Struzzin
sage
Reged: 11/18/10
Loc: Powell, Ohio
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I need help with polar alignment
#4320411 - 01/17/11 12:48 PM
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I recently got the lxd55 mount and sn10 ota, I also have a good ccd camera and want to image. I plan to get an oag and secondary cam but thats a ways off and I want to optimize what I already have to full potential. I have researched so much I have become confused, the classic more I learn less I know syndrom. Once I align pole star in the mount and set ota to home pos. should I also see pole star through an eyepiece or should the ota simply point towards it? How do I mark the mounts polar alignment if I set up in different spots each time wont it be different also? How do I ensure that the mounts axis' are rotating presicely around what I see in the polar retical? Sorry for so many "dumb" questions I just want to get the most out of my equipment and I can't seem to understand what exactly I should concern myself with and what order to perform these adjustments.
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Scott Rose
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/20/08
Loc: beachwood ohio
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: Struzzin]
#4320885 - 01/17/11 04:34 PM
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where are you located in ohio.
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JimMo
I'd Rather Do It Myself
Reged: 01/08/07
Loc: Under the SE Michigan lightdom...
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: Struzzin]
#4320888 - 01/17/11 04:37 PM
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This question would be answered much better in the mounts forum. Most of us here are dob guys.
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Kfrank
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/20/08
Loc: Northern Colorado
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: JimMo]
#4321309 - 01/17/11 07:34 PM
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Speak for yourself, Jim.
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Struzzin
sage
Reged: 11/18/10
Loc: Powell, Ohio
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: Kfrank]
#4321347 - 01/17/11 07:49 PM
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I'm in Delaware County Ohio. I have been reading the lxd55 mount cannot handle the sn10. Is this true and why? I like autostar goto and a friend recommended an EQ6?? I am a newbie really and know nothing about mounts, so I have no idea what I should be looking for. I want to spend minimal but not waste my money with junk. I have an ETX-80 refractor I was gonna use as guide scope but decided not too because of the concerns I had read about just with the weight of the ota itself. Could I go this route with a better mount? Suggestions please!!!
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MikeBOKC
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/10/10
Loc: Oklahoma City, OK
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: Struzzin]
#4321399 - 01/17/11 08:09 PM
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Fir visual only an eyeball alignment is usully enough. I position the mount with a compass, then put the O|TA on it, get it in home position(s) and eyeball Polaris along the top of the O|TA, assuming I have set my latitude right. I usually get a good go to with alignment from there, using a coupleof calibration stars. For AP of course you need a more precise polar alignment and I think most imagers use a polar scope for that.
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Nils_Lars
Postmaster
Reged: 01/04/08
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: MikeBOKC]
#4321970 - 01/18/11 01:23 AM
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Polar scope to start and the a good drift align to get closer is what I do , also an EQ-6 would be a good choice for AP even with the SN10 but I would try a autoguider like a Kwiq guider to keep the weight low.
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JimMo
I'd Rather Do It Myself
Reged: 01/08/07
Loc: Under the SE Michigan lightdom...
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: Kfrank]
#4322212 - 01/18/11 07:28 AM
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Speak for yourself, Jim.
Whatever that means. It was originally posted in reflectors and I suggested it be moved here. 
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avarakin
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/13/09
Loc: Parsippany NJ, USA
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: JimMo]
#4324183 - 01/18/11 11:38 PM
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10" even on LXD75 which is better mount, is considered shaky for visual. Forget about DSO imaging with this combo, planets and moon should be ok. For planetary imaging even eyeballed polar align is good enough. For DSO imaging best would be some old prime lens in 200mm with DSLR
Alex
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MawkHawk
sage
Reged: 08/23/09
Loc: SE Michigan, USA
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: avarakin]
#4327325 - 01/20/11 12:33 PM
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This is what I do but for strictly visual:
1) Point the star leg north.
2) Level the mount with a little string bubble level east-west and north-south by adjusting the legs.
3) Looking thru the finder I adjust the fine azimuth and latitude handles until Polaris is fairly centered in the finder and eyepiece.
4) Do a 2-star alignment on 2 stars in the area of the sky that I'll be looking at for starters. Synch on both stars.
5) Tool around that part of the sky.
6) Go to a star or 2 in my next region and synch on those.
7) Repeat 4-6
You will also have to sometimes train and calibrate the drives as well.
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Phil Sherman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/07/10
Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
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Re: I need help with polar alignment
[Re: MawkHawk]
#4327848 - 01/20/11 04:22 PM
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Try contacting the Columbus Astronomical Society to get some local assistance. I'd be very surprised if your mount will hold the 10" scope steady enough for imaging. I just upgraded my mount to an EQ6 equivalent to hold my 8" for imaging.
Phil
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