Advanced Polar Alignment Procedure for the Southern
Hemisphere
Northern observers/photographers have a great advantage when it comes to
performing a polar alignment. They have the naked-eye star Polaris situated just
2/3 of a degree from the North Celesal Pole. This makes a quick alignment of
an equatorial device like SAM very easy to accomplish. Just nd Polaris and point
SAM so that you can see Polaris in the eld of view of the Polar Finder view port.
Unfortunately there are no bright reference stars in the immediate vicinity of
the SCP, so the procedure to obtain a polar alignment is a bit more involved.
However, there is a small group of stars near the SCP that, while invisible to
the naked eye, can be seen in your Polar Scope. Once you have this group in
view, a precision polar alignment is just as easy to accomplish in the southern
hemisphere as it is in the north, thanks to the Polar Clock funcon included in
the Star Adventurer mini Console.
First Install the Polar Scope [Refer to the photos on page 32.]
Carefully remove the Rear Mounng Plate from the back of SAM and insert your
Polar Scope into the exposed hole. Aach the Polar Scope Illuminator to the
other end. This will help make the recule paern in the Polar Scope eyepiece
more visible in dark condions. Adjust the intensity of the illuminator by turning
the dial. Make it bright enough to see the recule paern, but not so bright as to
wash out your view of the faint stars near the SCP.
Performing a Coarse Polar Alignment in the Southern Hemisphere
The goal of the coarse polar alignment is to get your Polar Scope aimed near
enough to the SCP that you will be able to see a small group of four stars within
its eld of view. We refer to these as the Sigma Octanis group, with Sigma
Octanis being the slightly brighter of the four, and always the one that is nearest
the SCP as the group rotates about the SCP over the course of 24 hours.
6. Aach the Equatorial Wedge (wedge) to your tripod via the 3/8 inch
mounng bolt (or using the 1/4 inch thread adapter if required).
7. Aach SAM to the Equatorial Wedge.
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