Nexstar SynScan User Manual

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Page 1

INSTRUCTION

MANUAL

Page 2

NEVER USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN. PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE WILL RESULT. USE A PROPER SOLAR FILTER

MOUNTED ON THE FRONT OF

THE

SUN.

WHEN OBSERVING THE SUN. PLACE A DUST CAP OVER YOUR

FINDERSCOPE OR REMOVE IT TO PROTECT YOU FROM ACCIDENTAL

EXPOSURE. NEVER USE AN EYEPIECE USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO PROJECT SUNLIGHT ONTO ANOTHER SURFACE, THE INTERNAL HEAT BUILD TELESCOPE OPTICAL ELEMENTS.

TYPE SOLAR FILTER AND NEVER

TELESCOPE FOR VIEWING

UP WILL DAMAGE THE

Page 3

ntroduction to the SynScan

The is a instrument that will allow you to easily find and enjoy viewing night sky treasures, such as planets, nebulea, star clusters, galaxies and much more. The hand control allows you to point your telescope at a specific object or even tour the skies at the touch of a button. The user friendly menu system allows automatic slewing to over 13,400 objects. Even an inexperienced astronomer can master its variety of features in a few observing sessions. Below is a brief description of the individual components of the

hand controller.

Guider

the SynScan

The should be powered by DC power supply (tip continuous current of minimum 2 amps. Correctly plug the power cord into the 12V DC outlet on the the mount (See EQ6 mount). Flip the Power Switch to the "on" position to turn on the power.

and b for mount, and for

positive) capable of producing

The power indicator will flash the power is low. Continue to use the

this point may damage the The power indicator will the power is extremely

rapidly when

low.

Continue to

use the same battery may damage the

SynScan

ynScan

SynScanT"

45 connector on both ends. Plug one end into the hand control mount clicks into place. The mount has a RJ the other. Plug the RJ control clicks into place. Plug the on the mount. Tighten the screws to secure the connector in place used for communications between the

and a computer or other devices. (See

Linking with a Computei' for details.) The DC power

port allows independent use of the

control for users who wish to browse the database without connecting to the telescope

system.

Hand Control

hand control cable for the has a

and the other into the outlet on the

Push the connector into the outlet until it

cable for the EQ6

45 connector on one end and on

45 connector into the hand

Push the connector into the outlet until it

connector into the outlet

The RJ-11 6-pin port is

hand

to power supply

power indicator

switch

The DC power port on the hand control is for

hand control stand For telescope applicaions, use the outlet on the

mount.

To connect the

cable provided

alone applications only.

12V

PC, use only the

with

the mount.

Page 4

The Hand Control allows direct access to all the motion controls of the telescope and a database with a range of preset objects. The Hand

Control comes with a dual screen that is backlit for comfortable viewing of the telescope information and scrolling text. To explore the many functions that the there are

Control

main categories of control on the Hand

line, 16 character display

has to offer,

Display screen

Mode keys

The mode keys are located near the top, close to the LCD display. They include the

ENTER,

ESC

command or to go back a level in the menu tree.

ENTER

submenus in the menu tree, and to confirm

certain functional operations.

SETUP

the Setup submenu.

and

key is used to escape from a certain

key is used to select the functions and

key is a quick hot key that takes you to

Directional keys

Dual purpose keys

-------

----

Directional keys

The directional keys allow complete control of the telescope at almost any step in the operation. These controls are locked out when the telescope is slewing to an object. They are normally used to initially align, center objects in the eyepiece, and manual guiding. The left and right directional keys can also be used to move the text curserwhen entering data to the hand control.

Keys

The up and down scroll keys allow you to scroll up and down within the menu tree or selections.

Dual Purpose keys

These keys range from the middle to the bottom of the hand control. They serve two distinct purposes

data entry and quick reference hot keys.

TOUR

RATE

are 10 speeds to choose from:

UTILITY USER ID NGC, IC,

13,400 objects.

key takes you on a preset tour across the sky you are currently under.

key changes the speed rate of the motors when the direction keys are pressed. There

(slowest) to 9 (fastest).

key shows functions such as Show Position, Display Time

key gives access to up to

key identifies the object the telescope is currently pointing to.

PLANET,

and

OBJECT

user-defined coordinates.

keys allow direct access to SynScanT"

...

etc.

database of over

Page 5

This section provides a step-by-step procedure on how to operate your hand control.

tial Setup

1. Perform the Polar alignment using the polarscope.

2. Point the telescope roughly to the North Celestial Pole (or Polaris) if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. Point to the South Celestial Pole if in Southern Hemisphere. Make sure the counterweight rod is pointed down as seen in

This will be the

home position of the telescope.

