Meade 2045 - Electronic Motor Drive

2. Point the telescope with the motor drive running, at a moderately bright star near where the
meridian (the North-South line passing through your local zenith) and the celestial equator
intersect. For best results, the star should be located within ± 30 minutes in R.A. of the meridian
and within ± 5’ of the celestial equator.
3. Note the extent of the star’s drift in Declination (disregard drift in Right Ascension):
a. If the star drifts South , the telescope’s polar axis is pointing too far East.
b. If the star drifts North, the telescope’s polar axis is pointing too far West.
4. Carefully move the table tripod of the Model 2045 to effect the appropriate change in polar alignment.
Reposition the telescope’s East-West polar axis orientation until there is no further North-South
drift by the star. Track the star for a period of time to be certain that its Declination drift has
ceased.
5. Next, point the telescope at another moderately bright star near the Eastern horizon, but still
near the celestial equator. For best results, the star should be about 20° or 30‘ above the
Eastern horizon and within ± 5' of the celestial equator.
6. Again note the extent of the star’s drift in Declination:
a. If the star drifts South, the telescope’s polar axis is pointing too low.
b. If the star drifts North , the telescope’s polar axis is pointing too high .
7. Change the extension length of the adjustable tripod leg to effect the appropriate corrections in
latitude angle. Again track the star for a period of time to be certain that Declination drift has ceased.
The above procedure results in very accurate polar alignment, and minimizes the need for tracking
corrections during astrophotography.
The optional Meade Equatorial Wedge/Field tripod system provides an extremely stable platform for the
most discriminating long exposure photography and also permits standing observations through the
telescope in the equatorial mode.
ELECTRONIC MOTOR DRIVE
Supplied as standard equipment with the Model 2045 is an extremely accurate drive gear drive system,
driven by a precision pulse motor. The power cord from the battery pack plugs into the bottom of the
telescope’s drive base. The North-South switch, located on the bottom plate of the drive base (see (4),
Fig. 1), reverses the motor drive direction, thus permitting use of the telescope in both the Northern and
Southern hemispheres.
With the telescope set up in the equatorial mode (as described above under "Lining Up with the Pole"),
plug the power cord into the drive base. Immediately, if you put your ear to the drive base of the
telescope, you will be able to hear the low level noise created by the running motor. The drive system
turns the fork mount of the telescope through one complete revolution every 24 hours, and results in the
stars "standing still" as you view them through the telescope eyepiece. The motor drive also drives the
R.A. setting circle, (see (8) Fig. 1), as described in the next section.
The motion of the telescope caused by the drive system is not obvious if you look at the telescope (in fact,
it is not even perceptible). However, while observing through the telescope, it is a very significant motion
indeed. To check this point, with a star centered in the telescope field and the electric motor drive
running, unplug the power cord: the star will immediately begin to drift out of the field of view; at higher
powers, the effect is even more pronounced.
The motor drive is engaged by turning the R.A. lock (see (7), Fig. 1) to the locked position. Simply
"unlock" the R.A. lock to disengage the motor drive when manually pointing the telescope at another
object.
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