(Patrick Moore - S Practical Astronomy Series) Michael W. Swanson (Auth.) - The NexStar User - S Guide-Springer-Verlag London (2004)

PatrickMoore's
PracticalAstronomySeries
Other titles in this series
Telescopes andTechniques
ChrisKitchin
The Art and Scienceof CCD Astronomy
David Ratledge (Ed.)
The Observer'sYear
Patrick Moore
Seeing Stars
Chris Kitchin and Robert W
. Forrest
Photo-guideto theConstellations
ChrisKitchin
The Sun in Eclipse
Michael Maunder and PatrickMoore
Software and Data for Practical
Astronomers
David Ratledge
AmateurTelescope Making
StephenF. Tonkin
Observing Meteors, Comets
, Supernovaeand otherTransientPhenomena
Neil Bone
AstronomicalEquipmentfor Amateurs
Martin Mobberley
Transit: When Planets Cross the Sun
Michael Maunder and Patrick Moore
PracticalAstrophotography
JeffreyR.Charles
Observing the Moon
Peter T. Wlasuk
Deep-Sky Observing
Steven R. Coe
AstroFAQs
Stephen F. Tonkin
The Deep-SkyObserver's Year
Grant Privettand Paul Parsons
Field Guide to the Deep Sky Objects
M ikeInglis
Choosing and Using aSchmidt-CassegrainTelescope
Rod Mollise
Astronomywith Small Telescopes
Stephen F
. Tonkin (Ed.)
Solar ObservingTechniques
ChrisKitchin
Observing the Planets
Peter T. Wlasuk
Light Pollution
Bob Mizon
Using the Meade ETX
Mike Weasner
PracticalAmateurSpectroscopy
Stephen F. Tonkin (Ed.)
Mor~ Small AstronomicalObservatories
Patrick Moore(Ed.)
Observer'sGuide to StellarEvolution
Mike Inglis
How to Observe the Sun Safely
Lee Macdonald
Astronomer'sEyepieceCompanion
JessK. Gilmour
Observing Comets
Nick Jamesand GeraldNorth
ObservingVariable Stars
GerryA. Good
Visual Astronomyin theSuburbs
Antony Cooke
Astronomyof the Milky Way: The Observer'sGuide
to theNorthernand SouthernMilky Way (2 volumes)
Mike Inglis
Michael W. Swanson
With us Figures
(including22 in color)
i Springer
NexStar is a registered trademark of Celestron. TheSky is a registered
trademark of Software Bisque. AH other proprietary names are the
property of their respective companies.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Swanson, Michael W.
The NexStar user's guide. - (Patrick Moore's practical
astronomy series)
1. Telescopes
I. Title
522.2
ISBN 978-1-85233-714-8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Swanson, Michael W., 1963-
The NexStar user guide/Michael W. Swanson.
p. cm. - (Patrick Moore's practical astronomy series)
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-85233-714-8 ISBN 978-0-85729-418-0 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-0-85729-418-0
1. Telescopes. I. Title. II. Series.
QB88.S882003
522' .2-dc21 2003050549
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private
study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be repro-
duced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the
prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of repro-
graphic reproduction in accordance with the terms oflicences issued
by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduc-
tion outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.
Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series ISSN 1617-7185

ISBN 978-1-85233-714-8
Springer Science+Business Media
springeronline.com
© Springer-Verlag London 2004

Originally published by Springer-Verlag London Berlin Heidelberg in 2004
2nd printing 2005
The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does

not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such
names are exempt from the relevant laws and regulations and there-
fore free for general use.
The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with

regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and
cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or
omissions that may be made. Observing the Sun, along with a few
other aspects of astronomy, can be dangerous. Neither the publisher
nor the author accept any legal responsibility or liability for personal
loss or injury caused, or alleged to have been caused, by any inform-
ation or recommendation contained in this book.
Typeset by EXPO Holdings, Malaysia

58/3830-54321 Printed on acid-free paper SPIN 11331179
Contents
List of Tables ix
List of Figures xi
Acknowledgements xvii
Introduction 1
Are GoTo Scopes Appropriatefor Beginners? 1
A Brief H istory of NexStar 2
The NexStarResourceSite 5
Organizationof the Book 6
2 AstronomyBasics 9
The Night Sky 9
ObservationTechnique 15
What's Up There? 17
EquipmentBasics 30
Conclusion .45
3 OverviewoftheNexStarLine .47
Entry-Level NexStars - the" Little NexStars" . . .48
AdvancedNexStars - the SCT Models 55
Which Scopefor You? 67
4 Alignment 69
Must Do' s of Alignment 70
AlignmentMethods 74
AlignmentMyths 84
5 Basic Operation 87
GoTo an Object 87
RequiredHand ControlSetup 91
Less CommonlyUsed Features 95
6 ExpandingYour Horizons - Choosing

Objectsto View 103
Understanding What Can Be Seen in Your
Scop e 103
v
vi The NexStar User's Guide
Star Charts,Magazines,and Other

PrintedResources 105
ComputerSoftware 105
The Solar System 108
Deep Sky Objects 111
ObservationPrograms 118
7 Using theSoftwareIncludedwith
LittleNexStars- TheSky andNexStar
ObserverList 121
TheSky 121
NexStar ObserverList 131
8 Accessoriesfor Your NexStar 141

Tripods and RelatedAccessories 141
Wedges 149
PowerSources 149
Eyepiecesand RelatedItems 152
Diagonals 157
Filters 160
FinderScopes 163
Scope Covers and Cases 164
Accessory and Eyepiece Cases 165
Dew Prevention 165
Cold WeatherGear for Your Scope 167
Mounting Rails and Counterweights 168
ObservingChairs 169
Field Tables 169
Hand ControlExtensionCables 170
Manual Hand Controlfor theN8111 GPS
and N5i/8i 171
Conclusion 172
9 Collimation- OpticalAlignment 175

SCT Collimation(NexStar 5and Larger) 176
Newtonian Collimation(NexStar114) 178
Maksutov Collimation(NexStar 4) 183
RefractorCollimation(NexStar60 and80) 184
10 ControllingYour NexStarwitha PC or
PalmtopComputer 185
What Types ofComputersWork 186
RequiredCables 187
Software toControlNexStar Telescopes 188
PuttingIt All Together 190
Common Problemswith PC to Scope
Communication 190
Contents vii
11 Astrophotographywith aNexStar 193

AstrophotographyBasics .194
Astrophotographywith NexStarTelescopes . .201
Conclusion 206
Image Gallery 208
12 Maintenance,Care,andCleaning 215
Cleaning 215
MechanicalCare andAdjustments 218
Caring for theElectronics 230
13 Mounting OtherOpticalTubes on aNexStar ..233

NexStar 8/11GPS 233
NexStar 515i/8/8i 234
NexStar 4 235
NexStar 60/80/114 236
14 AdditionalTips andSolutions 239

Various Models of NexStar 239
NexStar 8/11GPS 251
NexStar 5/8 254
NexStar 60/80/114/4 254
NexStar 60/80/11414with OriginalGT
Hand Control 256
Conclusion 258
AppendixA - InternetResources 259

NexStar-Specific Web Sites 259
General-AstronomyWeb Sites 260
Vendor and ManufacturerWeb Sites 260
AppendixB - Objects intheNexStarHand

Control 263
AppendixC - PC andPalmtopSoftware
Compatiblewith NexStarTelescopes 277
AppendixD - Writing Programsto Control

NexStarTelescopes 283
Basic ControlCommands- GetandGoTo 283
AdvancedCommands 286
AppendixE - Glossary 291
Index 295
List of Tables
2.1 Magnitudelimits withinstrumentsof

varioussizes 13
2.2 Annual meteorshowers 25
6.1 Limiting magnitudeundergood,darksky
conditions 104
6.2 The Messier catalog 113
6.3 Double starsidentifiedin thecurrent
NexStar models 117
8.1 Compatibilitybetween NexStar telescopes
and Celestrontripods 145
8.2 The mostpopulareyepiece designs 153
8.3 Focallengthof eyepiecerequiredfor
theoreticalmaximummagnificationfor
each NexStar model 155
8.4 Approximatewidesttruefield of view for
each NexStar when usingdifferent
eyepieces 155
8.5 Functionsof pins in Auto Guideport 171
10.1 NexStar modelssummarized 189
C.1 Designationsdenotingcompatibilityof
models of NexStar scopes with software
packages 277
ix
List of Figures
1.1 An early NexStar 5advertisement .3

1.2 My startin GoTo scopes - the NexStar
80 GT .4
1.3 The NexStar ResourceSite-
http://www.NexStarSite.com 7
2.1 The majorstarformationsvisible in the
evening skyaccordingto the seasons of
theNorthernHemisphere 10
2.2 Lines of rightascensionaroundthenorth
celestial pole 11
2.3 Visualmagnitudesof easilyidentifiable
stars 13
2.4 Sampleobservationlogbooksheets 18
2.5 The Sun imaged with a NexStar 5 and a
digitalcamera 20
2.6 The Moonimagedwith a NexStar 11 GPS
and a digitalcamera 21
2.7 Mars imaged with a NexStar 5 and a
digitalcamera 22
2.8 Jupiterimaged with a NexStar 8 and a
digitalcamera 23
2.9 Saturnimaged with a NexStar 5 and a
web cam 24
2.10 OmegaCentauriglobularclusterimaged
with a NexStar 5 and a digital
camera 28
2.11 The Ring Nebula imaged with a NexStar 11
GPS and a CCD camera 29
2.12 TheWhirlpoolGalaxy imaged with a
NexStar 11 GPS and a CCDcamera .30
2.13 Therefractortelescope design .35
2.14 TheNewtonianreflectortelescope design . .36
2.15 TheSchmidt-Cassegraintelescope design . .37
2.16 TheMaksutov-Cassegraintelescope design .38
2.17 NexStar 8 GPS with 9x50 finder scope .39
2.18 The altitude-azimuth mountdesign .41
2.19 The Germanequatorialm ountdesign .42
2.20 Wedge-mountedfork .43
xi
xii The NexStar User's Guide
2.21 Insertingan eyepieceintoa Barlow

mountedin a diagonal .44
3.1 NexStar 60 GT .48
3.2 NexStar 80 GT 51
3.3 NexStar 4 GT 53
3.4 NexStar 114 GT 54
3.5 NexStar 5 56
3.6 NexStar 8 57
3.7 NexStar 5i 59
3.8 NexStar 8i 60
3.9 CN-16 GPS Module 61
3.10 NexStar 8 GPS 62
3.11 NexStar 11 GPS 63
3.12 CGE 1400 66
4.1 Tape tomarkthelocationwhere the
opticaltubeis perpendicularto the
azimuthaxis 71
6.1 Planetariumsoftware- Cartes du Ciel 106
6.2 Planetariumsoftware- Planetariumfor
Palm 107
6.3 Sessionplanningsoftware- AstroPlanner .108
6.4 Mars Previewer II 109
6.5 NexStar 50 Club logo 119
7.1 NexStarObserverList's Hyper Hand
Controllerwindow 134
7.2 An observerlist in NexStarObserver
List 136
7.3 Editing an observerlist in NexStar
ObserverList 136
8.1 Celestronmodel93497tripod 142
8.2 New Celestronmodel93593tripod 143
8.3 Celestronmodel93499/93501tripod 144
8.4 Homemadespreaderfor original93593
tripod 146
8.5 Vibrationsuppressionpad in use 147
8.6 Homemadeaccessorytrayfor little
NexStars 147
8.7 Homemadeeyepiece tray for Heavy Duty
Tripod 148
8.8 Design for Heavy DutyTripodtray 148
8.9 NexStar 11 GPS onCelestronHeavy Duty
Wedge 150
8.10 Automotivejump-startb attery 151
8.11 Denkmeierbino viewers in a NexStar 11
GPS andCelestronbino viewers in a
piggybackedTele VuePronto 157
8.12 2-inchdiagonalscreweddirectlyto rear
of NexStar 8i 159
List of Figures xiii
8.13 BaaderAstroSolarFilm in ahomemade

cell 162
8.14 NexStar 11 GPSwithstandardand
TelRad finder .163
8.15 Tackle box accessory case 165
8.16 Homemadedew shield 166
8.17 Dewstripwrappedbehindthecorrector
cell to allow secure
m ountingof dew shield 167
8.18 Homemademountingrail 168
8.19 BuyAstroStuff.com's Astro Chair 170
8.20 Manual handcontrolschematic 171
8.21 Auto Guideporton the NexStar 5i/8i and
NexStar 8/11GPS 172
8.22 Manual handcontrol 172
8.23 NexStar 5i "Borg" - yes, there is a NexStar
underthere! 173
9.1 Unfocusedstarimagesthrougha
collimatedand anuncollimatedtelescope .176
9.2 Secondarymirrorassemblyin a
Schmidt-Cassegraintelescope 177
9.3 Various objects viewed throughthe
focuser tube of Na ewtoniantelescope 180
9.4 Step 1 inNewtoniancollimation 180
10.1 Pinconnectionsfor DB-9 serialports .187
10.2 Pinconnectionsfor DB-25 serialports 188
ILl NexStar 4 on a wedge . Attachedto the
rearport: LAR, SCT visual back, eyepiece,
digitalcameraadapter , and digital
camera 195
11.2 SBIG ST-237A CCD cameraon a
NexStar 11 GPS 196
11.3 Off-axisguiderwith CCD auto-guider
and 35mmcamera 198
11.4 Hartmannmask 199
11.5 NexStar 11 GPSpolar-alignedon a wedge.
The fork arms arepointedtowardsthe
northcelestial pole 200
11.6 Standardf/10configurationcomparedto
Fastar f/2 configuration 203
11.7 HyperStarand ST-237 on the NexStar 11
GPS 204
11.8 NexStar 5i with a piggyback 35mm camera
on top, anf/6.3 focalreducer, an off-axis
guiderwith illuminatedreticle eyepiece,
and asecond35mm cameramountedat
the rear with a T-Ring 206
xiv The NexStar User's Guide
11.9 NexStar 4 with an LAR, an SCT T-Adapter,

a 35mm cameramountedwith a T-Ring,anda
magnifierattachedto thecamera
viewfinder 207
lLlO Jupiterimagedwith a NexStar 8anda
digitalcamera 208
ILl 1 Saturnimagedwith a NexStar 8 and a
video astronomycamera 208
1Ll2 Jupiterandone of itsmoons imagedwith
a NexStar 114anda digitalcamera 209
1Ll3 Saturnimagedwith a NexStar 114 and a
digitalcamera 209
1Ll4 Close-upof the Moonimagedwith a
NexStar 114 and a digitalcamera 209
ILlS Saturnimagedwith a NexStar 5 and a
digital videocamera 210
1Ll6 The Sun withdose-upsof sunspotgroups.
Imagedwith a NexStar 5, Baader
AstroSolarFilm, anda digitalcamera .....210
1Ll7 Close-up of the Moonimagedwith a
NexStar 5 and a digital video
c amera .....211
1Ll8 The CrabNebula(Ml ) imagedwith a
NexStar 11 GPSanda CCD camera 211
1Ll9 Saturnand itsmoon Titan imagedwith a
NexStar 4 and amodifiedwebcam 212
11.20 Jupiterand itsmoon Europaimagedwith
a NexStar 5anda digital videocamera . ...212
11.21 NGC 891 imagedwith a NexStar 11 GPS and
a CCD camera 212
11.22 TheHerculesCluster(MI3) imagedwith
a NexStar 11 GPS and a CCDcamera 213
11.23 TheDumbbellNebula (M27)imagedwith
a NexStar 11 GPS and a CCDcamera 213
12.1 Base cover lifted to reveal
rollerbearings ..219
12.2 NexStar5/5i/8/8ialtitudenutwith hand
controlhook removed 221
12.3 NexStar5/5i/8/8iwith the base cover and
insidearm coverremoved 222
12.4 NexStar 114 withopticaltubeandbase
coverremoved 224
12.5 NexStar 114 with fork arm coverremoved .226
12.6 NexStar 4 withhandcontrolbracketand
insidearm coverremoved 228
12.7 NexStar 4 with base cover removed 229
12.8 NexStar 4 withopticaltuberemoved 231
13.1 NexStar 8 GPS withpiggybackrefractor 234
13.2 Tele Vue Genesis on NexStar 8 using
Ray's Bracket 234
List of Figures xv
13.3 NexStar 8mountedwith Ray's Bracket ... .235

13.4 Binocularsmountedon PVC tubingheld
in tube ring of a NexStar 80 236
13.5 William Optics Megrez 80m ounteddirectly
in the tube ring of a NexStar 80 237
13.6 CelestronC90 and Original NexStar 80
using Baader Bracket 238
13.7 Orion StarMax 127 on NexStar 80 using
Baader Bracket 238
14.1 Alternativelocationfor thehandcontrol
on the NexStar 8/11 GPS 242
Acknowledgements
It is truewith all collectionof informationthatthe

collectordidn't collectit in a vacuum.Much of the
knowledge in thisb ook came into being via discussions
with otherowners of NexStar telescopes, most of whom
deservemorethanthe simpleacknoledgement I offer
here.
Thanks to all members of the NexStar and
NexStarGPS discussion groups on Yahoo, especially
Bob Berta, Kevin Brett, John Hilliard,Rod Mollise, Jeff
Richards,JoeShuster,and Hank Williams. Refer to the
internetresourcesin Appendix A to join us in our
discussions.
I would like to thankJohn Carlyle,Alain Fraysse,
Carroll Morgan, and JeanPiquettefor discussionsand
theirwork on standardizingand improvingthe align-
mentprocedurefor various models of NexStar tele-
scopes. The fruits of my association with these
gentlemencan be seen inChapter4.
Specialthanksto MatthiasBopp, Ray Cooper,Phil
Chambers,Dan Hupp, and Mario Mariani for their
inputon mechanical,optical,and otherissues.Thanks
once more to Ray Cooper and also Tamas Szekffy
whose supportin providingserverspace for file down-
loads has made the NexStar Resouce Site a success.
I have also beenfortunateto have directaccessto
severalwonderfulpeopleat Celestronwho provided
many technicaldetailsnecessaryto makethis book a
morevaluableresource.T hankyou to themanagement
at Celestronfor makingthis possible.
Extraspecialthanksgo to Frank Dilatushfor proof-
readingthe book,offeringsuggestions,and providing
greatsupportto all memberson the NexStar Yahoo
Group.When I was close topullingmy hairout,Frank
provided assistance,encouragement,a nd frequent
comic relief.
I also thankmy wife,Yumiko, for supportingand
encouragingme in allthatI do and puttingup with the
tap, tap, tap of keys at alltimesday and night.When I
xvii
xviii The NexStar User's Guide
was frustratedor lazy, it wasoftenherdetermination

thatkeptme going.When I was too tiredto think,it
was her commonsensethatconvincedme toputthe
work aside. I'm notsurewhatI did to deservesuch a
wonderfulcompanion,but I amthankfuleverydaythat
I am so fortunate
.
This book is dedicatedto my grandfather,Jim
Swanson,andmy father,Chuck Swanson,for my first
look througha telescopewhen I was fiveyearsold -
a gloriousview of our Moon while Dad helpedme up
to the eyepiece of
Grandpa'swhite-tuberefractor.That
momentsparkeda lifelongcuriosityand affectionof
the sky for which I ameternallygrateful.
It was adarkand stormynight ...
Thanks to CharlesSchultz(andSnoopy), it was guaranteedthatif I ever wrote a book,
thatwould be theopeningline. And as thingswould have it, thatopeningalso describes
the firstnightafterI receivedmy newNexStartelescope . But naturallythatcouldn'tlast
for long and my little NexStar 80 GT soon saw first light. After ani nterludeof aboutfour
years from my favoritehobby, I was testingthewaterswith one of the new technological
wonders from Celestron.
Would reality match the hype?ould W the GoTo andtrackingfeatures work as expected?
I was soon to find out.
Assemblywas simple. The alignmentprocedureseemedstraightforward . After justa few
moments I was ready for the test.Press the Planetbutton, scroll toJupiter, press the Enter
buttonand away it went. As itslowed tocenterthe target, I put my eye to theeyepiece.
Stars driftedslowly by until,BAN G, thereit was: Jupiter! Not pr eciselycentered,b utcer-
tainly close enoughfor my first try.
But not allnights wereso successful.Sometimes theargetwould
t not be in the eld
fi of
view. I deliberately setout to improvemy results and get the mo st out of all thistechnol-
ogy. This book is theoutcomeof thatdeliberateand sometimes fru str atingjourney.
I enjoyed that first NexStar so much that I also now own a NexStar II GPS and a NexStar
114mountthat isoutfittedto carrya varietyof optical tubes .
And how doesthat N80GT behave the se days? Every object in the eyepiece , every time.
Man y seasonedamateurastronomers have shown disdainwith theadvent ofentry-level

computerizedGoTo telescopes, e ven thoughmany of them own more expensive, advanced
scopes of the GoTo variety. They make thecriticismthatone of the joys of astronomyis
learn ing our wayaroundthesky and thatthe money spent for thecomputerization would
be more wiselyappliedtowards betteroptics.These seem to be valid points,but themore
experien ceI have withbuddingamateurastronomer s and these new scopes, themoreI
tend to disagree.
M. W. Swanson, The NexStar User s Guide
© Springer-Verlag London Limited 2004
2 The NexStar User's Guide
First, it is a mistakenassumptionthat using acomputerized scope alleviates the need to

learnthe night sky. It is still necessaryto look atstarchartsor fire up aplanetarium
programin order to decide what to look at. The beginnerstill learns the sky; they just
don'tlearn tostarhop - jumpfrom one knownstarto anotheruntil they have found the
quarry.Granted, some will not followthroughin acquiringeven thiscomputer-assisted
knowledge, but would they have taken the much steeperpath learn ing to star hop?
Especially now that most of us live underurbanlight domes with so few guide stars? I see
beginners with GoTo scopes having a higher ratecontinued
of interest than beginners with
moreconventionali ntroductorymodels. Could it be thatthe GoTobeginnersare seeing
more and it keeps them intere sted?
In most cases,theseentry-levelcomputerizedscopes costabout$100-150 more than a
non-motorizedscope ofsimilar quality. Throw in the usual $60 clock drive fornon- a
computerizedscope and the price difference doesn 't amountto much. I will agree that the
least expensive of these scopes re a
suspect as astronomicalinstruments ,but inparticularI
find most of the 80mm andlargerscopes quiteup to the ta sk of starting an amateur
astronomeron their lifetime journey.
This new breedof entry-leveltelescope has gained popularityunlike anything in
amateurastronomythatcamebefore. With this comes anunprecedented, widespread
awareness about the wonders of stronomy.In
a the end,astronomyis aboutexpandingour
awarenessby learningand observing.These arephenomenaa computer-assistedtourist
can experience just as well as thestar-hoppingnavigator.We need to embrace this expan-
sion of technologyand guidebeginningamateursin appropriatenew ways. I hope this
book is a step in that direction
.
A newcomer toamateur satronomywould think that inexpensive, entry -levelGoTo scopes

have been the norm for years.The advertisement sfrom Celestron and Meade ,as well as all
of theirresellers, make it seemso. It is certain from all thediscussionsin thereaders'
forums and on theInternetthat it is one of the most importantareas of development since
theintroductionof quality, m ass-producedscopesin the 1960s . But actually,inexpensive
GoTo scopes are a new development. And just what is a GoTo scope ?
GoTo scopes have several commoncharacteri stics. First, they includem otordrives on
bothaxes to allow the scope to be pointedat any desiredlocation. Second, theyinclude
encodersto keep track of the locationof each axis.Third, they have h aandheldcomputer
(computerized hand control)thatcontainsa database(catalog) of astronomicalobjects
and performsthecalculationsnecessaryfor locatingthese object s. And finally, the com-
putercontrolinstructsthemotorsto move the scope to thedesiredobject andautomati-
cally tracks its motion
throughthe sky.
The handcontrolis able to findobjectsin the sky after it pointsto twobright"align-
ment"stars, which you thencenterin the eyep iece.NexStar telescopescan eitherlocate
those twoalignmentstars for you or you can locateem th yourself. To locate them for you,
the scope must know its location on the Earth,current
the date and time, and the direction
of North. The NexStar GPS models get this information from the Global Positioning
System satellitenetworkand aninternalcompass; for allothermodels you mustprovide
theinformationeach time you perform the alignment .
GoTo features have been available to professionalastronomersfor years,althoughonly
on observatorytelescopesand not in aportablefashion. More recently,beginning in the
early 1990s, many amateurastronomer s could have such featuresin the form of the
Introduction 3
The jo y o f stargaling uniquefork

comes from obscrving the arm,or hold it for
wondersof the heavens, remote opera tion .
not calculating There's even a
alignments and co rnm un icatio n
positioning. The
rcvolurionary
new Cclcstron
Nl'X . tar 5 docs all
thai for you and more.
NcxStar 5 is
imply and easily.
designedto go with
Nex Sla r 5 is light yea rs yo u anywh ereand
ahead o f otherco m p ute r- perform beautifully,
ized GOTO telescopes , The legendary 5"
with Auto Ali gn 10 ge l Sch mi dt-C assegrain
yo u up and observing opticalsystem with
immediat el yand an Starbright multicoat-
eno r m o us obje ct data base ings guaranteesuperb
thai in cludes more than views, lIest of ,111,our
18,000 celestial sig h ts. 'lo ur Function automari-
cally seeks out the most
Our S tar Pointer Finderscopc
specta cular objects in a given
lets youquickly find any
month, while providing yo u no mystery aboutwhich one
object in thesk)', while
with fascinatingfact s through 10 choose. Cc lest ro n's
variable slewspeedsprovide
the l land C o ntro ller. 'ex tar 5.
easy tracking for observation
and astrophotograph y, If you're looking for ,I
You can attach our H and tele scopethat makes astruno-
C o ntroller10 the teles
cope 's Illy purejo)' and fun. there's
CELE!iTRUn"
Find out more about NcxStar 5. our other exceptionaltelescope s.

and nearby dealers. www.celcsrron.com
2 8 3 5 COLUMBIA STRm • TO....NCE. CA 90503 • (310) 328-9560 • fAX (310) 2 12"5835
Figure 1.1 •.An early NexStar 5 advertisement.
CelestronUltima 2000 and the Mead e LX200. But the $2000 to $3000dollarprice(in the
US) could not beconsidered" GoTo for the masses".
Then came the late 1990sand Meade's introduction of the ETX-90EC. For about$750
(US), you could now own a full-fledgedGoTo scope with 90mmMaksutov-Cassegrain
optics. Meade had madeatt empts ate ntry-levelGoTo scopes before ,but this one was the
Figure 1.2. My start

in GoT0 scopes - the
NexStar 80 GT. Photo
courtesyCelestron.
first truesuccess. By the end of 1999, Meade also a nnouncedthe ETX-125EC, 5 inchesof
aperturefor anadditional$300. Sky andTelescopemade apredictionin May of 1999: "The
ETXI Autostarconceptwill go down as thegreatesth appeningin amateurastronomyyet."
Celestronansweredwith the NexStar 5. Announcedin thesummerof 1999, itsphysical
appearancewas uniqueto say the least. A single sculptedarm,seemingmore athomein a
museumof modernart than on top of tripod,was
a the onlysupportfor the long-admired
Celestron5-inch Schmidt-Cassegrainoptical tube. Immediatelythe question arose
whethera single fork arm was sufficientto supportthe tube.Owners of thesoon-to-be-
discontinuedC5+ alreadyknew theanswer: yes. In fact,comparisonswould soonconfirm
thatthe NexStar 5 was more stable than the ETX-125EC. The NexStar 5,includingcomput-
erizedhandcontrol,was releasedat the price of $1199, so neededsomethingto
it recom-
mendit above the ETX. Inadditionto theaddedstability,the N5 alsofeaturedall-metal
constructionin all the right places.
Therewas no plasticin thesupportsand drivetrainas
was found in the ETX series .
Anotherquestionwas raised as soon as the first N5s found their way intoowners'hands:
why were the forkarm and drive baseso massive for just a 5-inch opticaltube? It was
obvious thatCelestronhad somethingelse instore.We foundin early 2000justwhat that
was: an 8-inchversioncalled - well, what else? - NexStar 8. Reaching owners in the late fall,
the single fork arm was still agreatsupportfor theaddedweight.And the introductory
price of $1899,includingtripodand computerizedh andcontrol,offered excellent value for
thefeatures.
Nonetheless,t hesescopeswere nottrulyGoTo for themasses. The announcement for
the rest of us came in thesummerof 2000. Meadeintroducedtwo littleETX refractors-
60mm and 70mm models.At just$299 and $349, includingcomputerizedhandcontrol
(but still lacking a tripod),now almost anyonecould afforda GoTo scope. Celestron
answereda month laterwith theNexStar 60 and 80 (refractors)and the NexStar 114
(Newtonianreflector).V ersions with and withoutcomputerhandcontrolwereavailable,
butalmostall unitsweresold with thecomputer- the GTmodels. The GT modelswere
introducedat prices from $300 to $500 and all includeda tripod.
By the end of 2000, Celestron introduced the NexStar 4 GT, a 4-inch
Maksutov-Cassegrainon a GoTo mount.Selling forabout$700 atrelease,it was astrong
competitorin the small scopearenaand an instantsuccess. Although the NexStar 4 looks
like its cousin the NexStar 5, actuallyit is morecloselyrelatedto the GTmodels.They
Introduction 5
share similarmotorsand gears (less powerful than the NexStar 5 and 8) and the hand same
control. This scope was truly designed to compete with the Meade -90EC.
ETX The NexStar
4 has moreaperture , is mechanicallymuch sturdierthanthe ETX-90EC, and costsless
after adding the computerizedh andcontrolto the ETX.
Perhapsthe mostexcitingdevelopmentof theNexStarline came with the a nnounce-
mentof the NexStar 11 GPS in thespringof2001. Unlike allpreviousNexStar scopes, the
NllGPS was designedwith astrophotography in mind. Optically, theNllGPS is the same
as therenownedCll with thedistinctionof acarbonfiber tube,r atherthanaluminum. As
thetemperature changes,carbonfiber expands andcontractsmuch lessthanaluminum, a
feature critical tolong-exposureastrophotography . During a longexposure,an aluminum
tube cancontract enough as the night becomes cooler to change the focus of the scope and
thus ruin the image.Additionally,the N11GPS sportsthe Fastaropticsystemto allow
digitalimagingat asuper-fastfocalratioof f/2. The drive base and fork m ountare rock-
solid and providesmoothtracking.
But the featurethat capturedthe imaginationof many was integrationof Global
Positioning System (GPS) technology.Using a GPS receiverand a mechanicalleveling
sensor, the NexStar 11 GPS made the initial alignmentprocess even easier. You simply set
up thetripod,bolt the scopeon top,powerup, and chooseGPS alignment.The scope
pointsroughlynorthandlevel, links to GPSandslewsroughlyto the firstalignmentstar.
You centerthealignmentstar,push a buttonand off it goes to the secondalignmentstar.
You centerthe secondstar and you are readyto go. Elapsed time can be aslittleas
2 minutes.The release of the NexStar 11 GPS was one of the mostanticipatedshipping
dates for a telescope in recent memory.
Hot on the heels of the N11, Celestronreleasedthe NexStar 8 GPS. Sportingall of the
optical,mechanical,and electronicfeaturesof its big brother, the N8GPS is a more
portabletelescope for those not needingthe largerapertureof theNIL
And finally, in thespringof 2002,Celestronannouncedtheir new NexStar models, the Si
and 8i. With the same basicm echanical design as theearlierNexStar 5and8, the NSi and
8i allow you tostartwith a basic telescope and add componentsas you desire. They come
standardwith anon-computerized, electronichandcontrolthat allowsp ushbuttondirec-
tional control. By addingthecomputerizedh andcontrolyou get GoTo, tracking, and most
of thefeaturesof the NexStar 8 and 11 GPS models. Add the CN-16 GPS moduleandyou
get a GPSreceiver,auto-leveling , and an electroniccompassthatallows GPS setupas
found on the N8/11GPS. The NexStar Si and entered 8i themarketin thesummer0[2002
and are proving to be great additionsto the NexStar line .
The NexStar Resource Site .

The ongms of this book trace back to the NexStar Resource Site -
http://www.NexStarSite.com. I began this site soon after I began using my NexStar 80 GT
(Figure 1.2)and notedtherewas awealthof informationbeingdiscussedon the Yahoo
NexStardiscussiongroup.It was obvious thata web sitewouldbe theperfectmeansto
collect andpublishthehard-learnedlessons of the NexStar Group. Many of the tips found
throughoutthis book andin Chapter14 in particularare foundin the"Odds andEnds"
section of thesite.New tips areaddedregularly, so if you have questionor
a problemnot
addressedhere,perhapsthesolutionwill be found on the NexStar Resource Site.
Drawing on my backgroundin computerprogrammingand databasedesign,I soon
startedaddingvariousresourcesto the site, all free for the taking. particular
One down-
load is by far the most
popular:NexStar ObserverList (NSOL) . NSOL is sessionplanning
software with the capabilityof controllingany of the NexStar models via the serial
portof
a Windows-basedcomputer.T housandsof NexStarownershavedownloadedNSOLand
Celestronnow providesit with all new NexStar 60, 80, 114, and 4 telescopes. NSOLis dis-
cussed in detail inChapter7 and the latest version is available freedownloadfrom
for the
NexStar Resource Site .
In fact, several of the
resourcesdiscussedin thisbook are available for
downloadat the
site (Figure 1.3). With thepublishingof this book I have createda separatesectionthat
lists these resourcesorganizedby chapterscorrespondingto the book. Direct links to all of
theInternetresources in Appendix A are also included. And hard as I have tried,
undoubt-
edlyafewerrorshave foundtheirway intoprintin these pages. As they are discovered,
correctionsto theseerrorswill bepublishedon the web site as well.
Please feel free to visit the web site; and I always answer all email I receive at
swanson.michael@usa.net.
Chapter2 - "Astronomy Basics" - is an introductionto the world ofa mateurastron-

omy. Conceptspresentedhere will provide the backgroundknowledgerequiredto become
more than just "buttonpusher".
a
Chapter3 - "Overview of theNexStar Line" - providesinformationon eachNexStar
model to assist you in choosing the NexStar that best suits your needs.
Chapter4 - "Alignment" - details thevariousstaralignmentproceduresinsuringyour
scope deliversaccurateGoTo performance . If you are having problemsgettingyour
NexStar topointaccurately, this chapterwill have it whipped into shape in no time
.
Chapter5 - "Basic Operation"- is a detailedpresentationof theoperationof a NexStar
telescope. If the
manualprovidedwith the telescope leaves you wondering, this is the place
to start.
Chapter6 - "Expanding Your Horizons - Choosing Objects to View" - iswrittenfor the
new amateurastronomer.After the Moon,planets,and built-inTour, how do you decide
what to view?
Chapter7 - "Using the Software Included with the Little NexStars - TheSky and NexStar
Observer List" - is your guide to using the PC software that comes with the little NexStars.
Various othermodels of NexStars have includedTheSky on occasion as well.
Chapter8 - "Accessoriesfor Your NexStar" -providesrecommendations on tripods,
eyepieces,p owersources,and more.Severalaccessoriesand modificationsare projects
you can do at home for little cost.
Chapter9~ "Collimation- OpticalAlignment"- providesthe details you need to prop-
erly align your telescope's optics to insure the best possible optical
performance.
Chapter10 - "ControllingYour NexStar with a PC orPalmtopComputer"- details the
sometimesconfusingrequirementsfor interfacingNexStar telescopes withcomputer
a to
allow advancedcontrolvia specializedastronomysoftware.
Chapter11 - "Astrophotographywith a NexStar" - is anintroductionto astrophotogra-
phy with NexStar telescopes, from the simplestmethodsthat mostanyonecan afford and
find successful, to an overview of the world of the serious
astrophotographer.
Chapter12 - "Maintenance,Care, and Cleaning" - shows how, with a little care, you can
keep your NexStarr unninglike new for years to come .
Chapter13 - "Mounting Other Optical Tubes on a NexStar" - gives details methods
on
and accessories to attachdifferentoptical tubes to most NexStar
mounts.
Introduction 7
R our it
Home I NexStar 50 ClubI Tracking TestI Downloads I PC Control I Useful Links
NexStar Alillnment GuideI Euuiument Reviews I Odds and Ends
Tip: Do notclose the ad windowand it will remain in the backgroundwhile youvisit other page
s!
Welcometo the N exStarResourceSite! What's New?

Home ofN exStarObs erverList
and THE InternetResourcefor All Models • Odds & Ends updated 2 4 Dec -
of N exStarTelescopes S olutions forproblems with
GPS links
Email this site to a friend! • Odds & Ends updated 17 Dec·
Li nk to Matthias Bopp's internal
NexStar Observer List is afreePC control programfor handcontrol heater
allmodels of C elestron N exStar and Tasco StarGuide • PC Control updated 16Dec -
scopes. Version 2 was released De cember17, 2001; STAR Atlas:PRO andVoyager
read more and downloadyour copy in the Downloads III withSkyPilot both support
section. NexStartelesc opes
• PC Control updated 3Dec -
The NexStarlineof telescopes is the newest offeringfrom Added "Arrow Keys for
GuideStar" a uniquepackage
C elestron Internati
onal. M ost of the modelsfeature a
allowing remote control of the
computer han d controller that all
ows the scope to littleNexStars
automatically"go to" objects inits generous database. • TrackingTestupdated 26Nov-
Theytrack objects automaticall y as well. Ifyou haven't Added info aboutGPS and
heardmuch aboutthe N exStar line,I recommendyou visit N5iiBi tracking
the Celestron web sitein "UsefulLinks" above. Thenyou • Odds & Ends updated14 Nov -
mightfindit usefulto listento the discussions at Yahoo Info regardingpossibleproblems
Groups, also on "Useful Links". The folks on the N exStar encounteredaftermotorcontrol
Group are quitefriendlyand don't mindquestions from boardreplacementon N11
someone trying to make up their min d abouta purchase • Downloads andPC Control
and will help you get the most out of yourNexStar updated 14 N ov - Added a link
to a list of the most common
telescope.
problems encounteredwhen
controlling a scopewith a PC
Clear Skies!
Mike Swans on
swanson.michael(@,usa.net
Copyright2002, Contact the w

ebmaster:
MichaelSwanson swanson.mlchae/@!sa.net
Figure 1.3. The NexStar Resource Site- http://www

.NexStarSite.com.
Chapter14 - "Additional Tips and Solutions" - is a collectionof specific tipsnot

covered elsewhere in the book
.
Appendix A - "InternetResources" - is ashortguide to the wealth of
informationavail-
able on theInternet.
Appendix B - "Objectsin the NexStarHand Control" - providesa rundownon the

objectsin thecomputerizedhandcontrolof thevarious models toincludea complete
compilationof the Named Object, Asterism, and other unique NexStar lists.
AppendixC - "PC and PalmtopSoftware Compatiblewith NexStarTelescopes"-lists
programscompatible with NexStar telescopes at the timeisofwriting.
th
Appendix D - "Writing Programsto Control NexStar Telescopes"- is a specialized
sectionfor thoseinterestedin writingsoftwareto controla NexStartelescopewith per-
sonal computersand palmtopdevices.
AppendixE - "Glossary" - shouldincludeany unfamiliartermyou mayrun across as
you are reading.
Beforewecontinueit is importantto have a basicknowledgeof generalastronomy. This
chapterprovides justthattype ofinformation;we will pick up againwith NexStar tele-
scopes in the next chapter.Let's avoid the heavytheoryand complexdiagrams- thinkof
this as "AstronomyLight" (no pun intend ed).
Astronomy is arguablyhumankind's oldest science. Historicand prehistoricaccounts
show that as long as human shave beenrecordingthings importantto them, thesky has
figuredprominently . While we have been able to very
accuratelydeterminethemotionof
the object sin the sky for more thanthreethousandyears,it is only a relativelyrecent
development that we have come tounderstand why they move the wa y they do.
Unfortunately , most folksstilldon'tknow the why and don 't even noticethe motion!
Afteryou spend a ilttletime underthe night sky, you begin to notice things that were not
immediatelyapparent . As the night passes,the various star p atternsdrift slowly overhead,
coming up from the east and setting in the west.The stars differ in brightness and seem to
form recognizablepatterns .Some nights are clearer than others, evencomparingvarious
nightswith noclouds. Occasionallya brightlight passesoverheadunexpectedly. Night
afternight, the phase and location of the Moon changedramatically . Thereis a lot to be
seen if you areobservant.At first it can be quite co
nfusing,but there are some simp le con-
cepts thatcan help as you slowly start to make sense of it lal.
Constellations
Stars areso far from us thattheir motionfrom year toyear is almostnegligible. The pat -
ternsthatyou come torecognizewill remain virtually unchangedfor hundreds of years.
The planetsand othersolar systemobjectswanderaroundthe sky, butthe starsstay rela-
tively fixed in elationto
r oneanother.
Many star pattern s have namesand are known to even the mostcasualobserverof the
night sky. For instance,in the spring,observers inthe Northern Hemisphereeasily identify
© Springer-Verlag London Limited 2004 9
the group of seven starsknown as the BigDipper. During the monthsfrom October
throughFebruary, thehourglassshape of Orion is readily visible to
observersin both the
Northernand SouthernHemispheres. The Big Dipperconstitutesthebrighteststars in the
constellationUrsa Major - the Big Bear.Orion,theHunter,is a constellationin its own
right. There are 88
constellationsthat professional
astronomersestablished to separate the
sky into regions in the same way that the Earthseparated
is into continentsand oceans.
The Motion of the Sky

The Big Dipperholds anotherdistinctionbesides being the most recognizableconstella-
tion innorthernskies. The twostarsat the end of its bowl pointdirectlyto Polaris,the
North Star. Located almostirectlyover
d theEarth'sNorth Pole, Polaris is the pivot point
that the sky seems to swing aroundas the night goes on. Unlike all other objects you see in
the sky,Polarisstays put! And as its name implies,it unfailinglypointsthe waynorth.
When you facenorth,all thestarsaroundPolaris travel in acounterclockwise circle. The
pointthatPolarismarksis known as thenorthcelestial pole. Observersin theSouthern
Hemispheresee amirrorof this when they look to the south.Stars travel in a clockwise
circlearoundthe south celestial pole, although there is no bright star to mark that point.
The situationis differentwhen we look away from the poles .When northernobservers
look south,or whensouthernobserverslook north,they will notice that the starsrise in
the east and set in the west,
just as the Sun does each day . All of this continuousmotionis
causedby theEarth's24-hourdaily rotation.The Earth spins on its axis of rotationonce
every 24hours,causing the day and night as well as the moment-by-momentdrift of the
objects in the sky.
In additionto rotatingon its axis, the Earth also makes a long elliptical journeyaround
the Sun.This trip takesabout365 days - one year . The stars andconstellationsare basi-
cally frozen in their relative locations but the Earth's movement aroundthe Sun causes the
constellationsto drift a bitfurtherto the west, night after night. The stars we see at night
are those on the side of the Earth away from the, as Sunshown in Figure .21.The constella-
tions are always in the same place, but as the progresses,
year the stars we were viewing a
. ~~ . ~ ..
~
" • I Orion
• -- - - e , ~ .. ~
f:
~T~
R
. .
Th~~i: Dipper
Figure 2.1. As the
: ! The Sun ------ Earth travels around the
:" - • SPRING FA ll 0 , Sun throughout the
, ,, year, differentsections
~u~
· ·Th~ Squ~re of the sky are visible at
of Pegosus night. This figure
depicts the major star
formations visible in the
° Earth orbiting Sun
evening ; the seasons
_----- ~ The Summer ind icated are in refer-
. ' : . . . .~ .Triongle ence to the Northern
Hemisphere .
Astronomy Basics 11
fewmonthsago are in our daytime sky. For example, in the winter, Orion is
prominentin
our night sky. But in the
s ummer,Orion isbehindthe Sun, or inotherwords, it is in our
sky duringthe day when the brilliance of the Sun hides the stars from our view.
Sky Coordinates
Besides theconstellations, we also refer tootherimaginaryboundariesin the sky. The
horizonis the line where the land meets the.The sky zenith is thepointdirectly overhead .
The meridian is the line runningfrom thenorthernhorizon, upthroughthenorthcelestial
pole,overheadthroughthezenith,thendown to thesouthernhorizon.Thus it splits the
sky into easternand westernhalves. The celestial equatoris a linethatruns from east to
west,directlyabove the Earth 's equator.And finally, theeclipticis a wavy linetraveling
north,thensouthof the celestial equator.The ecliptic is significant as the Sun, the Moon,
and all the planets travelthroughour sky near to this line.
Just aslongitudeand latitudeare used topinpointlocationson the Earth, we use right
ascension(RA) and declination(Dec) to pinpointlocationsin the sky. As shown in
Figure 2.2, lines of rightascensionrun from thenorthcelestial pole to the southcelestial
pole,like longitude on the Earth. Thus they meet or converge at the celestial poles. Lines of
declination run east to west, parallel toanother,
one just likelatitude.
We measure right ascension in hours, minutes, and seconds. RA starts Oh oom
at00' then
h
goes clockwisearoundthe northcelestialpole untilwe come to 23 59m 59' justbefore
Figure 2.2. Lines of right ascension around the no rth celestial po le. C reated in Patrick
Chevol ley's Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts ).
where westarted.Thus thereare 24hours of rightascension. Declinationis measuredin

degrees ( ° ), arc minutes ( , ), and arc seconds
" ). Thedeclination
( of the celestial
equator
(right above the Earth's equator) is 0°00'
DO" (0°), thedeclinationof thenorthcelestial pole
is 90° and thedeclinationof thesouthcelestial pole is -90°. From this system,we can give
the coordinatesfor any object in the sky. For example, coordinates
the for Rigel,a bright
star in theconstellationOrion, are RA 05h 14m 30' , Dec-OSo 12'06".
The line of rightascensiondirectlyabove us at themeridianis known as localsidereal
time (LST). Every hour, local sidereal time changes about one hour. otherwords,
In if local
siderealtime iscurrentlyISh RA, in one hour LST will be 19h RA . Naturallythis corre-
sponds to the factt hatthe Earth rotatesonce every 24hours. Siderealrate is the rate at
which objects move across the skyapproximately
- one hourof rightascensionfor every
hourof time here on Earth. Since the 360° of the circledividedby 24hoursyields 15, this
rate ofmotioncorrespondsto 15°at the celestial equator.
Measuring "Distance" Between Two Obiects

We measure the"distance"between two objects as the angular separationbetween them. If
you projecta straightline from you to each object and measurethe angle between the two
lines,thatis the angularseparation.We expressthis asdegrees,arc minutes,and arc
seconds.The angularseparationbetweenDubhe, the brightstarat the end of the Big
Dipper'sbowl, and Polaris 2S0 42' 3D"or nearly 30°
, the North Star, is about .
Estimatingangularseparationwhen you areoutdoorsis quite easy. Holdyour handup
at arm'slengthand your little finger covers about1 degree. Yourindex, middle, anding r
fingers (like the Boy Scout salute)
measureabout 5° . Your closed fist isabout10°,the dis-
tance between the tips of your index and little fingers withhandfully
your spreadis about
15°,and from the tip ofy our thumbto the tip ofy our little finger withyour handfully
spreadis about25°. Themeasurementsfor 1°,5°,a nd 10° areremarkablyclose formost
people, but the spreadhandmeasurements vary some from onepersonto another.
Magnitude - Measuring Brightness

More than twothousandyears ago, the first recordedattemptto quantifythebrightnessof
sky objects wasundertakenby the GreekastronomerHipparcos. His scale ofmeasurement
varied from first to sixth
magnitude.First-magnitudestars were the brightesthe could see,
whilesixth-magnitudewere the faintest. As the scienceastronomyprogressed,
of the mag-
nitudesystemwas refinedto allowprecisemeasurementsof all celestialobjects. For
example,Venus is brighterthanthebrighteststarand reaches am agnitudeof morethan
-4 at times. The brighteststarin the sky, Sirius, ismagnitude-1. From adark,clear site,
thefainteststarsmost can see arem agnitude6, just asHipparcosdesignated.Telescopes
andbinocularscollect andconcentrate light, allowing us to see
fainterobjects.Table 2.1
estimatesthemagnitudelimits visible ininstrumentsof various sizes.
A differenceof 1 in magnitudeis actually a difference 2+in
of brightness.Thus, the dif-
ference inbrightnessbetween amagnitude-2star and amagnitude-4star is a factor of.25 6
(2.5 times 2.5).This explainswhy largerand largerinstrumentsonly gain fractional
improvementsin limiting magnitude. Nonetheless,these fractionaldifferencesare
significant. The relatively modest step of justmagnitude
1 difference between a 5-inch and
an S-inch telescope brings many thousandsof faint objects into view
.
We can estimatethemagnitudeof naked-eyeobjects using a couple of the most recog -
nizable starformationsin the sky. Viewers in theNorthernHemisphereshould turnto the
Astronomy Basics 13
Table 2.1. Magnitude limits withinstruments of various sizes

Instrument Aperture limiting magnitude
Naked eye About 7 mm 6
Binoculars 50mm 9 .5
Telescopes 60 mm (2.4 in) 10 .5

80 mm (3.1 in) 11.3
4in 11.7
114 mm (4 .5 in) 12
Sin 12.3
8in 13 .3
11 in 14
14 in 14 .6
Little Dipper. In the

