Hi,

Capture tighter stars and smoother tracking tonight with this 1‑minute tweak you can do right now—no new gear required.

Tip of the Week: Nail Your Mount Balance (The Easy DIY Way)

Why it matters:

• Better balance = less strain on motors

• Smoother tracking = rounder stars, longer exposures

• Fewer guiding corrections = cleaner data

How to do it (quick checklist):

• Slightly east‑heavy: After polar alignment, bias your RA axis a touch toward the east so the gears stay engaged.

• DIY counterweight: Use a small pouch with coins/lead shot/AA batteries and Velcro it along your dovetail to fine‑tune balance without buying extra weights.

See exactly how I set this up in my new step‑by‑step video, including the quick DIY counterweight trick and a simple test to confirm you’re perfectly balanced.