Polar Aligning with EQ6R

[JIm19130]

I just bought a Skywatcher EQ6R Mount which I read is great.  But I am confused about polar alignment and the GoTo.

When I first turn on the mount and the GoTo, it "initializes" with my inputed long/latitude, elevation, and I input the time, date, time zone etc.  It then gives me two figures-Polaris Position and Polaris Hour Angle.  I have to push "Enter". I can't adjust these figures.  Then it proceeds to ask me about Star Alignment. 

I then manually rotate the RA axis slightly so that when I actually look into the illuminated polar scope reticle, the cross hairs are vertical and horizontal with the horizon.  This is so I can "match" Polaris around the reticle circle with the display of Polaris in the Polar Align app, which I use. 

 

Ive noticed that the Polaris Hour Angle figure calculated by the GoTo differs from the HA figure displayed in the Polar Align App.  I don't know why this would be the case, since the long/lat, elevation, date time etc are inputted identically in both.  

I end up using the HA that is displayed in the App, since I think it would be more accurate. But I'm concerned as to why there is a difference.    

 

[Jiggy 67]

I never take any notice of either of them figures so I couldn’t even tell you if mine has the same difference. Just replicate what you see in the app in the polar scope, that’s all you need to do 

[northantsnick]

You should be rotating the RA so that the constellations that you see in the polar scope match the sky

This will then put the small circle in the correct position.

You can then use the fine adjustments on the mount to move the head east or west as required and alter the declination to be ea=xact

Once that's done you should lockdown, rotate your RA back to the perpendicular position (weight and scope in south/north position) and you will be roughly polar aligned.

Nick

[scitmon]

The Location in your app looks wrong (lat long puts you in China!), I would suggest a manual input of location.

[Jiggy 67]

15 minutes ago, scitmon said:

The Location in your app looks wrong (lat long puts you in China!), I would suggest a manual input of location.

Well spotted!! And the app is GMT minus 4. 

[JIm19130]

38 minutes ago, scitmon said:

The Location in your app looks wrong (lat long puts you in China!), I would suggest a manual input of location.

 

I'm in Philadelphia.   It's 39 degrees N latitude and 75 degrees west longitude.  If it were China, longitude would be EAST, not West.  

What's the error that you see?

Edited June 30, 2020 by JIm19130

[JIm19130]

50 minutes ago, northantsnick said:

You should be rotating the RA so that the constellations that you see in the polar scope match the sky

This will then put the small circle in the correct position.

You can then use the fine adjustments on the mount to move the head east or west as required and alter the declination to be ea=xact

Once that's done you should lockdown, rotate your RA back to the perpendicular position (weight and scope in south/north position) and you will be roughly polar aligned.

Nick

Well, my particular installed Polar Scope doesn't have constellations like the Big Dipper in it.  My scope's reticle looks like the one featured in Polar Align in the pic.  

Regardless,  I'm told you have to rotate the RA axis manually to align the cross hairs in the reticle such that the vertical one is straight up and down and the horizontal one is parallel with the horizon.  I did that during the day using the side of a building and marked it on my RA axis so at night I can quickly turn the RA axis you make the "x" crosshairs in the reticle look like a "+".   (The 0,3,6,9 numbers on the crosshairs aren't the same, but I ignore them).   That way, the crosshairs align in the same way as what I see in the Polar Align app.  Like a +.  

But regardless, the GoTo HH:MM for Polaris is the a different Hour Angle than the app is telling me.  I guess I'll just disregard the GOTo and use the position of Polaris in the app to align with where I place Polaris in the reticle diagram.   Odd, though  

 

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by JIm19130

[Jiggy 67]

58 minutes ago, JIm19130 said:

Well, my particular installed Polar Scope doesn't have constellations like the Big Dipper in it.  My scope's reticle looks like the one featured in Polar Align in the pic.  

