INSTRUCTION MANUAL NexStar 60 . NexStar 80 . NexStar 76 . NexStar 102 . NexStar 114 . NexStar 130 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................4 Warning...........................................................................................................................................................................4 QUICK SETUP ...................................................................................................................................................................5 ASSEMBLY.....................................................................................................................................................................10 Assembling the NexStar ................................................................................................................................................10 Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount..............................................................................................................11 Attaching the Telescope to the Tripod.......................................................................................................................11 The Star Diagonal......................................................................................................................................................11 The Eyepiece .............................................................................................................................................................12 Focusing ....................................................................................................................................................................12 The Star Pointer Finderscope ....................................................................................................................................13 Star Pointer Installation .........................................................................................................................................13 Star Pointer Operation ...........................................................................................................................................14 HAND CONTROL ..........................................................................................................................................................15 Attaching the Hand Control.......................................................................................................................................15 Powering the NexStar................................................................................................................................................15 The Hand Control......................................................................................................................................................15 Hand Control Operation ................................................................................................................................................17 Alignment Procedure.................................................................................................................................................17 Auto-Align ................................................................................................................................................................17 Two Star Alignment ..................................................................................................................................................19 Quick-Align...............................................................................................................................................................19 NexStar Re-Alignment ..............................................................................................................................................19 Object Catalog...............................................................................................................................................................20 Selecting an Object....................................................................................................................................................20 Slewing to an Object .................................................................................................................................................20 Tour Mode.................................................................................................................................................................21 Direction Buttons ..........................................................................................................................................................21 Rate Button................................................................................................................................................................21 Set Up Procedures .........................................................................................................................................................21 Tracking Mode ..........................................................................................................................................................21 Tracking Rate ............................................................................................................................................................22 View Time-Site .....................................................................................................................................................22 Sidereal Time ........................................................................................................................................................22 Filter Limits...........................................................................................................................................................22 RS-232...................................................................................................................................................................22 User Defined Objects ............................................................................................................................................22 Get RA/DEC .............................................................................................................................................................23 Get Alt-Az .................................................................................................................................................................23 Goto R.A/Dec............................................................................................................................................................23 Goto Alt-Az...............................................................................................................................................................23 Utility Features..............................................................................................................................................................23 Steup Time-Site.....................................................................................................................................................23 Anti-backlash ........................................................................................................................................................23 Slew Limits ...........................................................................................................................................................24 Direction Buttons ..................................................................................................................................................24 Light Control .........................................................................................................................................................24 Select Model..........................................................................................................................................................24 TELESCOPE BASICS....................................................................................................................................................26 Focusing ....................................................................................................................................................................26 Image Orientation......................................................................................................................................................26 Calculating Magnification .........................................................................................................................................26 Determining Field of View........................................................................................................................................27 General Observing Hints ...........................................................................................................................................27 CELESTIAL OBSERVING ...........................................................................................................................................28 Observing the Moon ..............................................................................................................................................28 Lunar Observing Hints ..........................................................................................................................................28 Observing the Planets ............................................................................................................................................28 Planetary Observing Hints.....................................................................................................................................28 2 Observing the Sun .................................................................................................................................................28 Solar Observing Hints ...........................................................................................................................................29 Observing Deep Sky Objects.................................................................................................................................29 Seeing Conditions..................................................................................................................................................29 Transparency .........................................................................................................................................................29 Sky Illumination ....................................................................................................................................................29 Seeing....................................................................................................................................................................29 TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE.......................................................................................................................................31 Care and Cleaning of the Optics....................................................................................................................................31 Collimation....................................................................................................................................................................31 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES .......................................................................................................................................32 APPENDIX A - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................34 APPENDIX B ­ GLOSSARY OF TERMS ...................................................................................................................35 APPENDIX C ­ RS 232 CONNECTION ......................................................................................................................38 Communication Protocol:......................................................................................................................................38 APPENDIX D ­ TIME ZONE MAPS ...........................................................................................................................39 SKY MAPS ......................................................................................................................................................................41 3 Congratulations on your purchase of the Celestron NexStar! The NexStar ushers in a whole new generation of comput ...