3. Flip the Power Switch on the mount

to the "ON" position to turn on the power.

4. The initial screen displayed on the hand control is the Version Screen.

ENTER

Press

The hand control will display a

to proceed.

warning concerning pointing the telescope at the sun without proper equipment. If you have read the message already, pressing

ESC

will bypass the message and skip to the next step.

(Northern Hemisphere)

Zenith

North Pole

Plane of local

Plane of Equator

The hand control's red light will and the key pads will off if idle

for

Enter the telescope's current latitudinal and longitudinal position using the numeric keypad. First enter the longitudinal coordinate, followed by the latitudinal coordinate. Use the scroll keys to choose between W or E, and N or S. Pressing the left or right directional keys will move the cursor to the previous or next number. Press enter should look like this: 123 04' W 49

Enter your current time zone in hours (see Appendix C), using the scroll keys and numeric key pad

like this if you are in Pacific Standard Time (PST):

Enter the date in the following format using the numeric keypad. Press to confirm.

9. Enter your current local time using the 24 hr time mode to view the time you just entered. If it is incorrect, press

screen. If correct, press

10. If the date entered in step 8 falls between March and November, the will prompt "DAYLIGHT SAVING? confirm. If the date is out of the range between March and November, the

the daylight saving setting and proceed to the next step.

11. After setting the daylight saving, will display "Begin alignment?". Press "1" or

ENTER

to start the alignment procedure. Press "2" or

the Main Menu.

If a mistake was entered into the to the previous menu. and press

Pressing any key turns it back on.

for East, -for West). Press

ENTER

. Use the scroll keys to make the selection and press

again to proceed to the daylight saving setting.

SynScan

ENTER

to confirm. The format you enter should look

hand control, press the

to start again.

08.

ENTER

to confirm. The format you

Press

ESC

to go back to the previous

ESC

to skip the alignment and exit to

ESC

key to go back

ENTER ENTER

ENTER

will'" skip

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Star

In order for the to correctly point to objects in the sky, it must first be aligned to one to three known positions (stars) in the sky. As the Earth rotates on its axis every appear to move through the sky following an arc. replicate a model of the sky and the movements of astronomical objects. Star alignment can be done anytime during the observing session by choosing Alignment under SETUP MODE, in the Main Menu.

There are three ways to align the depending on your demand for accuracy. If you are using the

for the first time, we recommend that you begin with the Three Star Alignment. In most cases, this produces the most accurate alignment among the three methods. Before performing any of the alignment methods, be sure that your finderscope is well aligned with the telescope tube. See the next page for tips on how to choose the alignment stars. Below describes a step perform the Three Star Alignment:

the supplied information, the telescope can

Three-Star Alignment

In the alignment screen, select using the scroll keys. Press

The SynScan alignment star. Using the scroll keys, choose an appropriate star from the list provided and press

ENTER.

position with the directional keys until the star is centered on the crosshairs in the finder scope. Now look through the eyepiece and adjust the telescope so that the object is centered in the field of view of the eyepiece. Press

will provide a list of stars available in your current sky for you to choose as the first

The telescope will start slewing towards it. When the telescope stops slewing, adjust its

ENTER

to confirm.

hours, astronomical objects

-by-

step procedure on how to

ENTER

to confirm.

The slewing speed can be adjusted by pressing on the

RATE

button. Then choose

number between (slowest) -(fastest).

will once when it has finished to an object. Do not try to

adjust the telescope before you hear the beep.

will only respond

the

key while slewing.

3. keys and press confirm.

the list and press

If appropriate stars have been chosen and aligned to, the hand control will display

Alignment Successful". Otherwise, the warning "Alignment Failed" will show and the alignment

will have to be done again.

will provide a list of objects for the second alignment star. Choose a star using the scoll

ENTER.

will once again provide a list of objects for the third alignment star. Choose a star from

ENTER.

Repeat the centering procedure for the second star and press

Once again, repeat the centering procedure for the third alignment star.

ENTER

Two-Star Alignment

Two-Star Alignment requires only two alignment stars but, without Cone Error Calibration (see Appendix A), it may produce lesser pointing accuracy than the Three step procedure on how to perform the Two-Star Alignment:

In the alignment screen, select

The will provide a list of stars available in your current sky for you to choose as the first alignment star. Using the scroll keys, choose a star you are most familiar with and press The telescope will start slewing towards it. When the telescope stops slewing, adjust its position with the directional keys until the star is centered on the crosshairs in the finder scope. Now look

through the eyepiece and adjust the telescope so that the object is centered in the field of view of

the eyepiece. Press

3. keys and press confirm.

