4.Catalog Keys: The NexStar has keys on the hand control to allow direct access to each of the catalogs in its database. The NexStar contains the following catalogs in its database:
Messier – Complete list of all Messier objects.
NGC – Complete list of all the
Planets - All 8 planets in our Solar System plus the Moon and Sun. Stars – A compiled list of the brightest stars from the SAO catalog.
List – For quick access, all of the best and most popular objects in the NexStar database have been broken down into customized lists based on their type and/or common name:
Named Stars | Common name listing of the brightest stars in the |
Named Objects | sky. |
Alphabetical listing of over 50 of the most popular | |
Double Stars | deep sky objects. |
| stunning double, triple and quadruple stars in the |
Variable Stars | sky. |
Select list of the brightest variable stars with the | |
Asterisms | shortest period of changing magnitude. |
A unique list of some of the most recognizable star | |
CCD Objects | patterns in the sky. |
A custom list of many interesting galaxy pairs, trios | |
IC Objects | and clusters that are well suited for CCD imaging. |
A complete list of all the Index Catalog | |
Abell Objects | objects. |
A complete list of all the Abell Catalog | |
| objects. |
5.Info: Displays coordinates and useful information about objects selected from the NexStar database.
6.Tour: Activates the tour mode, which seeks out all the best objects for the current date and time, and automatically slews the NexStar to those objects.
7.Enter: Pressing Enter allows you to select any of the NexStar functions and accept entered parameters.
8.Undo: Undo will take you out of the current menu and display the previous level of the menu path. Press Undo repeatedly to get back to a main menu or use it to erase data entered by mistake.
9.Menu: Displays the many setup and utilities functions such as tracking rate and user defined objects and many others.
10.Scroll Keys: Used to scroll up and down within any of the menu lists. A
11.Rate: Instantly changes the rate of speed of the motors when the direction buttons are pressed.
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Hand Control Operation
This section describes the basic hand control procedures needed to operate the NexStar. These procedures are grouped into three categories: Alignment, Setup and Utilities. The alignment section deals with the initial telescope alignment as well as finding objects in the sky; the setup section discusses changing parameters such as tracking mode and tracking rate; finally, the last section reviews all of the utilities functions such as the slew limits, database filter limits and backlash compensation.
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