Why can't I use my main camera for polar alignment?

[gcs]

Why can't I use my main camera for Sharpcap polar alignment?
This setup has no guide scope.

[admin]

Hi,

there's no specific reason why you can't - as long as your main camera/telescope combination gives an appropriate field of view. The FOV should be at least 0.5 degrees in each direction, but no more than about 4 degrees in either direction.

Reaching those sort of field of views with a planetary camera tends to require a short focal length (maybe up to 300mm or so). With a bigger sensor camera then longer focal lengths will work, but once the focal length gets into the 1500mm + range (SCTs, etc) then you hit issues again because the sensor size needed becomes very large (and expensive).

cheers,

Robin

[gcs]

Well it seems as though it was not available to click.
Is there something else I need to select or load?
BTW my field of view is fine.

[gcs]

OK now I'm really confused.
I checked my other system with only an imaging camera, and the polar alignment is selectable, and appears to work.
I'm sorry I bothered you.

Jerry

[gcs]

BTW, I updated my other system and now they both work!

Thanks Again,
Jerry

[admin]

Hi Jerry,

good to hear that you got it working. The most likely reason for not being able to click on the polar alignment tool is that you hadn't opened the camera yet (SharpCap works in terms of always having the camera selected first before you select the tools like polar alignment).

cheers,

Robin