Meade MAX-ACF instruction manual Home Position and Balancing the OTA, To Balance the RA Assembly

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A

HOME POSITION AND BALANCING THE OTA

After power is applied and Autostar has initialized, press MODE to move to the vertical home position (see photo at left).

CAUTION: BEFORE DISASSEMBLING, THE TELE- SCOPE MUST BE

PUT INTO THE HOME POSITION.

Before using the telescope, you will need to balance it in both the RA and Dec axes. Before you balance, attach the eyepiece assembly, the viewfinder and all the acces- sories you will be using with the telescope (cameras,

33guide scopes, etc.). In other words, you need to balance

Bthe unit with all the "weight" that will be attached to it.

TO BALANCE THE RA ASSEMBLY:

First you will balance the RA axis. You will balance it, first, with the telescope positioned at a 45° angle and then at a 90° angle perpendicular to the home position).

Use the scroll keys to position the RA axis at 45° (Photo 33).

Go to the Utilities menu. Scroll down to "Balance

34 Scope." Press the down arrow key to see the two choices available: Balance RA and Balance Dec. With "Balance RA" displayed, press ENTER.

With "Balance RA" displayed, press ENTER (Photo 34). The telescope assembly will move back and forth slightly on the RA axis. It is now determining the torque needed to move on this axis.

A balance readout will be displayed on the handbox. The readout will display fractions close to the number one.

35 For example, ".95" and ".91."

Move the bottom adjustable counterweight one-half to one full turn. You will only need to move the weights in small increments. Then move the other adjustable counterweights to butt up against it (Note: The telescope will continue to move back and forth, while you adjust the counterweights).

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the	23
Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

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Contents MEADE.COM Page Contents Components of MAX Telescope FeaturesPedestal Assembly Pedestal Wedge AssemblyRight Ascension Housing Assembly RA AssemblyDeclination Housing Assembly DEC AssemblyMAX Tripod COUNTER- WeightsCounterweights TripodMaleTHE OTA Optical Tube AssemblyControl Panels and Ports RA Assembly Control Panel Saddle Control PanelLibrary # of Objects Autostar II FeaturesTour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Pedestal Assembly and Adjusting Latitude Position Tripod AssemblyIf you need to set for low range or high range Latitude AdjustmentAssembly Requires TWO People to Lift RA AssemblyDEC Saddle Assembly Attach Counterweight Assembly 21 B Attach Optical Tube to the DEC Saddle Attach LOW Latitude CounterweightsWhen end Align the Viewfinder with the OTA Electrical ConnectionsHome Position and Balancing the OTA To Balance the RA AssemblyBalance the DEC Axis This ProcedureAlign the Viewfinder Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder for the First TimeGetting Started Focusing the Telescope To exit the focus operation at any time To select a previously defined focus presetTo sync on a focus preset Slew SpeedsTo prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment Aligning for the First TimeTest your Collimation How to Drift Align Max Northern HemisphereCollimation OTA align bolt. Misaligned 1, 2, Aligned Follow these steps for collimation of the optical systemParking the Scope Calibrate HomeTo Calculate Sunset time Basic AutostarAutostar II Navigation Exercise Navigating Autostar Example of Locating a menuAutostar IIs Menus To slew the telescope to catalog objects Object MenuUtilities Menu Event MenuGlossary Menu Enter Setup Menu Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Setup Menu Daylight SAVING, above Hot Button Menus To Edit a Site Adding Observing SitesTo Add a Site to the user-defined site list To GO to a user-entered object Creating User ObjectsIdentify Observing SatellitesDisplayed information Example BrowseEasy Polar Alignment Alternate Polar AlignmentsInitialize Autostar Two-Star Polar AlignmentErase Menu Option Periodic Error CorrectionUpdate Menu Option Train Menu OptionMeade Series 4000 Eyepieces Optional AccessoriesRear cells of Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain models Deep Sky Imager Maintenance Telescope Specifications Meade Consumer Solutions Advanced Autostar II System SpecificationsAutostar II Handbox Specifications City Country Latitude Appendix a Latitude ChartLatitude Chart for Major Cities of the World City State/Prov./Country LatitudeAppendix B the Moon To observe the Apollo 15 landing site using the Moon optionTraining IntroductionOperation Off UpdatePermanently Mounted Scopes Other Menus Options Save As and LoadAppendix D How to Read the Latitude Scale Page Meade Limited Warranty