SouthernHemisphere,refer to theSouthernCross.The magnitudesof
their various stars are shown in Figure 2.3.
Magnitude figures for deep sky objects are not as clear-cut as those for stars and planets.
Generally theentireluminosityof the object is "summedup" and reportedas if it were a
single-pointlight source(a star). So, a very largeobjectof severalarc minutescouldbe
reportedwith a fairlybrightmagnitude,but appearvery faint in the eyepiece .This is typi-
cally the case for nebulae and galaxies.
ConsidertheAndromedaGalaxy, M31.It is gener-
ally reportedas approximatelymagnitude3.4, but that 3.4 is spread out in an area of about
180 by 60 arcminutes. This is about6 times the width of the full Moon! So, while a star of
magnitude3.4 is easilyvisible to thenaked eye, M31 requiresdark clear skies to be
glimpsedwithoutoptical aid.
a measureofluminosityis " sur facebrightness".
In the case of deep sky objects,better
Surfacebrightnessis not standardizedand thus varies from one recorderto another,but is
generallya measurementof magnitudeper squarearc minute.Using such ameasurewe
can bettercomparedeep skyobjectsand determinewhetherwe shouldbe able to view
them in our telescope or binoculars. One slightcomplicationfor using surfacebrightness
is the fact that not all objects uniformlybrightacross
are theirentiresurface. Again con-
siderM31. The core ismanytimes brighterthanthesurroundingspiralarms.Thus, the
.2
4
•
2.8.
03.6
4 .2~ 5.4. 5 ~\
~. : \;5.5
·5.3
\:403 \.5
5.5./ "
5"~ .5 " . 2
1.3. -4.7
Figure 2.3. Visual Southern Cross
magnitudes of easily
identifiablestars.
surfacebrightnessof the core ish igherthanthe averagesurfacebrightnessof theentire

galaxy.
Seeing Conditions
Otherthanthe obvious differencebetweena clearand a cloudynight, most folks don't
realize how variable our view of the night sky really.Some
is nights you can make out great
detail on Jupiter, while othernights you are lucky to see two bands. One night you can see
a faintglobularclusterquiteclearly,othernights it mightbe invisible.Various factors
affectour seeingconditions,butthreeare mostcritical:seeing,transparency, andlight
pollution.
Seeing is mainly ourobservationof thedistortioncaused by different layers of air going
differentdirectionsdue to wind, the jet stream, temperature differences,etc.It causes
images to waver. Think of this as thehot air waveringabove ablacktoproad in the
summer. In the night sky, it causes the stars to twinkle. In the eyepiece you can most easily
see thewaveringair when youincreasethemagnificationon aplanetor the Moon,butit
affects all objects viewed.
Transparencyis our observationof thedistortioncaused byparticlesin the air. Clouds
are obviously the extreme, but dust, smog, moisture,and otherparticles all limit the trans-
parencyof the air.T ransparencyis the same factor that affects what pilotsvisibility-
call
"Today visibility is 10 miles." When observingfrom a verydarksite,poortransparency
causes objects to appearless bright. When observing from a site with any appreciablelight
pollution(and light from the Moon) the effect is many times worse .Those particlesreflect
light back down to the ground.This results in a "glowing" sky and makes faint objects very
difficult orimpossibleto see. The effect on contrast(differencein light levels) is to make
the black velvety sky beh ind the object not black, but gray. contrast
Sky is critical for faint
objects,b utdoes not affect contrastmuch on thesurfaceof brightobjectslike the Moon
andbrighterplanets.
Light pollutionis generallyconsideredto be any man-made light thatis directed
upward.Houses, cars,storefronts,and streetlightsare allprimesourcesoflightpollution.
Any level of lightpollutionwill decreasethe contrastbetweencelestialobjectsand the
backgroundsky. Naturallytheproblemis worsearoundcities,buteven small towns have
appreciablelevelsoflightpollution. The truthis, thereare very fewpopulatedplaces on
Earth thatstill offertrulydarkskies. Growing up inruralIndiana,on verydarkand clear
nights I could actually see the "light dome" above Chicago from more than70 miles away!
Some communitieshave adoptedlocal regulationsto cut down on lightpollution.
Connecticuthas passeda law requiringfull-cutofflights- thosethatdo not sendlight
upward- and Coloradohas passeda similarone. Besidesspoilingthe night sky, allight l
that goes upward is simply wasted energy .
One of the best ways to gauge the night sky isdetermining
by thefainteststarsyou are
able to see fromyour site. Using themagnitudeslistedin Figure 2.3,you can accurately
assesscurrentconditions. Wait for your eyes to become at least initiallydark-adapted(20
to 30minutes),thendeterminethe faintestmagnitudevisible.
Nights ofpoortransparencyfrequentlyoffersteadyseeing. Steady seeing criticalfor
is
viewing detailson the planetsand the Moon. Good transparencyusually meanspoor
seeing, yett ransparencyis much moreimportantfor deep sky objects. If transparencyis
just average, evenquarter
a Moon will wash out most deep sky objects such as galaxies and
nebulae.Otherthantravelingto adarksite, youcannotdo muchaboutthegenerallight
pollution,skyglow, in your area. But you will want to set up to observelocationwhere
in a
all local ilght sources are blocked from your view. For example
, moving aroundthecorner
Astronomy Basics 15
of the house might block your

neighbor'sporch light. Mostimportantly, get out as often as
you can - you never know when th
at night of perfect seeing
conditionswill happen.
,Qbs f!..rv a tio n Techniq~~_~ ..... ..' _ <_
While buying a largertelescopeis one way to see more difficultastronomicalobjects,

improving your obser ving techniqueplays a big role. Experiencedobserverscan always
see more in theyepiecethan
e a newcomercan. Here are somepointers.
First of all, you will most likely need totemperyour expectations. Don't expect the view
throughthe eyepie ceto match thewonderfulphotographsyou have seen inmagazines.
Mo st of those photosare longexposures, sometimeshourslong. All thattime allows the
light to "build up" on the film or CCD chip,providinga bright,colorful image. Your views
will be much fainter. Additionally, film and CCD are much more sensitive to color in faint
light than your eyes. Other than the planets and a few s, most
star objects will be gray in the
eyepiece. And finall y, things will be much smallerin the eyepiecethanthey are in an
enlargedphotograph.
Allow your eyes to become fullydark-adapted and guard thatadaptationthroughoutthe
night. Everyone is familiarwith the factthataftersteppingout of alightedbuilding,it is
notpossible to seemuch at all. Butwithinjusta fewminutes,you are able to see fainter
objects (both on the groundand in the sky) thanyou could initially.
Your night vision improvesdramaticallyin the first 30minutesof avoiding bright lights.
After that,the processslows down as your ability to seefainterlight sourcescontinuesto
improve slightly for acoupleof hours. But all it takes is one look into abrightlight and
your eyes get tostart over again. Red light is the least damagingto our night vision, thus
astronomers use red flashlight s when they need light. But the red light
shouldbe very dim
as even a brightred light reverses some ofyour darkadaptation.Also note that the Moon
throughbinocularsor a telescope is an extremelybrightobject. Leave your lunarviewing
for last ifpossible. If a local light sourcedoesn't allow you tobecomefully dark-adapted,
try drapinga dark cloth overyour headand the eyepiece .
Use avertedvision for faint object slike galaxies, nebulae, andglobularclusters. The
centralarea of theretina is best atdetectingcolorwhile the areas ffo center arebetterat
detectingfaint light. When viewing a faintobject, try focusing to the side of theobject
while concentra tingon theobjectitself. You willgenerallybe able to makeout fainter
detail in this way . Look to theoutsidewhen viewing with one eye (to the right when using
your righteye, to the left when using your left eye) or look up when u sing binoculars.It
takes practice, but it is effective.
Move the scopeslightlyfrom side to side or tap. it Sometimesan objectwill be in the
eyepiece, but you can'tlocate it. If you move the scope slightly, motionwill
the often make
the objectvisible. Once you havelocatedit in this way, you cang enerallystudyit with
averted vision.
Try differentmagnificationson an object.Brighter,compactobjectshold up welland
show more detail with highermagnification.Planets, planetarynebulae,globularclusters,
and some small galaxies are in this category. Larger and morediffuse objectsgenerally
require low magnificat ion to display the best view. Nebulae, open clusters, and most galax-
ies fallinto this group.
Spend some time on each obje ct.When you firststartout inastronomy, thetendencyis
to jump from objectto object ,as everythingis new to you - resi st thaturge. What deta ils
can you make out on ap lanet'sdisk? Momentsof clear seeing will reward you withsubtle
details thatare not initiallyobvious.Can you make out an y featuresin thatfaintsmudge
The NexStar User's Guide
thatis a galaxy millions of light years awa

y? How many individual stars can you pick out in
that star cluster?
If you wear glasses but do not suffer fromastigmatism,feel free to remo ve your glasses
and focus thetelescopefor a sharpview. The only disadvantagesare thatanyone else
looking throughyour scopewill need to refocus and you might need to your use glasses to
viewchartsand othermaterials.
Telescopes require time to cool down tosurround
the ing nightair. Until they reach equi-
librium, aircurrentsinside the scope will spoil high magn ification views. Large,closed-tube
telescopes may require more thanhour,while
an small, open-tubescopes may equalize in a
matterof minutes.Some large scopes ma y not be able to cool fast enoughto keep upwith
quicklydroppingnighttimetemperatures .To help minimizecool-down time, it is best to
storeyour telescope in a dry, unheatedbuilding. If this is notpractical,get a headstartby
settingyour scope outside as soon as the Sun goes down ,beforeyou intend to use it.
Similarly,heatrising from anasphaltsurfaceor dark-tiledroofwill spoil views. This
causesthe view in the eyepiece to waver and " boil". Considerthe surroundingswhen
choosing a location to set up your telescope.
Many amateurastronomersrecordtheirobservationsessionsin a log.In the simplest
form, a log is.a small notebookwhere theobserverrecordsthe date, the objectsviewed,
and a short descriptionof each. On theotherend of the scale arecomplexdatabases
runningon apersonalcomputerthat help you to easily search your entries ,group together
each observationof a particularobject,recordthe eyepiece,magnification,a nd much
more. Most settle onsomethingin between.
A comprehensiveapproachto recordingan observingsessionincludesnotingthe fol-
lowing in your log:
• Location, date, and time
.
• Instrument(s)used and vital stat
istics about them -aperture,focal length, etc.
• Seeingconditions: seeing,transparency, and level of lightpollution.
• Objects and daescriptionof your observationsof each.
You certainlywill not want tospendmuch time writinggrammaticallyperfect notes while
you are outunderthe stars, so try this
instead.Take a smallnotepad(or loosepaperon a
clipboard)out with you and leave your " official"logbookinside.Start bynotingthe loca-
tion,date,and timeon thenotepad. Then simplyjotnotesabouteach object. Later that
night, orperhapsin the next day or two, referyour to notes torecordcompleteentriesin
your permanentlogbook.
Besides providinga permanentr ecordof your nighttimeadventures , a logbook also
helps you to see more. In your questrecordwhat
to you observe, youconcentrate on small
detailsand really see the object. Some observersinclude sketchesof objectsin their
logbook. More thananythingelse,drawingwill trulyhelp you to see more detail thanyou
thoughtpossible.
Even if you don'tcontinueyour log throughoutyour viewing career, you will find that
maintaininga logbookfor your first year will really help you improvein
to your observa-
tion abilities and will
builda firmfoundationfor alifetimeof enjoyment.Plus, theinitial
wonderof it all will be reflected your
in log entriesand skimmingthroughyour logbook
on cloudy nights canrecapturethat "new" feeling from when you first startedout.
Figure 2.4 shows asamplelog sheet andsketchsheet. Both can be printedon standard
paperand kept in aloose-leafbinder.Visit the Downloads section of my NexStar Resource
Site - http://www.NexStarSite.comto- downloadprintablecopies.
As you gain moreobservingexperience,you will noticethateven your first looks at an
object yieldgreaterdetailthanyour painstaking efforts as abeginner. The mostimportant
thing is to have fun and learn as you observe. Develop your observat
ion techniqueand you
will developastronomyinto a lifelonginterest.
Astronomy Basics 17
VVhat~
--.~_._ ~
U There?
....... ~_ ~ ~..-...~ .....-........l~
When I'm out with my telescope and a passerby stops to ask what I'm looking at, the most
commonquestionis,"Wha 'cha looking at,the Moon?" Well, occasionallythatis just what
I'm studying,but farmoreoften it issomethingquitedifferentfrom our Moon; the sky
offers awonderfulvarietyof objects for ourenjoyment.Astronomyis not simply a visual
activity, but it is also amentalactivity. It is muchmoreenjoyableto understanda little
aboutthe objects you are viewing ratherthanjustjumpingfrom object to object order
in
to simply putanothercheckmarknext to an item on a list.
The Solar System

The planetsand othersolarsystemobjectscan providehours of enjoyment,b othwith
naked-eyeviews and viewsthrougha telescope . Thereare nine ma jor planets, countless
asteroidsand comets,and many more objects revolving aroundthe Sun.Each is held in its
orbitby themutualgravity of the object and the Sun. Some,such as the planets and major
asteroids, are visible at
frequentintervalsof at least every year, while others,such as
comets,might onlyventureclose enoughto Earth to be seen once every few hundred
years.
Each of theplanetshas adifferentlengthof year and theirindividualmotion,coupled
with the motion of our Earth, causes them to move against backdropof
the the much more
distantstars.For example, while theconstellationOrion will always be visibleduring
Decemberduringour lifetimes,theplanetJupitermightbe high overheadin December
one year, but not
untilJanuarythe next, and thennot untilFebruarythe year after that.
The closer aplanetis to the Sun, the faster it moves -otherwords,
in theshorterits year.
You can keeptrackof the curr entlocationsof theplanetswith themonthlypulloutstar
chartsin various magazines or on severalInternetweb sites; refer to C hapter6 and
Appendix A for suggestions.
The Sun (Figure 2.5) At theheartof our littlecornerof theuniverseis the local star,
our Sun. Travelingaroundthe Sun inelliptical orbits are the nineplanetsof our solar
system. Besides makingsummerdays almost too hot to bear and turningmany of us pink
when we don't pay theproperrespect, the Sunprovidestheenergythatis thesourceof
most life on the Earth.
While most think ofastronomyas a strictly nighttime activity, we can also study the Sun
with theproperequipment . But it isextremelydangerousto view the Sunwithouttaking
theproperprecautions . Refer toChapter8 for advice onequipmentnecessaryfor solar
viewing. After we are properlyequipped,we can observe the changing patternof sunspots
as they moveacrossthe surfaceof the Sun. Most of thesunspotswe can easily see are
several times the d iameterof the Earth!Approximatelyevery 11 years the Sunreaches
maximumactivity with many more sun spot sthan usual. The most recent solar
maximum
was 2001-2002.
The Moon (Figure 2.6) Theclosestmajorbody to theEarthis of courseour only

naturalsatellite,the Moon. Atabouta quarterthe diameterof theEarth, the Moon is a
cold,barrenplace. Long ago it would have lost anyatmosphereit might have had.Other
than very smalla mountsof ice incratersnear its poles
,thereis no water to speak of. The
I
Observer Name: ~ate :
Site location: I ime: I
Instrument Cond itions (1 - worst, 10 - best)
Name : seeing :
Aperture: Transparency :
Focal Length: Sky Darkness :
Telescope Type : Limiting Magn itude:
Observation Notes :
a
Figure 2.4. Sample observationlogbook sheets.
Astronomy Basics 19
Observer Name: ~ate :

Site Location: nne:
Conditions (1 - worst, 10 - best)

eeing :
Transparency :
Sky Darkness :
Limiting aqnitude:
o above Horizon :
re iameter:
Object Constellation Coordinates

RA h m
L- - - - 'f - - - - - - - - - - - - - - l
Dec
'-=-::...:.... ---'
N
b
Figure 2.5.The Sun imaged with a NexStar 5 and a digital camera . Image by Dr . Maria
Mariani.
craterscovering its surface are a silent reminderof the violent past (and occasional reoc-
currences)of our solar system - they were all createdas objectsimpactedthe lunar
surface.
But it is thoseamazingsurfacefeaturesthatfascinateus when viewed with even the
slightest magnification. It is easy to get lost among the various craters,
mountains,valleys,
fissures, andothergeologicalformations.As the Moon makes it wayaroundthe Earth
aboutonce every 29 days, it presentsus with differing phases as the angle between us, the
Moon and the Sun varies. Contrary popularbelief,
to the best time to view the Moon is not
when it is full.Rather, at any other time, the greatest detail can be seen along termina-
the
tor- the line between the sunlitand darksides of the Moon. The surface of the Moon at
the terminatoris experiencingsunriseor sunsetand the low angle of the Sun produces
long shadows,justas it does here on Earth . Those long shadows makesurfacefeatures
morepronouncedand much easier to see .
As your earlyobservationsof the Moon will show - it's bright! One accessorythatis a
necessityfor everyamateura stronomeris a Moon filter, as discussedin Chapter8. This
cuts down most of the glare and makes viewing the Moon much more comfortable.Even
Astronomy Basics 21
Figure 2.6.The Moon

imaged with a NexStar
11 GPS and a digital
camera . Image by
Christopher Engell .
with a Moon filter youshould generallydo your lunarobservinglast on any night as

viewing the Moon will ruin your eyes
' dark adaptation.
Also,when the Moon is more than just a sliver in the sky, it tends to wash out the fainter
deep skyobjects. Thus, your observationsof galaxies,nebulae,and such willgenerally
need to waituntil the Moon sets or youshould hunt for thembefore the Moon rises.
During nights near the full Moon
, only the very brightestdeep sky objects will provide sat-
isfying viewsin the eyepiece.
Mercury The planetwith the closest

orbitto the Sun is Mercury.Mercury is so close
to the Sunthatwe seldomsee it and when we do i t is justaftersunsetor justbefore
sunrise.Due to the anglebetweenthe Earth, Mercury and the Sun,Mercury exhibits
phases when viewed througha telescope as we can see both the side
illuminatedby the Sun
adow of Mercury's night.Otherthanthesephases,you will see no
and the side in the sh
detail when viewing Mercury.
Venus Next in orderfrom the Sun is theplanetVenus. Venus is thebrightestnight-

time object in the sky, after the Moon .The dazzling brightnessof theplanetcauses some
to mistakeit for aircraft lights! Venus is also relatively close to the Sun, visible either in the
fewhours aftersunsetor beforesunrise.When Venus is out aftersunset,it is often called
the" Evening Star" (althoughweamateurastronomersknow it is a planet, not a star!) as it
is the first" star" to show as the sky
darkensthroughtwilight. When visible before sunrise ,
Figure 2.7. Mars

imagedwith a NexStar
5 and a digital
camera. Image by
Dr . Maria Marian i.
Venus becomesthe"Morning Star". The stunningbrightnessis largelydue to thelight-

coloredcloudsthatcontinuallycoverthe planet.For the samereasonsas Mercury,in a
telescopeVenus displaysphasesas ittravelsaroundthe Sun. There is no realdetailto be
seen viewing Venusotherthanthechangingphases.
Most find Venus to be simply abeautifulsight with the naked eye
,since there really isn
't
much to see in thetelescope.OccasionallyVenus, or any of theotherplanetsfor that
matter,will pass infrontof - occult- a backgroundstar. Or, rarely, the Moon willoccult
one of theplanets.These areoccasionsto trainour telescopeson Venus, rareopportuni-
ties not to be missed.
On 8 June 2004, a veryrareeventincludingVenus will presentitselfto observersfrom
Guam throughAsia overto Europe. Venus will transit(pass in frontof) the Sun. A tele-
scopeequippedwith apropersolar filter (see Chapter8) will view anoccurrencethatwon't
be seen again from Earth until 2012.
M a rs (Figure2.7) Theplanetoccupyingtheorbitoutsideof Earth'sis the redplanet,

Mars. A bit smaller than Earth, Mars is a rocky, dusty planet. Robot missionsto Mars have
shown evidencethatin thedistantpast waterflowed on theplanet'ssurface. While none
exists there now,astronomershave recently found evidence of water ice below the surface,
as well as that found in the
polaricecaps.
Viewing Mars is best when it is at
opposition- when Mars and the Earth are on the same
side of the Sun, with all three forming
straightline.
a Oppositionsoccur about every 2 years
and someoppositionsare muchbettert hanothers. About every 15 or 16 years, the elliptical
orbits of Earth and Mars cooperate to bring us much closer to Mars than during other oppo-
sitions. The cycle is not exact humanstandards,
by so it is best to keep up to date with infor-
mationin monthlymagazines,newsletters, and web sites .The oppositionin August 2003 is
one of those best passes, although 2005will also provide better than average . views
Viewing Mars in a telescopeshouldpresenta pink to red disk. Look for surface features
such as thelight-coloredpolarcaps andvariousdarksurfacemarkings. The angle of Mars
will not always presenta good view of the caps , and generally only one ofthemwill be
visible. Watch for changes in the size of the caps as Mars move s throughits seasons. Very
good seeingconditionswill berequiredto see the caps in smaller scopes .
The darksurfacefeaturesalso changewith time. Duststorms on Mars areusuallythe
causeas fiercewinds shift thelighter-color ed dustover thedarker-coloredbedrock.Try
Astronomy Basics 23
Figure 2.8.Jupiter
8 and a digital
camera . Image by AI
Fugiera.
your handat sketchingMars on as manynightsas possibleand compareyour drawings

with a map of the
Martiansur face. You might find that some of the
darkpatchesyou draw
aremarkedly differentover a month.
Asteroids Astero idsor, as they aresometimes called

,minor planets are dis tributed
in variou s placesthroughoutthe solar system.Thereare many in Jupiter's orbitin two
cluster sin frontof andbehindJupiter.There are some inerrantorbitsthatoccasionally
bringthem too close to Earth for comfort. There stero
are a idsbeyondcount in the Kuiper
Belt, adonut-shapedregion beyondthe orbit of Neptune.But the ones of mo st interest to
amateurastronomers are locatedin an orbit between Mars and Jupiter- an area known as
the Asteroid Belt.Severalof these ast ero idsare within reach ofbackyard telescope s,
although just as pointsof light.
Jupiter (Figur e2.8)King of the planets,Jupiteris larger in mass thanall of the other
eight planet scombined.Jupiter is a large ball consisting mainly of gases.Jupiter ,Saturn,
Ur anu s, and Neptunearesimilar in nature and are known as the gasgiants. And giant
Jupiter is, even from ourvantagepointhereon Earth. Only Venus, due to its much closer
proximity, occasionally presentsa largerdisk in the eyepiece of aelesc t ope. And only
Venus is brighterthan Jupiter.
But none of the other planets compares to the view ofJ upiterin a telescope. Jupiter
shows detailin small telescopesand even thesmallestopticalaid willshow its fourbright
moons. In small telescopes you can make out two or three of the darke st cloud bands, and
as the scope gets bigger,themoreyou will see.4-inch scopescan seemultiple bandsand
the Great Red Spot. Larger scopes cansee detailsin the bands such as texture,loops,
and ovals, often in vivid color. Also visible in larger scopes aretransits of themoons
across Jupiter' ssurfaceas well as the inky black dots of the moons' sha do wsas they
transit the planetsurface.
Jupiterspins at an incrediblerateof one rotationin less than10 hours, and thus the
view is changing continuously throughoutthe night. It is common for an observerto
revisit Jupitermany times duringa long nightsession. Try yourhandatsketchingJupiter
one night - theconcentration will bring out moredetailthanjusta casuallook. You will
soon know why it is called the"a mateur's planet".
Figure 2.9. Saturn

imagedwith a NexStar
5 and a web com.
Image by Jacques-Andre
Regnier .
Saturn (Figure 2.9) While Jupiter provides the most detail in theieceof
eyep amateur
astronomy equipment ,Saturnis the most dazzling sight. Even small telescopes will show
Saturn's rings, elicitinga "wow" from almosteveryfirst-timeviewer. Moderate-sized
scopes will show thedark void between the "A" and "B" rings - the Cassini Division .
Larger telescopes will show a fainter "C" ring, also known as the Crepe.As ring
the Earth
and Saturnmake theirway aroundthe Sun,periodicallythe Earth passest hroughthe
planeof the rings and they are not visible. At this time we are viewing these very thin
structuresedge-on.
Beyond simply seeing the rings, look for the rings' shadow on the planetsurface. Also,
look for theplanet'sshadowon thepartof the ringsbehindthe planet. In largerscope,
a
you can make out faint detail on the surface ofplanet.
the Saturn,like Jupiter,has cloud
bandsin its upperatmosphere . The planetitselfis also flattenedprominentlyowing to
Saturn's low density and high rate of spin. This is easily observed in a telescope.
Saturn has a dozen named moons and many more unnamed.The largest andbrightest,
Titan,is visible in mosttelescopes.Larger telescopeswill show at least five of Saturn's
moons.
Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto Seventh from the Sun is the planet Uranus.
While theotherfiveplanetsdiscussedthusfar are visible to the naked eye, opticalaid is
requiredto sightUranus. In fact, this is the first
planetto have beendiscoveredafter the
inventionof the telescope.Althoughit can be found in small telescopes, it wasuntil not
1781 that William Herschel discovered Uranus .A small telescope will see it as a pale disk; a
largertelescopewill show a fairlybrightdisk, blue in color.Uranus has faint rings,b ut
they cannot be seenin Earth-based telescopes.
Neptuneis the eighthplanetfrom the Sun - at least, most of the time. Pluto's orbit
crosses inside ofNeptune's during20 years of its 249-year trip
aroundthe Sun. In a tele -
scope, Neptune presents a disk that is easily
distinguishedfrom backgroundstars. Pluto is
hard to make out in anything less than a 6-inch scope
. Even then, you will need a good star
atlas to help you discern the faint
, star-likepointoflightthat is Pluto.
Comets Comets are the true wanderers of our solar system - icy bodies in wildly ellip-
tical orbits that plunge towards the Sun and are whipped
ackout
b to thearf reaches of the
Astronomy Basics 25
Table 2.2. Annual meteor showers

Shower Date Radiant
Quadrantid 3/4January Draco
Lyrid 21/22 April Lyra
Perseid 12/13 August Perseus
Leonid 18/19 November Leo
Geminid 13/14 December Gemini
solar system.Not all comets are so lucky

;some arevaporizedby hurtlingdirectly into the
Sun or by simply passing too close
.Most of the comets in our solar system are
long-period
cometsthatare from the Oort loud,a
C regionfar from the Suncontaining perhapsmil-
lions ofpotentialcomets.Short-periodcometscome from the Kuiper Belt . Pluto and its
moon Charon,whilecertainlynot comets, are the most prominentresidentsof the Kuiper
Belt region.
As a cometapproachesthe Sun, the solar wind - charged particles radiation
and speed-
ing away from the Sun -createsa tail (sometimesmore than one!) of glowing gases
extendingfrom thehead of the comet. This tail always ints po away from the Sun in
responseto thesolarwind. Some comets have tails extendingmillions ofkilometersinto
space. Occasionally a comet comes along that is readily visible tonakedeye
the ,but most
comets require the use binocularsor
of a telescop
e to be seen
.
Meteors and Meteorites When objects enter the Earth'satmosphere, friction

causes them to b urnbrightly.Thesestreaksoflight, sometimescalledshootingstars, are
known as meteors. Most of these objects are tiny
, just grains of sand, and
b urncompletely
in theupperatmosphere.Occasionallya much largerobjectenterstheatmospherea nd
survives all the way to the surfa
ce.These survivors are known as meteorites.
From atrulydarksite, you can observe several meteorsevery night. Oncertainnights
each year weexperiencemeteorshowers, when the frequencymay climb tohundredsper
hour. Rarely one oftheseannualshowersbecomesa meteorstormwith hundredsof
meteorsvisible perminute. These annualshowersare theresultsof theEarth passing
throughthe trailof debrisleftbehindby a comet. Table 2.2 presentssome of thebest
annualmeteor showers .
The dates given area pproximateand vary from year to year. Also, the daysbeforeand
after a peak usuallyexperienceincreasedmeteoractivity. Theradiantis theconstellation
that the majority of the meteors seem to trace back to.
To viewmeteorsyou do not need any optical gear ,justyour eyes and a clear,darksky.
Most meteorsare seen in the early morninghours afterabout1 a.m.,as yourlocationon
Earthis headedinto the wind,so to speak,at thattime. Setup areclininglawn chairor
simply lie on ablanketon thegroundand look in thegeneraldirectionof theradiant.
Remember to dress warmly; it can be quite chilly before dawn any time of year.
Manmade Satellites Since the first satellite

, Sputnik, waslaunchedin 1957,we
have putthousandsof objects inorbitaroundthe Earth. Many of these are visible to the
naked eyejustaftersunset.Watch for abrightobjecttravelingbrisklyalong untilit sud-
denly snaps off, as ifsomeonehad turnedoff a light switch . Most likely you will havejust
seen acommunicationssatellite . One particulartype ofcommunicationssatellite , Iridium,
producesa brilliant,s hort-durationflash assunlightglints off itsmirror-likesurface. If a
light trail is especially
brightand travels across much of the sky, you likely got firsthand
a
view of theInternationalSpace Station(ISS). Don't be surprisedif the streakinglight of a

satellitemoves briskly through the field of view ofyour telescope some night.lso,
A there
are many pieces ofunk
j in orbit:spentrocket boosters,lostcommunicationssatellites and
such,that flash on and offsporadicallyas they tumble throughspace.
Deep Sky Obiects - DSOs

Objectsoutsideof our solar systemare known collectivelyas deep sky objectsor DSOs .
DSOs range from individualstars to citie s of stars known as galaxies . Our own galaxy,the
Milky Way, with itsbillionsof stars, is but one of the billionsof galaxies in theuniverse.
While the distancesin our one solar systemare immense- considerthatit takesmore
than a year for our current spacecraftto travel from the Earth to Ma rs - thedistanceswe
encounterwhen consideri ngDSOs are almostunfath omable. When dealing with u s ch dis-
tances our Eart h-boun dunits of kilometersand miles fail us. Instead astronomersgener -
ally rely on a unit known
as thelight-year.
Deep Sky Object Catalogs Light travelsat a con-
stantspeedof approxi -
Most itemsin the sky arelistedin one or more of the various mately186000 miles per
"catalogs" thatastronomershave createdover theyears. For second(300000 kilome-
example,the AndromedaGalaxy is known as M31 and NGC224.
Some of the most useful catalogs for amateurastronomersare:
ters per second). A light-
year is the dis tanceligh t
• Bayer designationsfor stars - a system of designatingthe travels in one year -
brighteststarsin each constellationby Greek alphabet- for abo ut 5.9 trillion miles
example the brighteststar in Ursa Major (D ub he)is known as
or 9.5 trillion kilome-
a (alpha) Ursa Majoris.
ters.Thus,a light -yearis
• Flamsteeddesigna tio nfor stars- a syste mof designa ti ng the
stars in each constella tionby number - thus Dub he is also
not a measure of time,
known as I Ursa Majoris. but rather of incredible
• Various other star catalogs list stars asserializednumbersscat- dista nce. The closest
tered all around the sky - Smi thsonian Astrophysical Sun-like(main sequence)
Observatory(SAO), Henry Draper (HD), Hipparcos(HIP), and staris Alpha Centaur i at
Hubble Guide Star (GSC) arecommonstar catalogs. a distance of 4.3 light
• Messier Catalog - 110 DSOsof various types of objects. Most of years. Thus, the light we
the brighter deep sky objects visible in the Northern see from Alpha Centauri
Hemisphereare listedin CharlesMessier's catalog. Generally has been traveling for a
theseobjectsare the first DSOtargetsfor beginning amateur little more than4 years
astronomers . Messier I would be commonly referr edto as
"Ml".
or a dist ance of a bo ut
25.4 trilli on miles (42.2
• Caldwell Catalog - 109 DSOs to expandbeyond the Messier
list. Many oftheseobjectsare only visible to observe rs in the trillion kilome ters).
SouthernHemisphere. Galax ies are much
• New GeneralCatalog(NGC) - 7840 objectsand Index Catalog fartheraway .The nearest
(l'C) - 5386 objects- a largecollectionof DSOs cataloged by major galaxy similar to
I.L.E. Dreyer. Other than individual and double stars,the our Milky W ay Galaxy is
majorityof DSOs of interestto amateurastronomersare found the AndromedaGalaxy.
in these two catalogs. Currentcalculationsput
Othercatalogswill be of use toyou after you gai n experience,
it about2.2 million light-
but thesewill providemanytargetsfor your beginningyears as
an amateurastronomer.
years away. You can do
the math if you are inter-
estedin miles or kilom e-
Astronomy Basics 27
ters, but considerthatthe light from th e AndromedaGalaxy has beentraveling for 2.2
million years beforeit reaches your eyes.
DSOs are the favorite targets of manyserver
ob s,but most of them are very faint, result
-
ing in theircommon nickname- faint fuzzies. Many of them require fairl
y large telescopes
to showmuch detailor even to bedetectedin the eyepiece.Unlike the planetsand the
Moon, DSOs are easily washed out by light pollution,makingthemmoredifficulttargets
for theobserver in the city. DSOs aremarvelouslyvaried
a lotthough,and a goodnumber
of themare readily visibleeven in smallerscopes.
Sta rs, Variable Sta rs, a nd Double Sta rs Even in the al rgesttele-
scopes individual stars never presenta disk like aplanet. The y arejust tiny points of light,
butall deep sky objectsare visible to us due to thelight and radiationproducedin the
nuclearfurn aces of individu al stars. Some stars areinterestingin theirown right, due to
theirvivid color. For example ,Betelgeuse , theupperleftstar in thehourglassshape of the
constella tionOrion,is a brilliantred. Beyond that,the averageindividualstarprovides
littleto hold our interest.All of the starsvisible to us asindividualpointsof light are
inhabitantsof our own galaxy.
Variable starsfluctuatein brightness, sometimes ina regularcycle, sometimes chaoti-
cally. Some amateurastronomersenjoy recording these variations,an interestthat
requires regularobservations and a good eye for detail.
Double stars are perhapsthe most interest ing type of star for amateurastronomers .
Double stars, when visible to thenakedeye,generallyappearto be a single star.But when
we magnify themwith binocularsor a telescope, we can" split" theminto two or more
individualstars. Sometimesthesestarsare binaryor multiplestarsystems- starsthat
revolve around eachotherand travelthroughspace asa group. Otherdoublestarsare
simply optical doubles - they may behundredsof light-yearsapartbut their chance align-
ment from our vantage pointon Earth provides us with two closely placed tars.The
s closer
thosestars appear, the larger is the telescoperequiredto split them.
Open Clusters Open star clusters aregroupsof stars that were born togetherfrom
the same cloud of gas.They are generally young,brightstars that are slowly drifting apart,
but at a ratethat won't spoil our view of the cluster forhundreds of thousandsor even mil-
lions of years. Many of the stars in thesky startedtheirlives in a cluster, buthave since
drifted to their currentlocationsafter billions of years.
The open clusterswe can readily observe are relatively close toEarth- almost all of
them are les s than 10000 light-yearsistant.Smaller
d ,wide-field telescopes provide some of
the best views of many of the open clusters, particularlythose closest to us. largerscope
A
will help tobringout the fainter members of the cluster, especially in viewing from a light-
pollutedsite.
Globular Clusters (Figure 2.10) Globular star clusters are

immenseballs of stars
held tightly togetherby theirmutualgravity. All o f the known globularclustersin our
galaxy are very old, nearly as old as the galaxyitself, butastronomershave discovered
youngerglobularclustersin someneighboringgalaxies. Some of the largest globularclus-
terscontainmorethana million stars packedinto an area of a few hundredlight-years
across- imagine the night sky from the middle of such a cluster!
More thanany otherdeep sky object , globularclustersproducetheirbest views at high
"pump
magnifications. A darksite, a large telescope, and a clear night can allow you to up
the power" andobservea nearlythree-dimensional view of these jewels of the
nightsky.
Figure 2.10. Omega

Centauri globular
cluster imaged with a
NexStar 5 and a
digital camera. Image
by Dr. Maria Mariani.
Larger telescopeswill easily resolve stars from the general glow of

e cluster,particularly
th
if you useavertedvision.The challenge withsmallerscopes might be to simpl y detectthe
faint glow in the eyepiece.
Nebulae Nebulae(the plural form of nebula) are a gener al category of DSOs that are
faint, diffuseand, well, nebulous in appearance.A hundredyears ago, whentelescope
qualitydid notprovidethe highly resolved views we enjoy tod ay,almost all DSO s were
referredto as nebulae . Today weuse the term to refer to cloud
s of gas and dust.
In most generalterms we can furtherbreakthemdown into brightand darknebula.
Bright nebulae are poweredby starsembeddedin them. Some are reflect ion nebulae - the
dust and gas simply reflect theight
l of the nearb
y stars. Other
s are emission nebulae - ga s
in thenebula emits its own light due to the moleculesof the gas being energizedby radi-
ation from thenearby stars. Dark nebulae are visible darkpatcheswhere
as dustis block-
ing the ilght of backgroundstars.
Most nebulae are very difficult seewithouttruly
to dark and clear skie
s.Take advantage
of any trips todarkobservationsites bypreparinga list of nebulae . Look for details in the
clouds of gas such astexture, lighter and darkerstructure(especiallydarklanes),and
backgroundor embeddedstars.
Planetary Nebulae (Figure 2.11)Anothertype of faint fuzzy is the planetary

nebula.The termplanetarynebulacame from some of the first astronomerswith access to
telescopes. The brighterplanetary nebulae they were able toctwere dete similar to planets in
the size andappearance pre sented ni the eyepiece, eyt they were obviouslygaseousin nature.
Planetary nebulae are the rem ainsof old starssimilar in size to our Sun. In ct,in
fa a few
billionyears, if veerythinggoes asexpected , our Sun will becomea planetarynebula. Due
to changes in the nuclearreaction occurring n i the star's core,it eventuall ybecomesunsta-
ble andan explosive reactionblows off most of the gases in theouter port ionof thestar.
The result is a small, hot,white dwarfstarwith an expandingcloud of gasescapingaway at
high speed.Radiationfrom thestar energize s the gas,causing it to glow.
Astronomy Basics 29
Figure 2.11. The Ring Nebula imaged with a NexStar 11 GPS and a CCD camera . Image
by Vernon Riley.
Planetarynebulaecome in avarietyof shapes.Twin cones expandingout from the

centralstarare well known. So arespheresof glowing gasaroundtheparentstar.Others
are moreintricateshapes, suggesting very complex circumstancesat the time of the explo-
sion or perhaps thatthe star had a binary companionthathelpedcreatea convoluted
shape due to its gra
vity.
There aremanyplanetarynebulaevisible toamateurastronomers.A few evendisplay
noticeable color. Usehighermagnificationto see if you can detect
additionaldetail.
Similar to planetarynebulaeare supernovaremnants. Occasionally a star really
explodesresultingin an elaboratecloudof hydrogen,helium,and heavierelements.The
supernovaitselfwas extremelybright.Nearbysupernovaewouldbe visible even in the
light of day. Theremainingcloud of gas is usually very faint and difficult to see in a back-
yard telescope.
Galaxies (Figure 2.12) Containing as many as bill ions of stars, galaxies come in a wide
variety of shapesandsizes. Spiral galaxieslike our own Milky Way Galaxy areamongthe
largest andmostcommon.With theirlarge centralbulge ofstarsand gracefulsweeping
arms,spiral galaxies are one of the most majestic sights youencounter
will in the sky. Giant
elliptical galaxies are incredibly large galaxies with many billions of stars amassed in an egg-
like shape.Smaller dwarf galaxies are often classified irregulargalaxies
as - millions of stars
seeminglydroppedhaphazardlylike a child's jacks against the backdropof the sky.
These huge collections of stars are visible from
unbelievabledistances. A s notedearlier,
the closestgalaxy to us is anincredible2.2 million light-yearsdistant.Othergalaxies
Figure 2.12. The Whirlpool Galaxy imagedwith a NexSlar 11 GPS and a CCD camero.
Image by Vernon Riley .
visible to theamateurastronomerare more than 60 million light-years frometh Earth. The

light we see today left some of these galaxie
s whendinosaurs still ruled the Earth!
Due to the extreme distances,most galaxies are very faint. While you might detect them
with a largescope in thecity, the views improveenormously underdarkskies.You will
also have a much betterview when thesky is very transparent. Under such clear, dark
skies alargertelescope will show the arms of spiral galaxies,dust lanes that obscurethe
light from the billions ofars,and
st othersubtle details.
Incredibly largethoughgalaxies are, they are not theargeststructures
l in the universe.
Typically, smallnumbers of galaxiesare heldtogetherby their mutualgravityin a struc-
tureastronomerscall galaxyclusters. Our Milky Way Galaxy is one ofabouthalfa dozen
galaxiesin theclusterknown as the Lo cal Group. Large backy ard telescopes an
c show us
othergalaxyclustersscatteredaroundthe sky.
Furthermore,the billions of galaxies in the universe organizedinto
are superclusters-
tens ofthousandsof galaxies arrangedin waves and knots throughoutthe immense
expansesof space. Supercluster sare notvisible directly, but rather, bymappingthe loca-
tion of millions of galaxies, astronomershave createda three-dimensionalmodel that
reveals their xistence.
e
Equipment Basics
Never before has such a wide
varietyof quality equipmentbeen available to e
thamateur
astronomer.With hundredsof models of telescopes to choose from, we need a basic
Astronomy Basics 31
understandingof the mostcommondesigns to make a wise purchase.Although there are

so many models to choose from, as we will see there are only a few common designs on the
market.
Basic Terms
Before discussingequipment,there are a few terms we must
understand
.
Obiective This is thecomponentof the optical system that collects the light from the
sky, allowing us to see allthosefaint objectsthatour eye cannotdetecton its own. In
binocularsand sometelescopesthis is the lens at the frontof theopticaltube. Inother
telescopes, it is a large,
dish-shapedmirrorat the back of the optical tube .We measure the
diameter(distanceacross) of the objective and express this asaperture
the of theinstru-
ment. Generally speaking,thelargertheaperture,the more light the i nstrumentcollects,
and thus the more objectswe can see. When we say the NexStar 8 is 8-inchscope,
an we
are referring to thediameterof the objective.
The relationshipbetweenapertureand light-gatheringpower is geometric, based on the
area of theobjective,not thediameter .When comparingtwo scopes,simply squarethe
diameterof theirobjectivesand divide. For example, toc ompare80mm and 60mm tele -
scopes, we calculate 80 x 80 divided by 60 x.The
60 resultinganswer of 1.78 indicate s that
an 80mm objective collects 78% more light than a 60mm objective .
Additionally,largeraperturesarecapableof resolvingfinerdetailin objects. Thus, a
largeraperturecan usuallysplitcloserdoublestars,show moredetailon the Moon and
planets,and showmoredetailin deep skyobjects. More so thanlight-gatheringpower,
resolutionis greatly affected by the overall quality ofinstrument's
the optics.
There is a sayingamongastronomersthat"aperturerules".While this iscertainlytrue,
largeraperturecomes at aprice,bothmonetarilyand practically . Larger-aperture tele-
scopes aremoreexpensivethentheirsmallersiblings. Also, larger-aperture telescopes
require much more effort transport,
to set up, and store
. Consider carefully the size of tele-
scope you willpurchase.The best telescope for you is not necessarilythe most expensive
model you can buy.I t is the one that you will use the most. An exquisite 14-inch telescope
will provideincredibleviews, but if you only find the energy to set it up once every couple
of months,perhapsyou would more enjoy a 5-inch scope thattakesjustminutesto carry
outdoorsand put into use .
Focal Length While someopticaldesigns do not lendthemselvesto thisstraight-

forwarddefinition, focallengthis thedistancefrom the objective to the pointwhere the
image comes to focus . Each eyepiece has ma easuredfocallengththatis markedon the
side of the eyepiece itself
.The focal length of a telescopesometimes
is found on a label on
the optical tube, otherwise you must refer to the manual. Generally speaking, longer focal
lengthsproducebetterhigh-magnificationviews of the Moon, planetsand smallerdeep
sky objects, while
shorterfocal lengths allow for wide-field views
oflargeobjects like open
clusters and large nebulae
.
Focal Ratio Focal ratio is the focal length of an objective ividedby

d thediameterof
the objective
, and is expressedas f/number . For example, an 80mm telescopewith a
400mm focallengthhas a focalratioof fl5 (400/80 = 5). Smallernumbers are said to be
"faster" as they allow fors horterexposureswhentakingphotographs,but it is amistaken

belief that faster focal
ratiosproducebrighterviews in the eyepiece
. Only moreaperture
can producebrightervisual images.
Magnification in a Telescope To calculatethemagnification given by a

telescope,dividethe focal length of the telescopeby the focal lengthof the eyepiece in use .
For example,a 1000mmtelescopeprovides a magnificationof 100 when we use a lOmm
eyepie ce(1000/10= 100). Bychanging tosmallerfocallengtheyepiece s, w e increa sethe
magn ification. There is an acceptedlimit to theamountof magnificationpossible with a
telescope. As a general rule, 2imestheaperture
t inmillimetersor 50 times theaperture in
inche s is a good rule ofthumb,althoughseeingconditionsrarelyallow us to exceed a
magnificationof 300. On most nightsa magnification limit of 200 or les s is more practical.
Beware of purchasing a telescope that is advertisedaccording to its maximum
magnification.Many departmentstores offer a "575 x A stronomicalTelescope".Upon
closer inspectionwe find thatthe apertureof the scope is 60 mm,capableof a usable
magnificationof about120x. Since magnificationis variedsimply by using an eyep ieceof
different focal length, magnification availablewith the ey epiecesprovidedis one of the
least importantfactorswhen consideringa telescope.Focus on aperture,smoothmove-
mentwhen pointing the scope, astur dymountand tripod,and generaloverallqualityof
construction. When possible , test the tele
scopeout underthe nightsky. Stars should focus
easily to sharppoints oflight.Centera brightstar and defocus th e image, both inside and
outside of focus.The resultingbull's-eyerings should appear nearl ythesame inside and
outsideof focus. Judging optics requires a bit of experience -somethingas simple aspoor
collimation(discussed in Chapter9) or tubecurrents in an uncooled scope can make the
best optics look terrible.But even a beginner can detect truly poor opticalquality.
Lens Coatings As light reachesa piece of glass, some of it is reflectedratherthan

passing through.If that glass is a lens in our telescope,the refle ctedlight never makes it to
our eyes and thus the imag e loses some of its brightness. If a lens surface is treatedwith a
specialanti-reflective (AR)coating this reduces the refl ectionand transmit smore of the
light. Many optical componentsare constructedof multiplelenses. For example, some eye-
piecedesignshave as many as eight lenses!To be fully effective, all air-to-glass surfaces
must be coated. Light tran smission can beimproved with multiple ayersofl AR coatings.
Manufacturersuse the term "coated" todesignatethatat leastone of theair-to-glass
surfaces, usually the side of the el nsyou can see, has been coated with a single layer of AR
coating.The nextbetterprocess is " fully coated" - all air-to-glass surfaceshave been
treatedwith AR coatings. "Multi-coated" optics feature at least one surface with multiple
layers of ARcoatings,while "fully multi-coated"indicatesthatall air-to-glasssurfaces
havebeentreatedwith multipleayers l of AR coatings.
Eye Relief When you viewthrougha telescopeor a pair of binoculars,eyereliefis

the maximumdistance you can posit ion your eye away from the e yepieceand still take in
the entirefield of view. Le ss than5 mm is very uncomfortablefor most people and if you
wear glasses to view (necessar y if you have astigmatism ), eyerelief of about 20 mm is
required. Eye relief si a characteristic foeach eyepiece orbinoculardesign.
Ex it Pupil Exit pupil is a measurementof the fullyilluminatedcircleoflight that

come sfrom the eyepiecef oa telescopeor binoculars. To calculate theexit pupil in mil-
Astronomy Basics 33
limeters,divide theapertureof theobjective(in millimeters)by themagnificationof the

view. For example, if a pair of
binocularshas anapertureof 50 mm and amagnificationof
10 (lOx50binoculars),theyproducea 5mm exit pupil. For telescope
a it varies each time
we change eyepieces anda simplerformula is to divide the focal length of the eyepiece by
thetelescope'sfocalratio.For example,if you use a 30mm eyepiece in an fllO telescope,
the result is a 3mm exit pupil.
With binoculars,it is best to use an exit
pupilthat does not exceed the size of your fully
dilated pupil. Mostobserversunderthe age of 30 have maximumpupil
a dilationof about
7 mm undervery darkskies. As we age the muscles in o ur irises stiffen and it is
common
for olderobserversto have amaximumdilationof about5 mm. With atelescope,we can
experimentwith various eyepieces to producethe best magnification and exit pupil for the
object at hand.
Binoculars
How would you like twotelescopes,one for each eye? Inessence,thatis whata pairof
binocularsgives you. Our brainand optical systemevolved tointegrateinputfrom both
eyes, so it isnot surprisingthatbinocularsseem verynaturalwhen used. Binoculars
featurea right-side-up,left-to-right-correct image and a wide field of view t hatmakes
them very easy to pointat your target. Almost anyone can pick up a pair binocularsand
of
successfullypointthem at the Moon; the same cannotbe said of a telescope.
Binoculars are labeledwith designationslike 7 x 35 and 10 x 50. The first number
denotes the magnification the binocularsoffer, while the secondnumberis thediameterin
millimeters of the objective (front) lenses
. As mentionedearlier, thediameterof the objec-
tive is also known as theapertureof aninstrument.The larger theaperture,the more light
theinstrumentcollects and the fainter the objects you will be able to see.
Highermagnificationsdo allow you to see smallerdetails in an object, but this comes at
a cost. First, it isg enerallytruethatas the magnificationincreases,the field of view
decreases.For example,a pair of 10 x 50binocularsmight show 5° of sky, while ap air
20 x 70binocularsmight only show 3°. For general sky "sweeping", a wider field of view is
highly desirable.
Second,highermagnificationsalso magnify every little movementof your arms as you
try to steady thebinoculars.Most individualscannotsuccessfully steadybinocularshigher
thanl Ox whenholdingby hand. Highermagnificationsrequirea mount,such as atripod,
to steadythe view. Image-stabilizingmodels are theexception.Equippedwith computer-
controlledprisms that move with every shake your of hand,theyprovidea steadyview at
high magnifications. Of course, image-stabilizingbinocularsare more expensive than their
traditionalcounterparts.
Although almostany binocularswill allow us to see many more starsas well as some of
thebrighterdeep sky objects, the best general-purpose binocularsfor astronomyfeature a
minimum apertureof 50 mm and magnificationsbetween7 and 10 times. 7 x 50 and
10 x 50 models are quite popularand veryreasonablypriced. 7 x 50 producesan exit pupil
of about7 mm, fine foryoungereyes underdark skies, while 10 x 50producesan exit
pupil of 5 mm, more useful in urbansettings or for older observers
.
When decidingon binoculars,considertheinstrument'santi-reflectivecoatings,fully
multi-coatedbeing most desirable. If possible , take them outu nderthe night sky and look
at the Moon. Cheaper models will typically exhibit false color
aroundthe edge of the Moon
whilebettermodels will have less color, leading shaperimages.
to Also, look at a sign off in
the distance. Note if thewords at the edge of the field of view aresharplyfocusedas
as
those in thecenter.Don't panicif they are not;mostbinocularsdo notproducesharply
focused images outtowardsthe edge of the field ,but therearenotabledifferences and the
bettera binocularperformsin this respect, the more you will enjoy the view . Finally, con-
sider the weight. Very heavy binocularswill not becomfortablefor hand-heldviewing.
Comfortwhen usingbinocularswill generallyrequirea reclinedpositioned;extended
periodsof looking up can definitelybe apain in the neck! A reclininglawn chairis an
excellentsolution,particularlyif the arms of thechairaresuitablypositionedto support
your arms as you hold thebinoculars. A campingmattressor pad can al so provideexcel-
lentportablecomfortfor binocularuse.
Even after you own a telescope , a good pair ofbinocularsis a must. They are quick to set
up (just take them out of the case) and they re theultimate
a in portability.The wide field
of view they afford is wonderfulfor manyextendedobjects andprovidesthe best views of
the star fields ofo ur own Milky Way Galaxy.Binocularsare anessentialpiece of gear for
theamateurastronomer .
Telescopes
Althoughsome amateurastronomerss tarttheir observing careerwith binoculars,it isn't
long before they are ready to move on to a telescope .
Telescopes differ greatlyfrom binoculars. Telescopes have amuch narrowerfield of
view, especially atigher
h magnifications.As mentioned earlier, while a pair ofinoculars
b
generally has a fixedmagnification,we can change the agnificationoffered
m in a telescope
by simply changingthe eyepiece . The orientation of the viewprovidedby a telescopeis
also different. Almost allastronomicaltelescope s presenta mirrorimage view(backwards
from left toright), upside-downview,or both! While this make slittledifferencewhen
viewing celestial objects (in space thereis no "up"), it presentsunique challenges when we
attemptto matchthe view in the eyepiece todiagramora starchart.And perhapsmost
importantly,a telescope requ ires a stablemountthat makes easy work oftrackingobjects
as they drift across thesky.
The higher cost and added complexity makes thepurchase decision much more
difficult.Advertisementsand store display s don'tprovidemuch help, nor do the wonder-
ful colorpictures thatadornthepackagingof mosttelescopes.But thesituationis notas
confusingas it first seems ; most telescopessold are of one of fou r designs: refractor,
Newtonian reflector, Schm idt-Cassegrain,or Maksutov-Cassegrain.
Refractors (Figure 2.13)Refractors match most people'simage of what a telescope

shouldlook like - a long tube with a len
s at the front and an eyepiece at the .The back lens
at the front of the telescope is the objectivea refractor
in scope. The lens collects the light
and focusesit towards the back where the eyepiece magnifies the view.st The
telescopes
fir
designed, at least as early as the
seventeenth century,wererefractors .
Wh ile high-quality refractorsare prizedfor theircrisp,clear views of the Moon and
planets,they are not ideal for deep sky objects.The high cost ofcreatinglarge objective
lenses limits the mostcommonlyavailablerefractor s to about 6 inches. The mostpopular
high-qualityrefractorsare in the 4-inch range, relatively limitedin their abilityto detect
faint, deep sky objects
.
One of the biggest drawbacks to therefractordesign is the lens itself . A s inglelens tends
to act like aprism,splittingwhitelight into a ar inbow of colors, an effect known as chro-
maticaberration.On brightobjects such as the Moon and planets this can be quite visible.
To combatthis effect, achromatic designs se u two lenses of different shape and glass com-
positionto reducechromaticaberration.This can be very effect ive, particularlyif the
refractorhas a long focallength.But it is the long focallengthof traditionalrefractors,
Astronomy Basics 35
.K - - Incoming
lig ht
O b jectivelens
Eyepiece
Diago nal
Figure 2.13. The refractortelescopedesign.
coupled with the expense of creatinglarge-aperture

lenses, that caused the
refractorto fall
in popularityin the 1950sand 1960s.
Refractorssaw agreatresurgencein the 1990s asshort-tuberefractorsbecamewidely
available. Short-tubeachromaticdesigns are quitepopularbut doexhibitlevels of chro-
maticaberrationthatsome finddistracting.Newer, wide-fieldapochromatic(color-free)
designs are verypopularand widely used.Apochromaticrefractors often sport as many as
four lens elements in the objective and provide excellent views
brighterobjects
of . The dis-
advantage is a price tag generally three to six times
higherthanachromaticmodels of the
sameaperture.
Refractorsareequippedwith adiagonalat the eyepiece end to reflect the light at a 90°
angle inorderto providea morecomfortableviewing position.The diagonalis inserted
into the focusing tube and the eyepiece is inserted into the diagonal. Without the, diagonal
we would find ourselves contortinginto variousuncomfortablepositionsto position our-
selves near the eyepiece.
Perhapsthegreatests trengthsof therefractordesign aretheirdurabilityand mainte-
nance-freeoperation.With reasonablecare, arefractorwill provide the same high-quality
views for many years. The opticalcomponentsarepermanentlycollimated(aligned) and
requireno fine-tuningto producethe best image possible . If your timeunderthe stars is
limited, or you find you are not mechanically inclined,
refractor
a might be best for you.
Newtonian Reflectors (Figure 2.14) Tocombatthe effects ofchromaticaber-

