what to remember to check Pt II - your session

[iapa]

This is shorter.

 

Implementations stages.

• Power packs put on charge for a final top up  (I am assuming you can charge these whilst they are in use)
• Perform polar alignment for your mount.
• repeat above stage to refine this. 
• set the home position for your mount
• Using image capture software focus tool - ensure you have reasonable focus
• Using guiding software focus tool - ensure you have reasonable focus (most app prefer slight off focus).
• perform 2 star alignment for your mount - this will give you a decent map for your goto using 'scope hand controller (I actually plate solve the target stars to get my alignments nice and tight)
• perform 3 star alignment if you plan longer exposures (to correct cone error) 
• check routing of all of your cables
• select a target using your stellarium application - and use your plate resolution application to refine your slew to that target. Watch your cables as this point.
• refine image focus again
• optional: recheck balance - changing focus on the 'scopes can shift balance slightly.

Start session

nope, not yet.

• dust covers/lens caps - you will have removed these in earlier stages, and probably put them back on. Remove the imaging/guide cameras/'scope lens covers.
• focus masks should be removed and stored
• double check for cable snagging
• polarscope/Starsense/polemaster covers can be put back in place; you will forget this step this tearing down after the snow suddenly starts
• check your planned targets and total duration for that target to ensure you are not going past meridian; not all applications will do the meridian flip for you.

Start session

yep, you are ready to go.

Before you settle down,

• set an alarm to awaken you at major points the session, meridian flips, filter changes if manual, estimated time to 60% of battery capacity.
• an alert if temperature changes dramatically - 5C perhaps.

 

Addendum

I will add checking power to PT I, and putting the mount charge will be in teardown (Pt III)

2/3 star alignment is not necessarily required if imaging and sing s/wto perform goto. I complete these steps so, if necessary, I can use the scope controller to slew different target when things look 'wrong'