Larry--

Leveling is good, but not critical. Orienting the control panel North is
important, as that is where the processor thinks it will be, and it is
programmed to try to avoid wrapping the dec cord around the scope. Whether
the tube faces north or not seems to me to be irrelevant in an LX200. When
I am setting up in Alt-Az, I just level the tripod, use the 26mm eyepiece to
eyeball centering two stars which are about 90 degrees from each other, and
both well away from the zenith or the horizon. It works every time.

For just viewing (as opposed to CCD imaging), a casual two star alignment
like I do should always be sufficient.

--Mark

> -----Original Message-----
> Larry Blair
> Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 9:07 AM
> Subject: [M]: 2nd light with 10in lx200 YAHOOOOOO!!!!
>
>
> Wow!! What a telescope. OK now I'll try to hold it down a little. My
> first time Monday night I had to learn a bunch but last night was
> great. 11 Messiers in 10 minutes. Of course with the moon like stadium
> lights and the next door neighbors porch light I could read the manual
> but it was still great. In a couple of weeks I'll get out of town
> where its dark.
>
> I have a question about initial alignment. I think 'The Book' says
> that I should start by placing the control panel on the north side of
> the mount and then level the tube facing north. Then I did a 2 star
> alignment and it tracked really great. The first night I just started
> off by aligning on Vega and Arcturus and it seemed the tracking wasn't
> as acurate. But it was my first night so who knows what I really did
> :)
> Anyway should I start off pointing North and level or does it make any
> difference?
> Larry Blair
> Seattle
> _________________________________________________________ Do You
>

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