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NexStar 8 SE
User Manual
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Setup Manual
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Table of contents
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Celestron NexStar 8 SE, NexStar 6 SE User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................................................4
WARNING ................................................................................................................................................................................4
ASSEMBLY...............................................................................................................................................................................6
ASSEMBLING THE NEXSTAR ....................................................................................................................................................6
HAND CONTROL..................................................................................................................................................................10
HAND CONTROL OPERATION .................................................................................................................................................11
IMPROVING POINTING ACCURACY .........................................................................................................................................16
OBJECT CATALOG..................................................................................................................................................................17
DIRECTION BUTTONS.............................................................................................................................................................19
SETUP PROCEDURES ..............................................................................................................................................................19
IDENTIFY................................................................................................................................................................................20
PRECISE GOTO.......................................................................................................................................................................21
SCOPE SETUP FEATURES........................................................................................................................................................21
Setup Time-Site................................................................................................................................................................................21
Anti-backlash...................................................................................................................................................................................21
Slew Limits.......................................................................................................................................................................................22
Filter Limits.....................................................................................................................................................................................22
Direction Buttons.............................................................................................................................................................................22
Goto Approach.................................................................................................................................................................................22
AutoguideRates................................................................................................................................................................................22
Cordwrap.........................................................................................................................................................................................22
UTILITY FEATURES ................................................................................................................................................................22
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GPS On/Off......................................................................................................................................................................................22
Light Control ...................................................................................................................................................................................22
Factory Setting.................................................................................................................................................................................22
Version.............................................................................................................................................................................................22
Get Axis Position ............................................................................................................................................................................22
Goto Axis Postion ............................................................................................................................................................................23
Hibernate.........................................................................................................................................................................................23
Sun Menu.........................................................................................................................................................................................23
Scrolling Menu.................................................................................................................................................................................23
Calibrate Goto................................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Set Mount Position...........................................................................................................................................................................23
Wedge Align....................................................................................................................................................................................23
TELESCOPE BASICS............................................................................................................................................................24
IMAGE ORIENTATION.............................................................................................................................................................25
FOCUSING ..............................................................................................................................................................................26
CALCULATING MAGNIFICATION ............................................................................................................................................26
DETERMINING FIELD OF VIEW ...............................................................................................................................................26
GENERAL OBSERVING HINTS.................................................................................................................................................27
THE CELESTIAL COORDINATE SYSTEM..................................................................................................................................28
MOTION OF THE STARS ..........................................................................................................................................................29
POLAR ALIGNMENT ...............................................................................................................................................................30
CELESTIAL OBSERVING ...................................................................................................................................................33
OBSERVING THE MOON..........................................................................................................................................................33
OBSERVING THE PLANETS......................................................................................................................................................33
OBSERVING THE SUN .............................................................................................................................................................33
OBSERVING DEEP SKY OBJECTS............................................................................................................................................34
SEEING CONDITIONS ..............................................................................................................................................................34
TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE............................................................................................................................................35
APPENDIX A - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................39
APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY OF TERMS............................................................................................................................40
APPENDIX C – RS 232 CONNECTION..............................................................................................................................42
APPENDIX D – MAPS OF TIME ZONES...........................................................................................................................43
SKY MAPS ..............................................................................................................................................................................45
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Congratulations on your purchase of the Celestron NexStar! The NexStar ushers in a whole new generation of computer automated technology. Simple and friendly to use, the NexStar is up and running after locating just three bright objects. It’s the perfect combination of power and portability. If you are new to astronomy, you may wish to start off by using the NexStar's built-in Sky Tour feature, which commands the NexStar to find the most interesting objects in the sky and automatically slews to each one. Or if you are an experienced amateur, you will appreciate the comprehensive database of over 40,000 objects, including customized lists of all the best deep-sky objects, bright double stars and variable stars. No matter at what level you are starting out, the NexStar will unfold for you and your friends all the wonders of the Universe.
Some of the many standard features of the NexStar include:
• Incredible 5°/second slew speed.
• Fully enclosed motors and optical encoders for position location.
• Integrated hand controller – built into the side of the fork arm.
• Storage for programmable user defined objects; and Many other high performance features! The NexStar’s deluxe features combined with Celestron’s legendary optical standards give amateur astronomers one of the most
sophisticated and easy to use telescopes available on the market today. Take time to read through this manual before embarking on your journey through the Universe. It may take a few observing sessions to
become familiar with your NexStar, so you should keep this manual handy until you have fully mastered your telescope’s operation. The NexStar hand control has built-in instructions to guide you through all the alignment procedures needed to have the telescope up and running in minutes. Use this manual in conjunction with the on-screen instructions provided by the hand control. The manual gives detailed information regarding each step as well as needed reference material and helpful hints guaranteed to make your observing experience as simple and pleasurable as possible.
Your NexStar telescope is designed to give you years of fun and rewarding observations. However, there are a few things to consider before using your telescope that will ensure your safety and protect your equipment.
Warning
Never look directly at the sun with the naked eye or with a telescope (unless you are using the proper solar filter). Permanent
and irreversible eye damage may result.
Never use your telescope to project an image of the sun onto any surface. Internal heat build-up can damage the telescope and any
accessories attached to it.
Never use an eyepiece solar filter or a Herschel wedge. Internal heat build-up inside the telescope can cause these devices to crack or
break, allowing unfiltered sunlight to pass through to the eye.
Never leave the telescope unsupervised, either when children are present or adults who may not be familiar with the correct operating
procedures of your telescope
.
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1
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3
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5
8
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10
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1 Optical Tube 7 Tripod 2 Star Pointer Finderscope 8 Accessory Tray / Leg Brace 3 Eyepiece 9 Tilt Wedge Plate 4 Star Diagonal 10 ON/OFF Switch 5 Focuser Knob 11 Hand Control 6 Battery Compartment 12 Liquid Crystal Display
NexStar 8 SE Shown
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The NexStar 8 comes completely pre-assembl ed and can be operational in a matter of minutes. The NexStar is conveniently packaged in one reusable shipping carton that contains all of the following accessories:
• 25mm Eyepiece – 1
• Star Diagonal 1¼"
• Star Pointer Finderscope
• Adjustable Steel Tripod
• The Sky™ Level 1 Astronomy Software
• NexRemote telescope control software
• RS232 Cable
• Computerized Hand Control with over 40,000 Object Database
¼"
AAsssseemmbblliinngg tthhee NNeexxSSttaarr
Start by removing the telescope from its shipping carton and setting the round base on a flat table or surface. It is best to carry the telescope by holding it from the lower portion of the fork arm and from the bottom of the base. Remove all of the accessories from their individual boxes. Remember to save all of the containers so that they can be used to transport the telescope. Before the batteries can be installed, the telescope tube should be positioned horizontal to the ground. To do this, gently rotate the front of the tube upwards until it is level with the ground.

