"Re: [M]: No periodic error ?" in the Meade Astronomy Archive

Subject: Re: [M]: No periodic error ?
From: Wayne Watson
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Tue May 01 11:20:11 2001

While you're here, how about checking out the Astronomy Book List ?

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Yes, that's quite good. How old is the unit? I have access to one that is about 15 years old (a
12.5") and I do not believe it has PEC training available. It's not completely functional, and was
donated to our local museum.

You are doing quite well if you trained out the PEC. I spent about 1 hour training and updating my
PEC on my LX-200 8" f/10 and could see a slight crawl over 8 minutes. I don't know what it amounted
to in arc seconds. I'm using a 12.5mm Celestron graduated eyepiece. I could see drift from the top
of the 3 in '30' to the top of the 0. That's about one graduated unit on the scale. I'll probably
erase and try again tonight. It seems like near zero should be possible.

Paul Luckas wrote:

> Is there such a thing as no periodic error ? I've just spent that past few evenings engaged in
> accurate polar alignment of my aging Meade Research Series Newtonian. I've cancelled all of the
> declination drift out, and am now trying to ascertain the periodic error of the old RA drive. I've
> been tracking Achernar (yes, I'm in the southern hemisphere) for the past hour, and have not been
> able to see any drift whatsoever in a 9mm illuminated reticle eyepiece. Notwithstanding the
> excellent (if I do say so myself) polar alignment which has accounted for the zero drift in dec.,
> is it possible that Meade manufactured sub-arcsecond accurate RA drives way back in the 70's ? I'm
> impressed to say the least. BTW: I "was" thinking of selling the unit to buy an LX200 -
> (http://web.one.net.au/~paul_luckas), but now I'm having second thoughts ?

--
Wayne T. Watson (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N, 2,701 feet)

He allus said, "Don't take life too serious, it ain't nohow permanent."
- Walt Kelly, Pogo

Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

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Yes, that's quite good. How old is the unit? I have access to one that
is about 15 years old (a 12.5") and I do not believe it has PEC training
available. It's not completely functional, and was donated to our local
museum.
You are doing quite well if you trained out the PEC. I spent about 1
hour training and updating my PEC on my LX-200 8" f/10 and could see a
slight crawl over 8 minutes. I don't know what it amounted to in arc seconds.
I'm using a 12.5mm Celestron graduated eyepiece. I could see drift from
the top of the 3 in '30' to the top of the 0. That's about one graduated
unit on the scale. I'll probably erase and try again tonight. It seems
like near zero should be possible.
Paul Luckas wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE><style></style>
Is
there such a thing as no periodic error ? I've
just spent that past few evenings engaged in accurate polar alignment of
my aging Meade Research Series Newtonian. I've cancelled all of the declination
drift out, and am now trying to ascertain the periodic error of the old
RA drive. I've been tracking Achernar (yes, I'm in the southern hemisphere)
for the past hour, and have not been able to see any drift whatsoever in
a 9mm illuminated reticle eyepiece. Notwithstanding the excellent (if I
do say so myself) polar alignment which has accounted for the zero drift
in dec., is it possible that Meade manufactured sub-arcsecond accurate
RA drives way back in the 70's ? I'm
impressed to say the least. BTW:
I "was" thinking of selling the unit to buy an LX200 - (<a href="http://web.one.net.au/~paul_luckas">http://web.one.net.au/~paul_luckas</a>),
but now I'm having second thoughts ?  </blockquote>

--
            
Wayne T. Watson (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N, 2,701 feet)
        He allus said, "Don't take
life too serious, it ain't nohow permanent."
                              
- Walt Kelly, Pogo
                      
Web Page: <A HREF="http://home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews">http://home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews</A>
  
</body>
</html>

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