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Meridian Delay Options
Flip Scope
The Flip Scope routine is an alternative way to achieve meridian delay and is easier to accomplish than the Meridian Delay
Setting described below.
Path to this function: +- Button > 9=RA/DEC Controls > 4=Flip Scope
1. Press 4= Flip Scope and a warning window will appear as shown in screen 0003 above.
2.
Visually check the position of your telescope to determine if there is a chance it could strike the pier when it flips to the
other side of the mount. Press ESC if you think there is a chance that the movement will not be successful.
3.
Press GOTO to initiate the flip. Keep you finger near the Stop button just in case you need to halt the movement.
4. After the slew is complete, press NEXT> to keep the meridian delay or ESC to undo the delay. The mount will not slew.
You must initiate another flip to go back to the other side.
Meridian Delay Setting
Path to this function: +- Button > 9=RA/DEC Controls > Meridian Del
This feature should be used with caution to prevent accidental telescope contact with the pier.
In normal use without any delay, the telescope will track through the meridian when you are following an object. However,
when you enter the object again, or if you enter a nearby object that has drifted past the meridian and then slew,
the telescope automatically switches sides so that the scope will be right side up instead of diving under the mount.
Sometimes, for astro-imaging, you may wish to delay the meridian swap, especially if you are imaging mosaics and the
area is beginning to drift across the meridian.
Remember, it is the GoTo slew that will flip the mount...not tracking!
To delay the swap, follow the path above from the +- button to the Meridian Del setting. Note that this is normally
set to
zero. Use the <PREV and NEXT> buttons to enter a 1 hour to 6 hour delay or advance of the meridian swap. A setting of
1W means that the scope will continue to slew to objects up to 1 hour past the meridian in the west. It effectively delays
the meridian swap by 1 hour. A 6 hour delay means the scope will slew all the way to the horizon on the wrong side of the
mount. Entering a 1E means that the scope can be placed on the other side of the mount by 1 hour earlier than normal.
Mnemonic devices:
E will flip the mount early and W will wait to flip!
...or...
E will move the meridian east and W will move the meridian west.