Powering the NexStar

The NexStar can be powered by eight AA batteries (not included), an optional 12v AC adapter or an optional car battery adapter. The battery compartment is located in the center of the telescope's base (see figure 3-
1).
To power the NexStar with batteries:
1. Remove the battery cover from the center of the base by gently lifting up on
the round portion of the cover.
2. Insert the batteries into the battery compartment of the base.
3. Reattach the battery compartment door by gently pushing down on the cover
until it snaps into place.
4. Turn on the power to the NexStar by flipping the switch, located at the base
of the fork arm, to the "On" position.

The Hand Control

The hand control is located on the side of the fork arm and can be removed and used remotely or used while attached to the fork. The hand control attaches to the fork arm by resting on two posts, located on the bottom of the hand control cradle, and a clip inside the fork arm. To remove the hand control from the fork arm cradle, gently lift the hand control upwards and pull out. To return the hand control into the fork arm, lower the hand control into the cradle so that the two holes in the bottom of the hand control go over the posts on the bottom of the cradle, and the opening in the back of the hand control slides over the clip inside the fork arm.
Once the telescope is powered up, the hand control can be used to move the optical tube in altitude (up and down) and azimuth (side to side). Use the Up arrow directional button to move the telescope tube until it is roughly parallel to the ground. This will make it more convenient to attach the necessary accessories as well as remove the front lens cover and install batteries when they are needed.
You are now ready to attach the included visual accessories onto the telescope optical tube.
Battery Compartment
Figure 3-1: The NexStar can be powered
with 8 AA batteries.
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g

The Star Diagonal

The star diagonal diverts the light at a right angle from the light path of the telescope. For astronomical observing, this allows you to observe in positions that are more comfortable than if you were to look straight through. To attach the star diagonal:
1. Turn the thumbscrew on the visual back until its tip no longer extends into (i.e., obstructs) the inner diameter of the visual back.
2. Slide the chrome portion of the star diagonal into the visual back.
3. Tighten the thumbscrew on the visual back to hold the star diagonal in place.
Eyepiece
If you wish to change the orientation of the star diagonal, loosen the thumbscrew on the visual back until the star diagonal rotates freely. Rotate the diagonal to the desired position and tighten the thumbscrew.

