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South facing first time set up

Luna Unicorn

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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How to get round the problem - how to perform the dreaded meridian flip!! 'Tis dead easy!

Firstly get your mount back to the "home" position - do the dec axis first then the polar axis. Lock both axis.

Undo the dec axis and swing the scope through 90° (either way - it doesn't matter). Lock the axis.

Undo the PA and swing round so you are looking South. Then move the scope east/west, on one side the scope will end up trying to look below the horizon (nothing you can do about that!) and on the other the scope will hit the mount - a bit of a pain as you can go no further but you need to to track an object. So: swing the scope around until it points east/west again (the tube will be horizontal and facing east or west) . Lock the PA.

Now the incredibly difficult bit ( :p ) undo the Dec axis lock and rotate the scope 180° (ie turn it end for end). Lock the Dec axis. Done...Phew!!

If you now undo the PA and rotate the scope to face south again it will be on the opposite side of the mount and you will be able to continue tracking your chosen object (or ultimately point the scope at the opposite horizon).

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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Knobby - I don't have a synscan so I can't answer. If the software is any good it knows where it is pointing and therefore should know where the mount is! May be worth a seperate post out on the forum as someone will know. I use EQMOD with my HEQ5 and that software certainly does know where the mount is (as well as the observatory walls and a couple of trees that are in the way!!!).

Cosmo - thanks for the pic with the other lever showing!

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knobby

knobby

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Knobby - I don't have a synscan so I can't answer. If the software is any good it knows where it is pointing and therefore should know where the mount is! May be worth a seperate post out on the forum as someone will know. I use EQMOD with my HEQ5 and that software certainly does know where the mount is (as well as the observatory walls and a couple of trees that are in the way!!!).

Cosmo - thanks for the pic with the other lever showing!

Cheers

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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Next bit: All the above was oversimplified so that you got used to moving your scope about. Not to worry there is only one restriction that you have to worry about!.

The earth (luckily for us :grin: ) only spins in one direction so the stars (and planets, Sun , Moon etc) always rise in the East and set in the West.

So find youself an object (cushion, cuddly toy etc) and put it against the wall on the East side of your scope (assuming you are still indoors). That will be your starting point. Your "star" will rise at that point - move up and round to the south - and then slowly sink into the West where it will set. Your task is to follow it.

You know enough to point your scope at the object you have placed to the East of your scope - so do that. Now, with the PA lever released start to "track" until your scope points south. Then do a "flip" so your scope switches sides of the mount. Continue to track youe "imaginary" star until it "sets" in the West.

(Just had an idea - if you have any post-it's - stick a few of them on the walls as you track round! It will help you visualise what you are doing. :cool: .

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Luna Unicorn

Luna Unicorn

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Awsome!!!! Just checking. My scope is facing south. The counterweight is on the right/ West. The Scope is facing upweards with the back facing downwards. The actual eey piece is more at the botton. Do i swivil the whole tube so its facing more up?

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knobby

knobby

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Awsome!!!! Just checking. My scope is facing south. The counterweight is on the right/ West. The Scope is facing upweards with the back facing downwards. The actual eey piece is more at the botton. Do i swivil the whole tube so its facing more up?

yep, loosen the mounting rings just enough to allow it to rotate ... best done when the tube is level so it won't slide up or down.

Be careful :grin:

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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Oops! Sorry I forgot to mention rotating the tube in its rings to get the eyepiece in a position that you can actually reach :eek: Thanks Knobby.

Tip - use a marker pen or masking tape round the tube so that if it slips in the rings you can easily put it back in the correct "balanced" position easily - especially in the dark. Some folk put an embroidery hoop round the scope for this purpose!

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Bizibilder

Bizibilder

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When I was 16 (too long ago!) I was doing exactly this in my parents back garden with my first scope when two burly coppers crept up to see what I was up to! Scared me half to death!! A neighbour had reported strange lights in the garden and was doing their duty as a good citizen! The police got a swift tour of the Moon and went away happy.

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Luna Unicorn

Luna Unicorn

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Its So simple! yet the manual makes it ridiculous!

That video made me realise how easy it is to move the scope around and not be afraid of moving it too much.

I'll have a little practice putting it back into home north and south so that by the time i get to go outside im sorted!

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knobby

knobby

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Luna, another tip I've read on here somewhere is to put some kind of ring or mark next to the tube rings, that way if the tube moves up or down when you rotate it to move the eyepiece you wont need to balance it again, just slide it up to the ring/mark !

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Luna Unicorn

Luna Unicorn

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Hi Roger just to doubel check:

This is to move from North Home to south?:

So you want to look south? Here's how to do it:

Undo the Dec axis lever (quicker to type Dec than Declination - and PA is the Polar axis) and turn the scope through 90°. The tube will be horizontal and pointing either east or west - it all depends on which way you chose to rotate it. It doesn't matter which way!. Lock the Dec axis lever.

Unlock the PA lever. Rotate the scope in the direction that makes the eyepiece end point upwards and towards the South - if you go the wrong way the scope will point towards the ground! lock the PA lever. You are now pointing South.

and when you need to carry on tracking an object iwhile pointing south you do a meridian flip following these instructions?:

How to get round the problem - how to perform the dreaded meridian flip!! 'Tis dead easy!

Firstly get your mount back to the "home" position - do the dec axis first then the polar axis. Lock both axis.

Undo the dec axis and swing the scope through 90° (either way - it doesn't matter). Lock the axis.

Undo the PA and swing round so you are looking South. Then move the scope east/west, on one side the scope will end up trying to look below the horizon (nothing you can do about that!) and on the other the scope will hit the mount - a bit of a pain as you can go no further but you need to to track an object. So: swing the scope around until it points east/west again (the tube will be horizontal and facing east or west) . Lock the PA.

Now the incredibly difficult bit ( :p ) undo the Dec axis lock and rotate the scope 180° (ie turn it end for end). Lock the Dec axis. Done...Phew!!

If you now undo the PA and rotate the scope to face south again it will be on the opposite side of the mount and you will be able to continue tracking your chosen object (or ultimately point the scope at the opposite horizon).

Can you just clarify that when you say get your scope back to the home position you mean back to north?

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