Take the strain out of polar alignment with the ioptron ipolar electronic polarscope. All of the telescope mounts on the list above include a polar alignment scope depending on the version you order, with the exception of the celestron cgem. An astrophotography powerhouse the eq6r boasts a number of features to aid astrophotographers. Polar alignment upgrade projects for an eq2 equatorial mount.
Polar alignment how i try to polar align my skywatcher. Very popular software for web cam imaging, which i believe can also be used for polar alignment. Builtin illuminated polar alignment scope the skywatcher eq6 comes with several accessories to make your astronomy experience easier and more enjoyable. When this is accomplished, the skys motion can be canceled out simply by turning the axis either by hand or with a motor drive at the same rate as the.
Easy polar alignment for astrophotography step by step. How to polar align your mount using the polar alignment scope. Skywatcher eq6r pro ontario telescope and accessories. Even without a clear view of polaris, the eq pro can be polar aligned using. One such accessory is a builtin illuminated polar scope, which will make polar alignment faster and easier. The skywatcher azeq6 goto mount is the ultimate mount for the professional astrophotographer who wants a solid and reliable solution with a payload of up to 20kg. Polar alignment is an essential part of your telescope set up process. First off, set up the tripod and mount an eq2 in this case with the ra axis roughly pointing to polaris. The setup process can also be used with the eq6 mount and orion equivalents. I bought my neq6 second hand, although the seller claimed it was as new, at 6 months old it was in a sorry state. Using the integrated rs232 port, you can control the telescope from your computer and take advantage of todays most advanced astronomy software. Polar alignment neq6 pro getting started general help.
My orion atlas eq6 came with a standard polaralignment scope that was factory collimated. Hi there, i am trying the polar alignment on eq6, a lot of instructions over here and over the web mention about the polaris circle but i do not see it in the mounts polar scope, am i missing anything. On the eq2, the azimuth adjuster is the big bolt beneath the mount, and the elevation adjuster is the tommy bar screw adjuster at the bottom of the ra axis, and the. Skywatcher eq6 pro synscan computerised goto equatorial mount. Using the mounts azimuth and elevation adjusters, move the mount so that the size of the polaris circles on the monitor decrease in diameter as the ra axis is swung to and fro. Using a compass and knowing the magnetic deviation of your compass from celestial southnorth at your location you can roughly align your polar mount to the celestial pole. Attach the optical kit and cameras, and it is probably a. I have had this mount for 3 years and find polar alignment quite easy especially for ap. By using polemaster you can monitor your polar alignment in real time. Polar alignment information southern hemisphere rogers. It combines the advantages of the equatorial mount with the simplicity of the altazimuth system.
No matter which camera tracker or equatorial telescope mount youre using, when it comes to astrophotography, accurate polar alignment is critical if you have ever struggled to polar align your telescope mount with the north or south celestial pole, the qhy polemaster may. Polar alignmentaligning the skywatcher heq5orion sirius mount. A precise telescope mount polar alignment using alignmaster software. Jul 17, 2006 for longexposure astrophotography, however, the polar alignment must be a lot better. Skywatcher includes an illuminated polar finderscope to aid the polar alignment process. How i try to polar align my skywatcher eq6 pro mount during the day. Polar alignment sharpcap lunar, planetary, solar and deep. You can easily achieve alignment accuracy better than 1 arcmin in 5 minutes of time. Using the integrated rs232 port, you can control the telescope from your compu.
For amateur astronomers seeking superior equatorial control and the ease of a precision computerized goto system. Using a compass and knowing the magnetic deviation of your compass from celestial southnorth at your location you can roughly align your polar mount to. This is in the same plane as the one in which the stars appear to move. Invaluable as a guide to this topic which can be very confusing.
Whether you are a visual astronomer or astro imager the one thing when using an equatorial mount is to ensure the r. For northern emisphere, it works like the ap rapas. First, aim the mounts polar axis roughly at polaris. The method is straightforward, but it does require some time and patience. A polar scope makes aligning the polar axis of this mount with the north celestial pole much easier. The polar axis of the telescope must be made parallel to the earths axis of rotation, called the north celestial pole ncp. You take one picture, let sharpcap analyze it, rotate your mount by about 90 degrees about the ra axis and take the second picture. This picture shows the ra axis of a standard equatorial mount and the motion the axis operates in. Drift alignment software for german equatorial mounts. For the celestron eq6 mounts, the polaralignment scope needs to be owner installed and collimated before it can be used. Simply put, you need to make sure that your telescope mount is rotating on the exact same angle the sky turns on. The second way to get an accurate polar alignment is to purchase and install the optional polaralignment scope.