The Eyepiece

The eyepiece, or ocular, is the optical element that magnifies the image focused by the telescope. The eyepiece fits into either the visual back directly or the star diagonal. To install the eyepiece:
1. Loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal so it does not obstruct the inner diameter of the eyepiece end of the diagonal.
2. Slide the chrome portion of the eyepiece into the star diagonal.
3. Tighten the thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece in place.
To remove the eyepiece, loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal and slide the eyepiece out.
Eyepieces are commonly referred to by focal length and barrel diameter. The focal length of each eyepiece is printed on the eyepiece barrel. The longer the focal length (i.e., the larger the number) the lower the eyepiece power or magnification; and the shorter the focal length (i.e., the smaller the number) the higher the magnification. Generally, you will use low-to-moderate power when viewing. For more information on how to determine power, see the section on “Calculating Magnification.”
Barrel diameter is the diameter of the barrel that slides into the star diagonal or visual back. The NexStar uses eyepieces with a standard 1­1/4" barrel diameter.
Figure 3-2 - The visual accessories
Visual Back

The Star Pointer Finderscope

The Star Pointer is the quickest and easiest way to point your telescope exactly at a desired object in the sky. It's like having a laser pointer that you can shine directly onto the night sky. The Star Pointer is a zero magnification pointing tool that uses a coated glass window to superimpose the image of a small red dot onto the night sky. While keeping both eyes open when looking through the Star Pointer, simply move your telescope until the red dot, seen through the Star Pointer, merges with the object as seen with your unaided eye. The red dot is produced by a light-emitting diode (LED); it is not a laser beam and will not damage the glass window or your eye. The Star Pointer comes equipped with a variable brightness control, two axes alignment control and a quick-release dovetail mounting bracket. Before the Star Pointer is ready to be used, it must be attached to the telescope tube and properly aligned:

Star Pointer Installation

1. Locate the dovetail mounting bracket on the rear cell of the optical tube.
2. Slide the mounting track at the bottom of the Star Pointer over the dovetail portion of the bracket. It may be necessary to loosen the
two screws on the side of the mounting track before sliding it over the dovetail. The end of the Star Pointer with the glass window should be facing out towards the front of the telescope.
Star Dia
onal
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3. Tighten the two screws on the side of the mounting track to secure the Star Pointer to the dovetail bracket.

Star Pointer Operation

The star pointer is powered by a long life 3-volt lithium battery (#CR2032) located underneath the front portion of the Star Pointer. Like all finderscopes, the Star Pointer must be properly aligned with the main telescope before it can be used. This is a simple process using the azimuth and altitude control knobs located on the side and bottom of the Star Pointer. The alignment procedure is best done at night since the LED dot will be difficult to see during the day.
1. To turn on the Star Pointer, rotate the variable brightness control (see figure 3-3) clockwise until you here a "click". To increase
the brightness level of the red dot, continue rotating the control knob about 180º until it stops. Remember to remove the plastic
cover over the battery, and always turn the power off after you have found an object. This will extend the life of both the battery and the LED.
Variable Brightness
ON/OFF
Control
Glass Window
Altitude Control
Knob
Dovetail Mounting Bracket
Azimuth Control Knob
Mounting Track
Figure 3-3: The Star Pointer Finderscope with Mounting Bracket
2. Locate a bright star or planet and center it in a low power eyepiece in the main telescope.
3. With both eyes open, look through the glass window at the alignment star.
4. If the Star Pointer is perfectly aligned, you will see the red LED dot overlap the alignment star. If the Star Pointer is not aligned,
take notice of where the red dot is relative to the bright star.
5. Without moving the main telescope, turn the Star Pointer's azimuth and altitude alignment controls until the red dot is directly
over the alignment star.
If the LED dot is brighter than the alignment star, it may make it difficult to see the star. Turn the variable brightness control counterclockwise, until the red dot is the same brightness as the alignment star. This will make it easier to get an accurate alignment. Th e Star Pointer is now ready to be used.

