Quote:
Originally Posted by kalon
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.
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Hi Kevin.
Yes they are different. I'm talking about Polar Aligning as well (I didn't mention star aligning?). PoleMaster does just that.
In some ways it's good to use your main or guide scope to polar align, because then you know that it's pointing dead south. When you align the mount (as you do with PoleMaster), then your cameras could be off slightly.
but plate solving before taking an image sorts that out, and using ASTAP, plate solving takes about 5 seconds at most.
Sharpcap is a terrific option as well; I just don't see what's "crap" about PoleMaster software, so would like to hear what others think on that.