Quick Balance Reference

This is a handy reference for balancing a telescope.  For more details, please see the Balancing page of the Basics of CCD Imaging section.

Fork-Mounted Telescope

    Balance Vertically First

• Point telescope vertically
   

• Carefully loosen clutch
   

• Push telescope lightly in each direction to determine balance
   

• If telescope is top-heavy (toward finderscope) add weights to the bottom of the scope
   

• If telescope is bottom-heavy (away from finderscope) add weights to the top of the scope

    Balance Horizontally Second

• Point telescope horizontally
   

• Push telescope lightly up and down to determine balance
   

• If telescope is front-heavy, slide weight toward the back of the scope
   

• If telescope is rear-heavy, slide weight toward the front of the scope

German Equatorial Mount

    Balance Optical Tube (Dec Axis) First

• Orient telescope tube and counterweight shaft parallel to ground (horizontally)
   

• Carefully loosen Declination clutch
   

• Push telescope tube lightly up and down to determine balance
   

• If telescope is front-heavy, return telescope to position above polar axis of mount and slide tube backward
   

• If telescope is rear-heavy, return telescope to position above polar axis of mount and slide tube forward

    Balance Counterweights (RA Axis) Second

• Orient telescope tube and counterweight shaft parallel to ground (horizontally)
   

• Carefully loosen Right Ascension clutch
   

• Push counterweight shaft lightly up and down to determine balance
   

• If too heavy toward telescope, slide counterweights down the shaft (away from scope)
   

• If too heavy toward counterweights, slide counterweights up shaft (toward scope)

Return to Balance Page