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Subject: Re: [M]: 10" LX50 Tripods, and Tracking
From: chilitom@sprynet.com
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Wed Dec 24 07:44:04 1997

Dr. David W. Bonnell wrote:

>I routinely get 100% alignment on my Magellen II. However, (and this is a
>subject I'd like to treat in more detail later), I commonly see changes in
>the Dec or RA readings as I move the scope in the other axis, and seem to
>still have a real problem finding things - they are often more than 1/2
>degree away from their true location (by the readout).

As I move the scope in one axis I do NOT see any change in the readings of the
other axis, so something is obviously not right with either your scope or the
Mag II. I also find it very easy to get 100% alignment but find that this is no
guarantee that objects I try to locate will be in the FOV. For example, I can
do a 2-star alignment using Capella as the 2nd star, and get 100%. If I then
ask the Mag II to locate Capella it thinks it is perhaps 1/2 degree away! For
me, what saves the day is to Synch on a nearby object or star. This makes all
the difference. Objects in the vicinity are then nearly always centered.

I've also wondered how sensitive the Mag II performance is to the accuracy of
the polar alignment. I usually have a reasonably good polar alignment, but have
not investigated whether a really poor alignment has a major impact on the Mag
II performance.

Tom Carney