Regardless,  I'm told you have to rotate the RA axis manually to align the cross hairs in the reticle such that the vertical one is straight up and down and the horizontal one is parallel with the horizon.  I did that during the day using the side of a building and marked it on my RA axis so at night I can quickly turn the RA axis you make the "x" crosshairs in the reticle look like a "+".   (The 0,3,6,9 numbers on the crosshairs aren't the same, but I ignore them).   That way, the crosshairs align in the same way as what I see in the Polar Align app.  Like a +.  

But regardless, the GoTo HH:MM for Polaris is the a different Hour Angle than the app is telling me.  I guess I'll just disregard the GOTo and use the position of Polaris in the app to align with where I place Polaris in the reticle diagram.   Odd, though  

 

 

 

 

You are correct, the zero vertical line has to be vertical. The easiest way to do it is level the mount (essential) place Polaris at the centre mark of the polar scope and the using the alt adjustment place Polaris at the top of the circle, then rotate in RA to put the 12 o’clock position over Polaris. You can save this in PS Align Pro by setting the zero hour in the app with the RA reading on the handset when you rotate in RA. 
Having said all that, none of it matters, it’s irrelevant where the actual numbers are on the reticle or what HA hours are displayed. This is the best reticle of the lot (and the best app) and as long as you inputted the data correctly in the app all you have to do is replicate the image in the polar scope as you have said 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Jiggy 67

[JIm19130]

I actually did something slightly different to make the scope's crosshairs "vertical."  Based on some advice, I focused the polar scope on the edge of a far away building, aligning the side of the building with the reticle's vertical crosshair by rotating the mount's RA axis slightly.  Manually.    (The numbers on the scope's reticle were still upside down, but I ignored them.   At least the crosshairs were +, not an x).  I marked the RA axis with a marker to record the axis rotation.  

So, at night when i pull up the Polar Align app and see the position of Polaris around the circle on the app as an X, I simply memorize the position of Polaris, rotate my mount's RA axis to the designated mark (this reorienting the reticle crosshairs to vertical) and then place Polaris around the reticle circle to match the position indicated in the App.   After I'm finished, I unclutch the RA axis and bring it back to the home position.   Then turn the mount off and back on and fast forward the GoTo to star alignment (as my mount is in the home position and polar aligned).

Is this all correct?

Jim

 

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by JIm19130

[Jiggy 67]

1 hour ago, JIm19130 said:

I actually did something slightly different to make the scope's crosshairs "vertical."  Based on some advice, I focused the polar scope on the edge of a far away building, aligning the side of the building with the reticle's vertical crosshair by rotating the mount's RA axis slightly.  Manually.    (The numbers on the scope's reticle were still upside down, but I ignored them.   At least the crosshairs were +, not an x).  I marked the RA axis with a marker to record the axis rotation.  

So, at night when i pull up the Polar Align app and see the position of Polaris around the circle on the app as an X, I simply memorize the position of Polaris, rotate my mount's RA axis to the designated mark (this reorienting the reticle crosshairs to vertical) and then place Polaris around the reticle circle to match the position indicated in the App.   After I'm finished, I unclutch the RA axis and bring it back to the home position.   Then turn the mount off and back on and fast forward the GoTo to star alignment (as my mount is in the home position and polar aligned).

Is this all correct?

Jim

 

 

Yep that’ll do it. I polar align before I do anything, I only switch the mount on to illuminate the polar scope, that way there’s no need to switch off and on and possibly having to re input time, location etc. PA is a mechanical procedure, you don’t need the data etc in the handset . Just return to the home position after PA.

Another useful tip....Polar Align Pro has a daytime PA routine, follow the instructions on the app during daytime setup and it will get you close to the NCP so at night you only have to do a slight and quick adjustment 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Jiggy 67

[JC France]

just bumped into this old thread, but thought I’d reply as I think that the explanation for the difference between the two displayed values is as follows:
 

On synscan, there are two values shown - polar hour is displayed after something called  polar position 

 

polar position calculated by synscan equates to the screen on  the app. Is has a range of 12 hours 00:00 to 11:59 as per a clock face.

 

polar hour is something different -it’s a 24 hour range starting at bottom (6 o clock position in scope) and going anticlockwise.

 

 

Edited January 15 by JC France