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Hello All,
I received my new GM-8 Sat. and saw 1st. light with it last night. My only previous experience is with a LXD55 mount which I never tried to drift align. I have Jerry's CD book and am trying to learn how to drift align. I am semi-familiar with celestial coordinates. I know the meridian goes from Polaris through the zenith. My question is about the celestial equator. If my latitude is 37.21 N, will the celestial equator be 90 degrees from that (about 52.79 degrees from the horizon)? If I read the article right it said about 20 degrees above the celestial equator which would put me about 73 degrees from the horizon, which is approaching the zenith. Is this right or am I way off for the meridian adjustment? I have no view of the western horizon so I will need to use the eastern for the second alignment. If I am right for 73 degrees from the horizon for the meridian, can I just rotate the mount in RA eastward until it's about 20 degrees from the eastern horizon for the second drift adjustment? I'm using a refractor with diagonal. Should I have the diagonal oriented so I am looking straight down into the reticle? Is the North or South drift true north/south or as it appears in the eyepiece? I apologize for my ignorance on this but I want to learn this technique so I can take better pictures without as much guiding input as I have been having to make with the Meade. Any guidance and/or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!!
Gary
Thaxton, VA
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