Hi & help.

[neil phillips]

Just now, HesperLiz said:

Thanks for that tip - figures, the spring loaded altitude bolt on the EQ6R-Pro is a pain in the proverbial rear end. 😀 

I know i polar aligned recently with that mount. You have to slow down, and make sure its engaged before turning. Even then it still slips occasionally

[Cosmic Geoff]

If you put your scope in the Home position, you should be able to see Polaris in the finderscope, if not in the main telescope.  A red-dot finder works well here, as you can easily see how far you are off, assuming the red-dot finder is aligned to the main telescope. 

Polaris may be the only star visible in the polarscope, when it is in focus.  Once you have found it, the next step is to get Polaris positioned in the right part of the graticule.

If you ignore the fine mechanical polar alignment and go ahead to a 2 or 3 star alignment, the Synscan software (recent version) will report in degrees and minutes just how much the polar alignment is in error.

[HesperLiz]

30 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

 I doubt it. its really just out of view trust me. setting it at 52.5 gets you in the ball park. but it can still be slightly too high or low. A small turn of the lever hardly registers on those scales 

Thanks, will definitely give it a go.

[HesperLiz]

18 hours ago, neil phillips said:

I know i polar aligned recently with that mount. You have to slow down, and make sure its engaged before turning. Even then it still slips occasionally

A poor design, especially as one hand is turning the bolt on the front and the other is trying to engage this awkward spring, lever thingy.

[HesperLiz]

18 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

If you put your scope in the Home position, you should be able to see Polaris in the finderscope, if not in the main telescope.  A red-dot finder works well here, as you can easily see how far you are off, assuming the red-dot finder is aligned to the main telescope. 

Polaris may be the only star visible in the polarscope, when it is in focus.  Once you have found it, the next step is to get Polaris positioned in the right part of the graticule.

If you ignore the fine mechanical polar alignment and go ahead to a 2 or 3 star alignment, the Synscan software (recent version) will report in degrees and minutes just how much the polar alignment is in error.

Thanks, am just waiting for moon to wax and a clear sky, a tad to try again.

Everyone's suggestions have been most enlightening.

[HesperLiz]

UPDATE!

I did it! I started over, rechecked all balances, levels, pointing geo. North, the park settings, etc and ensuring nothing was obstructing the polar scope passage during the day - I then worked on the assumption I was missing Polaris by millimetres due to the narrow field of view.

Therefore to help me know exactly where in the cosmos I was actually pointing, I shone a laser light through the polar scope eyepiece (i kept an eye flout for aircrafts)  - once I could see that I started on the adjistment bolts, checking every now and then on the progress.

Bingo, Polaris was finally close enough to appear in my polar scope! I was about to finish up when the clouds rolled in, but alas, I got there!  Just taken me 4+ bloody weeks and lots of doubts abouts my eyesight.

Thank you everyone who responded to my call for help. All the answers got me to the finishing line as I was able to double check things, discounts others, you gave me new ideas to try and encouraged me to keep going.

You are ALL amazing - much gratitude to everyone here 👏 👏. 

Liz 

 

 

 

 

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, HesperLiz said:

UPDATE!

I did it! I started over, rechecked all balances, levels, pointing geo. North, the park settings, etc and ensuring nothing was obstructing the polar scope passage during the day - I then worked on the assumption I was missing Polaris by millimetres due to the narrow field of view.

Therefore to help me know exactly where in the cosmos I was actually pointing, I shone a laser light through the polar scope eyepiece (i kept an eye flout for aircrafts)  - once I could see that I started on the adjistment bolts, checking every now and then on the progress.

Bingo, Polaris was finally close enough to appear in my polar scope! I was about to finish up when the clouds rolled in, but alas, I got there!  Just taken me 4+ bloody weeks and lots of doubts abouts my eyesight.

Thank you everyone who responded to my call for help. All the answers got me to the finishing line as I was able to double check things, discounts others, you gave me new ideas to try and encouraged me to keep going.

You are ALL amazing - much gratitude to everyone here 👏 👏. 

Liz 

 

 

 

 

Now that you have done it, it will get easier and quicker each time until it almost becomes a habit.

[Grifflin]

@HesperLiz Now you've got it in the polar scope field of view, you might want to mark in some fashion where your tripod legs are set so it is easier to repeat on future nights.  Unless you've got a more permanent set up in which case ignore  

Neil

[HesperLiz]

2 hours ago, Grifflin said:

@HesperLiz Now you've got it in the polar scope field of view, you might want to mark in some fashion where your tripod legs are set so it is easier to repeat on future nights.  Unless you've got a more permanent set up in which case ignore  

Neil

Hi Neil,  have thought of this and yes, marked out the legs. So excited now, I can get on and try out all the ideas which have been causing a traffic jam in my head.

As I stated before, I am incredible thankful to everyone who contributed to solving my conundrum.

Liz

[Albir phil]

Bet your are sooo relieved now , and it wasn't your eyesight👀

[HesperLiz]

1 hour ago, Albir phil said:

Bet your are sooo relieved now , and it wasn't your eyesight👀

Absolutely! It was a toss up between my eyes or losing my mind 😃 😄 .