Polar Aligning

[Megaman250]

I can get polaris in view through my AstroMaster 70az telescope does that mean I have polar aligned it? Do I really need to align it? Will aligning it help to find things?

Sorry lots of questions

Thanks,

Darren

[Dr_Ju_ju]

As you have an AZ mount, so you basically point and view...

[brantuk]

Alt/Az mounts don't need polar aligning - only equatorial ones do. It's the mount that has to be aligned in any event - so it will move the scope along the correct trajectory in the sky - the scope itself has nothing to do with the polar alignment.

[Megaman250]

Ah that has cleared a few things up  I'm looking to get a Skywatcher Explorer 200P Telescope + EQ5 Mount Kit without goto tech I take it I will not need to align it until I upgrade, is there anything similar to this anyone can recommend?

Thanks Again, 

[Tinker1947]

If you think you may have a stab at Astrophotography in the future, a GoTo mount is essentially for finding DSO's that you cannot see also there is a P-DS version of the 200 that is built to take a Camera the normal 200P doesn't have enough inward travel for focusing...welcome to SGL...

[rwilkey]

For visual only, with your prospective Explorer on an EQ5, you only need to do a rough polar align, point the axis of the mount towards Polaris and you are done.  You take a cap off at the front of the mount axis, turn the mount so that you can see straight through the axis and then eye-align to Polaris, that is good enough.

[Megaman250]

Can the Skywatcher Explorer 200PDS (EQ5) take 1.5" and 2" eyepieces?  

 

[Tinker1947]

Can the Skywatcher Explorer 200PDS (EQ5) take 1.5" and 2" eyepieces?  

 

Yes....

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200p-ds-ota.html

[geordie85]

Can the Skywatcher Explorer 200PDS (EQ5) take 1.5" and 2" eyepieces?

Yes it can.

If you think you may have a stab at Astrophotography in the future, a GoTo mount is essentially for finding DSO's that you cannot see also there is a P-DS version of the 200 that is built to take a Camera the normal 200P doesn't have enough inward travel for focusing...welcome to SGL...

The 200p does have enough inward travel for a dslr. You just need to unscrew the 1.25 eyepiece from the 2 inch then screw the 2 inch adapter into the t-ring

[Megaman250]

Thanks everyone huge help I will be getting the Skywatcher Explorer 200P-DS, next find a camera 

[Casus belli]

Get a DSLR.  You can pick up a canon 450 for about £100 second hand.