EQ6 Polar Reticule problem.

[Darth_Muppet]

Was getting bad drift on my images so decided to re align from scratch.

Unfortunately, whilst adjusting the polar reticule on my EQ6 it came loose and had to be put back in.

Does it matter about the reticule orientation to the scope axis?

For example, if the scope is in the HOME position ( weights facing down etc ) should the polar reticule also be facing with the circle at the bottom?

If not, what do you align the reticule to?

[Astro_Baby]

It makes no difference whers its aligned for fitting purposes. Its pretty random really.

[Marmite]

Was getting bad drift on my images so decided to re align from scratch.

Unfortunately, whilst adjusting the polar reticule on my EQ6 it came loose and had to be put back in.

Does it matter about the reticule orientation to the scope axis?

For example, if the scope is in the HOME position ( weights facing down etc ) should the polar reticule also be facing with the circle at the bottom?

If not, what do you align the reticule to?

Something that matters is the axial alignment of the PA scope with the RA axis. If it's off you'll find it difficult to get a truly good PA. There's a section in the manual on how to realign the 'scope, although it's not particularly intuitive or well written, so some users have posted their own versions online. (Try Googling for those, I don't have any links handy, sorry.)

[themos]

Don't know about the SynScan way of doing things, but if you use a visual method or the EQMOD method (and you never bother with the silly polarscope "dials") then you don't care about the orientation of the reticle, only the position of the +. You adjust that position by the 3 grub screws that hold it in place, undo one a quarter turn and pick up the slack with some combination of the other two. I move alt/az until the + is on a star (or a far away light or geographical feature), then turn 180 degrees in RA and look where the star has ended up. Ideally it should still be on the +. If not, adjust reticle so that + is half-way to where the star is. Repeat until you can't make any finer adjustment.

With the visual method of polar alignment, you eyeball the W of Cassiopeia and the Plough asterism in the sky, naked eye. Then you peer into the polarscope and rotate the RA axis (that moves the polarscope with it) until the W and Plough reticle markers are oriented as per naked eye view. That puts the reticle in the correct orientation for that time and date, so you just move alt/az until Polaris drops in the reticle's little o circle.

[Darth_Muppet]

Thanks Themos, I thought I'd screwed it all up for a moment there...

I've actually got the Polar scope aligned so that the star now stays central, so ( if we stay clear ) I'll have a go as you mentioned and se eif it neatly drops in place on the "o"

[themos]

Well, you will have to make it drop in there by moving the mount alt/az. You then hope that this will get you pole aligned!