A thought on those EQ6 alt adjusters for northeners.

[ollypenrice]

Just an idle thought, here, and the problem doesn't affect me at Lat 44 and with fixed setups, but...

The Avalon mount only has a one directional spirit level orientated across the mount, ie East-West. While mounts do not, in fact, need to be level at all to be polar aligned the SW polarscope does need the mount level for the reticle to be accurate. But it only needs to be level in the E-W orientation. How you tip the mount to your latitude's angle doesn't matter a fig, so why not do some of it with the N tripod leg, making the dodgy bolts work at a less unfavourable angle? Northerly Tak mount owners have to do this because the mount has limited northerly adjustment.

Probably some folks will do this already but I just noticed another thread grumbling about the problem.

The circular bubble levels are presumably a legacy from Alt Az goto mounts.

Olly

[Scott]

this is probably spot on. The only reason (well two really) I level my mount is so the up/down right/left adjustments I make when polar aligning are in fact up/down right/left.

the second reason is my ocd  I don't just need things to work right, they must look neat as well

[m.tweedy]

That problem no longer affects me. Courtesy of the NEQ6 pro wedge  

[laser_jock99]

I have been known to use the leg's adjustment to achieve PA........proof (if any were needed) that the mount head does not need to be level.

[wuthton]

the second reason is my ocd I don't just need things to work right, they must look neat as well

Me too, not level.... tilted backwards.... The corner of my eye is twitching at just the thought of it.

[ollypenrice]

Me too, not level.... tilted backwards.... The corner of my eye is twitching at just the thought of it.

Think factually, guys. Does the universe care where your tripod is pointing? Do you sit in the middle of your car when you are driving? Do you have both a knife and a fork in both hands when you eat? Relax, assymetry cannot harm you! (I can feel a book coming on...)

lly

[Scott]

Think factually, guys. Does the universe care where your tripod is pointing? Do you sit in the middle of your car when you are driving? Do you have both a knife and a fork in both hands when you eat? Relax, assymetry cannot harm you! (I can feel a book coming on...)

lly

But symetry makes the round world go . 

Seriously though, I know it doesn't make a jot of difference once pa is done but lets take it to the extreme and say your east west axis is on a 45 degree angle. to move polaris horisontally in your reticule, you need to move both alt and az. ok, no great shakes, but why make it harder than need be?

[ollypenrice]

But symetry makes the round world go . 

Seriously though, I know it doesn't make a jot of difference once pa is done but lets take it to the extreme and say your east west axis is on a 45 degree angle. to move polaris horisontally in your reticule, you need to move both alt and az. ok, no great shakes, but why make it harder than need be?

Hmmm, but within reason will lopping 5 or 10 degrees off the altitude adjuster make any real difference? 

Olly

[Mr Spock]

I stick mine on the patio, point it in approximately the right direction, switch it on and go...

[Scott]

Hmmm, but within reason will lopping 5 or 10 degrees off the altitude adjuster make any real difference? 

Olly

only to my builders eye. I've spent 35 yrs getting things level and plumb at work, couldn't stop now if I wanted to.

No, of course it won't and it's something people at higher latitudes should definately be doing if it's going to make their mount work better.

[Ibbo!]

just stick a brick under the North leg

Tak mount owner that does not have adjustable legs

[ollypenrice]

just stick a brick under the North leg

Tak mount owner that does not have adjustable legs

Quite so, though Tak wisely put the bubble level on the RA housing and give the owner a time offset. Everyone should do this, it's brilliant.

Olly

[Ibbo!]

Quite so, though Tak wisely put the bubble level on the RA housing and give the owner a time offset. Everyone should do this, it's brilliant.

Olly

it is indeed Olly

[Dave_D]

That's exactly how i do my PA now Ollie. I took the rather coarse bolt from my pillar leg and swapped it with one of the alt bolts and locked the mount. I now use the pillar leg for alt adjustment and can get good accuracy because of the pivot effect between the three pillar feet.

been getting phd graphs like this since i started doing PA this way

[Thalestris24]

Hi

Funnily enough I posted about the possibility of raising the north tripod leg back in January though didn't get much response about doing that. Seemed a reasonable thing to do....

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/206139-heq5-question/

I actually have a pedestal now

Louise