If appropriate stars have been chosen and aligned to, the hand control will display "

Alignment Successful". Otherwise, the warning "Alignment Failed" will show and the alignment

will have to be done again.

will provide a list of objects for the second alignment star. Choose a star using the scoll

ENTER

ENTER.

2-Star Align

to confirm.

Repeat the centering procedure for the second star and press

using the scroll keys. Press

Star Alignment. Below describes a step-by

ENTER

to confirm.

ENTER.

ENTER

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One-Star Alignment

It requires only one alignment star but, without accurate polar alignment and cone error calibration (see Appendix A), it may produce lesser pointing accuracy than the other alignment methods. Refer to the

manual for information on how to perform accurate polar alignment. Below describes a step

by-step procedure on how to perform the One-Star Alignment:

Make sure the telescope has been polar aligned.

In the alignment screen, select using the scroll keys. Press ENTER to confirm.

3. The scroll keys, choose a star you are most familiar with and press ENTER. When the telescope stops slewing, adjust its position with the directional keys until the star is centered on the crosshairs in the finderscope. Now look through the eyepiece and adjust the telescope so that the object is centred in the field of view of the eyepiece. Press ENTER to confirm.

Once completed, will display "Alignment

Following is some pointers on how to choose appropriate alignment stars:

Star:

Choose a star closer to the Celstrial Equator (smaller declination absolute value).

Two Star: Choose two stars that are on the same side of the meridian. and at least

two stars that are well more than 3

Three Star For the first two alignment stars, follow the same guideline as choosing for the

Alignment. For the third alignment star, choose a star that is on the opposite side of the meridian of the first two stars. Both first alignment star and third alignment have an absolute value of 30 the of the third star should be at least The following formula can be used as a guideline when determining the correlation between the first and third stars in

will provide a list of stars available in your current sky for alignment. Using the

hours apart in

and apart

If ou suspect that the polar alignment is off by

but less than apart in

and above, choose

should

70 If the first chosen star has a small

Star

Accuracy Enhancement (PAE)

three star alignment methods provide alignment adequate for any visual observing purpose. For applications that require extra high precision in a particular part of the sky, the Pointing Accuracy Enhancement (PAE) function to further improve the accuracy. performed in up to should be already mapped out accurately by the Further accuracy enhancement is not necessary. The following provides a step

Choose a star as reference object from a star chart or planetarium software. This star should be a known, bright object that is currently located in the same part of the sky with the object of your interest.

Find the reference object in the hand control database and go-to the object. If the mount is under the control of the planetarium software, click on the object to slew to it.

3. Adjust the telescope so that the reference object is in the center of the eyepiece or CCD view.

Press and hold down the ESC key for 2 seconds. The hand control will display "Re-center" and the name of the reference object will appear in a blinking mode (3 times). If the go from the

Make sure that the reference object is still in the center of the view and press ENTER. If you do not wish to record the result, press ESC to abort the operation. After pressing ENTER, the will record the amount of pointing inaccuracy and recalculate the model of the sky. Now the pointing

accuracy of this particular part of the sky should be greatly improved.

object".

zones to cover the whole sky. The where the chosen alignment is located

-by-

step procedure on how to perform PAE:

to command is sent

software, instead of the name of the object, the hand control will display "Last

The result for the star alignments and PAE is stored in the hand control even after the power has been shut off. You will only need to perform the star alignment once as long as these two criteria

(Park

are met: 1 The telescope is moved to its home position

the telescope) before turning off the power. 2. The telescope setup. including the mount, has not been moved. Accessory change is acceptable as long as it is done with great caution. When hand control is turned on for the time. make sure that the time entered during initial setup is based on the same source as last time. For example, if you enter the time on your watch during this observing session, the time you enter next time should also be read from your watch.

provides a

PAE can be

Page 8

bject data base in the Sy nScan

The all available in the palm of your hand. The database contains the following catalogs:

Solar System Named Star

Messier Caldwell Complete list of 109 Caldwell objects. Double Stars Includes 55 well Variable Stars Includes 20 will

comes with a vast database with over 13,400 objects coordinates and information

The other 8 planets of our solar system, plus the Moon.

list of 21 2 best known stars from the database.

7,840 of the brightest deep sky objects from the Revised New General Catalog.

5,386 of standard stars and deep sky objects from the Indexed Catalog.

