How to quickly align a telescope

Hello, I'm having a few difficulties aligning my telescope (a little TAL
equatorial reflector, on the post mount). I have to bring the scope
inside when it's not in use, so I need to realign it every night.

Any tips on getting this alignment performed as speedily as possible?
What kind of accuracy could I expect from the available methods, and how
would this trade off against the time taken to do it?

My least restricted view is of the north where I can almost see the
horizon, I am obstructed up to about 30 degrees altitide in other
directions.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

Any tips on getting this alignment performed as speedily as possible?

If like me you because of restriction of size in your garden and you always
set it up in the same place then paint or use some kind of marker (mine
happens to be the drain pipe) for True North. Have your latitude set ready
on your mount and the hr, min sec for polaris ready set on your RA setting
circle. Its then just a matter of putting it out in the garden aligning the
mount with your marker ajusting the dec to 89deg and finding Polaris in your
finderscope, you've then calibrated and aligned your scope in one go.

I'm new to this myself so if i'm doing something wrong let me know but it
seems to work for me.

Hope this helps

Damian
--
Damian Burrin
UKRA 1159 Level 2 RSO
EARS 1115
http://www.ukrocketry.com
http://www.larf-rocketry.co.uk

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"Osvaldo Falco" wrote in message
...
Hello, I'm having a few difficulties aligning my telescope (a little TAL
equatorial reflector, on the post mount). I have to bring the scope
inside when it's not in use, so I need to realign it every night.

Any tips on getting this alignment performed as speedily as possible?
What kind of accuracy could I expect from the available methods, and how
would this trade off against the time taken to do it?

My least restricted view is of the north where I can almost see the
horizon, I am obstructed up to about 30 degrees altitide in other
directions.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

You could also try this one:
http://www.syz.com/rasc/polralgn.htm
I have been using this for ages and it works well,
its quite quick to once you get used to it!!!

Rob

"Osvaldo Falco" wrote in message
...
Hello, I'm having a few difficulties aligning my telescope (a little TAL
equatorial reflector, on the post mount). I have to bring the scope
inside when it's not in use, so I need to realign it every night.

Any tips on getting this alignment performed as speedily as possible?
What kind of accuracy could I expect from the available methods, and how
would this trade off against the time taken to do it?

My least restricted view is of the north where I can almost see the
horizon, I am obstructed up to about 30 degrees altitide in other
directions.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

Osvaldo Falco wrote in message ...

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

1) In daylight or indoors: Set Polar Axis *altitude* angle to your
*latitude* and lock.

2) Outside: Align your finder carefully with main telescope on night
sky object.

3) Set scope tube over the top of (parallel) with the polar axis.
(Scopes are always posed like this for adverts because it looks
impressive!)

4) Lock declination axis.

5) Lift and rotate whole mounting and stand/tripod until Polaris is in
view in finder when scope placed on ground again.

6) Rotate tube around polar axis only. Polaris should stay in view
through finder or very low power eyepiece in scope. Push only in the
saddle area of the tube to avoid moving the tube in declination (or
straining declination lock).

7) Make very small rotations of whole mounting/stand until Polaris
stays in view through finder when scope tube is rotated around *polar
axis only*. Small adjustments may be necessary to polar axis *altitude
angle* due to sloping or bumpy ground.

8) Mark ground (if permitted) near the feet of your stand/tripod feet
for next night and the one after that.

This is close enough for visual use and you don't have to remember
reference stars or use a torch to read setting circles. It can be done
in the dark in a couple of minutes on level ground.

Chris.B

Osvaldo Falco wrote in message ...

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me!

Thanks to Damian Burrin, Robert Geake and Chris B for their suggestions!
I was hoping to reply with some comments about how trying the methods
suggested had gone, but I haven't had a clear night when I could stay up
and observe since the post

Still, I'll give them a go when I get the chance - they look simple
enough for me to get the hang of!