From: Milton Aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: June 29, 2008 3:44:35 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Vega, Antares & Achenar...

Hi Mark;

I've never ever used Polaris for Polar Alignment.

I "rough" align using a Compass (corrected for Magnetic Drift) for North South and then set the Latitude of the location. After that, a 10 to 45 minute bout of "Drift Alignment" (timing depends on how whacked I am at the start) and I'm dead on. Usually it takes 5 minutes to get "good" alignment", but great alignment takes longer.

Later..

Milton J. Aupperle

On 29-Jun-08, at 3:23 PM, Mark Gaffney wrote:

I got out at around 12.45am this morning & did a 3 star alignment on the above stars, 

Achenar on the opposite side of the meridian. The Go To was a bit off when finding these 

stars though so I guess my polar alignment is still questionable.A little later Equinox 6 was 

nowhere near so I`ll have to try again with the PA. On Friday night after the initial 3 star, PA 

&  3 star, EQ 6 was tracking Alpha Centauri for about 3 hours before it shifted to the left of 

FOV then up & out.I wasn`t sure of my alignment on Miaplacidus ( it`s difficult to distinguish 

from the field of stars as are Acrux, Mimosa & Gacrux on the C10-NGT) whereas I could 

distinguish Alpha Centauri on the opposite side of the meridian.You guys in the north are 

very lucky with Polaris to sight! Sigma Octans is a real problem especially if initial alignments 

are off I guess.Chris Bosshard`s Jupiter picture made me think of the lack of UV/IR filter on 

my IS DBK 21A F04.AS.This would explain why I had difficulty with my Jupiter movies. I will 

drift align when this is possible with the PA. Mark