rationfound inrefractortelescopes,Sir Isaac Newton created an optical designingustwo
mirrors,a design that now bears his name. In a Newtonian reflector, -shapedmirror
a dish
is placed at the back of the optical tube
.Incominglight reflects off the
primarymirrorand
is focused backtowardsa small, flats econdarymirrorthatdivertsthe lightthroughthe
side of the tubetowardsthe eyepiece. To createa correctlyfocusedimage, theprimary
mirrorshouldbe parabolicin shape. Creatinga parabolicmirroris more expensivethan
creatinga simplesphericalmirror,so cheaperNewtoniansoftenutilizethe lower-cost
mirrorat the expense of image quality
.
Eyepiece
S eco nd ary mirror
Figure 2.14. The Newtonion reflectortelescopedesign
Besidesvirtuallyeliminatingchromaticaberration,Newtoniansalso prove to be the

leastexpensivedesign per inch ofaperture.Virtually all really largeamateurscopes,
IS-inch and larger,are Newtonianreflectors . In termsof "bang for thebuck", nothing
beats a Newt.
Newtonians do have some drawbacks . One is the open -tubedesign. In use, a Newtonian
exposes the surface of itsirrorsto
m the elements. Unlike the mirrorin your bathroom,a
telescopemirrorhas the reflective coating on the front of the.This
glasscoating is typically
aluminum,covered with a thin protective layerretardcorrosion.
to But eventually the ele-
mentswin out and themirrorbecomestarnished. At this time itbecomesnecessaryto
have themirrorprofessionallyrecoated.
Larger-apertureNewtonians can be very long and heavy. Truly large Newts usually sport
a frame of thin tubes to
supporttheprimaryand secondarymirrorsas well as the eyepiece
holderand focuser. This frame can be disassembledfor transportation and storage. The
size and weight of evenmoderately
a sized Newtonian can prove tax ing for amount,par-
ticularlyaGoTo mount.
Collimation(precise alignmentof theopticalpath)of a Newtonianreflectoris a chal-
lenge for abeginnerand must be performedregularlyto insurequalityperformance .
Having access to anexperiencedfriend or local astronomyclub is almost certainly
requiredfor the new owner of a Newtonian reflector.
Newtonianreflectorsexcel at deep sky viewing in largerapertures,but in myopinion
the longer tube lengths
requiredfor largerapertures,and the added weight this entails, do
not make them well suited to most GoTo mounts.
Schmidt-Cassegrain Catadioptric (Figure 2.15)Schmidt-Cassegrain

telescopes, or SCTs as they are
commonlyknown,combinethe bestelementsof refractor
Astronomy Basics 37
Incoming light
Primory mirror
Eyep iece
Corrector
Sec ondary mirror
D iagonol
Figure 2.1 S. The Schmidt-Cassegraintelescopedesign.
and reflector designs toproducethe mostcompactopticaltubes available for any given

aperture. Catadioptricor compoundscopes possess acombinationoflensesand mirrors.
The SCT design is the mostpopularline of serious amateurtelescopessold today.
Celestronperfectedthe process ofmass-producingtheSchmidt-Cassegraindesign in the
late1960s,and popularizedthe designthroughthe 1970s.
At the front of the tube is a lens known ascorrector
the plate.The correctorplate allows
for improvedperformancefrom asphericalprimarymirror,reducingthe cost ofproduc-
ing a high-qualityinstrument.M ounted in thecenterof thecorrectorplate is the sec-
ondarymirrorthatdirectsthe light to the back of the tube, througha hole in theprimary
mirror,towardsthe eyepiece. Like refractors,SCTs use diagonalsto provideconvenient
positioningof the eyepiece. Due to the compactsize of the SCT design, theplacementof
the eyepiece at the rear of the scope provides comfortable viewing for orientations
most of
theopticaltube.Additionally,thecorrectorplateprotectsthemirrorsfrom corrosion,
greatly increasing the longevity of their coatings.
The folded light path provided by thecorrectorplate andmirrorsallows the focal length
of the scope to bea boutfive times thelengthof theopticaltube. In refractorsand most
Newtonians the optical tube is about the same length as the focal. As length
a comparison,
the focallengthof the NexStar 8 (an SCTdesign)is about80 inches (200 ern), while its
optical tube isabout16 inches (40 ern) long
.A refractoror Newtonian with a similar focal
length would sport a tube nearly 7 feet (2 meters) in length!
There are sometradeoffs,though.SCTs are more expensive than Newtonianreflectors
of similaraperture,althoughlower in costthancomparablerefractors .They do require
precisecollimation,but fortunatelythe processis much lesscomplicatedthanwith a
Newtonian. The closed-tubedesign,resultingfrom thecorrectorplate,increasescool-
down time,particularlyin largermodels. Some models also exhibit excessive image shift
when focusing. That is to say that focusing will actually cause the object in the field of view
to move up, down, left, or right. This is due tomethodthatfocus
the isachievedwith in
most SCTs - theprimarymirrorslides up and down to move the focal plane. While other
manufacturer's scopes exhibit a good deal mirrorshift,

of Celestron's focusing
mechanism
minimizes thisdramatically.
The SCT design is a greatall-aroundperformerand is well suited to use on a GoTo tele-
scopemount.The compactand robustdesign results in a fine instrumentthat can provide
exhilaratingviews for many years to come
.
Maksutov-Cassegrain Catadioptric (Figure 2.16) Similar in physical

design to SCTs,Maksutov-Cassegraintelescopes, or Maks as they are commonlyknown,
use a lens andmirrorsto focusgatheredlight. Themain differenceyou will noteis the
shape of the lens, typically called thecorrectoror meniscus len s. In a Mak,the meniscus is
a deep, curved shaperatherthan the flat correctorplate found in an SCT . In most Maks the
secondarymirroris a reflective coating applied directly to the ck of
bathe meniscus.
GenerallyMaks are designedwith a long focall engthand slow focalratioof fll2 or
higher. This makes themwellsuitedto viewing theplanetsand fine details on the Moon.
The resultingnarrowfield of view doesexhibitsome limitationswhen viewing deep sky
objects,particularlyextended open cluster s and galaxies. Also, their slow focal ratio results
in very longexposuretimes forphotographsof deep sky objects. In additionto theirlong
focal length,the relativelysmall size of thesecondarymirror (spot) providesslightly
higher-contrast views of the Moon and planet s than thoseobtainablewith SCTs.
Maks are generally more expen sive than SCTs of similaraperture , in price falling some-
where between SCTs and refractors. Also,larger Maks are rare, most models being 5-inch
or smaller. The meniscusis thicker than the correctorplate on SCTs, so cool-down time is
increased.
Maks are generally very w-maint
lo enance .Most models do not provide for user collima-
tion and areexpectedto keep the ir alignmentindefinitely.Like all refle ctor-typescopes,
they exhibitno noticeablechroma ticaberration . These factors,coupled withexcellent
Figure 2.16. TheMoksutov-Cossegroin telescope des

ign.
Incoming light
Primory mirror
Eyep iece
Corrector
Se condary mirror
D iag onal
Astronomy Basics 39
planetaryviews and verycompactdesign, make theMaksutov-Cassegraina good choice

for someone looking for the advantages of a fine refractor, in a less expensive, more
- conve
nient package.
Finder Scopes (Figure 2.17) Thenarrowfield of view of a telescope makes it very

difficult to aimaccuratelyat adesiredlocationin the sky. Toovercomethis problem,a
finder scope, or finder, mountedon
is the side of the main telescope.When correctly
aligned, the finder scope and the main scope bothpointat the same place in the sky .The
lower magnification and wider field of view of the finder make it easier to locate and point
the scope at any given p ositionin the sky. When you look in the eyepiece of the main
scope your target should be visible.
There are two basic types of finders
.Traditionalfinders are smallrefractorscopes with
crosshairsin the eyepiece . The alternativesare "zero-power"or " unity" finders. Unity
finders projecta red dot orbull's-eyeonto a small window. Bylooking throughthe
window, you can easily aim the scope with the dot or bull's
-eye.
The common refractor-style finder is designated in the same way binoculars
as . A 6 x 30
finder has anapertureof 30mm and magnifies 6imes.Largeraperture
t makes it easier to
find fainter objects
, although50mm is apracticallimit for most uses. There are two basic
types ofrefractorfinders. The mostc ommonis a straight-through finder where the eye-
piece points straightback from the tube of the finder . Most straight-throughfinders
producean imagethatis upside-down.Moving the telescope in the right directionto aim
with the finder can be a littleconfusingat first, but after a little while
becomessecond
it
nature. To matchthe view in the finder to your starcharts,you simply turnthe chart
upside-down.Alternatively there are correct-imagestraight-throughfinders that simplify
mattersfurther. While providinga more naturalright-side-upview,straight-through
finders are slightlydisadvantagedby having reducedlight throughput(dimmerimages)
and added expense.
Figure 2.17. NexStor

8 GPS with 9 x 5 0
finderscope. Photo
courtesy Celestron.
The secondtype ofrefractor -stylefinder uses adiagonaland isknown as aright-angle

finder. While a right-angle finderproduces more comfortablepositioningof the eyepiece,
most modelsproducea left-to-rightm irrorimagethatis difficult tomatchto printedstar
charts.A few more expensivemodels doprovidea correctimage andrepresenttheheight
of traditionalfinder scope design.
Unity finders are particularlyeasy to use sincetheysimply projecta targeton your
naked-eyeview of the sky.Aiming the scopecouldnotbe easier.They do presentsome
disadvantages . First, since they do not collect light or magnify the view, youlimitedto
are
stars you can see with the nakedeye. Second, the lack magnification
of can make it difficult
to aim precisely at starand
a have it show in a
n arrow-field,high-magnificationview in the
main scope. Butunityfinders are wellsuitedto use with GoTotelescopes,since typically
we only pointmanuallyat twobrightstarsduringtheinitialsetupand thecomputerized
handcontroltakes it from there.
With any type of finder aligning them with the telescope is a simple task performed
best
duringthe day. Lookingthroughthe main scope with moderately
a poweredeyepiece, aim
your telescopeat adistantobjectsuch as a ceramicinsulatoron an electricpole.Then
simply turntheadjustmentscrews on the finder scope until it is also aimed precisely at the
same point. Check to be certainthatthe finder is well
securedand you are finished.
Telescope Mounts
The mountis generallycomprisedof twosections- thepartthatholds the telescopeand
allows it to bepointedin any direction,a nd the tripod.The sectionthatholds the scope
and moves isreferredto as themount,while thetripodis consideredseparately . In some
casesthereis no tripod,or thetripodis optional,but in many cases the m ountand tripod
are sold as a single unit.
It is absolutelycriticalthatthe mountprovidesexcellentstabilityfor thetelescopein
use. Anunstableor undersizedmountwill make the view in the eyepiece shake terriblyat
the slightesttouchor in thelightestwind. When tryingouta telescope,p erformthe "rap
test": using ahigh-poweredeyepiece, focus on adistantobject and tap the eyepiece end of
the scope. Allvibrationshoulddampenwithinno morethan2 or 3seconds; less would be
ideal.
Also checkthatthe movementof themountis smoothand responsive.As the Earthis
turning,all objects move across the sky. Themountmustbe continuallyadjustedto keep
an objectin the field of view . A mountwith jerkymovementwill provedifficult,if not
impossible,to use whentrackingthe sky.
Finally,considercomplexityand portability.Some mountsrequirejust a fewminutesto
set up, whileotherscan requirea half-houror more. Collapsibletripodsare commonand
providegood portability,while largeDobsonianmountsmay requirea van ortruckto
transport.If you wanta scopethatcan be set up on a whim and is readyfor servicein
minutes,choose accordingly.If ultimatestabilityor an extremelylarge opticaltube
requiresa moreheavy-dutymount,portabilitymight take a back seat.
Mounts can be categorized into two basic types:
altitude-azimuth(alt-az)and equatorial.
Altitude-Azimuth Mounts (Figure 2.18) Thealt-azmountallows the optical

tubeto bepointedup/downand left/right, This arrangementis very simple to use and well
suitedfor beginners,butit generallyhas onemajordrawback- objectsin the skydon't
move up/downor left/right. As discussedearlier,theyfollow an arc from east to west as
the Earth turnson its axis atsiderealrate. To trackan objectwith analt-azmount,we
Astronomy Basics 41
Figure 2.1 8. The o lti-

tude-ozlmurh mount
design.
must periodicallymove thealtitudeand azimuthaxis to keep the object in the field of view.
If the field of view in the eyepiece is several
degrees,we will beadjustingeverycoupleof
minutes. If we areexaminingthe Moon or aplanetat highmagnification,a small field of
view, we will beadjustingevery couple of seconds.
Generally, analt-azmountcannotbe motor-drivenwith much success, unless a com -
putercontrolsthemotorsto providethecorrectmovementin bothaxes to allowtracking
the sky at sidereal rate. We find such
computerizedcontrolin today'sGoTo telescopes.
Dobsonianmounts,or Dobs as they arecommonlycalled, are avariationon thealt-az
mount.Created by John Dobson in the 1970s, they are the most popularmountsfor mod-
erate-to-large -sized Newtonianreflectors.The lowcenterof gravityof a Dob makes for a
very stableplatformfor even thelargestscope. They arerarelymotorized,but their
smoothmotionallows for easytrackingby simply nudgingthe end of the scope.
Equatorial Mounts (Figure 2.19) An equatorialmount takes a different

approachto providingmotionfor the optical tube . One of the axes is aligned with the axis
of the Earthandcan beturnedoppositethe motionof theEarthto keep anobjectin the
field of view. This axis is known as the right
ascension(RA) axis since it allows us topoint
at anyrightascensionin the sky. Thesecondaxis is known as thedeclination(Dec) axis
and provides the abilityto pointtowardsany declinationabove or below thecelestial
equator.
Trackingthe sky atsiderealrate isrelatively easy with anequatorialm ount;wesimply
adjust the RA axis periodically. Many equatorialm ountscan beequippedwith amotorto
in declination
Figure 2.19. The

Ge rman equa torial
mount design .
drive the RA axis at sidereal rate,

providingautomatictrackingof any object in the sky . In
this fashion,visual observationsbecomemuch more convenientand long-exposure
astrophotography becomes possible.
This conveniencedoes come at the price addedcomplication.
of While we can take an
alt-azscope out, extend the legs, and startobserving, with anequatorialm ountwe need to
align the RA axis with theEarth's axis. For observersin theNorthernHemisphere,we
simply pointthe RA axis at Polaris, the North Star. Someequatorialm ountseven include a
small telescopein thecenterof the RA axis to makeshortwork of this.Observersin the
SouthernHemispherehave a muchhardertime here, as there are brightstarsnearthe
no
southcelestialpole. Arough alignmentusing justthe sightingmethodis sufficientfor
visual work, butastrophotography requiresmuch moreexactalignmentto preventdrift-
ing that willt urnpinpointstars into little dashes in the final exposure.
Fork-mountedalt-azscopes can beequatoriallymountedfor astrophotography . Using a
wedge, the forks (Figure 2.20) aretiltedso thattheazimuthaxis is pointedat the celestial
pole, thus becomingthe RA axis. A wedge iscommonlyused with fork-mountedseT
scopes to allow forlong-exposureastrophotographs .
Piers A pier is not a complete mount, but

rathertakes the place of the tripod. Generally
we thenattachan equatorialm ounton top of the pier. Most piers are
permanentfixtures,
eitherin theowner'sbackyardor in theirhome observatory.By permanentlym ounting
Astronomy Basics 43
M ovement
in
declination
Figure 2.20. W edge-

mounted fork
.
the pierin theground,we have anextremelystablemountthatprovidesvery accurate

alignmentof the RA axis. The scope can be removed and storedindoorswhen not in use
.
Some piers areportable,providingaddedstabilityfor large telescopes when used in the
field. In most cases they are lighter
thansimilarly stabletripods.
The Eyepiece End of Things

While initiallythetelescopegetsmostof theattention, beforelong you will be outshop-
ping foradditionaleyepieces. We will cover eyepiece design and selection in more detail in
Chapter8, but here we will discuss what the eyepiece does and its characteristics.
key
The purposeof the maintelescopeis to gatherlight andbring it to a focalp oint,hope-
. It is then the job of the eyepiece to magnify the
fully without altering the image in any way
image to asuitablescale. For this purpose,eyepiecesare availablein a varietyof focal
lengths,usuallydisplayedon theoutsideof thebarrel.As discussedearlier,we calculate
themagnificationan eyepiece gives by dividingthe focallengthof themainscope by the
focallengthof the eyepiece . For a telescopewith a focall engthof 1000mm, a 20mm eye-
piece yieldsSOx, while a lOmm eyepiece yields lOOx. Thus, shorter-focal-length eyepieces
provide highermagnifications.
Besides focal length, eyepieces have othervitalstatistics.Eye relief, or thedistanceyour
eye may be from the eyepiece and still take inentireview,
the is one. Withmosteyepiece
designs,theshorterthe focallength,the shorterthe eyerelief. Some short-focal-length
eyepiecesrequireyou positionyour eyeuncomfortablyclose to see the object in the field
Figure 2.21. Inserting an eyepiece into a Barlow mounted in a diagonal.
of view. If youmustwear orpreferto wear eyeglasses when viewing, you would do well to
choose eyepieces with longereye relief.
Anothercharacteristic of eyepieces isa pparentfield of view or AFOV. AFOV oflessthan
about50°results in a viewthatresembleslooking througha straw. Wider AFOVprovidesa
panoramicview thatis preferredby mostobservers.The actual width of sky seen through
a given eyepiece-telescope combinationis referredto as thetruefield of view or TFOV.
The approximateTFOV can be calculatedby dividing the AFOV of the eyepieceby the
magnificationgiven withthateyepiece. Taking our 1000mm telescope and 10mm eyepiece ,
we have amagnificationof 100x. If the 10mm eyepiece has an AFOV of 50 °,then the TFOV
will be 50dividedby 100, odo.
A commonaccessoryknown as a Barlow lens is used to increa se themagnificationgiven
by any eyepiece. The typical Barlowdoublesthemagnificationwhen useddirectlyin front
of the eyepieceand triplesthemagnificationif used betweenthetelescopeand the diago-
nal.When used asshown in Figure 2.21,a 10mm eyepiecedoublesthemagnification;in a
1000mm telescopethis resultsin 200x. In additionto effectively doubling your eyepiece
collection,h ighermagnifications areachievedwithoutresortingto short-focal-lengthye- e
pieces withtheirtypicallyshorteye relief.
Astronomy Basics 45
Conclu$
What you have read in thi s chaptermay have been the first step onyour journeyof learn-
ing about thecosmos and the equipm entthatwill letyou observe it. Thereare many excel-
lent books thatcan takeyou fur ther, but would
I recommenda few in particular.For
learningmore aboutgeneralastronomy,take a look atN ight wa tchby Terence Dickinson
or The Night Sky by David Cha ndler. Exp loring the Nigh tSky by Ter enceD ickinson isa
wonderful introductionto astronomy for younger kids. For an excellent overview of
equipmentand accessories,I recommend Star Ware by Philip Harringtonor Choosingand
Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope by Rod Molli se. Addition ally, a su bscription to
eitherSky and Telescop eor Astronomy magazinewill letyou keep up with the newest
developmentsin astronomyand equipment.
Partof the enjoymentof viewingastronomical objectss understandinga
i little about the
objectswe observe.Astronomy is partintellectualand partvisual.Knowing thatthe light
that you are seeingnow traveledfor tens ofmillions of years to reach you adds to the
excitement ofdetectingthat faintsmudge in the eyepiece .The humblingrealizationthat
we live on such a tinylittlespec k in just one cornerof theuniverse seems to make our
daily troubles fade incomparison. And yet,insignificantas we may seem, just the fact that
we can begin tounderstandour place in the cosmosis truly unique. Welcome to a special
crowd.
All NexStar telescopes share the same basic operation.Once you learn to use one model
of NexStar,you can use anymodel of NexStar - from thelittleNexStar 60 GT to the
sophisticatedNexStar 11 GPS. There arevariousoptionsfor theinitialalignmentof the
telescope,but they all rely on you to centertwo starsthatwe referto as "alignment
stars". After you havecenteredthe twoalignmentstarsthe telescope now hasworking a
model of the sky . You may then selectobjectsand thetelescopewill slew to them at the
press of abutton.
The simpleoperationof theNexStarsystemis one of itsgreatstrengths. To slew to
most objects,you press a catalogbutton, type in thenumberof theobject, and then
press the Enterb utton.For example,to GoTo theAndromedagalaxy (M3l), you would
press the Mbutton(Messier), type in" 031", and then press the Enter button.Simplicity
at its finest.
And that simplicitypays off for a new owner.orderedmy
I NexStar 80 GT inOctober
2000 and itexperiencedfirst light on 6Novemberafterless thanan hour for assembly
and familiarity. As describedin theIntroduction,it was a goodnightthatexceededmy
expectations . Even today,1 feel the NexStar 80 GT is one of the absolutebestbeginner
scopes on themarket,as well as the best value in the low-pricedGoTo market.
Anothercharacteristic sharedby the NexStar line is stability. Telescopes in under-
the
$400 range are typically suppliedwith tripodsthat shake and dance at the slightest touch
and take many secondsto come to a rest. And the typicalalt-azimuthor equatorial
mountson such entry-levelscopes are notoriouslydifficult to aim precisely at any point
in the sky. Such is not the case with the entry-levelNexStar models.Motion of the tele-
scope with thedirectionalb uttonsis smoothand thereis very little play in the mechan-
ics of the mounts. The suppliedor recommendedtripodsare wellmatchedfor the weight
of thevarious models.The advancedNexStar modelsare also verystable,and motion
controland tracking are even more precise . All models deadenvibrationin less then 2 or
3 seconds, most models almost immediately .
No one telescopecan meeteveryone'srequirementsn or the various desiresof the
morededicatedamateurastronomer . It is not uncommonfor the more afflicted among
us to own two or more telescopes! To meet variousneeds,Celestronhas builta wonder-
fully diverse line of NexStar telescopes, each with differentstrengthsand weaknesses.

The NexStar 60, 80,11 4,and 4comprisethe modelssometimes called the littl e NexStars.
They are all priced for those look
ing for their first scope or for tho
se looking for a second
,
smaller,more portable scope tocomplementa larger, more expen siveinstrument.They all
sharea simila rmechanicaldesign and the samecomputerizedh andcontrol.Their GoTo
accuracyis very good,but trackingis reallydesignedfor visual use only. In otherwords,
objects do not stay centered in the field of view for extendediods,and
per thus thesescopes
are limited in their
astrophotography capabilities.
Despite this weakness, they are wonderfullycapable of opening the night sky and
showingits manytreasures.If you thinkyou might beinterestedin astronomy,butyou
haven't yet made thejumpto atelescope , any of these models would be a good ywa to
start.
NexStar 60
The NexStar 60 wasinitially sold in two configu rations,the ST and GTmodels. Both
models includean adjustabletripod.The ST model had nomotorsand nohandcontrol.
Celestronintendedto sell themotors and computerizedhand controlas an owner-
installedoption,but they decided that the mechanical alignmentof themotorsand gears
requiredprecisionthatmost owners would not achieve and they nev er releasedthe
upgradekit. If you wereunfamiliar with thislimitation and purchasedthe STmodel, I
suggest you contact Cele stronand see if they will upgrade your telescope at their factory.
The GT model (Figure 3.1) is the onl y NexStar 60 currentlybeingsold. It featuresthe
optical tube of the cla ssic beginner's scope, a 60mmachromaticrefractor.The motor
drives andcomputerizedh andcontrolprovide full GoTo capability . After it slews (moves)
to an object, it tracks itautomatically
, following themovementof the sky due to the rota-
tion of the Earth.
Figure 3.1. NexStor

60 GT . Photo courtesy
Celestron.
Overview of the NexStar Line 49
As with all NexStars

except the 8111 GPS,
N ex Sta r 60 GT at a Glance power is supplied by 8
Optical system:a chromaticrefractor AA batteries.In the case
Approximatestreetprice: $250(includestripod) of the NexStar 60, the
Aperture:60 mm batteries are held in a
Focal length: 700 mm
small pouch that hangs
Focal ratio: fIl2
Suppliedeyepieces: 4rnrn (175x), from the ripod.
t AA bat -
10mm (70x), 20mm (35x): All are MA design teries don'tlast long and
Maximum magnification:120x are anexpensive way to
Maximum field of view: 2.5· operate the scope; see
Magnitudelimit: 10.5 Chapter 8 for power
Resolution limit: 2.3 arc
second supply suggestions.
Finder: I x powerred-dot
Objects in HCdatabase:4033
Due to the length of
Weight (includestripod): 9.51b (4.3 kg) the tube it is not always
possible to point at
objectshigh in the sky,
near to the zenith.The

telescope might make O ld Versus New GT Hand Control
contactwith atripodleg
The first thing you should do when you get any of the little
before it reaches its NexStars (the 60, 80, 114, and 4 models) is to insurethat youhave
target.For that reason, the secondversion of the GT computerized hand control.This
the GT hand controlhas can easily be confirmedrightafterapplying power- if you have
set as its default a Auto, Two-Star,and Quick alignment options,it is the new hand
maximum slew limit of control.Celestron released this updatedGT hand control in
65° altitude. In other December2001. Little NexSta rs man ufactu redprior to this have
severalproblems.Below is a list of h
t e main complaintsand their
words, it warns when
statusin the new hand control:
asked to GoTo anobject
at an angle above 65 ° • No official RS-232 s upport due to several pro ble ms such as
above thehorizon. You hand control lockup and inabilityto reportcoord inatesabove
12 hours Rig ht Ascension or negative Declina tio n- the new
can change the slew hand control includes the NexSta r GPS RS-232 protocol,
limits,but if the telescope exhibits no lockup problems, and accura te ly reports the
does contactthetripod, it currentcoordinatesof the telescope.Use of the GPS control
looses trackof where it si protocolmeansthat any PC/Mac/Pahn/PocketPC program that
pointed in the sky and works with the NexStar GPS models works with this new hand
you must perform the control.Many astronomyprogramsdo not supportthe old GT
initial alignmentagain. It hand control.
is possibleto overridethe • Won't save observation locat io ns ni the Easte rn
slew limits and GoTo an Hemisphere - fixed.
object when the scope • Won' t save backlash settings - fixed.
will land betweentwo of • Cordwrap featurenot functional - still not included,but at
the tripod legs; see least it has bee
n removedfrom the men usto preventconfusion
about its lack of opera tion.
Chapter 5 for more
• Occasionallockups and runaway slews - fixed.
details.
• Very touchy keypad that often leads to double key
An apertureof 60 mm
entries- fixed.
does have severe limits
• Light Control featurenot functional - fixed.
regarding what can be
• Tracking Rate defaults to Solar - fixed, the defau lt is now
seen.On nights withgood
Sidereal.
transparenc y and seeing
• Error in thecoordi natesof M2, M I 0, and M i lO - fixed.
you can expect wonderful
views of the Moon,
Jupiter'stwo mainbands
Old VersusNew GT HandControl (continued) and four moons, and
Saturn's rings will
Severaladditional features we re addedto the newhand controlas
well:
display as a single
distinct ring. Note that
• Two-Star and Qu ick A lign alignment modes - the original thehighestuseablemag-
hand control only has Auto Align. nificationis about120x,
• A ll alignmentmethods havebeenimprovedas the scopenow which leads to very tiny
perma nentlysto ressetup informat ionsuch as observi ng loca- images of even these
tion and time zone.
large planets. You will
• User-definable slew limits have been added to set the
maximu m and minimum altit ude(angle above the ho ri zon )
rarely see any features on
that the scopeshou ld be allowedto move to. You are able to Mars through the N60.
override the limits you set, but they prove to be valuab lein Venus will show its
preventi ngthetelescope frommakingcontactwith the tripod. phases, similar to our
• User-defina blefilter limits have bee n addedto limi t the object view of the Moon.
catalogs to only those objectswit hin your minimu m and Colorful doublestarsare
maximu m altitudeboundaries. a treatin the N60, as are
• Faster slewing to objectsduring a GoTo. When a NexStar tele- bright open clusters.
scope slewsto an object,it first moves atthe fastest ra teuntil it Most nebulaeand galax-
gets near the object.Then it slows to a crawl for the final
approac h. Wi th the new GT hand contro lthe fast slew gets
ies arebeyondthe reach
closer to the objectand the slower fin al approach is sho rter. of this scope, although
• Ma nua lslewing with the arrow keys is mo rerespon sive asthe the brighterones can be
new han d contro l applies backlas h compensatio n inor e easily detectedat adark
smoothly. site away from all light
pollution.
The upgrade d hand con trol is quite an improvement on an
alrea dygood prod uct. Ifyou receive a NexStar telesco pe with the The suppliedeyepieces
old version (theeasies t et st is tolook for the Two Sta ralign me nt are thistelescope'sgreat-
optio n rightafter power ing up), cont act Celestro nvia Tech nical est weakness; refer to
Suppo rtat their web site (www.celes tro n.c o m)o tsee about a Chapter8 for recommen-
replacement. dationson replacements.
The 4mm is nearly
useless; itprovidesmuch
too high magnification
thatwill bejustbarely useful when viewing the Moon. The IOmm is OK to get youstarted
at areasonablemagnificationfor your first views of the Moon and planetsas well as many
double stars. The 20mm provides a nice wide field for open clusters and your attempts
first
at thosebrightergalaxies and nebulae.
Perhapsthe bestreasonfor purchasinga NexStar 60 GT is the lowpricecoupledwith
thepotentialfor replacingthe 60mmopticaltubeassembly(OTA) with a larger, higher-
qualityOTA. The mounton the NexStar 60 GT isidenticalto the NexStar 80 GT andboth
can make use of the Baader Bracket (see Chapter13) to provide GoToperformancefor any
small OTA.
In all, you get a lot offunctionalityfor relatively little money when you buy a NexStar 60
GT, but Idon'treallyrecommendit for most. If you save just a little longer you can afford
the NexStar 80 GT, which considerto
I be a muchbetterbuy.
NexStar 80
The NexStar 80 was alsooriginallyoffered in twoconfigurations,the HCandGT models.
The HC model was fullymotorized,but the electronichandcontrolwas fully manual. This
Figure 3.2. NexStor

80 GT. Photo courtesy
Celestron.
allows you topointthe scope anywhere de sired and manuallytrack objects using the four
directionalarrowbuttons.The HC model can beupdatedby purchasingtheoptionalcom-
puterizedGT handcontrol,Celestronpartnumber93961. At the time of this writingit is
available forabout$80 atAstronomies(http://www.astronom ics.com)and othervendors
stockit as well. Due to potentialdifficultieslocatinga GT handcontrol,and the added
expense of buy ing things separately, isit best to avoid the HC model should you happento
find one available.
As it turnsout, most of the NexStar 80s sold were eitherthe GT model (Figure 3.2), with
a computerizedh andcontrol, or the HC modelbundledwith the GThandcontroloption.
Both modelsincludean adjustabletripod. As mentionedin theChapter1,the NexStar 80
GT was my first NexStar telescope and 1certainly have a sweet spot for this wonderful little
scope.
Power issuppliedby 8 AA batteriesin a smallpouchthathangs from thetripod.See
Chapter8 for power supplysuggestionsthatwon't tax your pocketbook,as you will go
through AA batteriesat
an alarmingrate.
As with the NexStar 60, NexStar 80 GT at a Glance
the length of the tube can
Opticalsystem: achromaticrefractor
interferewith theability
Approximatestreetprice: $350 (includestripod)
to pointat objects high in Aperture:80 rnm
the sky near the zenith. Focal length:400 mm
Refer to Chapter 5 for Focal ratio: f/5
techniques in dealing Suppliedeyepieces: 10 rnm SMA (40 x), 25 rnrn SMA (l6x)
with thissituationby uti- Maximum magnification:160x
lizing Slew Limits. Maximum field of view: 4.4°
Magnitudelimit: 11.3
The opticaltubeis the Resolutionlimit: 1.8 arcsecond
very popular short-tube Finder: I x power red-dot
80mm achromaticrefrac- Objects inHe database:4033
torimportedfrom China Weight (includestripod):l l lb (5 kg)
under many different
brandnames. The 80mm

aperturegathersalmost Tasco StarGuide Telescopes
80% more light than the
In 1998, TascopurchasedCelestronand it ispresumedthey pro-
NexStar 60. This brings vided most of thefunding for thedevelopmentof the NexStar
more faint objects into line. A seriesof models from Tasco known as StarGuidewere
view. Many more galaxies releasedabout the same time as the littleNexStars. They are
and nebulaeare visible in virtual clones of the little NexStar scopes except for two
ings.th
the NexStar 80 than the First, thehand controlhas only about 1800 objectsas com-
60. The added aperture paredto themorethan4000 in thelittleNexStars.This is not a
terriblyimportantissue,since you can still godirectlyto any
also providesmore detail
object byenteringits rightascensionand declination.
on objects.You will be Second,the handcontrolis the same as the o riginalGT hand
able to see smaller craters controland exhibits all the problemsdescribedin thesidebar Old
andotherfeatureson the versus New GT Hand Control.Tasco did not upgradetheir hand
Moon. On very clearand contro l,but the Tasco telescopes arecompatiblewith the NexSta r
steadynightsyou will see GT hand controls. You can upgradeyour StarGuide scope by pu r-
substantiallymoredetail chasingthe NexStar GT han d contro lseparately,although they
aregetti ng hard to find.
on Jupiter,although it Tasco has since gone out of business and Celestro n si now a
will still bemostlyjusta privat ely owned compa ny once mor e, but Celestro n did not
cream-coloreddisk with inheritresponsibilityfor the StarGuideline.
two or threedarkbands.
On the verybest nights
from adarklocationyou
can makeout the Cassini division on theextremitiesof Saturn's rings. Prior to thedust
storm thatcoveredMars in 2001, I was easily able to makeout dark featureson the
surface.
The suppliedeyepieces will get you s tarted,but again they are the weakest components
of thescope. With the short400mm focallengthof theNexStar80, the lOmmeyepiece
resultsin a magnificationof only 40x. At a minimum you will want a Barlow lens to
increasethe magnificationto 80x when using the 10mmeyepiece.Eventuallyyou will
definitelywant ashorterfocal length eyepiece to increasethe magnificationat or near the
theoreticalm aximumof 160x. 1 find thatthe scope is fully capableof supporting this
magnification.This providesnice views of the Moon andplanets. Refer toChapter8 for
recommendations on additionaleyepieces.
The greatests trengthof the NexStar 80 is the wide-field view s it delivers with its short
focal length. Using thesupplied2Smm eyepiece results in a true field of view of more than
3°.This allows you to take in the entireAndromedaGalaxy (M31), the Pleiades (M4S), all
of the GreatOrion Nebula (M42), and otherof the most spectaculardeep skyobjects.
Touring aroundthe many treasuresin theconstellationSagittarius- the centerof our
galaxy - is truly a delight. With a 40mm eyepiece you can view nearly 4.5",rivaling the field
of view in manybinoculars.
But thatsameshortfocal lengthand the NexStar80's achromaticdesign lead to false
color onbrightobjects such as the Moon, Jupiter,and Venus. It also makes itnecessaryto
use ashort,Smm eyepieceanda Barlow lens inorderto reach itstheoreticalmagnification
limitof 160x. Nonetheless,it is a very goodperformer,quiteportableand my best recom-
mendationfor beginnerson a tightbudget.
NexStar 4
The NexStar4 with itsMaksutov-Cassegrainopticaltubeis the most portableof all the
NexStarline. It includesthe GTcomputerizedhandcontrolstowed in its single fork arm
(Figure3.3). The basic model does not
includea tripod,but can be usedwithoutwhen set
Figure 3.3. NexStar

4 GT. Photo courtesy
Celestron.
on any flat surface. The NexStar 4occasionally

is sold in abundlewith a" wedge-pod" - a
tripodwith anequatorialwedgebuilt into the head- which I would recommendmost
buyersto seriouslyconsider.Power issuppliedby 8 AA batteriesheld in the base of the
telescope or any external 12-volt power source.
While all othercompoundtelescopes sold by Celestron - theSchmidt-Cassegrains- are
made in their factory in California, the NexStar 4, like otherlittle
the NexStars, is manufac-
turedin China. Quality of these scopes has been quite good, althoughsome of the earliest
NexStar 4s to reachownershad aproblemwith amisplacedsecondarybaffle; refer to
Chapter14 for details.
The NexStar 4 is a great
performer.Its 4 inch aper- NexStar 4 GT at a Glance
ture allows it to pull in21
Optical system:Maks utov-Cassegrain
times more lightt hanthe
A pp roxi ma testree t p
r ice: $500 n
( o tripod )
NexStar 60, allowing it to Aperture:4 inches(102 mm)
see a full magnitude Focal length: 1325 mm
deeper into space. Its long Focal ratio: fl13
focal length means higher Supplied eyepiece:25 mm SM A (53 x)
magnifications with Maxim um magnification:200x
longer, morecomfortable Maxi mu m fieldof view: 1.3°
Mag nitude limit:11.7
eyepieces. It is a great Resolutio n limit: .4 1 arc second
little scope for the Moon Finde r:I x powerred -dot
and planets. The amount Objects in HC database: 4033
of detail seen on the Weight (no tripod ): II lb (5 kg)
Moon can occupy your
viewing for severalnightseach month. On steadynightsJupitershows slightdetailin its

bands- occasionallyyou will detectthe Great Red Spot - and the Cassini Division in
Saturn'srings is an easytargetunderdarkskies. On favorable passes, studiesof Mars will
reveal subtle details not seen in the smaller NexStar 80. Deep sky objects also provide good
views in theNexStar 4, especiallycompactopen clusters,planetarynebulae,and the
brighterglobularclusters.
The longerfocal lengthand high focalratiodo havesomedrawbacks.The maximum
field of view with the NexStar 4 is just 2t
1.30,or about times the size of the full Moon. And
the fl13 focal ratiomeanslong exposuresif you try anyprimefocus astrophotography.
But, for visual use, the NexStar 4 is a true joy, even with
limitations.
its
The NexStar 4sportsone featurespecificallydesignedfor astrophotography, a porton
the backof thescopefor attachinga cameraat primefocus. This is incorporatedwith a
built-in"flip mirror" diagonalthat allows you to more easilycenterand focus an object in
the eyepiece, then flip the
mirrorto pass the image t hroughto thecamera.SeeChapter11
for more details on astrophotography.
NexStar 114
The NexStar 114 is the largest
apertureof Celestron'sentry-level GoTo scopes. In fact, con-
sideringthat thecentralo bstruction(secondarymirror)is proportionallysmallerthan the
SCT design, the NexStar 114 gathersalmost as much light as the NexStar 5 andjustone-
at
thirdthe cost. So whydoesn'tthe 114eliminatethemarketfor the NexStar 5? Theanswer
is multifaceted,
but lies largely in the much
higheropticalqualityand thegreaterportabil-
ity of the NexStar 5.
Figure 3.4. NexStar

1 14 GT. Photo courtesy
Celeslron.
Overview of the NexStar Line ss
Like its smaller
sibling, the NexStar 80, NexStar 114 GT at a Glance
the NexStar 114 was
originallysold in an HC Optical system:Newtonianreflector
anda GT model.The HC Approximatestreetprice: $440(includestripod)
Aperture:4t inches(114 mm)
model, motorized with
Focal length: 1000 mm
manual hand control, Focal ratio: f/8.8
could be upgraded by Suppliedeyepiece: 10 mm SMA(lOOx), 25 mm SMA (40x)
purchasingan optional Maximum magnification:225x
computerizedGT hand Maximum field of view: 1.75·
control, but these are Magnitudelimit: 12
increasinglyhardto find. Resolutionlimit: 1.2 arcsecond
Finder: Ix powerred-dot
Both models include
Objects inHe database:4033
an adjustable tripod. Weight (includestripod):15.51b(7kg)
Currently you should
only find the NexStar 114
GT (Figure 3.4) available. Ap ouchwith 8 AA batterieshangs from thetripodto supplythe
requiredpower,or abetteralternativeis an external12-volt powersourcesuch asthose
suggestedin Chapter8. And like the NexStars 60 and 80, the tube of the 114 can also make
contactwith atripodleg. Refer toChapter5 for tips to deal with this limitationby using
Slew Limits.
The NexStar 114is ashort-tubeNewtonian reflector with a spherical mirror.The mirror's
actual focal length is quite
short,but acorrectorlens is used at the eyepiece portto lengthen
it to 1000mm. Whileprovidinga reasonablylong focallength,unfortunately t hatlens can
also lead to muchfrustrationfor new telescope owners . It seriously complicatesthe process
of collimation. Collimation is the process of precisely aligning (collimating) all of the optical
componentsto insure the focal plane of the telescope arrives perfectly aligned with the focal
plane of the eyepiece. We will discuss collimation in Chapter 9.
The 4!-inch aperturebrings many deepsky objects(DSOs) into view. Hundredsof
galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae are within reach of the NexStar . The114
brighter,show-
case DSOs, such as the Ring (M57) andDumbbell(M27) nebulae,the GreatOrion Nebula
(M42), and theAndromedaGalaxy (M31), willdisplaywonderfulamountsof detailunder
dark,clearskies. You will be able toresolvesomestarson thebrighterglobularclusters
like M13 and M22. The NexStar 114 is a great beginner'sscope for DSOs.
With a well-collimatedNexStar 114,expectsome very excitingplanetaryand lunar
views throughtheeyepiece. Endless craters,rills, and mountainrangesawait you on the
Moon . Nights of steadyseeingand 200xmagnificationwill bring outsome detailsin the
two prominentbandson Jupiter,occasionalviews of the Great Red Spot, and also a clear
look at athirdband. Similar conditionswill show Saturnas agoldencolorwith aclearly
defined Cassini Division in the rings.
The eyepiecessuppliedare budgetSMA modelsthatwill get youstarted,b utyou will
gain much byupgrading.Additionally,a Barlow lens will be of good use with the NexStar
114. SeeChapter8 for eyepiecerecommendations .
The remainingNexStar modelsare pricedconsiderablyhigherandappealto morecom-

mittedamateurastronomers,or at leastthosewilling toconsidera higherbudget.All of
theremainingmodels feature Celestron 's excellentSchmidt-Cassegrainoptical design and

are made in the Celestron factory in California.Schmidt-Cassegraintelescopes (SCTs) are
wonderfullyversatile andcompactfor any givenaperture.All of Celestron'sSCTs include
hand-figuredoptics - thesecondarymirroris groundto its final shape by h and,allowing
very high opticalqualityin the finalp roduct.Additionally,themirrorsare surfacedwith
Celestron'sStarbrightcoatings- a specialfive-stepmulti-layerprocessthatresultsin
extremely high reflectivity
.The correctorplate - the lens on the frontsportshigh-quality
-
m ulti-coatingson thefrontandbacksurfaces.The opticsin theNexStar
anti-reflective
SCTs have been universally praised in review after review
.
NexStar 5 and 8
As discussedin the firstchapter,these are theg randdaddiesof all NexStars.Recently
replacedby the NexStar Si/8i models
, the NexStar 5 and 8 are a very good buy as they are
Figure 3.5. Ne xStor

5 . Photo courtesy
Celestron .
available at closeout
prices or on the used
market. The NexStar 5 NexStar 5 at a Glance
(Figure 3.5) issometimes Optical system:S chmidt-Cassegraincatadioptric
offered with a tripod, Approximatestreetprice when new: $1050 (includestripod)
sometimeswithout.The Aperture:5 inches (127 mm)
NexStar8 (Figure 3.6) is Focal length: 1250 mm
generally offered with Focal ratio:fl10
a tripod. Both include Supplied eyepiece: 25 mm Plossl (SO x)
Maximum magnification:250x
a computerized hand
Maximum field of view: 1.4°
control with an 18 000- Magnitudelimit: 12.3
objectdatabase. Resolutionlimit: 1.1 arc second
The NexStar 5 and 8 Finder: lx power red-dot
were designedprimarily Objects in HCdatabase:18000
as visual usescopes and Weight (notripod):17.61b(8kg)
were not intended for
astrophotography. Limitedastrophotography is possible,butmanualguiding is required
and themediocretrackingaccuracy of the NexStar 5 and 8 can make this very tedious. The
new NexStar 5i and 8i were improvedto overcomethis limitation.
The NexStar 5 and 8, asm entionedin theintroduction,b othuse the sameone-armfork
mount.It is a very stableplatformand makes for thelightest,most portable5- and 8-inch
GoTo scopes on themarket.These are truly "grab and go" telescopes with ample aperture,
greatoptics,andaccurateGoTo capability.If what you arelooking for is the lowest price
for stunningviews in ascope thatyou can set up inminutes,you can'tgo wrong with
eitherof these scopes.
Figure 3.6. NexStar

8 . Photo courtesy
Celestron.
Power is supplied
eitherby 8 AA batteries
that store in the top of the NexStar 8 at a Glance
base, or any 12-volt
Optical system: Schm idt-Cassegrain catadioptric
power source. Both Approximatestreetpricewhen new: $1300 (includes tripod )
scopescan be used set on Aperture:8 inches (203 mm)
a flat, stable surface or Focal length :2032 mm
mountedon a tripod. I Focal ratio:tn 0
recommendthetripodfor Suppliedeyepiece: 40mm Plossl (Si x)
addedstabilityand secu- Maxi mum magnification:400x
Maxi mum field of view: 0.9
0
rity, butwithouta tripod Magn itudelimit: 13.3

the NexStar 5 fits in a Resolutionlimit: 0.7 arc second
backpackand can accom - Finder: Ix powerred-dot
pany you on treks into Objectsin HC database: 18000
the wilderness.The eye- W eight(no tripod):221b(10 kg)
piecesuppliedis of good
quality,butyou will definitelybe purchasingadditionalones toexploitthepotentialof
these telescopes.
Planetaryviews areoutstanding;s teadyseeingwill show wonderfuldetailon Jupiter,
Saturn,and Mars. Even with the NexStar 5, you will see the ever -changingfestoons,ovals,
and otherdetailsin Jupiter's bands. With the NexStar 8, the a mountof detailwill be
limitedonly by seeingconditions.The Great Red Spot andmoon/shadowtransitswill also
be atreat.S aturnwill show off the Cassini Divisionandon exceptionalnightsthe Crepe
ring will be visible. In the NexStar 8 you will be able to sightb ands on Saturn's disk.
Favorablepassesof Mars will show surfacemarkingsand the polarcaps. Naturally,the
Moon will not disappointeither.
The NexStar 5 will show youhundredsof Deep Sky Objects anddetailin many. Spiral
arms in galaxies,resolvedstarsin globularclusters,c ontoursin gaseousnebula- all are
visible on clear, dark nights
. But many say that the deep sky really starts gettinginteresting
in an 8-inch scope. If DSOs are your favoritetarget,seriouslyconsiderthe NexStar 8,
which hasenoughapertureto show much fainter objects, GoTo technologyto put them in
the field of view,and Celestron's outstandingoptics- all at a pricewithinreach of the
serious amateurastronomer .
NexStar 5i and 8i
The NexStar 5iand 8i are Celestron'supdatedversionsof theoriginalNexStar 5and 8.
Optically and mechanicallythey are the same; the improvementsare mostly in the
electronics.
The differences are significant. First, the 5i (Figure
.7)and
3 8i (Figure 3.8) are
m odular
in design. Unlike all othercurrentNexStars, the basic model does not include computer
a -
ized handcontrol.Insteadthey aresuppliedwith a basic, electronichand controlthat
simply allows directionalcontrolof the motorizedmount.Even with the basichand
control,the mountis capableof trackingthe sky atsiderealrate when thetelescopeis
mountedon an equatorialwedge. Theoptional$150 computerizedhand control is
Celestron partn umber93962 and allows GoTo andautomatictracking of the moving sky.
The newmountnow has twoportson the base . The first is the Auto Guide port for con-
nectinga CCD autoguider.With the scopetrackingin siderealrate on a wedge (with the
standardelectronichandcontrolor theoptionalcomputerizedhandcontrol),an autogu-
ider allows the scope to c orrectautomaticallyfor trackingimperfectionsd uring long-
Figure 3.7. NexStor

5 i. Photo courtesy
Celestron.
exposureastrophotography. While the NexStar 5i and 8i are not the st moprecisemounts,

this does allow for relatively
inexpensiveentryinto astrophotography .
The secondportis labeled AUX(Auxiliary).Thisis a more general-purposeconnection,
butthe only devicecurrentlyon themarketto takeadvantageof it isCelestron'sCN-16
GPS module (Figure 3.9). The $200 CN-16 module,Celestronpartnumber93963, includes
a GPS receiver,electroniclevelingsensor,and electroniccompass.These threetools
greatlysimplifythe initialalignmentby providingall thenecessaryinformationfor the
telescope to locate the tworequiredalignmentstars.
However,you mustof
coursehave thecomput-
erized hand control to NexStar Si at a Glance
make use ofalignment
and GoTo technology. Approximatestreet price: 5900 (no tripod)
Objects in optional computerizedHC database: 40000
The optional$150 com-
Othe rspecificationssame as NexStar5 above
puterizedhand control
for the 5i/8i is the
r esult
of the evolution of the
NexStar system from the NexStar 8i at a Glance
initial NexStar 5 on up to Approximatestreetprice:Sl.200(no tripod)
the NexStar 8/11 GPS Objects in optional computerizedHC database:40000
models. It includes all Otherspecificationssame as NexStar 8 above
the features Celestron
Figure 3.8. NexStar

B i. Photo courtesy
Celestron.
has developedto date. W e will cover those eatur

f es in laterchapters,but hereare some of
the more exciting:
• Polaralignment(insuring the wedge is properly alignedwith theNorth or South celes-
tial pole)is extremelysimplified. No more needfor a "sight tube" or polar alignment
finder on the wedge.
• Auto Alignmentis now availablewhen mounted on a wedge. This allows the scope to
locatethe twoalignmentstarsautomatically, while previousNexStar models required
you tomanuallylocatealignmentstars when using a wedge .
• TheHibernate featureallows you to poweroff thescopeand yet the staralignmentis
preserved.When you power up again , you can immediatel y resumeobserving. This is
usefulfor telescopespermanentlymountedin an observatory;you may notneedto
realign for weeks! Another use is observing planets in daylight. Align at night
, hibernate
the scope, then go out the next day foraccurateGoTo performancein the daylight.
• Slew and Filterlimits,as describedpreviously for the new GThandcontrolfor the ittle l
NexStars, are now available.
These new features are a significantimprovementin the usability and"friendliness" and
the NexStar 5i and 8i are still the most
portableGoTo scopes intheirclass. Either model is
highly recommended .
Figure 3 .9. CN·16

GPS Modu le. Photocour-
tesyCeleslron.
NexStar 8 GPS and 11 GPS

And finally, we arrive at the flagships of Ce lestron's NexStar line: the 8/11 GPS
(Figures 3.10 and .11).Optically,
3 the NexStar 8 GPS is identicalto the NexStar 8,provid-
ing the same visualp erformanceas describedfor the NexStar 8earlier.The opticsof the
NexStar 11 are exquisite,consistentlybeingdescribedby owners and reviewers as the best
optics they have seen in mass-producedSchmidt-Cassegraintelescopes .
If, as mentionedearlier,the deep skystartsto getinterestingin an 8-inchscope,it is
downrightexcitingin an ll-inch.The extra light grasp of the NexStar 11 brings thousands
of additionaldeep skyobjectsinto view. From dark,clear skies you will seeincredible
detail on galaxies,nebulaeand starclusters. Even in light-pollutedurbanskies,globular
clustersbring a "wow" to my lips timeaftertime.Textureand dark lanes arereadily
apparenton many galaxy
and nebula.If the deep
sky thrillsyou, this is the NexStar 8 GPS at a Glance
NexStar you want.
And planetary detail Optical system:S chmidt-Cassegraincatadioptric
Approximatestreetprice: $2500 (includestripod)
will impress as well. A
Aperture:8 inches (203 mm)
well-collimatedNexStar 8 Focal length: 2032 mm
or 11 will show you as Focal ratio:fllO
much detail andcontrast Suppliedeyepiece: 40 mm Plossl (Si X)
as the seeingconditions Maximum magnification:400x
will allow. Jupiter will Maximum field of view: 0.9'
Magnitudelimit: 13.3
show great detail and
Resolutionlimit: 0.7 arcsecond
color in its many bands. Finder: 9x50 straightthrough
The Great Red Spot shows Objects in HCdatabase:40000
a clear borderfrom the Weight (no tripod):421b (19 kg)
South Equatorial Belt. Tripod weight: 261b (11.8 kg)
Moon and shadow tran-
Figure 3.10. NexStar

