Learn how to easily align your equatorial mount
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- Опубликовано: 28 ноя 2024
- A complete step-by-step explanation of how to set up and align an equatorial mount. The demonstration covers all basics required to set up and polar align most any telescope on a German equatorial mount in the Northern Hemisphere for visual observation of the stars, planets and deep sky objects like nebulae, clusters and galaxies. #withcaptions
This is what the internet needs more of. Relatable, clear directions that have been explained and demonstrated on equipment that people probably have at home. Very well done. 10 years old and still blowing people's minds on how easy it really is to use an EQ. Thank you sir.
This is so kind of you to say - thank you for taking the time to write this comment. Very much appreciated!
I just got my daughter a Newtonian with an equatorial mount for Christmas. Needless to say, neither of us knew much about telescopes. There is a ton of information to process but I see that it can be done especially with the help of simple videos such as this one. Thanks for this! It was soooooo helpful.
@ItsGabeen why would you say that? Grow up!
@ItsGabeen it doesn't matter what she buys for her kid, it's non of your business. What you wrote was hurtful. I am happy that a parent is getting her kid into a fascinating hobby that could one day grow into something more. Try being supportive instead of insulting!
@ItsGabeen what wrong with a eq mount for a kid?
@Charles X Let me start by saying THANKS for your response to a comment I posted forever ago. This video was and still is much appreciated.
In response to the negative comment. It is no biggie. I didn't even see it until today. Like you said commenting on a public platform should come with thick skin. Luckily for me I have just that. It comes with owning who you are and what you do/stand for. Can't be hurt by much once you've accomplished that.
So it is all love 💙💙💙
Thanks again.
I've been stargazing for 3 years now and I always just pointed my scope at the star/planet I was looking at and then found it difficult to track it. This video has been a massive help to me and now I always align. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work.
Thank you - glad it help!
An EQ mount makes it far easier to find objects using setting circles, and track objects in the sky at higher magnification compared to other mount types. However, some people do find them cumbersome and prefer alt-az. I am glad this video helped you arrive at a good decision for your own needs.
I am glad I found this video Sir. When I began watching I felt as if I was in a 5th grade classroom BUT that said I am a 58 year old man that really needed a starter class on alignment. I am buying a Celestron Advanced VX Series 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Go To Telescope and will need to polar align it. I have watched a few other videos and got lost in the "talk" very fast. Your teaching style would have been AWESOME for me when I took algebra many years ago as it would have saved me a summer school class one year. LOVED the video Sir and will visit your web site today. No need to update the video as I am fairly certain the mounts and stars have not really changed. Thank you.
This was perfect! Detailed enough to make it understandable, but brief enough to keep my eyes from glazing over. Well done.
10 years later and this video is still helpful, thanks again!!
I just got an F/5, 133mm (5 1/4"), Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ Newtowian telescope w/EQ mount, for Christmas (2019). I've been a casual observer for 45 years, but now that I'm retired, I have the time to pursue my passion for astronomy.
EDIT : I just added an Orion EQ-2M right ascension motor to the RA adjustment shaft, with remarkable results.
In all those years, I've never properly set up a telescope. We didn't have the resources "back in the day", like we do now, for such easy to understand instructions, like your videos. I'm now, for the first time, properly set up, balanced and aligned. What an amazing difference this is going to make. Thank you, I've subscribed, and will keep on watching you, and the night sky!
Thank you, Wade!
Eyes on the Sky, I just added an Orion EQ - 2M right ascension motor, and it's quite remarkable. I chose this system because it runs very quietly, it doesn't require removal to make manual adjustments to the RA axis, it has plenty of power, it's is DC driven (four D-cell batteries), and it has a hand pad for operating it.
It's a really cool addition to my new Celestron Astromaster 130 EQ F/5 telescope w/133mm aperture (which actually has a 5 1/4" aperture, not the 6" aperture I thought it was. I did the math mentally, at first, and over estimated it ;) I edited the information, up top, to indicate the correct aperture and model.
I've never had a "goto", computerized telescope. They have some remarkable goto instruments available today, and I would probably enjoy one very much. I think though, that I have been forced to be a better amateur astronomer because of this. There's just so much more that you need to know, to successfully locate objects, the old school way. I think that I'm going to continue to hone my skills of locating objects objects on my own, before I upgrade to a goto type of telescope.
