Astrophotography Polar Alignment Tutorial

This tutorial explains what polar alignment is all about, why it is needed, and how to perform polar alignment on a German Equatorial Mount - using the iOptron Skyguider Pro on a Novo Explora T20 tripod. Improve your understanding and skill in this vital step in your setup for Deep Sky Astrophotography.
#iOptron
#Stellarium
#novo

[@harryfahnestock8673]

I am a beginner and want to say that Martin’s Tutorials are by far the best I’ve seen. Martin speaks in layman’s terms and his presentations are precise and simple to follow. His delivery allows you absorbed the information - unlike most presentations that use advanced jargon and seem to want to talk as fast as they can! You don’t have to listen about his local weather, his ‘star’ dog or visit his backyard features!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you so much Harry. I really appreciate you taking the time to write this. At the moment I am concentrating on finishing my 12 target selection videos, but I also intend to do more tutorials and reviews in the near future. Enjoy the journey…it’s a rollercoaster! I think if I had wanted someone to give me one piece of advice when I started this amazing hobby it would have been this: Always remember there is no such thing as a bad Astrophotography session. When it goes great you get good data, but when it all goes wrong, that’s when you learn the most! Clear skies.

[@stephenlarkin500]

And don't forget to jiggle the pointer arrow all over the place randomly.

[@88jetster]

The best and easiest to follow tutorial I have seen on KZbin. Thank for your efforts.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you so much. I’m glad it was helpful.

[@jeffcoulam]

I really learned a lot! Thanks for the detail everyone else leaves out!

[@Patto2276]

Easily the best and simplest video on how to Polar Align. Thank you sir!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you!

[@rj66600]

Ahhhh. Cool. I didn’t realize I have to put Polaris in the center first. I have been doing 30-40min time lapse and getting a slight drift. I’ll try that step tonight and hopefully it helps get a better alignment. Thanks!!!

[@Menudaesmiberza]

I'm new to astrophotography. I've checked out different sources online to grasp polar alignment, but this is the first time I truly understood the basics. Great video. I've subscribed!

[@maxil8988]

Thank you so much! As someone trying to understand the most theory possible without yet having my setup delivered, I REALLY loved that you also showed things such as setting up the actual tripod, placing the head on it etc..

[@JWIX69]

Hola Matin´s, eres el numero 1.the only one. ya llevo 1 año con mi heq5 pro y nadie me explicaba como poder hacer una alineación polar precisa, en la tienda donde me lo vedieron me animaban a invertir mas en el equipo , ya que no dispongo de mas avances tecnológicos como los demás(asiair plus) . Gracias a Martin´s he conseguido hacerlo y así no volverme loco en el campo. Además todo muy bien explicado al detalle . Muchas gracias por tus valiosas explicaciones al detalle ,me acordare de ti siempre, un saludo desde Puente Genil en Córdoba (España).🤩🤩🤩

[@martinsastrophotography]

Gracias por sus amables palabras y excelentes comentarios. Es muy apreciado. Debo admitir que necesitaba usar el traductor de Google porque mi español es muy malo. ¡Cielos despejados!

[@mjg2332]

Outstanding! The first time I have ever heard the polar alignment process described and broken down for anyone to understand. Thank you sir

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Mark! So pleased it was helpful for you. Clear Skies.

[@grahamegannon9708]

I have just purchased a Skywatcher EQ5 mount and the reticle in the polar scope is not the conventional reticle with the big Dipper but of the inner circle of the Polar Scope Align Pro app, which for me makes it a lot easier after watching your video. I also watched your video on setting up the Skywatcher EQ5 mount. I feel a lot more confident now in setting yup the rig. You now have another follower! Great videos Martin.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you for your feedback. Much appreciated and glad I helped you. Clear Skies!

[@pharaohjb]

THANK YOU for this! I've been polar aligning completely incorrectly until now on my EQ6R-Pro, and only had an inkling that I wasn't doing it right the past couple of weeks. This is extremely helpful, and I haven't found anyone else talking about how to handle the rotation of the reticle before!

[@babooobie]

thank you for showing how to polar align at the end there. i've always wondered how to make sure 0 is up and 6 is down accurately! liked!

[@vladimirbotko9576]

Man this is awesome! I did not know how to make the reticle into perfect vertical position, using the center point first to put the polar star inside and use only latitude knob to get it on to circle and only after move it to its final position. Smart! Thanks ( get iOptron to update their manuals..)

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Vladimir! Clear Skies.

[@AstroRef68]

That’s now explained very well . I was missing small steps and here helped me to fully understand Very helpful video . No wasn’t complicated video Thanks so much .

[@tarasmonax2595]

Your explanations and illustrations of the alignment process were excellent. Seeing your step by step view through the polar scope made the process very easy to follow. Thanks!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you for your great feedback. Clear skies!

[@flacajak]

Thanks for your video. I’ve watched several on polar alignment and not really understood the process. I now feel ready to take my new skywatcher mount out and do some astro photography

[@martinsastrophotography]

Glad it helped you!! Clear skies.

[@davidbaxter9264]

Best video that I have seen that gives a great explanation of polar alignment. You have made it understandable and easy for the beginner and armature astronomer. I Only wish it was around back when I first aligned a telescope mount in the 80s. Would recommend this video to all who want a good lesson on polar alignment. Thank you.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you so much for your positive comments David. Much appreciated.

[@brianwattenbarger6903]

This is the best tutorial on this I've seen yet......great stuff. 👍

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you so much for your comment Brian! Clear Skies!

[@zyban99]

Do you have any idea how many videos I had to watch just to get an understanding of how to polar align correctly. Great stuff and earned a sub.

[@martinsastrophotography]

I actually do….I had to watch a lot myself to finally understand it properly!! Glad you liked it, and thanks for subscribing. Clear skies.

[@astrophoto2169]

That was awesome, I'm banging my head against a wall trying to figure this out and now feel more confident what I need to do. Unfortunately the rest of this month looks cloudy... Thank you Martin. Excellent tutorial.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Great! So pleased you found it useful. Clear skies.....one day!!!!