Removing the Optical Tube

The NexStar SE dovetailed quick release bracket allows you to adjust the optical tube for proper balancing or remove the tube for safe storage. To adjust or remove the tube from the base, simply loosen the quick release clamp knob (see figure 3-4) and slide the tube back towards the rear cell of the tube.
Quick Release
Knob
Figure 3-4
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Attaching the NexStar to the Tripod

The Celestron NexStar tripod is a sturdy, heavy duty mount on which to place your NexStar 6/8" telescope. This tripod can go anywhere, from your backyard to a remote observing site. The tripod comes completely assembled and only needs to have the center leg brace / accessory tray put in place.
To set up the tripod:
1. Hold the tripod with the head up, away from the ground.
2. Pull the legs apart until the legs are fully extended and press it down flat against the ground.
3. Place the center leg brace over the center support rod.
4. Tighten with the leg brace locking knob until the leg brace firmly presses out against each leg.
5. The tripod will now stand by itself.
Your tripod has height adjustable legs for proper leveling on all types of surfaces. The tripod also comes with detached bubble level to assist in accurate leveling. To adjust the height and level the tripod:
1. Place the bubble level on the top of the tripod mounting plate.
2. Locate the tightening screw on the bottom of each tripod leg.
Tripod Leg Locking Screw
3. Rotate the knob counterclockwise until the inside portion of the tripod leg slides out.
Figure 3-5
4. Extend the center portion of the tripod leg to the desired height making sure that the bubble in the bubble level is centered.
5. Tighten the knob to hold the tripod leg in place.
To mount the telescope on the tripod:
1. Set the base of the telescope on the tripod mounting plate so that the hole in the center of the base goes over the positioning pin on top of the tilt plate.
2. Rotate the base so the holes under each rubber foot line up with the mounting bolts attached to the tilt plate.
3. Thread in the mounting bolts into each hole of the telescope base.
Your NexStar is now securely attached to the tripod and ready for use.
Telescope Mounting Bolts
Center Support Rod
Center Leg Brace / Accessory Tray
Leg Brace Locking Knob
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The NexStar has a removable hand controller built into the side of the fork arm designed to give you instant access to all the functions the NexStar has to offer. With automatic slewing to 40,000 objects, and common sense menu descriptions, even a beginner can master its variety of features in just a few observing sessions. Below is a brief description of the individual components of the NexStar hand
controller
1. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Window: Has a dual-line, 16 character display screen that is backlit for comfortable viewing of
2. Align: Instructs the NexStar to use a selected star or object as an alignment position.
3. Direction Keys: Allows complete control of the NexStar in any direction. Use the direction keys to center objects in the StarPointer
:
telescope information and scrolling text.
finderscope and eyepiece.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Figure 4-1
The NexStar Hand Control
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4. Catalog Keys: The NexStar has a key on the hand control to allow direct access to each of the catalogs in its 40,000 object database.
The NexStar contains the following catalogs in its database:
Messier – Complete list of all Messier objects. NGC – Select list of all the deep-sky objects in the Revised New General Catalog. Caldwell – A combination of the best NGC and IC objects. 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 lists
based on their type and/or common name:
Named Stars Named Objects
Double Stars
Variable Stars
Asterisms
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 a given month and automatically slews the NexStar to
those objects.
7. Enter: Pressing Enter allows you to select any of the NexStar functions, accept entered parameters and slew the telescope to
displayed objects.
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 tr acking rate and user defined objects and many others.
10. Scroll Keys: Used to scroll up and down within any of the menu lists. A double arrow symbol on the right side of the LCD
indicates that the scroll keys can be used to view additional information.
11. Rate: Instantly changes the rate of speed of the motors when the direction buttons are pressed.
12. RS-232 Jack: Allows you to interface with a computer and control the NexStar remotely.
Common name listing of the brightest stars in the sky. Alphabetical listing of over 50 of the most popular deep sky objects. Numeric-alphabetical listing of the most visually stunning double, triple and quadruple stars in the sky. Select list of the brightest variable stars with the shortest period of changing magnitude. A unique list of some of the most recognizable star patterns in the sky.
HHaanndd CCoonnttrrooll OOppeerraattiioonn
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 utility functions such as adjusting the telescopes slew limits and backlash compensation.

