Advanced Series Advanced Series GT INSTRUCTION MANUAL INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................................................4 C6-R C6-RGT Warning ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 ASSEMBLY.....................................................................................................................................................................7 Setting up the Tripod .................................................................................................................................. 7 Attaching the Equatorial Mount.................................................................................................................. 7 Attaching the Center Leg Brace.................................................................................................................. 8 Installing the Counterweight Bar ................................................................................................................ 8 Installing the Counterweight....................................................................................................................... 9 Attaching the Hand Control Holder ............................................................................................................ 9 Attaching the Slow Motion Knobs.............................................................................................................. 9 Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount ............................................................................................. 10 Balancing the Tube in R.A........................................................................................................................ 12 Adjusting the Mount ................................................................................................................................. 13 Adjusting the Mount in Altitude ............................................................................................................... 13 Adjusting the Mount in Azimuth............................................................................................................... 14 Attaching the Declination Cables (For GT Models Only) ........................................................................ 14 Powering the Telescope ............................................................................................................................ 14 HAND CONTROL ........................................................................................................................................................15 Hand Control Operation............................................................................................................................ 16 Alignment Procedures............................................................................................................................... 17 Startup Procedure...................................................................................................................................... 17 Auto Align ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Auto Three-Star Align .............................................................................................................................. 18 Quick-Align .............................................................................................................................................. 19 Last Alignment ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Re-Alignment............................................................................................................................................ 19 Object Catalog .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Selecting an Object.................................................................................................................................... 20 Slewing to an Object ................................................................................................................................. 20 Finding Planets.......................................................................................................................................... 20 Tour Mode................................................................................................................................................. 21 Constellation Tour..................................................................................................................................... 21 Direction Buttons ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Rate Button................................................................................................................................................ 21 Setup Procedures....................................................................................................................................... 22 Tracking Mode.................................................................................................................................. 22 Tracking Rate.................................................................................................................................... 22 Date/Time ......................................................................................................................................... 22 User Defined Objects........................................................................................................................ 22 Get RA/DEC ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Goto R.A/Dec ................................................................................................................................... 23 Identify.............................................................................................................................................. 23 Precise GoTo............................................................................................................................................. 24 Scope Setup Features ................................................................................................................................ 24 Setup Time-Site ................................................................................................................................ 24 Anti-backlash .................................................................................................................................... 24 Filter Limits ...................................................................................................................................... 24 Direction Buttons .............................................................................................................................. 25 Goto Approach.................................................................................................................................. 25 Autoguide Rates................................................................................................................................ 25 Azimuth Limits ................................................................................................................................. 25 East/West Filtering............................................................................................................................ 26 Utility Features ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Calibrate Goto................................................................................................................................... 26 Home Position................................................................................................................................... 26 Polar Align........................................................................................................................................ 26 Light Control..................................................................................................................................... 27 Factory Settings ................................................................................................................................ 27 2 Version.............................................................................................................................................. 27 Get Alt-Az......................................................................................................................................... 27 Goto Alt-Az ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Hibernate........................................................................................................................................... 27 Turn On/Off GPS.............................................................................................................................. 27 TELESCOPE BASICS..................................................................................................................................................29 Image Orientation...................................................................................................................................... 29 Focusing.................................................................................................................................................... 30 Aligning the Finderscope.......................................................................................................................... 30 Calculating Magnification......................................................................................................................... 30 Determining Field of View........................................................................................................................ 31 General Observing Hints ........................................................................................................................... 31 ASTRONOMY BASICS ...............................................................................................................................................32 The Celestial Coordinate System .............................................................................................................. 32 Motion of the Stars.................................................................................................................................... 33 Finding the North Celestial Pole ............................................................................................................... 35 Declination Drift Method of Polar Alignment .......................................................................................... 36 CELESTIAL OBSERVING .........................................................................................................................................37 Observing the Moon.................................................................................................................................. 37 Lunar Observing Hints .............................................................................................................................. 37 Observing the Planets................................................................................................................................ 37 Observing the Sun ..................................................................................................................................... 37 Solar Observing Hints ............................................................................................................................... 38 Observing Deep Sky Objects .................................................................................................................... 38 Seeing Conditions ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Transparency ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Sky Illumination................................................................................................................................. ...