[@darrellkc48]

I had a basic understanding of polar alignment, but your excellent video made it perfectly clear. Very nice explanation and the rotating sky was perfect.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Delighted it was helpful for you. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Clear skies!

[@Randor10]

Well done! Explaining the theory behind the exercise is always better than simply doing it by rote.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Yes! Thank you!

[@CCSoul-bh9kc]

Thank you very much for taking the time to capture this. Cheers.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you for taking the time to thank me!! Clear Skies.

[@jesuschrist2284]

Ty so much for this video. I was missing a step or two. And you filled them in nicely ty

[@nunocorreia5570]

Thanks for this interesting and clear tutorial. I believe it is the most clear alignement tutorial I could find 👍

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for your positive comments! Clear Skies.

[@flint7ie]

Awsome after 3 days of watching KZbin video The penny just drop, A BIG Thx u

[@martinsastrophotography]

Good to hear, and I’m so glad it helped you. It’s a tricky concept to understand and always a relief when you finally understand it properly. Thanks for your feedback, and … Clear skies!

[@charlescappellino5148]

Great video. This is the best explanation of how to ensure the iOptron mount is setup properly. I was missing the step of centering Polaris in the reticule and then using the altitude adjustment to place Polaris in the center ring and set this at 12:00. I would try to eye ball the physical assembly on a level tripod but knew there was a better way. Thanks for sharing. By the way, I am also an engineer just starting out with Astrophotography. I live in the US but have visited the UK on business many times. I traveled to Axminster a few times as we had a small manufacturing site there. Thanks again.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Charles. Thanks for your positive feedback. I really appreciate it. Yes, it’s a very simple but potent way of ensuring 12:00 is in the right position and getting good polar alignment. I’m glad it was helpful. We’re suffering a pretty bad spell of cloudy skies here at the moment, which is so frustrating right now while we are in another Covid-19 lockdown. I know what will happen....we’ll get weeks of clouds and then a fortnight of clear sky every night and my poor body won’t cope with staying up late every night!!! Clear Skies fellow Engineer!!

[@brucesobut3628]

I agree on 12:00 alignment. Critical to polar alignment and finally found an easy way. In Florida, USA, Polaris is closer to 6:00. Any reason why I can't align to 6 for vertical alignment then do final adjustment from there? Also how critical is leveling using this procedure? Great video.

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@brucesobut3628 Absolutely fine. If 6 is aligned, 12 is too! :)

[@brucesobut3628]

@@martinsastrophotography Seemed intuitive but then again I also overlooked your incredible easy vertical alignment method. Your thoughts on mount leveling? I have 2 bubbles, 1 on tripod, other on Alt/Az base and they disagree when checked with a separate level. Intuitively seems non-critical as long as polar alignment correct but I visualized tripod at 45 deg and alt adjustment would obviously be way off 12:00. Is there a "good enough" value for level?

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@brucesobut3628 Hi Bruce. You want the plane of the Azimuth rotation reasonably close to level, but super precision is not necessary. First thing to do is check your spirit levels are good by putting them both ways round on a flat surface and making sure they read the same. I then use two orthogonal level checks. The first straddling two of the three tripod leg attach points, and the second at right angles to the first. Adjustments in the second position should not impact the first. I demo this in my Skywatcher HEQ5 Setup tutorial video. Hope this helps.

[@truffzillazootopius6935]

Thanks Martin for this super easy and detailed tutorial in polar alignment. Your tutorial is much easier to understand compared to others that they make shortcuts on each step. Now I clearly understand. Will try my Skyguider Pro tonight. Clear skies!!!!🙏

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you liked it! Clear skies to you too!!!

[@genefoster8936]

I've been watching several polar alignment video's. Yours is the most clear. Thanks.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Gene. Nice to hear. Clear Skies!

[@benwilliams9627]

Thank you so much for this video Martin I really needed it and you made it so simple for a beginner like me.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Glad it helped. Polar alignment was so confusing when I started out, I wanted to try to demystify it for folks going through the same part of the ‘journey’. Appreciate the comment. Clear skies.

[@jesuschrist2284]

Great video. Again ty. Would love a bit more detail on that last ra adjustment to get it aligned with vertical

[@pocpoc47]

Thank you so much! You're the only one that actually explain how to put the 12 at the top! I was so confused since all others only explained to put polaris where the app showed it. But this cannot be precise without a good reference to put the reticle vertical! Putting it in the middle then adjusting the altitude and align the 12 on it is GENIUS! Why is this not in the manual or in any other video explaining how to polar align?? How do others do it? Anyway thank you for clearing up my confusion and headache of last night :)

[@martinsastrophotography]

Yes, it makes it so much simpler!!! Thanks for the comment. Clear skies.

[@leonidtalas696]

thank you for the video! I was thinking on how to make sure that the 12'o clock line is actually vertically up. And I just decided that this is impossible, and the approximate 'up' position as seen by the naked eye is what we are left with. But the trick with putting polaris in the center first and then shifting it up is actually very clever (or I am a bit stupid :D ) Thank you!

[@ibrahimmuzzammil6241]

Best guide out of all I have watched

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you!

[@blainesnow1476]

Thanks a ton for the polar align tutorial and step by step use of the Polar Align Pro app. I've been trying to polar align a ZWO AM5 harmonic mount (without using camera-based plate solving) but am learning that I need to add/but a polar align scope with a reticle in order to utilize this app.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you. I have a ZWO AM3 mount. When you get to the point where you get remote control working, you can fit a PoleMaster or use the three point polar alignment plugin in NINA, which I highly recommend you use for remote control of your sessions. I have my PC in the dining room and so I stay nice and warm!!

[@AurumGermany]

Thank you very much, I've been looking for a video like this for over 20 years. No one has ever properly explained the process to me. Nobody told me why the markings are horizontal and vertical in the polar scope. Now I know it and what mistakes I have always made. I bought my first telescope over 20 years ago, it quickly disappeared in the basement because I couldn't cope with the polar alignment. 2 months ago I got a new one. Had the same problems again and was about to switch to an electronic solution, but now I'm sure I can do it that way. Thanks alot .

