Polar alignment question.

[g-rex]

I've just picked up a EQ3-2 mount with a Polar scope.

This is my first experience at polar aligning and I think I understand it pretty much, but,

Stellarium or phone apps can show me where I need to position Polaris on the 'clock face' in the polar scope. 

My polar scope gives an inverted view so if I'm wanting to place Polaris at say 7 o,clock on the circle shouldn't I actually be placing it at 1 o'clock? 

Hope this makes sense. 

 

Thanks in advance.

Graeme.

[scitmon]

No, you need to rotate the mount so 12 is top as you look through it, then posistion polaris at 7.  Actually all you really need to do is get the cross hair straight, and then position polaris at 7 (even if 12, 3, 6 and 9 are at the wrong points).  

[Captain Scarlet]

I think most apps default to an assumption that your average polar scope shows a reversed view, and the o'clock refers to the view that you actually see...

[joe aguiar]

If its visual just put Polaris in that inner small circle if your kinda doesnt have that put in cross hairs

Joejaguar 

[g-rex]

Thanks for the info guys. I shall put it where it says.

I think I was just probably overthinking it. 

[NGC 1502]

14 hours ago, joe aguiar said:

If its visual just put Polaris in that inner small circle if your kinda doesnt have that put in cross hairs

Joejaguar 

 

Indeed - for visual observing polar alignment can be “near enough is good enough”.  
For astrophotography you need to be much more accurate with polar alignment.

Ed.

[g-rex]

Okay, I now understand and have it straight in my head. I hope?

The view in the app is definitely inverted.

 

Thanks for the replies.

[Robny]

The view in most apps are in such a way to match the view kn your polar scope.

So to put Polaris in the rite place using an app, you place Polaris exactly as it is in the app into the your polar scope, no need to invert anything.

 

[g-rex]

Yeah, that's what I showing with the pics.

The scope inverts the image but the app accounts for that, so I just put Polaris where the app says. 👍

[Aramcheck]

Where the two illustrations meant to indicate the same position? To me the top one looks like it's 2:30 and the lower reticule one is 1:20?
Cheers
Ivor

PS: BTW Graeme, you might be interested in the Leeds Astronomical Society - our next observing session (clouds permitting) is on the 22nd http://www.astronomyleeds.org.uk/index.php
(The 160th event on the 9th is sold out however)

[g-rex]

Sorry, no, the intersecting lines on the top one are the point that Polaris rotates around (sorry don't know the correct term for it). So Polaris is at 7.20ish.

The bottom one Polaris is at 1.20ish so opposite the top one. 

A lot of this was me 'thinking out loud' as I was somewhat confused at first. Apologies if I've confused others 🙄😂

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by g-rex

[wuthton]

On 03/11/2019 at 21:01, g-rex said:

Sorry, no, the intersecting lines on the top one are the point that Polaris rotates around (sorry don't know the correct term for it). So Polaris is at 7.20ish.

The bottom one Polaris is at 1.20ish so opposite the top one. 

A lot of this was me 'thinking out loud' as I was somewhat confused at first. Apologies if I've confused others 🙄😂

 

I tortured myself over polar alignment when I first started out but you'll quickly start to think "it's so easy how can newcomers not grasp this?" 

The infinite patience of many on this forum is what makes it marvelous.  I'm currently licking my wounds from asking a question on a Linux forum. 

Edited November 5, 2019 by wuthton