Angle of Wedge (for imaging) - beginner question

[Leedsgreen]

Dear All,

I currently have a SW Merlin Synscan GOTO mount (as seen here: http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/prod/merlin/starter-scope/Goto/merlindeluxe/goto/tabletop.html) Unlike the SW AZ GOTO version, it is possible to place this mount on a table-top holding and theoretically, therefore, use a wedge for imaging.

I am keen to try this route before spending any money on a (more suitable) equatorial mount. With this in mind, please could anyone advise me what angle I should place the wedge at? As I live in Leeds (UK) at a latitude of 53 degrees, 48 minutes, does that mean the wedge should be roughly 36 degrees (i.e. 90-54)? Should it be placed such that at 90 degrees my telescope can point at Polaris?

Finally, with the correct wedge in place, I presume I can enter my latitude as 90 degrees in the Synscan handset before starting the alignment process?

Thanks for any help and tips. I have already found the mount can handle 15-30 second exposures well in my 400mm refractor and think that if I can ‘fool’ the system using a wedge, I should be able to image each shot for a while longer (1 minute anybody)?!

Cheers,

Nick

[barkis]

Well, I guess you could place it on a wedge in the manner you suggest, but I fear the Goto would suffer unless there is a polar mode selection in the handset, which I doubt.

Placing an object on the crosshairs of a reticule to see how long is stays there is something you could experiment with.

Is there a guide port on the mount? I would have thought enough 30 second exposures would allow you to build up a decent result without converting to equatorial mode.

Ron.