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4.
Loosen the Latitudinal Adjustment Screws and raise your telescope
until it is pointed at Polaris. Use the focused eyepiece and make
fine-tuned adjustments using the Declination Adjustment Cable until
Polaris is in the center of the viewfinder. Once your telescope is aligned
to Polaris, the number on the latitude scale should match the latitude
of your viewing location exactly. If there is a difference between the
latitude of your viewing location and the number on the latitude scale,
check to make sure that your tripod is level and continue adjustment.
5.
Your telescope is now polar-aligned, or set with the North Star as
“zero”. All adjustments you make to find other celestial objects will be
based off of this location.
Happy hunting!
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE & STAR-DRIFT POLAR ALIGNMENT
Polar alignment in the Southern Hemisphere is more difficult than in
the Northern Hemisphere because there is no corresponding pole star
to Polaris. Because of this, Southern Hemisphere polar alignment is a
two-step process. First, a rough alignment must be made based on your
viewing location. Then, a star drift can be used to fine-tune your alignment.
ADVANCED OBSERVATION
