Star Adventurer Polar Scope Webcam Adapter

thingiverse

A Handyman's Pole Master Alternative: The Star Adventurer Accessory. This Pole Master accessory can be quite pricey, so I opted for a DIY solution using a webcam and adapter. By combining these two, you can achieve the same functionality at a fraction of the cost - just one-fourth the price. I originally created this adaptation to assist with a tutorial on the Star Adventurer. During the day, it works wonderfully for polar scope calibration. With the mount off-center, rotating the device allows you to see the movement of the polar image within the scope. Next, I thought to myself, "Can this setup be used for polar alignment at night?" Using the polar illuminator and manually adjusting my webcam settings to maximum, it worked beautifully. And it works exceptionally well - I can easily and precisely adjust my polar alignment, watching the results on my laptop. Assembly Instructions: - Attach a 10-32 3/4 screw with nut to secure the plate to the adapter. The nut drops inside the hole at the bottom of the adapter, allowing for various positions. The screw passes through the plate and adapter, attaching to the nut. Alternatively, you can use a thumbscrew like in the image; download my Any Screw Thumb Screw from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2551007. - The foam padding and cork on the plate are optional features. - Attach the adapter to the Star Adventurer by bolting it between the mount and dove tail. You might need to hold the dove tail straight or replace the stopper screw in the dove tail with a longer one, as the original screw will no longer reach. - After attaching the adapter to the Star Adventurer, you can glue on the support piece using crazy glue. Apply it tightly to the back of the dove tail. - A sample video demonstrating this setup is available here: https://youtu.be/hYXc_URvSyU. Update: I recently acquired a right-angle eyepiece from Neewer to use with my polar scope. Unfortunately, all right-angle adapters on Thingiverse had one major flaw - the eyepiece would rotate when you rotated the mount. This was unacceptable for me, as I wanted the right angle to remain stationary while using the mount and still be able to use my setting circles. To solve this issue, I designed a right-angle adapter that can attach to this webcam adapter. It works wonderfully and keeps the right angle stationary during mount rotation. To install it, you'll need to tap the hole on the bottom with a 3/8 thread and install a 3/8-1/4 metal thread adapter. **Use at Your Own Risk**: I am not responsible for any damage to personal property that may occur while using this model. **Respect the CC Licence:** These models are not intended for commercial use. Greed is humanity's greatest weakness.