Telescope Reviews: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope

· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt

· Submit a Review / Article

Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums

Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User

You are not logged in. [Login]

Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online
FAQ · Calendar

Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all)

Greg S
professor emeritus

Reged: 05/20/04

Loc: Encinitas, California

New AP Right Angle Polar Scope
#5500935 - 11/02/12 01:07 PM

I just got notified that the Astro Physics Right Angle Polar Scope is ready to ship.

I ordered one with the Mach1 Adapter. I sure hope it works like a TAK polar scope.

Polar Scope

Post Extras:

jmiele
Patron Saint?

Reged: 12/04/10

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Greg S]
#5501314 - 11/02/12 06:22 PM

I don't think they are shipping till month end.

But they are taking 50% now.

Joe

Post Extras:

Doug D.
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/23/05

Loc: Virginia

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: jmiele]
#5501323 - 11/02/12 06:27 PM

I generally don't like to be an early adopter but this looks too good to pass up - placed my order a couple days ago and paid my 50%.

Post Extras:

Traveler
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/19/07

Loc: The Netherlands

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Doug D.]
#5502034 - 11/03/12 07:50 AM

Looks nice and looks a far better solution than my Pasil I (first gen. and made by Losmandy). But unfortunately it wont work with my AP 400 mount because of the smaller shaft diameter...

Post Extras:

davidmcgo
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 10/09/04

Loc: San Diego, CA

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Traveler]
#5502635 - 11/03/12 04:35 PM

This needs their i-phone app to tell you where Polaris should appear in the reticle when aligned for particular date/time. You don't have to rotate the RA axis to use it which is nice. On the other hand, the pier would need to be level on the East West direction to not induce some error. I thought about it, but my locations have some slope to them and between the scope and the bracket for the mount, it is rather pricey.

Dave

Post Extras:

Dave M
Postmaster

Reged: 08/03/04

Loc: N.E.Ohio

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: davidmcgo]
#5502851 - 11/03/12 07:29 PM

Quote:

This needs their i-phone app to tell you where Polaris should appear in the reticle when aligned for particular date/time.

Wonder if the app will be made available for Android ?
What if someone doesnt have a iPhone or iPad ?

Post Extras:

Greg S
professor emeritus

Reged: 05/20/04

Loc: Encinitas, California

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Dave M]
#5502865 - 11/03/12 07:39 PM

The ASCOM v2 Driver is supposed to give you the same information as to where to place polaris.

If this is anything even close to the Takahashi polar scopes then it's the deal of the century since you can just polar align and then guide for 15 minute exposures.

I also have the PASIL from Losmandy and it's so loose in the mount it's got to be around +/- 3 degrees. It's basically useless.

I especially like the right angle part since I tend to keep my mount low when imaging which means crawling around in the dirt to look through the polar scope.

I've got my deposit down and my hopes up!

Post Extras:

mewmartigan
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/02/08

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Greg S]
#5502870 - 11/03/12 07:43 PM

I think it looks great but its too rich for me right now between it and the required adapter.
Also, its apparently only as accurate as the initial drift align you perform to calibrate the scope. Not a big deal, just make sure you've got a good alignment when you first align the reticle.

Can't wait for some hands on reviews.

Post Extras:

Dave M
Postmaster

Reged: 08/03/04

Loc: N.E.Ohio

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Greg S]
#5502917 - 11/03/12 08:14 PM

Quote:

The ASCOM v2 Driver is supposed to give you the same information as to where to place polaris.

Then you would need to have a laptop with you ?
I placed my order for one a couple days ago also, i just
hope they make the app available for Android.

Post Extras:

Mkofski
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/19/11

Loc: Greenfield, Indiana, USA

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Dave M]
#5502949 - 11/03/12 08:39 PM

Quote:

Quote:

This needs their i-phone app to tell you where Polaris should appear in the reticle when aligned for particular date/time.

Wonder if the app will be made available for Android ?
What if someone doesnt have a iPhone or iPad ?

You can get a used iPod Touch on eBay for $75 to $100.

Post Extras:

andysea
sage

Reged: 09/03/10

Loc: Seattle, WA

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: davidmcgo]
#5502983 - 11/03/12 08:58 PM

Quote:

This needs their i-phone app to tell you where Polaris should appear in the reticle when aligned for particular date/time. You don't have to rotate the RA axis to use it which is nice. On the other hand, the pier would need to be level on the East West direction to not induce some error. I thought about it, but my locations have some slope to them and between the scope and the bracket for the mount, it is rather pricey.

Dave

That's a very good point. I didn't think about that. the mount needs to be perfectly level in the E-W direction otherwise the first drift alignment is completely useless.
My Tak scope has a bubble level. That seems to be a better system as I can polar align without the need for the mount to be level.

