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Avalon M-zero LHQ Instruction Manual

Single arm mount
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M-zero LHQ
SINGLE ARM MOUNT
(Made in Italy)
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Version 1.0.1 July 2020
All the pictures and contents here included are property of AVALON INSTRUMENTS. The contents cannot be
reproduced, published, copied or transmitted in any way, including the internet, without the written permission of
AVALON INSTRUMENTS.

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Summary of Contents for Avalon M-zero LHQ

  • Page 1 INSTRUCTION MANUAL Version 1.0.1 July 2020 All the pictures and contents here included are property of AVALON INSTRUMENTS. The contents cannot be reproduced, published, copied or transmitted in any way, including the internet, without the written permission of AVALON INSTRUMENTS.
  • Page 2 SAFETY STANDARDS AND WARNINGS  Read the manual carefully before installing and using the mount.  To make the document easier to read in the field, we recommend that you to copy all documentation files from the supplied USB drive to a smartphone or, even better, to a computer or tablet.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Summary............................ 3 Technical Specifications......................4 Foreword............................ 5 Package Contents........................5 1. Set the M-zero to Local Conditions..................6 Tripod Mounting......................6 Installing the Mount on the Tripod................7 Motor Cable Connections....................7 Altitude Range Setting....................8 Optical Tube Mounting....................11 Choosing the Telescope....................11 2. Telescope Balancing Operations..................16 Declination Axis Balancing..................16 Right Ascension Axis Balancing:................17 3.

  • Page 4: Technical Specifications

    Technical Specifications Type Equatorial Single-Arm mount with Fast-Reverse technology Weight 10,1 kg (22,2 lbs.) Load Capacity For photographic use 8 kg (17.6 lbs.) – For visual use 10 kg (22,05 lbs.) Transmission Four-step reducer via pulley-toothed belt system on ball bearings, with no play in the axis Construction Anodized aluminum, machined...

  • Page 5: Foreword

    This manual describes the mounting, operation and correct setup of the M-zero LHQ, including the proper installation of a suitable optical tube. Please read this manual carefully to guarantee that you can use the M-zero LHQ mount in complete safety and with the maximum satisfaction.
  • Page 6 Packing Content Open the box and take out all the contents. Remove all the components from the small cardboard box and from the mount bag side pocket, and place them on a clean, flat surface. Component List Aluminum tripod with StarGO control box Polar scope with support Motor’s connecting cable Power cable...
  • Page 7 10 kg (22 lb). The following drawing show the M-zero mount dimensional characteristics. Dimensions are in The M-zero LHQ design was developed on the basis of the M-zero standard version, making use of the same technical concepts: •...
  • Page 8 (60.000 miles), assuming a medium regime of 2.000 rpm and thermal stress from 0 to 90°C (30 to 195 F) in a few minutes, we can think that the life cycle of the M-zero LHQ toothed belts will be extremely long! It is important to underline that in the gear-worm systems the motion transmission has only one tangent point of contact, any errors on each of the two components will, sooner or later, result into a tracking errors.
  • Page 9 Another significant advantage of very low frictions is that the risks of motor slipping during GOTO operation is virtually null. On the contrary, it is well known the difficulty to regulate the coupling between gear and worm in the conventional mounts. If the coupling is tight the motors can stuck with consequent loss of the position, if the coupling is too loose the plays increase.
  • Page 10 Altitude Range Setting As previously stated, the M-zero LHQ can be used in a range of latitudes starting from 0° to 70°. The total amplitude of the operating range is about 70°, subdivided into 4 sub-intervals as...
  • Page 11 Fourth interval 55° 70° The steps needed for establishing the correct latitude operating range are as follows: Remove the screws (1) and (2) under the base Remove the screws numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4 from the side plate. Remove the plate to expose the brass plug. All Rights reserved...
  • Page 12 Re-attach the side plate using the four screws 1, 2, 3 and 4, previously removed. Next, replace the two screws previously removed from under the mount NOTE: The Alt/az configuration is not available in the M-zero LHQ mount. All Rights reserved...

  • Page 13: Tripod Mounting

    So the plate must be oriented with the brass plug matching with the north leg. The M-zero LHQ comes with a plate for attaching the mount on the tripod, this plate, for safety shipping security reasons, it comes assembled on the mount base.
  • Page 14 M10 threated holes circled Figure 1 Figure 2 The following are the steps necessary to install the M-zero LHQ mount on a T-Pod tripod: Unscrew the azimuth adjustment knobs a few turns by rotating the azimuth adjustment knobs in opposite directions.

  • Page 15: Motor Cable Connections

    Turn the azimuth regulation knobs until the screws touch the brass contrast plug Tighten the three fixing screws equipped with plastic knobs in the three elongated lateral holes to keep the mount firmly in position. During the azimuth regulation for Note: polar alignment, these three screws must be slightly loosened just enough to allow the...
  • Page 16 2. Pass the two motor cables through the central hole of the mount. 3. Connect the opposite ends of the RJ11 cables in their respective RA and DEC pin on the mount. Because the two cables have different lengths and colors and the two motor receptacles are at different distances, it is not possible to make mistakes.

