Hi & help.

[HesperLiz]

Just now, Steve Ward said:

Well that'll be your problem , Polaris can't be overhead unless you're at the North Pole ... 😏

Not sure how that works, I know how to locate the North Star visually and I used Stellarium to double check it.

Okay daughter has corrected me, she thinks it is more like 75-80° up from the ground, with myself as the 90°marker.

 

[HesperLiz]

7 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Have you set the home position on the mount yet? Once set and pointing North if you put your scope on it with a low power eyepiece you will definitely see Polaris. This will give you an indication of where you are.

Hi,

Yes, I have set up the home position. Thx.

[Steve Ward]

As it is now ..... 

 

[HesperLiz]

Just now, HesperLiz said:

Hi,

Yes, I have set up the home position. Thx.

I also can look at Polaris tfhrough the scope with no issues.

[M40]

Been a while since I  have used the inbuilt polar scope, but don't you have to rotate one of the axis 90'? All the best and welcoje to the site.

[HesperLiz]

4 minutes ago, Steve Ward said:

As it is now ..... 

 

I use Stellarium to double check - not sure if various star maps all have the same error in pointing me to Polaris at 11pm-ish. Where I am, Polaris is certainly not that low to the horizon - my house would infact block it.

[HesperLiz]

6 minutes ago, M40 said:

Been a while since I  have used the inbuilt polar scope, but don't you have to rotate one of the axis 90'? All the best and welcoje to the site.

Thank you fir the welcome. Yes I rotated DEC axis. 

 

[Steve Ward]

11 minutes ago, HesperLiz said:

I use Stellarium to double check - not sure if various star maps all have the same error in pointing me to Polaris at 11pm-ish. Where I am, Polaris is certainly not that low to the horizon - my house would infact block it.

I had to shrink the Stellarium screen to get it all in as the cardinal points will tell.

Polaris sits about 52.5 degrees above the horizon from your location , a little over half way between the horizon and the zenith. 

[M40]

Next step I would take then is shine a torch into the polar scope to see if you can see it, hopefully you will. The polar scope does have a focus adjustment, fingers crossed it's simply out of focus. 

[HesperLiz]

55 minutes ago, Steve Ward said:

I had to shrink the Stellarium screen to get it all in as the cardinal points will tell.

Polaris sits about 52.5 degrees above the horizon from your location , a little over half way between the horizon and the zenith. 

Thanks, I will check it again tomorrow.

This still does not address the issue of not being able to see any stars beyond the reticule. I will go through the entire process again.

[Elp]

Have you tried shining a light into the front of the polar scope to see if it transmits though. Also the last time I had one I could remove it from the mount, can you do that and see through it freehand?

[Albir phil]

I have a similar problem that is difficulty seeing Polaris when I use a polar scope .I were glasses and I found if I remove them and keep my eye a little away from the eyepiece I c.an then see Polaris.This may not help in your case but it maybe worth a try🤔

[neil phillips]

In the daytime test the polar scope on a far away object a building or roof or Ariel. Focus the polar scope so the far away object is sharp, that should at least determine your not grossly out. I also find it difficult to get under the polar scope. I have to raise the mount somewhat to make that easier. or i just can not do it. I don't turn the illuminated reticle on. when finding Polaris, it can make it difficult to see. first thing i do is try to eyeball the direction of the mount facing Polaris. just stand behind. look at the mount and where Polaris is, try to guess the direction of the mount facing Polaris. A compass is another option. Setting the mount elevation. will only get you close. Polaris could be slightly too high. or low in the scope.

In which case first going up and then down with the levers to see if its just out of view. It could also be slightly out of view on the sides. East and west. As was mentioned earlier if there is no obstruction in the scope, Make sure declination is straight, as that can cut off the polar scope if it is not. the declination locking lever has to be straight behind or in front of the mount. If all this is ok. I am guessing polaris is just out of view either up down left or right. Also to find your feet try all this on a dark sky. no lunar full moon. or foggy night. you want polaris to be bright so it jumps out to you the first time

Edited June 5, 2023 by neil phillips

[bosun21]

If you can see Polaris when in the home position with your telescope adjust the focusing on your polar scope. The reticle can still be seen with an out of focus polar scope.

[Stu]

@HesperLiz perhaps a picture of your setup tonight would be informative, so we can see what’s what. As Steve has said, Polaris will be at 52.5 degrees (or whatever your latitude is) above your horizon and that is what needs to be set on the mount’s physical adjustment. With the mount pointing north, the top of the tripod level and the latitude set correctly, the polar axis should be pointing directly at it.

I’m sure it will be something relatively simple to resolve though so do keep us updated, plenty more help available I’m sure.

[HesperLiz]

14 hours ago, Albir phil said:

I have a similar problem that is difficulty seeing Polaris when I use a polar scope .I were glasses and I found if I remove them and keep my eye a little away from the eyepiece I c.an then see Polaris.This may not help in your case but it maybe worth a try🤔

Thank you! I will definitely try that.  Good to know someone else has this problem. I was seriously thinking I must be going daft, being the only person who can 'see' past the reticule lol.

