Meade Autostar User Manual download pdf (Page 22)

How to Set Up and Level a Tripod

Some tripods have a leg marked “North”. Point this leg to the general direction of north. This is

also the side the telescope tilts if it is used in the Polar position. This leg supports and maintains

the center of gravity of the telescope and tripod assembly.

You only need to adjust two legs to level a tripod

You only need to adjust 2 legs to level the tripod. When all three legs are adjusted, you are

raising or lowering the tripod but not leveling the tripod. It would be easier if you think of leveling

the tripod in terms of front-to-back and left-to-right. If you stand facing north between the east-to-

west legs, the north leg adjusts the front-to-back leveling, the east OR west leg adjusts the left-to-

right leveling. I usually only adjust the north and east legs. The west leg only sets the proper

height and is not used for level adjustment.

Meade 883 deluxe field tripod Meade 884 deluxe field tripod

Note: The side where the bubble stays is the side that should be lowered.

Set up the Latitude of your location on the tripod

Depending on the model of tripod you have, the latitude adjustment on the tripod may be

different. A precision adjustment for latitude is not important. You only need to be somewhat

close. An exact setting of latitude will be done with Polaris and the NCP offset. You will read

details for that later. The latitude scale on the tripod probably does not allow any kind of precision

setting anyway. It will be fine tuned with the telescope attached when you perform the star

alignment. You can just set it to the nearest value of your location. For example, if your latitude

is 36° 16’, you could just set it to a little over 34°.

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Meade Autostar User Manual Page 22