Polar Aligning Southerm Hemisphere

[moondog]

All my astro gear is now packed waiting shipping to New Zealand, where I'll be spending my retirement.

The gear won't arrive until early November - that's if it doesn't get pirated on the container ship!

After years of easy Polar Aligning in the Northern Hemisphere, I've got to start again in the Southern. Not as easy. No Polaris and no bright stars to aid ploar alignment. The HEQ5 has the southern Octans asterism marked on the polar scope. Might be able to use that but only from a darkish site as Octans is only mag 5.

For a permanent set up it looks like drift alignment will be the best bet. For a portable, quick set up, it looks like a compass with magnetic deviation and mount set to the latitude.

Since the HEQ5 is 'go-to' I might try the technique of going to a known star in the east followed by one on the meridian. 5 or 6 repeats of this process, each time adjusting the mount, should get reasonable polar alignment.

Either way I should be in for an interesting time!

MD

[athlon]

All my astro gear is now packed waiting shipping to New Zealand, where I'll be spending my retirement.

The gear won't arrive until early November - that's if it doesn't get pirated on the container ship!

After years of easy Polar Aligning in the Northern Hemisphere, I've got to start again in the Southern. Not as easy. No Polaris and no bright stars to aid ploar alignment. The HEQ5 has the southern Octans asterism marked on the polar scope. Might be able to use that but only from a darkish site as Octans is only mag 5.

For a permanent set up it looks like drift alignment will be the best bet. For a portable, quick set up, it looks like a compass with magnetic deviation and mount set to the latitude.

Since the HEQ5 is 'go-to' I might try the technique of going to a known star in the east followed by one on the meridian. 5 or 6 repeats of this process, each time adjusting the mount, should get reasonable polar alignment.

Either way I should be in for an interesting time!

MD

I moved from the UK to Australia 3 years ago, and it opened up a world of hurt regarding alignment. TBH, there is a big expanse of empty sky, where the pole is (a rare thing here in the south) i find the best way to align, is with an inclinometre, and a compass, this way i can align during the daytime, and with some proctice, its very very accurate.

enjoy your retirement

[moondog]

Athlon

Thanks for the useful comments. An Inclinometer would be a good idea.

Just arrived in NZ yesterday - and it was a pretty clear night. Too jet lagged to even consider going out and doing a bit of eye balling the sky. It looks promising though!

MD

[astroeddie]

I tried polar aligning my astrotrac whilst we where docked in the Falklands in March ..... AAArgh.

Trying again next trip I'll have another go. I will succeed.

Best of luck on your retirement downunder in the land of the big white cloud. Southern Scorpius will blow your socks off. Did mine anyway.

Eddie H

[Technobill]

Learn how to drift align like the rest of us Aussies :-P Usually to fill in the time while we are drift aligning we swear at the lucky people in the north that can align to a star, ;-)

Yes A compass helps alot . (As long as you know where you are and where true south is)

On the good side, you will have a whole new catalogue of objects to look at

[Astro_Baby]

Silly question but are the stars in Octans below what the polar scope can see and if they are (I assume they are) doesnt anyone do a more powerful polar scope ?