Declination setting circles

All,

On my rather (read: very) cheap equatorial mount the declination
setting circle tends to move with the scope - this can be a pain
when trying to hold a flash light in the mouth, hold the setting
circle still with a finger and move the scope to the degree and
minute. Adjusting the nut on top of the mount does not help. Is
there any reason to not just glue the setting circle to the
mount at the required 90 degrees directly in front?

Thanks,

Kirby Benson
Las Cruces, NM

Kirby Benson wrote in alt.astronomy:

On my rather (read: very) cheap equatorial mount the declination
setting circle tends to move with the scope - this can be a pain
when trying to hold a flash light in the mouth, hold the setting
circle still with a finger and move the scope to the degree and
minute. Adjusting the nut on top of the mount does not help. Is
there any reason to not just glue the setting circle to the
mount at the required 90 degrees directly in front?


There's no reason why that Dec setting circle shouldn't be fixed, and I
don't think it's supposed to be. Take care you do it at the exact location
( e.g. do a very -very precise polar alignment) before setting it to 90
and fixing it.



--
CeeBee


Uxbridge: "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!"
Wellington: "By God, sir, so you have!"


Google CeeBee @ www.geocities.com/ceebee_2

Kirby Benson wrote in alt.astronomy:

On my rather (read: very) cheap equatorial mount the declination
setting circle tends to move with the scope - this can be a pain
when trying to hold a flash light in the mouth, hold the setting
circle still with a finger and move the scope to the degree and
minute. Adjusting the nut on top of the mount does not help. Is
there any reason to not just glue the setting circle to the
mount at the required 90 degrees directly in front?


There's no reason why that Dec setting circle shouldn't be fixed, and I
don't think it's supposed to be. Take care you do it at the exact location
( e.g. do a very -very precise polar alignment) before setting it to 90
and fixing it.



--
CeeBee


Uxbridge: "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!"
Wellington: "By God, sir, so you have!"


Google CeeBee @ www.geocities.com/ceebee_2