Question for dome owners:-3 star align

[BC]

Hi,
For those who have dome observatories. How do you go doing a 3 star align when you have to not only get the 2nd and 3rd stars lined up in the focuser, but you need to keep rotating the dome into the correct place. Does the alignment process potentially fail because you spend too long getting the dome into place?
I’m just considering the home obs and the various merits. I like the dome for the dew/wind protection and its traditional looks, but it also cuts out that lovely big sky overhead. The roll-off seems simpler to build, plenty of sky to see, but more prone to dew and the breeze.
Thanks,
Bruce

[bojan]

Why do you need 3-star alignment when you have a dome?:shrug:
It is assumed you also have a proper permanent pier... drift align once (a year or so) and that's it.

[BC]

Perhaps that's a fair point, which answers my question but in an unexpected way, so thanks. Certainly it will be polar aligned on a fixed mount, but I didn't realise that it will maintain its ability to point perfectly at a given star when I switch it off and on again, particularly if the clutches have been released when it is switched off, or the "home" position isn't perfectly "upright" (if you know what I mean). When I switch my EQ6 on and begin alignment, it goes near the star, but not exactly to it; I assumed that would also happen on a pier.

Thanks,
Bruce

[MrB]

With Synscan, if you 'Park' the mount at the end of a session and leave the clutches engaged, it shouldn't need re-aligning?
Never had one set-up longer than one session :lol:
I use EQMOD anyway which seems to work fine from last 'home'

[ChrisM]

Bruce, you shouldn't need to release the clutches after parking (or just turning off) your mount. I park mine in the same orientation each time simply so the dust cover can more easily be fitted. Otherwise, in a dome, it wouldn't really matter where it was parked. After powering up for a new session, the target star is virtually always visible towards the centre of the eyepiece.

Regarding construction and benefits, you seemed to have summed up the main ones. My dome serves me well in a windy location.

Good luck, Chris

[Tandum]

I drive my dome/mount with POTH, eqmod and lesvedome driver.
I normally slew to a star, do a pinpoint to get sync, reslew to center the star then focus on it.
Never had an eyepiece in it, not sure how visual people do it :shrug:

[mozzie]

i am visual with a pier in alt/az.park the scope it levels it's self faces north done...turn it on next night gps picks up time and date bang goto what ever....easy..as for dome rotation it is a pod just move the dome to that part of the sky..

[BC]

Well thanks for the input folks, I have learnt some things including the fact that it is simpler than I thought.

Bruce