Polar alignment

[Prima-Astro]

I updated Sharpcap Pro in the last week or two. Since my last imaging session trying to do polar alignment which would take me +-3 minutes ended up taking up and hour to 90 min sitting outside struggling to get any result. At step 1 it quickly solves the first plate up to the point where I have to rotate the mount about the RA axis. Once I rotated my mount it can take some time to solve the second plate. Once the second plate has been resolved I will get the corrections that need to be made to get polar aligned. At this point it is where things are not going as "normal". I will adjust the Alt/Az knobs on my mount and it will solve every plate until I come within +-15 seconds then it won't solve the plate. I then proceed to restart and the same happens everytime,but prior to restarting it seemed to be close to polar aligned and after restarting I will get a read out for corrections to be made of 10 min where previously it was close to a few seconds out. Every single time I have the same result..getting close and it won't solve...perform a restart and it is way out. I posted a PHD2 issue on a Facebook group where someone else mentioned they have exactly the same problem with Scarpcap Pro and getting polar aligned.

I have a Meade LXD75 SN10. The camera used for alignment/guiding is a QHY5II-M. I have the latest update installed for Sharpcap and all other software is up to date. I insert my guide camera into the focuser of the telescope to do my alignment and has always worked well.

[admin]

Hi,

Firstly please check out the suggestions on the polar alignment troubleshooting page if you haven't already – https://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/fea ... leshooting

If nothing there helps them will need a bit more information, with things like the model of telescope you are using for the alignment (what is the qhy camera attached to?) and some saved images from the camera captured at times when you are having troubles.

Cheers, Robin