@@wadehampton1534 good idea. Fact is, GoTo still requires some knowledge if the sky just to align the systems. And even then, poorly designed ones can be a source of immense frustration just to aim them at objects that can be plainly seen like the Moon or planets.
Thank you so much for this. After three years finally someone who has the pedagogical skills to explain how to use the equatorial mount without confusing more than helping. Much, much appreciated. You made me actually use my telescope. Cudos!!
Fahwad.
I am an old Dobsonian but bought my first EQ-Mount yesterday. Your video is funny but also very helpful. Thank you for this. It will help me very much using the EQ-Mount for the first time.
Old video...ancient BUT, after lots of searching youtube, still the best basic instructions around. Too many astronomy /telescope videos are either done by bumbling newbies or techies that love to hear themselves use 10 cent words the rest of us dont understand yet. Simple, easy to understand!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
My only problem is now that Ive sucessfully done the alignment and all.... no matter what I do with the slow motion knobs, it doesnt track right. I still have to make sort of "zig zag" or step like turns to keep a planet aligned. Not sure what Im doing wrong. After messing with it more, now one of the slow mo knobs turns the scope and it moves but what I see in the scope stays stationary! ERF! Must keep playing lol!
It is an ancient video, but when I made it there wasn't really much of anything good out there for how to align an EQ mount either. It was done with an old point and shoot camera in video mode where I had to record the audio separately then sync it up. Rather time consuming, but it's been helpful to a lot of people over the years, so I am glad it helped you too!
I'm not sure why you are still having to zig zag to keep things aligned - it should only require the RA motion to follow an object, with at most only occasional Dec adjustments. Are your clutches locking properly? Does the telescope move when you lock them then turn the slow mo controls? (It should.)
@@Eyesonthesky Wow. first and foremost...THANK YOU. the fact that you still reply directly is really admirable. If only more people on this planet were as giving!
I will try! I will check to make sure those clutches are performing as they should. I think they are but....I really suck at this so far. subbed and thank you again!!!
You're cheesy as heck. But you're awesome and got a great sense of humor - and you execute it magnificently!
*H E C K I N G F R I C K*
burnt waffles This is a *christian server* so no swearing allowed
@@iuliandascalu4078 Christian*
HECKING FRICK
HECKIN FRICK
As a photographer, never having used a telescope, I will be watching your videos ALOT. This one, is the first and so far the best. Thanks for giving me/us some confidence.
This was an excellent video tutorial for a complete newcomer such as myself. This not only helped me to understand how to setup and adjust my EQ mounted reflector telescope but why we do the things we do in order to achieve that.
Thank you for your kind compliment! This video is almost 12 years old, so I am incredibly glad that it is still helpful.for people. It's the exact reason I made it!
I watched this video a couple of times when I had bought a telescope on an equatorial mount and didn't understand much. Now that I had some practice with it this video totally makes sense and I'm ready to do proper polar alignments. Thanks, David!
this video was posted 10 years ago but i just bought myself a telescope with an eq mount, so thank you for doing this!
That's why I made it! I have recent content that can help you find things in the night sky to see with your new telescope too.
9 years onwards, still found this amazingly useful. Well done!
Thank you!
You sir have gotten yourself a new subscriber. You have gotten me started on telescopes and showed me what a bloody fun hobby anstronomy can be. Thank you
I have been trying to get this right for a while. Very informative and easy to follow. I wish the instructions were this clear on what to do in the manuals.
Great video! My wife has had one of these mounts for nearly two years and we have yet set it. I feel confident I can do it now and will try it some time soon to surpise her. Thank you so much!
Spectacular, I’m just returning to the hobby after 15 years. I’ve never used an equatorial mount but that’s going to change real soon. Many thanks, from Merry England.
After spending 3 hours trying to figure it my self, I finally found your guide! Thanks man! Now thanks to you I can practicaly do something with it my telescope! Your guide is amazing and super easy.
Glad it helped! I have a new series on RUclips right now that has objects you can starhop to easily - the Telescopes On The Sky tutorials. I hope you will check those out!
You're welcome, and thanks for the nice compliment! That was the idea: To answer the questions about eq mounts in one video. Glad I accomplished that for you!
Hello and Thank you for the three videos. Finally someone who made me actually use my telescopes equatorial mount - Wonderful. Besides that - All possible success for your anti-light pollution campaign. Best regards. Christof
I agree fully! It actually saved me on my 2nd night of setting up my new scope and getting a lot of things wrong. In the end my frustration was too high and I went back inside, grab a beer and restarted this video. Then, it all made sense again. Lovely.
