SharpCap Forums

The polar alignment tool first takes a picture of the guide camera view and then you are asked to rotate the right ascension 90 degrees. I always assumed that the first picture had to be taken with the mount at it's index position. Can you you first START with the mount rotated 90 degrees from the index position and THEN rotate it back to vertical for the second picture? This would make it easier to determine the appropriate altitude and azimuth changes to make to do the polar alignment.

That's how I use it.
I start with it rotated and when it says to rotate, I tell the mount to seek home. As you say, that means up is up, left is left, etc when you are adjusting, but it also inherently checks some other things like the mount knowing where home is, overloaded/unbalanced issues, etc. And it means that you are at the starting point for the goto alignment. I can't imagine a reason not to start at the rotated position.

Steve.

Excellent, thanks!!!

Hi,

Yes, you can start in any position and then rotate from there, it shouldn't make any difference to the final results. The instructions read the way they do just because it makes a nice clear sequence of steps for people to follow.

Cheers, Robin