[@martinsastrophotography]

AurumGermany Thanks so much for your message. It’s great to hear that my video was worth making!! I wish you clear skies and great viewing/photos!!

[@kyredormangara4298]

very nice tutorial with good scientific explanations at the beginning. Will check for more on your channel

[@martinsastrophotography]

Many thanks Kyredor. Clear Skies.

[@dbruces70]

Excellent Tutorial. Thanks for the additional details.

[@rimski7265]

Hi Martin, many thanks for time you’ve taken to share your invaluable knowledge with us. Your method of explanation is absolutely A1!! Unlike other videos I’ve watched, no assumption is made by yourself that the viewer already knows some seemingly trivial detail, everything you need to know in order to achieve the end result is explained here in a clear, concise and easy to understand way. Well done!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi there. Thank you so much for your positive comments. I really appreciate them. Plate Solving video is next…nearly complete but I need some clear sky to record the final section….and it’s pouring with rain at the moment! Clear Skies!

[@himalaYAK1983]

Thanks for this video, Martin! I am absolutely new to astrophotography and just got a Star Adventurer GTI. You're the first one I see who actually explains how to make sure that the line connecting 6 and 12 in the polar scope is vertical. It's very logical when you think about it, but it's hard to understand when everything you're doing is new to you. Am I right to assume that it would be best to do a 3-star-alignment immediately after polar alignment before starting to take photos?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Glad to be of assistance. Yes, the sequence should be : Assemble, Balance, Polar Align, Star Align, Goto, then start taking photos. Later you will add PC remote control and get into guiding and then plate solving, but it is very important to learn one step at a time and not attempt to do too much before you master the basics….those who do that get very frustrated and often give up altogether!

[@jaybeckman3749]

Thank you for this Martin. First "bare bones" explanation on how to properly polar align. I'm looking to get a Sky Guider Pro in the next couple of months and start to learn to capture our starry skies here in Arizona. Cheers!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Jay. Thanks for your comment. Sounds great! I bet you get more clear skies in Arizona than we get here in the UK!! Hope it goes well. If you have any issues let me know and I’ll do my best to assist you.

[@eugene8241]

наконец-то я нашел ответ на свой вопрос!!! премного благодарен тебе, мужик!) как же я сам до этого не догадался?) но я не был уверен, что шкала должна быть ровно по вертикали.

[@zippis333]

Wonderful video, simple and clean - thank you!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you Jan. Clear Skies.

[@embeathome1]

Hey Martin! I am a beginner in astrophotography, got Skywatcher EQM-35 Pro year or 2 ago, didn't have much time, but I was also procrastinating due to PA and polar scope issues....I watched so many videos, you wouldn't believe how many. And I thought your video would be among those, almost useless videos too. But I must say that you are most probably the only one, who explained it properly! Same as many people, my reticle is also off, zero is shifted some 20 degrees and I was tearing my hair how to solve it. Lately I understood that it doesn't matter but I was wondering, how to find out where 12 o’clock needs to be exactly. I even dismantled polarscope, using constructional Bosch laser made it alligned, so the 12 is realy up. Wasting of time... Thanks to your video now everything is clear! Just 2 little questions -1 is regarding altitude adjustment: If I set my altitude to lets say 49 so it is in line with my altitude shown in app or google, then I start polar aligment, get Polaris into the center of reticule, then I adjust altitude so Polaris on 12 o’clock, then using azumth knobs I move it to lets say same possition as in your video - could this process be also considered as finetuning of my altitude? (because the scale on EQM35 is not very precise and as I can see same is on iOptron). 2nd question - you say as soon as we get Polaris to 12 o’clock, we cannot touch Altitude knob again. But what if Polaris is at 7 o’clock? I believe then using both Azimuth and Altitude knobs should be used to get Polaris to that point, right? Thanks from new subscriber Martin ;)

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Martin. Thanks for your message. Much appreciated. So, let's try to answer your questions : 1) Yes...this is the fine tuning of your altitude adjustment. The altitude graticule/scale is very crude and is only to help you get near enough to see Polaris in the polar scope. 2) No, that is not correct. We start with Polaris at the centre of the crosshair. Then we use altitude bolts only to move Polaris to 12 o'clock ... this is to find out where 12 o'clock actually is! Then we rotate in RA (with clutch open) to put the 12 o'clock marker on Polaris. Then we lock the RA clutch. Finally we use altitude AND azimuth bolts to move Polaris to the correct position based on your location, altitude, date and time (using an app to tell us where it should be). I hope this clarifies it for you. Clear skies.

[@davidtverberg2606]

Outstanding video--excellent explanation. You made my day.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Such a nice comment…thanks so much David. Like many, I really struggled with understanding what was going on with Polar Alignment when I started Astrophotography, so when I finally got my head around it I wanted to help others to do the same. Clear skies!

[@psycox8758]

Thanks for the superb tutorial Martin. I struggled at first to understand why the orientation of the graticule in the polarscope is irrelevant. It all became clear after some intense head scratching though. Wouldn’t it be great if head scratching had the same effect on the skies!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad to help. Yes, I have been looking for something to get rid of those pesky clouds!!!

[@paulapatton4744]

Your tutorials are wonderful. Invaluable to me!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for that Paula. When I started this I didn’t realise how much work is involved in making such videos. Comments like yours make it worthwhile.

[@paulmckeown5672]

Good tutorial which was interesting and informative. I was about to try this with my xmas presents to myself!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hope it goes well Paul. Clear Skies!

[@olaftopper4813]

Wonderful explanation, very well done! Thanks a lot!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Olaf. Clear Skies.

[@mugs4398]

Great video, very well explained. Thank you 👍

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for that. Really appreciate the comment.

