Orion 6/6I Using the IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator, Alignment, Powering the Controller

will help you locate the brightest and best deep-sky objects for viewing with your StarBlast 6/6i. Of course, if you pur- chased the StarBlast 6i IntelliScope, you will be able to easily locate dozens of deep-sky objects in a given evening with the IntelliScope Computerized Locator!

You can also try low-power scanning of the Milky Way. Use the 25mm eyepiece and just cruise through the “star clouds” of our galaxy. You’ll be amazed at the rich fields of stars and objects you’ll see! The Milky Way is best observed on summer and winter evenings.

8.Using the IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator

This section applies only to the StarBlast 6i IntelliScope (#27126), which comes with the Computerized Object Locator.

The IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator (controller) (Figure 21) will provide quick, easy access to thousands of celestial objects for viewing with your telescope.

The controller’s user-friendly keypad combined with its data- base of more than 14,000 celestial objects put the night sky lit- erally at your fingertips. You just select an object to view, press Enter, then move the telescope manually following the guide arrows on the liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. In seconds, the IntelliScope’s high-resolution, 9,216-step digital encoders pinpoint the object, placing it smack-dab in the telescope’s field of view!

A. Alignment

This section will familiarize you with the alignment procedure for the IntelliScope system.

Powering the Controller

Install the included 9-volt alkaline battery in the battery com- partment on the back of the controller. Make sure the positive and negative terminals are oriented as indicated by the labels next to the terminals in the battery compartment. To turn the controller on, firmly press the Power button. The LED lights will activate and the LCD screen will display its introduction message. The intensity of the illumination can be adjusted by repeatedly pressing the Power button. There are five levels of LED brightness. Choose a brightness level that suits your con- ditions and needs. (Dimmer settings will prolong battery life.)

To turn the controller off, press and hold the Power button for a few seconds, then release it.

To conserve battery life, the controller is programmed to shut itself off after being idle for 50 minutes. So, make sure to press a button at least once every 50 minutes if you do not want the controller to turn off. If the controller does turn off, you will need to perform the initial alignment procedure again.

If the LCD screen and the buttons’ backlighting automatically begin to dim, it’s time to change batteries.

Coil cable	RS-232	Backlit
jack	jack
		liquid‑crystal
		display

Illuminated

pushbuttonsUser-friendly keypad

Figure 21. The IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator

Initial Vertical Alignment

After powering up the controller, the top line of the LCD dis- play will read: “POINT VERTICAL.” If the top line reads “ALIGN DEC MARK,” simply press the up arrow button. The top line will now read “POINT VERTICAL”, and you are set to use the object locator with your IntelliScope Dobsonian.

If the vertical stop you installed on the top baseplate during assembly of the telescope is properly adjusted (see below), rotate the optical tube upward until the rear end ring comes in contact with the vertical stop knob, as shown in Figure 22. You may have to raise or lower the tube in the tube rings to achieve contact between the flat portion of the rear end ring and the vertical stop knob. Once the optical tube is in the verti- cal position, press the Enter button to start the two-star align- ment procedure.

Setting the Vertical Stop

For the IntelliScope system to work accurately, the vertical stop must be precisely set so that the optical tube is truly per- pendicular to the azimuth axis of the base when the controller says “POINT VERTICAL.” For this you will need a carpenter’s level, which you can find at just about any hardware store.

First, make sure the base itself is level. Place the carpenter’s level on the top baseplate and rotate the base 180˚ in azimuth (Figure 23). The level should indicate that the base is level through the entire rotation. If not, then reposition the base on the ground, or place shims underneath the feet until the base stays level though a 180˚ rotation.

Next, rotate the optical tube upward until the rear end ring comes in contact with the vertical stop knob. Place the car- penter’s level across the top of the optical tube (Figure 24). Is

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