Thanks for posting this video. It answered a lot of questions I had. It was especially helpful to see the process, not just read about it. Nice observatory and equipment!
Thanks for your quick response. I wasn’t aware you were at 44 degrees latitude. I am at 34 degrees and seem to do okay. I use a Zwo video camera and the provided SharpCap software to precisely center Polaris and the next star. I utilize the crosshairs function as well as the focus function to get things as tight as possible. Still, like you, I do experience random failures in the GoTo system. I would not think that there would be a problem with scopes in the price range that you and I have. I think Meade has some homework to do. However, if the two star system has eliminated issues for you I will certainly give it a try. Thanks again for taking the time to post.
Thank you very much for posting this great video. Please allow me a question though. I do possess the LX600 14" which I intend to install on pier (mounted on wedge). From October to March, I am able to see Polaris from my backyard. However, as springs is nearing, I won't be able anymore for some months. By doing a "drift alignment", Will I need to re-do the "drift alignment" process each time I am imaging ? Thank you in advance for your kind answer. Regards.
If you are pier mounted you only need to do the drift alignment once. Some guys like to recheck it after a couple of years though. But unless there's been an earthquake, or the mount was jarred or the saddle was changed out, it's not really necessary. However, if you find your tracking is suddenly off, you might want to check before looking into other components. Clear skies!
I have a new 12" LX600 and will begin to polar align in the next month. It will be on a concrete pier just built. Does everything you suggest for your LX200 pertain to my LX600? The manual states that the one star polar alignment is the preferred method. Thanks. Art
The LX600 is a bit of a different animal, at least on paper. It's a step or two up from the LX200 series. Congrats by the way on your LX600. The hand controllers are nearly identical but there appears to be a few more features pack in the 600. I would recommend you start out as instructed in the user manual and go from there. If it doesn't pan out, then try the procedures outlined in the video. FYI: We have since bypassed the hand controller altogether and use APT plate solving to acquire our targets. Best of luck on first light!
That was a 70mm f/12 900mm. But we have since changed to a Sky-Watcher Skymax 90, f/13.9. It's1250mm fl but physically shorter with more aperture and a much better focuser. The longer focal length is also more suited to the LX200 12". It weighs only 3.5 pounds too. We really like it.
Great video but a quick question. I don't see a difference between the "ONE STAR" easy align and the "TWO STAR" system. They both use two stars, one being Polaris and an arbitrary star in the easy "ONE STAR" setup. The "Two Star" system simply uses two arbitrary stars. It would seem the only advantage to the "TWO STAR" system would be if Polaris was blocked by something and you had to use a compass to align your scope. Am I correct in this assumption or am I missing something? Also, you state that you can't center Polaris. As soon as my scope goes from the home position to Polaris, the star is very close to being centered. Again, am I missing something? I am new to my pier-mounted 12" LX-600 and have had pointing issues, but they seem to have disappeared by training the drive and doing the Periodic Error Correction (PEC) routine. Thanks again for taking the time to share with us.
The one star alignment assumes you have centered Polaris, which you can't if you are properly polar aligned at 44 degrees latitude. Being close to center is not being centered. And if you are able to get very close to Polaris at a fl of 3048mm then you may not be exactly polar aligned. With a two star alignment the mount will calculate the offset which doesn't show up doing a one star. Now, that said, ones latitude may play into this some in terms of getting close to Polaris. Our pointing issues seem to disappeared too from time to time after PEC, training the mount, the smart mount 40 star alignment ordeal and a host of other approaches. Only to rear its ugly head again and again. The two star alignment procedure as shown in this video solved all of that. Thanks for posting. Clear skies.
That was very enlightening as I believe my scope is exactly same size on a pier. Typically I park my scope, then upon next session just go right to any objects. I would like to ask you more about your experiences if possible, my scope is only 6 months old, but I am a tad disappointed with it's tracking for capturing objects. Any way I can contact you through email? Thanks Mike
The method illustrated above is if you forgot or couldn't park the scope. Because in that case you would lose your alignment. Tracking can be improved on by Training The Drive, page 63 of the manual. Then do a PEC, Periodic Error Correction, page 40. To improve the Go2 function try Smart Mount training, Appendix 1 page 71, which uses 40 stars to workout any mechanical variables. All of this takes a good deal of time and patience but with a pier mounted scope you should only have to do it once, at least in theory. :-) Clear Skies
Thanks for info, yes I have completed a PEC once... may need to do it again, so I ended up using CCD with a Barlow, could be that still isn't enough magnification for accurate adjustments. Also was able to drift align with PHD2, and completed a 40 star alignment. I think I'm still having trouble with getting PHD2 sensitivity to correct drive while using a piggybacked scope using CCD. What I've noticed is every 2 to 3 minutes there is movement showing up on captures, likely gear tooth issue?...yet PEC is supposed to help with that. Anyway it's probably me (maybe setup wasn't saved?). I'm just plugging away with what was set from factory and can usually get good 30 second captures. Thanks! (P.S I will be launching a website for Pine Valley Observatory soon showing captures & other info. if your interested)
If all you can get are thirty second captures on a pier mounted scope then something is not right. The late Bruce Johnston was the man for LX200 trouble shooting. His passing is a great loss to the astronomy community. Here's the link: www.skymtn.com/mapug-astronomy/ccdastro/index.htm Bruce will get you pointed in the right direction.
