Balancing The Telescope - Levenhuk Skyline PLUS Serie Guia Del Usuario

Balancing the telescope

A telescope should be balanced before each observing session. Balancing reduces stress on the telescope
mount and allows precise slow-motion movements. A balanced telescope is especially crucial when using
the optional clock drive for astrophotography. The telescope should be balanced after all accessories
(eyepiece, camera, etc.) have been attached. Before balancing your telescope, make sure that your
tripod is balanced and on a stable surface. For photography, point the telescope in the direction you
will be taking photos before performing the balancing steps.
R.A. Balancing
• For best results, adjust the altitude of the mount to between 15º and 30º if possible, by using the
altitude adjustment T-bolt. Slowly unlock the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs. Rotate the telescope until
both the optical tube and the counterweight rod are horizontal to the ground, and the telescope
tube is to the side of the mount.
• Tighten the Dec. lock knob.
• Move the counterweights along the counterweight rod until the telescope is balanced and remains
stationary when released.
• Tighten the counterweight screws to secure the counterweights.
Dec. Balancing
All accessories should be attached to the telescope before R.A. balancing, and the R.A. balancing
should be done before proceeding with Dec. balancing. For best results, adjust the altitude of the
mount to between 60° and 75° if possible.
• Release the R.A. lock knob and rotate around the R.A. axis so that the counterweight rod is in a
horizontal position. Tighten the R.A. lock knob.
• Unlock the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope tube until it is parallel to the ground.
• Slowly release the telescope and determine in which direction it rotates. Loosen the tube clamps or ring
clamps and slide the telescope tube forward or backward between the rings until it is balanced.
• Once the telescope no longer rotates from its parallel starting position, retighten the tube clamps
or ring clamps and the Dec. lock knob. Reset the altitude axis to your local latitude.
Operating the mount
The mount has controls for both conventional altitude (up-down) and azimuth (left-right) directions of
motion. These two adjustments are suggested for large direction changes and for terrestrial viewing.
To adjust azimuth, loosen the big knob under the mount base and rotate the mount head about the
azimuth axis. Use the altitude adjustment T-bolts to set the required altitude.
In addition, the equatorial mount has R.A. (hour angle) and Dec. controls for polar-aligned astronomical
observing. Loosen the lock knobs to make large direction changes. Use the slow-motion controls for fine
adjustment after the lock knobs have both been locked. An additional scale is included for the altitude
axis. This allows polar alignment at your local latitude (fig. 10).
Polar adjustment
In order for your telescope to track objects in the sky you have to align your mount. This means tilting
the head over so that it points to the North (or South) celestial pole. For people in the Northern
Hemisphere this is rather easy as the bright star Polaris is very near the North Celestial Pole. For casual
observing, rough polar alignment is adequate. Make sure your equatorial mount is leveled and the
finderscope is aligned with the telescope before beginning.
Look up your latitude on a map, road maps are good for this purpose. Now look at the side of your
mount head, there you will see a scale running from 0 to 90°. Loosen the mount latch slightly rotating
the lock handle counterclockwise. A thumbscrew located underneath the mount head pushes the latch
plate, thus changing the angle. Turn the screw until the pointer on the latitude scale is set at the
latitude of your observation site (fig. 11).
Loosen the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope tube until the pointer on the setting circle reads 90°.
Retighten the Dec. lock knob. Loosen the azimuth lock knob and move the mount so that the R.A.
axis points roughly at Polaris. Use the two azimuth adjustment knobs above the "N" to make fine
adjustments in azimuth if needed. For more accurate alignment, look through the finderscope and
center the Polaris on the crosshairs using the azimuth and latitude adjustment knobs (fig. 12).
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