8 GPS . Photo courtesy
Celestron.
sits acrossJupiterare easily visible.Saturn shows clearbandingas well as the Cassini

Division and the Crepe ring. Saturn'sshadowon its rings is easily visible; even the faint
shadowof the rings on theplanetdisk is visible onexceptionalnights. The fivebrighter
moonsof Saturnarereadilyvisible in the NexStar 11. Mars will delight with easily visible
detail and color as well the polar icecaps.
Unlike all otherNexStars, the NexStar8111 GPS modelssportmoretraditional,two-
armedfork mounts.These scopes were b uiltfor extremestabilityand astrophotography.
Both axes areworm-driven,S.6-inchbronzegears. Thecriticalrightascensionaxis rides
on a large,stable9.S-inch rollerbearingtrack.Power issuppliedvia an external12-volt
power supply - thereis no internalbatteryoption. The power supply plugs into the
Figure 3.11. Nex Star

11 G PS . Photo courte
sy
C elestron.
stationarysection of the base and an

internalslip-ring provides power to the hand control
,
internalelectronics,and motors. This resultsin no power cable to tangle as the scope
is
moving from object to object. In fact, all models of NexStar allow
unlimitedrevolution
for
in theazimuth/RAaxis, as there is nointernalh ardstop. Both scopes come with a heavy-
dutyadjustabletripodand also includevibrationsuppressionpads usedunderthetripod
to dampenvibrations.
Another innovation for astrophotographyis the carbon fiber tube material.
Schmidt-Cassegrainscopes are verysensitiveto small changes in focus. The folded light
path makes every movementof theprimarymirror- used to focus SCTs - theequivalent
of five times as muchmovementin a refractor.This doesn'tcause aproblemwhen we are
using the scope visually, but
duringa long photographicexposure,theambienttempera -
turecan cause theopticaltube tocontractand throwoff the focus.Carbon fiber has an
expansion/contraction factor ofone-fourththatof traditionala luminumtubes,largely
eliminatingthis problem.
Both models have adedicatedautoguiderport, allowing a CCDautoguiderto keep the
scope precisely centered on an object during a long-exposure photograph. Both also provide
PermanentPeriodic Error
Correction (PPEC) to NexStar 11 GPS at a Glance
smooth out any small
Optical system: Schmidt-Cassegrain catadio ptric
errorsin theright ascen-
App rox imatestreetprice: $3000 (includes tripod)
sion worm gear drive. Aperture: I inches(279 mm)
The NexStar 8 GPS and Focallength: 2800 mm
11 GPS bothalso feature Focal ratio:fl iO
Celestron'sFastar optical Suppliedeyepiece: 40 mm Plossl (70x)
system.With the Fastar Maximum magnification:550x
system you are able to Maximum field of view: 0.60
Magnitude limit: 14
remove the secondary Resolutionlimit: 0.5 arcs econd
mirror assembly and Finder:9x50 straight through
replaceit with a lensand Objects in HCdatabase : 40000
CCD camera.The focal Weight (notripod):65lb (29.5kg)
ratioin Fastarconfigura- Tripod weight: 26lb 1( 1.8kg)
tion is f/2, allowing

GPS Firmware Versions reduced exposure times -
The NexStar GPS scopes all have two set
s of processors. There are
justis the timerequired
processorsin thehandcontrol(HC) and there are processors in to image at the eyep iece
the baseof the scope in a sectionknown as the motor control port. This also allows you
(MC). The programsthat these processorsuse to do ht eirjobs are to use a smaller CCD
called fir mware.In the GPSscopes therehave been severa l ver- chip toprovidethe same
sions ofboth. area of sky coverage.
Cameras with smaller
CCD chips are less
MC Versions expensive than their
1.0 - Shippedon ly in the original NexStar I I GPS. T his version
had some problemswith smoothtracking and should definit ely largercounterparts .
be upgraded . The most detrimentalproblem is a vibration tha t And thenthereare the
affects high magnificatio n views andastrophotography. featuresthat give these
scopes their name. The
2.0 - Ship ped for a short whi le in both the NexStar 8 GPS and
I I GPS. This version overcameproblems with tracking, butthere NexStar 8111 GPS tele-
were stillsome probl em s with vibrationin some telesco pes. scopes have a built-in
GPS module, downstop
3.0 - Shippedwith many NexStar8 GPS and II GPS scopes. This
switch (for detecting
version is cha racterize d ybthe" bee in a can" tracking sound that
solved the vibration ssue.
i It does notsupportsome of the newest
level), and electronic
featuressuch as cordwrapprevention and advancedcontrol via a compass. The GPS
Personal Computer. module links with
4.1 - This versionfeatures silent,accuratetrackingand sup po rt
the Global Positioning
for all the latest NexStar features. It also improvesthe encoder System satellites to deter-
resolution to 0.112arc second. mine the precise time
and location (longitude
4.3 - The cur rentversionat the time of this writing. Incor por ates
a slightly improvedtracking algorith mthat elimi na tesa slight and latitude). Origin-
hop seenin some scopes. ally the NexStar 8/11
GPS shipped with a
12-channelGPS module,
HC Versions but it now comes with a
1.2 - Shipped with original NexStar 8 GPS and I I GPS s copes. 16-channelmodule. The
Several featureshave since been added, and if you have this new CN-16 GPS module
version you shou ld definitelyupgrade. for theNexStarSi and 8i
is a 16-channelm odelas
Overview of the NexStar Line 6S
well. In practice, this

GPS Firmware Versions(continued) provides no additional
advantage, as each
1.6- The updatedhandcontrolwith allfeaturesdescribedin this channel is capable of
book. Shippedwith NexStar 8 GPS and 11 GPSscopes.
linking with just one
2.2- A minor upgradethatincludessupportfor the NexStar Sil8i
and a slightly moreaccurateWedge Align routine. satellite at a time. To
determineprecise time
only requires a link to
one satellite, to deter-
Determining Versions mine precise longitude
With handcontrolversion 1.6 or higher, you will find aVersion
and latitudeonly requires
optionon the Utilitymenu.See Chapter5 for moredetails.With
handcontrolversion 1.2,thingsare alittlemorecomplicatedas linking to threesatellites
.
thereis no Version command.Basically,if thereis no Version Additional channels and
commandon the Utility menu, you need an upgradedhand satellitesallow fordeter-
control.Customersin theUnitedStatesshouldcontactCelestron miningaltitudeabove sea
via TechnicalSupport at theirweb site - www.celestron.com . level, which is of no prac-
Customersin othercountriesshould first contacttheirCelestron
tical use inalignmentof
dealer.
the telescope.
The downstop switch is
used topositionthe tele -
scope at apositionperpendicularto the azimuthaxis in orderto providea startingpoint
for theencodersystem thatprovidesGoTo positioning.The downstopswitchis also used
to positionthe telescope parallel to the fork arms when performinga wedge alignment.
The electroniccompasspointsthe telescope at magneticnorth.This varies by differing
amountsat variouslocationson Earth, so thelatestversion of the NexStar 8/11 GPS hand
controlincludes aroutineto calculate and store the offset for future se.Pointingnorthis
u
requiredfor the tele scope to pointautomaticallyat the twostarsduringtheinitialalign-
mentprocedure . Combined,the GPS, downstopswitch, andelectroniccompassallow you
to turnon the scopeand, fasterthanyou canset outyour eyepieces, it will be waiting for
you to center the firstalignmentstar.
If it seemsthattheNexStar8 GPS and 11 GPS are made for you, do take intoaccount
theirsubstantialweight. After several trips carrying my NexStar 11 up and down a flight of
stairs in my home sI ometimesconsiderit to be exercise equipmentr atherthan astronom-
icalequipment!
CGE Series
Although Celestrondoes notbill the CGEseriesas NexStar telescopes,they do use the
NexStar computerizedh andcontrolto provideGoTo performance, so I will discuss them
here. The CGE series consistsof four differentmodels,all featuringSchmidt-Cassegrain
optical tubes
. Celestron offers the CGEin 8-, 9.25-
,11-,and 14-inch apertures ,with model
numbersof CGE800, 925, 1100,and 1400.
Unlike the NexStars, CGEscopesare notprovidedon a forkmount,but are basedrather
on a Germanequatorialm ount(GEM). The CGE GoTo mountis also soldseparately,for
about $3000, allowing freedom to choo se the optical tube mostsuitedto your needs. GEM
mountsare moreportablethantwin fork scopesand providebetterbalanceand more
accuratetrackingfor extremelyhigh-performance a strophotography.
The opticaltubecan be easilyremovedfrom themountfor transport,a featurenot
found in fork-mountedscopes. This allows the CGE 1400(Figure 3.12) to be themost
Figure 3.12. CGE

1400. Photo courtesy
Celestron.
portable 14-inch GoTo scopeever produced.And the German EQ mountis equally at

home permanentlyhousedin an observatory.
The 14-inch optical tube makes many faint deep sky objects positivelybright.Globular
clusters,nebulae, and galaxies will
show incredibledetail, as will the Moonand planets. Be
carefulabouttakinga look throughthe CGE 1400- youmightnotbe able to go back to
your old telescope!Perhaps the only things that willt emperyour enthusiasm are the price
andweight. While the CGE 1400 isportable,you won'tlikely fitit intoa midsize car and
setup is bestexecutedby two persons.And the price is definitelyin the range ofserious
commitment.
The 8- and l l-inch models sharethe same optical tube as the NexStar 8 GPSand 11 GPS
and performas previouslydescribed.Celestron's 9.25-inch is a unique design in SCTs with
a slightlydifferentgeometry. Many who havelookedthroughit considerit the finest SCT
on themarket,particularly for viewing planets. With light-gatheringability increasedover
the 8-inch models,

slightlyfainterobjectsare
CGE Series at a Glance within reach. Also, a
CGE800 CGE925 CGE 1100 CGE 1400 slightly improvedresolv-
Cost 53500 53800 54150 55800
Aperture 8"(203 mm) 9.25" (235 mm) II" (279 mm) 14" (355.6 mm)
ing capability is realized.
Focallength 2032 mm 2350 mm 2800 mm 3910mm Celestronhas included
Focalratio fllO f/lO fllO fill a host of features designed
Eyepiece 2Smm Plossl 25 mm Plossl 40 mm Pless! 40 rnrn,2" barrel
Max.
withseriousastrophotog-
magnification 400x 470x 550x 7 lOx raphy in mind. Themount
Max. FOY 0.9" 0
0.74 0
0.6 0
0.56 includesautoguidecapa-
Magnitude
limit 13.3 13.5 14 14.6 bility and Permanent
Resolution Periodic Error Correction,
limit 0.7 arcsec 0.6 arcsec 0.5 arcsec 0.4 arcsec
as described above for
Finder 6x30 6x30 9x50 9x50
Optical tube Carbon fiber Aluminum Carbonfiber Aluminum the NexStar 8 GPS and
Fastar Yes No Yes Yes 11 GPS. The drive gears
Optical lube
weight 12.5Ib(S.7kg) 20 Ib (9.1 kg) 27.5 lb (12.5kg)4Slb (20.5 kg)
arelarge-diameter worm-
Equatorial driven gears for low peri-
mount weight 421b (19.1kg) odic error and smooth,
Tripod weight 41.5lb(18.9 kg)
responsive tracking and
guiding. The opticaltube
of the 8-, 11-,and 14-inch models features Celestron'sFastaroptionto allow faster CCD
imaging at f/2 focal ratio. The opti cal tube on the 8- and -inch Ll models is constructedof
carbon fiber for improved thermal expan sion characteristics. We should expect the .25-and
9
14-inch models to be upgraded to carbon fiber in the future.
The CN-16 GPS modulealso works with the CGEmount, providingaddedconvenience
duringalignmentand extremely accuratetimingof celestial events. Even ifyou don'topt
for the GPSmodule,the mount includes a real-timeclock/calendar.The tripodis an
improveddesign to provide added stabilityfor heavier load s.
At the time of this writing ethCGE series is too new toincludefurtherinformation and
is not discussedin laterchapters. Theh andcontrolincludes thestandard NexStar features ,
so many of the topics scussedlater
di in th e book apply.
Which Sco e for You?

No singletelescopeis perfectin everysituation.In decidingwhat to buy,t hereare many
factorsyou musttake into account.In decidingon justone scope,therewill always be
tradeoffs.One scope has theapertureyou need for the faint objectsyou are after,b utits
narrowfield of viewdoesn't do justice to some of the sky's wide showpieces.Another
scope is highlyportable,but doesn't give much detail on the planet
s.Yetanotherscope has
exquisite optics, but the cetag
pri is out of your reach. So we must decideich whscope best
meets our needs .
The aperture of ascopedetermines , more than any other factor
,whatobjects you will be
able to see.If faint fuzzies (deep sk
y objects)are your favoritetargets, then8 inches is
probably your minimumaperture.The NexStar 8,Bi, 8 GPS, II GPS, and CGE series will all
give superb views of the deep sky. The smaller NexStars willshow you many deep sky
wondersas well,butwith limiteddetails. Aperturewill also determinehow much detail
you willsee on smaller objectssuch as planets and lunarcraters, so ultimatelyyou want to
buy the largest apertureyou deempracticaland affordable.
Portabilitymight be an issue . If you mustmove the scopefrequentlyor far, a65-pound

. Iftravel isrequiredto reach your favorite observing site, you
scope will likely see little use
must naturallyconsiderthe size of a telescope and if it will fit into your vehicle
. Any of the
little NexStars - the 60, ,80114 and 4 - are very good traveler
s.The NexStar 5, 5i, 8, and 8i
are the mostp ortablescopes on themarketin theirapertureranges. And even the behe-
mothNexStar 11 GPS is quiteportablewhen weconsidertelescopescapableof precision
astrophotography in the ll-inch range.
You shouldalso considertheangularsize ofyour targets.Some objects,such as large
nebulaeand openclusters,requirea wide field of view. The l ongerthe focallengthof a
telescope,the narrowerthe maximum field of view. The AndromedaGalaxy (M3l) is 3°
across; the only NexStar capable of taking in that sight is the NexStar 80. The Orion Nebula
(M42) is about85 arcminutesacross - orIto. The 8-inch NexStarscannotencompassthis
in theirfield of view withl.25-incheyepieces and the NexStar cannotreach
11 this field of
view even with 2-inch eyepieces .
Ifastrophotography seriouslyinterestsyou, becertainto buy a telescope well suitedto
the task. The littleNexStars and the NexStar5 and 8 do nottrackwell enoughfor long-
exposureastrophotography. And noneof themallow for the use of an a utoguider . The
NexStar 5i and 8i doprovidefor the use of anautoguider,but they do not have extremely
accuratetracking. Results mightbe good,butnot perfect.The 8 GPS, 11 GPS,and CGE
seriesare theastrophotography w orkhorsesof the NexStar lineand are finevisual-use
scopes as well. Buttheiraddedprecisioncomes at a cost, bothmonetarilyand in size and
weight.
Of course, we should not ignore our budget. Paying the rent and shouldgenerally
eating
take precedenceover newastronomyequipment;a fterall, your scope needs adry roof
over its head! Set laimit on what you willspendbeforeyou start.You may decideto
exceed thislimit as you learnmore,but at least you will have an e xpectationof what
models of telescopesare within your reachand you will realizewhen you needto be
patientand save for a while longer.
Whichevertelescope you choose, NexStar or otherwise, there is a whole experience
new
awaiting you.
Much of the materialin
this chapter is based Aligning and Using the Star Pointer
upon the "NexStar or Finder Scope
Alt-az Alignment Guide"
writtenby John Carlyle, Before you startyour first alignment.you must align the Star
Pointeror finder scope with the main telescope. This is best done
Alain Fraysse, Carroll duringthe day.
Morgan , and myself in Looking throughthe main scopewith a moderatelypowered
February 2001.The origi - eyepiece, aimyour telescopeat adistantobject such as caeramic
nal documentis available insulatoron an electricpole. To align the StarPointerprovided
in the filessectionof the with most NexStar mode ls, turnthe unit on and then usehe t two
Yahoo NexStar Group, as knobs (one at thefront.the otherat theback) to centerthe red
dot overdistantobject. For the finderscopeprovidedwith the
well as at the NexStar
NexStar 8/11 GPS, use he t three thumbscrews to centerthe
Resource Site.Additional crosshairs on the object. Check to be certain that the finde
r is well
insighton the NexStar 8i securedand you arefinished.At night, you might want to fine-
was provided in tests tuneon a bright star, after your scopetrackingthe
is sky.
performed by Jean W hen using the Star Pointeryou might find that even at the
Piquette andpresentedin lowestsettingit is toobright.Try switching the power on and off
his "Alignment Tips for whilecentering the star. You can alsosubstitutea 1.5-voltbattery
i SeriesTelescopes",also centeredin a rubber washer in place of the standard3-volt
battery.
available in the files
section of the Yahoo
NexStar Group.
In orderfor a NexStar telescope to GoTo objects and trackthem,it is necessaryfor the
computerizedhandcontrolto builda model of the sky . An accuratemodel can be built if
we pointthe scope at two known s tars, a processwe refer to asinitialalignment, or,
simply, alignment. While evenhaphazard
a approachto alignmentwill provide fairly accu -
rate GoTo and tracking, there are several key elements producingvery
to accurate perfor -
mance, night after night.
As I mentionedin Chapter3, this book generallydescribesthebehaviorof thelatest
versionsof the NexStar firmware(internalp rogram).Ifyour telescopedoes not have a
particularfeatureor does not behave as described,first check to be sure Ii ndicatedthat
tele If so, refer toChapter3 to determine
this feature is available for your model ofscope.
what version firmwareyou have and whetheryou should contactCelestronaboutan
upgrade.

The most criticalrequirementsfor anaccuratealignmentare as follows

:
• For the older NexStars,
startthealignmentprocedurewith the opt icaland azimuthaxes
perpendicular.
• Changethe altitudeGoTo Approachto Positivefor NexStar8111 GPS and NexStar8i
telescopes.
• When in theSouthernHemisphere,change theazimuthGoTo Approachto Negative for
NexStar8111 GPS and NexStar Si/8i telescopes.
• Approachtheperpendicularor indexpositionfrom thecorrectdirection.
• Approachnorthor thestartingdirectionfrom the correct direction.
• Accuratelycenterthealignmentstars.
• Center thealignmentstarswith thecorrectfinal movement.
• Choose stars with good
separationand bestplacementin the sky.
These are so significant we will discuss eachturn.
in
For the NexStar 5/8 and NexStar

60/80/114/4 Start the Alignment Procedure
with the Optical and Azimuth Axes
Perpendicular
The older NexStar models are sensitive to very small differences in the position of the optical
tube when thealignmentprocedurestarts. For these models, it is criticalstartthe
to align-
ment with the optical axis and the azimuth axis perpendicular. The optical axis is basically the
centerline of the optical tube. Since all models of NexStar scopes have straight tube walls, the
outsideof the optical tube is an
acceptablesubstitutefor the optical axis. The azimuthaxis
comesstraightup from thecenterof the mount. Auto-Alignment, Two Star Alignment, and
Quick Alignment all require that you point the telescope north and "level", but actually what
is needed is to point north and set the optical and azimuth axes perpendicular.
Thereare two ways toinsureyou startperpendicular. The first is to set up the tripod,
withoutthemountand scope, andaccuratelylevel the top of the tripod.Then mountthe
scope andaccuratelylevel the scope. The more accurateyou are at this two -stepleveling,
thebetterthe GoToperformanceyou will receive. This will requireseveralminuteseach
time you set up the scope.
A simplerand fastermethodalso provesto bemore accurate . In the comfortof your
home,set up thetripodandlevel itprecisely,rotatingthe levela roundthe headof the
tripodto insureaccuracy.Then mountthe scope on the t ripodand carefully level it, using
the up and downdirectionbuttonson thehandcontrolto makeadjustments . Use a rate of
4 or lower to make smallmovements.As shown in Figure 4.1 , place a piece of tape (lliketo
use masking tape)on bothsides of thejointwhere the fork armmeetsthe opticaltube
holder. Then use sahortruler and mark astraightline across both pieces of tape.
From thatpointon, when you set up the scope,you will not evenneedto removethe
scopefrom thetripod, justroughlylevel thetripod. Note thatthe moreaccuratelyyou
level thetripod,the closerthe scope will be when initiallypointingat the twoalignment
stars. When thehandcontrolpromptsfor "northandlevel", aim the scope t owardsthe
northand line up the index marks on the fork arm.
Alignment 71
Figure 4 .1. Tape to mark the location where the optical tube is perpendicular to the
azimuth axis.
Change the Altitude GoTo Approach to

Positive for Nexstar 8/11 GPS and Nexstar
8i Telescopes
Change thealtitudeGoTo Approachto Positiveon the NexStar 8/11 GPS and the NexStar
8i to takeadvantageof the def aultfinalmovementsof the GPSAlignmentroutineand the
naturalback-heavybalanceof these scopes. GoToApproachis found on the Scope Setup
menu.Both axes - altitudeand azimuth- can beset toeither Positive or Negative. The
default si altitudeNegative. In altitude,Positive means the finala pproachwill be with the
front of the scope moving upsaviewed from the back of the scope.This sett ing isperma-
nent and as such is onlyrequiredonce.
If you do not change thealtitudeapproach ,you must make all final movementsduring
alignmentto move the front of the scope down ,ratherthan up as I willrecommendlater.
When in the Southern Hemisphere, Change

the Azimuth GoTo Approach to Negative for
NexStar 8/11 GPS and NexStar 5i/8i
Telescopes
The majorityof celestialobjects ob
servedby those in theSouthernHemisphereare located
to theobserver'snorth. Such objectsare moving to the scope'
s left, as are all ob
jectswhen
mountedon a wedge. An azimuthGoTo Approach of Negativecausesthe final GoTo

motionto betowardsthe left,s tartingtrackingimmediatelywithoutdelaycausedby gear
backlash.GoTo Approachis found on the Scope Setupmenuand the defaultsettingis
Positive. This settingis permanentand as such is onlyrequiredonce.
If you do not change the a zimuthapproach,you mustmake all finalmovementsduring
alignmentto move the front of the scope right,
ratherthanleft as I willrecommendlater.
Approach the Perpendicular or Index

Position from the Correct Direction
In orderto minimizethe effects of gear backlash on the
altitudeindex position,it is best to
approachyour indexor perpendicularm arkwhile travelingthe correctdirection.This
varies from model to model:
• NexStar 60/80/114/4 Move the front of the scope UP to your index

marks. Be precise.
• NexStar 5/5i/8 Move the front of the scope DOWN to your index marks. With
the NexStar 5/8,be precise.With the NexStarSi thereis no needto be tooconcerned
with accuracywhen aligningtheindexmarks;justbe sureyour finalapproachis in the
downwarddirection.
• NexStar 8/11 GPS and the NexStar 8i Move thefrontof the scope
UP to your indexmarks.Thereis no needto beoverlyconcernedwith accuracywhen
aligning the indexmarks,justbesureyour finalapproachis in theupwarddirection.
W ith the older NexStars, it important
is Ifyou over-
to accuratelyalign the index marks.
shoottheindexmark,move back, wellpastthe mark,and approachagain morecarefully
from thecorrectdirection. You may find it easier to align the
marksat rate 6 or 7.
Approach the North or the Starting Position

from the Correct Direction
In orderto minimizethe effects of gearbacklashon theazimuthindexposition,it is best
to approachNorth - or simply thestartingpositionfor a Two Star Alignment - with a final
movementin thecorrectdirection. Approachnorthby pressingthe RIGHT arrowbutton.
In the SouthernHemisphere,if you are using a NexStar 8/11 GPS or NexStar Si/8i,
approachnorthby pressingthe LEFTarrowbutton.
Accurately Center Alignment stars

Eyepiece selection when centering alignment stars will be the most critical factor in this case.
If you align the stars using a wide-field, low-magnification eyepiece then you can expect that
GoTo will place objects in the field of view of that eyepiece
, but perhapsoutsideof ahigher
magnificationeyepiece with its much smaller field iew.Thus,
of v it is best to use your highest
magnificationwhen centeringthe twoalignmentstars. Use a Barlow lens for eveng reater
accuracy.You will likely find it necessary to switch to a lower power first to insure you have
the rightstarcenteredand then switch to the higher power for final centering.
Alignment 73
Placingthe alignmentstarsin thecenterof the field of view can be challenging.The

telescopeis not trackingthemotionof the sky at thisp ointand so thestardriftsquickly
in a highly magnifiedview. You may find itnecessaryto set thestaroff-centera ndlet it
drift,pressingthe Align buttonat thecorrectmoment.Additionally,centeringa tiny
pointof light in abarelyvisible circlecan be achallenge. Special eyepiecesknown as
reticle eyepieces can be used to provide
crosshairin
a the field of view
. Anothermethodis
defocusing the star,as this transformsthe starinto a largedisk thatis much easierto
center.
Center Alignment Stars with the Correct Final

Movement
To help minimizethe effect of
backlashor play in the gears,
your finalmovementswhen
centeringthealignmentstars are essential. The
correctdirectionvaries from one model of
NexStar toanother:
• NexStar 60/80/4 Center the stars with the RIGHT and DOWN arrow
buttons
(this assumesthe new GThandcontrol-for theoriginalGT handcontrol,use RIGHT
and UP).
• NexStar 114 Center the stars with the RIGHT and UP arrow buttons.
• NexStar 5/Si/8 Center the stars with the RIGHT and UP arrow buttons.
• NexStar 8/11 GPS, NexStar 8i Centerthestarswith the RIGHTand
DOWN arrow buttons.
One caveat: if you have Arrow Buttons for Final Approach to
a NexStar 8/11 GPS or
Starting Position and When
NexStar 5i/8i, use the
LEFTarrow buttonrather Centering Stars
thanRIGHT if you are in Northern Hemisphere
the Southern Hemisphere. Index mark or Nort h or two- Centering stars
perpendicular star align
It shouldbe notedthat position starting position
the NexStar 5/5i/8 must be RIGHT and DOWN
N60lBO/4 with New HC UP RIGHT
front-heavyfor the best N60lBO/4 with Old HC UP RI GHT RIGHT and UP
GoTo accuracy. The NI14 UP RIGHT RIGHT and UP
NS/SilB DOWN RIGHT RIGHT and UP
NexStar 8 is normally NBlIlGPSand NBi' UP RI GHT RI GHT and DOWN
back-heavy and the
NexStar 5/5i becomes Southern Hemisphere
Index markor North or two- Centeringstars
back-heavyif you use very perpendicular star align
heavy eyepieces or mount position starting position
a cameraoff the back.To N60lBO/4 with NewHC Sameas abovefor all movements.
remedy this, add weight to N60lBO/4 with Old HC Same as above for all movements.
N II4 Same as above for all movements.
the front orconsidera set ' NSIB Same as abovefor all movements.
of brackets as discussed in NSi t DOWN LEFf LEFf and U P
Chapter 13 . NBII IG PS and NBi' t UP LEFf LEFf and DOW N
If you overshootyour Notes:

target, move back, well r the NBII I GPS and NBi are dependent
'T he UPIDOWN move me nts ni d icated fo
past the target, and upon changing the altitudeGoTo A pproach to Positive as discussed earlier.
t The LEFT mo vementsind ica tedfor the NBII I GPS a nd NSi/Bi are dep en dent
approach more care- upon changing the azimuth GoTo Approach to Negative asdiscussed earlier.
fully from the correct
direction.
Choose Stars with Good Separation and Best

Placement in the Sky
When using the Two Star Alignment method, you must select thealignment
two stars. For
Auto Alignmentand GPSAlignment,thetelescopechoosesthe twoalignmentstarsfor
you. In any case, there are a couple of general rule
s to keep in mind in choosing the align-
mentstars.If the AutoAlignmentor GPS Alignmentchoosespoor stars,pressingthe
Undo buttonwill cause the scope to move on to the next potentials tarin the list. If the
scope is moving towards an undesirablestar, you do not need to wait until it arrivesitsat
target; press any of thearrowbuttonson thehandcontrol to cancel the slew, then press
Undo to move to the next star.
Selectionof starsvaries slightlydependingupon whetheryou are using the scope in
alt-azimuthmode (mounteddirectlyon thetripod)or equatorialmode (mountedon a
wedge). Here are the main selection criteria
:
• In alt-azmode, if you are in the
NorthernHemisphere,using Polarisas an alignment
stargenerallyimprovesGoTo performance . However, on a wedge, it important
is to
avoid using Polaris as an alignment star
.
• Second,choosealignmentstarsthatare wellseparated.I recommenda separationof
between 90° and 135°.In general,consideryour choices and choose the two that are far-
thest apart.
• Avoid alignmentstars below 20° inaltitude(angle above thehorizon).Stars too close to
thehorizonare displaced optically by the effect of refraction
throughthe Earth's atmos -
phere.
• In alt-azmode, avoid stars above 70°altitude.
in Aligning on stars too high inaltitude
exaggeratesinaccuracyin centeringthe stardue to the highnumberof motorturns
requiredto movesmallincrementsin azimuth.The equivalent rule when using a wedge
would be to avoidstarsabove 70° or -70°declination,but otherthan Polaris(already
ruled out above) none of the alignment stars falls in thate.rang
The various models of NexStar scopesprovideseveralmethodsfor alignment; we will

discuss eachseparately . The manuallays out fairly easy
-to-follow,step-by-stepproce-
dures;I will use anarrativeformatto emphasizeimportantdetails. The designationsin
parenthesesindicatewhich modelsprovideeachmethod.For informationaboutvarious
versionsof handcontrols,refer toChapter3. Button and menu names are shown in bold
print.
GPS Alignment
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5il8i withoptionalGPS
module)
The simplestand mostaccuratealt-azalignmentmethodis GPS Alignment.The Global
PositioningSystem allows for very accurate
determination
oflongitude,latitude, date, and
Alignment 75
time toprovidemuch of
theinformationrequired
to automaticallypoint Initial Setup of the GPS Model Hand
towards the two align- Control
ment stars. In addition
the tele scope needs the Calibrating the Compass and the
direction of north and Level
the locationof the point T he inte rna lcompass and downstop switch(" level" or "altit ude"
where theoptical tube sensor) on the NexStar 8111 GPS and the NexStar 5i/8 i with
is level. An electronic optio na lGPS mo d uleare roughly calibrated at the factory. Both
compass providesnorth sho uld be calibr ated for improvedaccuracy of the GPS method in
and levelis determined locat ingthe two alignmentsta rs.Calibrating the compass is nec-
essary to compe nsa tefor the differe nce b etweenmagneticand
by an internal switch
llowi ng the scope to come much
tr ue no rt h at your locatio n, a
(known as the down stop closer when initially pointing at the two alignment sta rs.
switch on the NexStar Calibratinglevel is requiredto deter mi ne the poi nt wherethe
8/11 GPS) indicat ingthe optical tube isperp endicularto the fork arms or closeto level.
point where theoptical
• Start by very carefully leve ling the tripod in all directionsprior
tube is approximately to attachingthe scope. Set he t level on the headof the tri pod,
level. testing alternatelya crossthe top of two legs at ame.Adj ti ust
To perform the GPS the legs until level in all orientat ions.
Alignment, set up the • Next performa GPS alignment.Take care toaccurate ly cente r
tripodand roughlylevel the alignmentstars and, after comp letion,check to be sure that
it. The closer you are to GoTo is accura telyplacingobjects inthe field of view.
leveling the tripod,the • Press the Men u button,selectUtilities,Compass, and then
closer the scope will be Calibrate.
to locating thealignment • On the Menu button,selectUtilities,Level (or Alt Sensor),and
stars. Mount the scope then Calibrate.
on the tripod, point Note thateven aftercalibratingthe compassand level, dur ing
roughlynorthand level, alignmen t,the scope will still point off from tru enorth and a true
and on the NexSt ar 8/11 perpendicula r position. The calibration routinesdo not change
GPS, engage the clutches. the positioni ng of the internal compass or downstopswitch,
rather theystorecompensation values used in future alignments.
Don't overlook the If you travela significant distance wit h your scope,the new
azimuthclutch; its loca - locationmay have adifferentmagne tic north deviationand thus
tion under the base require the compassto be recalibrated. You should not needto
encourages forgetful - recalibratelevel unless you reset the hand control to factory
ness. Inserta high-power defaultsor return your han d control to Celestronfor servicing.
eyepiece, turn on the
scope, and select GPS Setting Local Time Zone
Align to starttheproce- Although the GPS systemprovidesthe han d control with time
dure. accurateto themillisecond, it does not provideyour local time
The telescop ewill dip zone. When shippedfrom the factory, each handcontrolis set to
slightly then return to Pacific StandardTime. If you wish to use the ViewTime-Site
level, stopping when it featureto display currentlocal time, you will need to nsurethe
i
time zone anddaylightsavings timesettingsare correct.
reaches level. On the
Press the Menu button,and select Scope Set
up,Setup Time-Site.
NexStar 8/11 GPS, th e Enterpast the currenttime, and then chooseitherStanda
e rdTime
downs top switch will or Daylight Saving asappropriate.Next select thecorrect time
make anaudibleclick.It zone and enterthroughthe date,longit udeand latitude.If your
will then swing left and locationuses daylight savings time, you will need torepeatthis
right, zeroing in on mag- procedureeach spring and fall,otherwiseyou shou ld not need to
revisit this menu item unless you reset
the hand control to factory
neticnorth.After finding
defaults orreturnyour handcontrolto Celestronfor servicing.
north, the hand control
will show the local time
for the last time you used the scope and the top line of the display will cyclethrough the mes-
sages "GPS Searching","Enterif OK", and "UNDO to edit". The GPS receiver willshortly
lock ontothreeGPS satellites andupdatethe date, time, and locationand then slew to the
first alignment star.
Iflargebuildings, hills, or other
obstructionsblock any of your horizons,
the GPSlink could take some time .Also, if you havetransportedthe scope more than a few
hundredmiles, additional time will be necessary to download database informationfrom the
satellites.In any case, if youbecomeimpatientwaitingfor a GPSlink, you can use the Up
and Downbuttons(6 and 9 on the keypad) to scroll through the date, time, and location set-
tings. If they are allc orrect(notvery likely), pressEnterto accept andproceedwith the
alignment.If they need adjusted, press Undo and make any necessary corrections.
At this point, the telescope will slew (point) towards thealignment
first star. If you know
thatthe firststaris behindan obstruction,or if you do not feel it is a good choice, press
any of thearrowbuttonsto cancel the slew ,thenpressthe Undobuttonto go to the next
potentialalignmentstar. After the scope has slewed to the general locationof the first star,
follow thedirectionson thehandcontrolto centerthestarin the finderandpressEnter.
Your goal at thispointis simply to get closeenoughto thestarso thatit is visible in the
eyepiece. After pressingEnter, follow thedirectionson thehandcontrolto centerthe star
in the eyepiecea ndpressthe Align button.Repeat thisprocessfor thesecondalignment
star. If you centeredthecorrectstars, thehandcontrolwill reportsuccess; if not, you will
be informedthat thealignmentfailed and you will need to startover from the beginning.
If you follow the advice at the
beginningof thischapterregardingalignmentstar selec -
tion,accuratecenteringin a high-powereyepieceandcenteringthealignmentstarswith
thecorrectarrowbuttons,your scope should place objects in the field of view all night.
Auto Alignment
(All models)
The next-easiesta lt-azalignmentmethodis Auto Alignment. Youprovidethelongitude,
latitude(or you can select naearbycity in some modelsofNcxStarhandcontrols),date,
and timeinformation.You must alsopointthe telescope n orthand set the optical axis per
-
pendicularto theazimuthaxis. The scopepointsnearthe twoalignmentstars, which you
center, and you are finished.
To performan Auto Alignment,set up thetripodand roughly level it. The closer you are
to leveling thetripod,the closer the scope will be locatingthealignmentstars
to .Inserta
high-powereyepiece,t urnon the scope, and select Auto Alignstarttheprocedure
to .
When promptedto pointnorthand level, if you can see Polaris (the North Star), use the
arrow buttonson the hand controlto centerit in the finder. If you are relying on a
compass,pointas close totruenorthas you can.It shouldbe notedthatmagneticnorth
and truenorthvary by as much as 20in some locations, so
0
compensateif you are aware of
your local deviation. Regardless,pointingnorthneed only beapproximate;the telescope
uses thisinformationsimply to locatethe generallocationof the twoalignmentstars.
Accuratelycenteringthealignmentstarsis what isrequiredto buildthe model of the sky .
Afterpointingnorth,use theappropriateup or down arrowbuttonto move the scope until
your marks on the forkarm are aligned. For theolderNexStarmodels,be aspreciseas
possible and then press Enter.
At this pointon the GPS models you will find that a GPS link may established
be , pro-
viding location, dateand timeinformation.On all othermodelsyou mustprovidesuch
information.Be awarethatwhen you enterthe date,you must use mrn/dd/yy(US
format);the mostcommonerrorin Auto Alignmentis using an incorrectdateformat.
Alignment 77
Correct entries can be

confirmed, rather than
Determining and Entering Your
retyped,by simply press-
Longitude and Latitude ing theEnterbutton.Use
The GT hand control on thelittleNexStars allows you to select the Undo button like
your location as one ofh undredsof cities in its nterna
i l database backspaceon the com-
or by enteringyour longitudeand latitude. A ll other models puterto correctmistaken
require longitudeand latitude. With the GPS models,the GPS key presses.
receiver will providethis information.For othermodels,or on
It is not necessary to be
the rareoccasionwhen youcannotobtain a GPS link. you must
provideyour location. extremely accurate in pro-
While you do not needextremeprecision,as accuracywithina viding locationand time
few degreesis more than adequate , a ha nd held GPSreceiveis information.Selecting a
probablythe bestmethodfor determininglongitudeand latitude . city or using longitude
In lieu of GPS,referto a map ortu rn to theInternet.Most any and latitudethatare even
map site willprovidelongitude and latitude, but I recommend a fewhundredmiles away
the Heavens Above website- http://www.heavens-above.com /
countr ies.asp.
will not affect GoTo
Keep in mind that North America, South A merica, most of performanceat all. Again,
England and Spain. ht e westernpartsof Franceand Africa are accuratelycenteringthe
west lon gitude, while mos t of the rest of the world, Asia. alignmentstarsis what is
Aus tra lia. India, the M iddle East and most of Europeand Africa. required to build the
are east longit ude. model of the sky . How-
If your version of NexStar asks for+ or - for latitude,+ is
ever, if you areunfamiliar
north latitude. It is not generally worththe troubleto enteraccu-
racy beyondminutesof lo ngit ude and latitu de. so if yo ur scope with the location of the
promptsfor seconds(a third pair of numbers forlo ngitude/lati- alignment stars, it may
tude),round to thenearestminuteand enter00 for seconds. For make it more difficult to
example,enter1270 4 4 ' 00" for a lon gitu de of1270 44' 20" or, as determinewhich is the
reportedby some map sites. ht e decima lequivalentof 127
044.33'.
correct star to center.
Note that on theoriginal NexStar 5 and 8. sto ringyour longi-
Inaccuratedate and time
tude andlatitude ni adjacent "storedlocations" willcorruptthe
entries.This results in the Auto Alignmen tprocedure missing the
informationwill have a
two alignmentstars. To preven t this pro blem, only storeand use similar effect, but will also
longitudeand latitudein locationsO. 4, 8 or 1,5,9. affect GoToaccuracyon
theplanetsand, more so,
the Moon. Accuratedate
and time are necessary for
thehandcontrolto calcu-
late thecurrentlocation of these wanderingobjects. Planets move only slightly from day to
day,but the Moon moves dramatically in just one hour .
Afterprovidingthe initialinformation,the telescope will slew (point)towards the first
alignment star. If you know that the first star behindan
is obstruction , or if you do not feel
it is a good choice, press any of the arrow buttonsto cancel the slew, then press the Undo
buttonto go to the next potentialalignmentstar. After the scope has slewed to the general
location of the first star, follow the directionson thehandcontrolto centerthestarin the
finder and pressEnter.Your goal at thispointis simply to get close enough to the starso
thatit is visible in the eyepiece. After pressingEnter,follow thedirectionson thehand
controlto centerthestarin the eyepiece and press the Align button. Repeat this process
for thesecondalignmentstar.If you centeredthe correctstars,the hand controlwill
reportsuccess; if not ,you will beinformedthatthealignmentfailed and you will need to
start over from the beginning .
Ifyou follow the advice at the beginningof thischapterregardingstarting perpendicu-
lar,correctapproachto the index mark, alignmentstarselection,accuratecenteringin a
high-power eyepiece, and approachingthe alignment stars from the appropriatedirection,
your scope should place objects in the field of view all night.
Two Star Alignment

(All models except
Original GT)
Perhapsthequickestalignmentmethod,and certainlythe one which gives you the most
controlover alignmentstarselection, is Two Star Alignment. In this method,you do not
need toprovideyour location,date, or time i nformation;you simply pointat two known
starsyourselfand centerthem.Naturallythedisadvantagefor beginnersis that you must
know the location of the two stars in the. sky
To performa Two Star
Alignment, set up the
tripodand roughly level
Common Problems with Alignment
it. Insert a high-power
eyepiece, turn on the on the NexStar 60/80/114/4
scope, and select Two T his list summarizesseveral potentialproblems that canprevent
Star Align to start you from aligning your NexStar 60/80/1 14/4, partic ula rlyif you
the procedure. When have the original GT handcontrolor a Tasco StarG uide.
prompted to level the • Your NexStar 60, 80, or 114 mig ht be mounted backwards in the
tube, use the a ppropriate tube ring. The tube ring should be orien tedsuch thatthe bolt
that holds it closed is on the top. The n,whe n facing the side
up or down arrowbutton
wherethe han d contro lattachesto the fork arm,he t front of ht e
to move the scopeuntil
optical tube should be pointed to the right. Note that on the
the marks on the fork N 114, the front of theoptical tubeis the end wit h the opening.
arm are aligned. For the Refer to your manu al; thepicturesare correct,even ifit didn't
olderNexStar models, be come that way from the factory !
as precise as possible and • If you own the originalGT hand control,do not select th e model
then press Enter . of scopefrom themen u in the GT cont ro l;if you do then your
Next you will be scope cannot be aligned properly. Incorrectly sett ing the model
will result in the scope missi ng the align me nt stars by a
promptedto select the
significant, but consistentamount. Then after you man ually
first alignmentstarfrom centerthestars,all GoTo attemptswill miss by a significantbut
the list of 40 NexStar consistentamount. Even if you go back to one of the alignment
alignmentstars. Use the stars th escopewill miss. Refer to Select ModelniChapter5 for
Up and Down buttons(6 the correctprocedureto set the mode l to Custom.
and 9 on thekeypad) to • If you have the original GT ha nd control,do not storeand use
scrollthroughthe list and locations (longitude/latitude)if you are in the Eastern
press Enterto select your Hemisph ere -Europe,Asia, Aus tralia,etc.Thereis a problem
first star. Two Star with the GT control thatpreventsusing storedlocations with
eastlatitude.
Alignment defaultsto a
relativelyslow speedfor • Be sure you are enteringthe datein mm/dd/yyformat.
initialmovement,so you • If you havetheoriginal GT handcontrol,don't use military(24-
hou r) time, thealignment will fail. You must use the
might want to press the
12-hourclock and set .pm.la.m.On all models, if you are align-
Rate button and then ing aftermidnight,entering0 I:30 will still require you to hac nge
press 9 to step up to the p.m. to a.m,
maximumspeed. Follow • Watch fordoublekey entries- they arecommonwith the origi-
the directions on the nal GT control and can cause prob lems,particularlywhen enter-
hand control to center ing longitude andlatitude.
the starin the finder and • If you are not inNorth America, you will needto selecta time
pressEnter. Your goal at zone bynumber.In the originalGT control,theseare not the
this pointis simply to get usual offset from UTC (GMT), butinsteadyou should referto
close enough to thestar the time zonechartsin the manual.Theseequateto 24minus
the offset from UTC.
for it to be visible in the
eyepiece. After pressing
Alignment 79
Enter, follow the direc-

Common Problems with Alignment on the NexStar tions on thehandcontrol
60/80/114/4 (continued ) to centerthe star in the
• If you are new to astronomy, it will be important that your scope eyepiece andpress the
points accurate ly to the two alignmentsstars,otherwise you Align button.If you find
mightcenteron an incorrectstar. To assureaccuratepointing the scope ismoving too
during A uto A lign, le vel the tripod, center Polaris (the North fast to allowaccuratecen-
Star) in the finder,and then lo wer the optical tubeto the level tering in the eyepiece,
position (it is best touse a set ofmarks as described in this
press the Ratebuttonand
chapter). Refer tothe cha rtsin the back of ht e NexStar instruc-
tion manualso that you won' t be fooled into selecting an incor- try 5 or 4 as amore rea-
rect star. sonablerate. Repeat this
• Occasionally the alignme nt pro cedu re will be completely off- process for the second
track.!f your scope doesn'tpoint anywhere near whatyou think alignment star. If you
is the correctstar,you are best o ff pulling the plug and starting centeredthe correct stars,
over. the hand control will
reportsuccess;if not, you
will be informedthatthe
alignment failed and you will need to start over from the beginning .
Ifyou follow the advice at the beginningof thischapterregardingstartingperpendicu-
lar,correctapproachto the index mark, alignmentstarselection,accuratecenteringin a
high-power eyepiece , and approachingthe alignment stars from the appropriatedirection,
your scope should place objects in the field of view all night.
As noted in the AutoAlignmentsectionabove, thelocationof planetsand the Moon is
dependentupon thecurrentdate and time. If you want to GoTo a planet, the date and time
mustbe providedto the scope . On the GT models, go the Utilitiesmenu and select Setup
Time-Site to provide correct date and time information.This is simply known as Date and
Time on the original NexStar 5 and,but 8 these models will automaticallyp romptyou for
date and timepriorto slewing to asolarsystemobject. On thelatestGPS handcontrol
models,use ViewTime-Siteon the Menubuttonas this willattemptto link to the GPS
system. Allow the GPStoupdatetheinformation,or access the Scope Setup menu, where
you will find Setup Time-Site for manual entry.
Quick Alignment
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5i18i,New GT)
Quick Alignment isprovidedas a way to get anapproximatealignmentduringthe day or
when simply testing your scopeindoors.This would allow testing of a PCcontrolconnec-
tion orreasonablyaccuratetrackingof the Sun forsolarobservations.(Note: Read the
informationin Chapter8 regardingfilters for safe viewing of the Sun!) You providethe
longitude,latitude,date, and timei nformation.You mustalso pointthetelescopenorth
and set the optical axis
perpendicularto theazimuthaxis. Centeringstars is notrequired;
thus the alignment is just
approximate .
Note thaton the GPSmodels,a GPS Alignmentwill be more accuratethana Quick
Alignment due to the compass calibrationthat provides a fairly
accuratefix on true north.
Simply accept thepositionsthe scope po ints out for the two
alignmentstars andtracking
will begin.
To performa Quick Alignment, set up the tripodand level it. The moreaccuratelyyou
level thetripod,the moreaccuratetrackingwill be.Turn on the scope, and select Quick
Align to start theprocedure.When promptedto pointnorthand level, use a compass, or if
you aresettingup in your usual nighttimelocationperhapsthere si a distanttree thatyou

know to be due north. Afterpointingnorth, use the UP/DOWN arrowbuttonsto move the
scope until themarks on the fork arm are aligned
. Be as precise sa possible and then press
Enter.
At this point,on the GPS models, you will find that a GPSlink may be stabli
e shed,pro-
viding location, date,and time information. On all othermodelsyou mustprovidethis
information.Be aware that when you enter the date, you must usemm/dd/yy(US format);
the mostcommonerrorin Quick Alignmentis using anincorrectdateformat.Correct
entries can beconfirmed,ratherthanretyped,by simply pressingthe Enterbutton. Use
the Undobuttonto correctmistakenkey presses.It is not necessary to be extremel y accu-
rate inprovidinglocationand time information, butsince we are not able to centertwo
alignmentstars, theaccuracyof theinformationyou providewill determinetheaccuracy
of tracking. Afterprovidingthis informationthehandcontrolwill reportsuccessful align-
mentand will be trackingthe sky atsiderealrate. If your objectiveis solar observing,
change thetrackingrate to solar.
EQ North/South Alignment
(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar5i18i)
EQ North/SouthAlignmentis used when the telescopemounted is on anequatorialwedge.
EQ North is used in theNorthernHemisphereand, naturally,EQ South is used in the
SouthernHemisphere.Note thatwedgemountingyour scope ismainly used for long-
exposureastrophotography . For visual use,alt-azmountingis more convenientand pro-
vides more comfortableeyepiece locat ion.
To performan EQ North/SouthAlignment,set up thetripodand roughlylevel it. The
closer you are to level
ing the tripod,the closer the scope will be to locatingthealignment
stars.The wedge should then be att achedto thetripodand the scope to the wedge . Inserta
high-powereyepiece,turnon the scope, and move theopticaltubeperpendicularto the
fork arm (the azimuth/RAaxis). Select EQ North Align if you are in theNorthern
Hemisphereor EQ South Align if you are in theSouthernHemisphere.
If you are using a NexStar 8/11 GPSw ith handcontrolversion 1.6, thescope willauto-
maticallymove to" level" or,actually, perpendicular to the forkarm. Ifyou areusing a
NexStar 8/11 GPS withhandcontrolversion 2.2, or a NexStar Si/8i ,verify thatthemarks
on the fork arm are accuratelyaligned whenprompted.
When promptedto find themeridian,pointthe scopedirectly southif in theNorthern
Hemisphereor directlynorth if in the SouthernHemisphere.The scope will still be
pointedupwards due to itspositionperpendicularto the fork armand the tilt of the
wedge. With the NexStar 8/11 GPS, you may relea se theazimuth(RA) clutchto point the
scope,with the NexStar Si/8i, use the left/righta rrowbuttons. Be certainnot to move
the scope inaltitude(Dec) or theprocedurewill fail.
Next you will bepromptedto selecteitheran EQ AutoAlign or an EQTwoStarAlign.
The EQ AutoAlign automaticallypoints the scope at twoa lignmentstars,while EQ
TwoStarAlign will requireyou to find andpointout twostars.These methodsaresimilar
to thestandard Auto Alignment and Two Star Alignment . I will describeEQ AutoAlign.
After selecting EQ AutoAlign,if you have the GPSmodule, th e scope willattempta GPS
link.The top line of the display will cyclethroughthe messages "GPS Search ing", "Enter if
OK" ,and "UNDO to edit".The GPS receiver will shortly lock onto three GPS satellites and
updatethe date,time,andlocation.Iflarge buildings ,hills, orotherobstructionsb lock
any of yourhorizons, the GPSlink could take some time.so,if Al you havetransportedthe
Alignment 81
scope more than a few hundredmiles,additionaltime will be necessary to downloaddata-

base informationfrom thesatellites . In any case, if youbecomeimpatientw aitingfor a
GPSlink, you can use the Up and Down buttons(6 and 9 on the keypad) to scroll through
the date, time, and locationsettings. If they are allcorrect(notvery likely), pressEnterto
accept andproceedwith thealignment.If they need to be adjusted,press Undo and make
any necessary corrections.
If you have aNexStarSi/8iwithoutthe GPSmodule,you mustprovidelocation, date,
and timeinformation.Be aware that when you enter the date , you must usemm/dd/yy(US
format);the most common errorin EQ AutoAlign is using an incorrectdate format.
Correctentriescan be confirmed, ratherthan retyped,by simply pressing the Enter
button.
The telescope will now slew(point)towards the first alignmentstar.If you know that the
first star isb ehindan obstruction,or if you do not feel it is a good choice, press any of the
arrowbuttonsto cancel the slew, thenpressthe Undobuttonto go to the nextp otential
alignmentstar. After the scope has slewed to generallocationof
the the firststar,follow
thedirectionson thehandcontrolto centerthestarin the finderand pressEnter.Your
goal at thispointis simply to get closeenoughto thestar sothatit isvisible in the eye-
piece. AfterpressingEnter, follow thedirectionson thehandcontrolto centerthe star in
the eyepiece and press the Alignbutton.Repeat this process for the second alignmentstar.
Ifyou centeredthecorrectstars, thehandcontrolwill reportsuccess and the scope will be
tracking in EQ North or EQ South mode . Ifyou did not center the correctstars, you will be
informedthat thealignmentfailed and you will need to startover from the beginning.
Note that it is common for the scope toreporta slew limit warning during EQ
North/SouthAlignment. Slew limits on a wedge are stillin referenceto the base of the
scope.This helps toprotectequipmentsuch ascameras,c ommonlyused whenequatori-
ally mounted.Press Enterto overridethe slewlimitand thenkeep a close watch on your
equipment.I f it appearsan accessorywill make contactwith the base,p ressany of the
arrowbuttonsto cancel the slew. Then press Undocontinuetoto the nextpotentialalign-
ment star. After completingthe EQ AutoAlign method,Filter Limits will becorrectfor the
localhorizonratherthan the base of the scope. To correctly apply Filter Limits when using
EQ TwoStarAlign, press the Menubuttonand select View Time-Site to attempta GPSlink,
or use Scope Setup, Setup Time-Site manuallyupdatethe
to date
, time, and location infor-
mation.
Wedge Alignment
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5i18i)
This is nottrulyan alignmentmethod,in the sensethatit does notresultin the telescope
buildinga modelof the sky. Rather,it is autilitythatsimplifiespolaralignmentof the
wedge. In otherwords, it assists inaligningthe RA axis with theEarth'saxis ofrotation.
Wedge Alignment differs slightlydependingupon the version of handcontrol,so it is nec-
essary to describe each version
separately
Hand Control Version 1.6 Version 1.6 is onlyusedon NexStar8111 GPS

scopes. Theprocedureis quitesimple. Afterpoweringthe scope,pressthe Menubutton,
use the Upand Down buttons(6 and 9 on thekeypad)to selectUtilitiesandthenWedge
Align. Next, selectNorth for NorthernHemisphereor South for SouthernHemisphere.
You will then bepromptedto pressEnterto find level. After you press
Enterthe scope will
move theopticaltube perpendicularto the forkarms.You might get to readpartof a

message aboutimprovingaccuracy by using the CalibrateLevel utility,described earlier in
this chapter.
You will next need toconfirmyour date/timellocation are correct.Press the Upand
Down buttons (6 and 9 on thekeypad)to scrollthroughtheinformation. If all itemsare
correct,p ressEnterto continue;if correctionsare necessary,pressUndo and make the
requiredentries. Alternately,beforeyou startthe Wedge Align, you can use View Time -
Site on the Menu to get a GPS link for this
information.
When promptedto find themeridian,pointthe scopedirectlysouth if in theNorthern
Hemisphereor directlynorth if in the SouthernHemisphere.The scope will still be
pointedupwardsdue to itspositionperpendicularto the fork arm and the tilt of the
wedge. You may release theazimuth(RA) clutchto pointthe scope or use the left/right
arrowbuttonsto slew with themotors.Be certainnot to move the scope in altitude(Dec)
or theprocedurewill fail.
The scopewill now slew to a single alignmentstarin orderto build an approximate
model of the sky . As promptedon thehandcontrol,centerthe star in the finder and then
the eyepiece. The scope will now slew Polaristo (Sigma Octanis in the Southern
Hemisphere).Adjustthe wedgeand/ortripod(don't use thearrowbuttonson thehand
control!)to centerPolarisin the finderand thenthe eyepiece . Your wedge is now fairly
well aligned. Release thealtitudeclutch and move the scoperoughlyperpendicularto the
fork armsand re-engagetheclutch.Power off the scope, power back on and performan
EQ North or EQ South Alignment. You are now ready to go.
Hand Control Version 2.2 or Higher In handcontrolversion2.2or

higher, the wedge alignmentadds moreprecision,requiringa full two staralignmentprior
to aligning the wedge. This does add some steps to the process, but should result in a more
accuratewedgealignment.
Start by executing the EQNorth Alignment or EQSouth Alignment as described previously
in thischapter.Then press the Menubutton,use the Up and Downbuttons(6 and 9 on the
keypad) to select Utilities and then Wedge Align
.Then select North for Northern Hemisphere
or South forSouthernHemisphere.You will then be warned that continuingwill lose your
currentalignment; naturally you will press Enter to continue with the Wedge Align.
The scope will now slew to Polaris (Sigma Octanis in the
SouthernHemisphere). Adjust
the wedgeand/ortripod(don'tuse thearrowbuttonson thehand control!)to center
Polaris in the finder and then the eyepiece
. Your wedge is now fairly well aligned. With the
NexStar Si/8i, use the arrowbuttonson the keypad to move the scope perpendicularto the
fork arm, aligning the marks on the fork arm. With the NexStar 8/11 GPS, release the alti-
tude clutch and move the scope roughlyperpendicularto the fork arms, and then reengage
the clutch.Power off thescope,powerback on andperforman EQ North or EQ South
Alignment. You are now ready to .go
Wedge Alignment and EQ North/South

