must convert into degrees and arcminutes. To do this simply multiply the decimal value by 60. If your viewing location is at latitude 36.95 N you would enter a latitude of 36°57’ N [.95 x 60 = 57].
6.Enter the time zone in which you are observing in hours (see Appendix A), using the scroll keys and numeric keypad (+ for east of Prime Meridian, - for west of Prime Meridian). Press ENTER to confirm your choice. The for- mat you enter should look like this if you are in Pacific Standard Time (PST): -08:00.
7.Enter the date in the following format, mm/dd/yyyy, using the numeric keypad. Press ENTER.
8.Enter your current local time using the 24 hour time mode (example: 2:00PM = 14:00). Press ENTER to view the time you entered. If the time is incorrect, press ESC to go back to the previous screen. If the time is correct, press ENTER again to proceed to the next step.
9.After entering the current time, the hand controller will prompt “DAYLIGHT SAVING?”. Use the scroll keys to make the selection and press ENTER to confirm.
9a. [For AutoTracking Mode setup] The LCD will now dis- play “Begin Alignment?” Press “2 NO” (to bypass GoTo alignment) and follow the instructions in “Using the Telescope in AutoTracking Mode” below to turn on the automatic tracking.
9b. [For GoTo Mode setup] The LCD will now display “Begin Alignment?” Press “1 YES” and follow the instructions in Alignment for GoTo Operation to activate the computer- ized GoTo functionality.
Note: If a mistake was entered into the hand controller during the initial setup, press the ESC key to go back to the previous menu, and press ENTER to start again.
5. Using the Telescope in
AutoTracking Mode
To activate AutoTracking, at the Choose Menu > Setup Mode prompt, press ENTER. At the Setup Menu prompt, scroll to Auto Tracking and press ENTER to activate automatic track- ing.
The telescope is now tracking at the sidereal rate. The hand controller will display the coordinates corresponding to the direction the telescope is pointed. Use the scroll keys to switch between the following three coordinate formats: Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telescope mount coordinates. You may press ESC to exit from the AutoTracking mode at any time during tracking to browse or choose other functions provided by the hand controller. To return to the AutoTracking mode, choose “Auto Tracking ” under SETUP menu and press ENTER.
Note: When the power is on, you may choose to adjust the telescope electronically by using the hand control or manually by pushing the tube with your hand. The tele- scope will calculate the coordinates for Its position and display the information correctly on the hand controller.
Note: The hand controllerís backlit display will become dimmer and the button Illumination will turn off if left idle for 30 seconds. Pressing any button will re-illuminate the display.
6. Alignment for GoTo Operation
Once the initial setup is complete, if you wish to take advan- tage of the GoTo functionality to accurately locate and point the telescope to objects in the sky, then the GoTo system must first be aligned on known positions (stars) in the sky. Use the supplied 12.5mm Illuminated Plössl Eyepiece to ensure accurate centering of the alignment stars. By performing the star alignment procedure, the mount can replicate a model of the sky to pinpoint and follow the movements of astronomical objects.
There are two methods for aligning the GoTo system, and they are very similar: Brightest Star Alignment and Two Star Alignment. Both actually involve identifying and pointing the telescope to two different bright stars in the night sky. The only difference is that for the Brightest Star Alignment, the hand controller will prompt you to select the first alignment star from a directional region of the sky and will provide a short list of the brightest stars in that region. With the Two Star alignment procedure the list of eligible stars is not grouped by region of sky.
For the novice stargazer unfamiliar with the night sky or the names of brighter stars, some might find the Brightest Star Alignment to be the easier of the two methods. To assist you in performing the alignment by either method, we have includ- ed in the back of this manual a set of star charts with the names of some bright stars indicated for easy reference.
The descriptions below will lead you through step-by-step procedures for both alignment methods.
NOTE: Before performing either of the alignment meth- ods, be sure that the EZ Finder II is precisely aligned with the telescope tube. See “Aligning the EZ Finder II” in Section 2.
Brightest Star Alignment
This method helps you to find and identify the brightest star within a selected region of the sky. Even if you are not famil- iar with the names of stars in the sky, you simply choose the direction of a visible bright star and the hand controller will help you to identify it. This method can also be useful if your visibility is limited due to obstructions such as trees, hills, or buildings.
1.First, select “Brightest Star” as your Alignment Method. Press ENTER.
2.The hand controller will prompt you to “Select Region”. Choose the direction that corresponds with where you see the brightest star in the night sky. It may be help- ful to have a compass for reference during this process. There are eight regions to choose from, each covers a 90-degree span in azimuth (Figure 24). The direction
