manual / motorised mount...

Hi Dave,
when the wedge is used and polar alignment achieved, will the axis be parallel with the earths axis and no further adjustment required on that axis just to slide the scope along the plain of the object in view just like an equatorial mount. I've never used this type mount so I have to say I'm a little ignorant as to its mechanics of altzimuth mount.


regards,

Eamonn.

Eamonn,
Yea, you can do this once the scope is not powered up. This is a fork system and works in altaz mode normally, you'd need a wedge to make it polar (RA/DEC) , see my avatar pic.
But, like DaveGr said, an eq6 would be a much cheaper and hence a more viable solution to what you're looking for.

Hi Eamonn,
It is a meade mount and it is not compatible with the C11, one thing you need to realise is all fork mounts (meade and celestron) are permanently attached to their telescope tubes and are never meant to be seperated. If you're very mechanically inclined, you can probabily rig a scope OTA to a celestron or meade fork mount but I would very much recommend against this as the tube andfork axis must be perfectly alligned for correct goto and tracking actions.

="eamonn o'brien"]Hi Dave,
when the wedge is used and polar alignment achieved, will the axis be parallel with the earths axis and no further adjustment required on that axis just to slide the scope along the plain of the object in view just like an equatorial mount. I've never used this type mount so I have to say I'm a little ignorant as to its mechanics of altzimuth mount.


regards,

Eamonn.

The axis is parallel with the earths axis as you state, you need move only one axis to follow an object.
If you look at my avatar, the scope is pointing just west of due south at about 45 degrees up from the horison, so the fork arms are pointing at the pole.
Where the fork joins up with the rest of the mount (wedge+tripod), this is where the RA axis is, so one movement is all that is required to follow an abject across the sky.
Take away the wedge and the scope becomes a simple altaz mount, the wedge is just above the tripod and tilts the whole telescope towards the pole.

As for the slow motion controls, if you look at where the tube is attached to the fork, you'll see a silver circle, below that you see a little silver cylinder, thats the DEC slow motion control, the RA control is not easily visible in the mass of the mount, if you want clearer pictures of these , have a look a the meade website
www.meade.com

I hope this isnt too confusing, its hard to describe it when you're not at the scope .

Dave L - I spoke with Celestron recently and I am able to take the C8 OTA off the forks and mount it on a GE mount. But Celestron don't do tube rings...

So the OTA can be seperated from the forks (well, at least the C8 can) but then you'd have an OTA-less fork mount... About as much use as a chocolate teapot.

In fact both Meade and Celstron do offer most of their scopes as OTA's only - you supply your own mount and attachments.

Sorry for being pedantic :oops:

Cheers

Dave McD

DaveMcD,
Thats interesting about Celestron, I didnt think they could be easily taken off.
I know with the meade forks, that if the tube is taken off the forks and then put back on, the allignment of the tube to the fork is critical for goto operations, if done incorreclty you're gotos will never work again!
There are many things on the LX200 that I'd tackle and dismantle, this is not one of them

Did celestron mention how you get it off and back on and get it alligned easily for goto, there is a procedure in the MAPUG archives for meade scopes alright.

So Eamonn, even more confused ?

The C8 OTA is real easy to remove from the forks - and easy enough to put back on. I've not noticed any issues with deteriorating orthogonality when performing this. But then my C8 isn't a GOTO It does however have an RA motor and the scope still tracks as well as ever after removing/replacing the OTA.

Now, I really wouldn't like to try this operation with a GOTO - I'd expect that to be much more complex and potentially ruining...

The process for the C8 is simply to remove the six bolts that hold the scope to the forks. That's it!

But with GOTO's, I'd assume there are issues around electronics, encoders or similar hi tech gadgetry.

Dave McD

Exactly Dave,
I didnt realise it wasnt a goto.