Meade Instruments LX600 - Manual (Page 68)

Assembly
Appendix H
68
APPENDIX H:
MANUAL DRIFT ALIGNMENT
How to manually Drift Align the LX600 Telescope (Northern
Hemisphere).
The LX600 with StarLock is specially equipped to perform an
Automatic Drift Alignment. In the Autostar Setup/Align menu,
select “Drift Alignment” and the LX600 will guide you through
a quick Automatic drift alignment procedure. This method is
substantially quicker than the manual drift alignment method.
However, if you prefer to drift align the mount using the manual
drift alignment procedure, follow the steps below.
NOTE: In order to perform the manual drift alignment with the
LX600, it is necessary to disable the Starlock by turning it off in
the Utilities menu.
Important Note: You will need a reticle eyepiece to perform this
procedure.
1. Center your reticle on a bright star near the
Eastern horizon. For best results, the star should
be about 20 or 30 degrees above the eastern
horizon and within +/- 5 degrees from the
celestial equator.
2. Look through the reticle while pressing
Autostar’s right and left Arrow keys. This will
slew the mount back and forth in the RA axis.
3. Loosen and rotate the reticle until one of the
crosshairs matches the right-left path of the star
as you press the Arrow keys. This crosshair is
now on the RA axis. The other axis is therefore
on the DEC axis. Carefully secure the reticle in
place (do not move the crosshairs for the rest of
this procedure).
4. Observe the bright star you have chosen. If, over
time, it drifts off the RA axis, use the latitude
adjustment knob on the X-Wedge to bring it back
past center. Experience will teach you how much
to move the latitude knob. If the star drifts slowly,
use only a small amount of correction; if it moves
quickly, use a much larger amount of correction.
5. Use Autostar’s up and down keys to bring the
star back to center. Perform step 4 repeatedly
until it does not drift on the DEC axis for a
few minutes.
6. Next, center on a bright, Southern star.
This star should be within 10° to 20° of the
celestial equator.
7. If the star drifts above the RA axis, use the
Azimuth adjustment knob on the X-Wedge to
move the star to the right and down until the star
is almost out of the fi eld of view. If it drifts below
the RA axis, use the Azimuth adjustment knob to
move the star to the left and up.
8. Use Autostar arrow keys to center the star again.
Repeat steps 7 and 8 until the star no longer
drifts off the RA axis for a few minutes.
9. Go back and check the fi rst star and see if it is
drifting again. And then recheck the second star
also. Keep repeating steps 4, 7 and 8, until there
is no more drift in either of the stars you have
chosen for a few minutes.
Your telescope is now drift aligned.