Precise Polar Alignment for Celestron 6/8SE
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- A precise and easy way to polar align your Celestron 6/8SE for astrophotography and tracking objects for long times + the sun filmed with 3 different devices: a Sony HD Handycam, a HP Hi-Def Webcam, and a Canon EOS Rebel T3i.
Almost 10 years later this is still one of the best videos explaining how to use the wedge with celestron, thank you!
привет из Казахстана
6 years out, and this is still the best video for using a wedge. Thank you! Excellent job.
+1 2022 and still the best that I have found.
I have used this wedge for a long time now and it works fairly well for me.
Thanks for watching, Clear Skies!!
with that setup, what have been the exposure time for deep sky objects?.
Awesome job of making star gazing process easy for us beginners! Have had my Celestron 6SE for couple weeks, have had some limited success gathering video of Jupiter/Saturn. Your videos are very easy to follow, not too technical. Now if these windy cloudy nights would just go away...thanks again for taking the time to help all of us just starting in this wonderful hobby, Kelly
You're the only one on RUclips that made a complete comprehensive video on this complex subject. Thank You! It really help for my set-ups with the celestron se.
You are an amazing teacher. I hope you get back to this channel and post more tutorials because it is very helpful. Thanks! Steve
Hi. Im Jimmy from Puerto Rico and after 9 years of the release of this video it was very helpful for me today september 21/ 2021. Thank you very much
Thank you for taking the time to make this video! Despite it being years old, it is still by far the best explanation I’ve found yet , and alignment using a wedge finally makes sense! Peace!
Hello Baltier2705,
I just wanted to say thank you for the videos. I bought my first telescope, an 8se, and have used your videos to help me learn the intricacies of my new telescope. The precise detail of how to polar align is unparalleled.
I also used your video on DIY wedge to make my wedge. Again thank you.
Still watchig this amazing video for remember how I start with my telescope.. Thanks teacher , you are the best. (Aguante Balt)
Great Job! One practice I encourage with any telescope or mount is to install the finderscope and align it optically to the telescope before commencing any kind of polar or sky alignment (or always check it if already installed).
Thank you so much. I will begin making my wedge this weekend. You are truly a legend. Clear skies to you too.
Great Video, Ive owned a Nexstar GPS 8" and currently a 11" Edge HD deluxe, and HD pro wedge,. yours is the first and only video that Ive found that helps anyone with a wedge, learn how to set-up and learn the terminology of polar, meridian, wedge alignment, ect..the written instructions in the Celestron user manual don't explain, "in diagrams the way they should" or "with the hand controller" the long process of doing this..again, Thank you, for your help..PS this video is 4 years old, are you still involved in astronomy, let us know how your doing :)
I agree with others. This is the best step-by-step video I have seen.
This is great. Thank you for making and sharing your video. It answers a lot of questions. The stars Vega, Castor, Algorith... are pretty easy to find and get used to.
45 minute accurate guiding? Absolutely amazing. Thanks for going the extra steps.
Think of what Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Copernicus, Hubble! would think if they saw your telescope.
Not sure if you even read these comments, but thank you for the video. Helped me figure out what I was doing wrong using my homemade wedge.
Muchas gracias por tu comentario y por ver mi video. Me complace saber que esto le ayuda a las personas.
Suerte!
This video helped me back into astrophotagraphy. Never managed to polar align before last night. I finally managed long exposures :) Thank you Baltier!
Excellent explaination set-up video this is the best i could find bravo and thank you
Cada vez que dejó un tiempito mi telescopio, regreso a este vídeo y siempre me salva. Un saludito desde California
I'm not sure I understood the comment but thanks any ways. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Clear Skies!!
Thank you for this video. Polar alignment is now perfectly clear to me.
I’d like to thank you a lot for this video very accurate! I’m now able to polar align my wedge to North Pole!
!Buenisimo Baltier,muy claro, se ve que le haces al bricolaje con todo! muchas gracias. todo es poner en estacion el teles ( latitud, y apuntar lo mas proximo posible al norte o al sur segun seab el caso ) y el objeto permanece en el ocular aun con el mas modesto de los motores. saludos
Si se ve de buena calidad, pero hubiese preferido hacer uno como el tuyo si la base del telescopio no hubiese sido tan pesada, de hecho el wedge es solido pero muy pesado, no creo que lo pudiese levantar y manipular como tu haces en los videos. Mover el tripod es dificil ahora, ya que tiene el wedge encima , por que desarmarlo implica un paso mas en el setup. Asi que estoy sacando musculos. jajaja. Te repito, el tuyo cumple la funcion , exactamente igual, y es un orgullo que tu lo hiciste y bien
Thanks man, this really helped!!! I have the CPC11 and recently installed the Celestron HD wedge, I got a little help the first time setting up (I am a hands on/visual kind of learner), but that was more than a year ago (family matters) I have recently been searching and searching the web for some help with the set up procedures.... great job demonstrating .... the steps were there but... just little confused on them. I have done a walk through on my scope while watching you several times now and feel pretty comfortable doing it in the dark now; just gotta wait on these clouds to get out of here now.
