Polar alignment

[Bugfly]

How do you do polar alignment . If you can not see Polaris just wondering

[Vox45]

if you have a view to the east (or west) AND south you can drift align.

there are plenty of tutorial and ways of doing this. I just linked one...

I had the same issue where I only had a south view so I got creative ... Went to a place not to far where I had a view to polaris to set the altitude ajustment and went back to my observing place and, with a view to the south, was able to drit align for the azimuth

[Physopto]

It depends upon your equipment. Eq6 etc can do 2 or three star alignments and report errors I think. A process of iterations. Eq8 does the same on the handset. 10 micron something similar. If you are using eqmod on a computer controlled scope again something similar.

Derek

[kens]

For visual a compass and spirit level are sufficient to point the mount north and level the tripod before setting altitude against the scale

For imaging drift alignment of any of the many varieties

Those with a goto mount also have a polar alignment function that uses a variant of star alignment

Polar alignment without seeing Polaris is essential for anyone in the southern hemisphere

[Bugfly]

I am up grading to new scope a iam getting celestron 800 edge hd telescope and just wondered about polar alignment if can not see polar star

[Physopto]

"New "All-star" Polar alignment uses any bright star for a quick and accurate Polar alignment"

From an advert for that scope!

Derek

[PeterCPC]

If you are getting an AVX mount with the C8 you can do an ASPA align - you don't need to be able to see Polaris.

Peter

[Bugfly]

If you are getting an AVX mount with the C8 you can do an ASPA align - you don't need to be able to see Polaris. 

I be getting avx celestron 800 edge hd telescope so do you mean that I can just use star alignment

Peter

[PeterCPC]

The AVX has All Star Polar Align (ASPA) which you use to do a Polar Alignment. You do not use Polaris but use other bright stars. I can align my scope and Polar align using ASPA and have good PA within 30 mins.

Peter

[Owmuchonomy]

Same with any Synscan set up, you can use the software following a 2 or 3 star alignment. You have to guess roughly where Polaris is in the first place but you don't need to know exactly.

[Coastliner]

I need to ask a question on this if I may: on page 35 (Polar Alignment)sections 6 and 8 of the Synscan user guide it refers to altering the Altitude and Azimuth controls. Does this mean the Altitude and Azimuth bolts on the mount or buttons on the handset?

[Cornelius Varley]

I need to ask a question on this if I may: on page 35 (Polar Alignment)sections 6 and 8 of the Synscan user guide it refers to altering the Altitude and Azimuth controls. Does this mean the Altitude and Azimuth bolts on the mount or buttons on the handset?

This refers to the bolts on the mount, assuming this is for an equatorial mount. It is the mount that is polar aligned and not the telescope. 

[Physopto]

Once you have altered the bolts you need to do another alignment using the stars as the original position is now defunct. It is a process of iteration.

Derek

[Coastliner]

Thanks both!