Levelling Dobs

[cyborg421]

Hi all,

I am going to order a 10" Dob with synsync. It may be a stupid question but is it important that the dob is levelled accurately?

Simon

[Revs]

I would think a mini spirit level would do. I know you can get digital ones, but I don't know if they're advantageous . I suspect it's harder to get it pointing north accurately than getting it level.

[brantuk]

Nice scope Cyborg - you can level it with a spirit level but no dob comes without some desirable modification required lol.

Feel free to join the "Dob User" social group (click link in my signature) - in there is a "Dob Mods" thread that I started. You'll get all sorts of ideas and neat solutions to potential mods - maybe eventually you'll add some in yourself

[cyborg421]

I suppose my question is "Is it vital that the scope is leveled?"

Simon

[russ]

It helps if it is levelled as the telescope movements are much better azimuth. I added one of those cheap bubble levels from Ebay to the base of my dob. And at some point want to make a new base with 4 self levelling feet and manual adjustment to alter the level.

http://tiny.cc/i3szy

[perrin6]

Nope - unless you're on the edge of a cliff,

Alan

[Matthew.Blake]

I doubt having it imperfectly levelled matters. It would be no different from not being exactly at the longitude and latitude you told it you were at.

[brantuk]

Whilst not 100% necessary - levelling first will help if you have to set the OTA to horizontal first using the angle guage on the mount. Zero will be near enough zero if the base is allready levelled. Some tracking dobs require this.

If you also need to set the pole star you'll find an electronic angle guage like the "Wixie" and a compass, very useful (also for finding stuff using co-ords).

[spaceboy]

Hi

I have just done a mod on my dob to help level the base. http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-discussion/118335-dobsonian-leveling-sorted.html

Only allows for an 1" or so adjustment but I would choose near level ground to set up on anyway so the 1" should be plenty.

[Rossco72]

For the Synscan it does seem to make a difference. Certainly on the 14" I have not yet had any decent results and "accurate" levelling of the base has been identified as a problem.

I don't yet have a solution to that one!!