Just curious did your scope work without doing Bruce's off center RA, DEC Go2 alignment? As he described it, mine is similar behaving with only a few Go2's that center. Thanks for helping!
buen adi amigo!!! exelente tu video .. podrias ayudarme? como balancer con los contapesos el tubo tel telescopio. no se como realizarlo. como se hace para que quede en balanza? por el peso de las camaras y demas accsesorios colocados. gracias!!!
good adi friend! excellent your video .. could you help me? as balancer with the contapesos tel telescope tube. I do not know how to do it. How is it made to balance? by the weight of the cameras and other accsesorios placed. Thank you!!!
Underneath the corrector plate end of the telescope, opposite the focuser, is a Allen head screw. You can remove the screw and attach a counter weight to balance the scope in declination. If you are not using batteries to run the scope, then you can add weights inside the battery compartments, east or west side, to balance in RA. Declination counter kits for Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes can be found online at many of the astronomy shops. agenaastro.com/meade-tube-balance-weight-system-1403-07319.html Hope this helps. Clear Skies!
Hello Friend how are you? if I had that perfect. in the battery compartment I have a minimum counterweight to balance. but for the tube I also have the counterweights if .. my question is how to balance the tube ?? I have it in equatorial for astrophotography. and logic is left at 90 degrees. I have the ocntapesos put in the tube in the opposite end to what would be the cameras and accsesorios. that is, on the side of optics. Now that is my question in which posision to put the tube == ?? . leave it in parallel position to the floor for example? and that is in balance = ?? thank you very much for your help aMIGO !!
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Thanks for posting this video. It answered a lot of questions I had. It was especially helpful to see the process, not just read about it. Nice observatory and equipment!
The manual does indeed leave a lot of unanswered questions. Glad to be of help.
Thanks DSN that was very informative and helpful to me as an LX200 owner, Cheers.
Thanks for your quick response. I wasn’t aware you were at 44 degrees latitude. I am at 34 degrees and seem to do okay. I use a Zwo video camera and the provided SharpCap software to precisely center Polaris and the next star. I utilize the crosshairs function as well as the focus function to get things as tight as possible. Still, like you, I do experience random failures in the GoTo system. I would not think that there would be a problem with scopes in the price range that you and I have. I think Meade has some homework to do. However, if the two star system has eliminated issues for you I will certainly give it a try. Thanks again for taking the time to post.
Hi
I just purchased a Meade LX 200 EMC of eBay - it’s a older model- I paid $1800.00 do you think that is a fair price
Thank you very much for posting this great video. Please allow me a question though.
I do possess the LX600 14" which I intend to install on pier (mounted on wedge). From October to March, I am able to see Polaris from my backyard. However, as springs is nearing, I won't be able anymore for some months. By doing a "drift alignment", Will I need to re-do the "drift alignment" process each time I am imaging ?
Thank you in advance for your kind answer.
Regards.
If you are pier mounted you only need to do the drift alignment once. Some guys like to recheck it after a couple of years though. But unless there's been an earthquake, or the mount was jarred or the saddle was changed out, it's not really necessary. However, if you find your tracking is suddenly off, you might want to check before looking into other components. Clear skies!
I have a new 12" LX600 and will begin to polar align in the next month. It will be on a concrete pier just built. Does
everything you suggest for your LX200 pertain to my LX600? The manual states that the one star polar alignment is the preferred method. Thanks. Art
The LX600 is a bit of a different animal, at least on paper. It's a step or two up from the LX200 series. Congrats by the way on your LX600. The hand controllers are nearly identical but there appears to be a few more features pack in the 600. I would recommend you start out as instructed in the user manual and go from there. If it doesn't pan out, then try the procedures outlined in the video. FYI: We have since bypassed the hand controller altogether and use APT plate solving to acquire our targets. Best of luck on first light!
nice video, can you tell what is that white guide scope? what model is that? thanks...
That was a 70mm f/12 900mm. But we have since changed to a Sky-Watcher Skymax 90, f/13.9. It's1250mm fl but physically shorter with more aperture and a much better focuser. The longer focal length is also more suited to the LX200 12". It weighs only 3.5 pounds too. We really like it.
Very interesting...
On another topic, I'm sure you are ready for the eclipse... Can you describe the preparations that you have undertaken?
