Polar alignment problem EQ5 Skywatcher

[philipheaven (Philip)]

I'm having some trouble polar aligning my EQ5 Skywatcher mount (stainless steel tripod). I can't get my compass close enough to the mount in order to align it true south without the metal on the mount interfering with my compass and giving me a false reading.

This was never a problem for me with my EQ3 mount, as I can place my compass right up against the tripod in order to accurately position it, before placing the actual equatorial head on.

I've taken to placing a length of wood against the two opposing back tripod legs to form a right angle with the front facing tripod leg (which is aiming due south), but it is still not an optimum reading, especially as I enjoy using the DEC and RA setting circles, and any minor misalignment becomes more accentuated the longer I'm out observing for.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can overcome this problem?

[pluto (Hugh)]

I had the same issue with my EQ5. I used the piece of wood against the back legs too but I would measure east-west with my compass and place the wood before I brought the tripod anywhere near it.

Another solution I used, and still use with my EQ6, is to stand a few metres away from the tripod with my compass and shine a laser pointer aiming at the front leg of the tripod (you could just do it by eye without the laser pointer if you wanted to). Then I move in an arc around the mount until the laser pointer is pointing north-south while still pointing at the front leg. Then I place the compass on the ground at this point, walk to the mount and rotate the tripod around the front leg until the bolt/centre pole thing is in line with the front leg and the compass on the ground a few metres away.

[philipheaven (Philip)]

Thanks for the response Hugh. I will give that a go.