Complete list of 11 0 Messier objects.

known double stars.

known variable stars.

an Object

Once the telescope has been aligned. You can now access and view the 13,400 different objects in the

TOUR -Takes you on a preset tour across your current sky. It

will automatically choose from the database the brightest and

most beautiful deep the down scroll key to view through the deep sky objects. Choose the desired object by pressing coordinate of the chosen object. Pressing cause the telescope to slew to the object.

popular celestial catalogues to date. Each Catalog has a set number of objects to choose from. Use the numeric keys to select an object by entering its number. Pressing display its Primary information such as size, magnitude, and constellation are obtained by pressing the scroll keys. Pressing slew to the object.

PLANET -This shortcut key takes you straight to the Planets

sub menu in the database. Use the scroll keys to scroll through the list of planets in our solar system. Press coordinates, and

USER -This will take you to the database that you have defined

for yourself. You can enter a new location or recall the objects that have been previously saved (see Using the User Defined Database).

database. There are three methods of selecting a celestial object to view:

sky objects for your viewing pleasure. Use

NGC,

ENTER.

ENTER

These shortcut keys give you access to the most

ENTER

once more will cause the telescope to

once more to slew to the planet.

It will show the

once more will

ENTER

to view its

will

OBJECT

The you have complete access to over 13,400 celestial objects in the database. (See Object database in the tree.)

In the Main Menu, scroll down to

ENTER.

access to all 13,400 celestial objects in the database. (See

Object database in the

2000.0

database, edited by Roger

key takes you to the Objects Catalogue, where

and the menu

OBJECT CATALOG

Similar to the

OBJECT

key, this gives you the complete

and the menu tree.)

and press

Page 9

Functions

Utility Functions are useful tools that provide simple, one-step processes to your

Show Position -This displays the coordinates of the location where the telescope is currently pointed. Display Time Park Scope Inquire Version

the firmware version of motor control board. Use the scroll keys to view the version numbers. PEC Training

LCD backlit, the darkness of the LCD lettering, and the brightness of the LED backlit of the

keys. Use the scroll keys to select the desired tunning. Press the RIGHT or LEFT directional key to increase or decrease value.

This displays the local time and local Sidereal time.

This moves the telescope to the Home position.

This submenu displays the hardware, firmware, and database version of the

hand control.

See section Periodic Error Correction for information.

Tuning -This submenu allows adjustments of the following: the brightness of the

the hand control is connected to the mount, this menu will also display

Functions

The Setup functions allow you to change any system variable or information regarding location, time, date, and alignment configurations. To access the Setup Functions, either press on the key pad or scroll to different types of functions available to you, and their purposes.

Date

Allows you to change the date entered at the initial setup.

Time

Allows you to change the current time.

Observing site Daylight Savings

Alignment Set Backlash backlash. For better pointing accuracy, it is important that the backlash value is set to be equal or greater than the real amount of backlash between the gears. The default setting of the backlash is 10' 00 desired value and press the RIGHT directional key to move the cursor to the next digit. First set the value for R.A. Press

Auto Guide Speed

Allows you to perform the star alignment.

This feature allows you to insert a value for each axis to compensate for its

or sidereal rate.

SETUP under menu option using the scroll keys. Below lists the

Allows you to change the current location.

Allows you to change the Daylight Savings option.

(10 arcmin. and arcsec.). Use the numeric keys to enter the

ENTER to proceed to

Sid. Rate: This activates tracking in Sidereal rate (R.A. Tracking). Lunar Rate: This activates tracking in Lunar rate (R.A. Tracking). Solar Rate: This activates tracking in Solar rate (R.A. Tracking). PEC

+ Sidereal Rate: Sidereal rate with Periodic Error Compensation.

Stop Tracking: This stops the tracking instantly.

When using an autoguider, this sets the guiding speed to

SETUP key

sing the User Defined Database

allows you to save up to 25 objects in the user defined database.

Saving an object to the database

1. In the Main Menu, use the scroll keys to scroll down the list until you find Object Catalog. Press

2. Select User Defined in the Object Catalog scroll list and press

ENTER.

The User Defined menu can also be accessed pressing the quick reference hot key

ENTER.

USER" (number

Fig

Page 10

4. The first available selection in the Object Catalog is Recall Object.

This is where you select previously scroll keys to scroll down to

The stores the user-defined objects in two

and

6. By default the will display the or coordinates where the telescope is currently pointed. In the case

of format, the coordinate readout will be similar to this:

which means 22 hours and 46.1 minutes in R.A. and in Change the coordinates using the numeric keypad and scroll keys. Use the RIGHT or LEFT directional keys to move the cursor to the next or previous digit. Press ENTER

Press 1 for the format and 2 for the

saved objects to view. Use the

Input and press ENTER.

save.

If the coordinate entered does not exist, the SynScanM hand control will not

respond when the

ENTER

key is pressed. Check the entry for and re-enter the

correct coordinatc.

