Getting Started 09A: Polar Alignment - Getting Started

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Do you have your own way you do Polar Alignment, or some additional tips or feedback? please post in comments below!
In this tutorial, we get started with Polar Alignment.
This is Part 1 of 4 for polar alignment, and covers general recommendations and tips for any process you use for polar alignment.
LINKS MENTIONED
AKS knobs store-losmandy-com.3dcartstor...
Polemaster www.qhyccd.com/index.php?m=co...
Sharpcap www.sharpcap.co.uk/

[@TelcoKen]

Thanks Brian! You covered several steps I've not seen covered so clearly before.

[@konacloudcoffee]

Brian: Great video, the production quality and information delivered is greatly appreciated.

[@frankiereyes3]

Great tips to minimize throwing off your polar alignment when tightening down. A PEC training video would be appreciated too!

[@qx3V45p]

Training the PEC vid would be neat...

[@nickambrose8606]

I would love this one too !

[@jennifershelly960]

The only suggestion I have to supplement this video is a discussion about magnetic north vs true north. Good tips with the tightening and loosening of the adjustment locking bolts and counterweight down after polar alignment.

[@nickambrose8606]

PS Align pro has an awesome "Daylight" setup mode where it will help with alt and az - you can place it on/in the saddle and I find it a bit easier and more accurate than the iPhone compass

[@edtotman2952]

Good tip to restart Gemini after polar alignment for better pointing accuracy. Thanks! The specular reflection on the glasses was a little distracting.

[@DavidFarina]

Hey Brian, sounds like you would benefit from placing timestamps with titles in the description below. This will create chapters in the video and allow people to bounce between the segments of this video. Let me know if you need help with that. Great videos. Love what you are doing here. - Dave Farina (Cosmos Safari)

[@brianvalente]

Hi David - thanks for the comment, good idea. If you have time to do the toc we can definitely copy/paste into the description.

[@plexiform1973]

How do you attach a polar alignment scope to the G11T?

[@jcinaz]

Question: My mount is on a fixed pier in a roll-off roof observatory. The RA is horizontal when parked at HOME position to allow the roof to open/close. When I start up the mount, I always park at CWD first thing after powering on, then power cycle the mount (WARM start). Anytime I check the CWD position, it is always right on. Before doing a polar alignment, I check CWD. After doing a polar alignment, I recheck CWD. Are you suggesting that I MUST do a COLD start in CWD after any polar alignment? Doesn’t that reset the pointing model? There are rare times when I intentionally reset the modeling and start over again. Fortunately, I use N.I.N.A. and ASTAP to find and center modeling stars which makes the process go a lot faster.