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Cliff,
You have a great image there for a very difficult target. The Helix does require a few hours to expose good depth and detail. Also best to image it in the dark with no moon around
As far as polar alignment goes , I’ve been using the Synscan polar alignment routine which comes with all Skywatcher EQ and EQAZ mounts using the handset and my DSLR with BYEOS on the laptop for over 4 years now and get below an arc minute every time, takes me 5 or 10 minutes.( I don’t use the DSLR for imaging, I just use it for polar alignment as BYEOS has a really good live view , and the DSLR has no lag like an astronomy camera ) You can use any software with “live view” on the screen with a cross hair feature or target reticle to make star alignment and polar alignment easy.
You don’t need a view of the South Celestial Pole just a view of the East to South from 35 degrees to 65 degrees in Alt with 2 bright stars within 40 or 50 degrees in Azimuth apart ( closer to the south meridian line will produce quicker and better PA results )
The Synscan method is an often forgotten method as folk go for recent Polemaster or other similar methods that require a view of the Pole area. Not everyone has a view of the Pole , me included. Synscan is just as accurate and it’s free , it’s on your handset ( if your mount has a Synscan version older than V3 you may have do an update, just check the handset for the polar alignment routine )
Anyway I’ll attach the procedure if your interested. When first using it ovr 4 years ago it took me 20 of 30 minutes to get the error down below 1 arc minute and now after years of using this method it only takes 5 or 10 minutes to get down below an arc minute
Hope the above and attached help in some way
Cheers
Martin
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