SW Polarscope on CG 5 GOTO

[stefski]

Hi All,

I've just come in after 90mins trying to get my polarscope aligned with the mount....

I'm used to using eq mounts, having owned them in the past. However, as I only use them for visual all I did was point the mount north, and make sure polaris was roughly in the middle.

Recently, I thought it would be nice to make it a bit more accurate and bought an SW polarscope to go into my cg5. I downloaded Astrobaby's instructions and tried it out just now...

Firstly, I couldn't get the mount horizontal. The motor hist the mount at about 25deg! I couldn't find a target at that altitude to align the polascope to the mount, so i waited til dusk and used polaris....Centred polaris...turned the ra axis through 180deg....watch the drift and turned the opposite side alen screw (whilst adjusting the others the other way)....nothing happened, polaris didn't move....turned some more...still nothing? It got darker and (I should have figured this out before:rolleyes:) I could no longer see the target site!!!! Why is the target site black, when the night sky is black:icon_eek:!!!???? How on Earth are you supposed to see it?

I thought better of my natural urge to kick the thing in frustration and thought I should just have a rant at my friends on SGL instead:p!

Is there some way that the target site can be illuminated? Why did turning the alen screws not have any effect? Should I have just kicked the thing and let loose a volley of expletives? Suggestions anyone?

Cheers

Stef

[continuum]

you have to adjust the reticule in daylight unless you can use a red LED to illuminate the reticule. There are instructions to make one on the net but I cant remember where I found it. Perhaps thats why I didnt make one and used a red torch instead to see the reticule whilst aligning!

Don't know why your motor is stopping you getting to horizontal on CG5GT - mine was OK (dont have it now) .

Sorry trhat's not much help!

RonJ

[stefski]

Cheers, Ron.

By the motor, I mean the plastic box that holds the motor. It hits the top of the mount where the tripod legs meet the head.....?

I did shine a red led down the hole to illuminate the cross-hairs, at the expense of seeing any stars?! I was just wondering if there was another way.

ANy reason why turning the alen screws didn't make any difference to the alignment of the polarscope? Could it be that they were all loose to start with? Ideas anyone?

Stef

[continuum]

It could be that at some point you have loosened the screws too much and the reticule is now loose. It's easily done (I know!). The screws only grip the edge of the reticule which is only acouple of mm's thick. You will have to unscrew the eyepiece end - holding the polar scope downwards - and reset the reticule in place. It's quite obvious when you see it.

Don't know about the motor casing. As I said mine was OK. Sorry Can't offer any help as I dont have the CG5 anymore.

RonJ

[stefski]

Cheers, Ron. I'll have a look tonight!

Stef