Polar Alignment issues

bugs

Just finished putting an AM5/ASIair combo together. Focus on stars with scope very near NCP, preview succeeds, and I switch to PA. The problem is after slewing 60 degrees and starting the centering I am not getting consistent results. I make minor adjustments to the mount without seeing a change after refreshing. I make several adjustments and then it jumps way past. Back and forth for 20 plus tries, then park and start over to try again. Any ideas? Always been a visual observer with a DOB and ED refractor and just took the leap to start photographing. Any replies or recommendations are greatly appreciated, thanks. Oh, waiting for a pier that's on backorder, seems I need it for a Skywatcher Evo 100.

Steve-Harpo

Are you using auto refresh? when I first started to use automatic refresh It never saw the changes on the first refresh, probably mid cycle as I was making the change. If I wait for a second refresh I then see the update.

Steve

jsg

Steve is right. Use auto refresh, but wait for the 2nd refresh to ensure you're seeing the latest results of your alignment. Or, turn off auto refresh and refresh manually after making adjustments. Sometimes polar alignment takes me 15 or 20 minutes, but I aim to get it down to within 50" on each axis.

Another tip I learned: Do your first alignment with the Azimuth and Altitude levers unlocked. Then do another one but this time tighten your Azimuth an Altitude levers about half-way, so you feel a bit of tension when making adjustments. Keep tightening your Azimuth and Altitude locks a little more each time and when you've got the PA to where you want it then tighten the locks completely. This takes more time, but your autoguiding will be that much better. Last night I imaged two nebula (NGC1893 & IC 405) and my guiding was as low as .27" (DEC) and .35" (RA). Here are the RESULTS (113 subs at 120" each).