EQ Mount Question

[mcut]

I posted a question re RA a while ago and Greg (Phattire) kindly provided a link in response.

However, I did not quite understand the following thing about my EQ-3 mount.

there is one RA "pointer" which is the colour of the mount to point to the RA setting circle. however the dec axis has one pointer in black with silver background on one side and a pointer on the other side that is the same colour as the equatorial mount, a dark grey colour and this one is raised in relief.

when one DEC pointer points to 90 i imagined that as there are 360 degrees in a circle then i thought that when i looked around at the "other dec pointer" it would read exactly 180 degrees and therefore also say 90 degrees .however, when one side points to 90 the other side does not. i am confused. which one am i supposed to use the grey one or one on the silver background.

[daz]

Do you have a picture?

[The Warthog]

I use the silver one. I've noticed that too, and I don't understand it. The silver one appears to be correctly aligned.

[Greg]

The Silver dial with black writing on is for the "Time"...

Ignore it..

Just use the main dial which is black with silver writing on..For finding your celestial objects..

Just remember to polar align and level the mount then use a familiar celestial object to use as a reference point.

Look up the coordinate for that object and adjust your RA dial to match. If you have done a polar alignment then the DEC dial should read the same as your software.

HTH...

Greg