Equatorial mount basic setup questions

[Jaxxxxx]

Hey guys,

My first issue is what to do after Polar alignment. This is my first major problem as a complete novice so I will explain in full as to try and help the poor person who has to answer to see where I am going wrong!!

Polar alignment - What I am doing so far

Firstly I position the mount so 2 legs face North and the other obviously South. I then make sure all the axis are in the start position or in other words the scope lines up with the Polar axis and RA and Dec axis are all straight.

I then align the telescope with Polaris using only the Azimuth circle and the latitude adjustment knob. Once I have Polaris in the center of the view finder and the eyepiece I lock out the latitude lock and the Azimuth lock.

So I am Polar aligned as far as I can tell and this is where my problem begins. I see (example: Jupiter) behind me so I basically need the telescope facing the other way so I spin the scope around on the Azimuth circle and use the RA and Dec axis to spot Jupiter then lock off both axis when the planet is in the center of the view finder and eyepiece.

As the planet moves I start moving the RA slow motion cable to follow the planet yet after a minute or so it has to be re centered with the Dec slow motion and my alignment suddenly feels way off.

Can anyone shed any light on what I might be doing wrong!

Thanks

Btw I am using a Meade 1000/114 Reflector on what I would call a basic EQ mount which has been borrowed from a friend as it was unused! Will be purchasing my own soon so will be looking for alot of advice

[Stephen]

I spin the scope around on the Azimuth circle

Once you are polar aligned, you should never touch the alt/az again - this is where you appear to be going wrong?

Also without correct polar alignment (you haven't said anything about calibrating the polar scope or setting that up first [it rotates!]) objects will move.

(Edit) One further thought, on my mount I need to point the leg with N on it north, and the other two point SW and SE respectively. Are you sure your polar scope is pointing North? (Could well be differences in mount design?)

[hemihaggis]

what kind of mount are you using , does it have a polar scope ?

[Jaxxxxx]

Hey,

(Edit) One further thought, on my mount I need to point the leg with N on it north, and the other two point SW and SE respectively. Are you sure your polar scope is pointing North? (Could well be differences in mount design?)

I have just seen there is a small arrow on the mount between 2 legs that is used to set the Azimuth in degrees so by at 0 degrees 2 legs would be facing north and 1 south

What kind of mount are you using, does it have a polar scope ?

The Telescope was a friends as he was not using it so all I know is its a Meade Jupiter 114 EQ-ASB if that helps! I would say it looks like an EQ1 mount to me and there is no Polar scope on the mount itself, I was using the Viewfinder and eye piece to align.

Cheers

[Bizibilder]

"Spinning it round the azimuth circle" is the problem! Once set up you do not move the azimuth circle. The only movements are with the RA and Dec axiis. It is a little tricky for the beginner to use an EQ mount as it is far from easy to visualise what is going on - so don't worry!

The easiest way to "get" Jupiter is to move the scope in Declination only 90° so it points "across" the mount. Then swing it only in RA until it is pointing roughly in the right direction. If you can't because the scope will hit the mount, swing everything back to the start position, swing the dec axis through 180° - so the scope is across the mount but in the opposite direction from your first try - and try again (horrible to try and write but quite easy to do!!). Then adjust both RA and Dec to get the final fine adjustments.

You can try this indoors! Set the scope up to point (North) at one wall and then practice swinging it round to point at the opposite (south) wall!! You will soon get the hang if it!

[Jaxxxxx]

After some more reading based on your comments I have suddenly realised where I was going wrong! By using the telescope to find Polaris it is certainly not going to work as that would require the scope to be 100% straight/aligned to the polar axis.

So I don't appear to have a hole through my Polar axis or a polar scope, accurate polar alignment is pretty much off the cards if I am not mistaken?

[Stephen]

If it's based on an EQ1, you are only ever going to get "rough" alignment with it.

(Yes, there are some mods you could try and make, but in all honest is it worth it to you?)

You are quite right, you aren't going to align using the scope, it needs to be on the RA axis.

Rough alignment should be good enough enough to keep objects in the view for a good couple of minutes.

As I said previously though, if you are moving the alt or az AFTER aligning, you are stuffing everything up there.

You only move the scope after alignment using the RA and DEC axis

[Jaxxxxx]

Thanks for all the help guys!

On the next clear night I will try again should see much better results now knowing not to move the Azimuth