[@siegfriednoet]

WOW very well explained, great information in normal understandable language

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks a lot

[@ahmedwaddah9391]

Thank you so much after watching several other videos on the subject got confused but you just made it simple and logical 💜

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for the positive feedback Ahmed. Glad it helped you. Clear Skies!

[@genekaplan7738]

Great job on this. Many thanks!

[@malanstecker]

Excellent tutorial! Do you have one on the drift method of polar alignment for those of us who can not see Polaris, do not have a polar scope or computer?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Michael. Not yet….but I might do one very soon! Which mount do you have? This impacts which method is best for you. (Drift Alignment is one option but not the only one).

[@malanstecker]

I have an old non-GOTO Astro-Physics 900 mount (circa 1990s, one of the first made). Have not used it for years so forgot how to drift align. Thinking of getting a GOTO mount like the iOptron GEM45 or CEM40, but do not know if they will carry either my Asto-Physics 5" f/6 EDF, AP 6" f/7 EDF refractors or a Celestron 9.25" EdgeHD SCT. BTW, love your videos!@@martinsastrophotography

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@malanstecker Wow. You’ve been collecting gear for a lot longer than I have! For the drift alignment you start by getting the mount level and rotate the tripod to point the counterweight bar at true North (using a compass plus a correction for true North). Then set the altitude angle to match your latitude. You are then roughly polar aligned. Fit your telescope and other gear and balance it in RA and Dec. Next, unlock your RA and Dec clutches and point the telescope at a star close to the celestial equator and close to the southern or northern end of the meridian. Lock the clutches and turn on sidereal tracking. Watch the drift of the star over a few minutes at a time and adjust your azimuth bolts to eliminate vertical drift of the star. Can be useful to rotate the cross hairs of your finder scope for this so that they are horizontal and vertical. Next, repeat the process with a star low in the East or West, but this time adjusting the altitude bolts until the vertical drift of the star is eliminated. That’s it. Hope this helps. So glad you like my videos! Clear skies.

[@MarvelousLXVII]

Great video. I learned a lot today awaiting my new HEQ5 mount.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Glad it was helpful! Clear Skies.

[@scopex2749]

Very helpful Martin thanks. I am about to buy an HEQ5 so I need to learn all this NOW rather than out in a dark field surrounded by cows! You didnt mention realigning to NCP? I have the same ap as you use so does this app compensate for that outer ring that Polaris moves in to bring the mount onto NCP? As your animation showed Polaris is NOT true dead centre whereas NCP is. Thank You.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi there. The polar alignment process shown in this video is ALL about putting the NCP on the crosshair in the middle of the rings in the polar scope. This is done by putting Polaris at the correct position on the rings. This correct position depends on your location, altitude, date and time, and is displayed by the App. It is important that you have '0' at the "top" before trying to position Polaris. This is achieved by putting Polaris at the cross-hair (using Azimuth and Altitude bolts) and then moving it "up" using the altitude bolts. That shows you where "up" is so you can put the '0' there (by rotating in RA). Once 0 is up, you can adjust the Azimuth and Altitude bolts to put Polaris at the required position as shown by the App. I hope that helps.

[@emflocater]

Hi Martin. When using the Polar App. Northern Hemisphere (based on exact time, date longitude and latitude) to find where Polaris gets placed on the ioptron Sky Guider reticle circle, do you place Polaris exactly as the App shows or do you have to place Polaris 180 degrees opposite on the ioptron reticle to compensate for inversion of the ioptron polar scope lens? Thank you.

[@martinsastrophotography]

The app I use, PS Align Pro, caters for the inversion. It is import that you select the correct polar scope reticle in the settings. At the bottom left of the iOptron reticle it displays “INVERTED”. Once set correctly, you place Polaris exactly where it shows it needs to be. Clear skies.

[@dougcunha4120]

Very informative straight forward thank you

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Doug.

[@tombennett7993]

You probably get new comments saying this all the time, but this is a really good video and a great explanation. Top stuff Martin 👍

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you so much Tom. Really appreciate your feedback! Clear Skies. I am actually sat here right now imaging the Lobster Claw Nebula….!

[@tombennett7993]

@@martinsastrophotography Glad to hear it's clear somewhere! Lots of cloud here but I'm hoping to get out and try some astrophotography with my Skyguider soon, just with a 600d and 85mm lens to begin with and then maybe after some practice move onwards to longer focal lengths. I hope your imaging goes well 🙂

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@tombennett7993 It’s a good job it’s not always clear or I’d never get any sleep!! Actually have clear sky with no moon or wind at the moment, so about as good as it gets. What target are you going to go for? Andromeda Galaxy maybe? Very good idea to master the mount first using shorter focal lengths.

[@tombennett7993]

@@martinsastrophotography Yeah it's a nice night tonight, not too chilly either here. I think I'll go with Andromeda first as I can find that fairly easily, maybe try pointing it at Cygnus roughly as well. Then I think later in the year I'll try a nice widefield shot of Orion as well.

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@tombennett7993 Sounds good. Consider getting a Telrad….helps get targets into frame when you don’t have a Goto mount. I have done a video on it. Best £50 I ever spent.

[@mr.harris8185]

Hello Martin, thank you for your videos. They have been very helpful with my new HEQ5 Pro. I have a question about daytime setup. I have a Coronado PST and QHY 5L-II-M and I am just using the Synscan hand controller to begin with. I place the tripod facing north, level the tripod, mount the mount, scope, and camera, balance it, check my RA and DEC with a level, and then enter settings into the Synscan. Don't worry, I know not to look at the Sun. I can't do a polar alignment or star alignment during the day so I use Polar Scope Align Pro. I think I am entering the wrong number because my mount was off when it slewed to the Sun. I adjusted but then it did not track properly. Would you be able to tell me where in the app you got the number from to enter into the hand controller polaris setting? Thank you in advance. Or maybe it is something else I am doing wrong.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi there. A few thoughts... 1. You need to polar align after balancing. Suggest doing this at night and leaving your setup outside (cover with a blanket gently draped over it to prevent dew buildup). 2. Be sure to place in the home position using a spirit level with both clutches open, then lock both clutches and then cycle the power so that the 0 RA and 90 Dec shown on the hand controller matches the actual position reasonably well. 3. Select the ‘solar’ tracking rate. (The sun moves across the sky at a different rate to the stars due to the Earth’s orbit around it.) I hope this helps.

