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3. Park Position of the Mount
In order to experience the full GOTO capability of GoToNova technology it is very
important to set up the mount correctly before observation. The most important position is its
Park Position.
3.1. Altazimuth (A/A) Mount
Each time the mount is turned on, the default position is Parking Position,
i.e.
, altitude is
90º 0’ 0” and azimuth is 180º 0’ 0”, which means the “SOUTH” mark is pointing to south and the
telescope is pointing straight up at the zenith. To set the Park Position, you can:
Face the South.
Align the mount to south by turning the South mark facing south. An
additional compass is needed. There are two ways to do so. One is loosen the azimuth clutch
lock a little and manually turn the mount to face south. Then tighten the azimuth clutch lock
again. The other is turn on the mount. Turn the mount facing south using hand control. Then
turn off the power.
Note:
Do not put the compass directly on top of the mount. The motor parts
of the mount could affect the pointing accuracy of the compass.
Point to Zenith.
Unlock the altitude clutch lock and rotate the telescope to point up
directed at the Zenith. A torpedo level may help. Once it is straight, re-tighten the altitude lock to
make sure OTA is secure and will not spin.
3.2. Equatorial (EQ) Mount
The Park Position of an EQ mount is when the mount is Polar aligned. Or roughly the
R.A. axis is pointing to North and inclined at an angle above the horizon equal in magnitude to
your latitude.
