Again, I'm sorry but, that article is wrong with respect to applying variation..
There just is no way round it... doesn't matter if it's astro, navigation or whatever.. variation is applied by adding an easterly variation to a compass bearing to obtain a true bearing... True South is 180* T... a true bearing...
Not trying (but, probably succeeding) to start an argument but, it just is what it is... C A D E T... & True South is 180T...
Carlton, yes 180 T is 180T, which equates in this case to magnetic south being 190.8. But compasses measure magnetic so to find true as we need to for Astro you SUBTRACT the variation to get an indicated compass bearing for True South.
We don’t use magnetic at all in Astronomy so we need to find TRUE. A compass shows 180 magnetic, do true is 10.8 degrees LESS in this example, being a compass bearing of 169.2
If you set up compass 180 plus variation you will be way off polar aligned.
On a map using a protractor you are measuring TRUE. The maps show lines of mag var’n which in the eastern states you add to the true to get the magnetic bearing.
Again we need to find true not magnetic. You reverse the nav procedure.
Or does this explain HMAS Melbourne’s grand misfortunes?
Carlton, yes 180 T is 180T, which equates in this case to magnetic south being 190.8. But compasses measure magnetic so to find true as we need to for Astro you SUBTRACT the variation to get an indicated compass bearing for True South.
We don’t use magnetic at all in Astronomy so we need to find TRUE. A compass shows 180 magnetic, do true is 10.8 degrees LESS in this example, being a compass bearing of 169.2
If you set up compass 180 plus variation you will be way off polar aligned.
On a map using a protractor you are measuring TRUE. The maps show lines of mag var’n which in the eastern states you add to the true to get the magnetic bearing.
Again we need to find true not magnetic. You reverse the nav procedure.
Or does this explain HMAS Melbourne’s grand misfortunes?
Sorry but, I'm not following your logic Lewis... When you take a compass bearing (magnetic) you add easterly variation to plot it as a true bearing... Eg: magnetic bearing of 080 becomes 090 (if variation is 10E) in order to plot it as a true bearing... To convert a true bearing to magnetic you subtract it from 090 to get a compass bearing of 080...
Okay... I see where you are going with this now... You're explaining to Leon what the bearing should read on his magnetic compass... I think... Penny may have just dropped... Please confirm...😁
Sorry for the confusion Leon... If Lewis confirms where I think he's gone with this, then he is indeed correct.. I just had a little problem with his logic but, I get it now... I think...
Leon to get a pretty good polar alignment place or mount your camera on your wonderful instrument such that it points exactly where your polar axis points..take time and in day light so you get the camera and polar axis in sync.. now at night... Importantly with your motor NOT running, you will be looking for star trails forming small arcs, point the polar axis at where you estimate the CSP is at..use a planetarium to eye ball it.. then take a long exposure probably minimum of 10 minutes maybe less at 100 iso .. look at what you have captured..you will see many semi circles or very small arcs..look at these and determine where the centre of these arcs will be found..that is your CSP ..at first it may be well out of the picture so don't worry...you then reposition to bring the polar axis closer to where you expect the center of the circle will be found..move the lot of course and dont let the camera move from your day time set up... and take another long exposure...re position again and continue until the centre of the circle is at the centre of your photo ( viewing screen) as the camera and your polar axis are aligned the polar axis and your camera now point at the CSP.
I hope you understand the idea..should not take more than an hour maybe much less...nefore I purchased pollemaster this is how I found CSP...
Good luck.
Alex
I started off this hobby trying to find my True South line using an expensive Silva compass with magnetic declination at both my Sydney location and South Coast NSW location and found that my polar alignment after the initial or first iteration was way off , up to 4 degrees.Every time I used it there were significantly different readings. I noticed the closer the compass was to the ground the deviations were worse and on the ground were all over the place ( obviously picking up iron sources somewhere.For every set up I was meticulous in setting up the tripod , levelling , orientation, latitude settings and so on , even using right angled set squares etc.... and so on
I thought there’s gotta be a more consistent reliable method to find True South and permanently score a line on the ground for repeated use at both sites.
The penny dropped from my scouting days , Solar Noon Shadow method
So set up a 1.2m high 12mm dia rod ( painted black ) at 90 degrees with guy strings anchored NSEW for fine adjustin. Waited for exact Solar Noon time and marked the centre of the shadow as precise as possible with a thin indelible marker.
