Other Options? Limited views for polar/drift alignment

Manav (Yugant) · #1 31-07-2018, 10:59 AM

My new apartment has a balcony facing north and i can see east horizon to some extent.

Unfortunately due to the balcony ceiling (see attached) I can’t see zenith.

This rules out drift alignment and polar alignment conventional methods.

What other way can I align for astrophotography?

Please Note: I’m using Losmandy Gemini 2

redbeard (Damien) · #2 31-07-2018, 11:17 AM

Alignmaster may work.

Worth checking out.

Cheers,
Damien

Manav (Yugant) · #3 31-07-2018, 11:49 AM

Website for alignmaster is down

redbeard (Damien) · #4 31-07-2018, 02:07 PM

Gee that’s no good.

Hopefully the site will be back online soon.

sil (Steve) · #5 31-07-2018, 03:12 PM

Solar noon alignment? through another window and carry the line through to balcony? eg with a laser level on tripod or something.

Wavytone · #6 31-07-2018, 07:13 PM

If you can see stars you can use the declination circle for alignment.

I've explained before but no-one else uses it, as the drift aligning crowd think that's the only way.

Benjamin (Ben) · #7 31-07-2018, 07:40 PM

For drift alignment you don’t need to see Zenith just the Celestial Equator (which isn’t so high in the north), the Meridian (North!), and then somewhere near where the celestial equator crosses the Eastern horizon. Might be possible from you balcony?

Manav (Yugant) · #8 01-08-2018, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wavytone

If you can see stars you can use the declination circle for alignment.

I've explained before but no-one else uses it, as the drift aligning crowd think that's the only way.

Hi matey - I cant seem to google instructions on how to do this. What's the method called. Please link me if you know where I can get details.

I'm also gonna install and try Astro-tortilla apparently you can use that to align as well

xelasnave · #9 01-08-2018, 11:08 AM

Just keep moving things until luck smiles on you.
I have the same problem in Sydney.
Get as close as you can and drift align with what you can see.
Alex

Merlin66 (Ken) · #10 01-08-2018, 11:39 AM

Manav,
I have a similar problem and used the solar noon transit to align the mount on the meridian - mark the feet position for the next time.
Set the altitude with a spirit level and cardboard template.
Final tweak if needed during a drift alignment.
I have a good site for the position/ timing of the sun’s position.
I’ll update when I can.
EDIT
https://www.suncalc.org/

Just enter you location.....

Manav (Yugant) · #11 01-08-2018, 08:24 PM

Ok! Thanks for so many responses..

I'm gonna try these out and see what works!

Ken and Wavytone - Do you have details or links on how your methods would work.

Merlin66 (Ken) · #12 01-08-2018, 09:49 PM

Yugant,
The program listed gives the time when the sun is exactly due north....
I set up before time (roughly setting the mount polar axis towards the south, and use a spirit level across the head of the EQ mount to position the telescope on one side and the c/w on the other. Then use the dec axis to get close to the altitude of the sun.
You can use a Baader solar filter on the scope (and finder) to view the sun - when it gets close to the meridian do the final adjustments to allow the solar disk to cross the finder crosswire at exactly the program noon time...

Setting the altitude - I made a cardboard template (90-38 = 52 deg) and set this on the mount adjusting until the top was level.
This will get you very close.....

Manav (Yugant) · #13 02-08-2018, 10:21 AM

Ahh very clever

Merlin66 (Ken) · #14 02-08-2018, 10:33 AM

You can see for my location noon is at 12:27.....

netwolf · #15 08-08-2018, 11:08 AM

Solar noon method to get you roughly there and then you can drift align. WE had lot of problems at my friends observatory getting polar aligned though we have visibility of the SP. The issue was high voltage power lines were reacking havoc with our compas's throwing us off. In the end we went with Solar noon and then drift alignment to home in.