Leveling
Meade ETX Telescope Tripods
for
Polar Alignment and ALT/AZ Alignment with buble levels
Polar alignment
is required for astrophotograhy. Polar alignment requires a
properly leveled tripod. Leveling is the most important and easiest
operation to help your GOTO accuracy. Using the Meade ETX and DS telescopes
in the Alt/Az alignment postion require only leveling the tripod.
You must also level the fork arms of the Meade ETX telescopes in Polar
position for Polar alignment.
Consider that if your tripod is not level, horizontal movement will
NOT be horizontal. It will go up one side and down the other side.
The vertial movement of the Telescope Optical Tube not be plumb.
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While
the built-in bubble level indicates LEVEL, the tripod platform
is actually NOT level
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The bubble in
the right picture may be difficult to see, the bubble is at
the 11 o'clock position with the built in level centered
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should be leveling the platform, not the the built-in bubble
level indicator. |
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Meade
883 deluxe field tripod
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Meade
884 deluxe field tripod
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Level the Telescope
Tube in the Alt/Az home position:
Level your tripod
first and then level your telescope in the Alt/Az home position.
Level the fork
arm in the Polar Home Position for Polar alignment with buble levels:
If the fork arm is not
level, vertical movement will not be plumb and you wonder why you
GOTO is no good. Polar Alignment must begin with the fork arm leveled.
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