Celestron C8-NGT, C10-N manual Auto Align, Auto Three-Star Align

Figure 3-2

The Meridian is an imaginary line in the sky that starts at the North celestial pole and ends at the South celestial pole and passes through the zenith. If you are facing South, the meridian starts from your Southern horizon and passes directly overhead to the North celestial pole.

Note: If incorrect information is entered into the hand control, the UNDO button acts like a back space button allowing the user to re-enter the correct data.

Auto Align

Auto Align allows the telescope to automatically choose three stars (two on one side of the Meridian, and one on the opposite side) on which to align itself. To Auto Align your telescope:

1.Select Auto Align from the alignment choices given. Based on the date and time information entered, the telescope will automatically select and go to a bright star that is above the horizon.

•If for some reason the chosen star is not visible (perhaps behind a tree or building) press UNDO to automatically select the next bright star from the database star list.

2.Once the telescope is finished slewing to your first alignment star, the display will ask you to use the arrow

buttons to align the selected star with the crosshairs in the center of the finderscope. Once centered in the finder, press ENTER.

3. The display will then instruct you to center the star in the field of view of the eyepiece. When the star is centered, press ALIGN to accept this star as your first alignment star.

4.After the first alignment star has been entered the telescope will automatically select a second alignment star on the same side of the Meridian and have you repeat this procedure for that star.

5.For the third alignment star, the telescope will select a bright star on the opposite side of the Meridian and slew to it. Once again center the star in the crosshairs of the finderscope and then center the star in the eyepiece, pressing ENTER when complete.

When the telescope has been aligned on all three stars the display will read Alignment Successful, and you are now ready to find your first object.

Auto Three-Star Align

Auto Three-Star Alignment works much the same way as Auto Align, however instead of automatically slewing to the alignment stars, the user is allowed to select the alignment stars from a list. To use Auto Three-Star Align:

1.Select Auto Three Star Align from the alignment choices given.

2.The hand control will display a recommended alignment star to begin.

•Press UNDO to display the next recommended star on the same side of the Meridian, or

•Press the UP and DOWN arrows keys to scroll through the compete list of available alignment stars to choose from.

3.Once the desired alignment star is displayed on the hand control press ENTER to slew the telescope to the star.

4.As with the Auto Align procedure, you will be asked to center the star in the crosshairs of the finderscope and then center the star in the eyepiece, pressing ENTER when complete.

Pointing Accuracy

For the best possible pointing accuracy, always center the alignment stars using the up arrow button and the right arrow button. Approaching from this direction when looking through the eyepiece will eliminate much of the backlash between the gears and assures the most accurate alignment possible.

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