Very Quick & easy polar alignment

[allan gould]

I was looking for a quick means to polar align my new mount as it came with a Northern hemisphere PAS and not one for the Southern Hemisphere. I got sick and tired of drift aligning each time.
Try the diagrams at this site http://www.users.bigpond.com/lansma/art_sh_polar_alignment.htm
Thet really do work after aligning using a bubble level and compass, I looked through the 8x50 spotter scope, saw sigma octons etc, roughly adjusted the mount, looked through the main scope and touched up the aligment as per the diagram which resulted in 2.5 hr at 10mm eyepiece with NO drift.
Took 5 min to do
TRY IT you will love it
Regards, Allan Gould

[johnno]

Hi Allan,

Thank you,for that Very interesting link,Looks like it is the way to go.

Best Regards.
John

[Hammerman]

I think we have it too easy here in the Northern Hemisphere to polar align. Just point to Polaris and you're all set.

Hmm.... I may have an easy solution for you guys in the Southern H. First of all, do you have a loooong drill bit that can drill a hole all the way through the planet?




Yeah, I know, I'm a bit :screwy::P

[stinky]

Thanks Alan - will try this. And Hammerman - could be done with mirrors too. Surely it's our turn now to have Polaris?

[Vermin]

Beta (β) Carinae / MIAPLACIDUS will become the southern pole star in 6 200 AD, approaching by some 5° 42'. It is interesting to note that about the same time, Alpha and Beta Centauri will also be making their closest approach of 23'. Today, it stands as a lonely sentinel on the edges of the magnificent southern Milky Way.

From: http://www.geocities.com/ariane1au/Page023.htm

I think there is a bright star that gets closer than that, but I can't remember which one or when.

[[1ponders]]

I did a little exercise the other night when I was asked if we have ever had a southern pole star. I ran Starry night backwards and noted the stars and their angular seperation from the SCP over the previous 26000 years (one cycle of precession). I was surprised to see that the SMC was at one stage almost at the SCP. This is the list I came up with.

Star - mag- Ang Sep from pole - year.
alpha Hyd - mag 2.8 - 2 deg - 3000 BC
nu Pup - mag 3.1 - 1 deg 40' - 12250 BC
sigma Pup - mag 3.25 - 0 deg 5' - 14000 BC Within the parameters I chose this star came closest.
gamma Vel - mag 1.75 - 0 deg 15' - 15300 BC Suhail al Muhlif would have been the most clearly visible star for a Southern Pole Star
delta Vel - mag 1.9 - 1 deg 50' - 16750 BC
iota Car - mag 2.18 - 1 deg 30' - 18000 BC Aspidiske

You could do the same processes forwards in time. It would be interesting to see if the same stars come up or if Starry Nights take into account the proper motion of the stars (unlikely as proper motion isn't known for many stars)

[stinky]

Maybe by then we'll get a clear night!