Polar Alignment

[modgod]

Well I've got the hang of moving the scope about and aiming at stars/moon what I really want to get doing is viewing DSO's. I have an equatorial mount, is polar alignment nessecary or is it only needed when tracking objects.

My sister has an SLR camera shes giving me, can someone point me towards a guide to get started with this.

thanks in advance

Modgod

[Bizibilder]

Reasonable polar alignment (say within within 2° ! ) allows visual observations where you only have to move the polar axis to keep an object in view with just an occasional "correction" in Dec. as long as you have the altitude set for your site it is not too difficult to align on Polaris by sighting along the axis.

You will need an adaptor to mount the SLR onto the telescope - you can only take short exposures without proper drives and guiding and exellent alignment becomes essential.

[Moonshane]

I tend to roughly polar align (for visual) as follows:

pick up tripod.

point the leg with N on it at Polaris just by eye.

set the scope up and get Polaris in the centre of a widefield eyepiece by initially using the RA/DEC slow motion controls and then tweaking with the azimuth knobs a little to get it closer. I then don't have to touch the DEC slow motion control much for visual stuff. If you don't mind turning the DEC slow motion control every now and then you can cut out all but the pointing of the leg roughly at Polaris.

Of course with my dob, I just plonk it on the patio, wait an hour and then point it where I wish!

As suggested, photography is a whole new ball game regarding alignment and also cost of equipment, mount etc.