learning the refractor

After picking up the RASC Toronto Centre's loaner StellarVue, I thought I'd spend some time doing a practice run, a practice setup, so to be a little familiar with how to set it up. It would give me a chance to ensure everything was working. And stumble, in the daylight, into any gotchas.

Instrument: StellarVue AT-1010 80mm refractor
Mount: equatorial
Method: star hopping

I hadn't planned to do so but it also proved an opportunity to evaluate the condition of the 'scope and mount, as I've done with some of our other loaner equipment.

When I returned home, I left the car in the driveway. This let me set the 'scope up in the garage.

I pulled the wood tripod from the duffel bag. I did not fully extend the legs--not necessary for this test. Set the equatorial mount atop the tripod. Found the screw and large washer to hold the mount in place. Unlike my Vixen, the screw is not held in the tripod head. Attached the long counter weight shaft, added the small counter weight, and found the small donut fastener, used to help stop the counter weight from sliding off the shaft. The mount was ready. I opened the two rings to receive the optical tube assembly.

I removed the small refractor from its case. Kept one hand on it as I secured a ring snug. Attached the other ring. Noted the big, 2" output from the OTA. Attached the 2" mirror diagonal. Then dropped in the 45mm eyepiece. Didn't remember it being noted in the eyepiece list on the web site. Balanced the tube. It was a bit tail-heavy but I couldn't move the OTA any further forward. It wasn't too bad.

Attached the flex-shaft RA and Dec control knobs with the included screwdriver. Released the clutches, eyeballed a tree across the street, and focused. It was working fine. All was well with the OTA.

Grabbed the unity finder. Looked like a Vixen Red Dot Finder. Checked the power switch... On. Turned it off. Surely the battery would be dead. I pocketed it to take inside. Hopefully, I might have a fresh battery.

Reviewed the other bits and bobs in the bag and case. Made notes of what was broken, missing, etc.

Overall, I was pleased. The practice setup went smoothly. Partly because the configuration is not completely unlike the SP-C8. Still, it was good to run through everything. I was confident that it would work fine for the lunar target.