Spent a full weekend trying to get a clear shot of the Orion Nebula

My tracking mount kept messing up the polar alignment, and I had to redo it like five times. Anyone know a good way to check alignment without a clear view of Polaris?

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3 Comments

mitchell.daniel7mo ago

Polar alignment without Polaris is the worst. Drift alignment is a solid method if you have the patience for it. Hope your next attempt goes smoother.

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dianaperry7mo ago

Used to hate drift alignment with a passion, thought it was just busywork for people with too much time. Then I had a string of bad nights where nothing else worked, gave it a real shot, and now it's my go-to method. The patience part is real though, my first few tries were rough. Once you get the hang of it, the results are just so much better.

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claire9586mo ago

Funny how we all start out thinking it's a waste of time, right? @mitchell.daniel is spot on about needing patience, but man, it's worth it once it clicks.

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