Celestron 21056-K, PowerSeeker 114AZ 21056-K Instruction Manual

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INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Model # 21056-K

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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

ASSEMBLY ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3

ETTING UP THE TRIPOD ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

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TTACHING THE TELESCOPE TUBE TO THE MOUNT ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

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OVING THE TELESCOPE MANUALLY .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

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NSTALLING THE EYEPIECE .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

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NSTALLING & USING THE BARLOW LENS ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

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NSTALLING THE STARPOINTER FINDERSCOPE ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

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TELESCOPE BASICS ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

MAGE ORIENTATION .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

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OCUSING ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

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ALCULATING MAGNIFICATION ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

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ETERMINING FIELD OF VIEW ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

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ENERAL OBSERVING HINTS ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

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ASTRONOMY BASICS ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

HE CELESTIAL COORDINATE SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

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OTION OF THE STARS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

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CELESTIAL OBSERVING ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

BSERVING THE MOON ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

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BSERVING THE PLANETS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9

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BSERVING THE SUN .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

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BSERVING DEEP-SKY OBJECTS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

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EEING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

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ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11

HORT EXPOSURE PRIME FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

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LANETARY & LUNAR PHOTOGRAPHY WITH SPECIAL IMAGERS ............................................................................................................................................................... 11

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IMAGING FOR DEEP-SKY OBJECTS .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

CCD

TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

ARE AND CLEANING OF THE OPTICS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 12

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OLLIMATION OF YOUR NEWTONIAN ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

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OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of a PowerSeeker telescope. The PowerSeeker 114AZ telescope uses an Alt-Az Mount ((an altazimuth is the simplest type of mount
with two motions – altitude (up & down) and azimuth (side-to-side)). The optical system used is a Newtonian (reflector) design. The PowerSeeker is made of the
highest quality materials to ensure stability and durability. All this adds up to a telescope that gives you a lifetime of pleasure with a minimal amount of maintenance.
This telescope was designed & intended for the First Time Buyer of 13 years of age and older offering exceptional value. The PowerSeeker features a compact and
portable design with ample optical performance to excite any newcomer to the world of amateur astronomy.

The PowerSeeker 114AZ carries a two year limited warranty. For details see our website at www.celestron.com
Some of the many standard features of the PowerSeeker include:

• All coated glass optical elements for clear, crisp images. • Smooth functioning, rigid altazimuth mount with easy pointing to located objects.

• Preassembled aluminum tripod ensures a stable platform. • Quick and easy no-tool set up.

• CD-ROM “The SkyX -- astronomy software which provides education about the sky and printable sky maps.
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

telescope, so you should keep this manual handy until you have fully mastered your telescope’s operation. The manual gives detailed information regarding each step as
well as needed reference material and helpful hints to make your observing experience simple and pleasurable as possible. Your 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 have 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.

• Do not 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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Figure 1-1 Shown PowerSeeker 76AZ (PowerSeeker 114AZ similar)

1. Finderscope (PS 114AZ is different – see below) 7. Azimuth Lock

2. Eyepiece 8. Accessory Tray

3. Collimation Adjustment Screws (in rear) 9. Tripod

4. Telescope Optical Tube 10. Alt-Az Mount

5. Primary Mirror (inside rear cell) 11. Altitude Lock

6. Altitude Slow Motion Rod Assembly 12. Focus Knob

ASSEMBLY

This section covers the assembly instructions for your PowerSeeker telescope. Your telescope should be set up indoor the first time so that it is easy to identify the
various parts and familiarize yourself with the correct assembly procedure before attempting it outdoor.

Your PowerSeeker comes in one box. The pieces in the box are – optical tube, altazimuth mount, and “The SkyX” CD-ROM, eyepieces 1.25” –
25mm/20mm/12.5mm/8mm/4mm, Barlow lens 1.25” 3x.

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1. Remove the tripod from the box (Figure 2-1). The tripod comes preassembled so that the set up is very easy.

2. Stand the tripod upright and pull the tripod legs apart until each leg is fully extended and then push down slightly on the tripod leg brace (Figure 2-2). The

very top of the tripod is called the tripod head (AZ mount).

3. Next, we will install the tripod accessory tray (Figure 2-3) onto the tripod leg brace (center of Figure 2-2).

4. On the bottom of the tripod tray is a screw attached to the center. The screw attaches into a threaded hole in the center of the tripod leg brace by turning it

clockwise - note: pull up slightly on the tripod leg brace to make it easy to attach. Continue turning the tray until hand tight – don’t over tighten the tray.

