Sky-Watcher EQ8 - Manual (Page 16)

16
The EQ8 mount is equipped with auxiliary encoders on both the R.A. axis and Dec. axis.
Therefore, the mount can keep tracking its current position even when a user unlocks the
clutches and rotates the mount in R.A. axis and Dec. axis manually.
With this feature, a user can manually operate the mount anytime without worrying about los-
ing the mount’s alignment status. When the user wants to operate the mount with the SynScan
hand control again, no alignment is required and all that is needed to be done is to re-lock the
clutches.
This feature can be enabled or disabled on the SynScan hand controller.
The EQ8 mount is equipped with an index on its R.A. worm thus the motor controller can
keep tracking the current position of the worm. After a proper PEC training routine, in which
the training data is stored in the motor controller permanently, a user can start the periodic
error correction (PEC) at any time to improve the tracking performance for short focal length
astrophotography. A training process is not required in the next observing session (assuming
that the polar alignment is always accurate), thus this is a Permanent Period Error Correction
(PPEC). A user can train the mount with manual guiding or auto-guiding. For detailed instruc-
tions, please refer to the relevant section in the SynScan hand controller instruction manual.
4.1 Freedom Find TM Function
4.2 Permanent Periodic Error Correction
The EQ8 mount is equipped with a SNAP port which can control the shutter release of a
camera. Working with the SynScan hand control’s “Camera Control” function, a user can take
batch exposures when doing astrophotography. Up to 8 groups of “Exposure-time & Frames”
combinations can be set on the SynScan hand controller. For detailed information, refer to the
SynScan hand control’s instruction manual.
The EQ8 mount is equipped with two home position sensors. Working with the SynScan hand
controller, the mount can be placed to the same home position after turning on the power. For
detailed information, refer to the SynScan hand control’s instruction manual.
4.3 Batch Exposures Function
4.4 Auto-Home Function
PART IV : OTHER EQ8 MOUNT FEATURES