Help with LX90 alignment problems

[astropolak (Joe)]

Hi
I thought I will add few recommendations here. I had LX90 for 2 years.
It is quite normal for the scope to not show the alignment stars in the viewfinder, this is what I do to fix it:
1. You will find that the position of the scope on first alignment star will be the same each time - if you go through power up again it will point at almost exactly the same part of the sky - take note how much out it is by stretching out your arm and use your hand to see how many degrees you are out.
2. Go to calibrate sensors and when it asks you to centre on Sigma Octanis move your scope (with the hand controller) and try to offset the scope by exactly the offset you recorded in step 1, OK to finish. It will record the offset.

Next time you align it should point more closely to the alignment star - you may repeat steps 1 and 2 to get it to point better if needed.

I find the Magnetic North sensor being affected by steel fences, pipes, reinforcement in concrete, concrete swimming pools etc. This has been mentioned in previous posts..

Good luck
Joe

[lineout]

Originally Posted by astropolak

Hi
I thought I will add few recommendations here. I had LX90 for 2 years.
It is quite normal for the scope to not show the alignment stars in the viewfinder, this is what I do to fix it:
1. You will find that the position of the scope on first alignment star will be the same each time - if you go through power up again it will point at almost exactly the same part of the sky - take note how much out it is by stretching out your arm and use your hand to see how many degrees you are out.
2. Go to calibrate sensors and when it asks you to centre on Sigma Octanis move your scope (with the hand controller) and try to offset the scope by exactly the offset you recorded in step 1, OK to finish. It will record the offset.

Next time you align it should point more closely to the alignment star - you may repeat steps 1 and 2 to get it to point better if needed.

I find the Magnetic North sensor being affected by steel fences, pipes, reinforcement in concrete, concrete swimming pools etc. This has been mentioned in previous posts..

Good luck
Joe

Thanks I might try that and all the other fixes mentioned here. My LNT may be thown off as I'm in a flat and tend to use my scope on the balcony. I'm sure there's heaps of interference around. I should really take it to a dark skie site.

Also I can only see half of the sky form my location so I'm wondering if my GPS is even accurate.

[lineout]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Gday Noel
Re


This trick actually works well with all Meade scopes.
One caveat though.
If you have a scope with RA hardstops, you MUST start from approx home position ( with RA clutch locked ) and let it slew near to the first star,
THEN release the clutches and manually centre.
The scope only knows where it is "relative to the stops", by counting how many encoder ticks it has moved each way,
In DEC this doesnt matter, but in Az/RA, there are some situations where you could choose two ways to get to the align star if fully manual
Pick the wrong way and you may hit the stops later in the night

Andrew

AndrewJ,

So let me make sure I've got hte sequence of events right.

Power up the scope and let it do it's levelling and find north.
Let it slew to where it thinks the first alignment star is
De-clutch and manually centre the first allignment star.
Re-clutch and slew to the second star.

Is that about right. I'm gonna try it tonight.

Cheers