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 IDENTIFY................................................................................................................................................................................20 PRECISE GOTO.......................................................................................................................................................................21 SCOPE SETUP FEATURES ........................................................................................................................................................21 Setup Time-Site ................................................................................................................................................................................21 Anti-backlash ...................................................................................................................................................................................21 Slew Limits.......................................................................................................................................................................................22 Filter Limits .....................................................................................................................................................................................22 Direction Buttons .............................................................................................................................................................................22 Goto Approach.................................................................................................................................................................................22 AutoguideRates ................................................................................................................................................................................22 Cordwrap.........................................................................................................................................................................................22 UTILITY FEATURES ................................................................................................................................................................22 2 GPS On/Off......................................................................................................................................................................................22 Light Control ...................................................................................................................................................................................22 Factory Setting.................................................................................................................................................................................22 Version.............................................................................................................................................................................................22 Get Axis Position ............................................................................................................................................................................22 Goto Axis Postion ............................................................................................................................................................................23 Hibernate .........................................................................................................................................................................................23 Sun Menu .........................................................................................................................................................................................23 Scrolling Menu.................................................................................................................................................................................23 Calibrate Goto .................................................................................................................................................................................23 Set Mount Position...........................................................................................................................................................................23 Wedge Align ....................................................................................................................................................................................23 Hand Control Command Tree ..........................................................................................................................................24 TELESCOPE BASICS............................................................................................................................................................24 IMAGE ORIENTATION .............................................................................................................................................................25 FOCUSING ..............................................................................................................................................................................26 CALCULATING MAGNIFICATION ............................................................................................................................................26 DETERMINING FIELD OF VIEW ...............................................................................................................................................26 GENERAL OBSERVING HINTS.................................................................................................................................................27 THE CELESTIAL COORDINATE SYSTEM..................................................................................................................................28 MOTION OF THE STARS ..........................................................................................................................................................29 POLAR ALIGNMENT ...............................................................................................................................................................30 Polar Alignment (with optional Wedge) ...........................................................................................................................30 Photography with the NexStar ............ ...