Polar Alignment, Alt/Az Aignmetn for The Meade
ETX Telescope
There is an option in the Autostar that sets the Mount for Meade
ETX telescopes. You can choose to put the telescope in the Polar
or Alt/Az position. This refers to the HOME position of the
Meade ETX telescope. This is the initial position that you must
place the telescope in when you start the Polar alignment or
Alt/az alignment procedure. You must place the telescope in
the same position that you chose in the Meade Autostar. Meade
DS series telescopes cannot operate in Polar position
There is an option in the Autostar that sets the
Mount for Meade ETX telescopes. You can choose to put the telescope
in the Polar or Alt/Az position. This refers to the HOME position
of the Meade ETX telescope. This is the initial position that
you must place the telescope in when you start the Polar alignment
or Alt/az alignment procedure. You must place the telescope
in the same position that you chose in the Meade Autostar. Meade
DS series telescopes cannot operate in Polar position
Polar Alignment Home Position The official Meade manual for the Meade ETX-90EC and Meade
ETX-125EC does not include good instructions on how to place
the telescope in the Polar mount position. To make matters worse,
the picture provided in the ETX-90EC and Meade ETX-125EC manual
of the Polar position is incorrect. This, in itself, can cause
confusion.
Polar alignment home position characteristics
1) The telescope should be pointed to the general direction
of North.
2) If you are facing north, the computer control panel should
be on the left (west) side.
3) The telescope should be turned counter clockwise until
it reaches a hard stop and reversed back so that the DEC dial
is above the computer panel.
4) The fork arm should be leveled.
5) The DEC dial should point to 90° on the DEC dial.
6) The latitude adjustment on the tripod should be set to
the latitude of your location.
7) OTA should point at NCP.Alt/Az Position
Alt/Az Home Position
Alt/Az home position characteristics:
1) Tripod/telescope base should level.
2) If you are facing north, the computer control panel should
be on the west side.
3) The telescope should be turned counter-clockwise until it
reaches a hard stop and reversed back so the DEC dial is above
the computer panel.
4) The OTA should be level.
5) The DEC dial should be at 0°.
6) The OTA should point to North. Refer to Figure 6.