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jonnyastro
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/14/06
Posts: 3449
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Hi guys, i am still kind of getting the hang of my new CG5. I was wondering how important it actually is to have the mount well leveled as that this part of the process is by far the most frustrating to me.
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ericjacob613
Photon Hog
Reged: 05/25/07
Posts: 3794
Loc: Santa Barbara CA
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I level mine using the built-in bubble level. Some people say level is critical, I have never found it so. I get a pretty good level, then do my polar alignment and start shooting.
Of course if your mount is too un-level it could tip over as the RA axis rotates.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/42129623@N04/
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jonnyastro
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/14/06
Posts: 3449
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Thank you sir!
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havane45
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/28/06
Posts: 644
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If only for visual, the on-bord level will do the job. I never level my CG5 ; 3 marks on the ground of my flat roof and I never change the length of the tripod legs. It works fine.
If for imaging, the factory level of the CG5 is useless (the same with the CGE)... In this case, you have to buy a good quality bubble level in a tools shop.
Laurent
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o1d_dude
o1der than dirt
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 2274
Loc: The TV/SV Wolfpack
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There's a pretty big thread on this topic here.
Used to worry about it but now am not so sure I should as I'm just a visual gazer.
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Kit
'Don’t worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God’s wondrous universe.' - Thomas M Back
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NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12950
Loc: Rockford Illinois
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For a GEM, "Close" to level is fine, as the polar alignment will eliminate any small discrepancies with level...
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Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
 Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
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imjeffp
Aluminum Falcon
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 4982
Loc: Cedar Park, Texas
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For a GEM, "level" is completely irrelevant. As long as the polar axis of the mount is aligned with the polar axis of the Earth, it matters not one whit if the base is level or not.
Polar aligned is polar aligned.
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Patrick
Postmaster
Reged: 05/16/03
Posts: 8193
Loc: Franklin, Ohio
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Quote:
For a GEM, "level" is completely irrelevant. As long as the polar axis of the mount is aligned with the polar axis of the Earth, it matters not one whit if the base is level or not.
Polar aligned is polar aligned.
That's true, but it's not irrelevant when doing a drift alignment so that the scope can be polar aligned. If the mount is not close to level, it's going to take longer to do the alignment because the dec alignment will affect the RA alignment and vice-versa.
For visual work, it is pretty much irrelevant as long as the mount is eyeball polar aligned.
Patrick
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Celestron CPC 1100 XLT
10" f/6 Truss Tube Newtonian
Celestron C6S-GT SCT
AT66ED Refractor
Canon XSi; Meade DSI;SPC900-NC
Vixen GP2 Photo Guider Mount
My Astronomy Pages
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
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jonnyastro
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/14/06
Posts: 3449
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Thanks everyone, you are saving me a major start up headache.
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DeanS
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 1153
Loc: Nicholasville, Kentucky
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This is what I posted on the other thread:
I get fairly close to level, mainly concern with east/west, and go with it. As John said it will help a bit with drift alignment adjustments but it also tells the mount where the horizon is, and when flips are needed.
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AP1200GTO AP900GTO
TOA-150 Tak E160
C9.25 Tak FS60C
SXV-H9 ST2000XM STV
8" LX200GPS
Meade 12" Lightbridge
Moonlite Focusers
www.doghouseastronomy.com
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