Setting up my CGX-L for polar alignment

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DanK
Posts: 142
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:58 pm

Setting up my CGX-L for polar alignment

#1

Post by DanK »

I had the usual failure to solve messages in Sharpcap Polar alignment tool. So I took snapshots in FITS format and uploaded to the NovA Astrometry site. I didn't expect such large errors. No wonder Sharpcap couldn't solve the images! The error was greater than the field diameter that Sharpcap plate solving is limited to.

https://nova.astrometry.net/user_images ... #annotated

image address: https://nova.astrometry.net/annotated_display/4522823

Job Status
Job 4522823:
Success
Calibration
Center (RA, Dec): (190.028, 83.592)
Center (RA, hms): 12h 40m 06.731s
Center (Dec, dms): +83° 35' 29.859"
Size: 66.9 x 50.2 arcmin
Radius: 0.697 deg
Pixel scale: 3.14 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: Up is -131 degrees E of N
WCS file: wcs.fits
New FITS image: new-image.fits
Reference stars nearby (RA,Dec table): rdls.fits
Stars detected in your images (x,y table): axy.fits
Correspondences between image and reference stars (table): corr.fits

Dan Kahraman
DanK
Posts: 142
Joined: Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:58 pm

Re: Setting up my CGX-L for polar alignment

#2

Post by DanK »

Follow up results:

Excellent! https://www.dropbox.com/h?preview=20200902_224503.jpg

Yet....
Here is where guide camera pointing:
https://nova.astrometry.net/user_images ... #annotated

My explanation is that the rigged guide-scope position on top of the saddle plate, secured by generous amounts of tape was not parallel to the axis of the mount but slightly askew.

I hope plate solve takes that into account when rendering an "excellent" verdict.

The issue here is with Celestron: The knob unthreads when trying to raise the polar axis (altitude) when fully loaded

Dan Kahraman
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