If I had a GEM such and HEQ5 with SynScan which also has the GPS module attached, how necessary is accurate polar alignment for long exposure AP? Is it still required, or will the SynScan/GPS take care of tracking well enough?
Your polar alignment still needs to be quite precise otherwise guiding will not work (if its really bad) or guiding will work but the field will rotate. Think of a pin through 2 pieces of paper. Both pieces of paper can rotate freely but the pin will still be in the same spot on both sheets. So your guide star may not move during the exposure but all the other stars will.
don't be too afeared of polar alignment - it seems more daunting than it actually is and there are many ways to skin a cat.
I'm not expert by any means but I use a few things to make my life easier. There's an article here about buidling a wooden jig which helps give you true south. An inclinometer helps you get the pitch of the scope right (37.5 I think). And I've now started using Alignmaster which seems like a major blessing as long as you have the stars to align too.
I can't see the trap near the SCP from my light polluted skies and was never really able to see it that well under dark skies.
The above solution all but eliminates the need to polar align using the SCP and is a lot quicker than drift aligning though you can use that to refine your alignment.
I also cannot see the pole from where I am, and I use alignmaster. But for this you need eqmod and a computer as well as a way to centre stars accurately ( I use my guide cam)
Definately computer software is a kicker! works a treat and gets you right in the middle of the ball park! Polar alignment the manual way isn't terribly difficult either.
SynScan and Polar alignment question
