Skywatcher 130P Alignment

[Sco]

Hi All... so glad I have found this cummunity and really looking forward to joining in...

I now have a Skywatcher 130P with a synScan mount and the instructions are just poop!

So far, I have managed to put it together and had 1/2 an hour's viewing (on Christmas night) afert 3 hours trying to align it... oooh it was cold!

Tell me... is it just practice required for alignment or is there an easier way?

I went for the 2 star alignment on Vega and Capella - I am in Cambs.

I levelled the mount, inputted all my long lat details and correct time from Tim &c, but, should I have pointed the telescope north before I started?

Anyone with a similar model and simple good plain tips for a beginner would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

Sco

[greenkat]

Hi Sco & welcom

Yes you should point the telescope as near North as possible before starting alignment

Try Astrobaby's website for some good instructions

http://www.astro-baby.com/simplepolar/simple_polar_alignment.htm

Greenkat

[Astro_Baby]

Depends if its an EQ or Alt Az mount. If its Alt Az then it doesnt need polar alignment at least I assume not assuming the Sky-Watcher Alt-Az set-up is similar to the Nexstar system.

[scotastro]

Unless you have a customised packaged the only goto version of the 130P is the Synscan AZ GOTO which can be aligned from any position no need to point north. But the mount needs to be absolutely level (using the inbuilt bubble on the mount).

Is the misalignment error small ie just out side of the field of view or large, as in pointing almost in the opposite direction. The former is usually a time error the latter a date or location error.

I would suggest double checking everything as it is easy to input the info in the wrong order.

Try Vega or Capella with another star (as Vega and Capella have similar ALT AZ co-ordinates as they are overhead at some point in the year). The alignment software seems to like stars 60 degrees apart but with different ALT AZ. Try Vega and Albebaran or Betelgeuse.

Are you using AA batteries - as this type of battery does not like the cold (you said it was very cold) and the little power pack is very exposed.

Finally, have you tried the other method of alignment

While not the most accurate goto the Synscan should put an object in the FOV of the 25mm EP everytime.

Mike