To store an format, first point the telescope to the desired location to obtain the press ENTER to save.

After the coordinates have been saved, the will display an User Object number as shown in change to the number you wish to represent the coordinates and press ENTER.

9. The number you just entered. Press ENTER to go to the object or ESC

to return to the lnput Coordinate menu.

will display "View Object?" and the User Object

value, then

Use the scroll keys to

The User Object number displayed not be a vacant one. If you are unsure which numbers are vacant, it is recommended that you first check for the available numbers by recalling the saved user objects.

Recalling an user defined object

See Step 1-4 of "Saving an object to the database" for details on how to access to the User Defined menu. Select Recall Object and press ENTER.

Use the scroll keys to browse through the User Object number until the number representing the object you wish to view is present. Press ENTER to show its coordinate. Press ENTER again to slew to the object. The hand control will not respond if a vacant User Object number is selected. Use the scroll keys to choose another number and try again.

If the recalled object is below horizon, the hand control will display

Try

another obj and automatically return to the Recall Object menu.

Identifying an Unknown Object

has the ability to identify the unknown object the telescope is

currently pointing at. To do so, simply:

Press the ID key or scroll down to IDENTIFY in the main menu and press ENTER to identify the object.

The hand control will display a list containing the closest known

object in each distance to the exact location where the telescope is pointed. Use the scroll keys to view these objects.

Press ESC to exit from this function.

IC, NGC, and Named Star catalogs and its

Page 11

with A Computer

Another feature of is the ability to connect to a computer via a serial communication cable. Many commercially available planetarium softwares can be used to control

Version 3.00 and later is compatible with Celestron

protocol.

1. Make sure that the telescope has been aligned. Connect the RS-232 cable to the RJ-11 connector on the

hand control and to the COM

not use RS-232 cable other than the one provided to

port of your computer

connect between the hand control and your computer. It may damage your computer or the hand control. If you are making your own cable based

in Appendix

make sure that only pin 2, 3 and 5 connect

the

information provided

to the connector on your computer.

and NexStar GPS command

Hand Control

RJ-11 Pin-outs

3. In the planetarium software of your choice, choose "Celestron NexStar driver setup menu and follow the instructions provided by

your program to establish the connection to the telescope.

The should be under the full control of your

computer once the connection is successfully established.

4. When you are finished, follow the instructions provided by

your software to close the connection to the telescope.

or "Celestron 8/9/11 GPS" in the

654321

See Appendix B for

RS-232 connection.

GND EXPD RD

Auto Guiding

The has a designated autoguider interface on the mount for use with an auto guider (see ST-4 compatible and can be used for most autoguiders on the market. Refer to

when autoguider. Relay box can be added for extra protection. Note that the four inputs are active Auto Guide Speed function in the Setup Menu.

low, with internal pull-ups. Guiding speed can be adjusted using the

a-I). The pin-outs on the 6 pin modular connector is

the autoguider cable to the SynScan

and calibrating the

NC Ground

(left)

(up)

(down)

RA (right)

Periodic Error Correction

Periodic Errors are found in almost all worm gears due to slight eccentricities and misalignments. The PEC (Periodic Error Correction) function provides a manual correcting method to reduce the amplitude of the worm errors. By recording a full cycle of guiding actions versus motor shaft angle, work to compensate for the drifting in the RA sidereal tracking caused by the periodic errors. Below describes a step

-by-

step procedure on how to perform the PEC:

can

PEC

Training function is recommended for advanced users interested in long-exposure

astrophotograhy only. Careful guiding is required. Regular sidereal tracking is adequate for

and

PEC

all casual visual use of the

Required Illuminated reticle eycpiccc

Training is not required.

double crossline pattern capable of producing at least 300X magnification in combination with your telescope. The true field of view should not exceed 10 arc min. See

Choosing the appropriate eyepiece" in the

manual for more information on calculating the field of view.

Page 12

PEC Training

Perform the accurate method (see the manual).

Slew or manually point the telescope to a star with smaller DEC coordinate. This object will be used as the guide star. Activate Sidereal Tracking from the Setup Menu (see Setup Functions). Once the tracking has started, press ESC to go back to the Setup Menu.

Rotate the reticle eyepiece until one set of the lines becomes parallel to (or matches) the R.A. movement of the telescope (see step how this is done.)

5. Move the guide star back at the center of the eyepiece view using the direction keys.

On the hand control, select PEC Training in the Utility Functions and press ENTER.

Utility Functions can be easily accessed by pressing the UTILITY quick reference on the keypad.

Select the R.A. guide speed for the PEC training.

The hand control will display the current time once the guide speed is selected,

indicating that the recording has begun.

