, feel a right muppet! :oops: )

While on the subject of the EQ2 mount, can anyone tell me what the odd shape thing behind the silver RA wheel is for? It looks like the letter b with a bit sticking out of the bottom.

Cheers,

FF.

[Ajohn]

You can align the scope better on the fly while observing. Best start with a low power eyepiece. Look through the scope and move the scope about a little on the RA axis. You need to ignore that movement of stars etc. Point the scope at a star and watch it for a while tracking it with the RA drive and see if it drifts up or down. You may be lucky and all's ok so that's the time to move to a higher power eyepiece if needed. If it drifts up or down pick up the whole mount and turn is slightly. If the drift is worse you turned it the wrong way, if the drift was up and it's now down you turned it to far. When there is only a bit of what I've called up or down drift the alt az adjustments can be used to trim it even further. These are on the mount itself. On moves the RA axis east or west and the other is used to set the latitude on the scale. Just use the east west 1st. With a bit of practice the whole process only takes a few minutes and the alt az adjustments aren't even needed.

The latitude does need to be set reasonably. That means that the mount must be reasonably level. All I do on that score is fully extend the tripod legs and observe on a fairly level surface. It is also possible to level the head by adjusting the tripod legs. Some eq mounts have a bubble level to help with this.

I use a compass to point the head north. True north varies from magnetic north but 7 degrees west is a reasonable approximation.

On mounts that can take a polar scope many people just take out the bungs and align on polaris through the hole. Getting it initially right by sighting along the mount. That effectively levels the head too.

John

[Sam]

If I can add one more bit of advice to already very helpful suggestions so far... once you've got the alignment spot on - mark it on the ground so you can position your scope in the exactly the same place next time - works a treat!

[Foo Fita]

Thanks again all.

Lightbucket, I have actually already done that.(No use having a brain cell if I'm not gonna use it!) Problem is, there hasn't been a next time yet 'cos of all the clouds.