I am SO discouraged. I'm trying to learn this using a 8" CPC Deluxe HD scope on a fork mount, and calibration fails every time. The star starts drifting away from the crosshair, and just keeps on going. I let it slew to the recommended position, but there's never any semblance of the two-axis departure and return at 90 degree angles. I'm at an impasse.
You wouldn’t want to point to zenith. Zenith is an imaginary point directly above you. 0 dec is the CE (celestial equator). You want to be within -20 or + 20 of the CE. The closer u can get to 0 the better. You also want to be pointed at the meridian (south/north imaginary line). Pick a star just crossed the meridian and is on the west side and closest to 0 dec CE. Short answer to your question is yes 0 dec is the CE. It’s actually pretty high in the sky, unless you have a lot of tall obstructions you should have a clear sight of that part of the southern sky.
Your Dec 0 sits at [90 - your latitude] above the horizon so if you go to +20 you’re quite near zenith at any mid latitudes. I’m at 42 degrees, so Dec 0 is at 48 degrees above the horizon, and plus 20 means I’d be pointing 68 degrees up. (All stars with a Dec = your latitude cross the when they cross the meridian.)
Thanks to the instruction and advice from Bruce regarding PHD2 calibration, I had my best guiding experience ever last night!
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Great program. I thought I knew a lot about PHD2 and how to use it, but now I know a lot more. Thanks, Bruce, and TAIC!
I am SO discouraged. I'm trying to learn this using a 8" CPC Deluxe HD scope on a fork mount, and calibration fails every time. The star starts drifting away from the crosshair, and just keeps on going. I let it slew to the recommended position, but there's never any semblance of the two-axis departure and return at 90 degree angles. I'm at an impasse.
An excellent presentation. Now I need to reload at my calibration.
Great informative video.
Great overview, thanks for posting. Is there a link to the presentation pack?
This is probably a really obvious question, but how can I get to DEC 0 and get close to zenith at the same time? Isn’t DEC 0 near the equator?
You wouldn’t want to point to zenith. Zenith is an imaginary point directly above you. 0 dec is the CE (celestial equator). You want to be within -20 or + 20 of the CE. The closer u can get to 0 the better. You also want to be pointed at the meridian (south/north imaginary line). Pick a star just crossed the meridian and is on the west side and closest to 0 dec CE. Short answer to your question is yes 0 dec is the CE. It’s actually pretty high in the sky, unless you have a lot of tall obstructions you should have a clear sight of that part of the southern sky.
Your Dec 0 sits at [90 - your latitude] above the horizon so if you go to +20 you’re quite near zenith at any mid latitudes. I’m at 42 degrees, so Dec 0 is at 48 degrees above the horizon, and plus 20 means I’d be pointing 68 degrees up. (All stars with a Dec = your latitude cross the when they cross the meridian.)
Neighbors porch light ... 🤣🤣🤣