  • Page 17: Optical Tube Mounting

    Choosing the Telescope The M-zero LHQ is an extremely versatile mount and can carry several varieties of telescopes, it can be set for continuous operation without the need to perform the “meridian flip”. This can be facilitated by the appropriate choice of a telescope.
  • Page 18 A simple optional accessory is required to mount a parallel telescope. In order to install this accessory it is necessary to remove the plastic plug that has the Avalon logo (fig. a). This removal enables the mounting flange (fig. b) to be inserted.
  • Page 19 The following table illustrates the M-zero mount possible configurations (operating mode and telescope type): Telescope type Picture Note This setup allows the use of any telescope type (within the allowable weight limits). Medium length refractors are possible Any type of optical tube because the arm position permits the...
  • Page 20 In this setup a secondary Two parallel tubes: An 8” f/10 SC optical is mounted on weighting about 7 kg and a 70 the optional X-Guider, mm secondary refractor permitting precise weighting about 3 kg. alignment of the two optics. A DSLR camera can be installed on the M-zero mount, allowing it to...

  • Page 21: Telescope Balancing Operations

    This precaution also helps to limit vibrations and to provide immediate response during auto-guided photographic sessions. Declination Axis Balancing With the M-zero LHQ mount it is better to balance the DEC axis first because the RA axis will already be almost balanced. 1. Put the telescope in a horizontal position.

  • Page 22: Right Ascension Axis Balancing

    Right Ascension Axis Balancing: The M-zero LHQ mount has a system of RA axis balancing which is different from that of German Equatorial Mounts but still very simple. The balancing is performed in two phases, approximate and precise. The approximate...
  • Page 23 Precise balancing Assemble the counterweight shaft on the counterweight fixing plate on the bottom of the DEC arm by screwing the small screw in one of the three trheated holes available. There are five available position to fix the counterweight shaft, depending on the setup. It is also possible to assemble two counterweight shafts.
  • Page 24 The precise balancing is carried out by loosening the RA clutch. The equilibrium point is reached by moving the counterweight on the counterweight shaft. It should not require much movement, but longer counterweight shafts and additional counterweights are available in case more weight is needed to achieve proper balance.
  • Page 25 M-zero LHQ Alignment. The mount alignment consists of adjusting the mount’s altitude and latitude such that its declination axis points exactly to the celestial North Pole. To perform such an adjustment, the actions necessary to set the altitude and the latitude of the mount to those of the observation site are described here.

  • Page 26: Azimuth Adjustment

    The following table shows the amount of rotation for precise Alt-Az alignment of the Avalon Linear, M-Uno, M-Zero and M-Zero LHQ mounts. Each full turn of the Altitude and Azimuth knobs moves the mount in the exact amount, shown in arc-minutes, for the particular mounts listed.
  • Page 27 The polarscope comes with the mount already assembled with it’s own adapter. To fix the Polarscope on the mount lateral bracket dowel, place the Polarscope adapter male dovetail on the female dowel dovetail, and tight the fixing knob. All Rights reserved...
  • Page 28 3.2. Polar alignment with the provided Polarscope The M-zero LHQ comes provided with a Celestron Polarscope. The picture below shows the polarscope reticle. For an accurate polar alignment with Avalon Instruments mounts it doesn’t matter for the constellation position. The reference point it will be the small circle that represent the Polaris position or a defined degree in the graduated circle.
  • Page 29 Once the correct position of the small Polaris circle has been established, the following operations should be performed: Once the correct position of the small Polaris circle has been established, the following operations should be performed: 1. Slightly loosen the knob that keeps the mount fixed to the tripod base to allow its Azimuth rotation, while still keeping it safely on the tripod.
  • Page 30 5.3.4 External Programs for Finding Polar Position Many apps exist to determine the position of Polaris compared to the exact position of the celestial North Pole. Only two of these apps are discussed in this section. However the same concepts described here are applicable to all other existing apps. “Polar Scope Align”...
  • Page 31 different brands. This app and others that can be downloaded are able to accurately reproduce the reticle of the M-zero’s polar-scope as well as the reticle of the optional Losmandy polar- scope. The “Polar Finder” app is flexible and able to replicate a variety of the more common reticles suitable for use in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, including the types of reticles available for the M-zero.
  • Page 32 The Avalon Instruments has also developed a special software that, among several others functions, has a tool to perform a precise polar alignment using the “plate solving” algorithm which is shipped together with all other software for the StarGO included in the supplied USB pendrive.
  • Page 33 M-zero LHQ Use for “Time Lapse” Photography The Dual Dec accessory enables the M-zero to mount a small auxiliary telescope or a photographic camera in parallel with the main telescope. This feature makes it more convenient to use the mount for long exposure pictures with the auxiliary telescope serving as a guidescope.
  • Page 34 On the StarGO side: Insert the jack at the other end of the cable into input (2) labeled DSLR on the StarGO panel. Switch on both the camera and the StarGO: The DSLR is now ready to be controlled by the StarGO To upload pictures to the PC it will be necessary to use a USB cable connecting the camera to the...

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