Trial polar alignment with stellarium = 180 out?

[NickK]

Ok, I have a new EQ6 and I'm just attempting to sort out the orientation and just go through the steps inside (cloudy outside) but checking my expectation against Stellarium.

Stellarium is set to the right location.

I look north in Stellarium and the big dipper is on the right, Cassiopia is on the left with polaris being on the left of the north line.

I have orientated, then attempted to blind "precise polar alignment" using the EQ6's instructions with a longitude of 0.71 degrees and in the same time zone as Greenwich.

Yet according to the polar scope of the EQ6, everything is 180deg out, so with the mount "aligned" the big dipper on the right and the cassiopia on the right (as per stellarium) the polaris circle is on the right side of the polar scope central cross (which you'd assume points to the polar northern axis).

This is on the opposite side of where stellarium shows the polaris position.

Any clues? (other than just get outside and do it for real!)

I'm just attempting to save some precious time up front by getting familar with polar scope alignment.

[James]

Don't t forget that the polar scope is a little refractor and will show you Polaris on the opposite position to what Stellarium will show.

If Stellarium says you should have Polaris at 3 oclock for example you'll need to put Polaris at 9 oclock as far as the polarscope is concerned.

James

[Cornelius Varley]

If you are looking through the polarscope, Polaris will appear to be in the wrong place. The scope inverts the image and put Polaris 180 degrees out. The small circle is correctly placed for aligning Polaris compared to it's actual position in relation to Ursa Major and Cassiopea.

Peter

[NickK]

Ahh Doh! I should have thought about that - I'm used to inverse steering on the Vixen!