Simcoe Skies Astronomy
LXD-55 SN One-Star Alignment Tutorial

  1. Rough align your north tripod leg (with the star on it) to true north (depending where you are, this isn't compass north, it's 10-12 degrees WEST of north).

  2. Unlock your DEC lock and rotate your OTA about the DEC axis until it's level with the horizon.

  3. Polar align with the polar finder scope. Don't waste your time putting polaris in the little circle, since this only works if you're setting your RA setting circles according to your time and date (and it's probably off anyway). Just put it in the center of the cross-hairs. You have to use the RA/DEC adjustment knobs on the mount to do this, obviously.

  4. Unlock your DEC and RA locks again. Move your OTA to the "polar home" position - counterweight bar is exactly parallel vertically with the "north leg" when looking at it from the front (north side), and DEC axis is "level" (you can tell this when you unlock the RA lock, and rotate the OTA, stuff in the center of the eyepiece should STAY there and everything else rotates around it) Use a 26mm or lower power eyepiece to see this effect.

  5. Now do the one-star alignment. You'll be prompted to make sure the scope's in the "German North" position. If you've done #4 above, it already is - so press ENTER. The scope will slew to polaris, and ask you to press enter once it's centered in the eyepiece. If it's NOT centered, then you adjust the ALT adjustment T-screws and the AZIMUTH adjustment knobs to get it there. LEAVE YOUR DEC and RA locks LOCKED and don't touch the Autostar's slew control buttons!!

    I find it easiest to put the star out of focus so I get a nice disk that's MUCH easier to visually center in the eyepiece.

    Also, many times it's easier to reach ONE of the AZ adjust knobs, the one closest to you, (it's hard to reach across the front of the mount) so LOOSEN the close one, and tighten the far one. Then re-loosen the far one. NOW you can slowly tighten the one close to you WHILE you're looking through the eyepiece, until Polaris is in the center on that axis. Once it's there, "snug up" both knobs to keep it there. Same goes for the ALT adjustment t-screws - it's generally easier to loosen the NORTH SIDE t-screw, tighten the SOUTH side one beyond where you want it (raising the scope), then slowly loosen it back off until Polaris is centered on that axis while you're looking through the eyepiece. Then snug them both up. KEY NOTE: make sure you've lubricated both sets of adjustment knobs with a good quality grease, or you'll quickly strip your mount's hole threads under load!

    Press when Polaris is centered in the eyepiece.

  6. The mount will slew to another star. THIS time you use the handbox to center the star in the eyepiece, and then press ENTER.

    "Alignment Successful" means you're done.

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