Alignment on Older Models
(NexStar5/8,NewGT, Original GT)
Wedge Alignment and EQNorth/SouthAlignment can beperformedon theotherNexStar
models with a little
ingenuity.First, we need to makemarkon
a the fork arms to
indicate
Alignment 83
thelocationwhen the tube is parallelto the fork arm. While i ndoors, poweryour scope
and move the optical tube to the mark s you createdfor theperpendicularposition. Power
off and thenpower back on and pres s the Menubutton.Scroll down to the Get Alt-az
optionand pressEnter.Then, using theup/downarrowbuttonsmove the scope up until
the display ind icatesan altitudeof exactly 90°. Note that moving past 90 doe s not increase
thenumber,so you must be carefulto stoprightat 90. At this point,the opticaltube is
pointedstraightup, parallelto the azimuthaxis. Make anotheralignmentmarkon the
tube holder for se u in the field
.
When in the field, move the scope to the 90° mark and then adjust the wedge and tripod
(don'tuse the arrowbuttonson thehandcontrol!) tocenterPolaris in the finder, then the
eyepiece.Your wedge is now fairly well aligned. For more precise alignment,r equiredif
you will betakinglong-exposureastrophotographs ,you mustdeterminehow far and in
what direction Polaris should be offset from the center of the eyepiece. A similar technique
could be used to offset the optical tube adjustthe
and wedge topointat Sigma Octanis in
the Southern Hemisphere.
You must now select Two Star Align on the handcontrol(for the original GT , you must
use Auto Align and setyour locationas your normallongitude,but 89°northlatitude).
When promptedto pointlevel orhorizontal,move thescope down to your usual perpen-
dicularalignmentmarks on the fork arm . Continuewith anormalalignmentas described
earlier in thi
s chapter.After thealignmentis complete, press the Menu buttonand set the
Tracking Mode to EQ North(NorthernHemisphere) or EQ South(SouthernHemisphere).
Note thatwhen the scope ismountedon a wedge,slew limits (for the new GT) and
horizonlimits (for the NexStar 5/8) are stillreference
in to the base of the scope. This can
helpprotectequipmentthat might makecontactwith the base, suchs acameras. If this is
not an issue withyour equipment,the new GT allowsadjustmentof the slewlimits as
describedin Chapter5, or you canoverridethe warningeach time bypressingEnter.
Thereis no similaradjustmenton the NexStar 5/8, so you must manuallyoverridethe
horizonwarning by pressing Enter.
Filter limitson the GT models (new GT only) will be in relationto the base of the scope.
Thus the many objectsthatare outsideof your filterlimits will not show on thehand
controlas they are below the base of the scope. Tocombatthis,setthe filter limits to +90
and -90 when using the new GT scopes on a wedge and use care when slewing to objects.
Re-Alignment
(All models)
Re-Alignment,calledThird Star Alignmenton theoriginalNexStar 5 and 8, is used to
replace one of the two existingalignmentpoints(stars) with a newalignmentpoint. This
can be usefulduringa longobservationsession.Severalhoursafter your initialalignment
you might find thatGoTo accuracyis startingto suffer, particularlyin theeasternsky.
Realigning on an object in the east will improve accuracy, iallyfor
espec that section of sky.
This is also useful when imaging objectstoo faint to see in the eyepiece. Realign on a
nearby visible object, then GoTo the faint obj
ect.
Also, Re-Alignment can be useful fordaytimeobserving. Generallywe use Quick
Alignmentor Auto Alignmentfor daytimeobservations, but since we do notc entertwo
alignmentstars, GoTo is in no wayaccurate.If you can locate two b rightobjects, say the
Moon and Venus, you can realign on them andthen enjoy fairly accurateGoTo
performance .
Steps for Re-Alignment

• First GoTo theobjectyou want to use asy our new alignmentpoint. For example,you
could pressthe Listbutton, thenscroll toNamedStars,and thenselect astarin the
easternsky. You must then press Enterto GoTo the star.
• After you get the star in the eyepiece, press the buttonenoughtimes
Undo toreturnto
the NexStar Ready or NexStar GPS display . (Note: With the original GThandcontrolon
little NexStars, do not press Undo, but
ratherpress the Upbuttonthen Downbuttonto
reselect the object in the display
.)
• Press the Alignbuttonto initiatethe Re-Alignment.
• Thedisplaywill thenpromptyou tochoosewhich existingalignmentstaryou wish to
replace. Use the Up and Downbuttons(6 and 9 on the keypad) to select the correctstar.
• Check to besurethe newstaris centeredin the eyepiece and pressthe Align button
(with the original GTh andcontrol,press Enter) to complete the Re-Alignment.
Thereare acoupleof thingsto keep inmindwhen using Re-Alignment.First,be sure
when selectingreplacementsthatyou followour previousrules aboutstarselectionas
statedat thebeginningof thischapter.Second, whileit is possible to use any object from
thehandcontroldatabaseas analignmentpoint, some objects are b ettercandidatest han
others. For example,when you have a large, diffuse nebulain the eyepiece, how will you
know it is centered?Stars areobviously the bestchoices, althoughcompactdeep sky
objectssuch as small galaxiesand planetarynebulaecan be good choices. Due to the
complex calculations involved determining
in their locations, I would only
recommendthe
Moon and planetsfor daytimerealignment.
With handcontrolversion 2.2 orhigheron the NexStar8/11 GPS and the NexStar5i/8i,
you can also use the Sun as an object realignment.
for This permitsan accuratealignment
duringthe day allowing you to accuratelyGoTo planetsandbrightstars. For thisproce-
dureyou MUST have a safesolarfilter (seeChapter8), as you willreplacethe two align-
mentstarswith the Sun. Youcannotbe toocarefulwhen using your telescopein the
daylight; even the briefest glimpse ofunfiltered
the Sun througha telescope will cause per-
manenteye damage or even blindness.
First,performa Quick Alignment. Then, with the solar filter mountedon thescope (if
you have a finder scope be sure itcappedto
is preventlightingyour hairon fire!), center
the Sun in the eyepiece . Press the Alignbuttonon thehandcontroland select the first
alignmentstarfor replacement . Press the zero (0)b uttonand follow thedirectionsto
centerthe Sun and press Align.
Next you will want to replace the second alignmentstar. You can eithertry to GoTo and
locatea brightplanetor star,and thenuse the Re-Alignmentas describedearlierin this
section,or you can wait 10 orm oreminutes,recenterthe Sun andrepeatthe steps in the
lastparagraph.
Finally, I would also note that I rarely use-Alignmentas
Re my scopes put objects in the
field of view for as long as I care to stay outobserving. A littlecare inyour initialalign-
mentgoes a long way.One time you will find Re-Alignment very useful is when imaging an
object too faint to see in the eyepiece, technique
a discussed inChapter11.
Due largely to the brevity and simple

approachof the user manual, several
"theories"have
surfacedintendingto improveaccuracyin the alignmentprocess.Some of themseem
Alignment 85
sound,butdue to theactualdesignof theprogrammingin the NexStar,theyjustdon't

work out. I will conclude this
chapterwith a list of the most common
alignmentmyths and
thereasoningto dispel them .
Myth 1 - You must work asfast asyoucan betweencenter-

ing thefirst andsecondalignment star
Sounds good, just isn't true
. In a test of thisstatement,
I startedan alignment,centeredthe
first star, and then waited one
hourbeforecenteringthe second star. This caused no prob-
lems; GoTo and trackingbehavednormally. Obviously thehandcontrolkeeps track of the
amountof timebetweencenteringone starandthe next andincorporatesthis factor into
its calculations.
Myth 2 - You mustaccuratelylevelthe tripod

It is true that a carefully leveled
tripodis necessaryif you want GPS or AutoAlignmentto
accuratelypointat the twoalignmentstars. It is also truethatan unleveledtripodwill
slightly affect the Filter and Slew Limitstiltingtheirframe
by ofreference. But otherthan
that, leveling the
tripodhas no effect on GoTo accuracy. To test this, I set up my N80 with
thetripodabout 15°offlevel. I then performedan Auto Alignment, being careful center
to
thecorrectstars. After the alignmentcompleted,GoTo and trackingperformednormally.
Considerthe factthatno matterwhat angle you tilt the tripodto,thereis somewhereon
Earth where it would be level.
Myth 3 - Longitude and latitude mustprecisefor

be
Auto Alignment to provide
good GoTo accuracy
Longitudeand latitudeare usedduringAuto Alignmentsimply to pointneartwobright
alignmentstars. The actualmodel of the sky,used for all futureGoTo operations,is
createdbasedsolely upon the locationsrecordedfor the twostars. Those locationsare
based upon themomentwhen you press the Align b utton,not upon thelongitudeand lat-
itude youenteredearlier. Yourlongitudeand latitudeneed to beaccurateenoughso that
you are not confused as to which stars the telescope wants you to center.
Myth 4 - You must pointaccuratelyat north duringAuto

Alignment
Just as withlongitudeand latitude,pointingnorthis only used topointnear the two align-
ment stars. As long as you are abledetermine
to which stars you should becenteringin the
finder and eyepiece, youstartedclose enough tonorth.
There is oneexceptionto myths 2, ,3and 4. Whenperformingan alignmentduringthe
day, accuracy when leveling the tripod,providinglongitudeand latitude,and whenpoint-
ing outtruenorthis critical forimprovingGoTo and trackingwhen you will not be able to
see andcenterthealignmentstars.
Myth 5 - For the original NexStar

5/8and the NexStar
60/80/114/4,starting with the optical tube
precisely
perpendicular to the azimuth axis is not that important
A good numberof people, after hearingtheimportanceof startingalignmentwith the tube
perpendicularto theazimuthaxis, go theirown way, formulatingothermethodsfor
improvingaccuracy.Occasionally one of them will write me, declaringperpendicularis
not the key; they have found ba etterm ethodthat is just as accur
ate.When asked how they
improvedtheiraccuracy, the answer alway s turnsout to beaccurateleveling of thetripod,
followed byaccurateleveling of theopticaltube, aprocessthattakes them at least five or
moreminuteseach night.Of course,what they areaccomplishingis settingthe optical
tubeperpendicularto theazimuthaxis, but wasting five minutesof observingtime to do it!
Additionally,it is mathematically p ossibleto accuratelymodelthe skybasedon two
stars,withoutassumingall threeaxes (optical,azimuth,altitude)are orthogonalat the
beginningof the process.But testsshow thatthis methodwas not used on theolder
NexStars. (The newer models - the NexStar 8/11 GPS and NexStar 5i/8i - do method use a
not sensitiveto anorthogonalstartposition.)The onlyvariablein theorthogonalc ondi-
tion is the angle of the
opticaland azimuthaxes - inotherwords,our partin insuringan
orthogonals tartupis to set the optical axisperpendicularto theazimuthaxis.
So, how importantis it tostartperpendicular?Try this.Set up a very leveltripod. Move
the opticaltubeto level,then point it upward about 5°.Performan alignment, being
carefulto centerthecorrectstars.Check your GoToaccuracy.I'm certainthe resultswill
convinceyou toadoptalignmentmarks on the fork arm ofy our NexStar 5/8 orNexStar
60/80/114/4 to indicatethepositionof perpendicular.
The NexStar telescopesare the eas iest-to-useGoTo system on themarket. Within a few
nights you willhardlynotice you are pushing buttons at all. Following aredescriptionsof
the featuresyou will find in thecomputerizedh andcontrol; I will not discuss themanual
handcontrol ava ilableon some models.
The designations in parenthesesindicate which models include each feature .For infor-
mationaboutvarious versions of hand controls,refer toChapter3. Buttonand menu
names are shown in bold print.
GoTo an Ob· eel ' ".' . .

(All models)
The simplicityof using a NexStar is mosta pparentwhen accessing many of the catalogs
(lists of objects) stored in the hand control. The Messier, Caldwell, ,and
NGCSAO Star cat-
alogs are each accessedvia a dedicatedbuttonon thenumberpad.The Moon and planets
are accessed similarlyvia thePlanetbutton.To slew to (GoTo) an object in any of these
lists,simplypress thecorrectbutton, key in the catalogn umberof the object or select it
from apresentedlist,and press Enter - a simple procedurethat anyone can operate after a
quick orientation .
Keep in mind thaton the newer mode ls, if you requesta GoTo to an objecto utsideof
your slew limits(describedlater in thischapter)you will receive a warning on the display
.
Ifyou thinkthe scope can safely slew to the object,you can override the warning by press
-
ing Enter,otherwise,press Undo to cancel.Similar warnings appearon the original
NexStar 5 and 8 if a requested object is below the horizon
.
Note thatprior to pressingEnterto starta GoTo, you canpressthe Info buttonto
display informationon an object.Press the Upand Down buttons(6 and 9 on the
keypad) to scrollt hroughtheinformationavailable.This is particularlyuseful for deep
sky objectssuch as those in the Messier and NGC catalogs. The informationpresented
will tell you the type ofobject(opencluster,galaxy, etc.) andmagnitudeof theobject.
This might promptyou to bypass attemptingto spot a magnitude13 galaxy in your
NexStar 80, as itwould notlikely be visible. Also , since theoriginalGT controlon the
littleNexStars does not

Manual Slew Rate have filter or horizon
limits, you might find
When using the fourarrowbuttonsto manuallypointthe tele-
the Altitude entry in
scope you can vary the slew speed to matc
h your objectives
. Rates
5 and 6 aregenerallyused whencenteringobjectsin a low- or Info to be useful to
medium-magnificationview, whileratesof 3 and 4 are more prevent those embar-
useful at highmagnification.Rates 7through9 are mostlyused rassingattemptsto slew
when slewing long distancesor when centeringobjectsin the towardsan objectunder
finder. Rates 1and 2 are used for ma n ual guiding of long- the ground!
exposureastrophotographs and move at very slow rates. When viewing Info,
To change the rate at any time,
regardlessof thecurrentopera-
tion pendingon the handcontrol,press the Rateb uttonfollowed
pressing1 on thekeypad
by thenumberof thedesiredrate. speeds up the scrolling
The arrow buttonsalso have a"double-button"f eaturethat text. Each time you pre ss
allows you to slew atr ate9 withoutchangingthe currentrate. it, the faster the
scrolling
Press and hold thearrowbuttonto startmoving in the direction becomes.Pressing 4 on
desired,then press and hold the oppositebuttonto jump to the keypad slows down
rate 9.
the scrolling; again, each
time you press 4, the
slower the display scrolls.
Pressing 7 on the keypad "pauses" the scrolling text. Pressing 7 again resumes scrolling.
To cancel a slew,pressany of thearrowbuttonson thehandcontrol.This is useful if
you notice that the scope will make contact with mountor
the determinethat you selected
the wrong object.
Due to thedifferentsizes of these lists, Celestron has providedslightlydifferentaccess
methodsfor the smaller lists and the larger lists. Followingdescriptions
are of the various
catalogs and, when required,examples of their use .
The Moon and Planets

Press thePlanetbutton,use the Up and Downbuttons(6 and 9 on thekeypad)to scroll
throughthe select ions, and thenpress Enterto slew to thedisplayedobject.If you are
using one of the newer models with Filter Limits(describedlaterin thischapter),objects
outsideof your limitswill not bedisplayedeven thoughthey are visible in the sky . To
overridethis, adjustyour Filter Limits. To presenta list ofall planetsand the Moon
regardless theircurrentlocation, set the lterLimits
Fi to -90 and +90
.
Messier and Caldwell Catalogs

The Messier catalogis consideredone of thepremierlists of deep sky objects. It offers a
variety ofDSOs from open clusters to galaxies. The Caldwell catalog is asupplement
good
to the Messier list; outstandingobjectsoverlookedby the Messier list areincluded. Also,
the Messier list is limited to objects visible to observers in
NorthernHemisphere
the while
the Caldwell listincludes objects visible only in the
SouthernHemisphere.
To direct the scope to the Orion Nebula , M42, press the Mbutton,key in 042, and then
press Enter. The Caldwell catalog is accessed similarlyvia the Caldbutton. Note thatfor
Messier and Caldwell objects it is necessary to enter 3-digit numbers. Use thebutton
Undo
to erasemistakenkey pressespriorto pressing Enter .
Basic Operation 89
NGC Catalog
The NGC (New GeneralCatalog) is a comprehensivelist of more than 7000 deep sky
objects, to includemost of thebrighterDSOs in the sky. The NGC was compiledwell
beforethe age ofcomputerizeddatabases,so notsurprisinglythereare someerroneous
entries. Nonetheless,t hereareenoughthingsto see to keep you busy for the restyour of
observing career.
To access the NGC catalog, press the NGC buttonand key in the NGC catalogn umberin
4-digit fashion. For example,to slew to theDouble Clusterin Perseus,NGC869 (and
NGC884) , press the NGCbutton,key in 0869, and then press Enter.
The little NexStars do not containtheentireNGC listing.The originalhandcontrolon
the little NexStarssimply ignoresyour requestif the NGC objectyou enterisn't in the
database . On the newhandcontrol, behavior gets a little confusing. If the NGC object you
enterisn't in the database, thehandcontrolchooses the next ob jectthat is in the database.
Generallythis is not a goodthing;so unlessyou arecertaina particularNGC objectis
available, press the Info . Ifit is your original target
buttonto see what will be selected ,then
great - simply pressEnter. If not, maybe you will get lucky and find a new favor ite.
SAO Stars
There are actually four different star lists in the NexStar
handcontrol. The main star list is a
selection of stars from the
SmithsonianAstrophysical Observatory (SAO) catalog.This list is
accessed via the Starbuttonon the keypad . Use of the Starbuttonvaries according to model.
The NexStar5/8and theoriginalGT handcontrolfor the little NexStars store theirstar
lists using aserializednumberuniqueto these scopes . To slew to an SAOstar,you must
know the correct NexStar number.Cross-referenced lists are available at the Celestron web
site (http://www.celestron.com).but I have created enhancedversions,including expanded
doublestarlists. Theseenhancedversionsare availablein theDownloadssectionof my
NexStar Resource Site -h ttp://www.NexStarSite.com .Once you know the NexStar number
for the star, press the Star
button,key in thenumber,then press Enter.
On the new GThandcontrolfor the little NexStars, you can GoTo starsusing the SAO
catalognumberdirectly.Simply presstheStarbutton,key in the SAOcatalognumber,
thenpress Enter. Note thatyou mustuse a full six digits for the SAO n umber.The scope
will notstartthe slewimmediately,b utratherit willdisplaythedatabaseinformationon
the star. PressE nteragain tostartthe slew. If thestaris not in thedatabase,the nextstar
in the catalog will be displayed
instead. PressEnterto GoTo that star or Undo to cancel.
The NexStar 8/11 GPSand5i/8ibehave differently to allow the Filter Limits to be applied
to the SAO list. Thestarsare accessedby SAO number.Press theStarbutton,key in the
first four digits from the SAOn umberand you will bepresentedwith a list ofstarsin the
databasethatare within your currentfilter limits. Press the Downbutton(9 on the
keypad)to scroll throughthe list to thestaryou arelooking for. If you scrollpastyour
target, you must press Undo until you are back at the NexStarprompt, GPS press another
catalogkey, thenUndo and startover by pressingthe Star button.Look for this to be
improvedin future versions .
Named, Double, and Variable Stars

The named,double,andvariablestarlists aregenerallymoreuseful to theobserverthan
the SAO starcatalog.In particularI enjoythevariousdoublestarsCelestronhas made
available. Appendix B provides complete lists of the

starsincludedin these categories
. For
additionaldouble stars thatcan be accessedby SAO or NexStar number,check the
Downloads sectionof my NexStar Resource Site - http://www .NexStarSite.com. The
NamedStar,Double Star,and VariableStarlists can befoundon the Listbutton.Note
that you will only bepresentedwith objects within your Filter Limits.
The Tour List

The tour is a sampling of some of the best deep sky objects
currentlyvisible. While it won't
keep you happy inghtafter night, since each night will be largely a repeat of the previous, it
is useful if youhaven'tprepareda list of objects you wish to see
.One potentialproblem,if
you own one of the smaller NexStar models, is thattourdoes
the not take intoaccountthe
apertureof thescope. The objects presentedare basically the same whetheryou are using
the NexStar 60 or the NexStar 11. Many of the fainterobjects will not be visible in
smaller
scopes and many of the aste risms will be too wide to enjoy in the
largerscopes. Thus you
will just move on to the next object on the tour.
Press theTour buttonon thekeypadand you will bepresentedwith the first object on
thetourlist that falls within your
currentFilter Limits. You can pressEnterto slew to that
object or the Infob uttonfor the object'sdescription,magnitude,and more. When you are
readyfor the nexttourobject,use the Upand Down buttons(6 and9 on thekeypad)to
scroll throughthe list.
Named Obiects
The Named Object list is compilation
a of the best deep sky
objectsthataren'ton one of
the star orasterismlists. Pressing the Infobuttonfor any of these objects will display their
Messier or NGC designation. For a completelist of the Named Objects, referAppendix
to
B. NamedObjectsis foundon the Listbutton. Note thatyou will only bepresentedwith
the objects within your currentFilter Limits.
Asterisms
One of most uniquelists availablein the NexStarhand controlis the list ofasterisms.
Asterisms are simply recognizablepatternsrandomlycreated by groups of stars. The name
of theasterismoftendescribesthepattern,such as"CoathangerCluster" or "Number 7
Cluster".Most of asterismsrequirelow magnification and a wide field of view to take in
theentireshape.They are especially good targets for the NexStar 60 and 80. The Asterisms
list is found on the Listbuttonand will be limitedto objectswithinyour currentFilter
Limits. Refer toAppendixB for a complete list of NexStar Asterisms
.
CCD Obiects
The NexStar 8/11 GPS and Sil8i include a list of objects well
suitedto CCD imaging.These
are generallysmall pairs,trios,or clustersof galaxies thatwill fitwithin a single CCD
framedimage. The CCD Objects list is foundon the Listbuttonand is limitedto objects
Basic Operation 91
within your currentFilterLimits. Appendix B presentsa completelist of all the CCD

Objects.
IC Catalog
The IC (IndexCatalog) is not ascommonlyused as the NGC catalog,t houghJ.L.E.Dreyer
authoredboth.The IC catalog iscomprisedof morethanfivethousanddeep sky objects;
most of them are quite faint and
requirea large telescope and
darkskies. The IC catalog is
includedon the NexStarSIll GPS and 5i/Si,is found on the Listb utton, and functionsthe
same as the NGC list.
Abell Catalog
The Abellcatalogis a compilationof galaxyclustersand the first 2712objectsfrom this
catalog are available on the NexStar S/11 GPS and 5i/Si. In many cases a single Abell object
is a clusterof morethan50 galaxies in a single field of view! Most of these galaxies are
muchtoo faint to be seen in even thelargestNexStar telescopes,b utthepossibilitiesfor
long-exposureastrophotography are exciting. You will find the Abellcatalogon the List
button.
GoTo a Specific Right Ascension and

Declination
When the object you areinterestedin is not to be found in one of the includedcatalogs, or
you justcan'tfind which catalog it is in, all is not lost. Providing you know the RA and Dec
of the object, simply press the Menu
button,scroll to GoTo RA-Dec, and directly enter the
coordinates.
Get the Current Right Ascension and

Declination
Wh ilenot a GoTooperation,this function is useful after you have located an object
manu-
ally in the eyepiece. Press the Menu
button,scroll to Get RA-Dec, and press Enter
. You can
thenresearchthe givencoordinatesand determinethe objectin the field of view.
Some of theutilitiesand functionsof thecomputerizedh andcontrolarecentralto maxi-

mizing the operationof your scope. A few momentsspenttweakingthesesettingswill
result in asmoothlyoperatingscope.
Anti-Backlash
(All models)
All gears, including the ones used to move NexStar
a telescope, have acharacteristic
known as backlash.This is simplythe play in the gear s thatshows itself as a delay when
using the arrowbuttonsto manualslew the scope . The NexStar 8 GPS and 11 GPS use
worm-drivengears, whichinherentlyexhibit minimalbacklash.All othermodels usespur
gears, which have a good deal of backlash
.
The delay caused by backlash is noticeable when using the arrow
buttonsto move in the
directionoppositeof tracking.For example,if you are in theNorthernHemisphereand
viewing an object towards the south,
pressingthe left arrowbuttonwill requirecompensa-
tion for backlash, otherwise you will notice a delay before the scope actually starts moving.
The NexStar scopes employ backlashcompensation,or Anti-Backlash as Celestron calls it,
to rewindthe motorand take up the lacks so thatthe scopestartsmoving immediately
afterpressingan arrowbutton.After you release the arrowbutton,c ompensationwinds
themotorback in theotherdirectionto re-engage the gears and resume tracking. Since no
two sets of gears areexactlythe same, we can fine-tunethe settings for thealtitudeand
azimuthaxis on each scope .
NexStar 5/8 and Original GT On the original NexStar 5/8 and the original
GT controlfor the little NexStars, there is just a single setting for each
.Inaxis
otherwords,
you can specify a value for azimuth
compensationand a value for altitude compensation.
To correctlyset backlashcompensation , startby aligning the scope. Next, press the
Menu button,scroll toAnti-Backlash,and press Enter. Set the Azm Backlash to 0 and the
Alt Backlash too.Azm Backlash correspondsto theleftlrightbuttons,while Alt Backlash
correspondsto theup/downbutton. While viewing an object in the eyep iece,observe the
responsivenessof each of the fourarrowbuttons.Note whichdirectionsexhibita pause,
for example,left and down.Working one axis at a time, adjustthebacklashsettinghigh
enoughto causeimmediatemovementwithoutresultingin a pronouncedjumpwhen
pressingor releasing theb utton.
NexStar 8/11 GPS, NexStar 5i/8i, New GT On the newer

models,thereare two values for each axis,positiveand negative.Positive is theamount
applied when you press thebutton,rewinding to get things moving quickly , whilenegative
is theamountappliedwhen you release the button,w indingback theotherdirectionto
resumetracking.Often theyshould be set the same ; howeverif you observesmooth
motionwhen you push the button,but the objectjumpswhen you releasethe button,
lower the negative value.
To correctlyset backlashcompensation,s tartby aligning the scope. Next, press the
Menu button, and selectUtilitieson the littleNexStars or ScopeSetup on thebigger
models.Scroll toAnti-Backlashand pressEnter.Set the AzmPositiveand Negative to 0
and the AltPositiveandNegativeto o.Azm values correspondto theleft/rightb uttons,
while Alt valuescorrespondto theup/downbutton. While viewing anobjectin the eye-
piece, observe theresponsivenessof each of the four arrow buttons.Note whichdirections
exhibita pause, for example,leftanddown. Working one axis at a time, adjustboththe
positive and negativebacklashsettingshigh enough to cause immediatemovement
withoutresultingin a pronouncedjumpwhen pressingor releasingthe button. At this
phase, use the same values for positive and negative
. If you note a jump when releas
ing the
Basic Operation 93
button,but find that setting both values lower results in a pause pressingthebutton,
when
go with thehighervalue for positive, but use a lower value for negative
.
Note that on the new GTthereis a slight pause after you release
buttonuntilthe
a back-
lash compensationis applied. Ifyou attemptto use theoppositebuttonbeforecompensa-
tion iscomplete,the scopewill not respond. A little patiencegoes a long waytowards
smoothoperationin this case.
Slew Limits
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5i18i, New GT)

The Slew Limitsfeatureis designedto preventthetelescope,or equipmentattachedto it,
from makingcontactwith thetripodor base. On the NexStar 60/80/114, the opticaltube
can easily makecontactwith thetripodwhen pointingat objectshigh in altitude.With
othermodels,addinga cameraor longer optical accessories to the back of the scope might
resultin a similarsituation.Slew Limits controlthe minimumand maximumaltitudes
(angles from thehorizon)thata slew canattemptw ithoutdisplayinga warning.To con-
tinueto protectyour equipmenteven whenmountedon a wedge, Slew Lim its are mea-
sured in relation to the base of the telescope,
ratherthan your localhorizon.
Keeping inmind that0° is thehorizonand90° isstraightup, the followingprocedure
will accurately set the
maximumSlew Limits requiredfor yourequipment:
• Set up thetripod,pointnorthand line upyour perpendicularmarks or leveleverything
if you haven'tadoptedthe marks.
• Do a Quick Alignment.
• Manually slew to the
pointyou feel is as high as you can safely go.
• Use the menuoptionfor Get Alt-az.
The altitudedisplayed is yourmaximumsetting for slew limits. Forminimum,I recom-
mend leaving the default setting °in
of 0place.
To access Slew Limits, press the Menu
button,then selectUtilitieson the little NexStars
or ScopeSetupon thebigger models.Scroll to SlewLimits,pressEnterand you will be
presentedwith selectionsfor minimum and maximumlimits.Any futureattemptsto
GoTo an objectoutsideof your Slew Limits will result in warningthat
a can beignoredby
pressingEnter,but if you do, closely monitorthe telescopeto preventcontactwith the
tripodor the base.If thereis contact,y our alignmentwill be lostand you will needto
power off the scope andstartagain with a newalignment.Additionally,themotorsin the
larger NexStar models arestrongenough to damageequipmentif contact is notprevented .
Filter Limits
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5i18i, New GT)
FilterLimits are also set asminimumand maximumaltitude.On the little NexStars this
altitudeangle will always be inrelationshipto the base of the telescope, but on the bigger
NexStars, Filter Limits are in
relationto your actual local
horizon.Objectsoutsideof your
Filter Limits will not bedisplayedas you access thevariouslists in thehandcontrol.For
example, if your minimumfilter limit is set to 30°,butVenus is at 20°,Venus will not be

displayedas an available obje ct on thePlanetbutton.
I generallyleave theFilterLim its set to 0° and 90° since my horizon is fairly clearin
most direction s.With the FilterLimits set to 0°and 90°,the objectsin the list include any-
thingcur rently above thehorizon.Slew Limits will still be ineffect o t protect yo ur equip-
mentand alignment.As discu ssed befor e,pressing Enterwill override the slew limit
warning if necessary.
On thelittleNexStars you will findFilterLimits directly on the Menu button. For the
N exStar8/11 GPSand 5i/8i, press the Menubuttonthenselect Scope Setup.croll S to Filter
Limits, press Enterand you will be pre s entedwith settings for minimumand maximum
limits.
On the NexStar8/11 GPS and NexStar Si!8i,the Filter Limit s are in respect ofyour local
horizon, ratherthan the base of the scope, useful whenmountedon a wedge. If you
perform an EQ Auto Align, thescope has all theinformationit needs - date/timellocation
- in orderto make this work. But , when youperformthe EQ Two Star Align, you must
providethe requiredinformation.If you have the NexStar 8/11 GPS or the NexStar Si/8i
with theoptionalGPS module, select ViewTime-Siteon the Menubuttonto get theinfor-
mationfrom the GPSsystem. If you don't have GPS, useSetupTime-Siteon the Scope
Setup menuto manuallyenterthe date,time, and location.
Compass and Level (Altitude Sensor) Utilities

(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar 5il8i with optional
GPS module)
The internalc ompass anddownstop switch(" level" or" altitude"senso r) on the NexStar
8/ 11GPS and the NexStar Si/8i with optionalGPS module are roughly calibr ated at the
factory. Both should becalibra ted forimproved accuracy. Calibratingthecompass is nec-
essary to compensat e for the differencebetweenmagneticand truenorthat your location,
allowing the scope to come much closerwhen initially pointing at the two alignmentstars.
Calibrating le
vel is required to determine the point where the
optical tube is perpendicular
to the forkarms, necessary to provid e accurate GPS Alignments as well as accurate EQ
N orth/Southand Wedge Alignment s on the NexStar 8/11 GP S.
• Start by verycarefullyleveling thetripodin alldirectionspriorto att aching the scope .
Set the level on theh eadof thetripod,testingalternatelyacross the top of two legs at a
time. Adjust the legs until levelin all orientations
.
• N extperforma GPS alignment.Take care toaccuratelycenter thealignmentstarsand,
aftercompletion,check to be sure that GoTo is accuratelyplacing objects in the field of
view.
• Press the Menu button,selectUtilities, Compass,and thenCalibrate. Hand control
version 1.6 will not give any indicationthat thecalibrationwas successful, but in ct
fa the
calibrationwill have been completed after pressing Enter. Version 2.2 orhigherreports
success.
• On the Menu button, selectUtilities, Level(or Alt Sensor),and thenCalibrate.
Notethat even after cal
ibrating thecompass and level,d uringalignment, the scope will
stillpointoff from truenorthand a true perpendicularposition.The calibration routines
do not changethe position ing of the internal compassor downstop switch;ratherthey
storecompensationvalues used in futurealignments.
Basic Operation 95
If you travel asignificantdistancewith your scope, the newlocationmay have a differ-

entmagneticnorthdeviationand thusrequirethecompass to berecalibrated. You should
not need torecalibratelevel unless you reset the
handcontrolto factorydefaults or return
your handcontrolto Celestronfor servicing.
R5·232 Mode
(NexStar5/8,New GT)
The RS-232 mode isfoundon the Menu of theoriginalNexStar 5/8and the new GThand
controlfor the little NexStars. For these models, RS-232 mode is necessaryfor communi-
cating with an externalc omputerconnectedvia the RS-232porton thebottomof thehand
control. This is discussed in detail in Chapter 10.After successful alignment
,to enableRS-232
mode, pres s the Menubutton,scroll toRS-232, and then press Enter. To cancelRS-232 mode
and terminatecommunicationwith the external computer,pressthe Undobutton.
GoTo Approach
(NexStar8/11 GPS, NexStar5i18i)
GoTo Approach is discussedmore fully in thenext sectionof this chapter,but some
changes arerequired in most situations.You will find GoToApproachon the Scope Setup
menu.Both axes,altitudeand azimuth, can be set toeitherPositiveor Negative.In alti-
tude,Positivemeans the finalapproachwill be with thefrontof thescope moving up,
azimuthPositiveindicatesthe frontof thescopeis moving to theright,bothas viewed
from the back of the scope.
As noted in Chapter 4, I recommendyou change thealtitudeGoTo Approachto Positive
on theNexStar8111 GPS and the NexStar8i to takeadvantageof thedefaultfinal move-
ments of the GPSAlignmentroutineandthe natural back-heavybalanceof these scopes .
This alsomatcheswith the finalmovements for centeringthe alignmentstars as presented
in Chapter4.
Ifyou do not change the altitudeappro ach, youmustmake all finalmovementsduring
alignment to move the front of the scope down ,ratherthan up asrecommendedin Chapter 4 .
If you are observing from the SouthernHemisphere,change theazimuthGoTo Approach
to Negative for NexStar8111 GPS and NexStar 5i/8itelescopes . The majorityof celestial
objects observedby thosein theSouthernHemispherearelocatedto the observer'snorth.
Such objects are mo ving to thescope'sleft,as are all objects when
mountedon a wedge.An
azimuthGoTo Approachof Negative causes the final GoTo motionto betowardsthe left,
starting tracking without delaysdue to gear backlash.
Ifyou do not change the a zimuthapproach,you must make all finalm ovements during
alignment to move the front of the scope ,rather
right than left asrecommendedin Chapter 4 .
Several otherfeatures in thecomputerizedhand controlare less used but still significant.

View Time-Site and Setup Time-Site

(All models except
Original GT)
The GPS Al ignm en t,Auto Alignment, Quick Alignment,and EQ Auto A lignmentall
requ iretim e and site informat ionto be establishedat the time of alignment. If you use
Two Sta rA lignment or EQTwo StarA lignment, itis necessaryto provide the scope with
time inform ationprior to directingthe scope to slew to the M oon or a planet.Time infor-
mation consistsof the currentdate and time, your local time zone, and daylight savingsor
standard ime.
t
Use View Time-Site(on the Menu button) to update the timeand site lo cationon any
NexStar with GPS or simply to viewsuch informationon any model. On the NexStar 8/ 11
GPS and NexStar5i18i, you will also find LocalSiderealTime listedin the info rmati onpro-
vided. On the littleNexStars, Local SiderealTime is a separa teselectio non the Menu
button.Local siderealtime is the line of right ascension currentlycross ing themeridian
(str aightoverhead).
Use Setup Time-Siteto man uallyenter time and siteinformation.On the NexStar8/11
GPS and 5i/8i, press the Menubutton,then select Scope Setup , and then SetupTime-Site.
On the little N exStars,pressthe Menu button, selectUtilities,and then Setup Time-Site.
The original NexStar 5 and 8 do not actually have asepa rateview and setupfunction,
but instead you will find DatelTimeon the Menu button. This allows you to enterthe
cur rent dateand time,altho ugh no othersiteinformationis available.
User Defined Obiects

(All models)
NexStar telescope shave the ability to store several user-defined objects or f futur e GoTo
opera tio ns. I find this feature useful for a ew
f situa tions. First, you discover one ofyour
favorite objects is notavailable inany of theexisting lists. Or, you are manu ally searching
an area of the sky and discover an objec twhosecoordinate s you wish to save.In these
cases you will be storing a"s ky object". It can also be usefulduring the day, if you happen
to be using your NexStar as a spo ttingscope.In this case you will be savinga " land object".
The NexStar 8/1 I GPS and NexStar 5i/8i can store200 sky objects and 200 land object s.
The littleNexStars with the new GT hand controlcan store 25sky objectsand 25 land
objects. The original NexStar 5/8 can store 20sky objects and 5 land objects. All objects are
permanentlysaved.
There are fouroperations regard ingUser Defined Objects:
Save Sky Obiect After the object si centered in theeyepie ce,press theMenu
button, selectUser Objects, and thenselect Save SkyObject. Enteror select thenumber
thatwill design atethe object and it will be sto red. On th
e original NexSta r 5/8,you are
limitedto the numbers 1 throu gh 20. The currentrightascension and declinat ion w ill be
stored alon g with thenumberyou have chosen. A t this point it would be best to make a
note to re
cord thenumberyou attachedto the object.
Save Land Obiect The scena ri o for land objects is mor e complicated.T he
azimuthand altitudeare sto red of r the obje ct.When using your NexStaras a spotti ng
Basic Operation 97
scope, you will not performan alignmentand the scopewill not betracking.Altitudeis
still measuredas theangle in degrees abovethe horizon.Azimuth is a measuremento f
degrees, startin gwith 0 and continuing completelyaroundthe circleto justbefore360.
The 0 azimuthpointis the directionthescope waspointedwhen powerwas applied.Thus
to use a setoflandobject coordinates in the future, the scop
e must be orientedexactly the
sameeach time thescope is poweredup. If you are using your scopefro m your backpatio,
I would recommend fully extendi ng theegs l of thetripodand marking the locationof the
feet.Then sight a distant,immovable object andpoweroff. This will be your startingpoint
each timeyou use thescope.
After an object youwould like to save is centeredin theeyepiece, say a bird's nestin a
distanttree, press theMenu button, select UserObjects, and thenselect Save Land Object.
Enteror select thenumberthat will designate theobjectand it will be sto red. On the origi-
nal NexStar 5/8,you arelimit ed ot the numbers 21 through25. The curre n taltitudeand
azim uth will bestoredalong with thenumberyou havechosen.At this pointit would be
best to make a note torecordthenumberyou attachedto theobject.
Enter RA & Dec Use this optionto directlystorethe rightascensionand declina-

tion of a sky objectwithoutaligningthescopeor centeringthe objectin the eyepiece
. This
can be usefulto createa list of objectsfor acustom tour.Press the Menu button, select
User Objects, and thenselectEnterRA & Dec.
GoTo User Obiect Press the Menu buttonandselect UserObjects.On the origi-
nal NexStar 5/8 and the GThandcontrol for thelittle NexStar s, you next enterthe object
number. On all othermodelsyou selecteither GoTo Sky Obj or GoTo Land Obj, On the
NexStar 8/1 1 GPS, NexStarSi/8iand new GT handcontrol,use the Up and Down buttons
(6 and 9 on the keypad )to scro ll through the user objects.
Light Control
(All models except
Original GT)
You mightfind thatthe handcontrol lightingis too brightwhen you are at atrulydark
site. Whilethereis no provision to adjust thebrightness,t here aresett ings toturnoff the
backlight.The keypadand LCD panelare controlledseparately . On the originalNexStar
5/8, you will find LightControlafter pressing the Menubutton.On theothermodels,press
the Menubutton,selectUtilities, and scroll down to find LightControl.
Cordwrap Prevention
(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar5i18i, NexStar518)
U nlike some othercomputeri zedGoTo telescopes, the NexStar line has no mechanical
stoppingpointin azimuthand thus is able to take theshortes trouteduringa slew. If you
have power cords, computer cables, or came ra cables attachedto the moving scope, that
could presenta problemas the scopemay wrap thecords around the base.Cordwrapis
found underScope Setup on the Menub uttonon the NexStar 8/11 GPS and NexStar 5i/8i
models. On these models it is on by default after an EQ Alignment , but off by default after
othermodes ofalignment. On the NexStar 5/8 C ordwrapis on by defaultand is found by
scrolling down afterpressingthe Menubutton.
If I 'm not imaging, I alwaysp referto haveCordwrapoff and in any caseit is not avail-
able on the little NexStars. Ifthe cord doeswrap around the base,thereare ways to deal
with it. If you are using an.c.a adapterto poweryour scope, try to have e noughcordso
thatyou can lift it up over the scope and unwrapit.Ifyou are using abatterypack, pick it
up and move itaroundthe scope or if it is the smallb atterypack thatcomes with the
NexStar 60/80/114 , hang it on the fork arm. If all else fails, you can simply slew the scope in
the reverse directionto untanglethe cords.
Periodic Error Correction

(NexStar8/11GPS)
Although theworm-drivengears in the NexStar 8/11 GPS are very precise, they do exhibit
small imperfections that are significantwhen the scopeis used for long-exposure
astrophotography . Such imperfectionsproducea repeatingcycle oferrors: periodicerrors.
The handcontrolis capable of correctingperiodicerrorsin the right sacensionaxis with
thePeriodError Correction(PEC) feature.Correctingjust the RA axis is sufficient, ince s
the declination axis is not used for trackingwhenmountedon a wedge - arequirementfor
long-exposureastrophotographs . Note thatif theperiodicerroris relatively small on your
scope, anautoguiderwill likely do finewithoutPEC. But,if the periodic erroris too great
for an autoguider(I have not heardof a NexStar8111 GPS thathad such high periodic
error),or if you will bemanuallyguiding exposures, PEC could significantlyimproveyour
photographs .
To use PEC duringa photograph, yo u must first store the periodic error(uniqueto each
scope) by"recording" an 8-minutesession of manual guiding. The worm gea r that drives
the RA axis takes 8minutesto complete one t urn.This recordingis permanentlystoredin
thehandcontroland will not need to be remadeunless you returnyour handcontrolto
Celestronfor servicing.Once recorded,you simply "play back" the PECrecordingduring
an imaging session.
To make the PECrecording,set up the scope on a wedge with accurate an polaralign-
ment.Performan EQ Auto Alignmentor EQ Two Star Alignmentand inserta reticle eye-
piece in the scope. Choose a fairlybrightstar near the celestial equator(0°Declination)as
a guidestarand centerit in the reticle . If you are not familiar with manualguiding,spend
a fewmomentspracticing. To starttherecording,press the Menubutton,selectUtilities,
PEC, and Record. On hand controlversion 1.6, 5secondsafterselectingRecord,the
8-minuterecordingsession will begin. Notethatthe first ime t each session thatPEC
Record or PECPlaybackis selected , the worm geart urns to itsindexmark for reference .
This will generallymove your guide starout of thecenterof the eyepiece, or even out of
Ifso, cancel therecordingafter the ind
the field of view. ex is found, recenterthe star, and
startPEC Record again.
The processis slightly differenton hand controlversion 2.2 or higher.You will be
promptedto pressEnterto Initialize, which will move the worm gear to its ind ex mark.
Use the left/ righta rrow buttonsto recenterthe guide sta r and then press Enter,as
promptedon the display, to begin recording.
For 8 minutes,you must keep the guide star centeredin the reticle. Note that any drift in
declination should beignored; you should only be correctingwith the leftand right
Basic Operation 99
arrows. Drift indeclinationis caused by animperfectpolaralignment,somethingyou can

correct with aprocedureknown as a driftalignment(not discussed here). Afterminutes,
8
therecordingwill automaticallystop. Now when imaging in thefutureyou can play back
therecordingto reduceperiodicerror.
Autoguide Rate
(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar 5i/8i)
The AutoguideRate controlsthespeedwith which an auto g uidercan slew the scope to
make correctionsduringa long-exposureastrophotograph. AutoguideRate isfoundon
the Scope Setup menu and is expressed as
percentage
a of sidereal rate.
Tracking Mode and Rate

(All models)
On the original NexStar 5/8 and the original GT hand controlfor thelittleNexStars,
TrackingRate andTrackingMode areseparateitems found on the Menu b utton. On the
othermodels,Trackingis found on the Menubuttonand Mode and Rate are items under
Tracking.
There are fourtrackingmodes:
• Alt-az - used to trackthe sky whenmountedin altitude-azimuth m ode - mounted
directly on thetripodwith no wedge.
• EQNorth and EQSouth- used totrackthe sky when the scope mountedon
is apolar-
aligned wedge ineithertheNorthernor theSouthernHemisphere.
• Off-turnsoff alltrackingand the telescope sits still. The scope maintainsits
still model
of the sky, so after
turningon trackingby selecting one of the
othertrackingmodes you
can still use GoTo and the scope will behave normally.
There are fourtrackingrates:
• Sidereal-the rateappropriatefor trackingthe sky'snormalmotiondue to thecontinu-
ous rotationof the Earth.
• Solar- the rateappropriatefor trackingthe Sun'smotionthroughthe sky. This is very
close tosiderealrate andotherthanduringhours of direct,continuoussolar observa-
tion you will not likely notice a difference.
• Lunar - the rate appropriatefor trackingthe Moon's motionthroughthe sky. The Moon
is a fast mover, as you can easily seenoticingits
by locationfrom one night to the next.
If you plan on observing the Moon for several minutes,selectinglunartracking will help
to keep itcentered,p articularlyon themore accurate t rackingNexStar 8/11 GPSand
NexStar 5i/8i.
• King - this ratecorrectsfor the effect ofrefractiondue to thethickeratmospherelow in
originalNexStar 5/8and theoriginalGT hand
the sky. This rate is available only on the
controlfor the little NexStar s. Due to the lessaccuratetracking of thesemodels,King
rate may not prove ver y effective.
Hibernate
(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar5i/8i)
The Hibernate fe ature lalows you to power off h t e scope whilestill maintaining your sta r
alignment.Whenyou "wake up" the scope,it is ready togo with no alignment er quired.This
can be very usefulfor permanentlymounted scopes. Afteryou finish observingfor the night ,
just Hibernat eand power off. The nexttime you want to use the scope,simply powerup and
you will be observingin seconds. This also proves usefulfor daytime obse rving. You can
accuratel yalign your telescope at nightwhen thestars are visible, Hibern ate,and then co ver
the scope. The nextday you can accurately GoTo planets and bright sta rs for anunusual
view against a blue background. Or you can enjoyvery accuratetrackingof the Sun.
To use Hibernate, the scope sho uld bealigned and tra cking. Press the Menu button,
selectUtilities,and thenselectHibernate.You will be promptedto positionthescope and
press Enter. At this prompt,use thearrowbuttonsto manually pointthescope to a safe
storage position,thenpress Enter. You may thenturnoff the power. While thepoweris
off, do not manuallymove the scope or you will lose your alignment.
When you power upagain, you will bepromptedto press Enter to Wake Up thescope. Do
notpress the directionbuttons beforeyou successfully wake up the scope or you will lose
your alignment. Afteryou press Enter, if your scope has GPS, it willatte mpt a link or you
may press Undo toset the corr ectdate and time. If you do not havethe GPS moduleon the
NexSta r 5i/8i,you must manually enterthe time. Note that GoTo perfo rm an ce si entirely
dependentupon accurate dat e and time aftera Hibernate.Every 1 minute of error is as much
as 15 arc minutes of error in the sky. If you aredependingupon a watch for time, it is impor-
tant to usethesame watch you usedduring the initialalignment beforeHibernate.
Direction Buttons
(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar sue; New GT)
This feature allows you to exch ang ethe directionsof the up/down or left/righta rrow
button s.This providesbetter control when using thescopewith different o c mbinationsof
visualand photogra phicaccesso ries.For example, perhap s you have connecteda small
videocamerato your NexStar 4's straight-through p ortand thenconnected thi s to a video
monitor to give a group of spec ta torsa view of the Moon . Cha nging the directionof the
up/down buttons would allow more naturalcontrolas you are now using the scope
withoutthe diagonal.This featurecan also be very useful when mountinga different
optical tube on a NexStarmountas discussedin Chapter 13.
DirectionButtonsis found on theUtilitiesmenuon the ilttleNexStar s, or you will find
it on the Scope Setup m
enu on the bigger NexStars.
GoTo Approach
(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar5i18i)
GoTo A pproac h allows you to specify the dire ctionthescope takesduring final centering
when it slews to anobject.This allows the fin al motion to minimizethe effects of backlash
Basic Operation 101
in the gears. You will find GoToApproachon the Scope Setup menu. Both axes altitude
-
and azimuth- can be set to either Positive or Negative
. In altitude, Positive mean
s the final
approachwill be with thefrontof the scopemoving up. Inazimuth, Positivemeansthe
final approachwill be with thefrontof the scope moving to the right. Both of these direc-
tions are as viewed from the back of the scope. The defaultsettingsare altitudeNegative
and azimuthPositive.
An altitudeapproachof Positive is generallyrequiredif the telescope is back-heavy .The
NexStar Si is nearlybalancedand so analtitudeapproachof Negative isappropriate. The
NexStar8/11 GPSand 8i are back-heavyand thusbenefitfrom analtitude approachof
Positive.
It shouldbe notedthatthe directionof finalapproachdeterminesthe directionsyou
must move the scope when c enteringthe alignmentstarsand moving to theindexposi-
tion.The directionsgiven in Chapter4 dependupon changingthe altitudeapproachto
Positivefor theNexStar 8/1 1 GPSand NexStar 8i. Also, if you are observing from the
SouthernHemisphereit isimportantto change theazimuthapproachto Negative for the
NexStar 8/11 GPS and the NexStar Sil8i.
Get Alt-az and GoTo Alt-az

