Electronic Polarscope

[Horwig]

Having been playing with SharpCap for polar alignment, I decided that something better than a camera mounted on the scope was needed, I've made a bracket to mount my electronic polarscope right on the body of my AZEQ6.

I'm using a QHYLII-c with a CS to Nikon adaptor, with an ancient NIkkor 200 f4 

One second exposures give near instant solves, and alignment to within about 10 arc seconds within a couple of minutes is repeatedly possible, I'm sold on this method of polar alignment

Now I've proved the system, next stage will be to give the ali plates a lick of paint

Huw

[StuartJPP]

Good job Huw, I still haven't tried SharpCap's polar alignment routine though I did use its predecessor, PhotoPolarAlign.

I am assuming that the corrections to the mount are done using live video? When I used PhotoPolarAlign it told you the error and to move the mount "West" and "North", but basically you were guessing by how much and the directions...using live video during adjustment would be a massive improvement.

 

[Horwig]

Yes, with a fast lens, the video feed is virtually live, solves and adjustments take seconds. I just get Polaris in the polar scope and the rest is easy

 

huw