Orion #5682 instruction manual Using the VersaGo Mount

ly, and moving the dovetail bar slightly forward or back in the dovetail holder. If you are using tube rings, you can move the telescope tube forward or back in the tube rings. When the telescope doesn’t move up-and-down by itself when the arm’s tensioning knob is not very tight, you have achieved good bal- ance (Figure 15a-c).

4. Using the VersaGo Mount

The VersaGo mounts allows motion of the telescope in two axes: altitude (up-and-down) and azimuth (left-to-right). Hence, the VersaGo is an “altazimuth” mount (Figure 16). Simply move the telescope up-or-down and left-to-right.The handle provides a convenient way to position the mount’s axes.

a.

Altitude

Azimuth

b.

c.

Figures 15a-c:The telescope is not balanced because it is front-heavy. (b.) The telescope is too back-heavy. (c.) The telescope is properly balanced on the altitude axis.

If you are using the 1/4"-20 dovetail adapter and the finder scope and/or eyepiece is positioned awkwardly, you may want to consider purchasing the 1⁄4"-20 dovetail L-adapter.

For best up-and-down motion, the telescope should be bal- anced front-to-back when positioned horizontally. You can balance the telescope by loosening the thumb screws slight-

Figures 16. The VersaGo is an “altazimuth” mount because it can move in altitude (up-and-down) and azimuth (left-to-right).

If the motion of one or both of the axes is too loose or too tight, you can adjust the bearing tensioning by tightening or loosening the knobs. You should be able to adjust these knobs so even the smallest motions of the mount are very smooth. If the motion on the altitude axis is not smooth no matter how the altitude tensioning knob is adjusted, then you will need to better balance the telescope front-to-back.

Unlike many altazimuth mounts, the VersaGo can be used to point a telescope at zenith (straight up). This makes it espe- cially well suited for astronomical observing.

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