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Subject: Re: [M]: Daylight alignment of LX200...how?
From: Bill Arnett
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Thu Jan 30 01:18:15 1997

At 4:14 PM -0800 1/29/97, James W. Burrows wrote:
>On Wed, 29 Jan 1997, Brett Wayne wrote:
>
>> The question is, how can I restore the alignment after shutting it down,
>> or alternatively, re-establish the alignment after the sun comes up?
>
>I haven't tried daytime observing yet, but here's some thoughts after a
>lot of experimenting with altaz alignments...

Jim's procedure seems a bit more complicated than necessary. There are two
easy ways to observe in the daytime with an LX200.

In both cases, mount the scope and level the OTA with a bubble level (don't
bother with the tripod, it needs only to be level enough that the OTA
doesn't fall off before you tighten the bolt). You do this by adjusting
the tripod legs and the Dec axis simultaneously. This is really easy if
your Dec circle is more or less right. If its not then just iterate a few
times.

Then if you can see the Moon or Venus or any other celestial object (other
than the Sun) then simply power up the scope, sync on the object, slew to
an alignment star, center it and sync on it, and then do a 1-star alignment
using that star. Then do a 2-star alignment using the same star and any
other convenient one (which you can get to by hitting GOTO in the middle of
the 2-star alignment sequence (x.34 ROMs only)). Use a reticle eyepiece
and take your time to center the stars carefully.

If you cannot see any celestial objects then you must find a point on the
horizon with a known azimuth. The easiest thing is to remember the
landmarks due south of you. After leveling the OTA and pointing it south
power up and GOTO the brightest object that's up at that time. If your
azimuth was good you should be able to easily find any 1st mag star. You
may have to search a bit; if so remember that your altitude is more
accurate than your azimuth so search accordingly. Once you find your first
star use the procedure in the previous paragraph.

---
Bill Arnett              billa@znet.com           http://www.seds.org/billa/

  "I know that I am mortal and the creature of a day; but when I search
   out the massed wheeling circles of the stars, my feet no longer touch
   the earth, but, side by side with Zeus himself, I take my fill of
   ambrosia, the food of the gods." -- Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy)