Using the Astronomy Zenith to Measure the Sun and Planets

The Astronomy Zenith is a product of the Cyprus telescope society. It can be used to find the zenith in the skies. It is basically a bracket that holds up the object so that you can accurately measure it and check out the heavenly coordinates. The Zenith is useful when you are taking real long distance photos of the moon, planets and stars. You can hold your hand above the object and still see the objects clearly because they are so close together.

The instructions in the kit tell you how to hold the zenith correctly so that you do not lose the focus of the object. You need to ensure that the object is at your eye level when you look through the eyepiece. You then mount the object so that it is centered with the zenith direction. The mount is made from aluminum and measures 22 inches wide.

The Zenith system comes with a carrying case and a C-clip if you want to take it along with you on trips. I like the way it is because you do not have to carry your tripod wherever you go. You can just put it in the carrying case and it is always there when you need it.

With the Astronomy Zenith you can measure the zenith distance and find the object within a few seconds. There is also a feature within the unit that measures the sun’s position and calculates the correct distance to the object. This is great for two reasons. You can use the zenith distance when you are out traveling and when you calculate the sun’s position you can do this before you even leave home.

The measuring device is really easy to use. Just hold the zenith distance meter up to the object within the field of view and put the meter’s needle against the pointer on the device. If you hold it up and then look at the pointer on the screen you will see a reading of zero. This is the distance between the sun and the object within the zenith distance.

Hold the meter up and then look at the screen again. If the reading of zero still appears on the screen, you may need to hold the meter a bit closer. Hold it at least one or two inches from the pointer so that you get a good reading. Hold the device up as high as you comfortably can and hold it there for about five seconds. Hold it down at the lowest setting and repeat these steps until the reading on the screen is accurate to the nearest inch.