Re: [APML] Polar Alignment Utility

["Richard Kellogg" <rkellog1@twcny.rr.com>]

Dave,

I downloaded it and tried it and it seems to work just fine.  I have a few
questions for you.

1) Your coordinates for Polaris don't seem to be quite the same as what I've
seen.  When I check the Web Mica site
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/WebMICA_2.html there are several choices
of reference frame.  What should one use?

2) Could you give an explanation of what you compute.

3) When I run the program it insists on taking over the graphics.  That is
it won't run in a window.  I realize it is a dos program, and this is a
minor complaint.


Rick






Considering that you are trying for best accuracy

----- Original Message -----
From: <Aplanatic@aol.com>
To: <astro-photo@seds.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 10:10 PM
Subject: [APML] Polar Alignment Utility


> 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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