Thank you. This is much easier and more thorough than the written instructions included with my scope.
@metalskateboarder965 - thanks. Yes, use the R.A. and declination clutches to move the telescope to the desired object, and then relock them once you have it centered (or close). Use the slow-motion controls to recenter if needed, and use the R.A. slow-mo control to keep the object centered over time, to account for the Earth's rotation. Hope that helps!
@Pyper70 - you're welcome for the video, glad it helped. After polar alignment, you can unlock the Right Ascension and Declination axes to point the telescope anywhere you want in the sky (so, two axes, not one). Since it will be well-balanced (if you follow this video), you can leave them unlocked to find a target, then lock them when you have sometime in your eyepiece to view. Use a low power eyepiece to start, and make sure your finderscope is aligned with the main scope, too.
Very useful information with clear instructions for polar alignment. I am fortunate in that I have a dedicated shed for my telescope so I can leave it all set up so all I have to do is lift it out and I’m ready to go. To speed things up I built a concrete base that I stand my telescope on and after making sure I had accurate PA I drilled three small holes so that I can stand the tripod legs in their correct holes and I am well enough aligned for accurate GOTO and visual observing. For astrophotography greater accuracy is required which means doing the PA every time, even then that does not guarantee precise alignment, that depends on how well the mount’s inbuilt PA observing kit is mounted. For precise, fast (2 to 3 minutes) very accurate PA, I invested £300 in a PoleMaster and have found it worth every single penny. It is especially useful for me because at my old age I am no longer able to kneel down and crane my neck back enough to be able to view Polaris through the mount, so sitting at my desk in the shed and watching it all take place on my laptop is priceless, without it I would have had to retire from astrophotography, which I dearly love doing as much as just observing. Just something to think about if you intend going into astrophotography.
This video has taught me how to set-up an eq mount with ease, i've watched other similar videos but they seem to over complicate things & have put me off from buying 1. I was going to buy a telescope with an alt-azimuth mount, but after watching this tutorial im definitely going to buy 1 with a eq mount..
I've previously used a GO-TO scope so now that I'm trying out an equatorial mount this guide is exactly what I am in need of! Most helpful! :-)
Thank you!! I just bought my first Newtonian telescope with an equatorial mount and I was frustrated because I dind't know how to use it. Seeing your videos makes it easier!
I’ve had one of these mounts for years, had no idea what I was doing, thanks for this.
You're welcome - my pleasure to help. I think the reason the latitude only goes to a certain angle is so that the counterweight will not interfere with the legs; you'll be fine with just adjusting the tripod leg though. Be sure to check out my weekly videos for some objects you can find and see when you get your scope. Clear and dark skies!
Thanks to your video, I just aligned my telescope for the first time ever. It was freaking awesome!
HECKING FREAKING FRICK
Dude I love you. The passion is visible in your eyes. And that livelyness is just as much as how clear your explanation is.
no seriously dude...very well done. thanks man...i hated my eq the first night i got it...this video really helped me understand it all. GRACIAS
this guy was very professional, and took time out of his day to help out strangers, for nothing in exchange, but for the great felling of helping someone get a little further.. so before you go juudging someone with your petty comments go look in a mirror and ask yourself how how you could possibly contribute more to life and people that are in it turd
You're welcome - that's exactly why I made this video! Glad it helped.
Your video tutorial was sweetly done! I've polar aligned my equatorially-mounted reflector on several occasions in the past but that was many years ago. You did a good job in breaking the process down into easily understandable steps (with humor :)) and that brought me back up to speed. Thanks for that!
that was very instructive!!! This is the first video i watch on youtube where is thought decently how to align an equatorial mount. Thank you so much!
A good tutorial comes in handy even after 11 years(or 100 years) 😂
Thanks for this mate 👍
You're welcome, it was my very first RUclips video too.
Just wanted to comment, I started astrophotography a few years ago and your setup videos with the eq mount was among the very first to actually help me on my way. I can polar align so fast now. I know its a little late but thanks again for the vids!
Thank you for coming back to comment! :-)
Thank you for the nice words - I much prefer an equatorial mount to the alt-az ones myself. One handed slow-motion control to follow objects at the eyepiece is so much simpler! I can concentrate more on observing, rather than tracking.