Using the LEFT or RIGHT direction key only, move the telescope so the guide star remains at

the center of the eyepiece view

to 4 of the Cone Error Calibration for more information on

s). Repeat whenever necessary.

The Guide star drifts

away from the center

For 8 minutes (10 minutes and 30 seconds for the EQ6 hand control

records the manual guiding actions in order to characterize the periodic errors. Pressing ESC

will stop the recording immediately and exit from the PEC training function.

Adjust the telescope to move the

guide star back to the center

Guiding actions are recorded the PEC training is stopped midway. this case, the

tracking will not be accurate until a full cycle of the PEC training is performed.

11.

The will beep and display "Record completed" when the training time is up. Press any key to exit from the PEC training.

Play back the PEC record PEC tracking can be activated under the Setup Menu or pressing the SETUP quick reference

keypad when needed. In the Setup Menu, choose Set Tracking, then SynScan' the corrections you made during the PEC training cycle and start tracking with periodic error compensated.

on the

will play back

The will continue to track in the mode another tracking mode is selected. If the power is turned off while the mode, the hand control loses synchronization with the

is under the

R.A.

worm gear and the PEC Training will have to be performed again when the power is turned back on. To avoid this, be sure to return the telescope to its home position by selecting

PARK

under the

before turning off the power.

Page 13

the Firmware

From version 3.0 onward, the

latest version of the firmware from the Sky

firmware is user upgradeable. Users can download the

Watcher web site and easily update their

hand controls.

System requirements

Hand Control of version later.

Windows95 or later An available RS PC link cable that comes with the SynScan DC power supply with

232C communication port on the PC.

hand control.

output. Power plug should be 2.1 mm diameter,

tip positive.

Preparing your PC for the update

1. Create a folder for all SynScan'" related files on your computer and name it SynScan.

the Support Page of the Sky

Watcher at:

http://www.SkywatcherTelescope.net/Support.

3. Download and save the Loader to the SynScan'" folder on your computer. You may create a shortcut on the desktop for quick access in the future. You will only need to download this software once. Once it is saved on your computer, only the firmware data file is needed for future updates.

Download and save the firmware data file named to the SynScan

folder. (The XXXX indicates the version number of the firmware.)

Updating the Hand Control

Plug the RJ-11 end of the PC link cable into the jack in the middle socket on the hand control

Push the connector into the hand control until it clicks into place. Plug the other end of the cable, the

connector, to the RS-232 port on

your PC.

"0"

and

2. Press and hold down the key

"8"

simutaniously, then plug the power cord into the hand control, as shown in

3. The hand control will give a beep, indicating a successful start up. The SynScan'

Update Ver.

will display:

on the LCD screen,

as seen in

Run the software on your PC. Once the program is launched, you should see a window as

The button provides the version number of the hardware, firmware and database of your hand control. It is for your reference only. You will not need it for the update.

SynScan

Ver.

1.1

Page 14

5. Click

Browse" to select the file in the SynScan folder. Click "Update

lo start downloading the new firmware into your SynScan

status of the update below the

Update" and "HC. Version" buttons

hand control. You will see the

SynScan

When the download is complete, the status will show "Update Complete". The SynScan

Loader

hand control is now updated to the newest firmware. Generally it takes about 30 seconds

-to-

to update the firmware. It may take longer if you are using an USB

RS232 converter.

If error message "Can not connect to a SynScan hand control" is shown, check the cable connection and the PC applications

If you receive the error

the power plug and

cable itself. Make sure it is all in good working condition. Close all

be occupying the RS-232 port and again.

Firmware update failed...", reset the control by

re-connecting it. Repeat the update

By default, the data rate hand control and the PC is set to

be process

hand control

The LCD screen will show the

now in

The port on some not support such high rate

update

after a tries, you can reduce the rate by pressing the "SETUP" key on the

the power supply is plugged

"Lo"

This reduce the data rate to 6 kbps .

in the right comer to indicate that it is

communication The steps for updating the the

now it takes longer to (about 240 seconds).

Page 15

Show Position

Display Time

Observ. Site Park Scope Daylight Saving Inquire Version Alignment

Star Align.

2-Star Align.

Star Align.

