The meridian flip typically happens just as your target crosses the local meridian line—right overhead from north to south.
At this point, your mount approaches its physical tracking limit. To avoid collision, the mount stops tracking briefly, rotates the telescope assembly about 180° on the right ascension axis, then resumes smooth tracking from the opposite side.
Modern mounts often perform this flip automatically, but some require manual intervention. Planning for this flip ensures minimal downtime and uninterrupted imaging.
