Kerry Day

PERFORMANCE_ART

PERFORMANCE_ART_166_GUIDE

Polar alignment is the act of aligning the rotational axis of a telescope's equatorial mount or

a sundial's gnomon with a celestial pole to parallel Earth's axis.== Alignment methods ==

The method to use differs depending on whether the alignment is taking place in daylight or

at night.Furthermore, the method differs if the alignment is done in the Northern

Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere.The purpose of the alignment also must be

considered; for example, the value of accuracy is much more significant in

astrophotography than in casual stargazing.=== Aiming at the pole stars ===

In the Northern Hemisphere, sighting Polaris the North Star is the usual procedure for

aligning a telescope mount's polar axis parallel to the Earth's axis.Polaris is approximately

three-quarters of a degree from the North Celestial Pole, and is easily seen by the naked

eye.σ Octantis, sometimes known as the South Star, can be sighted in the Southern

hemisphere to perform a polar alignment.At magnitude +5.6, it is difficult for inexperienced

observers to locate in the sky.Its declination of -88° 57′ 23″ places it 1° 2′ 37" from the

South Celestial Pole.An even closer star BQ Octantis of magnitude +6.9 lies 10' from the

South Pole as of 2016.Although not visible to the naked eye, it is easily visible in most polar

'scopes.(It will lie its closest to the South Pole, namely 9', in the year 2027.=== Rough

alignment method ===

In the Northern Hemisphere, rough alignment can be done by visually aligning the axis of

the telescope mount with Polaris.In the Southern hemisphere or places where Polaris is not

visible, a rough alignment can be performed by ensuring the mount is level, adjusting the
latitude adjustment pointer to match the observer's latitude, and aligning the axis of the

mount with true south or north by means of a magnetic compass.(This requires taking the

local magnetic declination into account).This method can sometimes be adequate for

general observing through the eyepiece or for very wide angle astro-imaging with a tripod-

mounted camera; it is often used, with an equatorially-mounted telescope, as a starting

point in amateur astronomy.There are ways to improve the accuracy of this method.For

example, instead of reading the latitude scale directly, a calibrated precision inclinometer

can be used to measure the altitude of the polar axis of the mount.If the setting circles of the

mount are then used to find a bright object of known coordinates, the object should

mismatch only as to azimuth, so that centering the object by adjusting the azimuth of the

mount should complete the polar alignment process.Typically, this provides enough

accuracy to allow tracked (i.e.motorized) telephoto images of the sky.For astro-imaging

through a lens or telescope of significant magnification, a more accurate alignment method

is necessary to refine the rough alignment, using one of the following approaches.===

Polarscope method ===

An alignment suitable for visual observation and short exposure imaging (up to a few

minutes) can be achieved with a polar scope.This is a low-magnification telescope mounted

co-axially with the mount (and adjusted to maximize the accuracy of this alignment).A

special reticle is used to align the mount with Polaris (or a group of stars near the polar

region) in the Southern Hemisphere.While primitive polariscopes originally needed the

careful adjustment of the mount to match the time of year and day, this process can be

simplified using computer apps that calculate the correct position of the reticle.A new-style

northern-hemisphere reticle uses a 'clock-face' style with 72 divisions (representing 20-

minute intervals) and circles to compensate for the drift of Polaris over around thirty

years.Use of this reticle can allow alignment to within an arc minute or two.=== Drift
alignment method ===

Drift alignment is a method to refine the polar alignment after a rough alignment is

done.The method is based on attempting to track stars in the sky using the clock drive; any

error in the polar alignment will show up as the drift of the stars in the

eyepiece/sensor.Adjustments are then made to reduce the drift, and the process is repeated

until the tracking is satisfactory.For the polar axis altitude adjustment, one can attempt to

track a star low in the east or west.For the azimuth adjustment, one typically attempts to

track a star close to the meridian, with declination about 20° from the equator, in the

hemisphere opposite of the observing location.=== Astrometric (plate) solving ===

For telescopes combined with an imaging camera connected to a computer, it is possible to

achieve very accurate polar alignment (within 0.1 minutes of arc).An initial rough alignment

is first performed using the polar scope.An image can then be captured and a star database

is used to identify the exact field of view when aimed at stars near the pole - 'plate

solving'.The telescope is then rotated ninety degrees around its right ascension axis and a

new 'plate solve' is carried out.The error in the point around which the images rotate

compared to the true pole is calculated automatically and the operator can be given simple

instructions to adjust the mount for a more accurate polar alignment.=== Mathematical,

two-star polar alignment ===

The polar error in elevation and azimuth can be calculated by pointing the telescope to two

stars or taking two astrometric solves of two positions and the measured error in right

ascension and declination.From the difference between the right ascension and declination

of the telescope encoder and the second's star position, the elevation and azimuth error of

the polar alignment can be calculated.