Backlash

Tracking

Sidereal Rate

Lunar Rate Solar Rate PEC + Sidereal Rate Stop Tracking

Guide Speed

PEC Training

Tuning

System

Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus

Neptune Pluto Moon

Named Star

Catalog

Catalog Double Star Variable Star User Defined

Input Coordinate

Recall Object

0.125

Page 16

SPECIFICATIONS

Power Supply: Motor type and resolution:

Slew speeds:

Gear Ratio:

Microstep driven Resolution: Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate

Rate

Rate Rate

705

DC (Tip positive)

1.8

0.144

arc (or

= =

2 = 8X 3 = 16X 4 = 32X 5 = 64X 6 = 400X 7 = 500X

600X

800X

Tracking Rates: Sidereal, Lunar, Solar Tracking Modes: R.A. tracking Alignment Method: Database:

Pointing Accuracy:

Star Alignment, Two-Star Alignment, Three-Star Alignment

One

user defined objects. Complete M, NGC, and catalogues, Total Up to

13,436

objects

arc

stepper motors.

9,024,000

Page 17

Generally speaking the SynScan However, if higher precision is required, for example for astro "cone" error calibration may be required. See the manual for mount for information on accurate polar alignment using the polarscope.

"Cone" error is a common inaccuracy found on all German equatorial mount. It is a result from the optical axis not being aligned to the R.A. axis of the mount. This affects the pointing accuracy of the Three

Star Alignment automatically compensates for the "Cone" error. If you choose One-Star or Two-Star Alignment method, you will need to perform manual mount calibration to eliminate the "cone" error. The following calibration procedure should be performed before the initial use of the telescope and periodically thereafter to ensure the accuracy.

Testing for Cone Error This test is done at night using two bright stars located on the opposite side of the sky. Make sure the

telescope is properly polar star as the alignment star (see One western sky from the is perfectly aligned to the R.A. axis, the telescope will accurately put the star in the center of the eyepiece.

In this case, there is no "cone" error in your telescope setup and you will not need to perform the calibration. It is acceptable if the star is slightly off

the center. Many factors determine the pointing accuracy of the

alignment, R.A. or eyepiece view, you need to first determine whether it is "cone" error that causes the pointing inaccuracy. To find out, simply move the telescope in R.A. axis by pressing the Left or Right direction key. If the star can be moved into the eyepiece view without adjusting the telescope setup.

lock knob being lose, or "cone" error. If your telescope puts the star outside the

produces pointing and tracking accuracies adaquate for most applications.

photography, accurate polar alignment and

aligned using the polarscope. Perform the One-star Alignment using an eastern

star Alignment). After the star alignment, choose a bright star on the

object database and have the telescope slew to the star. If the optical axis

center as long as it is in the eyepeiece view and close to

for example incorrect star

axis, it is likely that "cone" error exists in your

Calibration Procedure

Insert the illuminated reticle eyepiece. Make sure that the telescope is properly set up and balanced, and the finderscope is perfectly aligned with the telescope tube.

Step 2 to 4 is to R.A.

movements

in the reticle eyepiece. If you are already familiar reticle

you

with the

may skip to step

Required accessory. Illuminated

with double crossline pattern. Depending design of your mounting plate

Find any bright star and place it in the center of the eyepiece view.

Look into the eyepiece. Move the telescope in R.A.

axis using the R.A. direction keys on the hand control

while carefully observing the movement of the star.

Keep moving the the telescope in R.A. axis back and forth to keep the star within the eyepiece view. Rotate

the eyepiece until the movement of the star becomes

parallel to (or matches) any set of the lines This set of lines will represent R.A. movement in the course of this procedure, and the perpendicular lines will represent to secure the eyepiece in place. Make sure that the eyepiece will remain stationary when the telescope is

being rotated.

5. Point the telescope to North and set the latitude scale to your local latitude using the altitude adjustment T bolts, or place Polaris on the crosshair of the polarscope if your polarscope is perfectly aligned with the rotation axis of the mount.

movement. Tigthen the set screws

(dovetail bar), modifications may

be required. (See step

for the required mechanism on the mounting plate.)

movement

eyepiece view

the

Page 18

6. Loosen the R.A. lock knob and rotate the telescope around the R.A. axis until the counterweight shaft is parallel to the ground.

Using the direction key on the hand control, adjust the telescope in so Polaris sits on the R.A. lines of the reticle eyepiece

8. moving the R.A. axis, adjust the azimuth control knobs to bring Polaris to the center

of the eyepiece Adjustment in

Place Polaris on the

Loosen the R.A. lock knob and carefully rotate the telescope should be done as accurate as possible using the R.A. setting circle. Once again, adjust the telescope in so Polaris sits on the R.A. lines of the reticle eyepiece (see Now take a closer look at the plate underneath the telescope tube. There should be a set of screws on each end, next to the tube ring mounting plate does not have these screws or screw holes, you will need to make modification to the plate.)

in R.A. axis This

screws (If your

axis using the hand control may be necessary.

