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Old 09-01-2018, 12:29 PM
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Swagman105 (Geoff)
swagman105

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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Highton, Victoria, Australia.
Posts: 82
Polar aligning with the help of a laser pointer

Hoping this idea is not crazy and willing for some help and advice as I was unable to find any other threads about it.
My problem is that I have trouble aligning my equatorial mount due light pollution coupled with personal issues like eyesight and flexibility to get down to view through a polarscope.
I invested in a Polemaster and have had some success but it does require that at least you get in the ballpark of that obscure thing the SCP.
Because my setup needs to be moved and polar aligned each time I use it these issues are an ongoing problem for me.
I also have a Sky Prodigy 6 and the thought occurred that maybe I could use this to help me to get close enough to the SCP to be able to finish the job with the Polemaster.
What I want to try is to use the SP6 to automatically align itself (easy as pie) and set it to GOTO -90 degrees DEC. I have done this and it seems to get very close (within an arc minute) of the cordinate.
My intention is to have the red dot finder on the SP6 replaced with a bracket and holder for a laser pointer which hopefully when illuminated would give me an artificial point in the sky to aim the Polemaster/polarscope at.
The issues I need some advice on are
1 Would there be a problem (legally and practically) in using a laser pointer of sufficient power to be suitable for this purpose
2 What would be the best bracket with which to replace the red dot finder on the Prodigy's 6 inch SCT tube. I would still like to do this to allow the use of a small optical finder.
3 What would the best way be to secure such a bracket to the SCT tube.
Any advice will be gratefully received
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