(All models)
Since these optionswereostensiblydesignedfor daytime observingoflandobjects,you
will not likely find them useful. Occasionally I do use Get-azto
Alt get a precise reading of
the altitudeof an objectwhen the scopes ialt-az-mounted. This can be a useful piece of
informationto enter into your observationlog as it often provesinstructivewhen trying to
understandwhy an object was clearlyobservedone night (high in altitude),b utbarely
visibleanother(lower inaltitude). -
On the little NexStars and theoriginalNexStar 5/8, you will find GetAlt-azand GoTo
Alt-az by scrolling downafterpressing the Men u button. On the NexStar 8/11 GPS and
NexStar Sil8i, press the Menu button, selectUtilitiesand scroll down tolocatethese
options.
Select Model
(New GT, OriginalGT)
While otherhandcontrolsautomaticallydetect the model of NexStar scope they are- con
nectedto, the hand controlon thelittleNexStars must be told. On the new GThand
control, press the Menubutton,select Utilities, and scroll to Select Model and press
Enter.
Scroll up or down to display the
correctmodel and press En ter.
The procedureis a littlemorecomplicatedon theoriginalGT handcontrol.If you
select the model by name, for example,NexStar80, your scope will not workcorrectly.
alignmentstars,nor will laterGoTo slews be
The scope will not be very close to the two
accurate.In fact, if you get thes copeto say it wasalignedsuccessfully,it might miss
objectsby many degrees duringGoTo - even when youattemptto GoTo one of ht e two
alignmentstars!
To correctlyset themodelon theoriginalGT handcontrol, press the Menu button,

scroll to Model Select
,select Custom, and then
enterthe followingnumbersfor bothAZM
and ALT:
• NexStar 60 and 80
:0726559
• NexStar 114 and :41059334
Reset to Factory Settings

(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar5i18i, NewGT, Original GT)
This optionresets many of the s toredparametersin thehandcontrolto theinitialfactory
settings. Optionssuch asbacklashsettings,date/timellocation,slewandfilterlimits,and
directionbuttonsettingswill be reset. PECrecordingand user-definedobjectsare not
reset. In otherwords, if astoredparameteris originallyblank,it is noterasedby a reset.
Occasionally, amisbehavingtelescope iscorrectedby a reset to factory settings.
For the NexStar8111 GPS and Si/8i,pressthe Menu button,selectUtilities,and then
selectFactorySettings. Press 0 on thekeypad to resetor Undo to cancel. For the GT
models, use Select Model as describedabove.
Version
Use theVersion optionto displaythe firmware(internalp rogram)versionsfor thehand
control(HC) and motorcontrol(MC) . On handcontrolversion 1.6, thism enuoptiondis-
plays theversion of the HC on the top line of thedisplayand two numbersfor the MC
versionon thesecondline of the display.The first of the two MCnumbersis the firmware
versionfor theazimuth,and thesecondis for thealtitude.On handcontrolversion2.2,
this menuoptiondisplaysthe HC and MC versionson the top line of the displayand the
GPS and serial buscontrolon thesecondline. On the top line, the firstnumberis the HC
version, the second is the MC
azimuthversion, and the thirdis the MC altitude version
.On
thesecondline, the firstn umberis the GPSversionand thesecondnumberis theserial
bus version.
To display the version, press the Menu
button,select Utilities, and then select
Version.
After your first exciting looks at the Moon and planets, you will likely
tryoutthe objects in
theTour list. Some of those objects may not be visible with
your model of NexStar scope
andin any case theTour list will only keep youoccupiedfor so long. How do you decide
what to view? Do you findyourselfsimply pressingthe "M" buttonand startingat" 001"?
How do you go aboutmaximizingyour limitedtimeunderclear skies? There are probably
as many ways topreparefor an evening ast hereare people with telescopes! But thereare
some suggestions I can give you, as wellresourcesand
as ways to use them .
The faintestobjectyou can seedependsdirectlyupon the apertureof your telescope . As

discussedin Chapter2, thelight-gatheringpower of a telescope isfunctionof
a the area of
the objective. Relatively small
increasesin apertureresultin fairlydramaticincreasesin
imagebrightness. For reference, Table 6.1 shows limiting
magnitudeundergood,darksky
conditions. From the table, we
shouldexpectthata NexStar 4 would allow us to detect an
object of about 11.7
magnitudewhen we areunderdark skies.Unfortunatelyit is not quite
that simple.
First, wemustconsiderthe seeingconditionknown as transparency.We need more
thandarkskies to see thefaintestobjects; we also need clear skies. Skies with
particlesof
moisture, dust,or pollutantshave poortransparencya nd make faintobjectsdifficult to
view. This is evenmorecriticalunderlight-pollutedskies or a sky with abrightMoon.
During a nightwith goodtransparencyyou mightbe able to easily see a faint globular
butthe next nightm oisturein the air couldrenderit invisible. Soon you
cluster or galaxy,
will gainenoughexperience to judge the night sky and learn what to expect.
Second, wemust recall thatmagnitudefor deep skyobjectsis generallyderivedby
takingthetotalluminosityof theobjectand reportingas if it were a singlep oint.This is
accuratefor stars,as theyaresingle-pointlight sources.For mostotherdeep skyobjects,

Table 6.1. Limiting magnitude under good, dark sky conditions

Instrument Aperture Limiting magnitude
Naked eye About 7 mm 6
Binoculars 50 mm 9.5
Telescopes :
60 mm (2.4 in) 10 .5
80 mm (3.1 in) 11.3
4 in. 11.7
1 14 mm (4 .5 in) 12
5 in. 12.3
8 in. 13.3
11 in. 14
14 in. 14 .6
the magnitudereportedis potentiallymisleading.When choosingtargetsfor a viewing

session,we mustconsiderboth themagnitudeand the size of the object.
If a planetarynebula,M27 for example, is reportedas magnitude7.4 but it is 8 by 6 arc
minutesin size, theresultis an object with a low surface brightness. In otherwords, it is
actuallyvery faint. Larger galaxies and nebulaeare even moremisleading.M8l is magni-
tude 6.9,nearly naked-eye limit if it were a star. But M8l is a galaxy with aof20
sizeby 10
arc minutes,resultingin a lowsurfacebrightnessthatmakes it difficult to see without
clear, dark skies .
Third,light pollutionhas adevastatingeffect on all but the brightestobjects. Larger
aperturescan help toovercomethis problem,but thereis no substitutefor darkskies. If
you live in a smallcommunity,thebackgroundlight pollution may not be too bad and you
simply need to deal with a few local lights from your closestneighbors.Inviting them out
to take a lookthroughyour telescopewill often be enough to secure theircooperationin
extinguishingoutdoorlightingwhen you areobserving. Otherwise,carefulselectionof
where you set up can often block most lights from .view
In a city, thesituationis considerablyworse. Theentiresky glows with the manythou-
sandsof lights flooding the city .Even if you can isolateyourselffrom any local lights, the
skyglow will make most deep sky objects impossibleto see.Planetaryand lunarobserva-
tions are not affected appreciably by light pollution, but for the deep sky you need to travel
to adarksite. In light-pollutedskies you might be able to detect a faint object,under but
dark, clear skies details come into view. One of the best examples of this is the
Whirlpool
Galaxy, MSl. Undercity skies you cangenerallymake out the core o fMSl and its small
companiongalaxy, butnothingmore. Under dark,transparent skies you can see the spiral
arms and the bridge of stars between the two galaxies.
Nature'sversion oflightpollution,a brightMoon, will also make deep sky objects hard
to distinguish. Even at adark site, a full Moonlimits the objects you can see. To make
matterseven more frustrat ing,the worst time to view the Moon is when it is full. The great-
est detailto be seen on the Moon is along the terminator,the linebetweenthe light and
shadow. During a full Moon, most detail is washed out by the direct sunlightstrikingthe
surface. If there are no planets in the ,you
sky might be limited to viewing double stars and
thebrightestdeep sky objects .
Finally, remembergood observationtechniqueas discussedin Chapter2. Averted
vision, wiggling the scope, and varying themagnificationwill help you todetectfainter
objects. Careful observation of an object will bring out details not easily seen at first glance.
Experience at the eyepiece will soon payoff.
Expanding your Horizons - Choosing Objects to View lOS
Wh en selecting object sfor a nightl y session, printedreferences re a almostessential.A

good starchartshows thesky with starsand deep sky objects annotated. To m axim ize
your timeunderthestars,you might preparea list of interesting objects by studyingsuch
a chart. Whilea starchart si a requirementwhen using a non-GoT o scope, whenyou are
outunderthe night sk y it willstill prove useful to helpyou identifyunknownobjectsin the
eyepiece. Forexample, perhaps you are viewing MiO S and you noticetwo otherfaint
objects ne arby. A d etail ed tsa rchart will el tyou quickly identify them as NGC3389 and
NGC3384.
Star chartsvary in scale.The sta rcharttypicallyfound ina magazineis a full-skychart
that only shows theplanets and thebrightest stars and deepsky objects. Good sources for
full-sky charts are Sky and Telescopemagazine,Astronomy magazine, and theInternetweb
site SkyMaps.com. Full-sky charts are fine when you are beginning,but as your experience
grows you will seek out fainter object s than are shown on an all- sky chart.
The nextstep up would be moredetailedcharts thatshow sectionsof thesky and thus
more objects. Many introductor y astronomy books include such charts, but often they are
difficult to use in the field. On e excepti onI have found is the spiral-bo undversion of
Terence Dickinson's Nightwatch. It includes fine beginners' cha rts for th e Northern
Hemisph erewith stars down to about magnitude 6 - naked-eyelimit.Hundred sof inter-
esting deepsky objects are plotted on these charts.
For additional targ etsduringyour nighttime sessions, try Orio n's Deep Map 600. This
larg e folding starchartcoversthe enti resky for NorthernHemi sph er eobservers and a
niceport ionof thesky visible in the Southern Hemisphere. As the name im plies,it charts
the position of 600 deep sky objects. Or turnto Wil Tirion's Bright Sta rAtlas 2000.0 for
anotherexcellent re s ource forplann ing your evening. Ten cha rts map the sky, with stars
down to magnitude 6.5and morethan one thousand deepsky objects.
Anothermust is a good lunar map. You will enjoy the Moon much more wit h a guide ot
the craters,mountains,and othersurface fe a tures. Orion and Sky and Telescopeboth offer
fine Mo on mapsfor beginners.
The moderncomputerhas dramaticallychanged the world of the profe ssionalastronomer.

Intense calculationsthat took man y hours to performby handare nowcompletedin frac-
tions of a secondby computer.C omputersimulations are sed u routinelyto bolsteror dis-
counttheorie sof stellarand cosmic evolution. Andnaturally, observatory elescope
t sare
generally controlledby computers.
The world of the amat eur astronomer has also benefited from the wid
espreadavailabil-
ity of cheap, powe rful computers.Huge catalogs of objects atwere
th unwieldy at best are
now easily sortedand searched. Sk y chartsthattook years to plot accura tely are now
effortlessand instantly createdon thehumble home computer. Even the palmtopcom-
puterhas gotteninto the act, plo tting starsand deepsky objects on it
s diminutive screen
or produ cingMoon phasesand otherephemerisat a moment's notice.
I cat egoriz e as
trono mysoftwareinto threetypes:planetarium, session planning,and
specialized.
.!o lxl
Figure 6 .1. Planetarium software - Cartes du Ciel.
Planetarium Software
Planetariumsoftwareis the most generic category. Based on several databasesof
objects, mostlystarsand deep skyobjects,planetariumsoftwareis designedprimarily
to producestarchartson thecomputerscreen. The chartsare plottedbasedon a loca-
tion (longitudeand latitudeor city) and justaboutany dateand timeyou would like.
Objectsin theextensivedatabase s are plottedpreciselyon thechartsunderthe control
of filters thatdetermine what appearsand what is hidden.Planetariumsoftwareis
potentiallymore useful in the fieldthan printedstar charts, if you have asuitable
portablecomputer.The view on thecomputerscreencan be made tom atchthe view in
any given eyepiece,binoculars,or thenakedeye. Printedstarchartsarelimited by their
staticnature.
There are many goodplanetariumsoftware packages available, but the three I find most
useful for thecomputerare TheSky, Starry Night Pro, and Cartes du Ciel. All are fine tools
for theamateurastronomerand also all willinterfacewith a NexStar telescope toprovide
enhancedcontrolof both the scopeand the software. For palmtopcomputersTheSky
PocketEdition and Planetariumfor Palm aregreatprogramsfor maximum portability .
Both providesupportfor NexStarcontrol,althoughat the time of this writingTheSky PE
does notsupportall models. Foradditionalprogramsand the cost and webitesfor
s these,
refer toAppendixC.
Expanding your Horizons - Choosing Objects to View 107
2h,300I div
.
'
Plane~ariurn
.
•0
.
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.
~
•o
, .. .. .. •
•
. ...
•
o··
o 0
.. .
. 0
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0
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'
':.. ••
Figure 6.2.
Planetarium software -
Planetarium for Palm,
Session Planning Software

Session planningsoftwareemphasizesthe abilityto searchextensivecata logsof objects
and producelists of potentialo bjectsfor viewing. Mostapplicationsalso providesky
chartingcapabilities,butnot generallywith thefeatureset ofplanetariumsoftware. This
category of software helps you get
organizedbefore you step out forthe night. My favorites
in this categoryare NexStar Observer List (my own program),Deepsky 2002, and
AstroPlanner.AstroPlanneris especiallynotableas it is theonly planningsoftwarecur-
rentlyavailablefor bothMacintoshand Windows computers.All threeof theseinterface
with NexStar telescopes, allowing you to work down your list, directingyour scope to
pointat oneobjectafteranother.You will also findthatprogramsof this type have the
strongestcapabilitiesin recordingand organizingyour typewrittenobservationcom-
ments. Refer toAppendixC for web site and costinformation.
Specialized Software
Specializedastronomysoftwareis the catchall category. One of my favorites isVirtualthe
Moon Atlas by PatrickChevalley andChristianLegrand. Available free fordownloadfrom
http://astrosurf
.com/avIlUK_index .html, VirtualMoon Atlas allows you to easilyidentify
hundredsof surface features on the Moon asprovidesa
it veryrealisticview includingthe
changingphasesas theterminatorcreeps across the l unarsurface. You areprovidedwith
completecontrol of the image as you can pan and zoom to zero in on any area of the visible
surfaceof the Moon. Thisprogramis not a simplemageofi the Moon,but rathera fully real-
isticsimulationof the Moon as it actuallyappearsduringits ever-changing phases .
08
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Aatr-opfanner- ~
Figure 6.3. Sess ion planning software - AstroP lanner.
Another excellentfree offering is the AstroByte Logging System by Ron Reuter.

AstroByte Logging System allows you to easily record your observationsof any of the thou-
sandsof objectsin its extensivedatabase . You can alsodisplayor printa widevarietyof
reports. Download at http ://mainbyte.com/astrobyte.
One last example is Mars Previewer II - a free
programby Leandro Rios. Mars Previewer
II displaysa detailedview of thesurfaceof Mars for any given date and time. Using this
software,you can easilyidentifythe featuresviewed in the eyepiece . Mars Previewer
doesn'tseem to have ap ermanenth ome,so you mightneed tosearcha little for it , butat
the time of thisw ritingit is availablefor downloadat http://www .astronomysight.com/
as/start/books.html#Programs.
For additionalsoftware, I keep my eye onadvertisementsa nd announcementsin
monthlymagazines likeSky andTelescopeand Astronomy .
Viewing our closestcelestialn eighborsis the most commonactivityfor beginners,but

unfortunatelyit iscommonfor such viewing to benothingmore than a quick glance before
moving on to the next object
. Armed with a little knowledge, we find there is much more to
be seen.
CM =149.14DE :-19.S4
Date: 181712003 Now
Time: 121:09 Auto
TimeZone: 13 Defau lt TZ
r Cele stial South atTop r Circles

P Cele stiel East atLeft r 8M
Point to any feature on Mars to see its

latitude. longitude and name on this frame
Central Meridian [deg]: 1491400

Go Show Circle Declination ofEarth[deg]: ·19.5300
PA of axis [deg): 343.7800
Diameter [ercsec] 23.4800
Saveas File... Print Phase: 0.9751
Magn itude: -2.5100
CelestialNorth atlop
Ready. Cele stialEastat left
Figure 6.4.Mars PreviewerII.
The Sun
One of the mostoverlookedareasof amateurastronomyis solar observation. While all the
otherstars we view arenothingmorethandistantpoint s oflight, the Sun pro vides a full
disk view and continually changing detail. Until recently safe solar filters werequite expen-
sive,but such is no longer the case.As wewill discuss in Chapter8, solar filtersof excellent
quality are now availabl e of r a very modest price. A safe filter is a must;direct viewing of
the Sunwith afaulty orinappropriat e filter can in
s tantly resultin permanenteye damage.
After armingyour telescop ewith a good filter,you will find the surfaceof the Sun is lit-
tered with ever-changingsunspots.During theperiodof maximum solaractivity - about
every eleven years - the Sun will often be coveredwith sunspots. Try sketchingthem every
otherday for a two-week eriodto
p recordtheirevolution and movement.The Sun rotates
once about every 30 days, solonger-lived sunspots will be visiblefor some time. Asimple
sketchsheetsuch as the oneshown in Figure 2.4(available from my NexStar ResourceSite)
makes this enjoyable andeasy. Use the circle on thesheet ot representthe entiresurface of
theSun.
The Moon
Most beginners turntheirscope first on the Moonand wonderat this alien landscape.
Then,afterbuildingthe observing skill necessary to enjoy th
e planetsand deepsky objects,
the Moon seems to be th
e last thing on theirlist.No otherobjectin thesky offers nearly as
much detail-and the viewchangesfrom onehourto the next.Regardless of theinstru-

ment, the Moon is alwaysstunningsight
a with even modest magnification. The Moon is an
especially rewarding target on evenings when the sky is steady transparenc
but y suffers.
In additionto a telescope, two
othertools are a necessity for extensive
lunarobserving: a
lunaratlas or mapanda lunarfilter. The Moon isincrediblybright, even in a small tele-
scope; the filter reduces the
intensity,allowing for much more detail in the eyepiece. Refer
to Chapter8 for advice on selecting a filter
.The atlas or map adds much to the visual enjoy-
mentas you put names to the cratersand otherfeatures, slowlylearningthelunargeogra-
phy. Besides printedmaps,considerthe Virtual Moon Atlas introducedearlierin this
chapter.
Surfacefeaturesare mucheasierto detectwhen they lie along the terminatorbetween
the light and dark sides of the Moon.patient
A observercan actually watch the terminator
slide slowly along the surface as the Sun rises or sets across
lunarlandscape.Night
the after
night theterminatorilluminatesan entirelydifferent area of the Moon.
When viewing the Moon, watch forsmallercratersinsideoflargercraters. Also, many
largercratershave small peaks inthem. Some cratershave lines of debriss treakingaway,
evidenceof theimpactsthatcreatedthem.Watchfor mountainrangesand otherlinear
features.Many of thelongerfeatureshave terracedfaces visible inmoderatelysized tele-
scopes.If you have anartistictalent, try sketchingthe featuresthatyou see.Otherwise,
keep track of your discoveries,
enteringthem by name in your logbook .
The Planets
The twoinnerplanets- Mercuryand Venus - offer littleexcitementfor theEarth-bound
observer. SimplyidentifyingMercury isconsidereda success for thisdiminutiveplanet. At
best,Mercury will never bemorethanabout28° from the Sun. If youdecideto useyour
GoTo telescopeto pointout Mercury,be absolutelycertainthe Sun is not in the field of
view as well! Refer to finder
chartsin magazinesor your favoriteplanetariumsoftwareto
locate thelocationof this swift traveler. Venus offers a little more
variety. Check in on the
brightestof planetsweekly for two ort hreemonths.Sketch thephaseand relative size as
the view changes slightly from week to week .
Mars ranks numberthreeon my list ofplanetaryfavorites. About every otheryear the
red planetapproachesclose toEarth and every 15 years the pass dramatically
is closer.
During these closepassesMars presentsdetailvisible in allbut thesmallesttelescopes .
2003 is the bestapparitionwe can expect for many years,with slightly less favorable condi-
tionsin 2005.Sketchingthe view in theeyepieceis one way torecordthe occasion. You
mightalso trycapturingthecontrastingsurfacedetailwith a digitalcameratrainedon a
high-magnificationeyepiece.
Jupiteris my favoriteplanetand one of my overallfavoriteobjectsin the sky. In small
scopesI enjoychallengingmyselfto detecta thirdand sometimesa fourthbandon the
planet'ssurface.Watchingtheorderlymarchof the four Galilean moons in binocularsis a
delight. In a smalltelescopeor binocularsyou can watch as one of the moons disappears,
hiding in front of orbehindgiant Jupiter. Viewing such motion,as well as the phases pre-
sentedby Venus,convincedGalileo that the Sun was the centerof our local celestial neigh
-
borhood,ratherthan the Earth as popularwisdom then held. Try sketching thelocationof
the moons every twohours,night afternight,and see if you candeterminetheirorbital
patterns .
It is in telescopes of about 5-inch
apertureor larger that the king of planets really comes
to life. In such a scope
, watch for detail in the cloud
bands- includingthe Great Red Spot.
Jupiterrotatesonce in alittleless than 10 hours,presentingan ever-changingview. A
largerscope will also let you enjoy trackingone of themoons as it transitsin frontof
Jupiter.Or, observeas the inkyblackshadowof a moon passes acrossthesurfaceof the

planet.An artistichand isrequired to duejusticeto the intricatepatternsyou will see, or
you might try a digital camera.Refer toSky and Telescope magazineor theirweb site
(http://www.SkyandTe lescope.com)for thedatesand times of events onJupiter or see if
your planetariumsoftware provides such detai ls.
Saturn places a close second to Jupitern myi book. Visually it iscertainlythe most beau-
tiful sight in the sky, but the
greaterdetail to be had when viewing Jupiter holdsinterest
my
longer. The challenge and enjoymentof Saturnlies in the subtle details to be found in the
rings, the planetdisk, and the faintmoons. In a small telescope,look for theCassini
Division - the dark line between the two brightestrings - on the nights of best seeing. Look
for theshadowof theplanetdisk on the ringsbehindthe planet.Only Titan,Saturn's
brightestmoon, is easily noticeable in a small scope.
In an 8-inch or largerscope,look for aclearlydefinedCassini Division as well as the
fainterC ring (Crepering) insidethe othertwo.Exceptionalnightsof clear air will also
allow faintbandsto be viewed on the p lanetdisk. Five or moremoonsare within reach of
large telescopes .The brightgolden hues ofSaturnare a good target for a digital camera.
The threeouterplanets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, offer the same kind of challenge as
Mercury. Locating and identifyingthem in the eyepiece isa boutall we can expect to
accomplish. Uranus and Neptuneare fairly easy objects inmoderately
a sized scope. Both
presenta disk,Neptunesubstantiallyfainter than Uranus, inhigh-powerview.
a See if you
can make out anycolor in their disks. Pluto is much morechallenging.Pluto is an
extremelydim magnitude14 and so tiny that it doesn'tpresenta disk, only a faintp ointof
light. Onextremelyclearnights,an 8-inchscope can just make it out. Even with GoTo to
point directly at this tiny
wanderer,you will have quite a hard time determiningwhich faint
pointof light is the object of your desire! Try
sketchingthe view in the eyepiece every night
for a week; the moving pointoflightis Pluto.
While thesolarsystem providesus with ashortlist of some ofastronomy'smost exciting

celestialviews, deep skyobjects- DSOs - are so numerouswe can viewseveraldifferent
objects every night of the year. Withhundredsof thousandsof galaxies,nebulae,and star
clusters visible inamateurtelescopes, the varietyremarkable.
is The challenge is settling on
a list of targets that will prove
interestingand enjoyable for the evening.
Learning theconstellationswill help, as that is the most
practicalway to explore the sky
- a sectionat a time. Youshould also keep inmind our discussionof magnitudeand
surfacebrightnessfrom earlierin this chapter.Even though a GoTo scope can point
directly at any object you request, that won't make it visible in the eyepiece. Magazines and
club newslettersoftenhighlightlesser-known DSOs of interest,b utmost often weturnto
severalestablishedlists.
The Messier Catalog

By far themostwell-knownlist of DSOs is the Messiercatalog. A collectionof 109 (IIO
from mostsources)of the best DSOs for theN orthernHemisphere,the Messier list pre-
sents awonderfulvarietyof objects to get you
startedin deep skyastronomy.A common
endeavorin amateurastronomyis to log the viewing of all objectsin the Messier list .All
are visible in even the
humble60mm refractor,but onlyunderclear,darkskies. Under less
favorableconditionssubstantiallymore apertureis called for.
Table 6.2shows the Messier catalog,organized by season for best viewing.haverated

I
each object with a difficulty rating:
• Easy Easily visiblewith anyapertureeven in most city skies

.
• Medium Easily visible with small apertures(60-80mm) underdark skies, just
visible inmoderateapertures(4-5 inches) insuburbanskies, visible in largerapertures
(8-inch or more) in most city skies.
• Hard Justvisible with smallaperturesu nderdark skies, easily visible with moderate
apertureunder dark skies, just visib
le in large aperturesin suburbanskies.
Note that thisratingsystem expects grea t conditionsand indicatesthat you can seehe t
object, notnecessarily any detail. Great
conditionsinclude a night of goodtranspare ncy
with no Moon and the objectis high in altit ude- not possible for allobjectsfrom some
northernlatitudes. In particular,northern observerswill have difficulty with thebjectsin
o
Sagittarius,Scorpius,and otherlow-lying constellations.
Double Stars
Doublestarsare quitebeautiful and a good targe
t whensky conditionsare unfavorablefor
mostotherdeep skyobjects. Do ubles hold up well when abright Moon washes ou t most
other objects,and many don't requireany bett er-than-average-seeing.he T current
NexStar models identify55 doublestarsin the hand control.Table 6.3 is a list of hese
t
doublesorganizedby season. Refer to Chapter3 for the resolving limit of each NexStar
scope todeterminethe likelihood ofsplittingany given double star.
For moredoublestars,referto theDownloads sectionof my NexStar ResourceSite
(http ://www.NexStarSite.com) . The starlists availableincludehundredsof additional
double stars accessible via the
tarbuttonon
S thehandcontrol.
The Caldwell List

The Caldwell list is anothergreatresourcefor deep skyobjects.None of the objec ts are
includedin the Messier list, so it isc ommonfor amateur astronomersto work theirway
through both lists concurrently. Comprisedof 109objects published in aSky and Telescope
articleby Patrick (Caldwell-)Moo re,thelist includessome of the most spectacular DSOs
not catalogued by CharlesMessier. In particular you will find the open clusters nd
a plane-
tary nebu lae tobe amo ng the best in the sky. Addition ally, ht e Caldwell list includ es
objectsvisible only in the SouthernHemisphere,an area of the sky notexperienced by
Messier. All 109 objectsare accessed via theCald button on the hand control.
The official list can be found onSky and Telescope'sweb site(http:/ /www.skyandte le-
scope.com) or you can down load a list suitablefor sortingin the Downloads section of my
NexStar ResourceSite (http:/ /www.NexStarSite.com) .
The Herschel 400

Perhapsthe best list of DSOsaftercompletingthe Messier and Caldwell ca talogs,the
Herschel400 list was compiledby the Ancient CityAstronomyClub to providecontinuing
1ft
)C
Table 6.2.The Messier catalog '1:J
Objectnumber Name Type Difficulty Constellation a
:::s
Q.
Spring 46 NGC 2437 Open Cluster Medium Puppis
Open Cluster Easy Puppis
:i"
CD
47 NGC 2422
93 NGC 2447 Open Cluster Medium Puppis "<
0
50 NGC 2323 Open Cluster Easy Monoceros C
44 NGC 2632 Beehive Cluster (Praesepe) Open Cluster Easy Cancer
..
:I:
67 NGC 2682 Open Cluster Medium Cancer 0
48 NGC 2548 Open Cluster Medium Hydra
..i::r
81 NGC 3031 Bode's Galaxy Spiral Galaxy Medium Ursa Major 0
:::s
82 NGC 3034 Cigar Galaxy IrregularGalaxy Medium Ursa Major III
I
97 NGC 3587 Owl Nebula PlanetaryNebula Medium Ursa Major
n
108 NGC 3556 Spiral Galaxy Hard Ursa Major :r
0
109 NGC 3992 Spiral Galaxy Hard Ursa Major 0
III
40 Winecke 4 Double Star Easy Ursa Major :i"
95 NGC 3351 Spiral Galaxy Hard leo CD
96 NGC 3368 Spiral Galaxy Hard leo 0
Hard leo IT
105 NGC 3379 EllipticalGalaxy
cii"
n
65 NGC 3623 Spiral Galaxy Medium leo
III
66 NGC 3627 Spiral Galaxy Medium leo -
94 NGC 4736 Spiral Galaxy Medium Canes Venatici 0'
106 NGC 4258 Spiral Galaxy Hard Canes Venatici <
64 NGC 4826 BlackeyeGalaxy Spiral Galaxy Medium Coma Berenices
iii"
~
85 NGC 4382 lenticular(SO) Galaxy Hard Coma Berenices
88 NGC 4501 Spiral Galaxy Hard Coma Berenices
68 NGC 4590 GlobularCluster Hard Hydra
r=
w.
Table 6.2.The Messier catalog (continued)
-
\i
Object number Name Type Difficulty Constellation
49 NGC 4472 EllipticalGalaxy Hard Virgo
58 NGC 4579 Sp iral Galaxy Hard Virgo
59 NGC 4621 Elliptical Galaxy Hard Virgo
60 NGC 4649 EllipticalGalaxy Medium Virgo
61 NGC 4303 Spiral Galaxy Hard Virgo
84 NGC 4374 Lenticular(SO) Galaxy Hard Virgo
86 NGC 4406 Lenticular(SO) Gala xy Hard Virgo
87 NGC 4486 Virgo A EllipticalGalaxy Hard Virgo
89 NGC 4552 Elliptical Galaxy Hard Virgo
90 NGC 4569 Spiral Galaxy Hard Virgo
104 NGC 4594 Sombrero Gala xy Spiral Galaxy Medium Virgo
Summer 3 NGC 5272 Globular Cluster Easy Canes Venatici

51 NGC 5194 Whirlpool Gala xy Spiral Gala xy Med ium Canes Venati ci
63 NGC 5055 Sunflower Gala xy Spiral Galaxy Hard Canes Venatici
53 NGC 5024 Globular Cluster Medium Coma Berenices
83 NGC 5236 Southern Pinwheel Ga laxy Sp iral Galaxy Medium Hydra
101 NGC 545 7 Pinwheel Gala xy Sp iral Galaxy Hard Ursa Major -t
:r
102 NGC 5866 Spi ndle Gala xy Lenticular(SO) Gala xy Medium Draco CD
5 NGC 5904 Globular Cluster Easy Serpens Capu t Z
CD
57 NGC 6720 Ring Nebula Planetary Nebula Easy Lyra )(
Ul
13 NGC 6205 Hercules Globular Cluster Globular Cluster Easy Hercules g
..
92 NGC 6341 Globular Cluster Easy Hercules ~
9 NGC 6333 Globular Cluster Medium Oph iucus c:

III
10 NGC 6254 Globular Cluster Medium Ophiucus CD
~
12 NGC 6218 Globular Cluster Medium Ophiucus III'
107 NGC 6171 Globular Cluster Medium Ophiucus Q

Globular Cluster Medium Ophiucus
c
14 NGC 6402 a:
19 NGC 62 73 Globular Cluster Easy Ophiucus CD
In
)C
Table 6.2. The Messier catalog (continued) "CI
a
~
Object number Name Type Difficulty Constellation a.
62 NGC 6266 Globular Cluster Medium Ophiucus :i"
CD
4 NGC 6121 Globular Cluster Medium Scorpius
80 NGC 6093 Globular Cluster Medium Scorpius 1C
6 NGC 6405 Butterfly Cluster Open Cluster Easy Scorpius ...
7 NGC 6475 Ptolemy's Cluster Open Cluster Easy Scorpius %
0
23 NGC 6494 Open Cluster Easy Sagittarius ...
NGC 6523 Lagoon Nebula Diffuse Nebula Medium Sagittarius
N·
8 0
Diffuse Nebula Medium Sagittarius ~
17 NGC 661 8 Swan Nebula III
18 NGC 6613 Open Cluster Easy Sagittarius I
20 NGC 6514 Trifid Nebula Diffuse Nebula Medium Sagittarius n
::T
21 NGC 6531 Open Cluster Easy Sagittarius 0
0
22 NGC 6656 Globular Cluster Easy Sagittarius III
24 NGC 6603 Milky Way Patch Star Cloud Easy Sagittarius :r

CD
25 IC 4725 Open Cluster Easy Sagittarius
Sagittarius
0
28 NGC 6626 Globular Cluster Medium IT
54 NGC 6715 Globular Cluster Medium Sagittarius CD·
t\
69 NGC 6637 Globular Cluster Medium Sagittarius III
70 NGC 6681 Globular Cluster Medium Sagittarius
....
0
11 NGC 6705 Wild Duck Cluster Open Cluster Easy Scutum <
26 NGC 6694 Open Cluster Easy Scutum ~.
16 NGC 6611 Eagle Nebula Cluster Open Cluster Easy Serpens Claud ia
Foil 55 NGC 6809 Globular Cluster Medium Sagittarius

75 NGC 6864 Globular Cluster Medium Sagittarius
71 NGC 6838 Globular Cluster Hard Sagitta
27 NGC 6853 Dumbbell Nebula Planetary Nebula Medium Vulpecula
56 NGC 6779 Globular Cluster Medium Lyra
2 NGC 7089 Globular Cluster Easy Aquarius
72 NGC 6981 Globular Cluster Hard Aquarius
{~
_0-.
--
Table 6.2. The Messier catalog (continued)
Objectnumber Name Type Difficulty Constellation
73 NGC 6994 Group of 4 stars Group/Asterism Easy Aquarius
29 NGC 6913 O pe n Cluster Easy Cygnus
39 N GC 7092 Open C luster Easy Cygnus
30 NGC 7099 G lobularCluster Medium Capricornus
15 NGC 7078 G lobular Cluster Easy Pegasus
52 NGC 7654 Open Cluster Medium Cassiopeia
31 NGC 224 AndromedaGalaxy Spiral Galaxy Easy Andromeda
32 NGC 221 Satellite of M3 1 EllipticalGalaxy Medium And romeda
110 NGC 205 Satellite of M3 1 EllipticalGalaxy Hard Andromeda
Winter 103 NGC 581 Open Cluster Easy Cassiopeia

76 NGC 650 little Dumbbell / CorkN ebula PlanetaryNebula Medium Perseus
34 NGC 10 3 9 Open Cluster Easy Perseus
74 NGC 628 Spiral Galaxy Hard Pisces
77 NGC 1068 Ce tus A Spiral Galaxy Hard Cetus
36 NGC 19 6 0 Open C luster Easy Auriga
41 NGC 2287 Open Cluster Easy Canis Major -t
::r
35 NGC 2168 Open Cluster Easy Gemini CD
33 NGC 598 Triangulum/Pinwheel Galaxy Spiral Galaxy Hard Triangulum Z
Open Cluster Easy Auriga CD
37 NGC 2099 >c
38 NGC 19 12 Open Cluster Easy Auriga CIt
79 NGC 1904 GlobularCluster Medium Lepus D

....
42 NGC 1976 GreatOrion Nebula Diffuse Nebula Easy Orion C
III
43 NGC 1982 de Mairan's Nebula Diffuse Nebula Medium Orion CD
78 NGC 2068 Diffuse Nebula Medium Orion
..
III"
45 Pleia des,Subaru, Seven Sisters Open C luster Easy Taurus Q
1 NGC 195 2 Crab Nebula SupernovaRemnant Medium Taurus C
0.:
CD
Table 6.3. Do uble stars identified in the current Ne xStar models

Nome Mag nitude of primary Sepa ration Co nstellation
Spring 145 Cma 4 .8 27" Ca nis Ma jor
Casto r 1.6 1.8" Ge mini
19 Lyn 5 .6 14 .8" Lynx
Eta Puppis 5 .9 10 " Puppis
Kappa Pupp is 4 .6 10 " Puppis
Tegman 6 .0 9" Cance r
Theta 2 Cnc 6 .3 5" Can cer
Iota Cancer 4 .2 31 " Cance r
Alg ieba 2 .6 4 .4" Leo
54 Leo 4 .5 6 .8" Leo
Cor Carol i 2 .9 19 " Cones Venat ici
24 Com 5.2 20" Como Berenices
35 Com 5 .1 29 " (Triple) Como Berenices
Algorab 3.1 24 " Corvus
Porrima 2 .9 3" Virgo
Summer Mizar 2.4 14 " Ursa Major

Kappa Boo 4 .6 13 " Bootes
Epsilon Boo 2.7 3" Bootes
Xi Boo 4.6 7" Bootes
Delta Ser 5 .2 3 .9" Serpens
Groffias 2 .9 14 " Scorp ius
Nu Dra 5 .0 62 " Draco
Rasalgeth i 3 .5 4 .6" Hercules
95 Her 5 .1 6 .5" Hercules
Epsilon Lyr 1 6 .0 2" Lyra
Epsilon Lyr 2 4.5 2 .2" Lyra
Zeta Lyr 4 .3 44 " Lyra
Fall Albireo 3 .2 35 " Cygnus

17 Cyg 5 .0 26 " Cygnus
Dab ih 3 .3 205 " Capricorn us
Om icron Cop 6 .1 19 " Capricorn us
61 Cyg 5.4 30 " Cygnus
Epsilon Peg 2 .5 83" Pegasus
Zeta Aqr 4 .6 2" Aqua rius
Tau 1 Aqr 5.7 23 " Aquar ius
Delta Cep 4 .0 20" Cepheus
94 A qr 5 .3 13 " Aquarius
107 Aqr 5 .8 7" Aquarius
S igma Cos 4.9 3" Cassiopeia
Eta Cos 3.6 12 " Cassiopeia
W inter Gamma Aries 4 .8 8" Aries

Lamda Aries 4 .8 38" Ar ies
Ps i Piscium 5 .5 30 " Pisces
Zeta Piscium 5 .6 23 " Pisces
Almach 5 .1 10 " Andromeda
30 Ar i 6 .6 39 " Ar ies
Table 6.3. Double stars de

i ntifiedin thecurren t NexStar models (con finued)
Nam e Magn itude of primary Separation Constellation
Gamma Cet 3.6 2.7" Cetus
Acamar 4 .4 8" Eridanus
Polaris 2 .1 18" Ursa M inor
32 Eri 5 .0 7" Eridanus
Rige l 0 .3 9" O rion
Min taka 2 .5 53 " O rion
Adhare 1.6 7 .5" Can is Ma jor
38 Gem 4 .7 7" Gemini
Beta Mon 4 .7 3" Mono ce ros
challengesfor intermediate-level amateur astronomers.Choosing thebestobjectsfrom a

catalogcompiledby William Herschelin the lateeighteenthcentury, theycompileda chal-
lenginglist of a widevarietyof DSOs. The entirelist can be viewedand printedfrom the
AstronomicalLeague's web site(http://www.astroleague .org/allobsclubs/herschel/fwher-
shs.html)or a listsuitablefor sortingcan behad in theDownloadssection of my NexStar
ResourceSite (http://www.NexStarSite .com).
The Dunlop 100

Observersin the NorthernHemispherecompiledmostof the listsmentionedthus far.
Man y of the objectsin these lists are notvisible from theSouthernHemisphere.In the
early nineteenthcenturyJames Dunlop recordedobservations of 629 objects from
Australia. RecentlyGlen Cozen compiledthe best 100 of theseobjectsinto acatalog
now commonly known as the Dunlop 100. The list can be found at
http://www .seds.org/messier/xtra/similar/dunlop.html - the websiteofthe Studentsfor
theExploration and Developmentof Space.
Sources of Other Deep Sky Obiect Lists

The SEDS web siteis also thebestresourcefor additionalcatalogs of DSOs. Visit the web
pagehttp://www.seds .org/messier/xtra/similar/catalogs
.htmfor manymorecatalogs, most
compiledby amateurastronomersfor use with modestequipment.
If decidingwhatto seekouton your own sounds like toomuchwork, thereare alterna-

tives.Startby checkingwith your local astronomyclub to see whato bservation programs
they offer. Most clubs have planetary,lunar, doublestar,variablestar,anddeepsky obser-
vation programsto keeptheirmembers busy. Each isgenerallya list ofobjectsor objec-
tives for the obse rverto complete.Such programs can keep you bu sy for years andprovide
concretegoals to keepyour interestpeaked.
Figure 6.5. NexSlar

50 Club logo.
If you do not have aconvenientlocal club, check into the AstronomicalLeague observ-
ing programsat theirweb site -http://www.astroleague .org.Here you will findobserving
programsranging from naked-eye observationof the Moon toadvanceddeep sky projects.
All are wellthoughtoutand providegood suggestionsto get youstarted.Upon comple-
tion,membersof theAstronomicalLeague receive acertificate.Be forewarnedthatfor
many of theseprogramscertificates are not awarded computerized
if a telescope is used.
One Internet-based club thatwill awardcertificateswhen acomputerizedtelescopeis
used is the NexStar 50 Club (http://www.NexStarSite.com/nexstar50club.htm) .Infact. itis
a requirementthat a NexStar telescope is used to observe all objects! The club was an idea
generatedby the Yahoo NexStarGroup (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nexstar) and is
administeredby Hank Williams and myself.Membershipis grantedto anyoneusing a
NexStar telescope to view at least 40 of the 50 objects in the NexStar 50 List. The 50 objects
are various solar system and deep sky objectsvoted as favoritesby membersof the
NexStar Group.Visit the site and see which objectsyou havealreadylogged; maybe you
will be the nextpersonI send a certificate to!
As discussed in the lastchapter,a good tool for deciding what you would like to observe
is
planetariumsoftware. The little NexStars (60/80/114/4) includea CD with TheSky Level I
from Software B isque.Other modelsof NexStarshave occasionallyincludedTheSky as
well. While thisprogramcan be very useful in p lanningan observingsession ,there are so
manyfeaturesthat it is somewhatconfusingto use. Acompleteuser'sguide iscopiedto
your computerduringinstallation,but most do not seem to spendmuch timereadingthe
morethanninetypages provided.This chapterwill presenta clear overview of the most
useful features with a much shorterreadingrequirement.
The littleNexStars also ship with asecondprogram,NexStar ObserverList (NSOL).
Owners of other NexStar telescopescan download the program at no charge from
http://www.NexStarSit e.com.It justso happensthatthe authorof thatprogramis the
authorof this book! NSOL allows your personalcomputer(PC) to controlyour NexStar
telescopeand helps you to keep organizedduringtheprecioustime youspendunderclear
skies. In this chapterwe will explore just whatNSOL is and how to make practical use of it.
TheSky is consideredby many to be thep remierplanetariumsoftware available t oday. It

providesvery accuratescreenand printedsky charts,includeshundredsof thousands
(even millions in some versions)of objectsin an extensivedatabase,plus thousandsof
beautifulphotographicimages, and allows very comprehensivecontrolof what will be dis-
played.
Software Bisque offer s TheSky in several differentconfigurationsor "levels".This allows
you topurchasethe capabilitiesyou need,withoutpayingfor featuresyou will not use.
Level I is not generallyoffered for sale,butratheris packagedfor distributionwith some
telescopes such as the little NexStars
. Level I includesstars down tomagnitude11 and the
entireNGC, IC, and Messier catalogs. Level I can beupgradedto LevelII for $49, much less

than the normal $129 price tag. It is impo rtant to not e that LevelI does not providetele-
scope control. Level s II and higher allow contro l of NexStar telesco pes. V isit Software
Bisque 's web site - http://www.bi sque.com - for information on Levels II and higher.
Submita question via their supportpage to inquireaboutupgradingto LevelII.
The restof this sectionis devotedto TheSky Level I, altho ugh most topics applyequally
to all levels. M enus, names on button s and otherobjects oundon
f thescreenare shown in
bold text.Buttons on the toolbars are h s own next to discussion s of their function. Keys on
the comp uterkeyboardare shown in bold italics.
Installation
Installati onis very simple followingthe on-screeninstructio ns.fItheinstallationprogram
doesn 't startafterinserting the CD, ope n My Computer,double-click theCD drive, and
thendouble-clickthe Setupicon. After acknowledging the lo cationfor installation and the
license agreement,you will beprompted to select one oft hree SetupTypes: Compact,
Custom,or Typical.If you have more th an 300MBof harddrive space to devote to TheSky,
I recommendinstallingtheentire cont ents of the CD to the harddrive - this is the Custom
option.If you do not installtheentireCD, it is necessaryto insertthe CD in the computer
each time beforestarting TheSky. If you selectCustom,you will be promptedto select
which components to install. All are selecte dexcept the optionalAs tro nomyTutori al,
which is not requiredto make full use ofTheSky.
Initial Configuration of TheSky

TheSky offers many settings to ontr
c ol exactly wha tyou see onthe screen.Ma ny of these
optio ns we cha ngerepeatedly but there are some setti ngswe configureoccasionallyand
seldo m chang e.Her eare the settingsI recommendyou configure before you start usin g
TheSky:
• Your Location Found on the Data menu,Site Informationis used to tell TheSky
whereyou are on the Earth and the date and timeitshould use to construct th e display.On
the Locationsheet of the dialog box, Descriptionprovides a list of cities in theUnited
States for easy selectionof your location.Usethe Open button to selectaltern ate file
s con-
taininglocationsin othercountries,such as " Cities outside USA". I f you do not live near
any of thecities listed, se
lectone inyour timezone and enter your longitude,latitude, and
elevation directly. If you have a GPS receiveror a NexStar GPS telescope,you candeter-
mine your locationto a high degreeof precision.Otherwise,you can find yourlocationat
the HeavensAbove website - http://www.heavens-above.com/count ries.asp. A local airport
can provide your elevation,although you do not need a greateal d of precision to produce
good results.You can also name your location.To do so, completethe longitude,latitude ,
and otherinformation,t hentype the name in the Descript ionbox.Then click the Add
button.In this way, you can save several locationswhere you commonly observe the night
sky and switch betweenthem using the Descriptionlist.
• Date and Time Also found in Data menu, Site Information, the Date and Time
shee t allows you to set the dateback to 4713 Be or forward to 10000 AD . When using
TheSky out underthe night sky, you will gen erall y want to chec k the box to Use com-
puter'sclock.Also note you must correctlyset the da ylight savings time option for your
location.
Using the Software Included with Little NexStars 123
• Display Date and Time in the Status Bar The Time Skip opera-
tionswe will explorelater in this chapter cause TheSky to "fast
-forward"or "rewind"
throughtime. As this occurs you generally would like to know the
current date and time
for the viewbeing displayed.TheSky can displaythecurrent date and time in the tat
S us
Bar at thebottomof the screen.Select Status Bar from the View m enu and select the
dateand timeoptions.
• Horizon Color The defaultcolor for the area below eth horizonis green on the
screen and red onprintedcharts. Green proves to be too brightwhen using TheSky at
night as it diminishes your night vision. Red waste s enormousamounts of ink or toner
on printedcharts. To change these colors, selectPreferences from the View m enu.
UnderObjectDescription, scroll down toHori zon Lines then cli ck the Fill button.The
colorshown in the Vir tua lSky Sa mplebox is the colorused on thescreen, whileSky
ChartSampleis the color u s ed on printedcharts.Click eachEdit button to select more
appropriatecolors. For theV irtual Sky, I select a very darkmaroon.For the Sky Chart, I
use white.
• Displaying Pop-Up Labels for Objects on the Screen We
will discoverlater h
t atfor objects wit
h common names,such asthebrighterstars or ht e
Messier objects,we can display labels next to the objects.Other objectscannot be
identified this way
. We can configure TheSkyto display apop-uplabel for objects when
you pointat the objectwith the mousecursor.Select Toolbar s from the Viewmenu and
select the how
S ObjectTipsoption. If you nowpointat an objectsuch as a star, a pop-up
box will provide its de
signation.
Screen Modes
TheSky calls thedisplay of thesky the" Virtual Sky" . There areseveral basic options for
controlling how the iVrtualSky is displayedon thescreen. All of these options are found
on the View menu:
Spectral Colors Displ ays stars incolors to approximatetheiractual

visual color. While thi
s modeis usefulon the screen ,I don't recommendit when
printingcharts due to the gra
yscale colors used with black-
and-whiteprinters.
-
Daytime Sky Mode Displays the sky as blue when the Sun is above the
horizon. As time progresses and the Sun sets, more and more stars become
visible, much as is experienc
ed in the real sky.
Night Vision Mode Changes the displayto variousdark-red tones to
preserve your night vision.Night Vision M ode does not affec t the VirtualSky and
the default color of the horizon (green) si much too bright.Refer tothe previous
section for details onselecting a more fri
endly color for h
t e horizon.
Chart Mode A printpreview mode displ
aying the sky with a white back-
ground and mostly black objects.
Full Screen Causes theV irtual Sky to expandto fillthe entirescreen. Press
the Spacebaron the keyboardto toggle betweennormaland full screenmodes.
The Show in Full Screen M ode optionon View, Toolbars controls whetherthe
various toolbars will be displayedin full screen mode.
Mirror Image Flips the VirtualSky left to right. This can be useful when
comparing theview in theeyepieceof a refracto r, SCT, or Maksutovto the display
on thecomputerscreen.
Moving Around the Virtual Sky
TheSky offersseveral methods for movin g the viewin the Virtual Sky. The four arrowor
Mo ve button s on the toolbar offer one method, or you can use the scroll bars on the edge of
the scre en for the sam e basic effect.The arrow keys on the keyboard can also be used to
move the displ ay left, righ t, up, or down. To undo as man y as the last 15 move
cha nges, press Ctrl+Z ( 3€ +Z on the Macintosh). To scro ll the Virtual Sky to cent er a
specific point, right-click (Control-click on theMacintosh) thatpoint and selectCenter.
TheSky has threeorientat ion mode sthatdeterminehow the V irtu al Sky scrollswhen
you direct ti to move. All three are foundon theOrientationmenu:
Z Zenith Up The zenith- thepointin the real sky directly above your head-
a is locatedat the op t of the scre en. When the zenith is not visible in theVirtual
Sky, imagine that it is lockedin position just above your computer's monitor.Use
this mode most ofthe time unless you are zooming in on an area of the sky and
wish to determine orie ntatio n absed on the celestialpole (commo n for studying
double starsand othe robjects ocated
l closetogeth er). Left and right movements
are as if you are facing the horizon and turnleft and right.Up and down move-
ments are asif you are moving your gazestraight upand down.
p Pole Up The celest ialnorth pole - for those in the Nor thernHemisphere- is
a located at the top ofthe screen.Natura lly the celestialsouth pole is at the topfor
those in theSouthe rn Hemisph ere . A gain, if the pole isnot visiblein the Virtual
Sky, considerit locked in position abo ut thescreen. In this modethe hor izon dis-
appears rf om the screen as you are generally studyi ng a small section ofsky
without regard to the localhorizon. Mov ing to the left increasesright ascens ion
and moves the Virtual Sky the same directionas therotation ofthe Earth. Moving
to the right decreases ri
ght ascensio n. Moving up and down changes declinati on.
While allof this seems complicated,emember
r that you normallyuse Pole Upori-
entationonly when examininga small area of the sky. In this case, the movements
will seemnatural.
Free Rotation Allows the displayto be rota tedaro und the center of the
Virtual Sky. Generallyused when you havezoomedin to a highly magnifiedview
and areattemptingto matchthe display to the view in the eyepiece of a telescope.
To rotatethe displ ay,press Alt+R ( 3€ +R on the Macint osh )to displa y a line
with a small circleindicating h t e directionthe NorthCelestial Pole. Click and drag
the circle to rotat e the displ ay. You can also use Alt++ (Alt and the"=" key) to
rotatethe display clockwise and Alt+ - (Alt and the" -" key) to rotate the displ ay
counterclock wise.
In addition ot using the Move buttons and variousother methodsdiscussed, TheSky also
offersbuttons to cause theVirtual Sky to turndirectlyto any of the cardinal point s- north,
south,east,and west - or directly overhead -the zenith. Asingleclick of one of the follow-
ing Look button s is all that isneeded:
@ ®
You will also notethatthescreenzooms outto a field of view of 100
°- approximatelythe
view seen with then akedeye.
Zooming In and Out

