Celestron C8-NGT, C10-N manual Observing Tip Helpful Hint

Fig 3-3 – Azimuth Slew Limits- This figure shows the full range of motion for the R.A. (azimuth) axis

Observing

Tip!

Helpful

Hint!

example, if you are observing from a mountainous location where the horizon is partially obscured, you can set your minimum altitude limit to read +20º. This will make sure that the hand control only displays objects that are higher in altitude than 20º.

If you want to explore the entire object database, set the maximum altitude limit to 90º and the minimum limit to – 90º. This will display every object in the database lists regardless of whether it is visible in the sky from your location.

Direction Buttons –The direction a star appears to move in the eyepiece changes depending on which side of the Meridian the telescope tube is on. This can create confusion especially when guiding on a star when doing astrophotography. To compensate for this, the direction of the drive control keys can be changed. To reverse the button logic of the hand control, press the MENU button and select Direction Buttons from the Utilities menu. Use the Up/Down arrow keys (10) to select either the azimuth (right ascension) or altitude (declination) button direction and press ENTER. Select either positive or negative for both axes and press ENTER to save. Setting the azimuth button direction to positive will move the telescope in the same direction that the telescope tracks (i.e. towards the west). Setting the altitude buttons to positive will move the telescope counterclockwise along the DEC axis.

Goto Approach - lets the user define the direction that the telescope will approach when slewing to an object. This allows the user the ability to minimize the affects of backlash when slewing from object to object. Just like with Direction Buttons, setting GoTo Approach to positive will make the telescope approach an object from the same direction as tracking (west) for azimuth and counterclockwise in declination. Declination Goto approach will only apply while the telescope tube is on one side of the Meridian. Once the tube passes over to the other side of the Meridian, the Goto approach will need to be reversed.

To change the Goto approach direction, simply choose Goto Approach from the Scope Setup menu, select either Altitude or Azimuth approach, choose positive or negative and press ENTER.

In order to minimize the affect of gear backlash on pointing accuracy, the settings for Button Direction should ideally match the settings for GoTo Approach. By default,

using the up and right direction buttons to center alignment stars will automatically eliminate much of the backlash in the gears. If you change the Goto approach of your telescope it is not necessary to change the Button Direction as well. Simply take notice of the direction the telescope moves when completing it final goto approach. If the telescope approaches its alignment star from the west (negative azimuth) and clockwise (negative altitude) then make sure that the buttons used to center the alignment stars also move the telescope in the same directions.

Autoguide Rate – Allows the user to set an autoguide rate as a percentage of sidereal rate. This is helpful when calibrating your telescope to a CCD autoguider for long exposure photography.

Azimuth Limits - Sets the limits that the telescope can slew in azimuth (R.A.) The slew limits are set to 0º to 180º; with zero being the position of the telescope when the counterweight bar is extended out towards the west and 180º being the position when the counterweight bar is extended out toward the east (see Fig 3-3). However, the slew limits can

be customized depending on your needs. For example, if you are using CCD imaging equipment that has cables that are not long enough to move with the telescope as it slews across the sky, you can adjust the azimuth slew limit on the side of the mount that is restricted by the cables. Using the example above, the user could slew the telescope

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