Universal Polar Alignment System

The Universal Polar Alignment System is a motorized base for the fine manual or computer driven Polar Alignment.

Compatible with any kind of mount

The Universal Polar Alignment System is compatible with any kind of mount with payload capability till to 40/50 Kg.

Avalon Instruments desgined a quick connecting adapter for the mount assembling.

The Universal Polar Alignment System allows to perform fine movements for the Polar Alignment manually or through a dedicated software available for Windows and Linux environments.

Manual Movements

The Manual movements are performed by rotating the knobs directly engaged on the stepper motors, allowing with with a

light rotation of the knobs accurate, fine, smooth rotation of the polar ALT and AZ axis without affecting the mount positioning.

Software GUI Movements

The Software movements are performed through a software that comes provided with the accessory. The suftware is available for both Windows and Linux environments.

The Polar Alignment dedicated software allows to remotely move the Polar Axis with the GUI shown below. This feature used in combination with Software/Tools as, for example, Ekos Kstars Polar Alignment, allow to easily perform in a quick and accurate way a precise Polar Alignment. More information about the use of EKOS with Avalon Motorized Polar Alignment System are available on this article.

The movement range is + / – 5 degrees on the ALT / AZ axis.

The connection from the Universal Polar Alignment System and the PC is established through a USB cable, the item require to be powered with a 12V Power Supply that comes provided with the package.

The software allows to perform different movement steps. A set of presetted buttons allow movements from the finest 0,1 to 10 steps expressed in ArcMin.

The user can also type a customized value in the empty field next to the GoTo button

Below is possible to see the presetted buttons available in the Polar Alignment GUI:

• +1 = Move the motors of +1 ArcMin unit in the selected direction

• +3 = Move the motors of +3 ArcMin unit in the selected direction

• +10 = Move the motors of +10 ArcMin unit in the selected direction

• -1 = Move the motors of -1 ArcMin unit in the selected direction

• -3 = Move the motors of -3 ArcMin unit in the selected direction

• -10 = Move the motors of -10 ArcMin unit in the selected direction

• GOTO = Perform a GoTo in the selected direction, of the amount of value typed in the typing field below, in ArcMin unit.

Automated Polar Alignment feature with the N.I.N.A Three Point Polar Alignment Plugin

Thanks to the N.I.N.A. Three Point Polar Alignment Plugin is possible to perform a Totally Automated Polar Alignment in few clicks.