[HesperLiz]

14 hours ago, neil phillips said:

In the daytime test the polar scope on a far away object a building or roof or Ariel. Focus the polar scope so the far away object is sharp, that should at least determine your not grossly out. I also find it difficult to get under the polar scope. I have to raise the mount somewhat to make that easier. or i just can not do it. I don't turn the illuminated reticle on. when finding Polaris, it can make it difficult to see. first thing i do is try to eyeball the direction of the mount facing Polaris. just stand behind. look at the mount and where Polaris is, try to guess the direction of the mount facing Polaris. A compass is another option. Setting the mount elevation. will only get you close. Polaris could be slightly too high. or low in the scope.

In which case first going up and the down with the levers to see if its just out of view. It could also be slightly out of view on the sides. East and west. As was mentioned earlier if there is no obstruction in the scope, Make sure declination is straight, as that can cut off the polar scope if it is not. the declination locking lever has to be straight behind or in front of the mount. If all this is ok. I am guessing polaris is just out of view either up down left or right. Also to find your feet try all this on a dark sky. no lunar full moon. or foggy night. you want polaris to be bright so it jumps out to you the first time

Thanks, I will do as you suggest - silly of me not to try the PS in the daytime really.

I had to get the 90° eyepiece as I have a dodgy knee - I would not be able to stand back up if I knelt down. I had been using my teen child to look through the built in eyepiece.

As you state, full moon is not a great time to attempt polar aligning. I am is a semi rural area and my back garden backs on to other back gardens - it is quite dark usually.

I too suspect Polaris is just beyond where I am looking, it's a nuisance trying to lock on to it.

[neil phillips]

Just now, HesperLiz said:

Thank you! I will definitely try that.  Good to know someone else has this problem. I was seriously thinking I must be going daft, being the only person who can 'see' past the reticule lol.

Your problem i will wager is either declination isn't straight, Which cuts off the scope, or Polaris is just outside the field of view. I've polar aligned a 1000 times. And even i can sometimes play cat and mouse up down left right. When its just out of view. 80% of the time its up and down that needs adjusting. If the mount is facing the general direction of Polaris. Hence explaining that's the first port of call  a mount can be in the home position. But Polaris can still be slightly out of view in the scope. The scope also should be checked for alignment. But didn't want to complicate this until you can see it in the scope

Edited June 5, 2023 by neil phillips

[HesperLiz]

3 hours ago, bosun21 said:

If you can see Polaris when in the home position with your telescope adjust the focusing on your polar scope. The reticle can still be seen with an out of focus polar scope.

I attempted this and had no luck. I can see thevreticule, just not beyond it. I think must to pointing the PS to an empty space near Polaris - tad needle in haystack. Positioning, the mount looks like it should be in the correct vicinity - am suspecting I need new eyeballs. 😃 

[neil phillips]

Just now, HesperLiz said:

Thanks, I will do as you suggest - silly of me not to try the PS in the daytime really.

I had to get the 90° eyepiece as I have a dodgy knee - I would not be able to stand back up if I knelt down. I had been using my teen child to look through the built in eyepiece.

As you state, full moon is not a great time to attempt polar aligning. I am is a semi rural area and my back garden backs on to other back gardens - it is quite dark usually.

I too suspect Polaris is just beyond where I am looking, it's a nuisance trying to lock on to it.

It sure is. It gets easier with practice. don't tell anyone I sometimes physically tilt the whole mount to see if it is on the periphery 

It always is 

Edited June 5, 2023 by neil phillips

[HesperLiz]

2 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

Your problem i will wager is either declination isn't straight, Which cuts off the scope, or Polaris is just outside the field of view. I've polar aligned a 1000 times. And even i can sometimes play cat and mouse up down left right. When its just out of view. 80% of the time its up and down that needs adjusting. If the mount is facing the general direction of Polaris. Hence explaining that's the first port of call  a mount can be in the home position. But Polaris can still be slightly out of view in the scope. The scope also should be checked for alignment. But didn't want to complicate this until you can it in the scope

I will start form scratch again and recheck the park positions and go through to polar aligning to make sure everything is where is should be.

I may have to mentally do a grid search around the area where Polaris should be.

 

[neil phillips]

Just now, HesperLiz said:

I will start form scratch again and recheck the park positions and go through to polar aligning to make sure everything is where is should be.

I may have to mentally do a grid search around the area where Polaris should be.

 

First try up and down before east or west. its most often too high or too low

[HesperLiz]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

@HesperLiz perhaps a picture of your setup tonight would be informative, so we can see what’s what. As Steve has said, Polaris will be at 52.5 degrees (or whatever your latitude is) above your horizon and that is what needs to be set on the mount’s physical adjustment. With the mount pointing north, the top of the tripod level and the latitude set correctly, the polar axis should be pointing directly at it.

I’m sure it will be something relatively simple to resolve though so do keep us updated, plenty more help available I’m sure.

This is what has been frustrating me. Therefore the only other variable must be my eyes. 

[HesperLiz]

Just now, neil phillips said:

First try up and down before east or west. its most often too high or too low

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

[neil phillips]

Just now, HesperLiz said:

This is what has been frustrating me. Therefore the only other variable must be my eyes. 

 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