PHD - Trailing on the rhs of image

[jgs001]

Did you run through...

Astro Babys HEQ5 Polar Alignment

[swag72]

I set up the date circles and transit stuff early on - If they were wrong then there'd be a problem with my alignment wouldn't there? As it stands, the 1 star alignment goes pretty much to the correct star straight away.

[Psychobilly]

Just asking....

Are you only using 1 star alignment ... only time I use that is when the scopes on the pier in the obs and its been polar aligned if I forgotten to hibernate it properly at the end of a night and just switched it off...

[swag72]

Did you run through...

Astro Babys HEQ5 Polar Alignment

Yep, that's what I am doing.

[Psychobilly]

And you have offset for your longitude...

last of the obvious questions for tonight life is too short....

[swag72]

Ahh, well, now you mention that latitude offset, I think in the end I stuck it with no offset as I could not work out how to do it, or what figure to put in and where and I kept getting conflicting answers from people.

[Psychobilly]

longitude offset not latitude.. you need to correct the "time" offset....

Astro Babys HEQ5 for Idiots Page

Billy...

[swag72]

I followed that part, yet got a little confused as to what offset I should put in. Asked a couple of questions to check my assumption and got a few different answers - left it as it was!

[Psychobilly]

Whats the latitude and longitude of your observing site (roughly) dont post exact

I adjusted it on mine as I am about 4 degrees W of the prime meridian... and do get pretty good PA just using the polarscope...

Billy..

[swag72]

I'm at 0.5W long and 39N latitude.

[martin_h]

There is a free download of PolarFinder here - Free Polar Alignment Software Download Polar FinderScope by Dr. Dale Jason Version 2.04

You can use it to check your polar alignment - it shows the pole star any time of the day or night

[Whippy]

I think you'll have to bite the bullet here and do drift alignment to get your mount accurately aligned. You're imaging at a fairly long focal length and that needs your mount to be pretty accurate to get these long exposures.

FWIW, once you do get your polar alignment nailed down and if you're able to leave the mount where it is then all you need is a decent cover for it to keep the rain off and it'll save you doing it next time.

I use this little program to get my alignment sorted. It's a bit fiddly but once you've sorted it out then it works rather well: Polar Alignment - WCS - Fast and accurate polaralignment for astronomical mounts, using a CCD / webcam and drift alignment .

Tony..