Hi,
I too have a Polemaster, but tonite I tried the new Ekos polar align function.

I am in the southern hemisphere using a wedge mounted CPC1100.

I found the new Ekos polar align function incredibly easy!! I prefer it to the polemaster as I was able to start a fair way off the pole and after a couple of iterations it showed me as spot on. With Polemaster, you have to be very close because of the limited field of view. This can be hard in the southern hemisphere as Octans an be hard to pick out.. With Polemaster I could not start as far off as I was and get to a good alignment. This new Ekos tool is fantastic.

Thanks for the great work Jasem
cheers Gary

Thanks. My bad, I have not read thru all of the documentation. I am new to INDI and I have spent most of my time setting up the INDI Server on my RPI3 along with a required serial port adapter so it can connect to my mount and a 4 port powered hub to connect to my cameras. I just downloaded the latest KSTARS last night to my pc and started using it as my client. I have not been out of the house yet with the equipment but I am excited because I believe I have it all working together now. Polar alignment is my next issue and when I saw the new release I thought this was something really new in EKOS (which it is).

Anyway thanks, I will go back to reading.
Ron

I've read the article Ron has pointed out and from my point of view it does not describe the usual Scheiner method already implemented in EKOS. The central statement is:

The author advocates for taking one image, calculating both azimuth and altitude error and correct them with one reference star. Having such a process in EKOS would speed up the process and being a plus. Unfortunately, I can't use the new polar alignment routine as I can't see Polaris from my terrace where I set up my scope every time I want to be with the stars. This means that every minute counts when setting up.

BTW: Years ago I found a website which makes use of one star in the zenith for polar alignment. Unfortunately, it is in German only, but I provide it for the curious:

www.s-line.de/homepages/schweikert/Align...iner/scheiner_rl.htm

Any more thoughts about this?

Klaus

Klaus,
I may be mistaken but I think the method I referenced actually required two plate solves at the Meridian. One to find what you are looking at and then you move the scope a known amount (by the scope either by drift or moving it) and do another solve. The second solve gives the error between where you should be (if you where polar aligned) and where you actually are. Only then can you apply a correction. Once you have done this in Alt you can then repeat the process for Az by using a star more towards the horizon in the east or the west. So there are still multiple plate solves involved, but it should be less time than the usual drift method that many people use.

If I read it correctly this is the process that is implemented in Ekos in the Alignment module under polar alignment. The newer process involves using Polaris and this is something different from what already exists in the previous Ekos.

Ron

You don't need to be strictly "seeing" Polaris, just in the vicinity of the NCP. I'd be curious to see how well the PAA works in such a situation. It will ask you if you want to move closer to NCP, but you can just reject that and stay as is.

I've used the legacy PA of EKOS successfully, so everything's fine.

For using the new PA, it may be crucial where the vicinity of NCP ends. The northern direction is almost completely blocked so that I can point the scope up to the zenith which means that I can't come closer as 40 deg to the pole (I'm on 50 deg north.) Nevertheless, I'll give it a try when time permits.

Klaus