My Explorer 150p random questions thread (come and add yours!)

[turbohobbit]

Hi there

I've just bought a Skywatcher Explorer 150p on an EQ3-2 dual axis motorised mount and I'm just in the process of getting my head round it all. Sadly the skies are far from clear today (and I don't have any D sized batteries for the motor controller) so actual fiddling about will have to wait until later this week. However, as a starter, I was wondering.... The scope has an "N" sticker over the middle of the three tripod legs - which I presume stands for "North" - and is set up with the counterweight rod doming down over that leg, so the telescope tube points up over the "North" leg. This strikes me as logical, since the polarscope also points over the "North" leg, and it means the leg acts as a visual reminder, if you needed one... HOWEVER, I have seen a lot of pictures - including the diagrams on the instruction manual I downloaded from Skywatcher.com - which has the "North" leg actually pointing south (as it were), away from the counterweight rod and the direction of the telescope. I was just wondering if it mattered which way the polarscope holder and telescope should be mounted on the tripod, or is it more personal preference?

Many thanks in advance!

(And be warned, further silly questions are inevitable!)