Alignment Procedure

In order for the NexStar to accurately point to objects in the sky, it must first be aligned to known positions (stars) in the sky. With this information, the telescope can create a model of the sky, which it uses to locate any object with known coordinates. There are many ways to align the NexStar with the sky depending on what information the user is able to provide: SkyAlign uses your current date, time and city to create an accurate model of the sky. Then the user can simply point the telescope to any three bright celestial objects to accurately align the telescope with the sky. Auto Two-Star Align will ask the user to choose and center the first alignment star, then the NexStar will automatically select and slew to a second star for alignment. Two-Star Alignment requires the user to identify and manually slew the telescope to the two alignment stars. One-Star Align is the same as Two-Star Align however only requires you to align to one known star. Although not as accurate as the other alignment methods, One­Star Align is the quickest way to find and track bright planets and objects in Altazimuth mode. Solar System Align will display a list of visible daytime objects (planets and the moon) available to align the
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Definition
"Altazimuth" or "Alt-Az" refers to a type of mounting that allows a telescope to move in both altitude (up and down) and azimuth (left and right) with respect to the ground. This is the simplest form of mounting in which the telescope is attached directly to a tripod.
telescope. Finally, EQ North and EQ South alignments are designed to assist you in aligning the NexStar when polar aligned using the tripods built-in wedge. Each alignment method is discussed in detail below.

Sky Align

Sky Align is the easiest way to get your NexStar aligned and ready to observe. Even if you do not know a single star in the sky, the NexStar will have you aligned in minutes by asking for basic information like the date, time and location. Then you simply need to aim the telescope to any three bright celestial objects in the sky. Since Sky Align requires no knowledge of the night sky it is not necessary to know the name of the stars at which you are aiming. You may even select a planet or the moon. The NexStar is then ready to start finding and tracking any of the objects in its object database. Before the telescope is ready to be aligned, it should be set up in an outside location with all accessories (eyepiece, diagonal and finderscope) attached and lens cover removed. Also make sure that the tripod is leveled as described in the Assembly section of the manual. To begin Sky Align:
1. Power on the NexStar by flipping the switch located at the base of the fork are to the “on” position.
2. Press ENTER to choose Sky Align. Pressing the ALIGN key will bypass the other alignment options and the scrolling text and
automatically begins Sky Align.
3. The hand control display will then ask for the following time/site information:
Location - The NexStar will display a list of cities to choose from. Choose the city from the database that is closest to your current
observing site. The city you choose will be remembered in the hand controls memory so that it will be automatically displayed the next time an alignment is done. Alternatively, if you know the exact longitude and latitude of your observing site, it can be entered directly into the hand control and remembered for future use as well. To choose a location city:
Use the Up and Down scroll keys to choose between City Database and Custom Site. City Database will allow you to select the
closest city to your observing site from a list of either international or U.S. location. Custom Site allows you to enter the exact longitude and latitude of your observing site. Select City Database and press ENTER.
The hand control will allow you to choose from either U.S. or international locations. For a listing of U.S. locations by state and
then by city, press ENTER while United States is displayed. For international locations, use the Up or Down scroll key to select International and press ENTER.
Use the Up and Down Scroll buttons to choose your current state (or country if International locations was selected) from the
alphabetical listing and press ENTER.
Use the Up and Down Scroll buttons to choose the closest city to your location from the displayed list and press ENTER.
Time - Enter the current time for your area. You can enter either the local time (i.e. 8:00), or you can enter military time (i.e.
20:00).
Select PM or AM. If military time was entered, the hand control will bypass this step.
Choose between Standard time or Daylight Savings time. Use the Up and Down scroll buttons (10) to toggle between options.
Select the time zone that you are observing from. Again, use the Up and Down buttons (10) to scroll through the choices. For
time zone information, refer to the Time Zone map in the appendix of this manual.
Date - Enter the month, day and year of your observing session. The display will read: mm/dd/yy.
-If the wrong information has been input into the hand control, the UNDO button will act as a backspace allowing the user to
Helpful
Hints
re-enter information.
-The next time that your NexStar is aligned, the hand control will automatically display the last location (either a city or longitude/latitude) that was entered. Press ENTER to accept these parameters if they still apply. Pressing the UNDO button
will allow you to go back and select a new city location or longitude/latitude.
4. Use the arrow buttons on the hand control to slew (move) the telescope towards any bright celestial object in the sky. Align the
object with the red dot of the finderscope and press ENTER.
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5. If the finderscope has been properly aligned with the telescope tube, the alignment star should now be visible inside the field of
view of the eyepiece. The hand control will ask that you center the bright alignment star in the center of the eyepiece and press the ALIGN button. This will accept the star as the first alignment position. (There is no need to adjust the slewing rate of the motors after each alignment step. The NexStar automatically selects the best slewing rate for aligning objects in both the finderscope and the eyepiece).
6. For the second alignment object, choose a bright star or planet as far as possible from the first alignment object. Once again use
the arrow button to center the object in the finderscope and press ENTER. Then once centered in the eyepiece press the ALIGN button.
7. Repeat the process for the third alignment star. When the telescope has been aligned to the final stars, the display will read
"Match Confirmed". Press UNDO to display the names of the three bright objects you aligned to, or press ENTER to accept these three objects for alignment. You are now ready to find your first object.