The mostobviousway to zoom in or out on the Virtual Sky is to use the
+ magnifyingglass buttonson the toolbar.You can also zoom in orout
using Page Up/PageDown on thekeyboard.Yet anothermethodis to
right-click (Control-clickon theMacintosh) the mouseanywhereover theVirtual Sky,
pointat Zoom To,and selectone of the sevenpresetfields of view. Note the k eyboard
shortcutsshown on the Zoom Tomenusuch as Ctrl-v'I' to zoom to °1,the approximate
field of view in atelescope. The keyboardshortcutscan be usedwithoutaccessingthe
menu. The highestmagnificationallowed is a field of 1 arc second.
One of the most flexible
methods(no pun intended)for zoomingis therubberbandbox,
or as Software Bisque likes to call, the
it zoom box. Decide the sectionof the sky you want
displayed. Point the mouse in theupperleftcornerof this section then click and drag to the
lower right. As you do, a red
"rubberbandbox" will be drawnaroundthe area.Release the
mousebutton,point anywhere inside the box ,and click. The Virtual Sky will zoom to display
just that section of sky - with necessary
adjustmentsto fit the aspect ratio of the Virtual Sky
window. Besides givingcompletecontrolof themagnificationof the display,the zoom box
allows you tocenterthe area while zooming. Othermethodswill usually leave you scrolling
your target back to center after zooming to the desired magnification.
In the bottomleft of thewindow,in thestatusbar,TheSky displays the field of view
(FOV) currentlydisplayed.This FOV is actuallya measurementfrom the left to the right
edge of theVirtual Sky. To morecloselymatchthe view in the eyepiece you should resize
TheSky's window todisplaytheVirtual Sky as a square; thus the FOV would indicateboth
the width and the heightof thecurrentdisplay.
As you zoom out, only theb rightestobjectsare displayedin orderto minimizescreen
clutter.As you zoom in,fainterobjects areaddedto thedisplayand someobjectssuch as
galaxies, starclustersand nebulaeare displayedas outlinedshapesindicatingtheactual
size and shape of the objects.
Controlling W hat Obiects Are Displayed

Filters
As notedearlier,thedatabaseof objectsavailablein TheSky includeshundredsof thou-
sandsand insome versionseven millions of objects.Many of theseobjectsmay not be
visible inyour telescopeor theymay be of littleinterestto you. Thebasictool tocontrol
what objects will bei ncludedin thedisplayis known as theFiltersdialog. You can access
Filtersby right-clicking(Control-clickon theMacintosh)the mouseanywhereover the
Virtual Sky and selecting Filters. Filters is also found on the View menu.
Objects areseparatedinto several categories,giving a high level ofcontrolover what will
be displayed.Clear thecheckboxesof object types you are not interestedin displayingon
the screen andmarkthecheckboxesof the objects you want displayed.You can select cat
-
egoriesof objectsusing the sixbuttonsin the lowerrightand thenmarkor clear all with
one operation.
Filtersalso providescontrolsto set thelimitingmagnitudeof each type of object. For

example,you can select the s tartypesandset theFaintestmagnitudeto 10. For Galaxies
andNebula, it might be m oreappropriateto set thelimitingmagnitudeas 8.In this way,
you can limit the objectsdisplayedto thosemost appropriateto your equipmentand
viewingconditions.
The bottompartof the list is notactuallycomprisedof celestialobjects,b utratheris a
list offeaturesin TheSky. Forexample,if you areannoyed(as I am) by the large images
thatpop up when you click on anobject,removethe checkmark next toImage. The
imagesare stillavailablein the informationdialog thatwill now bedisplayedfor each
object.
Note thatwhen you aredisplayinga large area of the sky, not objectsmeetingfilter
all
criteria will be displayed
.Consider that if you set the limiting
magnitudeto 15 and select all
objecttypes, the Virtual Sky would be a solid blockvariouscolors
of sinceliterallytens of
thousandsof objectswould be found in a 50° patchof sky. As you zoom in tohigher
magnifications,fainter objects will be displayed down to the limits of your filter settings or
the limits of thedatabase.
In additionto the Filters dialog, you can quickly display and hide objects using the fol-
lowing fourtoolbarbuttons:
a Stars
Star Clusters (Open and
Globular)
~ Galaxies Nebulae
Various lines can becontrolledwith the Filters dialog or via Reference Lines on the View
menu.You will likely find it useful to
d isplayconstellationboundariesand figures while
you arelearningyour wayaroundthe night sky.In additionto these dialog boxes, the -fol
lowing toolbarbuttonsprovideinstantcontrolfor the mostcommonlyused lines:
Equatorial Grid Lines of Constellation Figures

right ascension anddeclination
Horizon Grid Lines of Constellation Borders

azimuthand altitude
To make any of these filtersettings"permanent",you must save thecurrentSky
Documentas describedin a later section.
Comets and Minor Planets

By defaultTheSky displays just a few of the possible comets and
minorplanets(asteroids)
thatarecommonlyvisible inour solarsystem. Inadditionto selectingComet and Minor
Planet in the Filter dialog box
,you must also tell TheSky which of these types of objects you
want to display. This isdonein theCometsandMinor Planetsdialog foundon the Data
menu.Simply check the box next to the objects you wish to display on the Virtual Sky.
As new cometsand minorplanetsare discovered, you can addthemto TheSky's data-
base. The easiest way to do this is to take advantage
Internet
of services created for just this
purpose.It couldn'tbe easier. First, be sure you are
connectedto theInternet.Next open
the CometsandMinor Planetsdialog from the Data menu .To downloadnew comets, click
theObservablebuttonon the Comets sheet. Aftershortdelay,
a you will bepresentedwith
a list of new comets available

.Simplyselect the comet or comets you wish to.To
adddown-
load new minor planets,click theDistant,Critical,or Unusual buttonson theMinor
Planetssheet, and then select from the downloaded list.
Use Find from the Editmenuto centeron a cometor minor planet.Select Comet or
Minor Planetfrom theCommon Names sectionof the Find dialog and you will be pre-
sented with a list of comets and
minorplanets to choose from
.
Labels
I~;O TheSky can displaylabels next tocertaintypes of objects . The Labelsbuttonon
iG thetoolbarquickly toggles them on or off . Use the Viewmenu,Labels, Setup to
determinewhich labels aredisplayed. Turn on constellationsto help youlearn
your way aroundthe sky. If you areinterestedin locatingasteroidsand otherminor
planets,selectthatoption.To identifyobjectswithoutlabels youmustclick on themto
displaythe ObjectInformationdialog box or choose Toolbarsfrom the Viewmenuand
select the ShowObjectTipsoption.ObjectTips will display p a op-upbox designatingany
object you point at in the Virtual .Sky
As mentionedearlier, not all objects can have a label displayed next to their symbol. For
example, thethousandsof galaxies in the NGC and IC catalogs cannotnormallybe labeled
in TheSky Levell. But there is a trick that will configure LevelI to display both NGCand IC
labels. The Find dialog box, described fully below, can display a view of the Virtual Sky that
is equivalentto any of thechartsin theprintedsky atlas Uranometria2000.0.Simply type
"URAnnn+" (wherennn is theUranometriachartnumber,for exampleURAOOl+ is the
chartof the north celestialpolar region) in the Find box and theV irtual Sky will be
configuredto display labels next to NGC and IC objects. This also displaysEquatorial
the
Grid, which can becontrolledas discussed earlier.
Finding Obiects and Displaying Information

on Obiects
o To quicklylocateany of thethousandsof objectsin thedatabase,use the Find
dialog box. Access find with the
"Sherlock Holmes" buttonon theToolbar(yep,
on the key-
that'sa fellow with a pipe and magnifying glass) or simply pressFthe
board(3€ +F on theMacintosh).The tophalfof the find dialog allows easy selectionof
many common objects .The middle section allows selection from the various catalogs com-
prisingTheSky's completedatabase.The entrybox labeledFind allowsdirectkeyboard
entry, for example, M31 orNGC7009 .
After selecting an object typinga
or name, clickeitherthe Findbuttonor theCenter&
Framebutton.The Find buttondisplays the Object Informationdialog boxdescribingthe
object, while the Center & Frame buttonscrolls the Virtual Sky to the object and zooms in,
filling the display with the object. Most likely you will want todisplay the Object
Informationdialog.
The ObjectInformationdialog box will showvariousdetailedinformationaboutthe
object. You will find theobject'scoordinates,m agnitude,a lternativenames,and other
information. Buttonsalong thebottomof the dialog box allow you to jumpdirectlyto
certainpieces ofdataand displaymoreor lessinformation. The Multimediasheet will
often display an image of theobjector spectralclass informationfor stars.Compare
Betelgeuse and Bellatrix to appreciate spectral. class
You may find the following

buttonsuseful:
Center Centers the object in the Virtual .Sky

Does not affect the zoom level.
If the object is below the horizon, switch to Pole
orientation
Up or zoom in until it
is displayed.
Observer's Log Opens a log file (bydefaulta filenamedlog.txt in the
usersubfolder),copies the object informationinto the end of the file, and allows
typedentries. Unfortunatelythe log file issimplya runninglog with no sort or
filter capabilities
.Also, you would need to open the fileanother
in program,such
as your word processor, to print.
You can also display the Object Informationdialog box for any object on the screen by
simply clicking on it. If you find it difficult to select the
correctobject, zoom in and try
again.This is the defaultmethodof identifying an unlabeled object in TheSky.
Determining the Separation and Position

Angle Between Two Obiects
The ObjectInformationdialog can also be used to measuretheangulardistance(separa-
tion) andorientation(positionangle) between two objects
.Click the first object to display
the dialog box and then click the second object. For example, click on Rigel, then
Betelgeuse. Scroll down to thebottomof theinformationwindow and you willdiscover
thatBetelgeuse isabout18° from Rigel at apositionangle of 33°.Positionangle is mea-
suredcounterclockwi se startingat a line drawn from the first object tonorthcelestial
the
pole.
Time Skip Animation

The Time Skip feature is great for
simulatingthe passage of time and how it affects objects
in the sky. Forexample,you mightlike totrackthe movementof the Moon or aplanet
across several nightsthroughouta month.Or perhapsyou would like to observe how the
constellationsm archacrossthe skynight after night. Following are the
buttonson the
toolbarthatcontrolTime Skip.
1 Day
Skip Increment Specifies theamountof time assigned to each step duringTime

Skip. In additionto the entries on the pull
-downlist,you can also type entries directly
.For
example,Id 2h Sm lOs indicatesa step intervalof 1 day, 2hours, S minutes,and 10
seconds.
Step Forward Single-stepforward by the timeintervalspecified in Skip

Increment
Step Backward Single-stepbackwardby the timeintervalspecified in
Skip Increment.
Go Forward Continuouslystep forward by the time intervalspecified in
Skip Increment.This is the control used to truly
animatethe display.
Go Backward Continuouslystepbackwardby the timeintervalspecified

in Skip Increment.
Stop Time Skip Stop Time Skip when using GoForwardor Go Backward.
Reset Date & Time Reset the dateand time to thesett ingpriorto the
first Time Skipoperation.After a Time Skip the Virtual Sk
y might be displaying a
scenefrom hundreds of years in the future
!
Record Trails As s olar system objects (the Moon, planets, etc.) move
duringTime Skip, they leave trails behindto show the pathtaken.This is most
effective when the time interval is no morethan10 minutesandwith labelsoff.
Also, TheSky does not animateminorplanets and comets correctlywhen Record
Trails isactivated
, so use TrackingSetup - described ext-
n to hide them .
Tracking Setup This dialog box selects which solar
system objects will be
displayed(duplicateof same featurein theFiltersdialog) and howtrailswill be
recorded.The Lock On optionallows you to keep the Sun,the Moon, or any of the
planets locked in the
centerof the displayduringTime Skip.This is very useful to
studythemotionof otherobjects arounda solarsystemobject. The ViewFrom
option switches the
view to 3D Solar System Mode, discu
ssedlater in this chapter.
Try this. Look north (or south if you are in theSouthernHemisphere)and select
DaytimeSky Mode from the Viewmenuor thetoolbar.Set the intervalto 5minutesand
click the GoForwardbuttonon the Time Skip toolbar.imereall
T y does fly!
Now click theTrackingSetupbuttonandselectJupiterin the Lock On pull-down list.
Click the OKbuttonto close theTrackingSetup dialogbox. Zoom in untilyou can see the
er (use PageDown on the keyboard or the Zoom In
names of the four bright moons of Jupit
buttonon thetoolbar).Type 10m in the SkipIncrementbox on the toolb ar to set theinter-
val to 10 minutes.Now for theshow! Click the GoForwardbuttonon thetoolbar.Notice
that TheSky clearly shows whenJupiteroccults a moon as the moon clearl y passesbehind
the planet. Moontransitsareshown as the small dot of the moon ssespa across the face of
Jupiter.If you adjustedtheStatusBar sett ingsas discussedearlier, you can easily see the
local date and time of these event
s. However,TheSky Version 5 Level I does not show tran-
sits of theshadows of themoons. TheSky also accuratel y displays the positions of the
brighter moons of Saturn.
After using Time Skip,don't forget toresetthe date and time in the Site Information
dialog box found on the Data menuor by clicking the Reset Date& Time buttonon the
Time Skip toolbar.
Working with Sky Documents

TheSky allows you topermanentlystore thecurrentsettingsof the Virtual Sky in a file on
the disk known asa Sky Document.The currentview of the sky, the filter settings, the date
and time sett ings,and othervital informationare allstoredin the Sky Document.You
work with Sky Documents justas you would a wordprocessing file. You will find Open,
Save, and Save As on the File m enu. When you exit TheSky you will be automatically
promptedto save thedocument.If you never select File, Save As the documentin use is
namednormal.sky.TheSky automa ticallyreopensthe la st documentused whenyou
restarttheprogram. Sky Documents aresaved in theUser\Document s folder found in the
folder whereTheSky was installed on the hard drive.
Let's say you justset TheSky for theconfigurationyou needfor a starpartyyou are
attendingnext weekend . To save thosesettings,select Save As from the File menu and type
an easy toremembername such as" October 10th StarParty".When you arrive at the s tar
partyand fire upyour laptop,you would use Open on the File m enuand select the previ-
ously saveddocument.
During a session ofTheSky, it is likely that you will adjust filters or the date and time to suit
your immediateneeds.Ifyou save when exiting, those will be the settings in use the next time
you startTheSky. This is often not desirable . Generally you will have a certain
configuration
you find most useful. Set up this configurationand save it to auniquename like"Mike's
Default Settings"
.To further protect this file from accidental changes it make
read-only. Refer
to the help system in Windows or the Mac OSfor details on the read-only attribute
file .
Printing Charts
Often it will not be
convenientto bring acomputerto your observing site.TheSky printsvery
nicechartsto take to the field
. Priorto printing,be sure to change the
horizonfill to white in
Preferencesas describedat thebeginningof thischapter.Adjust theVirtualSky to display
the area of sky you wish to
printand selectP rintfrom the File menu or click the
Printbutton
on thetoolbar.You might first want to preview the outputusing PrintPreview on the File
menu. The areaprintedwill notpreciselymatchthe display on the screen due to the differ-
ences in theshapeof themonitorand thepaper. SelectingLandscapein Page Setup on the
File menuwill allow theprintedchartto morecloselymatchthe area of sky shown on the
screen, but Portraitgenerally makesbetteruse of the paper.
3D Solar System View

The 3D Solar Systemview is agreatlearningtool thatclearlydemonstratesthe
~J motionof theplanets, comets,and asteroidsin our solarsystem. Use aninterval
of 1 day on the Time Skiptoolbarand click the GoForwardbutton. Try the view
from directlyabove the plane of thesolarsystem by clicking the Look Up(zenith)button.
Zoom outto includetheorbitof Mars. This viewmakesit clear why somepassesof Mars
are much morefavorablethanothers. Spendsome timeexploringothermechanicsof the
solar system, such as the
motionsof theouterplanetsand comets.
Moon Phase Calendar

Found on the Toolsmenu,the Moon PhaseCalendaris useful toplanobservationsof the
Moon as well asnightswhen the Moon does notinterferewith faint deep sky objects
. Note
thattheprintoptionmakes a great wall calendarfor amateurastronomersand includes the
times the Sun and Moon rise in
a dditionto thelunarphase.
Eclipse Finder
A uniquetool thatnot only providesa list ofupcomingand previoussolar and lunar
eclipses, but also allows you tosimulateon thescreenas it willappearfrom yourlocation.
Select EclipseFinderon the Toolsmenu.Select an eclipse from the list andclick the View
button. Use the GoForwardbuttonon the Time Skiptoolbarto animatethe event.The
image shown is the event as it willappearfrom thelocationenteredin the SiteInformation
dialog box on the Data menu.
Not all events will be visible from your
locationand TheSky notes when an eclipse is not
visible to you. Also notethatthe "Show Path of Totality" optionappliesonly to solar
eclipses -your locationshows on the globe as a white dot. Note thatwhen TheSkyreports
that a solar eclipse is not visible from your site,shouldstill
you use the View and Time Skip
- the event might be visible aspartialeclipse
a from your location.
Don't Stop Here

While we havecovereda majorityof thefeaturesof TheSky, thereare moreto explore.
Take thetimeto readthe User's Guide found on theStartmenu and begin saving your
penniesfor theupgradeto LevelII!
XexSta~ObserveJ:.JJs~
The NexStar 60/80/114/4 modelsship with a CDversionof NexStarObserverList (NSOL),
writtenby me. NSOL is also availablefree fordownloadfrom myNexStar ResourceSite
(http://www.NexStarSite.com).Version 2 is on the CD and after fin
ishing this book I will be
working on version3. By the time you arereadingthis, version 3 will likely be available for
download.
What Is It?
NexStar ObserverList is sessionplanningsoftwarefor Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP.
NSOL allows you to createobserverlists thatare automaticallysaved to theharddriveof
your computer.You buildthe lists bychoosingfrom tens oft housandsof deep sky objects
and stars. The NSOLdatabaseincludes 39179 objects:
• TheentireMessier catalog (110 objects)
.
• The entire Caldwell catalog (109 objects).
• TheentireNGC catalog (7840 objects).
• TheentireIC catalog (5386 objects)
.
• TheentireAbell catalog (4076 objects)
.
• AllIS -magnitudeor brightergalaxies from the UGC catalog (6009 objects).
• 10381 starsorganizedby SAO numberand HD number.
• 5268 double starsorganizedby SAO numberand HD number.
• And you can add as many additionalobjects as you wish!
NSOL interfaceswith allmodelsofNexStarandTasco StarGuidetelescopes,allowing
directcontrolfrom your personalcomputer(PC). NSOL allows you to moreeasily GoTo
objectsnot in the NexStard atabase,such asobjectsyou learnaboutin magazinearticles
and books.
You can createas many observerlists as youwantandyou canexchangeyour lists via

email with other NSOL users. Submit your favorite observer lists to theauthor
(swanson.michael@usa.net) and they will beposted on the NexStar Resource Site
(http://www.NexStarSite.com)for othersto download and enjoy
.
InstaIlation
Iftheinstallationprogramdoesn't startafterinsertingthe CD, open MyComputer,double-
click the CD drive,and thendouble-clickthe Setup icon.I fyou downloadedfrom the
Internet,"unzip" the file into atemporarylocationand double-clickthe Setup icon found
in thetemporarylocation. After installation, you may delete the temporaryfolder with the
installationfiles; however, recommend
I you keep a copy of the zip file.
It is importantto notethatif you currentlyhave anolderversionof NexStarObserver
List installed,you must uninstallit priorto installingthis newversion. Go to theStart
Menu , ControlPanel,AddlRemovePrograms,anddouble-clickNexStar ObserverList. If
you arepromptedwhetheryou want to removesharedcomponents,answerNo. This will
leaveyour currentobserverlists and User Supplied Objects intactas well asothercompo-
nents that may be used by separateprogramsin your computer.
Very important : During theinstallationprocess,you may bepresentedwith dialog boxes
statingthat theinstallationis trying to replace an alreadyexisting file on your system and
that the existing file is newer
. You will be asked if you want to keep the existing file: answer
Yes. Many programswill presentyou with this optionduringinstallationand99% of the
time youshouldkeepyour existingfile. Additionally,you may bepresentedwith a dialog
box statingthatcertainsystemfiles are out of date on your computerand need to be
updatedto continue.These files have been u pdatedby Microsoft and are needed to access
the databasein NexStar ObserverList. The updatedfiles address security c oncernsthat
have been discovered in many Microsoft productsthat accessdatabases .Ifyou wish to use
NexStar Observer List you will need to allow the setup programto update these files.
If the programwon't startafterinstallingand your computeruses Windows 95 or
Windows 98, revisit the Downloads page on http://www . comto downloadand
.NexStarSite
install the DCOM patch or run the appropriateDCOM installationfrom theNSOL CD .
As with any Windowsprogram,you will note that some menu items have shortcutkeys
listed, such asC trl+N for creatinga New List. Also,menuscan be accessed by Alt and the
underlinedletterin themenuname. The sameappliesfor buttonsin thescreensyou are
working in; Aft and theunderlinedletterperformsthe sameactionas clicking thebutton
with the mouse .
Initial Configuration of NexStar Observer List

When you run theprogramthe first time , you arepresentedwith the Setup dialog box. It
can also befound as Setup on the Toolsmenu.Most of thesettingsshould be easy to
understand, but there are some
potentialpitfalls:
• Scope Type Ifyou have a NexStar5i18i,select the NexStar

8/11 GPS option. If you
have aNexStar 60/80/114/4 with the new GThandcontrol,select the"madeafterDec
2001" option.Ifyou are notcertainwhich GThandcontrolyou have, it is safe to try any
of theoptionsto see which works.Ifyou have a Tasco StarGuide scope, select option
the
for the NexStar60/80/114/4 madebeforeDecember2001. The"madebefore Dec 2001"
optionis only available on the download version from my web, site
not the CD version.
• Comm Port Select thecommunicationsp ortthetelescopeis connectedto. See

Chapter 10 for details on
connectingyour computerto your telescope.
• Time Zone Information Generallyyou shouldselect UseWindows Time
Zone Setting?as this allows theprogramto calculatethe correctuniversaltime (UT)
withoutrequiringthatyou determinewhether your location currently
is observingday-
light savings time orstandardtime. It will only work if you have set the
correcttime and
selectedthe correcttime zone in Windows. Double-click the time in the lower right
cornerof the Windows screen to confirm your settings. If your time zone is not available
in Windows, you will need to remove the check mark on optionand
this manuallyenter
thenumberof hours offset from UT .
• Observing Location Ifyou do not know yourlongitudeand latitude,I recom-
mend the web site Heavens Abovehttp
- ://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp .
• Altitude Controls Prior to sendinga GoTo commandto the scope, NSOLwill
It is generally best to set these limits to match
warn you if an object exceeds these limits.
the SlewLimits in the telescope's hand control.
• Location of Observer Lists Although these will have been sent initially to
the Data folder in thelocationwhere NSOLwas installed,you mightprefera different
location. For example,you could createa folder named "NSOL Data" in the My
Documentsfolder. Aftercreatingthe folder youmustmove all the files currentlyin the
originalData folder to this new folder. Then use thisoptionin the Setup dialog box to
configure NSOLto use the new location.Caution:If NexStar Observer Listc annotfind
the file NSObserverUserList.mdb(the User Supplied Objects database)in the folder you
select, you will not be able to edit observer lists.
One final noteaboutObservingLocationand Time Zonesettings.NSOL uses location
and time zone along with the
currentWindows system time to calculate the
currentaltitude
of objects and to draw sky charts. You do not need to be too precise; the observing location
and time settings haveabsolutelyno effect on the accuracy of GoTo
operations.If you are
within 100-150 miles of thecorrectsettingsand a few minutesof correcttime you will
hardly notice the difference
.
i Using the Hyper Hand Controller

The Hyper HandController(HHC) allows you to directly access the ent ire NSOL database
and direct your NexStar scope to GoTo any object in the database
.The HHC is also thebest
way to getacquaintedwith themethodsused to access the NSOL database . You can open
the HHC from the Toolsmenu or with thetoolbarbuttonresemblinga NexStar hand
control.
As seen in Figure7.1, the HHC has fourareas. The upperrightportionof the window
containsthe eightseparatelists thatcomprisethe NSOL database . Use these lists to find
the object you want to directyour telescopetowards. You access each list by clicking the
tabs along the top. Each list also has asearchsectionthatallows searchingby Object
Numberor Common/Alternate Name (labeled simply "Name" in the columnheadingsat
the top of thelists).While you mightnot mind scrollingdown theMessier or Caldwell
lists, most of theo therlists are very long and the
searchfeaturewill be a big time saver.
Note thatHD numbersfor starsand doublestarsare found in theCommon/Alternate
Name field. Simply type yoursearchcriteriain the Search for box, selectwhetheryou are
looking for thenumberor name,and click the FindFirst buttonto locatethe objectin
the list.
x
DouQle Stars
!C
Numbe! Name T e
1 NGC 1952 Creb Nebula Supe mova R
2 NGC 7089 Globular Clus
4 NGC 61 21 Globular Clus
6 NGC 6405 ButterflyCluster Open Cluster
7 NGC 6475 Ptolemy's Cluster Open Cluste!
~~ --,8±,-
N :G:;:C;.6
~5", agoon Nebula
23:;::L=::c Dilfuse Nebu
9 NGC 6333 GlobularClus
CategOl y 10 NGC 6254 Globular Clus
IMessier 11 NGC 6705Wild Duck Cluster Open Clu ste!
Common/All Name 12 NGC 621 8 Globular au s
INGC 7089 13 NGC 6205 Hercules Globular C GlobularClus
Constellation 14 NGC 6402 Globular Clus T
IAquarius
ro---ro-- 1+ ro---ro--
rightAscension
21133.5 GetScopeEosition RA Dec
AdditionalInformation
IS ize: 12.9 Disl: 37.5 kly QuickGoto RA rr-r--- Dec ~ r---
r--- r---
Current Altitude Seconds 10 Decimal
162 8 Close
Figure 7.1. NexSta rObserver list's Hyper Hand Controller window.
With most of the lists,

searchingin the ObjectNumbercolumnrequiresan exact match .
For example,if you search for object number10 in the Messier list, the only item found will
be Messier 10; Messier 110 will not be found. The behavior is differentin the
Common/Alternate Name column. If you searchthe Double Star list foralpha in the
Common/Alternate Name column,the firstobjectfoundwill be SAO 308 - Alpha Ursae
Minoris. If you press Enter or click theFind Next button, NSOL will locateSAO 15384 -
Alpha Ursae Majoris. If you click Find Next toomanytimesand move pastyour quarry,
click Find Prev to search backwards and move to the previous match.
The Messier, Caldwell, NGC, and IC lists (note that they are all on the same row of tabs)
can be sortedby Object Number (the default),Constellation,Magnitude,and Right
Ascension.This can be very useful to help you select items for viewing. You may find the
Constellationsortorderto bemostuseful as it allows you to easily cover objectsin
all a
specific area of the sky. To select any of these sort orders,simply click once on the
Number,Constellation,Magnitude,or RA columnheading. Deep Sky, User Supplied, SAO
Stars, and Double Stars can be sortedby ObjectNumber(the default) and Right Ascension.
Right Ascension can be useful when tryingto matchan object whose name is uncertain-
especially true of double stars.
One of the eight lists is
differentfrom the rest- the UserSuppliedObjects. Using the
Edit buttonto the left of this list
, you can add, edit,and deleteitemsin this list.Enter
objectsnotfound on theotherlists orobjectsyou would like to list by d a ifferentname.
For example,the DoubleClusteris found asobjectnumber14 on the Caldwell list or the
two clustersare known as objects869 and 884 on the NGC list. If you findthathardto
remember,you might want to add anobjectto the UserSuppliedlist and simply use
Double Clusteras theCommon/Alternate Name. You will still needto providea Category
andObjectNumberfor the object, but you are free towhatever use you like. Naturallyyou
must also enterthe right ascensionand declinationto allow NSOL to issue a GoTo
commanddirectingthe scope to the right location. All otherinformationis optionalin the
User SuppliedObject list.
Back in the HHC window,below theobjectlists is asectionfor quicklyslewingto any
desiredRight Ascension andDeclination.Simply enterthecoordinatesand click the Quick
Goto button. RA is enteredwith hoursin the first box andm inutesin thesecondbox. Dec
is enteredwith degrees in the first box and arc minutesin thesecondbox - don'tforget to
change + or - if necessary. To entercoordinateswith seconds/arcseconds,you must
convertthem to decimal fractionsof a minute/arcminute and include them in the
minutes/arc m inutesbox. The Seconds toDecimalconversionboxes help tosimplifythis
process.For example,if you want toenter23m 34', type 34 in the boxundersecondsand
you will find thisequatesto 0.57. So, in the arcminutesbox you wouldenter23.57.
In theupperleft of the HHC, you are presentedwith a simple all-sky chart. The object you
currentlyhaveselectedfrom the lists to the right will be shown on chartas
the alight-blue
oval if it iscurrentlyabove thehorizon.The sky chartis dependentu pon the date,ime,and
t
time zone settings in Windows as described in the Initial Configuration section above.
In the bottomleft of the HHC you will find fullinformationfor the item currently
selected from the lists on the right. altitude
The is dependentupon the date, time, and time
zonesettingsin Windows as well. To direct the scope to slew to an object, select it from the
lists on theright and thenclick the GoTobuttonbelowthe objectinformation. Further
details forcontrollingthe telescope are discussedlater in thischapter.
D Creating Observing Lists

While the HHC lets you get a quick s tartusing the NSOLdatabase , the real power ofNSOL
is theabilityto organizeyour observingsession. Priorto steppingoutside,you can create
an observing listt hatwill keep you on trackthroughoutthe night. These lists can be shared
withanyoneelse using NSOL. Several pre-madelists - theMessier objectsorganizedby
two-monthperiods- areincludedin theinitialinstallation . Additionalpre-madelists are
availableat the NexStarResourceSite (http://www .NexStarSite.com). I postuser-created
lists on the site as well.
To create your own lists,eitheruse New List on the File menu or click the first buttonon
thetoolbar. You will thenbe asked tonamethe list. Choosesomethingdescriptivesuch as
" Best objects forAug-Sep" . After typing the name and clicking the Save button,you will be
presentedwith awindowsimilarto Figure 7.2. This windowdisplaystheobserverlist and
allows you tocontrolyour telescope . The list will beemptyat first, so youshouldbegin by
clicking the Edit Listb utton.
After clickingEdit List, you arepresentedwith awindow (Figure7.3) thataccesses the
full NSOL database.The paneto the left is the list you are building,while therightside of
the window is comprisedof the eightseparatelists of the fulld atabase.S earchingand
sorting the eight listfunctionsas describedabove in thesectionon the Hyper Hand
Controller.As you locateobjectsyou wish toadd to your observerlist, eitherclick the
arrowbutton <- at theupperleftcornerof the list ordouble-clickthe graybutton
at the left edge of the row for

thatobject. Thisbuttonis also known as the row selectorand
is indicatedin Figure 7.3.This might sounda littleconfusing,but it's easier done
t hansaid!
Each list also has asearchsectionthatoperatesjust like the Hyper Hand Controller
describedabove. Youmight use magazinearticles, planetariumsoftware(TheSky, for
example), or your personalexperienceto determinewhich objects to add to the list.
Go Db Cal Numbel N....

Meu ief 13 NGC
c.'_Y
IMessier
COfMlOniAl N....
INGC 7089
Cons,eIation
IAQW< ..,
R9ltAscension Oeclnabon
I 211 335 1·1 01 49
Addillonollrlolrnal"",
Isiz. 12 9 Disl 37.5k~
CUlent Mitude
~
Figure 7.2. An ob serve rlist in NexStar Observerlist.
The sky charton the left shows you the locationof the objectyou haveselected from
your observerlist,or the object you hav e selectedfrom the tables in the NSOL
database.
Note that it defaults not current
to date and imet (unless thathappensto be between and
1
6 a.m.), but ratherto 10 p.m.of today's date.You can changethe dateand time of thesky
Figure 7.3. Editing an observerlist in NexStar Observerlist.
DoubleSters
IC
Number Name T e
~ 1 NGC 1952Crab Nebula Supernova Rem'
2 NGC 7089 Globular Clu sler
3 NGC 5272 Globular Clu sler
I I I I • 4 NGC 61 21 Globular Clu sler
Your ObjectList: 5 NGC 5904 GlobularClu sler
Cere or Numbe r Name A 6 NGC 6405 8ullerflyClusler Open Clu sler
~ Messier 13 NGC 6, _ _ Row sel ector Ptolemy's Clusler Open Clusler
Messier 92 NGC 6. L_==..".,.~ Lagoon Nebula DiffuseNebula
Messier 39 NGC 71 9' NGC 6333 Globular Clusler
Messier 29 NGC 6~ 10 NGC 6254 Globular Clu sler
Messier 56 NGC 6; . 11 NGC 6705 WildDuck Clu sler Open Clusler
Messier 57 NGC 6; 12 NGC 6218 Globular Clusler
Messier 27 NGC61 13 NGC 6205 Hercules Globular C Globular Clusler
Messier 71 NGC 61 14 NGC 6402 Globular Clusler
Messier 2 NGC 7 • 15 NGC70 78 Globular Cluster
~ 16 NGC 6611 Eagle Nebula Clusle 0penClusler
Move!lp MoveQown I 17 NGC 661 8 Omega . S wan, Hors Diffuse Nebula
18 NGC 6613 Open Clu ster
l:;lose Delete
chart with the Change b utton.This sky chart makes it easiernot just to organizethe order
of the itemsin your observerlist but also to insureyou selectobjects th at will actually be
above the hori zonat your expectedviewing time.
Below your object list, in the bottom lef
t corne r, there arefour butt ons:
• Close Closes the Edit List window and returns to the main window .Changes you
made are u
a tomaticallysaved.
• Move Up/Move Down Use thesebuttons to move objectsup or down thelist
to put things in the order in which to viewthem.This is the most time-co nsuming part
of the who le process and one which will be automatedin the next version. Use thesky
chart to help you group objectssuch thatyou will not be jumpingall over the sky as you
work down through your list.
• Delete Removes an objectfrom the observerlist;you willbe prom pted to co
nfirm the
deletion.
A fteryou haveaddedthe itemsyou want in theobserve r list,click the Close buttonto
returnto the main window previou sly shown in Figure7.2. Now you can seethat the list
window has threemain sections. In the center isthe list itself. To theleft is full information
for the objectcurr entlyselected.To the right is an all-sky cha rtwith the objectcurr ently
selectedshown as a small, light-blue ova l. Ifyou do not want to edit thelist furtherand you
do not wish to obs erve th e objec tswith your telescope atthis tim e, you would click the
Close button . When later you want to open one of the lists you have created, sue Open
Existing List on the File menu orthe yellow folder butt on on he t toolbar. We will describe
using an observer list tocontr ol your telescope laterin this chapter.
~ Printing an Observing List

To printan observinglist, you must first havehet list open.Use Printon theFile menu or
the toolbar button with a printerdepicted. Choose whether you want a CompactList
(prints the objectswith little spacebetween each)roa List withCommentArea (prin ts the
objectswith room towriteobservingnotesafter each). You can also select the numberof
copies you would like pri nted. Eve n if you don't intend o
t use a computer to contro lyour
telescope,you might fin d theselists useful during your observingsession. I regularly use
the List withCommentArea to take observation notesnext tomy scope.
.. Alignment Star Chart

NSOL ca n also help you to locat e alignmentsta rs. Use AlignmentStarCharton the Tools
menu or thebuttonwith the star-stud ded bl ack cir cle to display an all-sky char twith NexStar
alignmentstarsdesignated. T his featureis dependentupon the correctdate, time, and time
zone in Windows asdescribed inthe InitialConfigura tionsection above.Notethat you can
turn offand on thenames ofthe alignmentstars with theToggle Namesbutton.
Gel Red Screen Mode

When you are obse rvingat night , thenormalscreencolors can ruin your night visio
n.To
change the scree
n colors to a scheme friendlier tork-adapted
da eyes, useRed Screen on the
Tools menu or click theb uttonon the toolbarwith thered-lens glasses.To change back to
a normalcolor scheme, repeat the above process, or simply closetheprogram.In the event
of thisprogram or anyotherastronomyprogramlocking up or exiting abnormallyleaving
you with a red screen, you can rest
ore your normalcolors by right-clickingon thedesktop
(the screenbackgroundwhen no windows are visible) and selecting Properties.Then go to
theAppearancesheet and choo se the SchemenamedWindows Standard.
Using the Program with Your Telescope

Caution: Just as when you areusing thehandcontrolor any otherprogramto slewyour
telescope,it is possiblefor the telescope to make contactwith animmovable object - gen -
erally thetripodor mount. For the NexStar 4/S/Si/8/ 8i and the GPSmodels, this normall
is y
not aproblemunless you are using a 2-inch diagonal or perhapsa camera. For the NexStar
60/80/114 ,it is easy for the telescope to make cont
actwith the tripod. For these reasons you
should monitoryour scope while inmotionand bepreparedto cancel the slew. Generally
you can cancela slew with any of the dir ectionbuttonson the NexStarhandcontrol.Note
that theAltitudeControlsdescribedin the"Initial Configuration"section above can help
to preventthis.
Also, the Slew Limitsettingson the NexStar Sil8 i,8/11 GPS and the new 60/80/114/4 GT
handcontrolwill preventNSOL and otherprogramsfrom slewing to an ob jectoutside of
the slew limits. If your scope does not move aftersending a GoTocommand,check the slew
limit settingsin thehandcontrol.
The originalGT handcontrol for the NexStar 60/80/114/4 GT has a fault thatgenerally
causes it to freeze when it receives two GoTo commands,one afteranother,via the RS-232
port.This is nota problemwith NSOL, butratherit happ ensregardless of whatprogram
you use. If thehandcontrollocks up, you will be forced to turnoff andrestartthe scope,
requiringa repeat of the scope 's alignmentprocedure. I have found you can almost alway s
preventthis by waitinguntil the GoTo iscomplete,then pressing any of the direction
buttons- for example,to centerthe object in the field of view . If this doesn'twork for your
scope, try pressing the Undobuttonon thehandcontroltwo or threetimes after each GoTo
has completed.
When you arereadyto use NexStarObserverList to controlyour telescope , set upand
align your telescopeas you would normally. Rememberthe AlignmentStar chart if you
needhelp locatingtwo alignmentstars. Connect theserialportof your computerto the
jack on thebottomof the handcontrol.If your modelofNexStarhas an RS-232modein
thehandcontrolmenu,you mustenterthatmode for the telescope communicate to with
NSOL. You can test whetheryour PC cancommunicatewithyour scope by clicking the Get
ScopePositionbuttonin the NexStar Observer List main window.
Using the Hyper Hand Controller to Control Your Scope

Open the Hyper HandController(HHC) to directlyaccess items in the NSOLdatabase. To
slew the telescope to an object, check to be sure is thecurrent
it object - look for the arrow-
head in the row selectorfor that object or eck
ch the objectinformationin the lower left of
the HHC window. Notice the c urrentlocation of the objectas shown in the all
-sky chartin
the upperleft of themenu. Click the Gotobuttonto direct your telescope to slew to the
object. You can also slew to an object bydouble-clickingits row selectorin the list.
You can also issue a slewcommandfor any rightascension/decl inationusing the Quick
Goto section in the lowerright of the HHC window. Simplyenterthe coordinatesas
describedearlierin the HyperHand Controllersectionof this chapterand thenclick the
Quick Gotobutton.
After slewing to anobject, you might beinterestedin checkingthe coordinateswhere

the scopelanded. Click the Get ScopePositionbuttonat thebottomof theHyper Hand
Controller.This readoutdoes notupdateautomatically;to refresh with thecurrentscope
position, click thebuttonanytime.Note thattheoriginalGT handcontrolused with the
NexStar60/801114/4has a defect thatincorrectlyreportsthecurrentcoordinates when the
telescope is pointedto a locationbetween12 and 24 hours of right ascensionand any
negativedeclination.
Using an Observer List to Control Your Scope

Open the observer list(s) you wish to view. You can open up to eight lists at the same time;
the Window menu lets you switch between all open lists. Refer to Figure earlierin
7.2 this
chapterfor theobserverlist window.
The Next andPreviousbuttonslet you movethroughthe list, or you can simply click on
objects in the list in the center. To slew the telescope to an object, check to be sure it is the
currentobject- look for thearrowheadin the row selector for that object or simply check
theCurrentObject Info on the left. Make note of object'slocationin
the the sky by refer
-
ring to the all-sky chart on the right. You might also refer to CurrentAltitudelistedon
the
the left. Then click the Gotobutton.You can also slew to an object by double-clickingits
row selector in the list.
After a slewcommandis issued,NSOL marks theobjectwith a "Y" in the Gocolumn.
You can clearone or all of the GoTo marks with the Clear Go Marks button.Also note that
you canmarkthe objects you actually observedby clicking theObservedbutton.You can
clear theobservedmarkby clicking theObservedbuttonagain - it simply toggl es the "Y"
on and off.
Use theQuick Goto sectionat the top of the main windowto slew to anyrightascen-
sion/declination.It works as described previously for the Hyper Hand Controller. Click the
Get ScopePositionbuttonat the top of the main window to query e scope
th for itscurrent
coordinates .This readoutdoes not updateautomatically;to refresh with the currentscope
position,click thebuttonanytime. As noted earlier the original GT handcontrolused with
the NexStar60/801114/4has a defe ct that incorrectlyreportsthecurrentcoordinateswhen
the telescopeis pointedto alocationbetween 12 and 24 hours of right ascensionand any
negativedeclination.
Download the Newest Version

By the time you read this,
version3 shouldbe available fordownloadfrom my web site -
http://www.NexStarSite
.com.Version 3 will includeenhancedfiltering and sorting
,observa-
tion logentry/printing,
printingof all-sky charts,automaticlistorganizing,and more.Send
your comments on additional features andimprovementsto swanson.michael@usa.net.
It certainlydoesn'ttake longbeforemostamateurastronomersdiscoverthattheirnew
telescope came with just enough to get them started
. While you won't need every accessory
introducedin this chapter,I bet you will end up with a few them
of . My best advice is to
take your time and only buy things that you seem to feel are lacking when you are actually
out underthe stars.I f possible,join anastronomyclub. Chances are one of the members
has the item you areconsideringand will allow you to try it out before you .If
buythis isn't
possible, do some research on the Internet,in magazines, and in books. Refer to Appendix
A for the web siteaddressesof retailers andmanufacturersmentionedin thischapter.
Some ofaccessoriesareinexpensive,o therswill benefit from slight modifications,and
othersstill you can makeyourself. In some ways, this might be the most interactiveand
enjoyablechapterin the book.
A sturdytripodis a mustfor steady,comfortableviewing at the eyepiece. If the tripod

shakes every time you t ouchthetelescope,focusing will be veryfrustratingas the image
dances in the eyepiece . A shaky tripodis also tiring on a windy night. tripodthat
A adjusts
in height allows you to set it low to thegroundfor maximum stabilityor higherfor com-
fortableviewing when standing.
Most NexStar models come with an incl ude dtripod thatis well matched to provi de
good stability.With some models you must se lectthe tripod you prefer, or simply use the
telescope on a sta ble, fiatsurface. You may decideto switch to aheaviertripodfor added
stabilityor a lightertripodfor easierportability.Following are details ontripodsby scope
model.
Tripods by Telescope Model

NexStar 60/80/114 Theselitt le NexStars come with sturdy,adjustable
a -
height,lightweightaluminumtripod. The tripodand fork armmountuse aunique,cup-
shaped matingpointthatprovidesgood stabilityand easy assembly
, even in the dark, but

Figure 8.1. Celestron

model93497 tripod.
Photo courtesy Celestron .
precludesthe use of anyothertripod. Periodicallyyou shouldinsureall screwsandbolts

are tight-loosehardwaremakes anytripodvery wobbly.
Nexstar 4 The NexStar 4 does not come standardwith atripod.When you firststart
out you can simply find saturdytable to set it on, but before long you probablywant
will a
tripodto providea portable,stableplatform.The recommendedtripodis Celestron model
number93497 (Figure 8.1). Thistripodfeatures a simple wedge incorporatedinto the head
and stainlesssteelroundtubularlegs. The wedge allows the scope topolaralignedfor
be
long-exposureastrophotography. The spreaderarms includeholes for five 1.25 -inchand
two 2-inch eyepieces. Thistripodis sturdy, well built, and a fine match for the NexStar
. 4
NexStar 5 and 5i The NexStar 5 has at times been sold with and withouta
tripodas standardequipment .The NexStar 5i does notincludea tripod, except in special
bundles. When atripodhas beenincludedwith the NexStar ,5it was alightweightalu-
minum model - 93593- that did not always prove sturdyout of the box. In most cases all
that was needed was to tightenscrews
all and bolts to provide good stability.othercases
In
it has been necessary to take more drastic .steps
Acessories for Your NexStar 143
Figure 8.2. New

Celestron mo del
93593 tripod.Photo
courtesyCelestron.
If you have analuminumtripodthatremainsunstableaftertighteningall hardware,try

this.Remove the screwsh oldingthealuminumtubingto thebracketsat theheadof the
tripod. Visit a hardwarestoreand pick up thenextlargerdiameter(thicker)screwas a
replacement.
For the NexStar 5 and Si, Celestroncurrentlyrecommendseitherthe wedge-tripod
(modelnumber93497) describedabove for theNexStar4 or, for addedstability,a new
modelnumber93593tripod. This model93593 (Figure8.2) issimilarto themodel93457
wedge-tripodwith stainless steel
tubularlegs, but it has no
integratedwedge. Thespreader
arms haveopeningsfor fivel.25-inchand two 2-inch eyepieces. The addedstabilitywill be
welcomedif you mountadditionalequipmenton your NexStar 5/5i, such as a 35mm
cameramountedpiggyback on the scope . Since the old 93593t ripodwith aluminumlegs is
quiteinferiorto the new steel leg 93593
tripod,it is bestthatyou insureyou are getting the
latterbeforepurchasing.
NexStar 8 and 8i The NexStar 8 wasgenerallysold with the samelightweight

aluminum tripod,the oldmodel93593 thatoccasionallycame with theNexStar 5. The
addedweightof theNexStar8 definitelystretchesthis tripodpastits limits,so the same
suggestionsas describedabove fortighteninghardwareand possibly replacingscrews
would apply.
For economy and portability, the new steel leg model 93593tripod recommended
is . If you
intend to use a wedge for polar alignment, sturdier
a tripodis called for. Model93501 (Figure
8.3), the Heavy Duty Tripod, will easily handle the load. You might note that it appears - iden
tical to thetripodsuppliedwith the NexStar 8/11 GPS . They are similar, but the center pin on
the NexStar 8/11 GPS t ripodis larger and will not fit the base of the NexStar 8 and
. 8i
Figure 8.3. Celestron

model93499/93501
tripod. Photo courtesy
Celeslron.
NexStar 8 GPS and 11 GPS Celestronhas always sold these scopes with
the Heavy DutyTripod,model 93499 (Figure 8.3). However, some distributorshave sepa-
rated the scope andtripod,selling them individually. Thetripodis a good match for the big
NexStars and offers finestabilitywhen the scope is used in altitude-azimuth m ode(no
wedge). But, whenmountedon a wedge, them odel93499tripoddoes not offero ptimum
support- particularlyfor the NexStar 11.
Model 93499 includes three small, black,aluminuminsertsfor mountinga wedge on the
tripod.This allows use of the three
alternateholes on the head of thetripodto insure clear-
ance for theazimuthadjusteron the Celestron Deluxe Wedge .
In 2003 Celestronintroduceda newtripod,model 93509 - the Super Heavy Duty Tripod.
Designedwith wedge workandastrophotography in mind, thistripodshouldoffer much
improvedstability. It is particularlyrecommendedfor the NexStar 11.When using a
wedge, NexStar 11 owners have also used the Meade Giant Field Tripodand theLosmandy
tripod.Consider the addedweight and expensebeforesettlingon any of thesemore
advancedtripods.
Another popular mounting solution for the NexStar 8/11 GPS isp ier mounting.
Althougha fewcompaniesmake portablepiers, notablyAstro-Physics, most ipers are per-
manentfixtures in a yard orobservatory.Many piers are at least partlycustom-made,with
concreteand steelbeing verypopularmaterial.Thereare aboutas manyways tobuilda
pier as there are people who own them . A quick search on theInternetwill turnup several
detailedplansas well asvendorsfor pre-builtpiers. Onecommonsolutionis a concrete
pierwith mountingbolts for astandardwedge. With this setup, you can still easily remove
your scope from the pier to use on the
tripodat a remote or alternativelocation.
Tripods by Model Number

Table 8.1summarizescompatibilitybetween NexStar telescopes and Celestron
tripods. An
F indicatesa fit,though not recommended
; R-W indicatesrecommendedfor use on a
Table 8.1. C ompatibilitybetween Ne xStar telescopes and Celestron tripods

