Polar alignment with Polemaster and 3 star alignment

[tigertyson]

As a beginner I tend to struggle with the basics and ask stupid questions so please bear with me! This question relates to my previous latitude setting issue in a way...  As I was having so much trouble locating Polaris I bought a  QHY Polemaster and it works wonderfully after setting the EQ6 latitude to 60 degrees, (my location is 53 degrees and at this setting Polaris is completely out of view). I still don't get why the dial is so inaccurate. However once the mount is polar aligned do I perform a 3 star alignment with the handset or in software such as NINA? I'm confused 😂 Thanks for your patience if you've read this far! (and it's still cloudy in Derby😭)

[Stuart1971]

Once you have used the Polemaster, then I just slew to target and platesolve in NINA, no need to any 3 star alignment, that was for before platesolving was introduced.

‘The three star polar alignment tool in NINA, is instead of using a Polemaster and is much better than the Polemaster, and far easier, I sold mine and now just use the TPPA tool in NINA, it’s fare quicker and much more accurate…👍🏻

[M40]

34 minutes ago, tigertyson said:

As a beginner I tend to struggle with the basics and ask stupid questions so please bear with me! This question relates to my previous latitude setting issue in a way...  As I was having so much trouble locating Polaris I bought a  QHY Polemaster and it works wonderfully after setting the EQ6 latitude to 60 degrees, (my location is 53 degrees and at this setting Polaris is completely out of view). I still don't get why the dial is so inaccurate. However once the mount is polar aligned do I perform a 3 star alignment with the handset or in software such as NINA? I'm confused 😂 Thanks for your patience if you've read this far! (and it's still cloudy in Derby😭)

We all struggled with the basics so you are most definitely not alone there. Does seem a bit strange with the setting scale being so far out, is the mount level? I don't have the polemaster but I do have the ioptron and the camera can be installed incorrectly (user error on my part🤦‍♂️) which does put the settings out. Once you are happy with all, I just do a two star alignment in synscan, I then goto a couple of bright stars to make sure all is aligned then goto the target. All the best.

[carastro]

1 hour ago, tigertyson said:

As a beginner I tend to struggle with the basics and ask stupid questions so please bear with me! This question relates to my previous latitude setting issue in a way...  As I was having so much trouble locating Polaris I bought a  QHY Polemaster and it works wonderfully after setting the EQ6 latitude to 60 degrees, (my location is 53 degrees and at this setting Polaris is completely out of view). I still don't get why the dial is so inaccurate. However once the mount is polar aligned do I perform a 3 star alignment with the handset or in software such as NINA? I'm confused 😂 Thanks for your patience if you've read this far! (and it's still cloudy in Derby😭)

If you are reading the latitude off the dial on the mount, l guess it is possible that that is inaccurate, that is assuming you have the mount level. 
 

Polemaster is excellent. 
I never do a 3 star alignmemt it causes me problems since l have cone error   I normally do a 1 star alignment close to my chosen target   Then later if l cross the Meridian l do a fresh alignment   If you don’t have cone error this won’t be necessary. 
 

Carole

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by carastro

[tigertyson]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Yes I agree the Polemaster is brilliant and, as I am 72 it saves my back enormously 🤪

[Jiggy 67]

Just as a side issue. If you are using a SynScan hand controller to align. The third star on a three star alignment has no effect on pointing accuracy. It does not contribute whatsoever. The purpose of the third star is to account and compensate for cone error which is why the third star should be on the opposite side of the meridian from the first two.  Cone error becomes far worse when you point towards an object on the opposite side of the meridian from your alignment stars so if you don’t suffer from cone error and/or your night’s targets are on the same side as your alignment stars (which is best practice) you don’t need the third star and it won’t improve your accuracy. Two star alignment is all you need. 

[woldsman]

On 19/09/2022 at 09:01, tigertyson said:

As a beginner I tend to struggle with the basics and ask stupid questions so please bear with me! This question relates to my previous latitude setting issue in a way...  As I was having so much trouble locating Polaris I bought a  QHY Polemaster and it works wonderfully after setting the EQ6 latitude to 60 degrees, (my location is 53 degrees and at this setting Polaris is completely out of view). I still don't get why the dial is so inaccurate. However once the mount is polar aligned do I perform a 3 star alignment with the handset or in software such as NINA? I'm confused 😂 Thanks for your patience if you've read this far! (and it's still cloudy in Derby😭)

The dial can’t be inaccurate so either the tripod

is not level, or it’s polar axis is not pointing north, or your latitude info is different to what has been set, or the dial markings are not being read correctly. Once you find Polaris the latitude set will enable you to find it again, assuming the mount is level & pointing north.  I found PA tricky at first but it becomes second nature (almost) so keep going.

Edited September 21, 2022 by woldsman