Awesome video. You told me everything I needed to know without any extra information. The video with the nights sky made it so clear. This is the way kids should be educated in school.
Ioan-Radu Tanasescu Thank you so much - that was very kind of you to write.
@tich179 - thanks for the compliment, and I am glad you are managing to get things working for you. I never found that my goto scopes were terribly accurate, though achieving good level, pointing at true celestial north and making 2 or 3 star alignments helped. Goto is usually best for getting you "very close" - try using a long focal length eyepiece when searching, then if the target is smaller, bump up the magnification after the object has been found.
This helped me a lot. I just got my first eq-goto mount and could not figure out why my tracking was not working properly after using star calibrations. I never understood the whole point of a polar alignment till now. Very helpful video, very informative. Good stuff and thank you!
Almost 10 year old video and here I am about to get a telescope and watching how these work. Thanks!
Glad it is helping you! I've got one about how to aim these too, plus Telescope Basics, etc.
As a total newbie I thank you so much. Brilliantly simple.
This was a really helpful video. I just got my first proper telescope and this video helped make getting started a lot easier.
9 years later, this is still the best video on this subject.
Thank you, that's very kind of you to write.
@@Eyesonthesky no thank you, first night out yesterday, the setup was easy peasy thanks to you! saw the moon, jupiter and saturn for the first time. with perfect tracking ^^
thank you.
Thanks a ton. My daughter and I are new to this stargazing and this was a wonderful intoduction. Your description was clear and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you.
Wonderful video. Just getting started with my first telescope and your videos have been the best guides I have found. Thank you!
4:41 Celestial Pole Alignment
I just found an old telescope with this kind of mount. Thank you very much for helping me understand how to use it.
Thank you so much for this & all your other videos. Picked up a Towa 339 today and the equitorial mount alignment was suspect. Now I just have to wait for clear skies & Polaris. Love your videos & the way you present them.
Good tutorial broken down nicely into digestible segments. Your video has helped me a lot. Cheers David.
Thanks, my friend. I was setting up my first equatorial and was on the verge of breaking something until your video made the correct neurons click in my brain. Now it seems easy!
Hi David. This video is an excellent, clear demonstration on how to use an eq mount......... the best I've seen online. Well done!
Keep looking up.
Regards.
Mark, Southampton, England
@metalskateboarder965 - no, this simply sets up your telescope to use as an equatorial mount, that will make it easier to track things when you point at other objects in the sky. Once set up for equatorial use, unlock both clutches and point at any object you want (Moon, planets, deep sky objects, etc.), then relock them once centered. Then slowly turn the right ascension slow motion control (if you have one) to keep the object in the middle of your eyepiece while viewing.
Thanks, David. I'll do so. I like your video series on YT as well as on your website by the way. Quite to the point and humorous at the time. Thanks for sharing. Just ordered an Orion 10" reflector. Can't wait to exchange it for my old Bynostar 4592 ;-)
Thank you so much! I last had a telescope almost 20 years ago and it didn't have an equatorial mount. The new scope does and I was befuddled by it, to my embarrassment. The manual and DVD the scope came with was marginally helpful at best. Thank you for making sense of this! I was using my latitude adjustment to raise and lower the the scope for viewing. I knew something had to be wrong and it was! Gotta love the Polaris in this video too. Assistants are great! Thanks for making this video informative, but also light and funny. Just keep it away from the sun when testing during the day.
You're welcome. I don't tend to like what comes in those accessory packs, as they often include very short focal length Plossls that have very short eye relief, and a bunch of colored filters you're really not likely to use. I think a Moon filter is worth having, and definitely a couple extra eyepieces, but I think it makes more sense to get some of the Long Eye Relief ones like Zhumell, AstroTech, TMB or Orion sell instead.
@arsefixia - glad it helped! For the DSLR, it will depend on the lens. For short lenses - up to 50mm, maybe 100mm - it should be fine, up to 60 sec. Longer lenses / times, it will vary based on where you take shots. At the celestial equator - it will depend how close to a truly precise alignment you get (something NOT covered in this video). It's possible there will be some field rotation. Drift alignment will be a better route ultimately, but for now, try it and see what results you get.
Excellent! Glad to help - wishing you clear and dark skies.
This is great, I think I actually understand how to use my mount properly for the first time. Glad I found your channel!
