EQ Mount - Help?

[The_Bagel_Guy]

Hello,

I've just bought a Sky-Watcher 130 on the EQ2 mount, learnt how to align it etc.

Just afew questions about the declination and ascension.

The ascension spins fairly easily even with the locknut done up and the dial spins with it when I use the slow adjuster.

The declination spins one way (clockwise) then returns on a spring of some sort. It has about 15 degrees of travel each way on the slow adjusters.

Are these things normal?

These may seem dumb questions but Untill a week ago I didn't even know what an EQ mount was.

Also there's some kind of lever, next to and behind the ascencion adjuster (wheel side not cable side) and I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is meant to do?

Thankyou for any help!

[barkis]

Tthe RA circle should be free to rotate in order to let you set it to the RA of a known star when you have located one.

I Think it is stationary as the scope moves in Right Ascension, so you would need to turn it back to the star's RA you have just observed , lock it, then move to the RA of the next object you have chosen to observe.

Having said all this, these circles are not particularly reliable. For one thing, they are too small.

The declination circle is set to your own latitude, and locked in place.

Useful if can set your mount in exactly the same place each time you setup on the North celestial pole, or Polaris, if you intend to observe only. The lever you speak of I believe is for an RA Drive motor, although I'm not certain about that.

Someone with experience of the EQ-2 will give you a better description.

I have to say that the circles on these mounts are a bit too small to be useful to any great degree, and they may lead to frustration in trying to locate objects with them. Don't persevere too long, and let them spoil you observing enjoyment

Good Luck.

Ron.

[brantuk]

I can confirm that Ron - the lever is for an RA motor. You attach a spring to it and it pulls the motor up on to the RA drive cog and locks in place on a cam. You unlock it to allow slewing the RA round to find an object then lock again to track

[barkis]

I can confirm that Ron - the lever is for an RA motor. You attach a spring to it and it pulls the motor up on to the RA drive cog and locks in place on a cam. You unlock it to allow slewing the RA round to find an object then lock again to track

Thank Kim, I wasn't altogether sure I was right.

Cheers mate.