Paramount MX User Guide
20 |
P a g e
limits.
TheSkyX Professional Edition
stores this synchronization position so that the mount’s orientation
can be restored for subsequent observing sessions.
In theory, once a
permanently mounted
Paramount MX is aligned with the celestial pole (page 11), it
need be synchronized once and never again. In practice, the mount will have to be synchronized:
•
Each time the mount is setup for portable use.
•
When the mount’s polar alignment is changed.
•
When the optical tube assembly (OTA) is changed.
Synchronization is essential for “normal” mount operation. If the mount is not synchronized correctly,
the actual orientation the telescope will not match the simulated telescope’s position on the Sky Chart.
And, when commanded to slew from
TheSkyX Professional Edition
, the telescope will end up pointing at
the wrong place in the sky.
The Local Celestial Meridian
The local celestial meridian is a great circle on the celestial sphere that runs from the zenith directly
overhead to a point due South on the horizon, continuing around to the nadir (directly below) and back
up to the zenith. This line divides the celestial sphere into east and west hemispheres.
From
TheSkyX Professional Edition
, expand
Reference Lines and Photos
in the
Chart Elements
window
and turn on the
Meridian
checkbox.
Figure 4:
TheSkyX Professional Edition
with the meridian reference line turned on.
The orange line in Figure 4 represents the local celestial meridian. When the Paramount MX is at the
home position, the telescope must be pointing to the west side of the meridian, near hour angle 2 and
declination 0 in the northern hemisphere. (Or, hour angle -2.0 and declination 0 in the southern
hemisphere).
