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M-zero
SINGLE ARM MOUNT
(Made in Italy)
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Version 2.0.4 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 Instruments M-zero
- Page 1 INSTRUCTION MANUAL Version 2.0.4 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 thumbnail drive to a smartphone or, even better, to a computer or tablet.
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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... -
Page 4: Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications Type Equatorial / Alt-azimuth Single-Arm mount with Fast-Reverse technology Weight 5,5 kg (12.1 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 axes Construction Anodized aluminum, machined... -
Page 5: Foreword
This manual describes the mounting, operation and correct setup of the Avalon M-zero single arm mount, including the proper installation of a suitable optical tube. Please read this manual carefully to guarantee that you can use the M-zero 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 Mount Description The M-zero Fast Reverse mount is a portable single arm fork mount devoted to deep-sky imaging in the capacity range up to 10 kg (22 lb). With a total weight of 5.5 kg (12 lb) ot is an ideal companion for travelling astrophotography.
- 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 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 If the coupling is tight the motors can stuck with consequent loss of the position, if the coupling is too loose the plays increase. On the other hands, the absence of significant play in the M-zero makes the initial calibration of guiding CCD quick and easy.
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Page 10: Tripod Mounting
Initial M-zero Setting The M-zero can be operated within a latitude range from about 24° to about 90°. To facilitate packing it is shipped with a latitude setting of 90 degrees. Therefore the first operation to be performed is to set the latitude range and scale for the location where the mount will be used. -
Page 11: Installing The Mount On The Tripod
Adjustment of the tripod height will depend on the type of telescope to be used with the mount. A Newtonian optical tube will require a minimum height because its eyepiece is placed at the distal end of the tube, close to eye height for a person of average stature. -
Page 12: Altitude Range Setting
Polar scope illuminator. Altitude Range Setting As previously stated, the M-zero can be used in an extended range of latitudes from about 24° to 90°. The total amplitude of the operating range is about 66°, subdivided into 4 sub-intervals as follows: First interval 24°... - Page 13 to 15° of elevation, as shown in the following picture: It must be emphasized that the Alt-azimuth Mode of mount operation takes place with the declination axis set in the fully vertical position. All other configurations are used for mount operation in the Equatorial Mode.
- Page 14 3. Rotate the adjustment cylinder (2) around its own axis until its hole is coaxial with the adjustment hole closest to the desired latitude. 4. Insert the screw (1), extracted in step 1, into the desired adjustment hole. If necessary, rotate the cylinder (2) to bring its hole to the right position.
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Page 15: Optical Tube Mounting
“meridian flip”. This can be facilitated by the appropriate choice of a telescope. Another benefit of the M-zero is its ability to mount two parallel telescopes. This feature offers a wide range of advantages, such as simultaneous observation with different filters or auto- guiding. - Page 16 The figures below show the optional kit components described above. Secondary Vixen Saddle kit components Avalon X-Guider kit components The following table illustrates the M-zero mount possible configurations (operating mode and telescope type): All Rights reserved...
- Page 17 Operating Telescope type Picture Note mode This setup allows the use of any telescope type (within the allowable weight limits). Medium length refractors are possible because the arm position permits the Any type of telescope rotation optical tube without obstacles. In this arrangement it could be necessary to perform the meridian...
- Page 18 In this setup the secondary tube is mounted on the optional accessory. It can be Two parallel used for auto-guiding, telescopes are for taking simultaneous illustrated here: pictures with different FOVs or different 106 mm f/5 filters, etc. refractor weighting about The second telescope 9 kg and a 60 constitutes an active...
- Page 19 A DSLR camera can be installed on the M-zero mount, allowing it to perform wide and extra- wide field imaging. It can be mounted as a stand-alone or in parallel with a DSLR Camera telescope. In this case the telescope can be used as a guide-scope for longer exposures.
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Page 20: 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 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 21: Right Ascension Axis Balancing
Right Ascension Axis Balancing: The M-zero 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 balancing, which is performed less frequently, requires some working on the mount and it is better to carry it out at home. - Page 22 This difference proves to be a significant advantage. Due to the M-zero’s toothed belt transmission system, once balanced, it is no longer necessary to change the weight position. This is a valuable feature for long term Astrophotography around the meridian and is essential for the remote use of the mount.
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Page 23: M-Zero Alignment In Equatorial Mode
M-zero Alignment in Equatorial Mode. The mount alignment in equatorial mode 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 24: Azimuth Adjustment
The following table shows the amount of rotation for precise Alt-Az alignment of the Avalon Linear, M-Uno and M-Zero 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 25: 5.3.1 Polar Kit Installation
That is the belt tensioner, that comes already fine adjusted from the factory. Tightening or loosening that nut could affect the tracking. M-zero Polar Alignment 5.3.1 Polar Kit Installation The precise polar alignment of the M- ero mount is performed with the polar scope installed externally on the mount. - Page 26 (a pole, cable tower, antenna, etc.). 5.3.2. Polar alignment with the provided Polarscope The M-zero comes provided with a Celestron Polarscop. The picture below shows the polarscope reticle. For an accurate polar alignment with Avalon Instruments mounts it doesn’t matter for the constellation position.
- Page 27 bring the small circle in that position. With this type of reticle this operation is approximate, but is accurate enough and is satisfactory for most applications. The small circle representing Polaris must be put in the annulus corresponding with that hour, starting with the 0 of the annulus in the upper position.
- Page 28 5.3.3 Polar Alignment with a Losmandy Polarscope. The Losmandy polar scope, which is provided as an option, allows a more precise alignment because it UMi is based upon the positioning of three stars (Polaris, , OV Cep ) in concurrence with the corresponding locations in the scope reticle which looks like the illustration on...
- Page 29 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 30 The following figures illustrate the Android “Polar Finder” app replicating M-zero and Losmandy polar-scope reticles. Polar Finder Preferences Classical Reticle Layout New Reticle Layout Losmandy Reticle Layout All Rights reserved...
- Page 31 This adapter is provided as an optional one among the several accessories for the mount. 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”...
- Page 32 DSLR camera, making that type of photography much easier. This section describes the mounting of the camera on the M-zero and its electrical connection to the StarGo. More detailed information on the use of a DSLR with the StarGO is provided in the StarGo manual.
- Page 33 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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