mch62
23-02-2005, 08:06 AM
Here is an interesting link for anyone wanting to put in a permanent pier or observatory or just wants to know where true south is for your location.
I am unable to use a compass in location of my observatory mount as there is to much metal close to where it is + plus for an offset fork mount it has to be a lot more accurate.
The technique is based on the solar noon concept which means that a vertical shadow cast a solar noon will be pointing to true south.
What is solar noon for where I live , that's where this online calculater works it out for you.
http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/highlights/sunrise/sunrise.html
Interesting to note that it gives a slightly different reading to what the " Sky 4.52 "says for my lat and long . About 2 minutes difference. Still trying to find out which is more correct.
You can do it by finding the local sunrise and sunset times from the papers ect and getting the mid point of that but this gives another time again.
:confuse3:
Mark
I am unable to use a compass in location of my observatory mount as there is to much metal close to where it is + plus for an offset fork mount it has to be a lot more accurate.
The technique is based on the solar noon concept which means that a vertical shadow cast a solar noon will be pointing to true south.
What is solar noon for where I live , that's where this online calculater works it out for you.
http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/highlights/sunrise/sunrise.html
Interesting to note that it gives a slightly different reading to what the " Sky 4.52 "says for my lat and long . About 2 minutes difference. Still trying to find out which is more correct.
You can do it by finding the local sunrise and sunset times from the papers ect and getting the mid point of that but this gives another time again.
:confuse3:
Mark