ASTRO-PHYSICS Mach1GTO, Руководство пользователя, Страница: 8 / 31

Before You Leave Home
Since most of us must set up our instruments in the dark, in the cold or while battling mosquitoes, a bit of preplanning and
organization is important. There are
few simple things that can be accomplished in the comfort of your home before heading
outside. We would advise anyone to do a complete practice run from start to finish before venturing out into the field. This
is especially important for those of you who may be new to German Equatorial Mounts.
Assembling and Disassembling the Two Axes
Because of its compact size and light weight, the Mach1GTO does
not need to be disassembled for normal transport to and from an
observing site. There will rarely be a need to disassemble the two
axes. However, those of you who do disassemble your
Mach1GTO
for transport will need to be familiar with how the two axes are
assembled and disassembled. When re-assembling your mount,
we recommend that you fasten the RA axis onto your pier or tripod
first. That way, you have a solid platform firmly holding on to your
RA axis while you bolt the declination axis in place. The pier
becomes your “extra set of hands.”
The two axes assemble quite easily with the four 1/4-20 X 1” S
OCKET
H
EAD
C
AP
S
CREWS
shown in the Assembly Diagram on page 6. To
properly line up the two axes, the RA axis must be positioned with
the two pairs of screw holes on the east (2) and west (2) rather than
on the north and south. In addition, the C
LUTCH
K
NOBS
of the RA
axis should be at 10 o’clock, 2 o’clock and 6 o’clock. The four bolt
holes will not line up in any other position. To turn the RA axis to
this position, loosen the three C
LUTCH
K
NOBS
and turn the axis.
When in the proper position, retighten the C
LUTCH
K
NOBS
for safety.
The declination axis is placed into its position in the RA axis with the C
OUNTERWEIGHT
A
DAPTER
down, and the D
ECLINATION
H
UB
P
LATE
up as in the Assembly Diagram. Unlike the bigger 900GTO and 1200GTO mounts, the dec axis of the
Mach1GTO must be straight and square to the RA mating surface when mounted. Don’t try to tilt it into place as you would
with the larger dovetailed mounts. Keep a hand on the declination axis to keep it from falling off until you have at least one
of the screws loosely fastened. With the declination axis in place, insert and tighten the four 1/4-20
X 1” S
OCKET
H
EAD
C
AP
S
CREWS
.
Gross Latitude Adjustment
Unlike its bigger brothers, the 900GTO and 1200GTO, the Mach1GTO does not have latitude ranges that should be preset
before venturing out into the field. However, you may still wish to give yourself a head start before heading out into the dark.
Each side of the
Mach1GTO’s P
OLAR
F
ORK
B
ASE
is clearly marked with a L
ATITUDE
S
CALE
. You can preset the mount to
your latitude before leaving the house, if you wish.
Assemble Pier or Tripod
(purchased separately)
Please note: Starting in 2008, the Mach1GTO has six attachment
holes in its base to better facilitate the different pier tops. Older
mounts having three attachment holes may be limited in terms of the
tripod or pier leg orientations that can be chosen. Only three of the
holes get used.
Portable Pier
Begin by assembling the portable pier at the desired observing
location. With six attachment holes in the Mach1GTO’s base, you can
now orient the pier with a leg to the north or south as you prefer.
1. Slide the three legs onto the nubs of the base and rotate the
assembly so that one of the legs points toward the north or
south. You can use either orientation in either hemisphere.
Most people prefer to have one leg point toward the pole.
2. Place the pier post on the base orienting the three eyebolts directly above the legs.
3. Attach the tension rods. The turnbuckles should be drawn tight until the whole assembly is stiff enough to support
your weight without movement.
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