SW EQ5 SynScan Goto Mount - Solar Observing?

[Ian McCallum]

I've used my SW EQ5 mount for solar observing in the past, when fitted with either no motor drives or the Enhanced kit version.  As I'm now using the SW SynScan Goto upgrade kit, I'm not sure how to use it for tracking the sun.  I don't keep my mount permanently out the back door, but polar align it, whenever I need it for night time use.

For solar observing, do I just place the mount as if I would for night time use, but just omit the polar alignment, as it's day time?  Hope it's not a daft question...

[Peter Drew]

Next time you polar align mark the position of the tripod feet.  Placing it there for solar viewing should be adequate for tracking.  If imaging, the exposures are so short, inaccuracies of setup won't matter.    🙂

[Bizibilder]

If you can replace your mount in the same position as you have it after a nighttime session you should be near enough.  Maybe marks on the ground - some folk have put bricks or tiles in the lawn and chiselled small depressions in them to take the tripod feet.  It will track but may need the occasional "nudge" on the controls to keep the image in the field of view.  If you are taking photos then there is still little problem as the Sun is so bright that exposure times are very short and you will not have an issue.

[Zermelo]

I'm not sure whether you're using the app or handset, but certainly on the app you can choose the tracking rate to be either siderial, lunar or solar, if selecting manually. The rate is set automatically if you "goto" an object. For the sun to be selectable as a target, you need to flip the switch in the settings beforehand (and answer a simple arithmetic question, which seems to assume that a safety-ignorant child must have poorer numeracy skills than their parent - interesting).

[wookie1965]

There is a setting on the handset to track Solar, I set up every time I use a compass to find North. I point the North leg to the compass I usually have to centre the sun every now and again but it tracks for ages before I have to adjust it. 

[StarryEyed]

I bought a cheap BBQ cover from amazon and during a spell without any rain I take the scope off and cover the mount. I can't for the life of me understand why I haven't been doing this years ago it such an obvious thing to do and I literally setup again in minutes. I've stopped being precious about my mounts and it's changed my viewing habits enormously. 

[Ian McCallum]

22 minutes ago, StarryEyed said:

I bought a cheap BBQ cover from amazon and during a spell without any rain I take the scope off and cover the mount. I can't for the life of me understand why I haven't been doing this years ago it such an obvious thing to do and I literally setup again in minutes. I've stopped being precious about my mounts and it's changed my viewing habits enormously. 

Unfortunately, I've got a shared back garden, due to living in flats.  So, for security reasons, that's not really doable.

[newbie alert]

On 20/05/2022 at 12:09, wookie1965 said:

There is a setting on the handset to track Solar, I set up every time I use a compass to find North. I point the North leg to the compass I usually have to centre the sun every now and again but it tracks for ages before I have to adjust it. 

So you're aligning to magnetic north.. if you get a chance to polar align it properly and set the tracking to solar it will be far more accurate.. without the need to re-center

[wookie1965]

2 hours ago, newbie alert said:

So you're aligning to magnetic north.. if you get a chance to polar align it properly and set the tracking to solar it will be far more accurate.. without the need to re-center

Yes I would have to mark the tripod position, it is just if I can do that I have to change position depending on what I am looking at. 

[newbie alert]

1 hour ago, wookie1965 said:

Yes I would have to mark the tripod position, it is just if I can do that I have to change position depending on what I am looking at. 

Sorry I don't really understand what you mean..

If  it's a equatorial and you physically move the mount then it should need realigning, slewing it won't as it's still aligned ... Pointing it north and using it for visual or even lucky imaging is fine, but you may have to re point it.. if you properly polar align it then you probably wont

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, newbie alert said:

Sorry I don't really understand what you mean..

If  it's a equatorial and you physically move the mount then it should need realigning, slewing it won't as it's still aligned ... Pointing it north and using it for visual or even lucky imaging is fine, but you may have to re point it.. if you properly polar align it then you probably wont

I polar align every time I go out but I cannot polar align during the day so use the compass giving me as close alignment as I can get this is why I have to adjust the mount every now and again when doing solar. At night I can polar align but I have to put the mount in different spots in the garden depending on what I am looking at. 

So like I said I can polar align mark my tripod then put it back in that position to do solar and I should not have to adjust the mount every now and again.