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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Polar Alignment - scope moves in wrong direction - toward West vs. toward East

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  • Thank you received: 3
The mount is an HEQ5. Kstars is the latest bleeding version running on a Linux PC. EKOS starts and slews correctly. The mount is roughly aligned and GOTOs are close to the correct target. The starting position is the scope pointing toward the Zenith. The scope is on the West side of the mount and the balance arm is pointing East. Parking is off and tracking is on.
I moved to the Align window and clicked the Polar Align button. The polar alignment window opened. I then set the direction to East and the degrees to 30. I then clicked 'start'. The tool started through the process, it captured the first images and the progress markers indicated correct progress. When it got to the point of slewing to the second image location the mount rotated 'West'. It proceed a short distance and then stopeed. All Progress stopped.
I cannot find an Align setup configuration that would be differenct from the general mount configuration. I am stumped as to why the slew would be toward the West. I believe the process may have stopped because the scope reached the maximum allowed angle prior to requiring a median flip.
11 months 1 week ago #92073

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Mount control panel --> Reverse W/E ?

Though it's odd this is happening to HEQ5 which is supposed to work flawlessly out of the box. I'll try to test with EQ8 just in case a bug was inadvertently introduced recently.
11 months 1 week ago #92081

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Hi

I will be able to test it too tonight, the weather seems finally clear to image.
11 months 1 week ago #92089

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Is this a good idea to point the scope toward Zenith for Polar Alignment?
-- Max S
ZWO AM5. RST-135. AZ-GTI. HEQ5. iOptron SkyTracker.
TPO RC6. FRA400. Rokinon 135 and other lenses.
ZWO ASI2600MC. D5500 modified with UVIR clip-in filter.
ZWO ASI120MM Mini x 2. ZWO 30F4 guider. Orion 50mm guider.
ZWO EAF x 2.
11 months 1 week ago #92090

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Thank you. We are not supposed to have good weather for at least several days so there will be a delay intesting. Can someone list the configuration parameters that could effect this? Is there a parameter in align that could possibly effect this?
11 months 1 week ago #92096

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I had a similar issue where west/east was mixed up. For me at least, I think it turned out that although I had setup my celestron CGX via the handcontrol including polar alignment, when connecting kstars my gps via gpsd was sending a bad (not yet locked on) position to kstars. I had it configured to override the mount. So the mount had an alignment, but now it was just on the wrong side of the earth more of less. For me letting the mount establish the location info helped.
11 months 1 week ago #92102

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I am currently starting my session and testing your issue with my HEQ5 pro. So I slewed to the zenith as you, on a target east to meridian (scope on west side targeting eastern hemisphere), set the PA towards East. And I have no issue with the polar alignment procedure with 30° step.

here are the 3 solved coordinates taken during the PA.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Dan Sawyer
11 months 1 week ago #92113
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Thank you. This will be very helpful. I discovered my UTC offset was off by an hour. I don't have visibility into the slew algorithm used by PA. I am hoping it was caused by the UTC being incorrect. We have rain for the next 8 days so it will be a while before I can retest. Thank you again. I will let you know when I try again.
11 months 1 week ago #92115

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