Polar Alignment Scope

[Beno1968]

I have read all the topics and discussions around how to Polar Align and fine tune/calibrate  your scopes but I still have one question, I owns a HEQ5 Pro and in the home position (weights down) my polar alignment reticle is approximately 170 deg out for the northern hemisphere, ie the 6 is in roughly the 11 o clock position. Is it worth slackening off the grub screws to rotate the reticle and calibrate again ?
I know normally we would slacken off the clutch and rotate the rig till the “clock” aligned but close to 180 deg when I’m set up seems to be a fair rotation of the rig, am I missing something ?

[barbulo]

Welcome to SGL.

I wouldn’t mess with the screws unless you need to calibrate the scope. Just turn the RA those 10deg to get a vertical reference (whichever) and do the PA. 
 

Edited July 26, 2021 by barbulo

[Jiggy 67]

I wouldn’t mess with any grub screws, there’s no need

The clock numbers are irrelevant, you just need to match the view in an app, such as PS Align Pro, in your polar scope. However, if you want to get the numbers correct, use this method but the mount must be level to do it:

Place Polaris at the centre of the polar scope. Then using altitude bolt only, place Polaris at the top of the circle. Rotate in RA until 12 o’clock is on Polaris. The polar scope is now calibrated correctly (assuming it’s central in the mount). Now carry out PA and when complete return to the home position..

[M40]

Hello and welcome to the site, as the others have said, don't mess with the screws unless necessary. Only worry about it if the polar scope is out of alignment and that is easily checked at any time. Find an object that is some distance from you i.e. a TV aerial, center it on the polar scope, then spin the mount head. If the polar scope keeps the object centered leave it as is, if the object goes off center you will need to align the polar scope so you might as well align the numbers then. If all is good, ignore the numbers and just picture the positions of the clock face on the circles.

[Beno1968]

Thanks for the comments, I have already calibrated the polar scope so am happy with that, was just a little worried as it was so far off from “0” at 12 o’clock but I suppose it’s irrelevant as mentioned as long as the Polaris position matches the position in the app