Although the telescopes tracking may be very good, pointing accuracy may need to be improved, especially if. This is the official companion app for star adventurer mini camera mount manufactured by skywatcher. Polemaster can be easily installed onto any equatorial mount through mountspecific adapters, even on mounts without a polar scope. Utilizing this data, the included software shows the r. Polar aligning the skywatcher heq5orion sirius mount. Tutorial on how to perform polar alignment with the hour angle method. With a weight capacity of 44 lbs, the eq6r can handily support an optical tube, imaging accessories and camera. In the event that polar alignment is lost, it is now a simple matter to. Using the integrated rs232 port, you can control the telescope from your computer and take advantage of todays most advanced.
Polar alignment relies on one theory as a fulcrum that the polar axis of your telescope should be parallel to the earths axis of rotation. Azeq6 goto mount with steel tripod skywatcher australia. In fact, the azeq6 is a hybrid mount usable in both these configurations. This simply means that you should be pointing your telescope at a celestial pole so you can cancel out the motion of the sky by turning the axis by hand motor drive at the same rate as the earths. The declination drift method is the most accurate way to accomplish this. The new ioptron ipolar electronic polarscope is a quick, easy way to accurately polar align your mount, even when you cannot see the pole star. Using an eq mount simple polar alignment for beginners. Skywatchers eq6 r equatorial mount has a payload capacity of 44lbs. The eq6r boasts a number of features to aid astrophotographers. Since i moved bubble to the 12 oclock position i will also choose 12 oclock from the dropdown menu. The skywatcher az eq6 goto mount is the ultimate mount for the professional astrophotographer who wants a solid and reliable solution with a payload of up to 20kg. When i first bought my mount my polar scope reticule was quite badly.
The simplest method of polar alignment is simply to aim the ra axis at. Skywatcher eq6r pro skywatcher skywatcher global website. The polar alignment procedure works on one simple principle. You have to be very carefull with all the equipment and wires running around your mount. Accurate polar alignment with eq3eq5heq5 and eq6 mounts. A rotation center and the virtual polar point on your pcs monitor. Here is a little video showing how to use a long exposure camera video camera or webcam to get an accurate polar alignment quickly and easily. It can also help a skywatcher equatorial mount user to do polar alignment with the polar scope. I received my eq6r three days ago, along with a brand new 155wh lithium 12v battery to power it.
Skywatcher eq6 polar scope and polar alignment posted in mounts. The optical axis of the polar scope is already aligned with the rotation axis of the mount and can not be. Heq5 pro polar alignment with synscan beginner area. Tutorial on how to polar align using eqmods polar alignment tool. They are bit different than the larger mounts but the principle is the same. Polar alignment information southern hemisphere roger. The polar alignment works by analyzing two pictures taken of the area near the pole.
Polar align on equatorial mount in southern hemisphere. I received my eq6 r three days ago, along with a brand new 155wh lithium 12v battery to power it. The drift align method can be used in either hemisphere by using free software. In this video i show you how to polar align a german equatorial telescope mount eq in the northern hemisphere. The polar axis does not move when you move the telescope. The mount will retain its alignment, but some amount of accuracy may be compromised depending on how much the mount was moved during polar alignment. Polar alignment of your equatorial mount the blog formerly. The mount head is 15,4 kg and can be easily removed from the tripod for transport. Adjust the mount using the alt and az bolts so that the pole star is in the little circle. Make sure that the mount is initially adjusted with the bubble level horizontal in order to calibrate your local meridian line. Using goto for polar alignment without software feature. How to polar align your telescope mount eq polar alignment. The eq 6 r utilizes belt drives for smooth and accurate tracking and movement. I cant place the compass anywhere near the mount as it seems to have magnetic properties.
Neq6 pro synscan computerised goto extra heavy duty equatorial telescope mounting system with v. Polar alignment software for astronomy the wilmslow observatory. The basic aim of polar alignment is to align the telescope mounts right ascension ra axis to polaris. Align your mount by moving the mount until the position of polaris from this program, is in the same position on the reticle of your polar finder. First, aim the mount s polar axis roughly at polaris. The skywatcher heq5 in this example features a builtin polar scope with an illuminated reticle. In fact, you dont really need software polar alignment features in your scope. The main problem with it was that the altaz bolts had not only bent but overridden the lug that is used to adjust and lock altitude, i dont know if was down to ham fistedness by the previous owner or the fact that it has the monster skywatcher 300pds on the mount. Polar alignment is the process of accurately aligning the polar axis of your mount with the north or south celestial pole. Oct 06, 2016 polar alignment is an essential part of your telescope set up process. Star alignment gives the mounts software a positional fix on the sky. Polar align on equatorial mount in southern hemisphere ozscopes. If polar finder shows 10pm them using the mount alt and dec bolts to move the star to a 10pm position on the circle and.
