Tutorial:
Drift align with help of PHD2

Content:

1. My choice of equipment and software to do drift align
2. How to use PHD2 for drift align, azimuth
3. How to use PHD2 for drift align, altitude
4. Final result
5. Update tips on polar error

1: My choice of equipment and software to do drift align

If you have done a drift align to get your mount polar aligned you know it's very precise but also very time consuming. There are ways to do this very easy and fast but still very precise. You need help by a guide camera and some kind of controlling software. Here is what I have and how I do it.

The hardware you need to do it the same way as I do it. I have a EQ6 Synscan controlled by EQMOD, but I believe most computer controlled goto mount will do. And you also need a guide camera, I have the QHY5 and it's connected to the main telescope through an off-axis adapter.

Here is a list of what software I use and where you can download them, all of them are free.

• http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/en/start(CdC, Cartes du Ceil, star chart, I have the beta version. CdC is not necessary but makes it easier)
• http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/(EQMOD, mount direct control, maybe other software for your mount)
• http://openphdguiding.org/(PHD2, Guide camera control, I have the beta version)
• http://ascom-standards.org/(ASCOM, drivers that connect the programs to each other)

There are other software that can do this too.

I assumes you are already familiar how to use a guide camera that is computer controlled before continue with drift align. And you must know how to setup PHD2 for auto guiding, otherwise it will be too complicated. See the PHD2 manual, PHD2 is under development so function will be added and changed from time to time.

In its simplest form you only need the guide camera and PHD2, but then you loose some functions.