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Knowing the location of Polaris (the North Star) and the constellations
Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) and Cassiopeia (the Queen) will allow you to
properly align your telescope.
For Southern Hemisphere viewing, you will need to use a star chart to
find stars near the meridian and the celestial equator in order to use the
star-drift method for polar alignment.
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
1.
To align your telescope in the Northern Hemisphere, begin by locating
Polaris. Most people prefer to use the Big Dipper to “point” at Polaris.
The two stars which make up the edge of the dipper in the Big
Dipper will roughly “point” at Polaris. You can also use the star at
the end of the handle of the Big Dipper and the star on the edge on
the shallower end of Cassiopeia to draw a line through Polaris. Only
move on to the next step when you have successfully located Polaris.
2.
Loosen the thumbscrew on the Declination Adjustment Cable. Lower
the OTA so that the arrow in the Declination Scale points at 0°. Once
the arrow points at 0°, the OTA is aligned with the mount’s polar axis.
Retighten the thumbscrew.
3.
Loosen the Mount Base Screw enough to allow the mount assembly
to turn. Then turn the Mount Assembly and the OTA together until
the front of the telescope faces north. You can use a compass to
find magnetic north and then line up with Polaris (celestial north) or
you can line up the front of the telescope with Polaris by imagining a
straight line running from Polaris down to the horizon.
ADVANCED OBSERVATION
