Quote:
Originally Posted by Startrek
If your mount is placed in the same position in the backyard every time you observe or image , you can mark the ground ( hopefully either concrete, pavers or tiles and not grass ) with a permanent true south line.
If your ground is gravel or grass you could use some large pavers or tiles to sit your tripod down and still mark a true south line.
The attached method of finding True South using the Suns shadow is very accurate provided you take care and be as precise as you can with set up.
There are many other ways to find True south using technology but the Solar Noon method is quite simple in its method.
Also it’s probably worthwhile to use and learn a planetarium like Stellarium to get familiar with the night sky , again there are many other planetariums to use.
Stellarium is very popular as you can change real time and set it for any time during the night whilst having a cuppa and learn the night sky during the day.
https://stellarium.org/
Hope the above is useful
Martin |
Wow, thanks Martin. Lots to read there. I used to use Stellarium but removed it and installed SkyView and SkyAtlast (the latter for the ASI mount). I seem to remember having trouble with Stellarium wanting to be callibrated or something all the time.
cheers and here's hoping for clear skies so I can have another go with all this advice. Lisa