Operating Instructions
Omegon® MiniTrack pole finder
English version 04/2021/1.0
The complete or par tial reproduction of the c ontent of this doc ument for anything other than pers onal use is expressly pr ohibited.
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Subject to changes and errors. All text, images and diagrams are the property of nimax GmbH.
Omegon® MiniTrack
1. Eyepiece with adjustable
viewfinder unit
2. Three adjusting screws at 120
degree intervals
3. Polarscope
4. Pole finder lens
Thank you for choosing the MiniTrack pole finder. Using this product, you can quickly and easily align
your MiniTrack mount with the north celestial pole - the foundations for successful
astrophotography.
1. Getting to know your pole finder
Figure 1: Polarscope
2. Mounting
2.1 Mount the separate pole finder bracket #61415 to the MiniTrack. Video
instructions for this can be found here: https://youtu.be/DbfIXXauxh4
2.2 Place the pole finder in the bracket and check that it is securely held.
3. Aligning the pole finder on the mount
You can complete the next steps during the day once you have installed the pole finder on the
MiniTrack.
3.1 Place the MiniTrack on your tripod and point the mounted polarscope towards a distant object,
such as a church tower, chimney or pylon.
3.2 Look through the pole finder optics and adjust the viewfinder until the object is in focus.
3.3 Centre the object in the middle of the pole finder and turn the pole finder 180 degrees in its
bracket.
3.4 Observe how far the object has moved from the crosshair. This drift occurs because the pole
finder is not yet exactly aligned with the MiniTrack’s rotational axis.
3.5 Use the hex key and move the object half way towards the middle of the crosshair using the
three adjusting screws.
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The complete or par tial reproduction of the c ontent of this doc ument for anything other than pers onal use is expressly pr ohibited.
Subject to changes and errors. All text, images and diagrams are the property of nimax GmbH.
3.6 Centre the object in the middle of the crosshair by moving the tripod and turn the pole finder
Note: There are different methods for aligning the mount with the pole. We are describing the
method which uses the images on the reticule.
4.2 Find the images of the constellations Cassiopeia
and the Plough in the pole finder, if you are in the
Northern hemisphere, the Southern Cross and
Achernar for the Southern hemisphere.
4.3. Using the naked eye, pinpoint the same
constellations and memorise their current positions.
Note: As you are looking through a miniature telescope, you are not seeing the real
constellations in the sky, but only their images on the transparent reticule plate and a restricted
visual field around the polar region. You, therefore, need to compare the actual view of the
constellations with the pole finder's position.
Figure 3: Aligning the MiniTrack with the Pole
Note: An equatorial mount can also be aligned using
a smartphone pole finder app. A selection of apps
can be found in the Play Store or App Store.
180 degrees. Has the object moved from the centre again? If so, repeat steps 3.5 and 3.6 until the
object no longer drifts from the centre.
4. Aligning the mount with the north celestial pole
4.1 Orient the mount towards the North until you see the Pole Star in the pole finder. Adjust the
focus using the viewfinder if necessary.
Figure 2: Reticule plate with images
4.4 Look through the polarscope and rotate it until the positions of the images in the pole finder
correspond with the current position of the constellations.
4.5 Adjust your tripod's azimuthal and vertical axes
until the Pole Star is located within the circle at the
centre of the crosshair. Your mount is now aligned with
the northern celestial pole. In the Southern
hemisphere, Sigma and Chi Octantis should be aligned
with their images.
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The complete or par tial reproduction of the c ontent of this doc ument for anything other than pers onal use is expressly pr ohibited.
Subject to changes and errors. All text, images and diagrams are the property of nimax GmbH.
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