I learned some of this the hard way. Now with help from this video I will know how to do it right. Thanks for this well made video.
A wedge is used for a different kind of telescope mount, usually a fork-mounted equatorial mount. The wedge serves a similar function as the latitude adjustment portion of a German equatorial mount - it allows the user to adjust the latitude to match their own latitude on Earth.
First of all, there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with cheesy, everyone could use a little cheesiness in there lives. Secondly, I learned more about aligning my new eq mount here than countless other sources. You made it easy and fun, thanks!
Thank you, Dan!
Hi Andrés - you have a couple options. One, set it to 17 degrees, and occasionally adjust the declination if the object drifts out of the field of view. Being a few degrees off for visual observing isn't much of a problem. If you want more accurate alignment, you can adjust the tripod by a few degrees to account for the difference that the latitude scale does not allow. Just raise/lower the north (or south) leg so that the mount has better polar alignment; just be careful with the balance.
the best video to this topic by far on youtube! many thanks for this brilliant explanation!
Great set of videos. Thanks for the effort and the clarity in presentation. Your trick of using the red and blue masks to highlight the 2ndary mirror for alignment is absolutely brilliant.
Very helpful as I am a total novice. Thanks very much! Best video I've found.
Good info. I have an equatorial mount, but I always have to keep adjusting both drives to keep things centered because I've never really learned how to align it. It makes it worse that my motor drive is incomplete, and I only have one of those flexible cable knobs for one adjuster. Getting it aligned will solve half my issues anyway.
Thank you for making these videos. I do enjoy watching and learning. I feel more comfortable now aligning my scopes, then I was before.
Hi Victor - great question. It was my first video, and I could have explained that more clearly. You do want to set the latitude scale to your own latitude. But to align it with Polaris, because the scope is on the mount at the time, and not all mounts have a fine adjustment while the scope is on the mount, you may need to slightly adjust to locate Polaris by adjusting the leg. However, for most visual observing, simply being within a 3 - 5 degrees of Polaris is "close enough" anyway.
Thanks! It's an Ibanez acoustic/electric. I actually played almost every single guitar in a Sam Ash store one day to find the one with the best tone, and that was it. I thought it was better than even the Martins and Taylors, but I should also note it was that specific guitar - other Ibanez's of the same model didn't sound as good. I got lucky with it. :-)
Man you're a life-saver. I just bought my son a National Geographic 90/900 scope and the instructions are a little vague. Got it set-up but this video helped enourmously. I'm 52 degrees lattitude in the UK and it's cloudy at the moment so cannot use it. So thanks for this simple video and I will be checking out your others as will my son.
Glad it helped! I also have a video on how to use an eq mount in case you need any help there too. And I've got lots of videos on what to see along with Telescope and Stargazing Basics.
@@Eyesonthesky I'll check them out. Thanks!
Painfully cheesy, but very informative. Well done!
HECKING FRICK
I was with doubts setting my Skywatcher, i went RUclips searching some help... i found you and already joined your channel. Keep your excelent work and funny vids :) Love it
PS: Started today for the first time and my toy it´s Skywatcher 130/900 w/ EQ2
What is this. Your professional video format scares me. Who do you think you are making great, awesomely helpful videos that serve a purpose and educate properly?
Wow! Thank you so much! I just got a telescope and the equatorial mount was baffliing. The instructions for setting it up were pathetic. Now I'm off to a great start. Thank you again!
If still watching, thanks David. Huge help. High five.
Yep, still watching. I'm even still making new videos on how to find things! Check out my channel's latest offerings.
This video is very well put together. I now have a full understanding of the alignment process. Furthermore, I am able to repeat this process every time! Kudos Mr. Fuller.
P.S.I watch and learn from all of your videos. Your recent interview on a camping trip, you confessed it wasn't your favorite video. I really appreciate these videos.
@ivanosito - you don't need to go to Aries. You can set the RA by using another star of known RA position. So let's say Aries is behind a tree or below the horizon, but you know that Regulus is visible (1st mag star in Leo). Point your scope to Regulus, THEN set your RA circle to the 10h position (Regulus is 10h 08m). Now you can find other objects because your setting circle is accurately set. You may need to adjust periodically throughout the night though, due to Earth's rotation.
