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?

3 comments

3 Comments

mitchell.daniel2mo 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.

dianaperry2mo 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.

claire9581mo 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.