So helpful. Now I get how the wedge and polar alignment works! Thank you.
Very well, thanks from Germany. May God bless you, and your family.
p.s. and your dog as well. :)
good job
Great video. My 6SE is from about 2010 so I don't think I have the same software version that you do. The shots of the sun are incredible too. I check it out all the time and have only ever seen about 4 spots. Thanks for putting this out. I just got a wedge and am looking forward to getting some pictures with it. I'm in Kentucky so no too far from you.
11 years. Watched this on 09-17-2023 in Arizona USA
Enjoyed your video very much. Keep up the great work!
Excellent instructions, i have successfully done in the 1st attempt with the help of this video, Thank You.
Really enjoyed the video.
I have recently purchased an 8SE and I am getting use to aligning it for visual use. It very easy to align.
However I do want to start looking at Astrophotography and its nice to see it being demonstrated without huge EQ mounts being involved.
Would also like to see some DSO'd you have taken pictures of. keep up the great videos!
Thanks for the encouragement. I will soon make a video on how to use an autoguider both expensive version and cheap version.
Thanks for watching,
Clear Skies!!
Great video. Currently (03/23/17) the Starsense Polar Align routine has a 'bug' and SkyPortal and SkySafari doesn't support Polar Align. So what I do is an EQnorth align and polar align using the Nexstar +HC plugged in to AUX2 of my Evolution (in mount arm) with the HC cradle clipped to the carry handle (so cable won't foul wedge). Then once the wedge/tripod is polar aligned, I switch off, plug in Starsense camera to AUX1 then Starsense HC to AUX2 (replacing Nexstar +) then do a Starsense auto-align, which I find is vastly more accurate having added 10 additional alignment points. This compromise works well until Celestron fix the Starsense polar align routine.
here' a link www.cloudynights.com/topic/556847-starsense-on-a-wedge/
This was an excellent instructional video. Do you have a written procedure that I can use when I'm in the field and out of wifi access? Also, do you have written plans for the wedge?
Thanks for this great video. I got confused with Celestron user manual, from the beginning I was doing the alignment with EQ North. Best regards from Panama, Central America
Thank you for the very interesting instructions.
From the hand held, is there a setup to say your mount is ALT-az or Equatorial mount when having a wedge, then you perform NCP alignment then two star alignment?
Hi Jose! Well done for trying to explain that one! It's a long process! I actually understand it better now. It's good to see someone actually put the wedge on and set it up from the start. I am interested in the NexStar 6SE also. Do you have any photos online (I mean still photos, not videos)? I like the videos!
Really enjoyed the presentation very thorough.
Thank you for such a helpful tutorial!
Seguis con el telescopio??? Todavia guardo tus videos y cuando pasa un tiempo y los saco de nuevo, tus videos me siguen ayudando. Espero que estes bien.
"seal the deal" made me LOL. That's what i'm trying to get to. But prep is key! Last night I went out with my new Canon camera and my Celestron 6SE and planned to do my first "Wedge align" as described in both the Celestron wedge manual and Celestron telescope manual. Well, there is no Wedge Align option in the Utilities menu! It's called Mount Align and it's under the Polar Align menu (as you showed here). My NexStar 6SE version info says 5.25.4320 for the hand control. The actual Utilities menu on the control differs from the manual that came with it in a few places.
If you've done any video addressing practical issues with slewing the scope with a lot of gear attached to the back, e.g., power cable going to a camera attached to an T adapter, maybe with a Barlow ... how to set things up so you can slew around the sky a good amount without banging against the mount or catching a cable on something.
actually it's Align Mount under the Polar Align menu (which only appears after an EQ mount has been done)
and to finish the end of my first comment - that was meant as a question: do you have any video on tips and tricks for managing attachments when slewing. also i wondered, as long as you don't slew the scope towards the ground accidentally (so the collector end hit the base of the mount), can you adjust the tube up the rail and clamp it higher up so it gives more room underneath the back for stuff? Or does that compromise alignments somehow or something?
Nice video. Gracias from Spain.
Nice video. I learned quite a bit.
Thank you for this really easy to follow video..
such a useful video. thank you so much for making it.
Great video, can't wait to try that. I have a next star evolution 8 inch. do you know if I can use the same procedure? Also i might suggest making a shorter version of the video might get you some more views.
First of all, thanks for watching my videos and for your nice comments!
