Can I ask for some help using the CG5 mount?

[BenBroad]

Hello,

So with my new telescope, I took it out today but had some problems with aligning.

I had just taken the tripod and mount out by themselves earlier and used the latitude settings to get to 53 degrees, or there abouts the scale on the mount is very small... And pointed according to magnetic north.

Come dark skies, I think I found Polaris I followed the the line set out my Ursa Minor pointing in the right direction and I think I did a ok job of the polar alignment...

The first star to align the scope to was Vegas, so when it slew to the west, I couldnt see anything that was really bright like I knew it to be, checking a map I saw that Vegas was the bottom of the summer triangle, so I thought I spotted it but I had doubts as it was rather high. And not really on the right hand side of the triangle...

Of course I didnt have much time to try again as the clouds were coming in.

But was I right about Vegas and does it sound I did a ok job for the polar alignment??

Many thanks for any help you can offer Ben.

[thing]

Vega is very high at the moment and pretty unmistakeable, it's a very bright star. I don't know if you have this http://www.stellarium.org/ it's a free stellarium and will show you what is where at anytime. Polaris isn't as bright but once you have found it and are sure that it's Polaris then it will be in the same place everynight, so just take a beeline from a tree or a TV aerial or whatever and try and remember where it is in relation to where you are standing. Once you have done a few alignments you will spot Polaris easily. I can set my mount up in broad daylight and by dusk Polaris will be in the polar scope, I know just where it is, second conifer to the right with me standing on the patio flag next to the rose bush. Of course you don't need to be breaking the mount down to be able to do this, leave it all set up on the tripod, legs extended if you can. Mine fits nicely into the garden shed.

[BenBroad]

Thanks, I checked out that program you recommanded and I did see that I was looking at Polaris, I wonder why I seemed to be a bit from target while aligning to Vega, hmm probably because of the tube being aligned but not the mount perfectly,

But the little polar scope in the mount is so small and hard to see out of...

Will try again on Wed night when I hear its going to be clear.

[Whippy]

Ben, instead of squnting one eye through the polar scope, try looking through one eye through the polar scope and your other one up at polaris. When you get the images of Polaris from your eyes and the polarscope aligned, that's close enough. I'd recommend using a carrier bag or something to keep your backside dry though! What will also help is getting the mount level and the mount balanced.

BTW, not sure which way you was facing but Altair would be at the 'bottom' of the summer triangle if you was looking South. Vega would be to the West and Deneb is to the East.

Tony..

[thing]

Yes the polar scope on the CG5 isn't anything to write home about is it! On your polar scope circle you will see another tiny circle, the idea is to put Polaris in the tiny circle. But you need the circle in the right place on the 'clock face' otherwise Polaris will be misaligned. Download this href_zip("polar202.zip"); polar202.zip and you will have the correct place to put the little circle.