Polar Alignment with Dr Robin Glover and Sharpcap

[@williamshaw9950]

Was able to attend this talk in person and found the error analysis fascinating and useful. I must have shared this link a dozen times. The 4’ guidance is great.

[@rikkicasmara]

Thanks for filming this Stacy, much appreciated as I somehow missed the presentation!

[@AstroStace]

No worries!

[@alneid2707]

Thanks for posting. This was an excellent presentation on the effects of polar misalignment.

[@edjones3390]

Thanks for sharing - really wanted to see this talk, but missed it!

[@dwalt327]

I would categorize SharpCap Pro as THE best program in the cadre of astronomy tools. This PA is the quickest and easiest I have seen used. Others are starting to copy this method, but the original stands out. The other tools in SC Pro are as fantastic as the PA tool...Sensor analysis, Sky Brightness analysis, Live Capture, etc., are in a league of their own. Well done, Robin!!!

[@johnmheaton]

Thank you for filming this Stacy, I couldn't get to the show and after seeing this will difinately try Sharpcap PA.

[@BobNewport_Glassy]

I've had this in my watch list for ages - glad I've now seen it. I must try it out; hopefully the 30'x30' FoV delivered by my camera will be sufficient. Thanks.

[@michael.a.covington]

This is EXCELLENT. He's done the maths, and then he shows us animations to help us visualize everything. I did the maths, years ago; it wasn't easy...

[@CosmuzzAstro]

That was a brilliant talk. He packed it full of info. Even though I know how and why to do this, I still found it interesting and learned a few more extra things. Thanks for filming and sharing Stacey. Clear Skies!

[@AstroStace]

No worries, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@corinlewis3073]

Thanks Stace, For video the lecture on Sharpcap. 🌠

[@jamesball1456]

Thanks for your time on this 1 learnt a lot take care stay safe xx from London ✌️

[@AstroStace]

Thank you 😊

[@DJRonnieG]

After getting a Polemaster, I can still say that the Sharpcap Pro routine is as and a bit more flexible since you aren't limited to using one specific camera.

[@AstroStace]

Very true, I actually sold my pole master eventually, to just use my guide scope and guide camera for polar alignment

[@Astronurd]

Why can't Sharpcap write software to do an all sky polar align like the ASIAIR? I can see Polaris above my roof and use my polar scope but I run afowl of the roof when having to rotate the RA.

[@rallemikken6936]

At least he mentioned Ekos once, my favourite AP-solution. Their new PA-module just works, every time, so simple your mom can do it. Highly underrated toolchain. 20+ nights out so far this winter, just two weeks left of season, and I have not lost a single frame or a minute capture time.

[@cosmoscarl4332]

I noticed you didn't mention that with different mounts you have to get within varying degrees of accuracy and tighten the mount locking bolts to adjust out the rest of the errors. For instance, using Sharp Cap, if I achieve "excellent" polar alignment before tightening the locking bolts for altitude and azimuth, it throws it out again. I do have an Orion HDX 110 mount so it is made by the same company as Skywatcher mounts. I actually have to align to within 1' -1/2 arc minutes and then tighten the locking bolts. So when the accuracy reads 1'.30" approximately, I use the locking bolts to adjust out the rest of the errors. This obviously varies from mount to mount and it's something you have to figure out on your own, depending on what mount you have. That is the difference between these mounts and say Software Bisque. The hardware is machined so much better. That's what you're paying for.

[@williamshaw9950]

The small shift you can indeed get when locking down is rarely so much that it puts you out of the guided 4’ zone.

[@jwastroimaging2711]

Excellent. Shame about the late arrivals getting in the way.

[@AstroStace]

I’m wondering if they can enforce a no late arrivals policy next time

[@jwastroimaging2711]

@@AstroStace "glass half full/half empty?" "people are arriving/leaving?"

[@qwertyu2387]

This is goes to show that I was right saying that spending £290 for PoleMaster is absolutely pointless given we can achieve exactly the same accuracy for £12.

[@richardhendrick5835]

Richard - Belgium - I use Sharpcap and I like it...but...if I make 2 PA one after the other, results are quite different..!...it goes from excellent to good...must be my AZEQ6 mount...Chinese stuff...:-)...

[@AstroStace]

Mine is the same, I tend to do it 2-3 times to really dial it in :)

[@scottrk4930]

Hi Stacey . Thanks for doing this Video . It must have been frustrating with all the people getting up and walking out in front of your camera . You were using your Pentax right ? Interesting optical artifacts (aperture) when they did block the screen . Videos like yours are helping to get my mojo back . Cheers !/SRK

[@AstroStace]

Hey Scott! Yes used my Pentax, it’s not so great at filming, I actually blurred out those people so they weren’t so identifiable, just in case they weren’t happy to be on video. Either way hopefully it doesn’t detract from the video too much :)

[@scottrk4930]

@@AstroStace I also can't believe he "bashed" Chinese Mounts so many times . He really did have a point to make there . LOL . /SRK

[@freeandcriticalthinker4431]

Damn the audio is horrible. Will find the originally recorded video, as this appears to be someone with a Cell phone or the like back in the audience

[@AstroStace]

Crack on, I did the best I could when asked on the spot to record it on the day unexpectedly

[@frosthastrophotography]

I always use Sharpcap, save me a lot of time.

[@AstroStace]

it's a brilliant piece of software, kudos to Robin!

[@raueugen9047]

transmission from a cave !?

[@cosmoscarl4332]

Sharp Cap is great but the developer made it kind of gimmicky by making the user have to pay for it every year. Still, the best for polar alignment.

[@AstroStace]

i wouldn't say its gimmicky, its rather cheap! £12 for a year i think :) people have to make a living ! :)

[@christophermancrief4916]

@@AstroStace Absolutely agree. Cost of Polemaster is about equal to 20 years of Sharpcap subs.

[@givemespace2742]

At least it's affordable to the additional tools you get in the paid version. The paid version is what I use and I'm happy to put some money into it to motivate development. Looking forward to see if there will be some changes to cater for the differences in how tracking errors manifest in harmonic drives.

[@cosmoscarl4332]

@@givemespace2742 That was a year ago. I don't feel that way at all now. I pay for the full version and there's no end in sight yet to what can be done with this program. I'm getting ready for the big eclipse and watching Simon Tang. He's a prominent solar photographer who is an expert at using Sgarpcap. Sharpcap is a great, powerful tool for astrophotography.