SKY-WATCHER SynScan - Pointing Accuracy Enhancement

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PART XI : ADVANCED FUNCTIONS
The polar alignment function can help users to polar align an equatorial mount accurately.
Here are the operating instructions:
11.3 Polar Alignment without Polar Scope
1. Complete a 2-star alignment or a 3-star alignment. At the end of the alignment, the Syn-
Scan hand controller will display the polar alignment error (refer to Section 3.3). Users can
use the data to determine whether it is necessary to adjust the polar alignment.
2. Press the “SETUP” shortcut key, and then access to sub-menu “Alignment\Polar Align. >”,
press the ENTER key to proceed to the next step.
3. The screen will display “Select a Star”.
4. Use the direction keys to center the reference star in the eyepiece of the telescope after
the mount stops slewing. Remember to end the centering operation with Up and Right
direction keys. Press the ENTER key to proceed to the next step.
5. The screen will now display the polar alignment error again. “Mel” is the error in altitude
and “Maz” is the error in azimuth. Users can refer to these data to estimate the amount of
the adjustment to the azimuth and latitude of the mount in the next step. Press the ENTER
key again to proceed to the next step.
6. The mount will slew to a new position. When it stops, the screen will display “Adjust Az/
Lat:”. By using the azimuth/latitude adjustment mechanisms of the mount (not using the
direction keys on the hand controller), the user should center the reference star in the
nder scope, and then center the star in the telescope’s eyepiece. Press the ENTER key
to conrm the centering operation.
7. Go back to the “Alignment” menu on the SynScan hand controller and execute another
2-Star or 3-Star alignment, and then check the polar alignment error data reported at the
end of the 2-star alignment or 3-star alignment. Repeat Step 2 to Step 7 until the error
is small enough and acceptable. Generally, users can get up to 1 arc-minute polar align-
ment accuracy after repeating this polar alignment process 2 or 3.
Note:
• Users can press the ESC key at any time during the polar alignment process to exit.
• The initial polar alignment should not be off too much to avoid the polar alignment error in
azimuth exceeding the adjustment range of the mount.
• It is necessary to use a reticle eyepiece in the 2-Star alignment, 3-star alignment and
polar alignment process.
• Use the scroll keys to browse through a list of star names and press the ENTER key to
pick one as the reference star for polar alignment.
• The mount will start slewing to point the telescope to the reference star.