[@mr.harris8185]

@@martinsastrophotography Thank you. Cloudy for the next little while so will let you know how it goes. Never thought to check that hand controller matches actual in home position.

[@raufridzuan]

Excellent tutorial! Question, how to do this near Equator where Polaris is not on line of sight?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Rauf. If you cannot see Polaris you will need to learn how to do ‘Drift Alignment’. This uses a different star (i.e. not Polaris) and involves watching it drift across the telescope’s field of view over time and using the amount and direction of the drift to determine what adjustments to make to your Azimuth and Elevation to get closer to being polar aligned. This will take some learning and research, but once mastered will solve your issue. Clear Skies!

[@raufridzuan]

@@martinsastrophotography Thank you for the guidance Martin, it is really helpful as I'm new in this field -- will explore on the said area.

[@arpadjakab-peter5431]

You explanation is verry on point, I learned a lot from you, but I have one issue with my mount (iExos 100pmc 8 ) doesent have a polar scope, it is just a hole in the midle of the mount, how can polar align like that?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you. One option is to get a Polemaster and fit it to your mount. Another option is to learn to do drift alignment. There are many videos on this on KZbin.

[@arpadjakab-peter5431]

@@martinsastrophotography Thank you very much!!!

[@meianoitee01]

Amazing video! Many thanks

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you!!

[@GETTR2024]

Excellent!! Thanks!

[@stevemclellan847]

Another good one. I can see you will become my go to Guru!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Steve! Glad you liked it. Clear Skies.

[@chrismcgrew4692]

How do you get around the fact that some mounts that have illuminated polar scopes only stay illuminated when the RA is in a certain position? In that case, under very dark skies, one. cannot see the reticle.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Chris. Great question. Yes some mounts have this irritating problem. The trick is to not care which of 0, 3, 6 or 9 you put at the top. Just put one of them at the top such that the reticule is illuminated, then continue as thought the top was 0, bottom is 6, right is 3, left is 9 etc…. Does this help?

[@dominicpool1230]

Hi Martin!!! I’ve been struggling and doing this completely wrong and this video with the polar scope calibration have blown my mind thank you so much!!! I do have a question, what process do you use to know that your polar scope reticle is aligned - I noticed it was at an angle and you then adjusted your RA until 12 was up top again, how do you know what position it needed to be in the first place? I hope that makes sense and thanks for your time!!!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Dominic. Have a watch of this… Skywatcher HEQ5 Polar Scope Calibration kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGqTY6Ztn9qHY8k 12 o’clock needs to be in the ‘up’ position before you adjust your polar alignment. It is fine to rotate in RA to achieve this. Make sure you lock both clutches before adjusting polar alignment using Az and altitude adjustment.

[@peterevans6086]

Hi Martin, I'm a retired professional photographer but I'm completely new to viewing night skies and astrophotography. I'm expecting delivery of my first telescope tomorrow. Your video is the first I've seen that gives a totally clear explanation of all that's involved with polar alignment, so thank you very much for that. The graphic of the Earth's rotational axis shown at the beginning is brilliant. The only question that remains for me is, what if you don't have a polar scope? I've ordered an Orion 07020e 9x50 right angle finder with corrected view ('erect' being the correct terminology?). This has illuminated cross hairs, but it doesn't have the circles shown in your video. How would I use this to get exact polar alignment? Second question, to which I can't find an answer, once I have polar-aligned correctly, if I then move the rig to a nearby spot (say within 50 metres) and make sure that the mount is again exactly level, is that OK? Or do I have to re-align the rig every time I move it?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Peter, I'm glad you liked it! I'm trying to make my videos less 'motivational' oriented (like the excellent AstroBackyard and StarStuff) and more detailed technical oriented - how to actually do things - if you like. Exciting getting your first telescope!!!!...did it arrive on time? So, what mount are you using with your telescope? That is important to advise you properly. If it's a German Equatorial mount then it needs to be polar aligned so that the RA axis is parallel to the Earth rotation axis. To do 'deep sky' astrophotography (i.e. faint stuff) you need a tracking mount and if it's a German Equatorial it must be well polar aligned. "Goto Alt/Az" mounts do not need polar aligning as they use both axes to track the object...they just need star aligning. For planets polar alignment is less critical as you will use short exposures but you still don't want the planet drifting out of view so still a good idea to have a tracking mount of some kind and, if German Equatorial, to polar align it well. If you polar align (or star align, or both) and then pick up the rig and move it somewhere else (or even just knock the tripod leg with your foot!) then you will have to re-do all your alignments all over again, so it's best to find a spot and stick to it for the whole session...and take care not to knock it! Make sure you can see your target (and polaris if its a German Equatorial mount) from your setup location, and that it's a nice firm bit of ground. You cannot use your finder scope visually to perform polar alignment. (It would be possible to fit a camera to the finderscope and use polar alignment software similar to the concept of the PoleMaster, which eliminates the need for a polar scope by attaching a camera pointing roughly towards the North Celestial Pole and then doing a series of rotations and adjustments to get the RA axis parallel to the Earth rotational axis, but that's quite advanced when you just got your first telescope). Let me know what mount and telescope you have and I can refine my advice better. Clear Skies!

