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Using the Skysensor
for Polar Alignment
Let me start by saying that i have
done this very successfully and loved it. Is it as accurate as Star
Drift
Alignment, NO. Because of the Resolution of Polar Axis Direction Display
the best you can achieve is
+/- .1 degrees. is this good enough, Well so far it has
allowed for 60 second integration on my CCD
camera before drift became an
issue.
So, how do we achieve Polar Alignment using just the Skysensor 2000 and
alignment Stars?
Step 1. Start with your scope coarsely
polar Aligned. Set up your scope as normal and using your
preferred method
(Polar Bore Scope in my case) Align your scope to the Pole. Go into
the Setup menu
and Look up the Polar Axis Direction and make note of
it (this is the number your shooting for,
EL=32.4 AZ 000.0 for me,
See NOTE 1: for how to look this up)
Step 2. Make sure your Mount Mode is set to Unaligned Equatorial
Mode and your in RA/DEC Mode
Step 3. Select your Three Alignment
star to work with. I will call them A, B and C. They
should be on
opposites sides of the sky with one on the Zenith.
Step 4. Set your scope in the Home Position (OTA Pointing West) Goto Star
A. and Align to it
Step 5. Now go to Star B (which should be one on the Zenith) and Align to
it.
Step 6. Now to Star C and Align to
it. (you should now have a 3 Point Alignment) Now check your
Polar Axis Direction to see how far off you are (example EL=32.7 & AZ=004.1 would mean
I am .3 off in EL and 4.1 to far off in Azimuth)
Step 7. Change your mount mode to
Aligned Equatorial (you'll loose your 3 point alignment which is
fine)
now go to Star C again. The star will shift from center. DO
NOT USE the Skysensor to recenter the star.
Instead use
your ALT/AZ to recenter the star. Once Centered Align to the star.
Step 8. Now go to Star B and Align
and then to Star A and Align. You should again have a 3 point
alignment
Now that your back on Star A, Check your Polar Axis Direction Parameters again
(EL=32.5 AZ=000.2, getting close)
Step 9 Again Switch Mount Mode to Unaligned Equatorial and Go To Star
A. Use your ALT/AZ mount controls
again to Center Star A and
then Align to it. Now go to Star B and Align and then Star C and
Align. Once on Star C
Check your Polar Axis Direction again (EL=32.4
AZ=000.0). So we Got it. Change Mount mode one last time to
Aligned Equatorial and Goto Star C. if it Moves any recenter with
the ALT/AZ controls and then Align to Star C.
Step 10. We're almost
there. Since we switched mount modes we lost our 3 Point Alignment
and need to get it
back. So Go to Star B and Align and then to Star A and
Align. You should now have a very good polar alignment.
If you
still don't have a good alignment then repeat going back and forth,
switching modes until you do.
Using this method you can achieve a
very good polar alignment in a short period of time.
If you want even better then do a Drift Alignment which your should be
able to now do quickly.
Note 1:
Looking up the Polar Alignment Parameters
Select the SETUP key to enter the setup menu
Press NEXT until you see Telescope Configuration then Press Enter
Press NEXT until you see Alignment Parameters then Press Enter
You will now be at the Polar Alignment Parameters Display
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