<p>With the wedge in place, you will only do polar alignments.  If you want to go back to az/el, you must remove the wedge.</p>

<p>For me polar alignments are much faster and easier than az/el alignments.
For polar:</p>

<ol>
<li>level the mount</li>
<li>Set your latitude on the wedge</li>
<li>Let the auto alignment point the scope at dec 90 and manually spin the mount until you align on Polaris.  You use the manual controls on the wedge for this, not the hand controller.</li>
<li>Do a one star alignment on an overhead star.  I always use Vega in the summertime.  You use the hand controller for this.</li>
</ol>

<p>If you haven't moved the mount since last time (or if it is permanently mounted) all you have to do is power up and do a one star alignment.  Easy!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-24T22:06:50.793Z
Thanks John. Your answer is a keeper.. I'll print it and use it asap..
ICL1901
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-24T23:21:42.500Z
The MAPUG user group is a great resource for LX200 info.  Their checklists are very handy and work much better than the info in the Meade manuals. http://thadlabs.com/MAPUG/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/ArhvList.htm
John
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-24T21:31:45.150Z
2015-01-24T21:31:45.150Z
John
<p>I have a Meade wedge that I am to install on one of their LX200 telescopes. Will I be able to align in alt-az afterwards? Is polar easier or harder to make an alignment? Any other tips welcome. Thanks</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T20:15:35.080Z
Do you mean will you be able to align in alt-az with the wedge installed? If so, probably not.
asawyer
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T20:16:44.480Z
Ok. Thanks. I installed the wedge this evening.. Polar it is then!
ICL1901
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T20:18:13.253Z
I'd not really familiar with meade hand set computers but I imagine they have an alignment helper routine built in you can use in either mode. Good luck!
asawyer
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T20:21:22.910Z
Yes, they do have a polar setup. Their manual though, is very hard to read. I have to read things over and over, and then translate bits and pieces to items on hand. I suspect that, as they've changed models, they haven't updated their documentation. Thank you for the response..
ICL1901
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T20:24:29.170Z
Are you going with the wedge to start getting into astrophotography? The folks at r/astrophotography on reddit would be able to give you some help with any problems.
asawyer
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T20:46:32.290Z
Brilliant. That's just what I could use.and yep, I want to start getting some planetary images..
ICL1901
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-14T21:42:10.827Z
It would be nice if we can get this fleshed out as an actual 'answer' below. Thanks. (cc @asawyer)
Robert Cartaino
<telescope>
Alt-Az or Polar?
ICL1901
# Alt-Az or Polar?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-14)

I have a Meade wedge that I am to install on one of their LX200 telescopes. Will I be able to align in alt-az afterwards? Is polar easier or harder to make an alignment? Any other tips welcome. Thanks

**Tags:** telescope

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Do you mean will you be able to align in alt-az with the wedge installed? If so, probably not.  
> **username_0**: Ok. Thanks. I installed the wedge this evening.. Polar it is then!  
> **username_1**: I'd not really familiar with meade hand set computers but I imagine they have an alignment helper routine built in you can use in either mode. Good luck!  
> **username_0**: Yes, they do have a polar setup. Their manual though, is very hard to read. I have to read things over and over, and then translate bits and pieces to items on hand. I suspect that, as they've changed models, they haven't updated their documentation. Thank you for the response..  
> **username_1**: Are you going with the wedge to start getting into astrophotography? The folks at r/astrophotography on reddit would be able to give you some help with any problems.  
> **username_0**: Brilliant. That's just what I could use.and yep, I want to start getting some planetary images..  
> **username_2**: It would be nice if we can get this fleshed out as an actual 'answer' below. Thanks. (cc @username_1)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-01-24. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

With the wedge in place, you will only do polar alignments. If you want to go back to az/el, you must remove the wedge.

For me polar alignments are much faster and easier than az/el alignments.
For polar:

1. level the mount
2. Set your latitude on the wedge
3. Let the auto alignment point the scope at dec 90 and manually spin the mount until you align on Polaris. You use the manual controls on the wedge for this, not the hand controller.
4. Do a one star alignment on an overhead star. I always use Vega in the summertime. You use the hand controller for this.

If you haven't moved the mount since last time (or if it is permanently mounted) all you have to do is power up and do a one star alignment. Easy!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks username_3. Your answer is a keeper.. I'll print it and use it asap..  
> **username_3**: The MAPUG user group is a great resource for LX200 info.  Their checklists are very handy and work much better than the info in the Meade manuals. http://thadlabs.com/MAPUG/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/ArhvList.htm  

---

