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Hi Steve,
I have recently had to learn about polar alignement and home position too. I have an EQ6-R which would be similar to your mount. Polar alignment points the mount toward the celestial pole; whereas home position lines up the telescope with the mount, to point it toward the celestial pole.
To get a good home position, I get the counter weight bar perfectly horizontal using a spirit level, and then rotate it 90 degrees to make it perfectly perpendicular. This can be done by setting the ring to 0 when horizontal, and then to 6h which corresponds to a 90 degree rotation. A similar process is done to get the declination axis rotated 90 degrees. Then your telescope is ligned up with the mount pointing to the celestial pole.
Although fairly accurate, you will still be a fraction of a degree off. Imperfections in the mount gears will also throw you off slightly, so nothing will ever be perfect. This is where “star alignement” or “plate solving” comes into play. NINA 3-pt polar alignment can also get you polar aligned within half an arc minute. All these little steps will improve your overall photography workflow.
There is so much to take and I am still a beginner myself. But as these little processes become easier and routine, this hobby becomes incredibly fun & rewarding!
Regards,
Stéphane
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