And yes, you can use this wedge for a 56º location, that's if you make it adjustable. If you want to make a permanent (not adjustable) wedge, then you will have to lift the board on which you put the telescope to a 34º related to the horizontal base.
I hope this helps and have clear skies!!
thanks you have made it realy easy for me to aline my telescope,,,if i uaed an auto guide scope would i still need to do a precise alinment. many thanks
Thanks for this Tutorial, very informative, and spot on instruction.
Well done! Thank so very much for a basic start.
Many thanks for this video.you explained it very well and clear well done pal 👍👍👍
I think adding an autoguider would probably help extend the exposure times up to at least half a minute for the brighter DSOs. However, another issue is also with the OTA itself. At an FL of 1500mm, tracking errors are magnified, and shooting at f/10 would require extended exposure times. An f/6.3 reducer could somewhat address this problem, though.
I normally do prime focus atrophotography with DSLR on my nexstar 8se without guiding nor wedge using 30 second exposures. Got to really achieve good skyalign on startup using both 25 mm eyepiece followed by 7 mm eyepiece to center object
What I don't understand exactly is, the initial inclination of the wedge. I live in latitude of approximately 39. Some sites suggest this should me measured from the rear bottom not from the supposed vertical position as you suggest (and then lower the wedge 39 degrees). What's is the correct????
Dejame decirte que me siento contento por ti de que hayas adquirido un wedge, hasta siento algo de envidia de la buena. Me imagino que es el HD wedge de Celestron.
Anyways, la calibracion del GO TO se hace despues del alineamiento final, porque todos los pasos del video se hacen sin la camara. Despues de apagar y encender el telescopio y alinearlo por ultima vez, entonces ya le pones la camara y haces una calibracion del Go TO para que el telescopio considere el peso de tu camara.
Clear Skies!!
Really helpful. Thanks
Sweet I found it on your channel, Thanks again
There is something confusing me. You say point the wedge and telescope to north. But the telescope cap was facing the mount or wedge when you started slewing? Is this correct.
Thanks, is very usefull this video, I'll begin making my wedge this weekend
Hello and thanks , Would you happen to have a vid on how to build that homemade wedge ? really appreciate it if ya do, lots of things here that I been having issues with my telescope, Keep up the Good Vids
Muy buen video y explicacion, sin duda me ayudo para aclarar algunas dudas. Thank you!
jaime ramirez de acuerdo con Usted, este es uno de los mejores videos que he visto sobre alineación polar usando una cuña. Saludos
Nice video!
That's a very nice DIY wedge! Do you have plans for it?
My understanding about the limitations of the 6/8 SE mount for photography is that it's not smooth enough for long exposure photos. It really has nothing to do with the wedge itself. I think I can see the problem in your cloudy sun pictures. There seems to be a periodic bump every 2-3 seconds. Unless the wind was getting to you or the camera wasn't mounted solidly, the SE mount itself could be causing it.
Nice run-through though.
Gracias Balt, pensaba hacerlo asi, pero el hand control no me da la opcion de POLAR ALIGNMENT, sino EQ NORTH ALIGNMENT, (Supongo que sera lo mismo para el caso) y luego si puedo ir a ALIGNT MOUNT, con eso no hay problema, asi que intentare asi apenas deje de estar nublado aca el Los Angeles, o tal vez me vaya el fin de semana para Arizona donde los cielos son espectaculares y solo lo tengo a 3 horas. Enormemente agradecido por tu tiempo, tu ayuda y tu consistente amabilidad. Gracias Balt.
This was pretty good. Hope you're still watching our comments here...
Worked perfect. Necesite hacer update el hand control, ahora todo esta ahi. Thanks a lot.
great explanations etc.. but I do have ONE question?? why Wood?? doesn't wood expand and contract? and isn't that an issue for a presie-aligned telescope?? if it happens to be a bit humid for a few days, wouldn't the wood expand? etc. or cold nights freeze in ice etc? just curious? i'd think concept is awesome.. just not sure if i'd use wood? vs something that wouldn't expand and contract? IMO..
Hello Mr Baltier, First, thank you very much for yours videos where I have found great and helpful information. I am planing to buy a Nexstar 8se but I have read several reviews about the backlash it has when using the hand controller, Is that a big issue for astrophotography?, Is that a normal problem with that kind of azimutal mount?, if so, what is the best way to fix that?, I will use a webcam camera. Thank you in advance for any comment in this matter. Clear sky?
Great video, thanks!!. I have the very same telescope and I want it to know how to improve the time on astrophotography :)
Hola Balt. Dejame decirte que estoy bien feliz porque, luego de buscar bastante, he logrado encontrar tus videos y ver que puedo hacer astrophoto con my querido 6SE. Tienes planos del wedge? Yo hice un diseno de uno muy basico, pero el tuyo esta genial. Una pregunta: Que tan bien se comporta con este wedge? Asi no sera necesario cambiar a una montura ecuatorial? Un abrazo y gracias por tus explicaciones..
