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Old 05-04-2012, 11:56 AM
Barrykgerdes
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Barrykgerdes is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Beaumont Hills NSW
Posts: 2,900
I hate to throw a spanner in the works but if you can't do a polar alignment by drift alignment I don't think you will find this method much easier.

I feel that most people won't understand what the aim is and will still have trouble.

The most important starting point for a polar alignment is to get your altitude correct within about 1/2" a degree. I do this by levelling the tripod first with a spirit level. This will save altitude errors if you need to move the azimuth a long way later. I next get the Altitude close with a large protractor device that I set the angle to my latitude, clamped to the telescope mount and a large spirit level. The angle of the protractor is adjusted using trigonometry or you can by a large digital protractor from Hare and Forbes and adapt it. A compass or a landmark will find a close enough azimuth.

Barry

PS there is no reason for the method not to work in either hemisphere
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