Celestron StarSense AutoAlign Manual - Page 11

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MOTOR SPEED BUTTON

The telescope can be controlled at nine different

speed rates . Pressing the MOTOR SPEED button

allows you to instantly change the speed of the

motors from high-speed slew rate to precise

guiding rate, or anywhere in between . Each rate

corresponds to a number on the hand control key

pad . The number 9 is the fastest rate (approximately

3 .5º per second, depending on power source) and

is used for slewing between objects and locating

alignment stars . The number 1 on the hand control

is the slowest rate (2x sidereal) and can be used

for accurate centering of objects in the eyepiece .

To change the speed rate of the motors:

1. Press MOTOR SPEED . The LCD will display

the current speed rate .

2. Press the number of the desired speed .

The hand controller has a "double button" feature

that allows you to instantly speed up the motors

without having to choose a speed rate . Simply press

the arrow button for the direction that you want

to move the telescope . While holding that button

down, press the opposite directional button . This

will increase the speed to the maximum slew rate .

When using the UP and DOWN buttons on the

hand control, the slower slew rates (6 and lower)

move the motors in the opposite direction than the

faster slew rates (7- 9) . This is so that an object

moves in the appropriate direction when looking

into the eyepiece (i .e . pressing the up arrow button

will move the star upwards in the field of view of

the eyepiece) . However, if any of the slower slew

rates (rate 6 and below) are used to center an

object in an optional finderscope, you may need to

press the opposite directional button to make the

telescope move in the correct direction .

HELP BUTTON

The HELP button gives you instant access to

helpful information and utilities that can improve

the pointing accuracy of your telescope .

• General FAQ: A quick reference guide for the

features and functions of your telescope .

• Glossary: Provides definitions for many

astronomical terms you may come across

while using your telescope .

The HELP button can also be used to improve

pointing accuracy should you notice that bright

objects are not well centered in (or completely

missing from) the eyepiece . This is particularly

useful when using the StarSense Manual align-

ment process . To use the HELP button to improve

accuracy:

1. Slew to the database object that is not visible (or

not well centered) in the eyepiece .

2. After the slew is complete press the HELP but-

ton . Do not attempt to use the direction buttons

to manually search for the object .

The telescope will then slew to a nearby bright star

and take a reference image . StarSense will make

adjustments to its sky alignment model based on

the stars captured in the image .

3. Once complete, slew the telescope back to the

original object . You should notice a considerable

improvement in pointing accuracy in that region

of the sky .

MENU BUTTON

StarSense contains many user-defined setup

functions so you can customize your telescope's

features . Access the setup and utility features by

pressing the MENU key and scrolling through the

options below .

DATABASE SETUP

Press ENTER to accept the value .

SkyTour Filters: These filters allow you to set the

Allow Sun: Enable the Sun under the Solar System

magnitude limit (brightness) and object type (i .e .

object catalog and as an alignment object in Solar

globular star cluster, galaxy, etc .) for objects that

System Align . Use the UP and DOWN scroll keys

will be displayed when the SKY TOUR button

to toggle between "yes" and "no" and press ENTER

is pressed . When using your telescope from a

to accept .

dark sky location, set the minimum magnitude to a

Note: Never enable the Sun without the proper solar filter

higher number . When using your telescope from

on your telescope .

an urban location or when the Moon is full, set the

minimum magnitude to a lower number . The filter

TELESCOPE

limit can be set between 0 (very bright objects) and

25 .5 (extremely faint objects) . Press ENTER to

Tracking Rate: StarSense will continually track

accept the value

celestial objects as they move across the night sky .

You can adjust the tracking rate depending on what

Once the filter limit is set, the hand control will

type of object is being observed . Press ENTER to

display a list of all the object catalogs that are

select different tracking rates:

searched when creating the customized SkyTour .

To narrow down your search you can select just the

Sidereal: Compensates for the rotation of

catalogs you want to include:

the Earth by moving the telescope at the same

rate as the rotation of the Earth, but in the

1 . Use the UP and DOWN Scroll keys to select

opposite direction .

the desired catalog .

Lunar: Used for tracking the Moon .

2 . Press ENTER to select or deselect the catalog .

Solar: Used for tracking the Sun for solar

A selected catalog will have a small check-

observing using a proper solar filter .

mark next to it

Disable: Turns tracking completely off .

A deselected catalog will have a small "x" next

to it .

Setup

• Slew Limits: The slew limits prevent the

Catalog Filters: Allows you to set the minimum

telescope tube from slewing to an object

magnitude limit (brightness) for objects that will be

below the horizon or slewing to an object that

displayed when viewing any of the database cata-

is high enough that the tube might hit one of

logs . This will filter out any objects too faint to view

the tripod legs . However, the slew limits can

for the sky conditions of your observing site .

be customized depending on your needs . For

Identify Filters: Allows you to set the minimum

example, if you would like to slew to an object

magnitude limit (brightness) and search radius for

that is close to the zenith and are certain that

objects that will be displayed when the IDENTIFY

the tube will not hit the tripod legs, you can

button is pressed . This will not only allow you to set

set the maximum slew limits to 90º in altitude .

the brightness of the object you want StarSense to

Setting your limits to 0 and 90º will allow the

identify but also the distance away from its current

telescope to slew to any object above the

location .

horizon . Use the UP/DOWN Scroll buttons

to increase and press ENTER to accept the

The Identify Filter can be set between 0 (very

values .

bright objects) and 25 . 5 (extremely faint objects) .

The search radius filter can be set from 0º to 25 . 5 º .