EQmod and aligning mount

[MarkF]

How do you do it?

Is it necessary to have a wireless gamepad and centre the target using an eyepiece, or is it possible to do it through the camera view on the computer?

I worked out how to do it using the hand controller and eyepiece standard method, but it would be a nice to run eqmod and do it with CdC, but I lack a wireless game pad.

[steppenwolf]

You don't need a gamepad wireless or otherwise - there are slew controls and a 'Pad' on the EQMOD controller that will allow you to do this. I do sometimes use a gamepad if for some reason the alignment star isn't visible (I do use captured images to check the FOV for my alignment stars) but before I got the gamepad, I used to open the 'pad' on the EQMOD controller, move my mouse pointer onto it then physically lift the mouse off the mouse mat and use the left and right keys on the mouse to move the mount alternating between RA and DEC by pressing the centre mouse wheel - this worked a treat.

When I capture my 'alignment images', I use MaximDL and that has a calibration and centre feature so if my star is in the test image's FOV, MaximDL will centre it for me and then I use Cartes du Ciel to SYNC with the star and the job is done!

[MarkF]

Thanks Steve, just found the relevant page in your book too makes sense to unlock the clutches on the first alignment and align so park is in the correct place for next time. It was just a question of whether I could find the alignment star in the CCD FOV then as you say manually adjust it using my mouse or keypad.

Still lots of tweaking to do including a double check of polar scope alignment. Don't think I will be splashing out on MaximDL just yet though, looks quite pricey, lets see how I get on.

Here's hoping the skies clear again tonight.

[steppenwolf]

You certainly don't need MaximDL but using the camera and centring on the star using your test images makes things very easy. You can also use 'Al's Reticle to overlay a crosshair on your capture software's FOV if it doesn't have this feature (see page 128 ).

[MarkF]

Cheers for that, using Artemis and it has a reticle overlay sad as I am its all up and running with covers on, just trying to ensure no cable snags.

[simon84]

Same here mate been setup since 11am trying to get the bugs out. Almost there....lol.