[@peterevans6086]

@@martinsastrophotography Thanks for the reply, Martin. Much appreciated. I have a Skywatcher Explorer 130M on an EQ2 mount with a speed controllable motor. I also bought better quality eyepieces than the stock ones supplied. The scope is 130 / 900. It's out of its box and assembled but we have friends visiting at the moment and almost all my time is taken up with them until the 24th August. I'm expecting delivery of an Orion 9x50 illuminated right angle finder tomorrow plus a 'twin mount' adaptor which will allow me to use that 9x50 alongside the RDF which was supplied with the telescope. I've got to grips with balancing, realising of course that I'll have to do that again when I fit the new finder. I have a 2x barlow on order which comes with an integral T mount, and I have a T adaptor for my Nikon D500. I'm a bit worried about the weight of that camera on the EQ2 mount as it weighs 860g. So I'm thinking of getting a support which, hopefully, will allow me to use my Sony RX100 instead and which, together, weigh 670g. The Sony has a 1" sensor and produces excellent images, and I can control it remotely. This link is in French but you can see a photo of the support if you like www.amazon.fr/dp/B00I9RHNNI/?coliid=IYGWIQM1NO7MJ&colid=18G3VVO880AQ6&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it I live in south-west France and have a Bortle 4 sky

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi again Peter. Your setup is almost identical in every respect to my first telescope setup! It is a German Equatorial mount, which means that when set up optimally the motor will drive one axis (the 'RA') in such a way as to keep an object centered in the eyepiece (subject to various imperfections). I used mine almost entirely for visual observing rather than astrophotography, but did eventually dabble a bit with photography...and when I reached the limits of what I could do I upgraded to something different. You should start with learning your way around the mount. You need to understand what all the parts of it do. Set your Alt angle to match your latitude. Point the RA axis at Polaris as best you can. Both the Right Ascension (RA) axis and Declination (Dec) axis have a release clutch (3-pointed knob) that you loosen to perform coarse adjustment and then lock off. The Dec fine adjustment is entirely manual using the upper flexible handle. The RA fine adjustment can be manual or motorised. Start with manual! For manual RA fine adjustment you need to disengage the motor gear using a small lever before using the lower flexible handle to adjust the RA. You need to align your finder scope and RDF to the telescope in the daytime using a distance object like the chimney of a house. Once done, the finderscope will help you to point the telescope at easily visible objects like the moon and planets. I recommend you start with the moon. Try different eyepieces starting with the largest mm value. Also try a Barlow lens together with an eyepiece. Get used to the focus mechanism. Try out the motor drive to see if it stops the drift you see due to Earth rotation without it. If it does then you have done a reasonable job of polar alignment. Then move on to planets. Jupiter is a great one to start with, and Saturn is up to the left of Jupiter at a friendly time of the evening as well. I really recommend you don't start out trying to take photos.. I know that will be hard for a retired photographer but it will pay dividends!! When you are the master of your mount and telescope, that's the time to try photography. Your mount will indeed struggle with the weight of a DSLR like the D500. When the time comes, you will want to try what is called Eyepiece Projection (taking a photo through the eyepiece) and Prime Focus (taking the eyepiece out altogether) using various adapters including the T mount you already have. If you catch the bug for astrophotography as bad as I did, be prepared to save up your pennies (or Euros!)...it can become an expensive hobby!!! Let me know how you get on! I'm jealous of your Bortle 4 sky! Clear Skies!

[@peterevans6086]

@@martinsastrophotography Thanks again. A lot to learn !

[@emflocater]

Hi Martin. Fantastic video. Silly question. Once the ioptron Sky Guider Pro is Polar aligned, where is the home position considered to be? I get it with other larger mounts like CG5 ASGT where they start out in a home position since they have a DEC. Axis that moves as well, but what is and where is the considered Home Position for the ioptron Sky Guider Pro. Or can I not bother with the home position after polar alignment and point my camera to a celestial target and start taking pictures? Most important...how do you know the polar scope is aligned inside the bore of the ioptron Sky Guider? Did you setup on a tripod viewing a terrestrial object and look through the polar scope and spin the RA Axis completely around checking for wobble? If not aligned then how do you adjust the polar scope to be centered in the bore? We can't assume the manufacturer's Quality Control perfectly aligned the polar scope in the bore can we? Thanks.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi there. Thanks for the positive feedback and the great question. For Goto mounts (which the iOptron Skyguider Pro is not) the home position is important because it is a starting reference from which the first slew to an alignment point (usually a star) is made. Without it that first slew wouldn’t get anywhere near to the intended star. With the Skyguider Pro not bring a Goto mount, there is no star alignment procedure to follow. So once you are polar aligned you can unlock the RA clutch, slew in RA and Dec to wherever you like, lock the RA clutch and check your target is centred ok..then start taking photos with the tracker running at the appropriate rate. Polar alignment is still essential because without it the tracking will not work properly. Home positions and star alignments are then features involved in finding objects in the sky in a controlled way, if the kit you are using has Goto features. Portable mounts like the SkyGuider Pro are great in terms of portability but they make finding your target pretty hard if you try to use a long focal length with its inherent narrow field of view. When you upgrade to a Goto mount you will lose portability but gain a huge amount when it comes to actually getting the target you want into your field of view! Clear skies!!

[@emflocater]

@@martinsastrophotography Thanks Martin for the fast reply. I promise last questions. If I'm correct based on what you just wrote, I can loosen the RA Axis clutch after polar alignment and put it anywhere I choose based on getting close to a target and then lock the RA Axis clutch so it can track? Should tracking and unit be powered off while Polar aligning and ONLY turned on once polar aligned and my target is set in my camera lens? I could also keep the RA clutch locked and move the RA axis using the left and right arrows on the ioptron Sky Guider once powered on correct? Lastly, if using a ball head, can I just place my target in the camera's view by just adjusting the ball head instead of adjusting the RA axis clutch? I feel in my opinion that once polar aligned it would be best if I make MY "Home Position" where the ball head and camera are on top in a vertical position facing North, then lock the RA Axis, then use the ball head to position my camera to a target, and finally start Sidereal tracking. Does this sound fair? Thank you and sorry for my long questions.

[@emflocater]

@@martinsastrophotography What about the question in my first post of the Polar scope alignment in the Ioptron Sky Guider Bore? Thanks

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@emflocater Yes, you can do what you like with the RA clutch and the ball head after polar alignment…but do it gently to avoid knocking your polar alignment off. Also watch out for balance in RA and Dec. If you are out of balance the tracking may well struggle. You can switch off the tracking during polar alignment. You only need it once you are polar aligned and have got your camera pointing at the target.