Tips for Using Sky Align

Remember the following alignment guidelines to make using Sky Align as simple and accurate as possible.
• Be sure to level the tripod before you begin alignment. The time/site information along with a level tripod will help the telescope
better predict the available bright stars and planets that are above the horizon.
• Remember to select alignment stars that are as far apart in the sky as possible. For best results make sure that the third alignment
star does not lie in a straight line between the first two stars. This may result in a failed alignment.
• Don’t worry about confusing planets for stars when selecting alignment objects. SkyAlign works with the four brightest planets
(Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars) as well as the stars to choose from (down to 2.5 magnitude).
•
Rarely SkyAlign will not be able to determine what three alignment objects were centered. This sometime happens when a bright planet or the object if possible.
Be sure to center the objects with the same final movements as the direction of the GoTo Approach. For example, if the scope
•
normally finishes a GoTo with the front of the scope moving right and up, you should center all three alignment objects in the eyepiece using the right and up arrow buttons (the up/down arrows reverse at slew rates of 6 or lower). Approaching the star from this direction when look accurate alignment poss
Moon passes near one of the brighter stars. In situations like these it is best to try to avoid aligning to either
ing through the eyepiece will eliminate much of the backlash between the gears and assure the most
ible.
Moon. In addition to the planets, the hand control has over 80 bright alignment

Auto Two-Star Align

As with Sky Align, Auto Two-Star Align requires you to enter all the necessary time/site information as before. Once this information is entered, NexStar will prompt you to select and point the telescope at one known star in the sky. The NexStar now has all the information it needs to automatically choose a second star that will assure the best possible alignment. Once selected the telescope will automatically
lew to that second alignment star to complete the aligs
e
lev led, follow the steps below to align the telescope:
1. Once the NexStar is powered on , Press ENTER to begin alignment.
2. Use the Up and Down scroll keys (10) to select Auto Two-Star Align and press ENTER.
3.
The hand control will display the last time and location information that was entered into the hand control. Use the Up and Down b
uttons to scroll through the information. Press ENTER to accept the current information
information (see Sky Align section for detailed instruction on entering time/site information).
4. layed list on the hand control. Use Up and Down buttons (6 and
he display will now prompt you to select a bright star from the dispT
9 on the keypad) to scroll to the desired star and then press ENTER.
. e star you selected. Center the star in the finderscope and press ENTER. Finally,
Use the arrow buttons to slew the telescope to th5 center the star in the eyepiece and press ALIGN.
6.
Based on this information, the NexStar will automatically display the most suitable second alignment star that is above the horizon. Press ENTER to automatically slew the telesco it is behind
a tree or building), you can either:
nment. With the NexStar set up outside with all accessories attached and the tripod
or press UNDO to manually edit the
pe to the displayed star. If for some reason you do not wish to select this star (perhaps
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Helpful
Hint
• Press the UNDO button to display the next most suitable star for alignment.
• Use the UP and DOWN scroll buttons to manually select any star you wish from the entire list of available stars.
Once finished slewing, the display will ask you to use the arrow buttons to align the selected star with the red dot of the finderscope. O centered in the finder, press ENTER. The display will then instruct you to center the st
tar is centered, press ALIGN to accept this star as your second alignment star. When the telescope has been aligned to both stars the
s display will read Align Success
, and you are now ready to find your first object.
ar in the field of view of the eyepiece. When the
nce

