Celestron OMNI XLT 102 manual Balancing the Mount in DEC, Adjusting the Mount

Page 16

Balancing the Mount in DEC

The telescope should also be balanced on the declination axis to prevent any sudden motions when the DEC clamp (Fig 2-13) is released. To balance the telescope in DEC (all telescopes except the SCT):

1.Release the R.A. clamp and rotate the telescope so that it is on one side of the mount (i.e., as described in the previous section on balancing the telescope in R.A.).

2.Lock the R.A. clamp to hold the telescope in place.

3.Release the DEC clamp and rotate the telescope until the tube is parallel to the ground (see figure 2-15).

4.Release the tube — GRADUALLY — to see which way it rotates around the declination axis. DO NOT LET

GO OF THE TELESCOPE TUBE COMPLETELY!

5.Loosen the screws that hold the telescope tube inside the mounting rings and slide the telescope either forwards or backwards until it remains stationary when the DEC clamp is released.

6.Tighten the tube ring screws firmly to hold the telescope in place.

Note: The Omni XLT150R is the most difficult to balance depending on the latitude, the accessories used, and which part of the sky the telescope is pointing to. Balance this telescope as best you can.

Figure 2-14

Figure 2-15

 

 

Like the R.A. balance, these are general balance instructions and will reduce undue stress on the mount. When taking astrophotographs, this balance process should be done for the specific area at which the telescope is pointing.

Adjusting the Mount

In order for a motor drive to track accurately, the telescope’s axis of rotation must be parallel to the Earth’s axis of rotation, a process known as polar alignment. Polar alignment is achieved NOT by moving the telescope in R.A. or DEC but by adjusting the mount vertically, which is called altitude, and horizontally, which is called azimuth. This section simply covers the correct movement of the telescope during the polar alignment process. The actual process of polar alignment is making the telescope’s axis of rotation parallel to the Earth’s, is described later in this manual in the section on “Polar Alignment.”

- 16 -

Page 15 Page 17
Image 16
Page 15 Page 17
Contents Omni XLT Series Telescopes Table of Contents Astrophotography Page Omni XLT 102 Refractor Omni XLT 150 Newtonian Omni XLT 127 Schmidt-Cassegrain Setting up the Tripod Attaching the Equatorial Mount Installing the Counterweight Bar Attaching the Center Leg BraceInstalling the Counterweights Attaching the Slow Motion Control Knobs CablesAttaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount Installing the Finderscope Installing the Visual BackInstalling the Star Diagonal Installing the EyepiecesMoving the Telescope Manually Balancing the Mount in R.AAdjusting the Mount Balancing the Mount in DECAdjusting the Mount in Altitude Adjusting the Mount in AzimuthPage Page Focusing Image OrientationAligning the Finderscope Calculating MagnificationDetermining Field of View General Observing HintsCelestial Coordinate System Motion of the Stars Latitude Scale Pointing at PolarisFinding the North Celestial Pole Polar Alignment in the Southern Hemisphere Polar Alignment with the Latitude ScalePointing at Sigma Octantis Finding the South Celestial Pole SCPDeclination Drift Method of Polar Alignment Aligning the R.A. Setting Circle Using the R.A. Vernier Scale 11 Vernier ScaleObserving the Moon Lunar Observing HintsObserving the Planets Planetary Observing HintsObserving the Sun Solar Observing HintsObserving Deep Sky Objects Seeing ConditionsUsing the Lens Cap Aperture Stop with Refractor Telescopes SeeingPiggyback Photography Using Digital Cameras Eyepiece Projection for a Schmidt-Cassegrain FullLong Exposure Prime Focus Photography Planetary and Lunar Photography with Special Imagers CCD Imaging for Deep Sky Objects Terrestrial PhotographyMetering Reducing VibrationCare and Cleaning of the Optics Collimation of RefractorsCollimation of a Schmidt-Cassegrain Two 2 turnsCollimated telescope Should appear Symmetrical with Collimation of a Newtonian Aligning the Secondary MirrorBoth mirrors aligned with your eye looking into the focuser Night Time Star Collimating As a Series 1 # Page Page Appendix a Technical Specifications Appendix B Glossary of Terms Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Celestron Two Year Warranty
Top Page Image Contents