Azeq6 issues

[FrankyT (Frank)]

ADVICE PLEASE

I have attached a pic of 5 min unguided. The mount was polar aligned with the aid of backyard EOS. The star trail I put down to error with the ra tracking but I cant understand the double star at each end of the trail. This error is consistent. Auto guiding does remove the issue more or less. I have adjusted any slackness in gears, cleaned and checked for any burrs as directed by Tasco. The mount is only a few weeks old. I note the ra clutch is weak and has to be tightened very hard. I have a 8 inch reflector and an ED120 with same results for either.

Thanks in advance.

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

You live round the corner from me!

[raymo]

If you set your screen to 300% you will see a dark gap between the fainter "double" stars, indicating that you don't have one continuous exposure. The two sets of diffraction spikes on the bright stars are
cleanly defined, again indicating two separate exposures. It is possible that the mount did a quick little slip midway through the exposure, not
allowing enough time for light to register on the image during the slip, and causing the little black gaps, but I think the spikes are too sharp for that; I think the spikes on the bright stars would show the rapid movement of a slip with at least some blurring.
If a slip is discounted, the fault would seem to lie with the camera or intervalometer [if you were using one].
raymo