Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamJL
3 mins to polar align sounds like a pretty efficient system to me.
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Pardon my ignorance, but aren't Polar Alignment and Star Alignment slightly different? Polar alignment is to get your mount precisely aligned so that tracking is more accurate, whereas Star Alignment figures out where your scope is pointing so that it slews more accurately to the correct spot in the sky.
Because I can't Polar align using my main scope (too long focal length, not enough of a FoV), I use my former guide cam (30mm f/4 micro scope in to a ZWO 120MM mini) to Polar Align, then unplug and plug in to my OAG for guiding whilst imaging.
I don't bother to Star Align, because I plate solve to ensure I am pointed VERY precisely at the target due to 1624mm FL.
If you're polar aligning through connecting to a PC, you should be guiding through that PC - unguided tracking just doesn't make sense.