Wedge help

[Bryan Carter]

Alright, I have my wedge mounted on my pier and finally got everything for my guide scope. now i am confused. When you polar align the scope on a wedge do the fork arms on the cpc 1100 have to point north so the tube is straight out towards polaris and then you can offset from there to get the alignment right so there is no drift. I am reading that polaris is not true north but its close. any thoughts or advice on this? Thanks!!

[Russ Ruggles]

Hello Bryan.
Sounds like you have a setup very much like mine. I have the GPS C-11 on a wedge.
Yes, you can rough polor align by using a compass and then by using Polaris you can get it close. After that it's a couple of drift alignment routines. I think it took me a couple of tries (evenings) before I got it nailed.
If I had to do it all over again I'd use a laptop and camera instead of the old tried and true "by the skin of the eyeball".
There are loads of PA step by steps out there you can read - find one that make sense with the equipment you have (camera, software) and give it a go. I've found that the cheaper made wedges are as frustrating as it gets. Every time I thought I had it I'd crank her down only to find that that last "crank" moved my alignment. Once you get really close keep all the lock down bolts as snug as possible so you can still make fine adjustments but its not changing anything on that last turn of the nut.
Good luck

[Bryan Carter]

Thanks Russ! Is the flat part of the wedge plate before you attach your telescope pointing away from north or south?

[Russ Ruggles]

The flat part the that scope base mounts to is pointing north - better yet, at Polaris. Meaning if you could stand a up on that plate, nail head down, the point would be aimed Polaris. I rough aligned mine before I put the heavy C-11 up on it.

Here's an old link with some basic pics that might help
http://www.hamiltonastronomy.com/ASTRO_ARTICLES/Polar_Alignment_Par...

this one is more releated to your scope
http://www.mikesastrophotos.com/equipment/

[Bryan Carter]

Perfect!! Thanks!! Of course I have to turn mine the right way..

[Russ Ruggles]

Well, if you're south of the equator it'll work :)

[Marc Basti]

Hey Bryan, here's a bunch of different PA techniques http://njstargazer.org/PolarAlignment.asp
What Russ mentioned about using a camera/software, I use the PHD guide technique (w/some modification to what is listed). I think it works nice, although I'm already pretty close w/Celes. PA routine, so if you are way off to start-I'm not sure how well it would perform for the first few "rough adjustments". Marc

[Bryan Carter]

Thanks for the link Marc. I will hopefully give it a try this weekend.