Figure 22. Once the vertical stop is adjusted and set initially, pointing the optical tube vertically is as easy as rotating the tube until the bottom end ring contacts the vertical stop knob, as shown. Make sure the middle of the end ring – not the rounded bottom edge – contacts the vertical stop knob.
it level? If so, thread the jam nut tight against the back of the L-bracket to secure the vertical stop knob in that exact posi- tion. If the top of the optical tube is not level, thread the vertical stop bolt in or out as needed until the top of the tube is level when the end ring comes in contact with the vertical stop knob. Then secure the vertical stop bolt in place with the jam nut.
Once the vertical stop bolt is accurately adjusted, it should not need adjustment again. The base does not need to be level for the IntelliScope system to function properly; the base only needs leveling when initially setting the vertical stop.
Simple Two-Star Alignment
After setting the vertical position of the optical tube, a simple two-star alignment process is all that is needed to ready the IntelliScope system for operation. This is a great simplification from many other computerized systems, which require you to enter data such as your longitude, latitude, and time zone. For the IntelliScope controller to accurately find objects, you only need to center two bright stars in your telescope and indicate to the controller which two stars you have centered. This is quite easy to do. For your convenience, we have provided finder charts for the alignment stars in Appendix D. Use the finder chart to locate and identify two bright stars in your cur- rent night sky. For best results, choose two stars that are at least 60˚ apart from each other. (The width of your fist at arm’s length is about 10˚, so you want the stars to be at least six fist- widths apart.)
So, the optical tube is now in the vertical position and you’ve chosen two bright stars in the sky to use for alignment. The telescope should have a high-power eyepiece, such as the 10mm Sirius Plössl, in the eyepiece holder and the finder scope should be properly aligned with the telescope (these procedures are described elsewhere in this manual). The LCD screen will state on its top line “ALIGN STAR 1,” with the name of a star flashing on the second line.
Figure 23. Place a carpenter’s level on the altazimuth base as shown. Add shims under the three feet as needed so that the base stays level through a 180-degree rotation in azimuth. Once the vertical stop is set, the base does not need to be level to function properly.
Figure 24. Once the base is leveled, point the optical tube up until the mirror cell (bottom end ring) contacts the vertical stop knob. Then place the carpenter’s level across the top of the tube as shown and adjust the vertical stop knob until the tube is level. After each adjustment of the vertical stop knob, make sure to re-establish contact between the telescope end ring and the knob before checking the carpenter’s level.
