INSTRUCTION MANUAL INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................4 WARNING ..................................................................................................................................................................4 ASSEMBLY .................................................................................................................................................................6 ASSEMBLING THE NEXSTAR ......................................................................................................................................6 Powering the NexStar ...........................................................................................................................................6 The Hand Control .................................................................................................................................................6 The Star Diagonal.................................................................................................................................................7 The Eyepiece .........................................................................................................................................................7 The Star Pointer Finderscope...............................................................................................................................7 Removing the Optical Tube...................................................................................................................................8 Attaching the NexStar to the Tripod .....................................................................................................................9 HAND CONTROL ....................................................................................................................................................10 HAND CONTROL OPERATION ...................................................................................................................................11 Alignment Procedure ..........................................................................................................................................11 Sky Align .............................................................................................................................................................12 Auto Two-Star Align ...........................................................................................................................................13 Two Star Alignment ............................................................................................................................................14 One-Star Align ....................................................................................................................................................14 Solar System Align ..............................................................................................................................................15 IMPROVING POINTING ACCURACY ...........................................................................................................................16 Alignment Stars: .................................................................................................................................................16 Sync: ...................................................................................................................................................................17 Undo Sync:..........................................................................................................................................................17 OBJECT CATALOG....................................................................................................................................................17 Selecting an Object .............................................................................................................................................17 Slewing to an Object ...........................................................................................................................................18 Finding Planets...................................................................................................................................................18 Tour Mode ..........................................................................................................................................................18 Constellation Tour ..............................................................................................................................................18 DIRECTION BUTTONS ...............................................................................................................................................19 Rate Button .........................................................................................................................................................19 SETUP PROCEDURES.................................................................................................................................................19 Tracking Mode....................................................................................................................................................19 Tracking Rate......................................................................................................................................................19 View Time-Site ....................................................................................................................................................20 User Defined Objects..........................................................................................................................................20 CAMERA ­................................................................................................................................................................20 Connecting Camera ............................................................................................................................................21 Controlling Camera............................................................................................................................................21 Camera Wizard ...................................................................................................................................................21 GET RA/DEC - ........................................................................................................................................................22 GOTO R.A/ DEC .......................................................................................................................................................22 IDENTIFY..................................................................................................................................................................22 PRECISE GOTO.........................................................................................................................................................22 SCOPE SETUP FEATURES ..........................................................................................................................................23 Setup Time-Site................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Anti-backlash.................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Slew Limits ....................................................................................................................................................................... 23 2 Filter Limits...................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Direction Buttons ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Goto Approach ................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Cordwrap ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 UTILITY FEATURES ..................................................................................................................................................24 Wedge Align .................................................................................................................................................................... 24 GPS On/Off ...................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Light Control.................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Factory Setting ................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Version ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Get Axis Position............................................................................................................................................................. 24 Goto Axis Postion............................................................................................................................................................. 24 Hibernate ......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Sun Menu.......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Scrolling Menu ................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Calibrate Goto ................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Set Mount Position ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 Hand Control Command Tree ............................................................................................................................26 TELESCOPE BASICS..............................................................................................................................................26 Image Orientation...............................................................................................................................................27 Focusing .............................................................................................................................................................28 CALCULATING MAGNIFICATION ..............................................................................................................................28 DETERMINING FIELD OF VIEW .................................................................................................................................28 GENERAL OBSERVING HINTS ...................................................................................................................................29 THE CELESTIAL COORDINATE SYSTEM ....................................................................................................................30 MOTION OF THE STARS ............................................................................................................................................31 POLAR ALIGNMENT .................................................................................................................................................32 Photography with the NexStar ............................................................................................................................33 Finding the North Celestial Pole ........................................................................................................................34 CELESTIAL OBSERVING ................................................ ...