Celestron XLT series T, ts, nt, en, te, nt, on, Co, of, le, bl, ab, Ta, e o, f C, s

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INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Warning...................................................................................................................................................... 4
ASSEMBLY.................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Setting up the Tripod.................................................................................................................................. 8
Attaching the Equatorial Mount................................................................................................................. 9
Attaching the Center Leg Brace............................................................................................................... 10
Installing the Counterweight Bar.............................................................................................................. 10
Installing the Counterweights................................................................................................................... 11
Attaching the Slow Motion Knobs........................................................................................................... 11
Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount............................................................................................. 12
Installing the Finderscope......................................................................................................................... 13
Installing the Visual Back......................................................................................................................... 13
Installing the Star Diagonal...................................................................................................................... 14
Installing the Eyepieces............................................................................................................................ 14
Moving the Telescope Manually.............................................................................................................. 15
Balancing the Mount in R.A..................................................................................................................... 15
Balancing the Mount in DEC................................................................................................................... 16
Adjusting the Mount................................................................................................................................. 16
Adjusting the Mount in Altitude............................................................................................................... 17
Adjusting the Mount in Azimuth.............................................................................................................. 17
TELESCOPE BASICS................................................................................................................................................. 18
Image Orientation..................................................................................................................................... 20
Focusing................................................................................................................................................... 20
Aligning the Finderscope......................................................................................................................... 21
Calculating Magnification........................................................................................................................ 21
Determining Field of View....................................................................................................................... 22
General Observing Hints.......................................................................................................................... 22
ASTRONOMY BASICS...............................................................................................................................................23
The Celestial Coordinate System............................................................................................................. 23
Motion of the Stars................................................................................................................................... 24
Latitude Scale........................................................................................................................................... 25
Pointing at Polaris ....................................................................................................................................25
Finding the North Celestial Pole ..............................................................................................................26
Declination Drift Method of Polar Alignment.......................................................................................... 27
Aligning the R.A. Setting Circle.............................................................................................................. 28
Using the R.A. Vernier Scale................................................................................................................... 29
CELESTIAL OBSERVING.........................................................................................................................................30
Observing the Moon................................................................................................................................. 30
Lunar Observing Hints............................................................................................................................. 30
Observing the Planets............................................................................................................................... 30
Observing the Sun.................................................................................................................................... 31
Solar Observing Hints.............................................................................................................................. 31
Observing Deep Sky Objects....................................................................................................................31
Seeing Conditions.....................................................................................................................................31
Transparency............................................................................................................................................ 31
Sky Illumination....................................................................................................................................... 31
Seeing....................................................................................................................................................... 32