Alignmaster with LX200 assistance PLEASE

[BlackWidow]

I am having a great deal of trouble getting my LX200 polar aligned., I have from the very start. I have all the goodies you could poke a stick at, but have never been able to consistantly get alignment. I purchase Alignmaster a few weeks ago and have been waiting for a clear night to give it a try. I start the process and keep getting a message that I am more thatn 10 degrees out..??

I would love some help from a user that has used alignmaster with an LX200GPS. I would like to know from start to finish the process. From turning on the LX200 and what to go through and then when to start Aliginmaster Etc. Or even better if thier is a member from the ASSA that could come over to assist. I have spent months and months trying to get this correct to start imaging and just don't seem to be able to get it correct. I have tried drif aligning and that took all night and I still had drift..


Really needing some help please
Mardy

[kitsuna]

I'm an ASSA member, but alas I'm not qualified to give you advice on this (my experience is extremely limted, and does not include any GOTO system). I can only recommend sending an email via ASSAchat email discussion list (assuming you are also a member) with your query. Either you'll get a response with the answer, or you'll get put in touch with someone who can talk you through it. I've found the ASSA to be very supportive.

If the weather this Saturday is good, you might want to take the scope up to Stockport as there's a members viewing night that evening, and chances are that someone there will have experience with an LX200, or at least be able to point you in the right direction of someone who does. :shrug:

It's a bit of a long trip out there, so if you can get confirmation via ASSA chat that someone who's qualified will be there to help, all the better.

Else, hopefully someone on IIS will be able to help. Fingers crossed for ya. :thumbsup:

[BlackWidow]

Thanks for that Adam. Yes I am a member and I wilsl do as you sugested. I just don't like to pester people at clubs with my troubles, however I think I need somone just to spen 1/2 with me to sort out what step I am getting wrong. Can't make it this Sat but I will try to get thier or to the Heights. Thanks again for your advice. I will still keep trying... I will sort it out sooner or later.


Thanks
Mardy

[kitsuna]

hey if you've been having this trouble for months, it's not as if you've just taken the scope out of the box, looked at it, and then cried for help. Keep in mind there's 2 viewing nights per month, so even if you can't make it to this one, there's the next one (if need be). Good luck. :)

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Mardy

I have not used alignmaster but I have done a polar alignment on an LX200 a few times and occasionally had trouble.
I assume you have a wedge and know where true north (south) is within a couple of degrees.

If you do not have micrometer adjustments on your wedge you will have even more trouble.

The first thing you need to do is establish where the OTA 90 degree point is. This is a tedious task but is explained in the LX200 manual in a convoluted way. When this is done you need to temporarily lock the tube in this position. This step is crucial for polar alignment. If you don't start from this position you will chase your tail all night.! Once I found this position on my scope I pinned the dec scale to the OTA shaft and made a magnifying cursor so that I was able to read this exact 90 degree point within 5 arc minutes. Made all the difference in setting up. Oh and I also did an orthogonal alignment.

Next with the OTA on the wedge and pointing at the south pole. Turn the LX200 on and let it go through its preliminaries. Remove your temporary lock.

Select polar mode and align. The scope should slew to where it thinks Sigma Octans is. Identify Sigma Octans (will take some practice) and use only the wedge controls to center it and press Enter. Next it will slew to where it thinks your second alignment star is. This time ensure you have the right star, it won't be far of from a 26mm eyepiece and centre it using the NS/EW controls.

As this procedure will only work accurately if you have perfect orthogonality you will now need to drift align using the wedge controls and EW/NS buttons as required. When you can get a star near the equatorial plane to stay centered check where Sigma Octans is. If your orthogonality is perfect Sigma Octans will be in its place if it is not do not try to change it because your best alignment will be that achieved by the drift method. It means your rotating axes are not orthogonal.

If your orthogonality is a long way out as I have seen on many LX200's it will need to be corrected before you can get a good polar alighnment. This is a specialist procedure.

Barry

[joecool]

Sent a PM with my phone number. I'm free most nights and would love to help out a fellow LX200er. There's something funny going on here. 10 deg out! ouch.

Mark.

[Logieberra]

A common error, too far away from the pole. Adjust mount manually until you get closer and it will then play nice :)

[BlackWidow]

Thanks Logan for your response. I am going to get Mark to come over as soon as we get a clear night or to and I am not busy. I think I am missing a step with my LX200. It should not be that hard. I have an electronic protractor and I have the Alt set to the correct setting for my location 35 Deg. I have the AZ set to 170Deg for polar south and have three different compass to set it with, Even one of those fancy ones with the sight on it. I just don't wee what I am doing wrong? I have had alignment before and PHD guided fine, but I think that was just a luck thing. Most times when I try to align I spend all night in total frustration. I will and do need to get this alignment thing down pat so I can concentrate on taking pictures. I do have a Field De-Rotator also that I have had good results with, however I want both options.


Thanks
Mardy

[Zincberg]

Hi Martin,
I dont have an lx200 (just couldnt stretch the budget that far)... but i do have an LX90 set up on a super wedge.
Firstly, have you had a look at:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/63-454-0-0-1-0.html
There is an excellent guide on setting up polar alignment in the southern hemisphere.. and Chris uses an LX200. I used this guide and it was the answer to almost all of my problems.
When you get your scope close (10 degrees is a lot though), then drift alignment is the way to go for sure. Its all explained easily and clearly in the above article.

[renormalised]

Martin, when you've been doing your alignment procedures, have you taken into account Adelaide's magnetic declination??. It maybe the reason why you're so far out. When you use your compass to find south, you have to remember that this is actually magnetic south, not true south. What you need to do is find out what the magnetic declination for Adelaide is and subtract that from the reading for magnetic south, e.g. If in Adelaide your magnetic dec is, say, 10 degrees E, true south will be at 170 degrees magnetic on your compass. That's the direction in which you align your scope.

[renormalised]

Try this... www.adelaideoptical.com.au/polefind.pdf (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/www.adelaideoptical.com.au/polefind.pdf)