Andy

Post Extras:

Dave M
Postmaster

Reged: 08/03/04

Loc: N.E.Ohio

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Mkofski]
#5503035 - 11/03/12 09:24 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

This needs their i-phone app to tell you where Polaris should appear in the reticle when aligned for particular date/time.

Wonder if the app will be made available for Android ?
What if someone doesnt have a iPhone or iPad ?

You can get a used iPod Touch on eBay for $75 to $100.

Thanks!
A $1.99 app would be a lot nicer though, especially after
what the polar scope already cost.

Post Extras:

korborh
professor emeritus

Reged: 01/29/11

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Dave M]
#5503064 - 11/03/12 09:49 PM

Expensive. Pass

Post Extras:

Greg S
professor emeritus

Reged: 05/20/04

Loc: Encinitas, California

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: korborh]
#5503341 - 11/04/12 01:45 AM

It's really quite funny to hear a gripe about an app that costs $1.99 in the same context of an Astro Physics mount. It's kind of like getting upset that an oil change on a Ferrari generally costs $2k at a dealer. You bought it, you got it and now you have to pay for it.

No offense to the budget minded here on CN; it's just that you can't really expect AP, Tak, TV, or any hand made, high QC hardware to be cheap.

My last company had a Cessna Citation Bravo Jet and I remember my boss coveting a Gulfstream V. We couldn't afford it but that jet kicks *BLEEP* nonetheless.

Post Extras:

andysea
sage

Reged: 09/03/10

Loc: Seattle, WA

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Greg S]
#5503355 - 11/04/12 02:04 AM

Quote:

It's really quite funny to hear a gripe about an app that costs $1.99 in the same context of an Astro Physics mount. It's kind of like getting upset that an oil change on a Ferrari generally costs $2k at a dealer. You bought it, you got it and now you have to pay for it.

No offense to the budget minded here on CN; it's just that you can't really expect AP, Tak, TV, or any hand made, high QC hardware to be cheap.

My last company had a Cessna Citation Bravo Jet and I remember my boss coveting a Gulfstream V. We couldn't afford it but that jet kicks *BLEEP* nonetheless.

I thought that the complaint was about the fact that no android app is available.
However I am very interested in first reports about the polar scope. Theoretically it should work great but I wonder if it will indeed be as good as the tak one. Btw If I remember well I had to buy tak align for my Tak mount.

Andy

Post Extras:

mewmartigan
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/02/08

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: andysea]
#5503683 - 11/04/12 10:14 AM

AP has said they are working on an Android app. no timeframe though...

Post Extras:

Starhawk
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/16/08

Loc: Tucson, Arizona

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: andysea]
#5503685 - 11/04/12 10:16 AM Attachment (44 downloads)

The polar finder takes the place of the cable run. I'm not giving up my cable run on the Mach 1 given my field experience with polar alignment scopes. The alignment leaves just as much precision polar alignment work to do as if I had just eyeballed north when I set the mount down.

At least AP has the app to mercifully reduce the "Where's Polaris supposed to be?" Conundrum. But given how close the reference (Polaris) is to the axis, there is a lot of intrinsic error which can't be reduced without a far off-axis reference to get the clocking more accurate.

Anyway, while performing the trials which ultimately convinced me cable pass-thrus are the best use of that space, I made an alignment target. Enjoy.

-Rich

Post Extras:

Dave M
Postmaster

Reged: 08/03/04

Loc: N.E.Ohio

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Greg S]
#5503715 - 11/04/12 10:45 AM

Greg, i think you missunderstood what i said/meant.

I dont have any issue at all paying for a $1.99 app, its the fact its not available for Android, i dont want to
spend another $100 or more on a used iPad just to use it.

Post Extras:

Dave M
Postmaster

Reged: 08/03/04

Loc: N.E.Ohio

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: mewmartigan]
#5503718 - 11/04/12 10:46 AM

Quote:

AP has said they are working on an Android app. no timeframe though...

Thats good to know, hope its soon.

Post Extras:

FaronD
sage

Reged: 03/25/10

Loc: Richmond Hill, Ontario

Re: New AP Right Angle Polar Scope new

[Re: Dave M]
#5504048 - 11/04/12 02:46 PM

I'm just curious, I just received a Pasill4 and haven't had a chance to use it yet. Is this new angle polar scope going to replace the need to drift align? Will it be that accurate? Otherwise, isn't the polar scope only used for a for 30 seconds or so to quick align anyway?

Post Extras:

Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all)

Extra information

14 registered and 38 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator: Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 2214

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics