You are missing nothing. The two star alignment computes a latitude for you. In this case it will be close to 90 (north or south). The LX200 will use that to determine refraction effects and to determine above and below the horizon.

A two star alignment in the absence of another piece of information will either do what the LX200 does or will not include refraction or horizon effects.

Ralph





"Michael A. Covington" wrote:

> A couple of messages recently have mentioned a way of making the LX200
> align on 2 stars (other than Polaris) so that it will point accurately
> when on an equatorial mount that is not perfectly polar aligned.
>
> If I understood the idea right, it was this: Choose Unknown Site. Do a
> 2-star altazimuth alignment even though the telescope is on the wedge.
>
> Well... I tried it, and the trouble is, it won't point to negative
> declinations. In altazimuth mode, even "unknown site," the LX200
> assumes the horizon is roughly parallel to its base plate.
>
> Am I missing something? Is there a trick along these lines that
> actually works? It works with the NexStar 5, which actually doesn't ask
> you whether it's in altaz or polar mode -- it just asks you for 2 stars.
> Of course it doesn't try to avoid pointing below the horizon, either.

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