Hi Scott
Thanks could you tap on a water pipe to guide me in.
So went thru the motions and it didnt point correctly but I was tired and I think I entered 9 pm instead of 21 hundred...anyways the clouds rolled in before I had a second try...baby steps.
Pity I had set up lap top inverter leads guide scope and guide camera nailed a little table to the ground so I couldnt knock everything over etc etc ...anyway all practise.
Such an effort with dud legs.
Alex
Polaris ? Get BQ Octantis, even closer than Polaris (Alpha UMi, inaccessible from AU).
The last few nights I just centered it in my polar scope and made good unguided 4 minute subs at 600mm FL.
1. Pull the polar scope out and install a laser pointer - one with some adjustment in where it is pointing. The old Vixen/Saxon pointers are ideal for this.
2. Align laser and polar axis by pointing it at a wall, and rotating the polar axis. Adjust laser so the spot doesn’t move when rotated 180 degrees.
3. Get map of Octans showing where the SCP is for the current epoch - Sky Safari will do nicely BTW. BQ Octans will do nicely as per earlier poster.
4. Assemble mount and adjust alt and az so the laser where the pole is, as per the map. Dead reckoning will get you within half a degree easily and I can do significantly better.
In the northern hemisphere point it at Polaris.
Best use for a laser pointer in years, IMHO. It’s fair to assume there is no-one living on BQ Octans likely to take offence at having lasers pointer at them.