Thread: HEQ5 Pro mount
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Old 15-07-2020, 09:58 PM
xelasnave's Avatar
xelasnave
Gravity does not Suck

xelasnave is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Tabulam
Posts: 16,921
Hi Steven.
Point your polar scope at something during the day before in the distance and set your camera up so the same object is centred.
That night place your mount pointing South and set altitude / latitude using the little guide on your mount. Do not switch on your mount it needs to stay stationary.
Take a time exposure of say five minutes at iso 100 or longer if things don't blow out..or shorter if it won't take five minutes...you will see Star trails making little arcs..those arc's point you to a center and that center is th CSP..by looking at you photo you can adjust things so the centre of the star trails is in the middle of your camera viewer. You will need a few time exposures as you adjust the mount updown or sideways.
It's is not perfect but will get you pretty close for starters and at least get you able to take decent 30 second to 60 second unguided captures...if the stars drift in East West adjust your counter weights and that will probably fix it..if they drift North or South read up on drift alignment...there are programs that you will learn to use but as I said fiddle taking time exposures and center things will get you pretty close.
I have pole master and sometimes am a little off the field so I do that and so often I need minimal adjustment when camera centred via polemaster.
And you may get some usable star trail photos.

Alex

Last edited by xelasnave; 15-07-2020 at 10:16 PM.
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