This program helps you to polar align your mount using the drift alignment method with CCD or webcam support. It supports any cam which can be installed as a Windows device (Meade LPI, ToUcam, NexImage, etc). There's also a version available for the Meade DSI cameras. The error in polar azimuth and polar elevation can be adjusted very quickly, even if Polaris is not visible (e.g. obstructing trees, buildings, or if observing in the southern hemisphere). The idea is to measure the star drift of an inaccurately aligned mount using a webcam, and to calculate the amount of polar axis misalignment. After that, it assists you in achieving near-perfect mount alignment using the webcam display. With WCS, the effort needed for alignment is reduced to a minimum, and you have more time for observing and imaging. For azimuth adjustment, find a bright star in the south or north, near the meridian. Adjust your telescope so that you can see the star on the WCS display. Be sure that your webcam is well aligned on your scope; use your hand controller to check that the star moves at horizontally through the webcam display as you press the RA buttons. After that, click on the star which you want to use for drift measurement. Crosshairs will appear and the star will be locked in a red circle. Drift measurement commences.
After a while, you can see the star drifting away from the crosshairs which mark the origin. Wait a few minutes for accurate error calculation, than click on the Correction button. The longer you allow for drift measurement, the more precise and more stable the determined value becomes. You will now see red and green lines on screen. Use your hand controller to align the star between the two red lines. Next, turn your mount's azimuth adjustment screws until the star falls between the green lines on the opposite side of the display. Your mount should now be very well aligned in azimuth. Check this by running a new measurement. Next, use a star in the east or west. Click on the Polar elevation button to calculate alignment correction. Click on the star and again measure the drift for a few minutes. After that, click the Correction button. Find a star in the south (yes, south!) and move the scope until the star falls between the two red lines. Use the polar elevation screws to move the star between the green lines. The polar axis of your mount should now be very well aligned.
Comments