R.A.

line

tube ring locking screw

adjustment screws

Page 19

Carefully nudge the telescope in horizontal motion using only one finger while observing the movement of Polaris through the eyepiece

This is to determine which direction (left or right) moves Polaris closer to the center of the eyepiece. Next step is to adjust the adjustment screws on the mounting plate according to your finding from step 12. If Polaris moves toward the center when the telescope is nudged toward your right hand side, You will need to loosen the adjustment screws near the front of the tube and tighten the ones closer to the back of the tube

Look into the eyepiece. Adjust the screws just enough to place Polaris distance back to the center

and vise versa

HALF

the

Place Polaris here

14. Repeat step 7 to 13 until Polaris remains in the center of the eyepiece, or moves slightly around the center, when the mount is rotate about the R.A. axis.

This calibration method can be applied on both refracting and reflecting telescopes. Optical path of different telescope designs does not telescope tube and tube

should be adjusted on the mounting plate.

how the

Page 20

The SynScanT" the RS popular planetarium software program. The will communicate with the personal computer at 9600 no parity and stop bit. All angles are communicated with 16 bit angle and communicated using

232 port and RS-232 cable. Once connected, the can be controlled by most

telescopes are designed to receive control commands sent from a computer via

hexadecimal.

Description

Azm-Alt

Ra-Dec

Get Azm

Get Cancel

Is Alignincnt Complete

Alt

Command ASCII

Hand Control

Useful to check

10 characters sent.

comma, If

limits; there will be no action. Scope be aligned

command conflicts with limits, there will be no action

characters returned,

Scope must be aligned

or is

(character zero

Notes

conflicts with slew

comma,

HC version

bit get

Tracking

V Tx

0 (Tracking 1 (Alt-Az on) 2 (EQ-N)

Two bytes representing V2.2 Alt

Az tracking requires

alignment

The last two characters always be zero.

The last two characters

s be zero

Page 21

Physical Connection Diagram

RJ-11 Connector

GND

The Back of the Pinout

Additional Commands

Sending a track rate through to the hand control

1. Multiply the desired tracking rate (arc seconds /second) by 4. For example: if the desired track rate is 120 arc (proximately then the

2. Separate TRACKRATE into two bytes, such that (TRACKRATE

3. then TrackRateHighByte To send a tracking rate, send the following 8 bytes:

480. +

TrackRateLowByte). For example TRACKRATE = 480,

1, TrackRateLowByte = 224.

I I

times of sidereal rate),

a. Positive Azm tracking: 80, 3, 16, 6, TrackRateHighByte, TrackRateLowByte, b. Negative Azm tracking: 80, 3, 16, 7, TrackRateHighByte, TrackRateLowByte, c. Positive Alt tracking: 80, 3, 17, 6, TrackRateHighByte, TrackRateLowByte, d. Negative Alt tracking: 80, 3, 17, 7, TrackRateHighByte, TrackRateLowByte,

4. The number 35 is returned from the hand control.

Sending a slow-Goto command through to the hand control

1. Convert the angle position to a number. Example: if the desired position is then

2. Separate

10,252,743

into three bytes such that PosHighByte * 65536 + PosMedByte * 256 + PosLowByte). Example: PosHighByte 156, PosMedByte = 11 3, PosLowByte = 199

3. Send the following 8 bytes: a. Azm Slow

b. Alt Slow 80,

80, 4, 16, 23, PosHighByte, PosMedByte, PosLowByte,

17, 23, PosHighByte, PosMedByte, PosLowByte,

4. The number 35 is returned from the hand control.

Reseting the position of or Alt

1. Convert the angle position to a number, same as Slow-Goto example.\

2. Send the following 8 bytes: a. Azm Set Position: 80, 4, 16, 4, PosHighByte, PosMedByte, PosLowByte,

b. Alt Set Position: 80, 4, 17, 4, PosHighByte, PosMedByte, PosLowByte,

3. The number 35 is returned from the hand control.

Page 22

Page 23

NEVER USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN. PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE WILL RESULT. USE A PROPER SOLAR FILTER FIRMLY MOUNTED ON THE

SUN. WHEN OBSERVING

THE

FRONT OF

THE

SUN, PLACE A DUST CAP OVER YOUR

THE

TELESCOPE FOR VIEWING

FINDERSCOPE OR REMOVE IT TO PROTECT YOU FROM ACCIDENTAL

EXPOSURE. NEVER USE AN EYEPIECE

TYPE SOLAR FILTER AND NEVER

USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO PROJECT SUNLIGHT ONTO ANOTHER

SURFACE, THE INTERNAL HEAT BUILD

UP WILL DAMAGE THE

TELESCOPE OPTICAL ELEMENTS.