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How to Use Meade DS Motors for Other Telescopes

Meade DS motors are the right ascension, or R.A., and declination motors that come off of their DS model telescopes. Each motor unit contains sensors to measure axle rotation, making precise telescope movement possible. Equatorial telescope mounts allow you to move the telescope in right ascension and declination to re-align the telescope on a new object or to compensate for the Earth's rotation. Attaching Meade DS motors to your equatorial mount will allow you to electronically control the movement of your telescope.

Things You'll Need

Several square feet of heavy cardboard
Single edge safety razor
Ruler
Pencil
Light sheet metal
Several metal bolts and nuts

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the R.A. and dec controls on your telescope. Remove the manual controls -- which are the long cables with a rotation knob at the end -- by unscrewing the locking nut and pulling the controls off.
- 2
  Attach the R.A. Meade DS motor to the telescope's R.A. control axle, which will be a brass axle with a flat, half-round stub that protrudes from the telescope. Do not release the R.A. DS motor as there is nothing supporting it but your hand the axle will not hold the motor's weight.
- 3
  Determine the size of a metal support base that will hold the motor in the position that you are now holding the motor with your hand. Remove the R.A. DS motor and make a heavy cardboard support base, using the measurements you took while holding the motor as it was attached to the R.A. control axle.
- 4
  Reattach the R.A. DS motor to the R.A. control axle and place the cardboard support into position so that it supports the motor. Make adjustment cuts on the cardboard until you have a support base that supports the motor and fits against the telescope, then disconnect and remove the motor and cardboard base.
- 5
  Construct a light, metal support base using the cardboard support base as a template. You may need the services of a small metal shop for a few hours. Attach the metal support base to the telescope and mount the R.A. DS motor and reattach it to the control axle.
- 6
  Repeat the process that you used to mount the R.A. DS motor with the dec DS motor, so that the motor is mounted and attached to the dec control axle. Ensure that the telescope can move in all dimensions without bumping into the R.A. and dec DS motors and support bases.
- 7
  Attach the electrical controls to the motors and power-up the system. Depending on the size and weight of the telescope, you may need to rebalance the optical tube to allow the DS motors to work properly.

Astronomy