Dumb question about polar and scope alignment

[DanLXIX]

Not a night for being outside, so I've been trying to work out if what I'm doing for alignment is correct. This is the dumb question; after doing the PA, do I leave the mount in that position and then do the alignment via the SynScan app? If so, how does the app know where the home position is?

[Synchronicity]

I think home is when the weights are pointing to the ground and the scope is pointing upwards.

The Synscan system will assume that is the starting point and calculate movements from there.

Michael

[Cornelius Varley]

4 minutes ago, Synchronicity said:

I think home is when the weights are pointing to the ground and the scope is pointing upwards.

The Synscan system will assume that is the starting point and calculate movements from there.

Michael

By upwards you mean the telescope should be pointing at the North Celestial Pole.

[AstroNowt]

26 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

By upwards you mean the telescope should be pointing at the North Celestial Pole.

That is the way I have done it in terms of home position.

I have never done anything else after doing the PA visually using a polar scope.

If you use a polar align app to get the precise location you are aiming for re Polaris I do not think anything else is necessary. At least I do not think the synscan align will be an improvement.

[carastro]

Yes put the scopes so they are pointing towards Polaris and the weights are directly down.  This will be the HOME position.

Carole 

[DanLXIX]

OK, so after doing the PA, I manually put the scope into the home position (weights down, OTA up) and then begin the alignment?

[Z3roCool]

Yep, I always put the weight bar horizontal before PA and use a spirit level. Then set the clock to 90deg, then rotate 90deg (Use clock to get exact) and will be perfectly level. Do the same for the DEC with spirit level and all nicely lined up. Once PA'ed set back to same points on the clock and will be exact again. The way I do it anyway...

[Thalestris24]

Hi Dan

Remember, when doing  PA you are aligning the mount with the  NCP (using your favourite PA method) by adjusting alt and az bolts. Once you have good/good enough PA, you leave the adjustment bolts alone. You can either use the handset to slew the scope to home (I think) or loosen clutches, if necessary, to put the scope in the home position (don't forget to re-tighten the clutches!). Thereafter,  you can use the handset (i.e. software) to adjust the pointing position of your scope by aligning it with several selected, easily identifiable, stars from the handset database.

Louise

[cletrac1922]

Dan

I use a compass to align the north leg

Been down under, North leg faces south

Stand back about 10 paces, and align North leg

Do not forget to allow for magnet variation

Where I am, is 12deg east

John  

[Owmuchonomy]

9 hours ago, AstroNowt said:

That is the way I have done it in terms of home position.

I have never done anything else after doing the PA visually using a polar scope.

If you use a polar align app to get the precise location you are aiming for re Polaris I do not think anything else is necessary. At least I do not think the synscan align will be an improvement.

Actually the Synscan software contains a very useful Polar Alignment routine. A rough Polar Alignment is conducted first as you say. I never used the polar scope. I just pointed the mount axis close to the celestial pole, set the latitude close to 54’ then used the PA routine in the handset to set the PA accurately. It proved to be accurate for DSO imaging with my HEQ5. It beats breaking your neck trying to use a polar scope.