[APML] Polar Alignment Utility

[Aplanatic@aol.com]

Dear APML:

I've created a little DOS utility that calculates the location of the polar 
axis based on two images taken with a CCD camera (such as an ST-4 or STV, 
etc.) and a wide angle lens (such as a 35mm camera lens, etc.)  The program 
also tells the user how to move the mount in altitude and azimuth based on 
the CCD image for very quick polar alignment.  The program should be simple 
and straightforward to use.  After a little practice focusing and finding the 
pole with the camera, I can now polar align in a few minutes to one or two 
arcminute precision -- better, on average, than I could do with a polar 
alignment scope or by the drift method.

I created the program a few months ago and several friends (who now swear by 
it) keep bugging me to get it up on a web page.  So, here it is:

http://members.aol.com/aplanatic/align.htm

If you're interested, I'd really like your feedback on both the operation of 
the program and the description on the webpage, which I threw up pretty fast. 
 Also, I'd like to get some information from STV users about settings and 
whether or not the eFinder will work well in this application.  It should, I 
think.  Finally, I'd like to know if it worked for you.

To our southern hemisphere mates: Sorry, the program currently only works in 
the northern hemisphere.  If you have interest, I can modify it to work in 
the lands south of the equator.

Thanks for taking a look,
Dave Rowe

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