EQ6 pointing accuracy

[gary]

Originally Posted by lhansen

Thanks Gary

And thanks to all for the suggestions made in this thread - it is very much appreciated. In the end I took another path. On the assumption that the problem related to software, I installed theSkyX and the ASCOM/X2 connectors. Set the mount up as an ASCOM mount and set camera control as a MaxIm connected camera then used the integrated TPoint modelling capability of theSkyX.

I'm just doing a quickie 32 point model, but the scope has already flipped and the unimproved SkyRMS us approximatey 52.3 arc secs. Should be better when (if?) I run the super model.

So it appear the problem was that one of the software components was not correctly returning the scope RA/DEC as suggested by you. I'm not going to try to sort it out now that I have it working, it has consumed enough nights already.

Ill do an export of the finished model if you are interested

All the very best and thanks again

Lars

Hi Lars,

Good stuff. One tell-tale sign that side of pier information is coming through is to
look for scope Dec values that have absolute values greater than 90 when the
OTA is flipped.

if you get a chance to post your raw data and model when you are done, I would
be interested to have a quick look.

Anyway, glad that the insight I provided on the lack of side of pier information as being the
core problem was helpful and so hopefully you can keep moving forward with your observing.

Enjoy!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I don't understand why we should have to go through all this rigmarole. One would assume that the mount would work properly out of the box.
My HEQ5Pro works supremely better than the EQ6 in regards to accurate pointing.

[coldknights (Cathy)]

Yes 1 would think straight out the box it should work well! So what happened to quality control or the lack of it.

[Astro_Bot]

Originally Posted by coldknights

So what happened to quality control or the lack of it.

It's variable.

[RobF (Rob)]

For those using EQMOD, remember there is a "side of pier" option for alignments. I find this drastically improves my modelling and pointing accuracy. With this off you can often see the first sync'd point on the other side of the meridian has signficantly more error than all the others, instantly messing with your pointing model.