Question about polar alignment

[spanky]

OK, first (of probably many) questions.

I've been doing a lot of reading over the last couple of months, and now that my new toy is on order, I'm still not 100% sure about the polar alignment. If anyone could help me out here I'd appreciate it.

So... this is how I have it in my head:

I align the polar scope in the mount either with a dot on the wall or some object in the distance. Not probs with that. I get that bit.

Now this next bit I'm not so sure about. I've read about looking up a known date that Polaris was in transit, and setting the dials on the mount, but I'll be honest, it's confusing me a little. Do you only need to do that if you want to use the RA/DEC dials to find objects in the sky?

Can I align the mount to point north, turn the polar scope so it matches the constellations and Polaris is in the little circle, and not have to look up transit times and stuff?

Is that still accurate? Would that even work?

Thanks in advance

[steppenwolf]

Can I align the mount to point north, turn the polar scope so it matches the constellations and Polaris is in the little circle, and not have to look up transit times and stuff?

Is that still accurate? Would that even work?

If you have calibrated your polarscope by centring it on a distant object in daytime etc. and your polarscope has the Cassiopeia and Plough etching on it then for visual use, this will be just fine.

[spanky]

If you have calibrated your polarscope by centring it on a distant object in daytime etc. and your polarscope has the Cassiopeia and Plough etching on it then for visual use, this will be just fine.

Excellent, thanks for the speedy reply! That'll do me just fine to be getting started with then until I get my head round how to do it properly!

[msinclairinork]

you are right about not needing the polaris transit times. You can use a free programe called 'Polarfinder' (just google it) This will show you where polaris is and where to line it up in the small circle. Just rotate your RA axis to where polaris should be according to the programe then if you have your mount facing North then you should see polaris near that little circle, then just adjust your altitude and azimuth screws to get polaris centered in the little circle

This probably sounds harder than it is, but don't worry once you have done it once it's easy.

HTH

Michael

[spanky]

Thanks msinclairinork, I'll check that out

[Hoshikomi]

Are you using a Skywatcher? After entering the date/time/location data, the handset shows the clock position of Polaris (eg 08:19). Rotate the polar alignment scope so the circle is at that position (ie the hour hand on the clock), lock the axes, get Polaris on the circle and Bob's your uncle!

[NGC 1502]

Don't forget, that for visual use you can be quite casual with polar alignment.

Depending on how far off you are, the object will drift towards the north or south

of the field of view after a while. Just needs a tweek on the dec control to centre

it, every so often.

You only need accurate polar alignment for astrophotography.

Regards, Ed.