Scope on a Slope

[spacedyemeerkat]

My garden slopes slightly.

When using SynScan (Explorer 200P, HEQ5), and the scope is polar aligned, is it more important to have the mount showing the correct latitude (52) or more important to have the spirit level showing the mount as level?

[Sparrow]

Both - the scope needs to be level and adjusted to the correct elevation for your location. Your tripod should allow you to do that on a slope by adjusting the legs.

[Cornelius Varley]

The tripod doesn't need to be perfectly level. All you need to ensure is that the mount is correctly polar aligned. The latitude scale on the side of the mount is not very accurate and should only be used as a rough guide to finding Polaris.

Peter

[spacedyemeerkat]

Thanks, folks.

These responses seem slightly at odds with each other. Am I misunderstanding (again)?

It's a bit of a relief to know the latitude scale is not very accurate, though.

[Cornelius Varley]

It is a myth that you need to level an equatorial mount tripod. The only axis that matters is the RA axis pointing towards the NCP. I level my tripod simply to make finding Polaris a little easier, if you attach the mount to a tripod that is level and pointing north you will find that Polaris will not not be far away. This is the only reason to do it, not because the mount requires it to function correctly.

Peter

[Starlight 1]

It is a myth that you need to level an equatorial mount tripod. The only axis that matters is the RA axis pointing towards the NCP. I level my trpod simply to make finding Polaris a little easier, if you attach the mount to a tripod that is level and pointing north you will find that Polaris will not not be far away. This is the only reason to do it, not because the mount requires it to function correctly.

Peter

Well put Peter spot on post.