Topic: Telescopes???
no photo
Wed 04/11/07 09:19 AM
does anybody know how to set the weights on a telscope

Abracadabra's photo
Mon 04/16/07 03:57 AM
Are you talking about an astronomical telescope with an equatorial
mount?

If that’s the case, the purpose of the weights are for balance.

First thing you do is point the telescope to Zenith. Then adjust the
weights to that it balances in that position so that it doesn’t want to
fall from vertical on that axis.

Then you might also need to turn the telescope into a horizontal
position and adjust weights to balance it on that axis. Sometimes there
are weights for that axis, and sometimes that’s done just by moving the
telescope itself forward or backward on the mount.

Once the telescope has been balanced on both axis it should stay put no
matter where you point it without wanting to turn on its own from being
out of balance.

That’s the best I can do without seeing the actual telescope you’re
talking about.

There are other kinds of mounts too, but the weights on those are also
for balance and adjusted in a similar fashion.