5
Attaching the StarMax 127mm to the AstroView
Mount
The StarMax 127mm optical tube does not connect to the
dovetail mounting plate with tube rings. Rather, the mounting
plate comes attached directly on the telescope tube itself.
To connect the StarMax 127mm (or other scopes that connect
in a similar manner) to the AstroView mount, first loosen the
mounting plate lock knob and safety screw on the top of the
equatorial mount. Place the telescope on the mount so that the
dovetail mounting plate goes in the slot on top of the equato-
rial mount. Position the tube so the mounting plate is centered
in the slot. Re-tighten the mounting plate lock knob and safety
screw so the telescope is secure.
5. Balancing the Telescope
To ensure smooth movement of a telescope on both axes of the
equatorial mount, it is imperative that the optical tube is prop-
erly balanced. We will first balance the telescope with respect
to the R.A. axis, then the Dec. axis.
1. Keeping one hand on the telescope optical tube,
loosen the R.A. lock lever. Make sure the Dec. lock
lever is locked, for now. The telescope should now be
able to rotate freely about the R.A. axis. Rotate it until
the counterweight shaft is parallel to the ground (i.e.,
horizontal).
2. Now loosen both counterweight lock knobs and slide the
weights along the shaft until they exactly counterbalance
the telescope
(Figure 4a)
That’s the point at which the
Figure 4.
Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires that the telescope tube be balanced on both the R.A. and Dec. axes. (a) With the
R.A. lock lever released, slide the counterweight along the counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube. (b) When you let go with
both hands, the tube should not drift up or down. (c) With the Dec. lock lever released, loosen the tube ting clamps a few turns and slide the
telescope forward or back in the tube rings. (d) when the tube is balanced about the Dec. axis, it will not move when you let go.
Figure 5
. The AstroView equatorial mount (with attached telescope tube).
Azimuth fine adjustment
knobs
Declination
axis
Right Ascension
axis
Polar axis finder scope
Right Ascension lock lever
Right Ascension
setting circle lock
thumb screw
Right Ascension
setting circle
Declination
setting circle
Declination lock lever
Front opening in
R.A. axis
Latitude scale
Latitude adjustment
T-bolts
4a
b
c
d