The balance of the counterweight and scope has more to do with how the mount works than the balance of the tripod/overall setup. So I would balance it according to ensuring everything is in balance with each other (not with the tripod/ground), and simply be careful about the north side of your mount so it doesn't tip. Keep in mind that minor declination adjustments are not difficult even if the mount is level & slightly off polar alignment. Not sure what you mean by "mobility"?
Thank you very much, I think I'm ready for my purchase now :) I meant if it would affect in any way the movement of the scope on the mount, for instance if there's any chance of the counterweight being obstructed by the tripod legs or anything similar. But anyway knowing now that the latitude problem can be solved feels good. Once again thank you very much, you were very helpful! Great video by the way, easy to follow and very clear!
Thank you so much!!! It is so easy for me to see objects in the sky! God bless you 🙏
Videos like this are just awesome. From a point and shoot start to my astronomy hobby, this video makes me appreciate the functions of my telescope. It makes the hobby so much more fun, when you know you are doing it right.
Thank you for the video.
I can't look for Polaris though, I've had to rely on southern hemisphere videos as well! Thank you again
Thank you very much for this. I'm working on an armature radio telescope and just starting observation with a Newtonian. This is perfect.
I bought my Daughter a Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ 4.5 Equatorial Reflector last year for her birthday, we have never figured out how to use it. I was so overwhelmed. Her birthday is here again and I want to be able to finally use it with her. So far from just this video I have learned that I need to adjust to our latitude, balance right ascension and declination, then align to celestial pole (which this part really intimidates me). So...wish me luck please!Any words you have for me I will fully embrace!
Good luck! To learn how to move it around the sky, look for my "How to use an equatorial mount" video. Then check my weekly ones for objects you can find and observe.
@richiepee - this is one of those things were seeing it in practice is better than even pictures or diagrams. Once people see how to set up an eq mount, it tends to make more sense than reading the often convoluted explanations in manuals. Hope you're able to get it set up correctly now!
Nice clear professional presentation. I'll check your site for drift alignment techniques as I'm just a few degrees off the equator and in the mountains.
So yesterday was the first time I spotted and did an alignment with the north star. I did exactly what you said. Wow, I was so amazed on how it operates .Sadly there was nobody to high five with. But it's ok because I'll be ready when it comes to share with my kids. Thank you
*high five!*
@@Eyesonthesky thank you. I been at the bar celebrating national margarita day and the same time secretly celebrating the the findings of the stars, Location Omaha, Ne
@@DavidRamirez-ck2ph oh, you've got some REALLY good, dark skies not far from you. One of these days I hope.to make it to the Nebraska Star Party.
@@Eyesonthesky you did mention your close to Chicago. Been so long that I been at Chicago planetarium 08 and at the Griffith observatory in 2018. I travel from time to time for my job. Clinton, Illinois to Sidney, NE. I'm have a Meade 4500 Telescope and what crazy I thought I was buying just some telescope from marketplace Facebook, I didn't realize what I was in for. Thinking just aim at the stars. I got into it because I wanted to get my kids involved. So that they could remember as I did with my oldest brother in 85 summer backyard camp fire in California L.A. Stuff like this you dont forget
Very helpful! Thank you!! The instructions the scope came with are worth the paper it's printing on. 7 pages of nothing useful! Thank you so much!
+ToriMichele Morris Glad to help - that's why I made this!
Hi David great instruction on how to align an equatorial mount,I have been wondering how I was going to get setup properly so I only need one hand or motorise my telescope.Thanks.
If you can see it, Sigma Octans, which is a fifth magnitude star. But that's pretty faint. The other thing to do is look for where the Southern Cross points - there are some tutorials online that can help you estimate where the southern celestial pole is. For visual observing, precise polar alignment isn't critical. So if you get your tripod level, the latitude set properly, and are "close" to pointing south, you'll be in good shape. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the tutorial, David. You were more helpful than the manufacturer :)
Shane Molinari you're welcome, and thank you so much for the incredibly kind comment.
I highly dislike the dullness of this video, but it is so helpful, thanks.
Loved the video just the right blend of humour and tuition many thanks
Hi Julius, great question. If you are still north of the equator, you can simply estimate where Polaris is by using the Big Dipper (see my Stargazing Basics 3 video). If you are south of the equator, you will want to align towards the south celestial pole; I've never seen that, so I can't tell you precisely how to get there, but I know it involves estimating the position based on the Southern Cross. Do a search online; there are tutorials on finding that spot. Hope that helps!