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@emflocater You can check polar scope alignment to RA axis exactly as you describe. Check out my video on this. It is based on a different mount but the principles are identical. Skywatcher HEQ5 Polar Scope Calibration kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGqTY6Ztn9qHY8k

[@johncallery814]

Thanks. Very well presented.

[@alisonfairley5444]

thank you for this! a great video and very informative.

[@D-GAF]

Hi this might be a stupid question but can the tripod be moved to another direction once polar aligned or does the camera need to have its own adjustable ball head to allow for the camera to be facing the Milky way? Cheers

[@martinsastrophotography]

I’m glad you asked, and in my opinion there is no such thing as a stupid question, since you are seeking to learn something. You cannot polar align a tripod, since it does not have a Right Ascension axis for tracking. It is a tracking mount that you typically polar align, and this mount is often fixed on the top of a tripod. Now, think about what polar alignment is…it is the process of aligning the Right Ascension axis of the mount such that it is parallel with the Earth’s rotational axis. Assume you have just done that… now you move the tripod… you just ruined your polar alignment! So, even if you just knock the tripod with a foot, let alone pick it up and move it, you would need to check or re-do your polar alignment. I hope this helps your understanding.

[@D-GAF]

Thanks for gracefully clarifying that. So Im Guessing to track the milky way you need to face the camera towards the Milky Way once polar aligned while being careful not to bump the tracker out of alignment. I’ve had a ioptron skyguider pro for a few years now but never actually put it to use. Your video and knowledge is going to help me with my first attempt so thank you very much

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@D-GAF For very wide angle photos, for example of the Milky Way, you can get away without tracking at all but you still need a tripod. Divide 200 by your focal length to get the maximum number of seconds of exposure time you can use without getting visible star trails. Set aperture wide open (lowest f/ number), set ISO very high, frame scene, drop ISO to about 1600, take your shot. Can repeat and get multiple shots for stacking later. Note that if you are using a polar aligned tracker the sky will look fixed from shot to shot and the ground will move from shot to shot, and you can use much longer exposure times. With no tracker the ground will stay fixed and the sky will move from shot to shot. It’s a good idea to use a remote control to avoid causing camera shake when you take the shots.

[@jonrobinson1026]

Great! Thank you.

[@emflocater]

Hi Martin and Merry Christmas 2022. Me again! I and a few other Folks noticed that you swapped the ends of the Declination bracket so the camera is on the short end and counterweight shaft/counterweight are on the long end of the ioptron Sky Guider Pro. This of course for better center of gravity. Now when doing your Polar alignment, do you do it with the camera/equipment on or off? Now one thing is that with the "swap" of the declination bracket, the reticle will only illuminate when the reticle is at 12. To get to the 12 by rotating the RA Axis with camera/equipment loaded, the camera/equipment will now be in the down position and the shaft and counterweight will be in the up position! If I continue to do my Polar alignment and when done, I would have to rotate the RA axis so the camera/equipment is back on top an the shaft and counterweight will be down like it should be. Won't this put Polaris 180 degrees in the wrong position or will rotating the RA Axis to get the camera/equipment back on top not change the Polaris alignment position? With that stated, what method are you using to SEE the reticle so as to place Polaris in the correct alignment position since the illumination will not come on when the reticle is at 6? I would imagine that if you Polar align WITHOUT equipment and then ADD the equipment, that Polar alignment could change! I'm sure I could shine a red light in front of the reticle so as to see it better when Polar aligning, which seems to defeat the purpose of using the internal illuminated reticle built in on the ioptron Sky Guider. Is this one of the "nature of the beast" or "6 of 1 a 1/2 dozen of another" type thing? Thank you.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi there. Merry Christmas to you too. There is a small grub screw in the red block that the declination bracket attaches to. Loosen this and turn to any position you want. I have set mine so that when in the home position, i.e. with counterweight down, the polar scope reticule is nicely illuminated. Hope this helps. (I always polar align with the camera fitted to avoid disturbing the polar alignment)

[@emflocater]

@@martinsastrophotography I see 2 grub screws on the Red RA part that the Declination Bracket attaches to. Can I turn the RA Axis until the reticle is at 12 o clock position and lock the clutch then loosen the 2 grub screws and spin the Red RA part 180 degrees? Is that what your saying to do?

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@emflocater Yes. Then re-tighten the grub screws.

[@rmf11699]

Nicely explained!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks.

[@PeterMaddison2483]

Great video, I found it very interesting.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for the comment Peter. Glad you liked it.

[@PeterMaddison2483]

@@martinsastrophotography I'm not new to astronomy, I had a telescope for a while a little over 30 years ago. Now I've been able to get a better telescope and almost all the equipment to do some great astrophotography, though I'm still learning. I'm now looking to buy a ZWO EFW and some filters, which I'm going to have to save up for ages as it's going to cost around £2k.

[@BritishBeachcomber]

I have Fotomate VT-680-222R Heavy-Duty Professional Tripod which I use with Celestron 20x80 pro binoculars and camera, but am looking for a basic astrophotography mount to pair with it. This seems a good way to get started.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Peter. Consider either the iOptron SkyGuider Pro or the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2. These are relatively low cost portable trackers that will get you started in Astrophotography. Note that they do not have GOTO functionality which will make it quite a bit harder to find your target especially with long focal lengths.

[@michaliwan4849]

excellent tutorial thank You

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you Michal.

[@julio10004]

Thanks

[@michaeldomeier9225]

Many thanks!

[@Keystroker88]

My guess is that you are an educator (Higher Ed), I am retired Higher Ed(Math[Not Accounting!]/Science). Excellent lesson!!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thank you! I am a systems engineer..but do quite a bit of ‘educating’ in my job.