As the mount rotates, the center of the circle traced by the guide stars is determined, which tells you how to adjust the altitude and azimuth bolts to make the axis of the polar mount parallel to the celestial polar axis. Skywatcher neq6 pro goto astronomy mount first light optics. Aligning an apogee fork mount using an iphone running sky safari 5. This tutorial best suited for the eqneq6atlas mounts. For longexposure astrophotography, however, the polar alignment must be a lot better. How to polar align your telescope mount like a pro.
The mount seemed to work ok, but on several occasions while executing a goto command the mount would stall while making a very loud noise. Hi there, i am trying the polar alignment on eq6, a lot of instructions. Run that and it will give you the exact position of polaris on the circle of the polarscope ie. Help with polar alignment on azeq6 pro getting started. Normally to do this means getting down and looking. In fact, the az eq6 is a hybrid mount usable in both these configurations. Skywatcher eq6 polar scope and polar alignment mounts. Make sure that the mount is initially adjusted with the bubble level horizontal in. Apr 02, 2018 download parot polar aligner for free. Accurate polar alignment has never been so simple, just put the x on the spot. Skywatcher eq6 equatorial goto telescope mount s30100. For astronomers in the southern hemisphere, the constellation octans is built into the reticle as well. A comprehensive tutorial on setting up the polar scope finder for the popular heq5 mount and polar alignment.
Skywatcher az eq6 pro offers a high weight load capacity to let you use also heavy telescopes but its still portable. But it also possible to perform with smaller heq5 mounts. Use this app to program the star adventurer mini for astrophotography and timelapse photography. Although the telescopes tracking may be very good, pointing accuracy may need to be improved, especially if you are trying to locate small objects on a ccd chip. The built in st4 autoguider port turns this mount into an astrophotography powerhouse, allowing you to utilize most of todays best autoguiders. The qhy polemaster electronic polar scope was designed to make your polar alignment routine easier, and more precise. The finderscope features a circular grid reticle for the northern hemisphere, consistent with todays popular polar alignment apps.
Polemaster can be easily installed onto any equatorial mount through mount specific adapters, even on mounts without a polar scope. Thats it, we have calibrated our mount and eqmod polar alignment tool. Mar 25, 2018 how to polar align your telescope mount like a pro. Parot is a program for ultra fast and precise polar alignment of equatorial mounts. Compass alignment is useful for wide field photography and initial alignment of telescopes to then refine the alignment with a more detailed approach later. I made the mistake of releasing the ra clutch of the mount to perform this step when the manual clearly states that this must be done using the hand controller or mount control software such as eqmod. By aligning the axis of your telescope mount with the motion of the sky, you. Polar alignment is the mechanical process of getting the mount aligned with earths axis. Tpoint by software bisque, used in conjunction with thesky tpoint will provide polar alignment data which can be used to polar align the mount.
The observer only needs to modify the mount accordingly until the two points overlap to achieve a highly precise polar alignment upwards of 30 arc seconds. This technical note sets out the procedures required to accurately polar align a synta eq3eq5heq5 or synta eq6. Set up and align the goto system in whatever way the mount requires. Skywatcher eq6r pro computerized goto telescope mount. Skywatcher eq6 pro synscan computerised goto equatorial. Mar 21, 2019 finetuning the polar alignment accuracy of my telescope mount using the qhy polemaster. By recognizing the stars in each of the pictures, sharpcap can work out two things. The built in st4 autoguider port turns this mount into an astrophotography. It is better than a drift alignment, and it takes only 3 or 4 minutes once you are familiar with the polemaster. Allstar polar alignment celestron telescopes, telescope. The software kstarsekos takes an image of the sky around the pole. Accurate polar alignment is a specific requirement of any kind of astrophotography as only by achieving this alignment can accurate tracking of celestial bodies be made and this is a prerequisite of photographing sky objects. Skywatcher azeq6 pro offers a high weight load capacity to let you use also heavy telescopes but its still portable.
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