EQ3-2 Azimuth adjustment

[jayjt29]

Hi,

As some may know im new to the world of 'star gazing' a quick question for those with a EQ3-2;

The Azimuth adjustment on the stand only seems to move maybe 5mm left or right is this correct? and only used for fine adjustment. I only ask as i viewed Saturn last night and the mount was at a crazy angle! i cant even describe how it was! The mount was Polar alligned but when viewing saturn it just didnt seem right... should i have moved the mount legs?

Thanks

Jay:)

[JKB]

Hi Jay. You say the mount was polar aligned? How did you do that and how accurately was your mount facing north?

Cheers

[Astro Imp]

Hi Jay,

I'm a bit confused, once you have polar aligned your scope you shouldn't touch the Azimuth adjustment again nor should you move the mount's legs.

To move around the sky you move the RA and Dec axis.

Here's an animated tutorial.

HTH

[jayjt29]

Thanks for the replys,

I guess i went into two questions instead of the initial question i intended! In answer to your question..

Roughly polar aligned (Polaris seen through Polar scope hole) and the mount was facing True North as per the countless instructions i have read and videos viewed on the net.

The main question is how much should the Azimuth adjustment move?

The second question i went into and perhaps should have started a new thread is, when viewing Saturn last night at 21:45 for 20 mins the angle of the scope did not seem right and it was hard to view the object, but looking on Stellarium Saturn was @ 19 deg at this time, i guess thats why it was hard to view and didnt seem right. think ive answered my own question..

Thanks

Jay

[Jiggy 67]

Regarding the mount, my EQ5 is the same, unlike my EQ2 which you can spin in azimuth. You point the mount as close to North as you can and then fine adjust to polat align on the two azimuth cotrol knobs. Might be a good idea to use a compass to get as close to North as possible, my mount has a large N telling you to point that North

[brantuk]

Get two tent pegs, a compass, and a ball of string and set up a line from North to South. Position the tripod with the "N" leg on the line and the two backs legs straddling it at equal distance either side.

Pop on the mount and set the latitude to that of your location. Install the tube (with finder pre aligned). If you're lucky you'll see the pole star somewhere in the finder.

Use the latitude adjustment bolts and azimuth adjustment bolts to get the finder central on the pole star. Then you should see the pole star (using a 20mm to 30mm eyepiece), somehwere in the main tube's fov.

Refine the position to be central in the fov using only the lat/az bolts and adjust the finder if needed to be on it central as well.

The tripod stays in that position for the whole session and you never touch those bolts thereafter.

Move the tube using only the RA and Dec clutches and cable controls. If the ep goes into a wierd postition, loosen the tube rings slightly and twist it round to a comfortable viewing position. Don't forget to re-tighten them.

[jayjt29]

Thanks all

brantuk, the tube rings were the key to last nights weird position of the ep when viewing Saturn! I will remember when viewing objects low to loosen them and move the tube. Sometimes the simplest of things are the answer, thanks again.

Jay

[Parus major]

Just to say, being an idiot at these thing I had a moment of clarity on night after a lucky excellent alignment and painted a line on an east/west axis so I could just set the back legs of the mount back along the same line so making the front leg +/- true north.

I've never had a good astro idea since.