[@kevinunger8511]

Hi Martin, I've just discovered you! Thank you so much for this video. My reticle is turned so that the 12 o'clock position is actually between 1 and two o'clock. As a result, I was wondering for the longest time how to polar align when ever other video I have seen shows the vertical line of the reticle naturally in the 12 o'clock position. So Thank YOU for this. QUESTION: Once you use the altitude adjustment to lift Polaris up into the inner rings, why not then just rotate the RA so that Polaris is positioned slightly to the left of 12 o'clock on the inner ring? Why use the altitude and azimuth adjustments when you can just rotate the RA since Polaris is sitting squarely on the inner ring line?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Kevin. Thanks for the positive feedback. Polar alignment is the alignment of your RA axis with the Earth’s rotational axis. Therefore to achieve polar alignment you must move the RA axis, which can ONLY be done using Altitude and/or azimuth bolts. Rotating your RA does not move your RA axis, it just rotates about it. The process I describe is very carefully defined... Starting with Polaris at the centre cross hair, we move Polaris up using altitude only. The purpose of this step is to determine where 12 o’clock needs to be. So at this point it is ok to rotate the RA axis simply to rotate the reticule to put 12 o’clock in the right place. Then the polar alignment actually starts, and MUST be done using Altitude and Azimuth bolts ONLY, since rotating in RA will mess up where your 12 o’clock point is. I hope this helps. Clear Skies!

[@KickingupDust]

Thanks Martin for a clear video. Can I ask a question? With my gear on ( because I have reversed my declination mount like you) 12 o'clock is now at 6 o'clock. So to get it back to where it should be by rotating my RA mount the camera is not where I want it. What am I missing. I have also see Peter Zelinka's video where he states once aligned you can move the camera wherever you want. I'm confused!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi there. Thanks for the message. I know just how you feel...I’ve been there! Let me try to help: 1. Fit your kit to your mount. 2. Balance in RA and Dec, 3. Polar align (follow my tutorial) 4. Unlock clutches and move to home position, then re-lock clutches 5. Power up the mount (if already on, switch it off then back on again). 6. Enter date/time/location info. 7. Star align 8. Choose a target and slew to it. If this does not help, please explain what exactly you mean by “12 o’clock is at 6 o’clock”. Are you talking about the polar scope reticule, the RA setting ring, or something else?

[@KickingupDust]

@@martinsastrophotography Thanks, yes I was talking about the polar scope reticule. Once I have accurately aligned my polaris am I able to move the camera anywhere I want?

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@KickingupDust Ah ok. Yes, once polar aligned, you are done with the polar scope. You must not touch your azimuth or altitude bolts after doing polar alignment (unless you are re-doing your polar alignment!). You must place in home position by opening the RA and Dec clutches, moving to home position then licking the clutches.... Then, after star alignment is done do not open the clutches or you will lose your star alignment.

[@aTillasSister]

Thanks! Great way to ensure accuracy.

[@anwerjivani1547]

Best explanation

[@kiriakoskanellos]

Thanks, great tutorial.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SerApollyon]

Great video, thank you for explaining. :)

[@martinsastrophotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Maxmilion6004]

Oh man im going to have to watch this a few times. I cant find the polar app on samsung. Do you know any good apps for android users? Also does the app tell you the latitude?

[@martinsastrophotography]

You can use “Polar Alignment-Polaris hour angle”. It's free and works well. It automatically acquires your location using the phone's GPS and displays it as Latitude, Longitude and Altitude. Clear Skies!

[@graemebrass2968]

Hi Martin, I’ve been aligning my mount to Polaris using the PS Align app. I’ve Balance my mount and scope and entered all of the required data in my Goto hand controller but after completing the star alignment stage my alignment is still a little out. I pretty sure that I’ve covered all of the correct steps to require a successful alignment. There is obviously something I’ve missed and can’t get my head round it. How important are the ra and date circles? Do you have any advice?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Graeme. Not sure if the order you are doing things in is correct. It must be: 1. Assemble and balance. 2. Polar align 3. Place in home position 4. Switch on mount and enter position and time 5. Star align. 6. Slew to desired object. Is that what you do?

[@graemebrass2968]

@@martinsastrophotography I haven’t been doing that no. My order has been 1. assemble and balance mount 2. polar align 3. mount telescope and put in home position 4. switch on and enter position and time 5. star alignment I’ll try your order the next chance I get. Unfortunately we’re due some rain the next 2 days here I germany. Many thanks for advice!! Clear skies!

[@martinsastrophotography]

@@graemebrass2968 Ok. I suspect you are disturbing your polar alignment by mounting your telescope after polar alignment. Try the new sequence and do let me know if it helps.

[@flo-plus]

Very nice explanation; well done!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for that!

[@PatrickGuerrisi]

Sloping bracket pointing due south if you are in Australia ( like me) ?

[@martinsastrophotography]

Yes, that's right. Sorry for slow reply! Clear Skies!

[@roykoxley7512]

Hi Martin I am new to astrophotography having polar aligned my camera and I want to snap something in the South East what must I do to find my target i.e. do I then rotate the mount or do I rotate the camera? I liked the video but you missed this bit out but then so have several other videos.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Hi Roy. Polar aligning a camera does not make sense. It is the tracking mount that needs to be polar aligned. This is a common confusion for beginners. Do you have a tracking mount?

[@liamb7963]

Great videos. Thanks for the help. 👍

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks Liam. Glad you like them. Clear skies!

[@globally123]

This helped a lot cheers

[@edmartick]

perfect, thanks

[@shyamsr87]

neat explanation, pretty neat. thank you, sir!

[@martinsastrophotography]

Thanks for commenting Shyam. Clear Skies!

[@VictorGarcia-xf9ce]

Muchas gracias desde Barcelona 41° Spain

[@roykoxley7512]

Hi Martin Yes I understand that but having aligned the mount do I now rotate the camera which is sat on the mount 120degrees and site on my target star.

[@martinsastrophotography]

Yes, but take care not to otherwise disturb the mount or you may degrade your polar alignment.

[@roykoxley7512]

Thanks Martin it is all clear now.

[@tiggandsoot]

Good video Thanks

[@dugy40]

Thank you.