Meade ETX User Manual download pdf (Page 2)

d. Thread the two provided

l/4-20

threaded attachment

knobs through the mounting slots into the ETX base.

Tighten to a firm feel only. Do

not

overtighten or damage

to the threads may occur.

The ETX Astro Telescope can be used for land or celestial

observing.

To track celestial objects, polar alignment is

required, along with the motor drive system of the ETX. (See

the Motor Drive section of the ETX instruction manual.)

POLAR ALIGNMENT

Polar alignment is the process of lining up the telescope’s polar

axis with the North Celestial Pole (or South Celestial Pole if

observing from the southern hemisphere).

With a polar aligned ETX, tracking celestial objects is possible

simply by turning on the drive motor in the base of the telescope.

The motor counteracts Earth’s rotation, keeping objects in the

field of view. Also, with a polar aligned telescope, the

ETX’s

Dee

and R.A. setting circles may be used to locate faint objects

directly from their catalogued coordinates.

Fig. 3. (left) The ETX Astro Telescope on

Field

Tripod.

ownted

for

land

wewIng.

(right)

The

polar-allgned

ETX, ready for

astronomlcal

wewng.

Polar Alignment Procedures

Make sure the ETX is firmly attached to the tripod, as described

above In this

tnstruction

sheet, with

latitude

lock knob (10) and

the

latitude

lock lever (11) Fig

firmly locked

Step (a) below IS equrvalent to pointing the telescope’s polar

axls due north (or due south for observers in the southern

hemisphere). Step (b) IS equrvalent to

makrng

the telescope’s

latitude angle equal to the latitude angle of your

obset-vmg

location.

On top of one of the tripod legs, locate the letter

“N”

(8)

Fig.

This represents the north leg of the tnpod.

Prck

the entire telescope-and-tripod and onent the tripod

tf@

lea marked

“N”

points due north. For observers

the

southern hemisphere (e.g.,

Australra),

the lea marked

“N”

should

pornt

due south.

Determine the latitude of your observing

locatron

checking a road map, atlas, or refer to pages 12-13 of the

ETX manual. To set the latitude of the tripod to your

obseN!ng location, loosen the latitude lock knob

(lo),

Fig. 1. Turn the fine latitude adjustment knob

(4)

Fig. 1,

clockwise or counterclockwise until the latitude pointer

Indicates the correct latitude on the latitude scale

(3)

Fig. 1.

It may be necessary to loosen the lock nut on the fine

latitude adjustment knob

(4)

Fig. 1, to allow enough

movement of the mount to achieve the latitude of your

location. Once the

desrred

latitude has been set, tighten

the lock nut until it is flush agamst the mount.

Trghten

the

latitude lock knob

(lo),

Fig.

as well.

Note: The fine azimuth adjustment knobs

(9),

Fig.

which

move the telescope horizontally without moving the tripod itself,

may be used to aId

the alignment procedure.

Note:

By following the procedures listed above, the ETX

telescope is polar aligned for most celestial observing

applications. See Figure 3. Approximate polar alignment is

sufficient in the great majority of these applications. Do not

allow a time-consuming effort at precise polar alignment to

interfere wifh your basic enjoyment of the telescope, as such

precise alignment is, in general, not reqtiired.

Using the North Star, Polaris, to find North aids in the polar

alignment procedure. Polaris can be found in relation to the Big

Dipper by projecting a line from the so-called “pointer stars” of

the Big Dipper. For southern hemisphere alignment, locate

south by using the faint star Sigma

Octans

(the South Star)

*...__b

*...“’

Cassiopeia

Fig. 4: Locating Polaris.

Using a Polar Aligned Telescope

Once the telescope is polar aligned, the ETX motor drive will

keep a celestial object in the field of view of the telescope.

To center a celestial object within a polar aligned

telescope, unlock the

Dee

and R.A. lock levers of the

telescope (see the Locating Astronomical Objects section

of the ETX instruction manual). Do not move the tripod or

adjust the latitude angle when centering an object in the

telescope, as this will destroy the polar alignment.

Once a celestial object has been centered in the

telescope, lock the

Dee

and R.A. lock levers.

Locate the On/Off switch on the bottom of the ETX drive

base and turn on the motor drive. The motor drive will

keep the celestial object within the telescope’s field of

view.

Note:

Depending on the accuracy of the alignment

procedure, it may be necessary to use the R.A. and

Dee

Slow Motion Controls to make minor adjustments to keep

the celestial object in the field of view.

The motor drive disengages when the R.A. and

Dee

lock

levers are unlocked and re-engages when the lock levers

are locked, making it possible for the motor drive to remain

on during the entire observing session.

At the end of an observing session, remember to turn off

the motor drive.

Terrestrial Use of the Field Tripod

In land viewing applications, the three legs of the Field Tripod

may be

posrtioned

an arbitrary orientation. The telescope

mounting, however, should be placed in a horizontal positron:

(Fig.

by turning the fine latitude adjustment knob

(4)

Frg.

to read

90”,

unlocking and

re-lockrng

the latitude lock knob‘(lO),

Fig.

1, to accomplish this adjustment. The

ETX’s

motor drive

should be turned off

terrestnal applications.

Use the

telescope’s R.A. and

Dee

slow-motion controls for fine motion in

horizontal and vertical.

If you have any questions regarding the use of the ETX Field

Tripod,

please call Meade Customer Service at

(949)

451-1450.

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