Moving/ Turning a telescope

[Argentum]

This might sound like a dumb question, but once I have my scope on an EQ2 mount set up for example pointing North, if I want to view an object to the east do I just use the RA axis or do I turn the scope via the azimuth axis i.e. the aprt of the mount connected to the tripod? Just getting a tad confused through various posts that once set up all you need to do is just adjust via the RA axis! Or is this only applicable once you have locked onto a target and just want to keep track of it, then you need to turn the scope via the azimuth axis to the new target?

I hope this all makes sense.

[Yidoboy]

As far as I understand it, once your scope is polar aligned then you should should only need to move the RA axis once you have found what you are looking for. To find the object in the first place you need to move both.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong......

To be honest, I never bother aligning mine properly as it is not motor driven and therefore a proper polar alignment is not as important. I do though make sure that the mount is facing North(ish) but never have I aligned it to Polaris yet.

[barkis]

The EQ-2 Polar axis points to the North Pole. ie Polaris.

You then loosen the RA clutch, and slew the telescope to any object you wish to view, be it in the South, East, West, or North.

If you have a drive motor fitted to the RA , then once you have your object centred in an eyepiece, lock the clutch again, and the motor will drive the Scope in RA, and keep the object in the Field of view of your eyepiece. How well it tracks, will depend on how accurately the scope is Polar aligned, and the accuracy of the drive itself.

HTH.

Ron.

[Argentum]

Barkis,

If my mount is pointing North and I move my scope using the RA axis all this does is swing the tube left or right rather than turning it, so how do I view something in the South by only using the RA axis or have I confused this with the DEc axis (although if I turn this round 180 deg the scope will point to the ground?

I am misunderstanding something here (which is most likely!)?

[Merlin66]

For completeness....

The altazimuth adjustments between the "head" of the mount and the "tripod" are only - only - used to align the polar axis (RA) with the celestial pole (aka pole star)

After that ALL movements of the telescope are controlled by the Dec axis - towards the pole -away from the pole and the RA axis - the rotational direction of the stars in the night sky.

When you've found the object you want to observe (using the RA/ Dec movements) then "tracking" in the RA axis should keep the object in the field of view.

[Jiggy 67]

Take a look at this Shows how the mount moves. You use both axis to move, do not move the mount or you will lose polar alignement. Its better to be roughly aligned than not at all. Also you should have balanced the scope and leveled it, by moving the mount you will lose it all

[Argentum]

Just had a quick play with the scope and worked out that I needed to loosen both the RA and DEC axis points to swing it round...wooohooo!

Thanks Jiggy - just worked it out before returning to find your post.

[johntrob]

Thanks Jiggy 67 for the link to AstronomyBoy. Very nice.

John