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christurner
member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 67
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Hi folks:
I really need some big time help here. I have a brand new 12 " lx200 acf and can't seem to get it to slew to objects. For instance, when I tell it to goto jupiter (when its obvious where it is) it slews and points no where near it, in fact, it points down at the ground. Or when I tell it to goto cassiopea, it says its on it but its nowhere near it.
I have it mounted on a wedge, not sure if that matters....
help would be greatly appreciated as I have been at this for 3 nights in a row and it's getting very frustrating...
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Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
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snowdragonusa
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/04/07
Posts: 637
Loc: Denver, CO
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Hiya Chris,
Grats on the new 12"! I bought mine last year and absolutely love it! Incidentally, there is a Meade specific forum a little ways down the Main Index page where many experienced Meade users can help you out.
So, on to your problem. A few things to check...
1. Make sure the control panel is facing NORTH when on the wedge. So, when you have the scope in polar home (OTA parallel with the forks) the OTA will be pointing toward Polaris, the north star.
2. Make sure your scope is set in Polar Mode. After the scope is turned on, press <MODE>, then select <SETUP>, then <Telescope>, and finally <Mount>. Select Polar and press <Enter>. You will also want to scope to take a GPS fix on power-up. I do not remember the steps to get there off the top of my head but I think it is under telescope as well. Reboot the scope by powering down.
Before you turn it back on be sure to place it into Polar Home position. Yes, the scope will look like it is upside down. When you turn the scope on it will move about 23 degrees in RA and stop. Before you start an alignment be sure to place the scope back into Polar Home! If not it will be WAY off.
3. When doing the spin on the OTA that the hand box (HBx) asks you to do to place the rotating stars around a center point, be sure to use only the wedge control knobs to adjust NOT the HBx.
4. Use a high power eyepiece to center the alignment stars. Using a low power EP will introduce too much error.
Hopefully that will help get you better alignments.
Cheers!
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Adam
12" LX200R
AT80mm piggyback
DSI Pro, DSI-C, LPI
Denver Astronomical Society
Brighton Astronomical Group
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christurner
member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 67
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Hi Adam, first of all thank you for your help. It means a lot to me.. I do however need a bit of clarity if you don't mind.. see the pics for visual aids...
so the wedge is facing north. got it...
OTA is paralell to forks... got it, but I am assuming the eye piece is down towards the control panel? see pic..
when you say the OTA will be facing polaris, do you mean I can look through the view finder and see polaris, or do you mean the tube is facing polaris eventhough its paralell to to the forks?
you don't mean the telescope is looking at polaris right? I think you mean the tube itself is facing towards polaris and not actually pointing at it.
Also when you say the scope will look upside down when in polar home does that mean the eye piece is now at the top ( This is where I am confused because in my pic the eye piece is at the bottom and I can't turn it to look upside down it seems to not be able to rotate that far???
--------------------
Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
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christurner
member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 67
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
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how do i post a picture??
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Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
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JAT Observatory
Space Freak
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 5607
Loc: Eastern PA
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This is how your polar home should look. Notice the scope is upside down and pointing toward Polaris.
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-Marcus
The problem with free speech is even the stupid have a voice.
http://jatobservatory.org
12" LX200R on a Paramount ME
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christurner
member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 67
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
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i see what you mean! Ok upside down on that axis...!
--------------------
Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
|
snowdragonusa
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/04/07
Posts: 637
Loc: Denver, CO
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Quote:
i see what you mean! Ok upside down on that axis...!
Bingo! 
--------------------
Adam
12" LX200R
AT80mm piggyback
DSI Pro, DSI-C, LPI
Denver Astronomical Society
Brighton Astronomical Group
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christurner
member
Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 67
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Hey Adam, hope all is well. Well tonight was a success! I managed to get the polar alignment down and understand it now. It's amazing how failing helps make one successful. I could not have done it without your help. THANK YOU. Now ready for this.... WOW !!! What a wonderful scope. The views are absolutely breath taking. I ran back into the house to get my wife and I was so excited I slammed into the screen door! Ha !! Thanks to everyone else also for the help...
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Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
|
snowdragonusa
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/04/07
Posts: 637
Loc: Denver, CO
|
|
Quote:
The views are absolutely breath taking. I ran back into the house to get my wife and I was so excited I slammed into the screen door! Ha !! Thanks to everyone else also for the help...
Oh I am so right there with you on that one!
Grats on getting everything working! Enjoy those beautiful views... but no more running into doors. 
--------------------
Adam
12" LX200R
AT80mm piggyback
DSI Pro, DSI-C, LPI
Denver Astronomical Society
Brighton Astronomical Group
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