Will be traveling to a totality site in WY for a DSLR time-lapse. Clear Skies
Great video but a quick question. I don't see a difference between the "ONE STAR" easy align and the "TWO STAR" system. They both use two stars, one being Polaris and an arbitrary star in the easy "ONE STAR" setup. The "Two Star" system simply uses two arbitrary stars. It would seem the only advantage to the "TWO STAR" system would be if Polaris was blocked by something and you had to use a compass to align your scope. Am I correct in this assumption or am I missing something? Also, you state that you can't center Polaris. As soon as my scope goes from the home position to Polaris, the star is very close to being centered. Again, am I missing something? I am new to my pier-mounted 12" LX-600 and have had pointing issues, but they seem to have disappeared by training the drive and doing the Periodic Error Correction (PEC) routine. Thanks again for taking the time to share with us.
The one star alignment assumes you have centered Polaris, which you can't if you are properly polar aligned at 44 degrees latitude. Being close to center is not being centered. And if you are able to get very close to Polaris at a fl of 3048mm then you may not be exactly polar aligned. With a two star alignment the mount will calculate the offset which doesn't show up doing a one star. Now, that said, ones latitude may play into this some in terms of getting close to Polaris. Our pointing issues seem to disappeared too from time to time after PEC, training the mount, the smart mount 40 star alignment ordeal and a host of other approaches. Only to rear its ugly head again and again. The two star alignment procedure as shown in this video solved all of that. Thanks for posting. Clear skies.
Can the telescope be computer controlled? Do we need any software for that?
We use: astrophotography.app/ to plate solve our go-2's along with stellarium.org/
Clear skies.
That was very enlightening as I believe my scope is exactly same size on a pier. Typically I park my scope, then upon next session just go right to any objects. I would like to ask you more about your experiences if possible, my scope is only 6 months old, but I am a tad disappointed with it's tracking for capturing objects. Any way I can contact you through email? Thanks Mike
The method illustrated above is if you forgot or couldn't park the scope. Because in that case you would lose your alignment. Tracking can be improved on by Training The Drive, page 63 of the manual. Then do a PEC, Periodic Error Correction, page 40. To improve the Go2 function try Smart Mount training, Appendix 1 page 71, which uses 40 stars to workout any mechanical variables. All of this takes a good deal of time and patience but with a pier mounted scope you should only have to do it once, at least in theory. :-) Clear Skies
Thanks for info, yes I have completed a PEC once... may need to do it again, so I ended up using CCD with a Barlow, could be that still isn't enough magnification for accurate adjustments. Also was able to drift align with PHD2, and completed a 40 star alignment. I think I'm still having trouble with getting PHD2 sensitivity to correct drive while using a piggybacked scope using CCD. What I've noticed is every 2 to 3 minutes there is movement showing up on captures, likely gear tooth issue?...yet PEC is supposed to help with that. Anyway it's probably me (maybe setup wasn't saved?). I'm just plugging away with what was set from factory and can usually get good 30 second captures. Thanks! (P.S I will be launching a website for Pine Valley Observatory soon showing captures & other info. if your interested)
If all you can get are thirty second captures on a pier mounted scope then something is not right. The late Bruce Johnston was the man for LX200 trouble shooting. His passing is a great loss to the astronomy community. Here's the link: www.skymtn.com/mapug-astronomy/ccdastro/index.htm Bruce will get you pointed in the right direction.
Thanks a bunch I will read!...
Just curious did your scope work without doing Bruce's off center RA, DEC Go2 alignment? As he described it, mine is similar behaving with only a few Go2's that center. Thanks for helping!
buen adi amigo!!! exelente tu video .. podrias ayudarme? como balancer con los contapesos el tubo tel telescopio. no se como realizarlo. como se hace para que quede en balanza? por el peso de las camaras y demas accsesorios colocados. gracias!!!
I'm sorry but I don't understand Spanish enough to answer your question. Thanks for posting.
good adi friend! excellent your video .. could you help me? as balancer with the contapesos tel telescope tube. I do not know how to do it. How is it made to balance? by the weight of the cameras and other accsesorios placed. Thank you!!!
Underneath the corrector plate end of the telescope, opposite the focuser, is a Allen head screw. You can remove the screw and attach a counter weight to balance the scope in declination. If you are not using batteries to run the scope, then you can add weights inside the battery compartments, east or west side, to balance in RA. Declination counter kits for Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes can be found online at many of the astronomy shops. agenaastro.com/meade-tube-balance-weight-system-1403-07319.html
Hope this helps. Clear Skies!
Hello Friend how are you? if I had that perfect. in the battery compartment I have a minimum counterweight to balance. but for the tube I also have the counterweights if .. my question is how to balance the tube ?? I have it in equatorial for astrophotography. and logic is left at 90 degrees. I have the ocntapesos put in the tube in the opposite end to what would be the cameras and accsesorios. that is, on the side of optics. Now that is my question in which posision to put the tube == ?? . leave it in parallel position to the floor for example? and that is in balance = ?? thank you very much for your help aMIGO !!
Balance is when the OTA, telescope, is parallel to the floor with the clutch unlocked. Cheers.
Could I message pic i getting on controller to you