Polar Scope?

[dtastro]

I recently got my EQ6-R and spent a couple of days aligning the polar scope so it rotates around the same point. I notice that when the mount is in the home position the polar scope is at about the 9 o'clock position. Does this matter or does some other alignment need to be done too?

[MARS1960]

Nope, you have now calibrated your polar scope, all that's left to do is to polar align your mount using your newly calibrated polar scope .

I like to use polar finder for my alignment but there are of course many ways and apps etc etc.

[dtastro]

Even though my scale is rotated like this at the home position...does it not matter that the scale is not oriented correctly?

 

[Alien 13]

You have to turn the RA axis to a "start" position with either the 0 or 6 at the top depending on the app, the one I use is "polar finder" it has various types of manufacturers polar scope reticules to choose from and can invert the image to match what you see through the scope.

Alan

[adyj1]

On 7/7/2017 at 16:53, Alien 13 said:

You have to turn the RA axis to a "start" position with either the 0 or 6 at the top depending on the app, the one I use is "polar finder" it has various types of manufacturers polar scope reticules to choose from and can invert the image to match what you see through the scope.

Alan

Given the accuracy you want from your polar scope, it is useful to point the polar scope at something in daytime you know is vertical (I used a lamppost) and then rotate your RA to accurately align the polar scope 0-6 line with your visual object (I also had to move quite close to the lampost to be able to train the polar scope on it ;-) ). This is your 'start' position. Two thin strips of black tape on either side of the 'rotating' part of the RA mount will help to return to this position every time you need to polar align.

HTH

Ady

 

[Alien 13]

1 minute ago, adyj1 said:

Given the accuracy you want from your polar scope, it is useful to point the polar scope at something in daytime you know is vertical (I used a lamppost) and then rotate your RA to accurately align the polar scope 0-6 line with your visual object (I also had to move quite close to the lampost to be able to train the polar scope on it ;-) ). This is your 'start' position. Two thin strips of black tape on either side of the 'rotating' part of the RA mount will help to return to this position every time you need to polar align.

HTH

Ady

 

I do feel its important and I too use a fence post which I have measured as being vertical, I have marked a "datum line" on the RA and polarscope so I can repeat at night.

Alan

[triton1]

I don't think it matters that much as long as the circle on the polarscope bisects Polaris.This can be checked obviously because as time goes on any time you look thru the polarscope polaris should be lying on that circle.

[adyj1]

5 hours ago, triton1 said:

I don't think it matters that much as long as the circle on the polarscope bisects Polaris.This can be checked obviously because as time goes on any time you look thru the polarscope polaris should be lying on that circle.

Well I know with my mount I have to align polaris pretty accurately on a specific point on the circle *relative to vertical*.

I match the position on the circle in my polar scope with where polaris is shown on the SynscanInit app (other apps also available ) . 

We must have different alignment methods. 

 

[John]

For visual use, I find simply getting Polaris somewhere near the crosshairs is quite good enough to keep the tracking accurate. A quick dab on the DEC button might be needed now and then but thats about it.

If you need a very accurate GOTO system then I guess you need more accurate polar alignment than I do.

 

[Donkeiller]

Just forget about Polar alignment- it is a world of pain.