Two Star Alignment

ith the two-star alignment method, the NexStar requires the user to know the positions of two bright stars in order to accurately align the
W teles e
cop with the sky and begin finding objects. Here is an overview of the two-star alignment procedure:
1. Once the NexStar is powered on, use the Up and Down scroll keys (10) to select Two-Star Align, and press ENTER.
2. on the display, or press UNDO to enter new information.
Press ENTER to accept the time/site information displayed
3. The SELECT STAR 1 message will appear in the top row of the display. Use the Up and Down scroll keys (10) to select the star
you w
ish to use for the first alignment star. Press ENTER.
4. N t t star you selected. Use the direction arrow buttons to slew the
exS ar then asks you to center in the eyepiece the alignmen
telescope to the alignment star and carefully center the star in the finderscope. Press ENTER when centered.
5. Then, center the star in the eyepiece and press ALIGN.
tar in the eyepiece, you may wish to decrease the slew rate of the motors for fine
In order to accurately center the alignment s
centering. This is done by pressing the RATE key (11) on the hand controller then selecting the number that corresponds to the speed you desire. (9 = fastest , 1 = slowest).
6. ignment star and press the ALIGN key. It is best to choose alignment
NexStar will then ask you to select and center a second al stars that are a good distance away from one another. Stars that are at least 40º to 60º apart from each other will give you a more accurate alignment than stars that are close to each other.
nce the second star alignment is completed properly, the display will read Align Successful, and you should hear the tracking
O
otors turn-on and begin to track.
m

One-Star Align

One-Star Align requires you to input all the same information as you would for the Two-Star Align procedure. However, instead of slewing to two alignment stars for centering and alignment, the NexStar uses only one star to model the sky based on the information given. This will allow you to roughly slew to the coordinates of brigh
formation needed to track objects in altazimuth in any part of the sky. One-Star Align is not meant to be used to accurately locate small
in or faint deep-sky objects
To u
se One-Star Align:
1. Select One-Star Align from the alignment options.
2. on the display, or press UNDO to enter new information.
Press ENTER to accept the time/site information displayed
3. The SELECT STAR 1 message will appear in the top row of the display. Use the Up and Down scroll keys (10) to select the star
you wish to use for the first alignment star. Press ENTER.
4. NexStar then asks you to center in the eyepiece the alignm
telescope to the alignment star and carefully center the star in the finderscope. Press ENTER when centered.
5. Then, center the star in the eyepiece and press ALIGN.
6. Once in position, the NexStar will model the sky based on this information and display Align Successful.
ote: Once a One-Star Alignment has been done, you can use the Re-alignment feature (later in this section ) to improve your telescope’s
N
ointing accuracy.
p
or to track objects accurately for photography.
t objects like the moon and planets and gives the NexStar the
ent star you selected. Use the direction arrow buttons to slew the
14

Solar System Align

Solar System Align is designed to provide excellent tracking and GoTo p and planets) to align the telescope with the sky. Solar Sy ste m Align is a grea t way to align your te lescope for day time viewing as well as a quick way to align the telescope for night time observing.
Never look directly at the sun with the naked eye or Permanent and irreversible eye damage may result.
1. Select Solar System Align from the alignment options.
2. splay, or press UNDO to enter new information.
Press ENTER to accept the time/site information displayed on the di
3. The SELECT OBJECT message will appear in the top row of the display. Use the Up and Down scroll keys (10) to select the
daytime object (planet, moon etc) you wish to align. Press ENTER.
4. NexStar then asks you to center in the eyepiece the alignm
telescope to the alignment object and carefully center it in the finderscope. Press ENTER when centered
5. Then, center the object in the eyepiece and press ALIGN.
position, the NexStar will model the sky b lign Successful.
Once in
• the hand control’s customer object lists unless it is enabled from the
For safety purposes, the Sun will not be displayed in any of Utilities Menu. To allow the Sun to be displayed on the han
1. Press the UNDO button until the display reads “NexStar SE”
2. Press the MENU button and use the Up and Down keys to select the Utilities
3. Use the UP and Down keys to select Sun Menu and press ENTER.
4. Press ENTER again to allow the Sun to appear on the hand control display
The Sun can be removed from the display by using the same procedure as above.
To improve the telescope pointing accuracy, you can
EEQQ NNoorrtthh // EEQQ SSoouutthh AAlliiggnnmmeennt
EQ North and EQ South Alignments assist the user in aligning the telescope when polar aligned using an optional equatorial wedge. Similar to the A alignment, One­in the manual.
EQ AutoAlign
The EQ AutoAlign uses all the same time/site information as the Alt-Az alignments, however it also requires you to position the tube so that the altitude index ma
ee ur lignment stars to be centered and aligned.
(s fig e 4-3). Based on this information the NexStar will automatically slew to two selected a To u Q
se E Auto-Align:
1.
2. Press ENTER to accept the time/site information displ
3.
4.
5. s displayed on the hand control screen, use the left and
6.
ltazimuth alignments described earlier, the EQ alignments gives you the choice of performing an AutoAlign, Two-Star
Star alignment or Solar System alignment. For help in polar aligning your NexStar, see the Astronomy Basics section later
rkers are aligned (see figure 4-2), and then rotate the telescope base until the tube is pointed towards the Meridian
Select EQ North or South Align from the alignment option
press UNDO to enter the time/site information manually. Select EQ AutoAlign method and press ENTER With Set Alt to Index displayed on the hand control screen, use the up and down
uttons to move the telescope tube upwards until the altitude index markers
arrow b are aligned. The altitude index markers are located at the top of the fork arm. See figure 4-2. When Find Meridian i right arrow buttons to move the telescope base until optical tube is pointing towards the Meridian. Based on this information, the NexStar will automatically display the most suitable alignment stars that a
re above the horizon. Press ENTER to automatically
ased on this information and display A

