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Celestial Pole (which is indicated by the cross at the cen-
ter of the reticle). Rotate the reticle so the constellations
depicted match their current orientation in the sky when
viewed with the naked eye. To do this, release the R.A. lock
lever and rotate the main telescope around the R.A. axis
until the reticle is oriented with sky. For larger optical tubes,
you may need to remove the tube from the mount to pre-
vent it from bumping into the mount. Once the reticle is cor-
rectly oriented, use the right ascension lock lever to secure
the mount's position.
5. Now use the azimuth adjustment knobs (Figure 2) and the
latitude adjustment L-bolts (Figure 5) on the mount to posi-
tion the star Polaris inside the tiny circle marked "Polaris"
on the finder's reticle. You must first loosen the knob under-
neath the equatorial mount on the center support shaft to
use the azimuth adjustment knobs. Once Polaris is properly
positioned within the reticle, you are precisely polar aligned.
Retighten the knob underneath the equatorial mount.
From this point on in your observing session, you should not
make any further adjustments in the azimuth or the latitude
of the mount, nor should you move the tripod. Doing so will
undo the polar alignment. The telescope should be moved only
about its right ascension and declination axes.
additional note regarding Focusing the Polar
axis Finder scope
The polar axis finder scope is normally focused by simple rota-
tion of the eyepiece focus ring. However, if after adjusting the
focus ring you find that the image of the reticle is sharp, but
the stars are out of focus, then you must adjust the focus of
the polar axis finder's objective lens. To do this, first remove
the polar axis finder from the mount by unthreading it. Look
through the polar axis finder at a star (at night) or distant object
at least 1/4 mile away (during daylight). Use the eyepiece focus
ring to bring the reticle into sharp focus. Now, loosen the focus
lock ring (Figure 7) and thread the entire objective end of the
finder inward or outward until images appear sharp. Re-tighten
the focus lock ring. Once the polar axis finder's objective lens
is focused, it should not need to be adjusted again.
confused about Pointing the telescope?
Beginners occasionally experience some confusion about how
to point the telescope overhead or in other directions. In Figure
1 the telescope is pointed north as it would be during polar
a.
Figure 9a‑d.
These illustrations show the telescope pointed in the four cardinal directions. (a) north, (b) south, (c) east, (d) west. Note
that the tripod and mount have not been moved; only the telescope has been moved on the its R.A. and Dec. axes.
b.
alignment. The counterweight shaft is oriented downward. But
it will not look like that when the telescope is pointed in other
directions. Let's say you want to view an object that is directly
overhead, at the zenith. How do you do it?
DO NOT make any adjustment to the latitude adjustment L-
bolts. That will spoil the mount's polar alignment. Remember,
once the mount is polar aligned, the telescope should be
moved only on the R.A. and Dec. axes. To point the scope
overhead, first loosen the R.A. lock lever and rotate the tele-
scope on the right ascension axis until the counterweight shaft
is horizontal (parallel to the ground). Then loosen the Dec. lock
lever and rotate the telescope until it is pointing straight over-
head. The counterweight shaft is still horizontal. Then retighten
both lock levers.
What if you need to aim the telescope directly north, but at an
object that is nearer to the horizon than Polaris? You can't do
it with the counterweights down as pictured in Figure 1. Again,
you have to rotate the scope in right ascension so that the
counterweight shaft is positioned horizontally. Then rotate the
scope in declination so it points to where you want it near the
horizon.
To point the telescope directly south, the counterweight shaft
should again be horizontal. Then you simply rotate the scope
on the declination axis until it points in the south direction.
To point the telescope to the east or west, or in other directions,
you rotate the telescope on its right ascension and declina-
tion axes. Depending on the altitude of the object you want to
observe, the counterweight shaft will be oriented somewhere
between vertical and horizontal.
Figure 9 illustrates how the telescope will look when pointed
at the four cardinal directions: north (Figure 9a), south (Figure
9b), east (Figure 9c) and west (Figure 9d).
The key things to remember when pointing the telescope are
that a) you only move it in right ascension and declination, not
in azimuth or latitude (altitude), and b) the counterweight and
shaft will not always appear as it does in Figure 1. In fact it
almost never will!
c.
d.
7
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