How to set up a telescope

The aim of this page is to explain my method to set up a telescope.
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If you already know how to set up a telescope, you can go to my page "How to take pictures", or "How to process images".

A good set up is essential for taking good pictures. You have to take time and not bypass steps, else you will loose time later.
I took me a long time before I could do good setups, because each detail is important. There are 2 important points according to me: choose a solid floor, and a mount capable to carry the load.

The set up

The set up consists of assembling the tripod, the mount, the telescope and all other accessories, then align the mount axis with the North.

In general, I start this procedure before the night comes, to win time. However, I finish this step at night, to have good stars well visible in order to ajust the alignment.

I choos a place where the floor is really hard, like a terrace or a tennis court, I avoid grass fields. It allows the mount to stay stable while moving, because the whole equipment can weigh a lot and make the ground pack during a rotation.
Moreover a non vetetal floor is less humid at night, and cleaner.
You must install the tripod immediatly in the direction of the North, by using a compass or the polar star. I get the feet out at their maximum, but it is not mandatory.

If it is the day, I use the compass. If it is night, I find the polar star, which is near the sky North. To find it, you just need to find the Great Dipper, to follow by continuing the end of the dipper 5 times the length, and you arrive on it very easily.

Then I install the mount, I screw the 3 branches plate which blocks the tripod under the mount. I check again the orientation with the compass. Then I level all with the small spirit level of the mount, the bubble should be centered in a small circle, by adjusting the feet of the tripod.
I also use a small spirut level which I put in several directions on the plate of the tripod. I tight strongly the screws of the tripod, because the weight of the equipment could make the feet shrink.

Then I plug the power of the mount to light the reticle of the polar finder, and I move the mount on it declinason axis, to make the polar finder not closed.

NB: I make the polar alignment before installing all the equipment, because their weight would disturb the mount screws adjustment, they would be too difficult to turn.

Then I align the drawing of the Big Dipper of the reticle with the real stars in the sky, and make sure that the lines formed by the stars are parallel. I block the mount in rotation.
Then I screw the 4 screws of the mount, azimut and latitude, in order to put the polar star in the small circle of the reticle. Normally the latitude screws do not need to be changed from one night to another, if you stay on the same site. If it is not the case, you must wander if you didn't make a mistake.
When it is done, I unlock the mount is right ascension, and I make it turn to check that the polar star stays on the big circle of the reticle.
At last, I check that the mount is still levelled with the spirit level.

Then I install the equipment: telescope for imaging, telescope for guiding, dew heaters for scopes to avoid dew, eyepieces which will be useful for the GoTo function initialization and the alignment of the scopes. However it's better to install the imagers instead of the eyepieces, reflex camera or astronomy camera, because they are heavy.

Then I balance the mount. At first in right ascension: I move the mount to be horizontal, then I move the counterweights in order that when I move the mount, it doesn't continue to turn in a way or the other.
Then I set it in declinason; I move the mount to be horizontal in right ascension, then I turn it in declinason. It should not go alone in one way or the other when I turn it. Else I need to change the position of the main scope on the dovetail to balance it.

Then I check again the polar alignment in the reticle of the polar finder, by positionning the Big Dipper.

At last I put the mount at its neutral position in right ascension and declinason, before starting the GoTo function initialization with the hand controller.
GoTo function initialization

I enter the information requested by the hand controller: date, time geographic position, then I start the 3 stars alignment procedure. For the first star, I use a not reticled eyepiece with the imaging telescope, because it allows to do approximate alignment. I focus with my naked eye. Once the star approximatly centered, I put the reticle eyepiece, and I precisely center the star. I take advantage of this star to align the guiding scope with the imaging scope, by centering the same star, first with the normal eyepiece, then with reticle eyepiece. Then I continue with the same procedure on the 2 other stars that the hand controller proposes.

After that, it is really helpful: you just need to enter the wanted object in the hand controller, it targets it alone. If the mount set up is good, it works very well, the object is directly centered. Try with simple objects at the beginning if you have some troubles, for example M27, M57, M51 or M31. It will be easy to see them with naked eye in the eyepiece.