5. The tripod is now completely assembled (Figure 2-4).

6. You can extend the tripod legs to the height you desire. At the lowest level the height is about 27” (69cm) and extends to about 47” (119cm). You unlock

the tripod leg lock knobs at the bottom of each leg (Figure 2-5) by turning them counterclockwise and pull the legs out to the height you want & then lock
the knobs securely. A fully extended tripod looks similar to the image in Figure 2-6.

7. The tripod will be the most rigid and stable at the lower heights.

Figure 2-1 Figure 2-2 Figure 2-3

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Figure 2-4 Figure 2-5 Figure 2- 6

The telescope optical tube attaches to the altazimuth mount with the altitude slow motion rod assembly and the respective knobs. Before starting, remove the front
opening cap. To mount the telescope tube to the mount:

1. Remove the protective paper covering the optical tube.

2. Put the telescope optical tube inside the yoke (altazimuth) mount so that the altitude slow motion rod assembly is on the same side as the altitude locking

screw (see Figure 1-1). Note that on some telescopes that the rod may be attached to the telescope optical tube. If the rod is not attached to the optical tube,
remove the screw from the mechanism (with the provided tool) shown on the far left of Figure 2-7 and put the rod in place as shown in Figure 2-7. Then,
put the screw through the hole in the rod and into the mechanism and tighten it.

3. Thread the altitude locking knob out so the hole is clear in the eyebolt (see Figure 2-8).

4. Put the rod of the assembly through the eyebolt and then tighten the altitude locking knob – Figure 2-9.

5. Thread the two knobs (one on either side of the mount) through the top of the mount into the threaded holes in the optical tube and tighten – Figure 2-7.

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Figure 2-7 Figure 2-8 Figure 2-9

The PowerSeeker Alt-Az mount is easy to move wherever you want to point it. The up and down (altitude) is controlled by the altitude locking knob (Figure 2-10). The
side-to-side (azimuth) is controlled by the azimuth lock (Figure 2-12). When both knobs are loose you can find your objects easily (through the finderscope) and then
lock the controls.

For fine adjustments in altitude, you turn the knurled ring of the altitude slow motion rod (when the altitude lock is tight) in either direction – see Figure 2-9.

Note: Before tightening the altitude locking knob, the location you are seeking should be located in the
finderscope.

Figure 2-10

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The eyepiece (or ocular) is an optical element that magnifies the image focused by the telescope. Without the eyepiece it
would be impossible to use the telescope visually. Eyepieces are commonly referred to by focal length and barrel
diameter. The longer focal length (i.e., the larger the number) the lower the eyepiece magnification (i.e., power).
Generally, you will use low-to-moderate power when viewing. For more information on how to determine power, see the
section on “Calculating Magnification”. The eyepiece fits directly into the focuser of the Newtonian. To attach the
eyepieces:

1. Make sure the thumbscrews are not protruding into the focuser tube. Then, insert the chrome barrel of the eyepiece

into the focus tube (remove

2. The eyepieces can be changed by reversing the procedure as described above.

the plug up cap of the focuser first) and tighten the thumbscrews – see Figure 2-11.

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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 mounting brackets. Before the Star Pointer is ready to be used, it
must be attached to the telescope tube and properly aligned:

ON/OFF

Altitude Adjustment

Figure 2-13 – The Star Pointer Finderscope with Bracket (Dovetail Mount itself can be facing towards or away from the sight tube)

1. Slide the Star Pointer bracket into the dovetail mounting platform on top of the optical tube assembly.

2. Orient the Star Pointer so that the sight tube is facing towards the front of the tube.

3. Secure the Star Pointer bracket by tightening the thumb screw on the mounting platform.

Control

Your telescope comes with a 3x Barlow Lens which triples the magnifying power of each eyepiece. However, the
greatly magnified images should only be used under ideal conditions – see the Calculating Magnification section of
this manual.
Insert the Barlow lens directly into the focuser. Then, insert an eyepiece into the Barlow lens.

Note: Start by using a low power eyepiece as it will be easier to focus.

Figure 2-12

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Sight Tube

Dovetail Mount

Figure 2-11

Azimuth Adjustment
Control

Battery Compartment
(not shown)

Dovetail Tightening
Screw

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