Set up my tripod meticulously aligned to the new Solar Noon True South line. Performed my polar alignment routine and after the first iteration ended up only 5 or 6 arc minutes away.Both locations ended up with really accurate initial PA and usually only require another couple of iterations to get below an arc minute
So sold the Silva compass and now I have my extremely accurate permanent True South lines at both sites thanks to the good old Sun.
Nothing wrong using the compass but I found it had poor reliability ( not always the same line )
NB: Also at both sites the ground is laid pavers not concrete but fairly level ( if your out in the bush with uneven ground you would need a flat bit of plywood to use to mark your line.
My experience.........
I dunno, been using a bog-standard Silva for years (I am ALWAYS portable - nothing permanent). I use the iPhone compass occasionally too. I then polar align with SharpCap, and always have it in the "Excellent" range within 5 minutes without any problem.
I stand about a metre behind the mount, eyeballing it along the RA axis. I don't go to close to the mount at all, and always have the mount OFF and no EM sources around whilst doing this rough setup.
Actually Leon to start with just out your camera on a run if the mill tripod and do some start trail circles..you will get where South is very easily.. you will even get a good idea where CSP is from your star circle photos..plus they are fun...see how long you can expose for..tip cover half the lens.
Alex
"Other than Martin's Solar method, the other way round this is to use a phone compass with GPS & set it to read true rather than compass... that works too... "
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I'd be abandoning the compass pretty much, movement of the magnetic pole is stupid atm. Anywhere from 55-80km's+ a year... you'd have to keep track of the current position for non-permanent setups.
Martin's option or the phone would prove a better future proof option imo to use.
Your probably doing better than 1 degree of movement every three years using magnetic north. So, you would need the latest co-ords closest to the day you set the mount up.
I like the camera and a long exposure idea myself as well. Just mount the camera using the same rack(same position) as the telescope if possible.
I dunno, been using a bog-standard Silva for years (I am ALWAYS portable - nothing permanent). I use the iPhone compass occasionally too. I then polar align with SharpCap, and always have it in the "Excellent" range within 5 minutes without any problem.
I stand about a metre behind the mount, eyeballing it along the RA axis. I don't go to close to the mount at all, and always have the mount OFF and no EM sources around whilst doing this rough setup.
Up my way, out on the back ridge we were lucky to get back before dark the first time we took a compass ..so far out ..but apparently there is a lot of iron stone out there which I was told caused the problem..but I dont know ..lucky we picked up the one and only fence line and followed it back to the road and walked down the road to get home ..added about five k but better than wandering around lost all night...as soon as the Sun sets that bush is like another world, even in familiar tracks you feel lost...thats why we took a compass..
Alex
I dunno, been using a bog-standard Silva for years (I am ALWAYS portable - nothing permanent). I use the iPhone compass occasionally too. I then polar align with SharpCap, and always have it in the "Excellent" range within 5 minutes without any problem.
I stand about a metre behind the mount, eyeballing it along the RA axis. I don't go to close to the mount at all, and always have the mount OFF and no EM sources around whilst doing this rough setup.
Sounds like pretty much what I do Lewis, but I sit the compass on a non-magnetic wooden beam.
I then used to touch up the PA via the Tak PA Scope when it got dark and found this method to surprisingly accurate.
I now use the QHY PoleMaster when I set up in our back garden.
I am bound to get it pointing in the right direction with all this enthusiastic debate, thanks to all.
And I will try and write up an explanation of how i put this device together, the equation the curved thread follows, and the angles and motor to run it all.
It can be easily build if you are a bit DIY in the shed, so to speak
I am bound to get it pointing in the right direction with all this enthusiastic debate, thanks to all.
And I will try and write up an explanation of how i put this device together, the equation the curved thread follows, and the angles and motor to run it all.
It can be easily build if you are a bit DIY in the shed, so to speak
Leon
.... and then tell us also which method you used to find True South.
I bet you choose my method!!
I have chosen which i see as the best, and I also have a version of my own, that might just beat all of them, but I do not wish to disclose this on open forum in case I start a war.
Watch this space in the near future
I have chosen which i see as the best, and I also have a version of my own, that might just beat all of them, but I do not wish to disclose this on open forum in case I start a war.
Watch this space in the near future
Leon
... yeah but my method is so easy... it just takes a year...