Tips for Using Solar System Align

use the Re-Align feature as described below.
t
with a telescope (unless you have the proper solar filter).
ent object you selected. Use the direction arrow buttons to slew the
d control, do the following:
s and press ENTER
ayed on the display, or
erformance by using solar system objects (Sun, Moon
.
menu. Press ENTER.
.
Figure 4-2 - Altitude Index Markers
15
s t one of these stars (perhaps it is behind a tree
lew the telescope to the displayed star. If for some reason you do not wish to selec
r b lding), you can either:
o ui
• Press the UNDO button to display the next most suitable star for alignment.
• Use the UP and DOWN scroll buttons to manually select any star you wish from the entire list of availa
7. The telescope then asks you to center in the eyepiece the alignment object you selected. Use the direction arrow buttons to slew
the telescope to the alig
8. Then, center the object in the eyepiece and press ALIGN.
9. Once you press the ALIGN button the telescope will automaticall
complete ali
EQ Two-Star Align
The EQ Two-Star Align follows most of the same steps as the Alt-Az Two­Star Align. This alignment method does not require the user to align the altitude index markers or point towards the Meridian, but it does require the user to locate and align the telescope on two bright stars. When selecting a
lignment stars it is best to choose stars that, a) have a large separation in zimuth and b) both are either positive or negative in declination. Following
a these two guidelines w
EQ One-Star Align
EQ One-Star A h
owever it only relies on the alignment of one star to align the telescope. To
e EQ One-Star Align follow steps 1 through 7 under the EQ Two-Star
us Align section.
EQ Solar System Align
This alignment method allows you use only one solar system object to equatorially align the telescope for daytime use. To ali using a solar system object follow steps 1 through 7 under th
gnment.
ill result in a more accurate EQ Two-Star alignment.
lign operates much the same way as EQ Two-Star Align
nment object and carefully center it in the fi
gn your telescope
e EQ Two-Star Align section.
nderscope. Press ENTER when centered.
y slew to a second alignment star. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to
Figure 4-3
The Meridian is an imaginary line in the sky that starts at the North celestial pole and ends at the South celestial pole and passes through the zenith. If starts from directly overhead to the North celestial pole.
you are facing South, the meridian your Southern horizon and passes
ble stars.
mp
IIm
prroovviinngg PPooiinnttiinngg AAccccuurraaccy
The NexStar SE telescope ha
s several options that allow you to improve the pointing accuracy of your mount in a variety of ways.
y

Alignment Stars:

Alignment stars allows you to replace any of the original alignme
ccuracy of your telescope without having to re-enter addition information.
a
To r c
epla e an existing alignment star with a new alignment star:
1. Select the desired star (or object) from the database and slew to it.
2. Once centered, press the UNDO button until you are at the main menu.
3.
With NexStar SE displayed, press the ALIGN key on the hand control.
4. elect the Alignment Stars option and press ENTER.
Use the Up/Down buttons and s
5. The display will then ask you which alignment star you want to re
star to be replaced and press ENTER. It is usually best to replace the sta alignment stars across the sky.
6. Align the star in the center of the finderscope and press ENTER.
arefully center the object in the center of the eyepiece and press ALIGN
7. C
nt stars with a new star or celestial object. This will improve the pointing
place. Use the UP and Down scroll keys to select the alignment
r closest to the new object. This will space out your
16
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