Alt-Azimuth mount for 10 inch Meade LX200 tube assembly

ozskywatcher (Josie) · #1 22-10-2011, 11:17 AM

Just wondering if anyone has suggestions re. the above question.

I currently have the tube assembly on a Eq 6 mount and I find it very difficult to polar align using the inbuilt polar alignment scope. My neck finds it difficult to cope with the bending required to look through the polar scope.

Given a new neck is out of the question, I am thinking about a new mount. The new Meade LX 80 has caught my eye as it doesnt require polar alignment. BinTel aren't expecting that till the new year however.

Alternatively, maybe someone is aware of an accessory that means I can avoid looking through the polar scope? A camera perhaps?

Regards,

Paul Floyd.
www.nightskyonline.info

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #2 22-10-2011, 11:46 AM

You could mod a toucam for the job as seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L6IvfievRE

dannat (Daniel) · #3 22-10-2011, 12:15 PM

perhaps you could drift align, or get a digital setting circle to get you in the right area

Barrykgerdes · #4 22-10-2011, 12:45 PM

If you are going to use any sort of an equatorial mount you will need to polar align it. However I think the new 80 series mounts have the option of running them in alt/azm mode which will be great for visual work because a two star alignment will be quick and easy. This is not suitable for photography however.

Using the polar scope on an EQ6 is not as simple as it sounds. Locating Sigma Octans is not easy without practice. It is much dimmer than Polaris used in the northern hemisphere. A web cam can be adapted to give an image of what is seen by the polarscope and shown on a PC. however however most web cams are not sensitive enough for real time. This can be overcome by using PHD to control the web cam and give longer exposures. A problem with the EQ series is the red light illumination of the polar scope. It needs to be turned off. How to do this depends on the version of the drive.

I have a design for adapting a Web Cam to a HEQ5 Pro but although it is made I have not had a chance to test it out yet.

Barry

Poita (Peter) · #5 23-10-2011, 02:19 PM

I've been thinking about a camera to use for polar alignment on the EQ6 also, I wonder how sensitive it would need to be?

ozskywatcher (Josie) · #6 23-10-2011, 05:00 PM

I had this pointed out to me off list: http://www.astroshop.com.au/guides/gstar/index.htm

Regards,

Paul Floyd.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poita

I've been thinking about a camera to use for polar alignment on the EQ6 also, I wonder how sensitive it would need to be?