How do I use an equatorial mount for terrestrial observing?
October 8, 2008
It’s awkward to use an equatorial mount for viewing terrestrial objects, as any sweeping movement to the left or right will have the tube moving upwards or downwards. Try raising the polar axis as high as possible on the latitude scale, so the polar (RA) axis acts more like the azimuth and the declination axis acts more like altitude, making it easier to sweep along the horizon or elevate to look at mountaintops, trees, etc.