Awesome help, thanks very much :)
Very Useful!!! thank you bros!
Great job !
Hola, creo que todos los programas en los telescopios Celestron son muy similares, lo que varia es la version del software. Mi 6SE tiene la version 4.18 pero creo que existe una mas nueva que es 4.20. De cualquier manera donde dice Align Mount es presisamente lo mismo que Align Wedge.
Clear Skies!!
Great info, thank you!
ottima spiegazione .... GRAZIE
where can one find the construction instructions of the wedge you are using?
Well done, sans dog. Nice explanation.
I just found your channel and saw your alignment video. I saw your video of the wedge build but it didn't include the fine tuning all-thread shown in this video. How is this latitude fine tuner secured to the wedge? What size all-thread did you use? Also, what is the length of the bolts used to secure the telescope to the wedge. Thanks
Hola Jose! Soy de México! Y quisiera saber si no tienes este tutorial en español! Poseo un nexstar 4se en el cual ya viene incluido con la montura el wedge, pero no se como alinearlo con la polar y no entiendo mucho el inglés aun! Me seria de gran ayuda si pudieras subir este mismo tutorial en español! Ya que he visto que lo hablas! Saludos desde México Jose!
Thanks for the video I’m in Australia so I assume I point to the South Pole and raise my mounting platform to my latitude (my mount has a graduated bar and built in wedge) take my latitude from 90deg and set that on the adjustment rod ,and proceed from there. I’m not sure if the graduations have been corrected but I guess I’ll soon find out .thankyou again
John👍
I have a meade ls 8-inch telescope. I want to build this equatorial telescope. I want to make special pier and wedge. to be applied? motor and mechanical gear systems it resistant? Thanks.
Gracias , muy educativo. Intentare lo de la montura ecuatorial, esta genial !!!!
nice job
This is really great! Thank you so much!
How can i perform that with the StarSense ?
Celestron should hire this guy lol.
I thought Celestron made this alignment easy! If I try doing this when the first star comes out at night, it will be daylight before I'm aligned.
I gave trying to align my 5SE, it has the wedge plate in built, but it did not allow me to move the mount assembly in the horizontal plane. In the end i went out and bought the new Celestron Advanced VX EQ mount, and polar align is now so easy... I also found that the 5SE could not handle the weight of a DSLR camera so well
I have the 4SE and it cannot handle the weight of my DSLR at all. I'm looking at a 6SE OTA but I need a good EQ mount for it.
Hy my friend, i have been trying do a polar align without sucess.
I m in shout i did all Steps to align, afete align mount the Scope slew a very estranhe position.
The polar display shows:
Azm : -99• 08' 47''
Alt: -46• 46' 18''
I have a nextar 8se evoluition Whit a wedge of celestron.
Any information I'll be glad to you.
Thank you
Ricardo
just an ordinary comment passing through liking your willingness :)
Why do you need a wedge? My father just got the 8SE and couldn't figure out why he couldn't get it to align. He had bought it because he thought it did this automatically. The store he bought it from didn't mention he needed a wedge!
been looking at your videos, by the way there great. i have a question, i bought my celestron 5i it asks me at the end of my alignment if i want to( save my location) how do that, and if I do how do I go back to it? thank you for your help
Have you tried Wifi with the 6SE? I think it's smart that you can use an iPhone or iPad to control 6SE
Celestron SkyQ Link Wi-Fi Adapter or Southern Stars Skywire or SkyFi Wireless Telescope Controller
buen video amigo ,que pasa si no se hace el ultimo paso la ultima alineación y nada mas lo usamos cuando está lista la alineación polar? sirve para astro fotografía?
Are you able to tell me how you made the wedge? I would like to make my own.
Thank you! (I have the 8SE with a Celestron wedge.)
And I keep coming back to your video whenever I need to remember how to do this. Thank you again!
It's not working with my Celestron 8 SE. Do I need to use compass to set my mount to the north more precise ? Or the scope should be looking to Polaris ? When I use Auto star alignment and the scope show me Vega in the menu. The star was exactly above me. But the scope go to the horizon witch is very wrong direction. Very far from Vega. I don't know why is like that but probably will return the Celestron mount witch is not cheap anyway .$300. Let me know if you know the problem. I do a lot astrophotography that's why was trying to find better way to do that. Thank you
For everybody else got my problem I found the solution. When your telescope is facing south and you are behind him the mount arm should be on your left side before starting to make the alignment. I was wondering if the mount of Celestron 8 SE can handle PHD2 auto guider if anybody know please let me know . Thank you
kirostar12 my nexstar evolution does, but it's kind tricky procedure. There is a post in cloudynights.com. Maybe it will work on se