AA26C, AAGPCAM 130M and Polar Alignment Struggle
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 6:42 pm
I recently upgraded my mount to a SkyWatcher EQ-6 R Pro. I also switched from using a Canon T6I to the AA26C as my main imaging camera. For the past few imaging sessions, when using Sharp Cap for polar alignment, I noticed Sharp Cap will automatically max out the gain level for the AA26C when engaging in the polar alignment process. My exposure time is set to 15 seconds. I have tried to reduce the gain level but PA will not pick up enough stars until I reach a gain level of 700 or more.
In addition to maxing out the gain level, after much trial and error, I have to set the sensitivity level to 97 to be able to detect enough stars for polar alignment to function.
Even when I am using this numbers I have also ran into the issue, after adjusting the altitude, for some reason the "UP" number remains the same while the AZ will be adjusted. It presents as frozen. Adding to all of this, it takes several minutes when using the AA26C to pick-up enough stars to begin polar alignment.
The other night I tried for the first time using my guide scope (AA 60m) along with my guide camera- GPCAM2 130M Mono CMOS Camera (225mm Focal lenght). Using the guide scope for PA went very well or so I thought. I don't think it was accurate because after achieving PA, I tried slewing to M31 and it wasn't there. I have been involved in astrophotography for a couple of years now and experienced with polar aligning an equatorial mount (my prior mount was a Vixen GP2).
My question is- Are the gain levels on the AA26C correct for PA? Any suggestions on how I can improve. I am attributing my struggle to operator error, lack of proficiency with a dedicated astro-camera.
Thank-you
Brian
In addition to maxing out the gain level, after much trial and error, I have to set the sensitivity level to 97 to be able to detect enough stars for polar alignment to function.
Even when I am using this numbers I have also ran into the issue, after adjusting the altitude, for some reason the "UP" number remains the same while the AZ will be adjusted. It presents as frozen. Adding to all of this, it takes several minutes when using the AA26C to pick-up enough stars to begin polar alignment.
The other night I tried for the first time using my guide scope (AA 60m) along with my guide camera- GPCAM2 130M Mono CMOS Camera (225mm Focal lenght). Using the guide scope for PA went very well or so I thought. I don't think it was accurate because after achieving PA, I tried slewing to M31 and it wasn't there. I have been involved in astrophotography for a couple of years now and experienced with polar aligning an equatorial mount (my prior mount was a Vixen GP2).
My question is- Are the gain levels on the AA26C correct for PA? Any suggestions on how I can improve. I am attributing my struggle to operator error, lack of proficiency with a dedicated astro-camera.
Thank-you
Brian