C elestron model numbers N4 N5/5i N8/8i N8GPS N8/1lGPS
9349 7 * R-VV R-VV F
Old 93593 1 F R-VV F
N ew 93593 1 F R-VV R-A
93501 F R-VV R·VV
93499 R-VV R·A
93509 R-VV R-VV
N otes:
* Includes built-inwedge .
1 A luminum legs.
1 Steel legs .
wedge orin altitude-azimuthmode; R-A indi catesrecommendedfor altitude-azimuth

mode only.
Tripod Modifications and Accessories

It seems thatthe perfecttripod has yet to be des igned. Or, morecorrectlystated,every
telescopeowner seems to have adifferentidea of what theperfecttripodwould be.
Perhapswe feel it isn't stableenoughor it is too heavy foreasy portability or there are not
enoughplaces to hold thevariousitems we wantimmediately accessible.This situation is
definitelya case of "necessityis the motherof invention," with many ingeniousimprove-
mentscreatedby amateur astronomersaroundthe world.
In additionto tighten ingscrews and bolts and potentially replacing screw s with the next
largersize, some have used nylon awshersbetweenloose-fittinghardwareto removeany
addition alplay. For example ,the boltsattachingthe acce ssory tray arms to the t ripodlegs
on the NexStar 60/80/114 have substantialside-to-sideplay andbenefitfrom this sugges-
tion. Anothercommonstabilityimprovementis to hang a heavy weight - the batterypack
poweringthe scopeis most common- from a hook-boltaddedto thebottomof the acces-
sory tray arms.Othershave gone so far as to fill the legs w ith lead shot or otherheavy
materialto improvethetripod's ability todampenvibrations.
JoeShusterdevelopedan inexpensive and very effective e nhancement for theoriginal
aluminum NexStar 5/8 tripod, model 93593. As seen in Figure 8.4 , this tripodhas a
threadedhole in thecenterof thebottomof head. A hexagonalspreader can be eas ily fash-
ionedfrom asmall pieceof wood, with a boltandwingnutsallowinghandtighteningto
greatly improvestability.
The NexStar 8 GPS and 11 GPSinclude Celestron's Vibration SuppressionPads to
improvetripodstability. The pads are made with a plastic cup and circular disk with viscous
gel-like foamsandwichedbetween.A pad is placedundereach tr ipodleg to helpdampen
vibrations(Figure 8.5).They definitely work saadvertisedand are highlyrecommendedfor
the NexStar 5 and larger. The smaller NexStars do not ben efitas muchdue to the ir lighter
weight. In addit
ion to Celestron, Mead e and Orion also makevibrationpads. Orion's are the
least expensive, with the added benefit of little
eflective
r spots on top of the pad to help make
themvisible when you aresweepingthe areaafterpackingup for the night.Many a set of
vibrationsuppression pads has been left on the field after a long observing ssion.
se One final
suggestion - get a small pla
sticfood containerwith lid to store them .The
in pads often pick
up mud and gra ss and thecontainerwill let youtransportthem more ea sily.
Figure 8.4. homemade spreader for original 93593 tri po d. Photo courtesy Joe S huster.
Settingthe NexStar 8/11 GPS on the top of the tripodand aligningit with the pin has
provendifficult for many. After a littlepracticeyou will likely find it easier than your first
nervousattempt.If you continueto find this difficult,StarizonacreatedtheLanding Pad
justfor you.The Landing Pad ismountedon top of thetripodand easily guides the scope
onto thecenterpin. Additionally,it includesopeningsfor the small ovals on the bottomof
the scope base to help line up the boltholes. For lessthan$40,manywill find this a great
accessory.
The three boltsprovidedto mountyour scope to the tripodwork OK in theAlt-az mode,
but when using your NexStar GPS on a wedge forastrophotography, it is necessaryto
tightenthemmorethancan beaccomplishedby handand undoingthemcan benearly
impossible. You can use a hex wrench with the existing bolts, or you might want to get a set
of Ray (RJ) Rauen's steelreplacement bolts.At $65, they feature larger heads to allow easier
handtightening. RJ also has $20boltswith largeplasticknobs for morebudget-minded
individuals. Both are available at http://www .hometown .aol.comlrjrjrOOl.Morrow
Technical Services (of Bob's Knobs fame) also offers plastic knob tripodbolts for $29 . Visit
theirweb site athttp://www.bobsknobs.com for details.
The accessory tray for the NexStar 60/80/114tripodis quite small, but this is easily reme -
died. Thesimplestimprovementis a lO-inch cake pan. Using the accessorytray as a tem-
plate,markthepositionof the three bolts and drill i-inchholes. Set the original tray inside
the cake pan, set the assembly on tripodarms,
the and then use thethumbscrewsas normal
to fastenit alltogether . A littlemorework can resultin evenmoreutility.As shown in
Figure 8.6,a plastic serving tray was drilled for eyepieces and slots were cut holdingthe
for
handcontrolin three different locations in this tray by Greg Childress.
If you have the Heavy DutyT ripodwith the simple leg supportbracket(spreader),you
are cursedwith noaccessorytray at all. Star Tek Industries(http://www .startekind.com)
manufacturesa replacementfor thespreaderthatdoublesas an accessorytray. If their
Figure 8.5. Vibration

suppression pod in use.
Figure 8.6.
Homemade accessory
troy for little NexStors.
Photo courtesyGreg
Childress.
Figure 8 .7.
Homemade eyepiece
troy for Heavy Du ty
Tripod .
3-in-1 trayis too expensivefor you, you can easily make an accessorytray for just a few
dollars and a fewhours of your time.
I made thetrayin Figure 8.7 fromt-inchplywood. Ratherthanreplacingthesupport
bracket,it simply mountsbeneaththe existingbracket.Using a jigsaw orbandsaw,cut a
l o-jnch (40-cm) circle from the plywood. Next drill at-inch hole in thecenterfor the
threadedrod.Then use It-inch and 2-inchhole saws to make eyepiece holes desired
as .
The tray pictu red herehas sixteenIt-inch eyepiece holes andleaves thethirdsection
untouchedto providea flatsurfacefor otherobjects. It is a good idea to then
s andall the
edges and surfaces .
Figure 8.8. Design

for Heavy Duty Tripod
troy.
You may want topaintthe tray (helps top rotectthe wood and your eyepieces) and you
may also want to cutthree2-inch-wideslots in the tray as shown in Figure.8to
8 allow the
legs to foldwithoutremoval of the tray.
While NexStar telescopescan track the sky whenmounteddirectlyon the tripod in

altitude-azimuth mode,astrophotography with exposureslongerthanaboutone minute
will suffer fromstartrails due torotationof the field of view. Longer exposuresrequirethe
scopeto bepolar-aligned . For NexStar scopesthatmeansusing a wedge. We willdiscuss
more detailsregardingastrophotography in Chapter11.
Tripod model 93497 has abuilt-inwedge, but for all othertripodsyou must purchasea
wedge separately. There are no wedges made for the NexStar 60/80/114tripodand their base
design does not readily allow them tomounted
be on alternate tripods
. In any case, the track-
ing on these models is very coarse, so polaralignmentusually does not prove practical unless
you arereadyto manuallyguide longexposures.Nonetheless, a fewadventuresome souls
have actually built wooden wedges or tripod adapters for the little NexStars
.
For the NexStar 4,tripod93497 will give good results. For the NexStar 5/5i, tripod93497
will get youstarted;however,if you intendto use a 35mmcamera,a piggy-backed guide
scope, orotherheavy accessories, you will want to use tripod93593 with a wedge.
Celestronmakestwo wedges: theNexStar Wedge (model93658) and the HeavyDuty
Wedge (model93655;Figure8.9).Mountedon the newmodel93593 tripod, the NexStar
Wedge is a: good matchfor the NexStar5/5iwith heavieraccessories.M ountedon tripod
93501, the NexStar Wedgeprovidesgood supportfor the NexStar8/8i.
The Heavy Duty Wedge isrequiredfor the NexStar 8 GPS and 11 GPS . As mentioned
earlier in the section on
tripods,the stocktripod(model 93499) isadequatefor the NexStar 8
GPS on a wedge, but not really stable when using the NexStar 11 GPS on a wedge. For the 11
you will need to use one of the largertripodspreviously discussed.Also, there is anupgrade
kit available for the Heavy Dut
y Wedge to allow easier adjustmentsin latitudeand azimuth.
This is not really an option;
adjustingthe wedge without this kit is nearly impossible .
Ray (RJ) Rauen offers acomplete se t of 10no-toolsboltsfor theCelestronheavy-duty
wedge. Atjust$53,includingshipping, they are an a bsolutenecessity for field use of the
wedge. See them at RJ's web site:http://www.hometown .aol.comlrjrjrOOI.
A few companiesbuild wedges withenhancedstabilityand precisionlatitudeand
azimuthadjustmentmechanisms.They are generally quite expensive and they often have a
waiting list. But if you are
looking for addedstability, there areoptionsavailable. Consider
Superior Wedge from Mitty Observatory Machine Shop (http://home.cfl.rr.com
Imitty/Superior_ Wedge.htm), the Mettler Wedge (http://www .greatnorthern.net!
-jarn/links/Manuf/mettler.htm), the Milburn wedge from Bonney Lake Astro Works
(http://www.milburnwedge.com). or Le SueurManufacturing'sAurora PolarisPier and
Wedge (http://www.astropier.com). Beforepurchasinga wedge, make sure it will be com-
patible with yourintendedtripodor pier and the base of your scope.
It won't take long torealizethatusing AA batterie

s is an expensiveway to feedyour
NexStar.The NexStar8/11GPS model does not evenprovidethatbatteryoption.AA bat-
Figure 8.9. NexStar

11 GPS on Celestron
Heavy DutyWedge.
Photo courtesy Dove Cole.
teries can be useful for

emergencypower, but not general operation.One of the first acces-
sories you will need for your telescope is a reliable power
source.
Even briefinterruptionsin powerwill causeproblemswith acomputerizedtelescope .
Erraticbehavioror acompleteloss ofalignmentis likely to result. The power connectoron
NexStar telescopes is often thesourceof such problems.It is not thecommonsize for such
connectorsand,as such,many a.c.adaptersand powercables do notresultin a tightfit.
The correctconnectorfor NexStar scopes has an o utsidediameterof 5.5 mm and an inside
diameterof2.1 mm. While aloose-fittingconnectormight seem to work, hard-to-diagnose
problemsoften occur.
If you are near a power outlet,an a.c.adapteris a good option.Almost anyadapterwill
do as long as itprovides12 volts d.c., at least 1.5
amps (1500 milliamps),and aconnector
wired with theinside positive (+) and theoutsidenegative(-). Most storesstock such
adapters,b utI recommendyou purchasea higher-qualityadaptertypicallyfound in an
electronicsstore even if it costs a little more
.
When you are not neara poweroutlet,what you really want is rechargeable
a power
source. In fact, 1always use one of these. They provide more reliable power than the typical
a.c.adapterand thereare fewercords to deal with. NiCad and NiMHbatteriesw on't do
(unlessyou makeyour own batteryholder),as theyonly produce1.2 volts ascompared
with the 1.5 volts of an
alkalinebattery . NexStar telescopesall require12 volts to run cor-
rectly,so you would need 10 correctlyconnectedNiCad or NiMH batteriesfor reliable
operation.
Figure 8.10.
Automotive jump-start
battery.
12-volt rechargeablepower sources are availablefrom many astronomyvendors -

sometimesthey arereferredto as field power packs. Such power sour ces can be found in
the campingand outdoorequipmentsectionsof many stores.Mo st automotivestores
carry larger,higher-capacitypower sources sold as portableautomotivejump-start
systems (Figure .810).For theultimatein power, you canconstructa power source using a
marinedeep-cyclebattery.Almost all of these power sources use a type ofb atteryknown
as a gel cell. Thesebatteriesare very similar to thelead-acid batteriesused inautomobiles.
Be aware that these batteriesare usuallyconsideredhazardousitems and shippingcharges
can be very high . For that reason it issuallybest
u topurchaselocally.
With any of theseoptions,therequirementsyou are looking for are 12volts, 7 amp hour
or greater(this is ameasureof how long thebatterylasts), a"cigarettelighter" socket, and
a recharger.All but the smallestrechargeable12-volt powerpacks are7-amp-houror
more. A7-amp-hourbatterywill run a NexStar scope for an entire night, but this will stress
the battery. 15 amp hours is the minimumrecommendedfor all night sessions. If you use a
dewpreventionstrip, a second15-amp-hourbatteryjust for thispurposeis recommended.
Laptop computers,c ameras,and otherdevices will alsoincrease your batterycapacity
requirements.
For most 12-volt power packs, you will need to supply the correct cord to go between the
power pack and the scope. Mostastronomyshops thatsell Celestronequipmentcan
provide thecorrectcord or you can try an electronic parts store. The cable you are looking
for has a cigarette lighter plug on one end and the correct .5mm/2.1mm
5 plug asdescribed
(+) is on the insideconductor.
earlier. Again, be very careful that positive
A few additionalnotes on gel cell power sources. To prolongthe life of thebattery,
rechargea gel cell after every use. Do not wait until the telescope startsacting sluggish or
the meteron thebatteryindicateslow power. Also,overchargingcan easily damage a gel
cell and most do not includea rechargerwith automaticshutoff.NexStar owner Phil
Chambersprovidedthe following tip. Plug the chargerinto a power outlet timer (the little
gizmo used to turn lights off and on to deterburglarswhile you are away) with all the "ON"
pins removed and only a single "OFF " pin inserted.Then you can set the timer shutoff
to
afterthe recommendedrechargeperiod. Anotheroptionis to purchasea tricklecharger

from amarineor automotivepartsstore. While moreexpensive, it will keep yourbattery
in topcondition.Be aware,though,thatsome gel cell powersourceshaveelectronicsthat
preventa tricklechargerfrom workingproperly,somethingyou will most likelydetermine
only throughtrial and error.
The adage goesthatthe eyepieces ihalfof your telescope , so don'tsettle foranythingbut

the best.Indeedthis is largely true. The finest telescope provideterrible
will views through
an inferioreyepiece. But it is also
t ruethatas thepriceincreasesbeyonda certainpoint,
only marginalgains in qualityare realized.Nonetheless,the eyepiecesp rovidedwith the
NexStar scopestrulyare basic level eyepiecesand much improvementcan behad with
bettermodels.
The bestgeneraladvice I can give youregardingeyepieces is to try beforeyou buy and
take your time. An eyepiece that looks perfect on paper mayperformup
not to your expec -
tations.In fact, every eyepiece
performsdifferentlyin differenttelescopes. For example, a
long-focal-lengthPlossl mightwork well in the long focallengthof theNexStar 1I, but
providedistortedviews in theshorter-focal-lengthNexStar 114. Additionally,variationsin
eye reliefand field of view makeeyepieceselectiona very personaldecision.In a given
scope, what works for onepersonmay not foranother.Try to getout to astarpartyor
otherastronomyclub gatheringto borrow eyepiecesto test inyour telescope . Most
amateurastronomersare morethanhappyto help outtheirfellowobservers.If this is not
practical,purchaseyour eyepieces from companywith
a alenientreturnpolicy.
To narrowdown the search, use the Internet.Read reviews at the sites listed in Appendix
A or ask questionson adiscussiongroup.Theseopinions will help you to getstarted . And
naturallyI have someinformationand opinions too.
Eyepiece Basics
Besides basicopticalquality- largelyimmeasurable, but certainlydiscernible- thereare
threevitalstatisticsfor any eyepiece: focallength,apparentfield of view (AFOV), and eye
relief. As discussed in Chapter 2, shorter-focal-lengtheyepieces result in higher
magnifications,a largerAFOV allows more of the sky to be seen in the eyepiece(when
comparingtwo eyepieces with the same focal length),and eye relief is the
distancethe eye
may be from the eyepiece and still seeentirefield
the of view (FOV).
Various eyepiece designs are available with each having slightly
differentcharacteristics
.
Table 8.2summarizesthe mostpopulardesigns.
Eyepieces come in two barrel sizes, I.2S-inch and 2-inch.-inch
A 2 focuser tube or diago-
nal canaccept1.2S-incheyepiece using anadapter.2-inch eyepieces are used with longer
focallengthsto providea wider field of view . You shouldalso notethatmanydepartment
storeor "junk" telescopes use an older.96S-incheyepiece
0 size that
shouldbe avoided.
Many eyepiecelines areparfocal- thatis to saythatwhen changingfrom one eyepiece
to anotherin the series, only a slight touch uprequiredto
is achieve focus. The added con-
venienceis welcome when switching eyepieces to find the magnification
best for aparticu-
lar celestial object.
Untreatedlenses reflect up to %10of the lightpassingthroughthem. Good-qualityeye-
piecesare "rnulticoated " . This indicatesthatat least one lenssurfacewas treatedwith
Table 8.2. The most popular eyepiece designs

Kellner Commonly referred to as SMA - super modified AFOV :
achromatic. Included with intro scopes such as the 45-50 °
little NexStars. Fairlygood performance in longer
focal lengths. Kellner eyepieces exhibitchromatic
aberration and poor performance at the edge of the
FOV. Shorter focal lengths have uncomfortably short
eye relief. With the cost and much betterperformance
of budget Plossls, there is very little reason to purchase
new Kellner eyepieces , although University Optics and
Orion (Explorer series) do sell better-quality SMAs for
those on a very tight budget.
Orthoscop ic Orthos provide very sharp , high-eontrast views in the AFOV:
center of the field ofview. Orthos provide good eye 40-45 °
relief at short focal lengths, but they exhib it a narrow
field ofview. They also have relatively poor performance
at the edge of the FOV. This combination of
characteristics makes them a poor choice for most deep
sky objects, but many amateur astronomers feel they
ore the best eyepieces for viewing planets. University
Optics and Brandon make fine orthoscopic eyepieces.
Ploss] Providing very good performance to the edge of the FOV AFOV :
with few optical flaws, Plossls are considered by most to 50 °
be the best all-around performer. They provide a moderate
FOV, but have short eye relief at shorter focal lengths.
Many manufacturers offer PlossIs and modified or "super"
Plossls, Celestron's Ultima, Meade's Series 4000 Super
PlossIs, and Tele Vue's PlossIs are the top contenders in
this category. As is often the case, you get what you
pay for, and these more expensive models do generally
perform better.
Wide-ongle Various wide-ongle and super-wide-ongle designs have AFOV
and super- been created for viewing deep-sky objects. These are the WA-60-70 °
wide-ongle most expensive class of eyepiece, prized for a wide field SWA-70-85 °
of view at higher magnifications. They are offered under
many trade names from many manufacturers. Compare
the Panoptic and Nagler lines from Tele Vue, the Super
Wide Angle and Ultra Wide Angle series from Meade,
the Axiom models from Celestron, the Konigs from
University Optics, and the XL series from Pentax. With
these eyep ieces you should definitelytry before you buy.
Watch for poor sharpness at the edge of the field of view,
difficultypositioning the eye and the " kid ney bean"
(floating black spots] effect. Some are very heavy and
will produce balancing problems with little NexStars.
Long-eye- Observers requiring eyeglasses when viewing need AFOV varies
relief designs eyepieces with longer eye relief. These designs typically
offer 20 mm of eye relief. Several popular makes are
on the morket, such as the LV series from Vixen and
Celestron, the Lanthanum and ED-2 series from Orion,
the Radians from TeleVue, and XL series from Pentax.
Table 8.2. The most popular eyepiece designs (continued)

Again , it is impartantyau test these before committing
to a purchase, some users complain of poor optical
performance and difficultypositioning their eye with
various models .
Zoom Definitely not for everyone; some swear by them but AFOV is quite
eyepieces most swear at them. Images often suffer from distortion at narrow, generally
the edge and the field of view is very small, even at longer around 40°
40° focal lengths. The only notable exception is the
Tele Vue 3-6mm Zoom - but this extremely short focal
length is really only a match forshortfocol-lenqth scopes
like the NexStar 80 .
multiplelayers of anti-reflectivecoatings. Better-qualityeyepiecesare "fully multicoate d"-

an indicationthatall air-to-glasssurfaces aremulticoated.
Good-qualityeyepieces are also mechanicallysound and obviouslywell built. Eyepieces
with uneven paint or coatingsshould be avoided. C heck the inside of thebarrelfor a well-
darkenedand even appearance . Eyepieces withpoorblackeninginside thebarrel usually
resultin ghostimagesaroundbrightobjects. A nice additionaltouch is a setscrewgroove
thatinsuresyour eyepiece staysut p even if things ge
t upside down.
Eyepieces and the NexStar Telescopes

In additionto thegeneralinformationgiven above, whenselectingeyepiecesfor your
NexStar youshouldconsiderthemaximummagnificationand maximumtrue field of view
(TFOV) for your scope.
Let's review thediscussionon eyepiececalculationspresentedin Chapter2. First calcu-
late themagnificationof the eyepiece:
magnification= scope focal length+ eyepiece focal length
Then you can directlycalculate he
t true fie
ld of view:
tru e field of view= eyepieceapparentfield of view -i- magnification
Let's say the focal len gth ofour scope is 1000 mm and the focal length ofour Ploss l
eyepiece (50AFOV) is 10 mm:
0
MAG = 1000+ 10
MAG = 100 x
and TFOV = 50 + 100
TFOV = 0.50
Obviously calculating this for everyeyepieceon the marketwould be time-consuming
and tedious. You can download an Excel spreadsh eet at the NexStarResource Site
(http://www .NexStarSite.com)or visit Peter Enzerink's web site and try out his
"Scopulator"(http://enzerink .net/peter/astronomy/scopulator.htm)
. Both allow you to
enterthe focallengthof your telescopeand the focallengthand AFOV for multipleeye-
pieces toprovidea completetable ofmagnificationsand TFOV for each eyepiece .
Table 8.3. Focal length of eyepiece required for theoretical maximum magnification for
each NexStar model
NexStar model Ma ximum Focal length Ma ximum Focal length
theoretical (mm) of required usable (mm) of required
magnification eyepiece magnification* eyepiece
60 120 5 .8 120 5 .8
80 160 2 .5 120 3 .3
114 225 4.4 225 4 .4
4 200 6 .6 200 6 .6
5 /5i 250 5 250 5
8/8i/8GPS 400 5 300 6 .8
11GPS 550 5 300 9.3
* Usable magn ification si limited either by optical desig n, such as the extremely short focal
length of the NexStar 80 , or seeing conditions. It is not an absolute value and will vary from
scope to scope and night to night. On very good n ights, 300 x is generally the highest
magnification possible. Very rarely, seeing conditions will be nearly perfect and higher
magnifications will be possible.
Determiningthe focallengthof the eyepiecerequiredfor thetheoreticalm aximum

magnificationfor eachNexStarmodelis very straightforward. Table8.3 summarizesthe
informationfor theentireNexStar line. Keep inmind thatyou can doublethe focallength
of the eyepieceand still achievethe same magnificationby using a Barlow lens. For
example,ratherthanusing a Smm eyepiece, you can substitutea lOmm eyepiecewhen
using a 2x Barlow.
Choosing an eyepiecefor maximumtruefield ofview (TFOV) is a littlemorecompli-
cated due to therelationshipbetween themagnification(in otherwords, the focal length of
theeyepiece)and the apparentfield of view (AFOV) of theeyepiece. Maximum TFOV is
limitedby thenarrowestopeningin theopticalpath,known as the fieldstop,generally
aboutl.2 incheswith l.2S-incheyepiecesandjustless than2 inchesfor thelarger-sized
eyepieces. Additionally,the S-and8-inch NexStarsare actuallylimitedto a fieldstopof
aboutl.S inches,even whenusing 2-incheyepieces.We will discuss 2-inchaccessoriesin
moredetaillaterin this chapter.
Table8.4 lists the approximatewidesttruefield of view for eachNexStarwhen using
l.2S-incheyepieces, 2-inch eyepieces, and
l.2S-incheyepieces with an f/6.3
reducer/correc-
tor(discussedlater).
Ta ble 8.4. Approximate widest true field of view for each NexStar when using 1.25-inch
eyepieces, 2-inch eyepieces, and 1.25-inch eyepieces with an 1/6.3 reducer/corrector
NexStar model Maximum TFOV Maximum TFOV Maximum TFOV with
with 1.25in with 2in 1.25in eyepiece
eyepiece eyepiece and 1/6.3 R/C
60 2 .50 n/a n/a
80 4.~ ~a ~a
114 1.75 0 n/a n/a
4 1.3 0 n/a n/a
0
5/5i 1.4 0 1.75 0 2 .2
8/8i/8GPS 0.9 0
10
1.3 0
0
11GPS 0 .60 10 1
After performingall thecalculationsyou will findthata 35mm Plossl with the usual50°
AFOV yields themaximumpossiblefield in a 1.25ineyepiece format.This is trueeven
when using the f/6.3reducer/corrector
. For highermagnification,a 25mm 70° AFOV wide-
angle eyepieceyields aboutthesametruefield of view.
With 2in eyepiecesthe 5- and 8-inch NexStars provide the maximum TFOV with a
40mm Plossl or 30mmwide-angle(70°) eyepiece,due totheirinternal1.5infieldstop.The
NexStar 11 reachesmaximumTFOV with a 55mm Plossl or 40mm wide-angle(70°) eye-
piece.
Barlow Lenses
A Barlow lens effectivelystretchesthe focal lengthof any scope.This results in higher
magnificationfrom any given eyepiece;thus Barlow lenses are generallydesignatedby
theirmagnificationfactor. The most commonBarlow doublesthe magnificationand is
thusa 2x Barlow lens. Like eyepieces,
better Barlow lensessportmulticoatedoptics,precise
mechanicalt olerances,a nd effectiveinternalb lackening.The typicalBarlow has two lens
elements,butthe bestincludea thirdlens forimprovededgecorrectionand reducedchro-
matic(color)aberrations.T hesethree-element or apochromaticBarlows aremuch better
performersthantheirlower-qualitysiblings and wellworththe money.Celestron's Ultima,
Orion's Shorty-Plus,and theUniversity Optics 2.8x Klee areamongthe bestin this cate-
gory.
Focal Reducer/Corrector
Reducingthe focall engthof thescopeitselfby using a focalreducer/corrector can increase
themaximumfield of view for an SCT. Originally designedto produceflatterfields for
photographicwork,the f/6.3reducer/corrector is now usedby manyfor visual observa-
tions. Celestronand Meade offer an f/6.3reducer/correctorthatchangesthescopefrom an
fl10 instrumentto f/6.3
. In otherwords, the focallengthof thescopeis reducedto 63% of
normal.This is a very effectivemeansof producingwider views in the Sin and larger
NexStars.The reducer/corrector attaches betweenthe rearcell of thescopeand the visual
backthatholds the diagonal.
Recentlyintroducedis a new focalreducer/corrector from BaaderPlanetarium . Known
as the Alan GeeTelecompressor Mark II , it convertsan fl10 SCT to f/5.9
. It is effectivefor
both visual and photographicwork. The Alan Gee is availablein Europe from Baader
Planetariumand in North Americafrom Alpine Astronomical.
Higher-ratioreducer/correctors are availablefor photographicwork only and are dis-
cussedin Chapter11.
Binocular Viewers
Although we all get use to it,almosteveryonefinds observingtiny, faintobjectswith one
eye to bewholly unnatural.On the otherhand,theview througha pair of binocularsis
comfortableand quitenatural.Binocularviewersare availablefor telescopesto givethat
sameenhancedview.
BaaderPlanetarium,BW -Optic,Celestron, DenkmeierOptical(Figure8.11), LOMO, and
Tele Vue allmakebino viewers. Some work betterthanotherswhen used with various
Figure 8.11.
Denkmeier bino
viewers in a Nex Star
11 GPS and Celestron
bino viewers in a
piggybacked Tele Vue
Pronto. Photo courtesy Jim
G utmon.
types of scopesandit is recommendedyou researchcarefullybeforeyou investin one of

theseratherexpensiveaccessories.An excellentreviewofbinoviewers by JimGutmanis
availableat theCloudy Nights web site on pagehttp://www.cloudynights .com/acces-
sories2/binoviewers.htm. Keep in mind you will also need twom atchingeyepiecesat each
desiredfocal length. Despite these
cautions,I will statethatthe view ofmanyobjects with
bino viewers in an 8- orII-inch telescopeis simply unrivalled- well,exceptin an even
biggeraperture!
Diag
Schmidt-Cassegrain(SCT) , Maksutov,and refractortelescopesuse adiagonalto posi-
tion theeyepieceat acomfortableanglewhen viewing objectshigh overhead.The light
pathis reflectedat a 900 angle byeithera mirroror a glassprism in thediagonal.Every
NexStarexceptthe 114, aNewtonianscope, comeswith adiagonal.The NexStar60 and
80 come with abudget-grademirrordiagonal.The NexStar 4 uses aninternalflip mirror
thatfunctionsas thediagonal.All the SCT models,the NexStar 5 and up, comewith a
prism diagonal.It is possibleto replacethe diagonalon theNexStar60, the 80,a nd the
SCT models.
So, thequestionis, why would you want toreplaceyour diagonal? In most cases the
diagonalthatcame withyour NexStarwill last formanyyears andshouldnot needto be
replaced,but there are some things consider.
to
15 The NexStar User 's Guide
Diagonal Basics
Eventually, a standardmirrordiagonalwill tarnish,reducingthe amountof light that
reachesyour eye.Additionally,cleaningeasily scratchesthe coatingson themirrorof a
lower-pricedmirrordiagonal. This causes light to be scattered, reducingthe contrastof the
imageyou are viewing. Mirrors with dielectric coatings have a very high light throughput
and theirsurfaces do nottarnishand shouldlast a lifet ime of cleaning. In fact, one manu-
facturerdemonstrates how the coatingss tandup whenscrubbedwith steel wool! (Don't try
this at home, boy s and girls!)
Also, budgetmirrordiagonals are often out of collimation- thatis to say,theyalterthe
pathof light away from the centerof the eyepiece. It is sometimes possible to putsmall
shims (blackpaperworks well) underone or two of thecornersholding the mirrorto
correctthis problem.
Prism diagonalsaregenerallywellcollimated , but cleaningwill takeits toll on the coat-
ings on thesurfaceof the glass. Also, prism diagonals do nottransmitas muchlightas a
good-qualitymirrordiagonal.Note thatmostobservers can hardlytell the d ifferencein
light throughputwhen comparinga prismwith a mirrordiagonal,exceptunderthebest
seeing conditions.
Budget-quality mirrorand prismdiagonalsoften suffer fromrough surfacesthatresult
in opticaldistortion,while premiumdiagonals boastl -wave(quitegood) orbetterperfor-
mance.
The easiest way totestthequalityof your diagonalis to comparethe views with ita nd
withoutit. The eyep iececan beplaceddirectlyin thefocuseror visual back. Wait for a
nightwith clear, steadyseeing andcompareby viewingseveral differenttypes of objects. If
thereis very littledifference,t henthe opticalqualityof your diagonalis quitegood and
replacingit willbringlittleimprovement.
There are alsomechanicalconsiderations.The chromebarrelon thestockdiagonalsare
threadedinto thebody of thediagonal.In some cases it doesn't seem to bepossibleto get
this connectiontightenoughto preventthediagonal from turningin thefocuseror visual
backwhen using heaviereyepieces.A littlethreadlock can helpthough. Higher-quality
diagonalsare well builtand usually do not suffer from isthproblem.
Many replacementdiagonals use a brass compression ring to hold the eyepiece in place
ratherthanhaving the thumbscrewsdirectlybiting into the barrelof the eyepiece.The
compression ring holds the eyepiece more securelyand does not mar the barrel.
Ifyou intendto purchase any 2-inch eyepieces,you will be forced toupgradeto a new 2-
inch diagonal.The main reasonfor using 2-inch eyepieces is toincrease th e maximum
availabletruefield of view asdiscussedin the eyepiece sectionof thischapter.I t should be
notedthata moreeconomicalway to increase the field of view is to use a focal reducerwith
less expensive 1.25-inch accessories. However, there si a disadvantagewhen you want to go
to highermagnifications , as you mustthenremovethe focal educer,
r not justchangethe
eyepiece. Al so, some preferthe viewprovided by 2-inch eyepieceswhen comparedwith
similarfields of viewprovidedby a focalreducerand 1.25in eyep ieces.
Replacement Diagonals
M any companiesmake fine diagon als. If you are looking for a simple
replacement
for a lost
or broken1.25indiagonal, considerthe basicmirroror prism diagonalsfrom Apogee and
Orion. For a basic 2in mirrordiagonalfor SCT scopes,Orion and Celestronbothmake
modelsthatscrewdirectlyto theback of thescopewithoutusing the visual back. For a
well-finished,mechanicallysuperiordiagonalwith astandardmirror,look into the diago-
nals from Tele Vueand William Optics.Thereare both1.25inand2in modelsto choose

from.
For a dielectricor enhancedmirrordiagonal,considertheAstro-PhysicsMaxBrite, the
Tele Vue EverBrite, and the Baader PlanetariumMaxBright. The Baader MaxBright is my
personalchoice, butit ismoreexpensiveandat the time of this writingavailableonly in
Europeand possiblyby requestat AlpineAstronomical(http://www.alpineastro.com).It
can be used with a 2in visual back on an SCT or inrefractor
a telescope, just like the stock
diagonal. Alternately you can remove chromebarrel
the and screw it directly to the back of
any SCT scope. All dielectricdiagonalsshouldoutlastyour telescope;theyincludecom-
pressionrings forsecuringthe eyepiece, and they boast light throughputabove 95%.
For a 2indiagonalto be used on the NexStar 5/5i18/8i it recommended
is thatyou con-
sidera model that screws directlyto the rear of the scope after
removingthe 1.25in visual
back (Figure 8.12). Ifyou prefer arefractor-style
diagonal with a barrel that inserts into the
visual back, you willrequirea 2in visual back -mostmanufacturerssimply call it a 2in
SCT adapter- thatreplacesthestandard1.25in visual back. The d isadvantageof the 2in
visual back is theaddedextensionoff the rear of the scope. With the NexStar 5/5i, this can
cause difficultbalanceproblems. With the NexStar 8/8i the diagonalwill contactthe base
preventingthe scope frompointingtowards the zenith .The Orion screw-on diagonal is not
useful in thisfashion as it still extendstoo far forclearance ; ratherthe Celestronand
BaaderMaxBright are recommended . Alternatively,you can installRay's Bracket on a
NexStar 5/5i/8/8i (see Chapter13) and have ample clearance for any type of diagonal.
Figure 8.12. 2·inch

dia go na l screwed
directlyto rearof
Nex Star Bi. Photo
courtesy Booder
Planetarium.
160 The NexStar User f s Guide
Thereare more options when using a 2in diagonalwith the NexStar 8/11 GPS ; both
models haveampleclearancewhen pointedto the zenith. For these scopes you will simply
needa 2in visual back oradapter.Astro-Physics,Tele Vue, and Baader all makesuitable
adapters.The adapterfor 8in SCT scopesthreadsdirectlyto the rear of the NexStar 8 GPS
or to the largeadapterring on the rear of the NexStar 11 GPS.eTh openingon the rear of
theNexStar8 GPS and the largeadapterring is just1.5in ratherthan2in.This cannotbe
modifiedon the 8inscope,buton the NexStar 11 you canpurchaseadaptersthatthread
directlyto therearof the scope afterremovingthe largeadapterr ing. Astro-Physics and
Baaderboth make such adapters. Also considerthe Virtual View from Starizona and
EyeOpener fromPetersonEngineering.
And finally, while on the topic of 2in diagonals
, it is possible to sue a 2in diagonalin the
NexStar 80. The TelescopeWarehousesells a replacement 2in focuserunit thateasily
replaces the stock focuser
. Simply remove the three screws holding the focuser in place and
replacewith the new 2in unit. Wh ile a wider field of viewis not usually nec essarywith the
NexStar80,it does allow you to use 2in accessories interchangeably between thisscope and
another.Also, a 35mm film frame is vign ettedwith the 1.25in focu ser.
..Filters
Many new amateurastronomersareluredinto buying filters and aresorelydisappointed
by theirperformance.Filters can be very useful, once youunderstandhow they work and
their inherentlimitations.Refer to Appendix A for the web siteaddresses of the many com-
panies mentionedin this section.
Filter Basics
There arefivecommontypes of filters
:
• Lunar Filter A neutral-density

(uncolored)filter to reduce the extreme
brightness
of the Moon.
• Color Filter Available in many differentcolors,used toenhancevisual observa-
tions of the planet
s,and used to make colorphotographswith black-and-whitecameras.
• Solar Filter Allows safeobservationof the Sun.
• Deep Sky Filter Reducesunwantedlight to aid in seeing fainter ob
jects.
• Minus Violet Filter Reduces theamountof falsecolor in short-focal-length
telescopes like the NexStar 80.
All filters are designedto block light. Thi
s inherentlydarkens the image, so the s cope
must be able to pull in enough lightstill
to allow you to see the object you interested
are in.
Due to this fact , small telescopesoften donot benefitfrom coloredand light pollution
filters due totheirlesser light-gat
heringability.
Filters are available in three
commonsizes:1.25in,2in, and SCT. 1.25in and 2in filter s are
threadedfor attachment to thebottomof most eyepieces or the front ofa standarddiago-
nal. Naturally,the eyepiece/diagonal must be the as me size as the filter. SCT filters are
designedto threadontothe rear of aS chmidt-Cassegraintele scope,with the visual back
threadedonto the filter. With a filterattachedto the rear of an SCT or the front of a diago-
nal you can change eyepieces and leave the filter in place.
Lunar Filters
The Moon is verybright,especiallyat lowermagnifications . This makesit difficult to see
fine detail, causes loss dark-adaptation,
of and can even be a little painful.standard
A lunar
filter may block 80% or more of allisiblelight.
v Apolarizinglunarfilter uses twopolarized
elementsthatcan berotatedto vary theamountoflightblocked. The Moon always looks
betterthrougha filter in any size of
telescope . Orion,Celestron,Meade, andothersmake
good-qualitylunarfilters.
Color Filters
Color filters aremostly used for viewing theplanets.By blocking certainwavelengths
(colors)of light, they help to
bringout faint details on the
planetsurface. Each color has a
differenteffect on eachplanet.In particularyou will findcolorfiltersusefulfor Jupiter,
Saturn, Venus, and Mars.Otherthanfor Jupiterand Venus (two verybrightobjects), color
filters will notprovidemuchbenefitfor scopessmallerthan4.Sin.Look for qualitycolor
filters from Celestron, BaaderPlanetarium,Orion, and others.
Color filters are also used to
producecolor images withblack-and-whiteCCD cameras.
The subjectis imagedthroughthreefilters,usuallyred, green, and blue , andtheseparate
images arecombinedwith computersoftware to create the final, color image.
Solar Filters
The Sun can be viewed directlywith theproperfilter. Safe solar filters
attachto thefrontof
the telescope and completelycover theopening.Never use a solar filter thatattachesto the
eyepiece! Theintenseheatconcentrated at theeyepiecewill causeit tocrack,allowing
unfilteredsunlightto flood into the eyecausingpermanentdamage.
Conventionalsolar filters come in two varieties: Mylar film and glass. These filters allow
us to seesunspotsand granulationon the surface of the Sun.ith W theexceptionof Baader
AstroSolar Film (Mylar), glass filtersgenerallygive a higher-resolutionview. However,
Mylar filters will notbreakif bumpedor dropped. Glass filters areavailablefrom Orion,
ThousandOaks, andothers. Mylar filters are available from many, but the clear standoutis
Baader Solar Film. Most considerit to besecondto none, evencomparedwith glass filters.
BaaderAstroSolar Film can bepurchasedin sheetsor in pre-builtfilters for specific tele -
scopes. Sheets are available fromKendrickAstro Instrumentsor Astro-Physicsalong with
simple instructionsfor making your own filter cell (Figure 8.13). Celestron makes
pre-built
filters for theNexStars thatcan bepurchasedfrom SightAndSoundShop,Adorama, and
Astronomies, Kendrick also sellspre-builtfilters made with Baader film .
Anothertype of solar filter is the H-Alpha variety. They are very
expensive, but allow us
to view flares andotherfeaturesin theSun's chromosphere.These filters aren otsuitable
for mostNexStartelescopes,b uttheSolarMax seriesfrom Coronadocan besuccessfully
adaptedfor use on the NexStar 60 and 80.
Deep Sky Filters

Deep sky filters aredesignedto blockunwantedlight whiletransmittinguseful light. The
intentis to improvethecontrast- thedifferencebetweenthe light anddarkareasin the
Figure 8.13. Baader

Astro'So lor Film in a
homemade cell.
eyepiece. Most deep sky filterssignificantlydarkenthe overall viewbutcan make faint

objects visiblein moderatelight pollutionor under generalskyglow. I do not recommend
them in scopessmaller than in.There
6 are four basic type
s of deep sky filters
:
• Broadband Filters Allow most light to pass, but block wavelengths

commonly
producedby exterior lighting.They improve thecontraston most a f intobjects, but only
slightly. Many peopleare very dis appointedin these filters when using themvisually,
but they are effective inreducing skyglow in photographs. The LPR filter from
Celestron, the Deep Sky filter fromLumicon,the SkyGlow filter from Orion,the LP-l
from ThousandOaks,and the Moon and Skyglow filter from BaaderP lanetarium are
broadbandfilters.
• Narrowband Filters Block much more light while pas sing the lightemitted
by manyfaintnebulae.They do not help with galaxiesand starclusters.Examples are
the Lumicon Ultra High Contrast , the LP-2 from Thousand Oaks, and the Orion
UltraBlock.
• Oxygen III (O-III) Filters Block all but the one specific wavelength
common
to just a fewnebulae- the Veilnebulaandothers. Examplesare the Lumicon Oxygen
III, the Meade Series 4000 Oxygen-III, and the LP-3 from Thou
sand Oaks.
• Hydrogen Beta (H-Beta) Filters Block all butthe onespecific wave-
lengthcommon to justa fewnebulae- among themthe Horseheadand California
nebula.The Lumicon HydrogenBetaand theThousandOaks LP-4 are examplesofH-
Beta filters.
It should benotedthatLumicon is no longerin business,but theirfilters are still occa-
sionally availableat local astronomystores and as used items on AstroMart or the
classified ads on Astronomy-Mall (see Appendix A).
Minus Violet Filters

Minus violet filters are designed to tame the false
colorin achromaticrefractorslike the
NexStar 60 and 80 . False color is not too noticeable in the NexStar 60, except on
bright-
the
est objects.It is quite obvious in theshort focal length NexStar 80. If you find the coloron
brighterobjectsobjectionable, you might considera minus violet filter fromBaader
Planetarium(availablefrom Alpine Astronomicalin North America).Baadercalls their
filter theContrast- Booster - ot n only does it removefalse color ,but it also blocks several
wavelengths of manmade light polluti onand naturalMoon-induced skyglow,resultingin
increasedcontrast on m anydeep sky objects.When combinedwith their IR -Cut (infrared
cut) filter, much cleanerimagescan be captur ed with a digit al camera. Inaddition, I find
the Contrast-Boosterto be theperfectfilter forJupiter.Siriu s Optics is also known for
min us violet filters, however I find their filters causeslight distortion, particularly when
imaging.
All N exStartelescopesexceptthe NexStar 8/11 GPS are equippedwith a red-dot unity

finder that Celestroncalls Star Pointer. Ared-dotfinder is well suitedto pointingthe scope
at brightobjectssuch as planets and alignmentstars,but it does not allow you to see
objects ainterthanthose
f visible with the nakedeye. In fact,Celestron' s Star Pointerpro-
jects the red dot ontotintedplasticwindow
a that makes it difficult toseeanythingbutthe
brightest objects.Since most will only use thefinderduring theinitialalignmentproce-
dure, this is not usuallya problem.
The Star Pointeris the most likely partof the telescop eto eventuallybreakor become
lost. Sim ilar red-dotfinders are available fromOrion and Apogee, or you mightwantto
step upa level with Rigel's Qu ickFinder. The QuickFinderhas a blinking featureand a
bull's-eyeratherthan a dot ,making it much easier to accuratel y centerfainter object s. It
doeslook a littleodd though, asit stands4 inches taillike alittle ot weron the top ofyour
scope. Like theQuickFinder,theTelRad (Figure 8.14) projects abull's-eyeon its window.
It is also quitelargealtho ugh it ies l along the tube of the telescopemor elike atraditional
finder. Due to its size it is really only practical on the
8- and I l -inch NexStars.
The NexStar 8/11 GPS comes with a traditional 9xSO straight- thro ugh finder. It is a
good-quality finderthatlacks just one neededfeature: a qui ck-releasemountingbracket.

11 GPS with standard
and TelRad finder.
Photo courtesy Dove Cole.
Celestronmakessuch a bracket,model number51149-A, or analternativeis a similar

bracketfrom Antares(modelnumberF50DTB) availablefrom manysources. During the
alignmentprocedure,you might find it easier to usered-dotor
a otherunity finder. If so, I
recommendleaving thestandardfinder in place andm ountingtheunityfinder with two-
sided foam tape as shown in Figure 8.14
During storage,transport,and use, you will likely find necessary

it to protectyour scope
from damage,moisture,and dust. If youstoreyour telescopein the house, a bed sheet or
large pillowcase may be all thatis neededto keepdustoff.If you storeyour telescope in a
garageor otheroutsidebuilding,a littlemoreprotectionwill likely be called for. When
storingyour scope, do not cover it with plasticor othernon-breathingmaterial,as mois-
turewill likely collectleadingto corrosionand mildew. Cloth or papercovers arebest,
with elastic or simplystringto hold thebottomclosed. Bed sheets are still good materialin
this case,althoughsome sewing may berequired.A notheralternativeis a paperlawn bag
available athardware,gardening,and homeimprovementstores.
When travelingto a remotelocationwith your scope,you might want awaterproof
cover in case a quick rain stormblows in. Agreatinexpensivecover is abarbecuecover -
the size for 22in kettlebarbecuesis perfect. They are large
enoughto provide quickprotec-
tion for allNexStars,even the NexStar 11. Morethanonce mine haskeptmy scopedry
while I disassembledit andloadedit back in the car. Forlargercover
a thatalso protects
your tripod,look into the Desert Storm Cover, available from Anacortesscope. Tele
For transporting,Celestron makes soft cases for the smaller NexStarshardcases
and for
the NexStar 5/5i/8/8i . Most Celestronretailersshould stock them.Orion also sells soft
cases for scopes ofvarioussizes; it is best tospeakwith themdirectlyto determinewhich
case fits your scope. Case s and Covers manufacturesexcellent soft cases for all modelsof
NexStar and willcustomizetheircases as well.
For perhapsthe ultimatein hardcases for thelargerNexStars,considerthe well-built
models from Jim's Mobile, Inc. OM!) and Pelican. JMI makes case s for the NexStar 4, 5/5i,
8/8i, and 8/11 GPS.Several of the models include wheels and the 8/11 GPS case even includes
a quick-releasebracketfor the finder scope, allowing the case to be a little smaller by remov-
ing the finderduringtransport.Pelican cases are rugged and many trustthem forairline
shipment,but you mustpurchasefoam separatelyfrom JM!. ScopeGuard Cases' Telescope
TransportCases are made for the NexStar 8/11 GPS and utilizeoriginalpackingfoam.
the
They provide greatprotectionfor shipping, but are the largest casesmentionedhere.
If these cases are a bit too costly for
your needs,considera good-sizedplastictub with
cover from thehousewaressectionof your local store .Coupledwith foam(good sources:
Foam Order - http://www .foamorder.comand CustomFitFoam - http://www .
customfitfoam .com),thesevariouslysized storagecontainersprovidegood protection
when takingyour scope for a ride in your car or van. Anothersourcefor shippingcases is
a militarysurplusstore. Ifyou can find amilitarytransportcase that fits the originalship-
ping foam, you haveyourselfthe makings of abulletproofcase (well,not literally).
For lightweightprotection,somehave turnedto varioussizes of wheeled luggage. The
little NexStars will fit into hard-shellgolf
a transportcase. Generousfoam paddingwould
be called for but you would likely be able to fit the scopemountedon
still thetripod. Even
with hard-side luggage and golf cases, I would not trusta delicateinstrumentlike a scope
to theairlinebaggage gorillas. Not to m entionwhatairportsecurity personnelare likely to
do with a large, cylindricalmetal object. When possible,hand-carrythe optical tube (prac-
tical with the NexStar 80, 4 and 5/5i) and eyepieces and check tripodin
the baggage.
Figure 8.15.Taekle
box accessorycase.
With man ytelescop es, you will likely only need asma llcasefor eyepi eces, filters, anda
diagonal.With a computerizedscope there areall those plus cables,batt erie sor power
supply,a handcontroland more. Sturd y plasticand aluminum eyepiececasesare available
at many of the astronomy retailers listed in Appendix A. I would recommend steering
away from the ca ses with cubedfoam as the foam tends to shiftaroundafter you open a
fewslots for your growingcollection.Thecases withprecutfoam are better, although most
foam-linedcasestendto shed tiny little pieces of foamatthfind theirway ontoyour eye-
piecesand ultimately insideyour scope.
With most of these astronomy-specificasesyou
c need anothercarrierfor your other
accessori es. Camera bags, the older style used when 3Smm SLR camer as were more
common, aregreat for larger accessor ies such as cablesand thehandcontrol. Plastictubs
and toolb oxes are also great for lar ger parts. Man y hom e improvement,hardware,
and departm entstores carrylargealuminumcasessuitable or f protect ingastronom ygear.
They are often sold as tool cases. Foam padding might be required if the case you
select si unlined. Foam Order (http://www.foamorder. com) and CustomFitFoam
(http://www.cu stomfitfoam.c om) are good sources for oam.
f
My person alfavoriteis a simple fishing tacklebox (Figure 8.15). Most eyepiecesfit in
their own individualcompartmentin the trays designedfor fishinglures. Other accessories
can findhomes in the bottom of the box orin unusedcompartment s in the trays. Plastic
tackle boxes do notscratch expensive accessoriesyet provide good protection. M y entire
complementof necessities fi ts inone tacklebox.
Before long you will encountera night with theright conditions toproducegenerous
amounts of dew on your equipment.Dew form s quickly on any surfacefacing the sky.
When dewaccumulateson the opticalsurfaces of your scope,naturallyit impedesyour
viewing.
Mo st refractors , includingthe NexStar 60 and 80, havesmall dewcaps extending from

the frontof theirobjectivelens. This dew shieldreduces the lens's exposureto thesky,
providinga good level of protectionagainst the formationof dew. If you live in a dew-
prone area,you might want toxtendthe e lengthof the dewshield by wrapp ingthe existing
shield with foam. For extreme dew probl ems, consider oneof the electrical dewprevention
tools mentionedlater.
The main opticalsurfaceof the NexStar 114 is theprimary mirror at the rearof the tube.
Thus, the optical tubesione very long dewshield. It is very rare for a Newton ianreflector
to suffer from dew.
All otherNexStarmodels are virtu aldew magnets. The corrector plateon Maksuto vand
Schmidt- Cassegrain tele scopeshas no built-inprotectionfrom dew.One of the first item s
you musthave for such a scop eis a dew shield. Severaldifferenttypes of dew shields are
manufacturedfor thesescopes .Some are made of flexible pla sti c or foam to lay flatfor
stora ge whileusing Velcro's to hold their shape when usedon the telescope.Others are
rigid plasticor even aluminumcylinders.In practice,the flexible typeis more convenient
but some do not hold theirshape well.Usually this can be remediedby attaching an
appropriately sized hoop at the open end of the dewshield.
You can find dewshieldsat many of theastronomyretailers listedin AppendixA. Be
certa in the dew shieldyou purcha sewill reallyfityour scope. In particular,dew shields
designedfor olderCelestronmodels mightnot fit theNexStar8/11 GPS well, due to the
side rails mountingtheopticaltubeto the fork arms. In some cases, owners of these two
mod elshave used such dewshields by cutt ingmaterialfrom themto allow themto fit
around themountingrails.
Dew shields haveanotherbenefiton Maks and SCTs: they block stray light fromenter-
ing the optical tube from th e side. Such light bounces aroundinside the tubeanda small
amo unteventually rea chestheeyepiece,reducing contrast or even producing glare. To
maximizethis benefit some ew d shields are lined with flat black materialto absorb light.
It is also fairl y easy to make your own dew shield. For my NexStar 11 I cons truc ted the
30-inch-Iong one shown in Figure8.16 from a t in camp pad. The dense foam is very stur dy
and holds its shape well, and the ins ulatingpropert ies of foam also help preventdew for-
mation. To join the ends formingthe cylinder, use a hot glue gunor self-adhesive Velcro" .
Som etry to make the cylindertight enough for it to stayon the scope by itself, but I find
theshield still tendsotsag,so I use aluggage strap witha plastic snap buckleto secure the
shield to the correctorcell.
Figure 8.16.
Homemodedew shield.
Figure 8.17. Dew

strip wrapped behind
the corrector cell to
allow secure mounting
of dew shield. Photo
courtesyDan Hupp and
Jeff Gerst.
Some nights dew will form even when a dew shield is used. One way toobservingis
keep
to use a smallhair dryeron a lowsettingto gentlyevaporatethe dew.l2-voltwarm-air
guns are available from many astronomyretailers for use in the field. I
don'treally recom-
mendthis method; if it comes to the use of hot air to remove dew, you are fighting a losing
battle: it will not take long for dew to form again, and you arebakingdust andothercont-
aminants onto your optic s, makingfuturecleanings all that more difficult.
A bettermethodis to preventthe glasssurfacefrom coolingto thepointof accumulat-
ing dew. This is done with an electrically powered heat strip. Thesestripswraparound
dew
the corrector(Mak/SCT) or lens (refractor)cell, are poweredby a l2-voltpowersource,
and provideenoughheat to keep the glass above the dew point.You shouldalways use a
dew shield in concertwith the dewstripfor the bestprotection . With the NexStar8/11
GPS, you may find itdifficultto wrap the dewstrip aroundthe correctorcell and then
mountthe dewshield.In thatcase, wrap the dew strip aroundthe carbonfiber tube,
directlybehindthecorrectorcell as shown in Figure .I7.This
8 shouldallow the dew shield
to fitnormally.
The two most commonly used dew strips are from Orion and Kendrick Astro
Instruments.The Orion models are much cheaper,but they runcontinuouslyand quickly
draina l2-voltbattery . The Kendrick models requirea controllerunitthat allowsvariable
powersettings.The highestsettingkeeps the dew strip r unningcontinuallywhile the lower
settingscycle the power on and off varioustimingcycle
at s.This greatlyimprovesbattery
life, but itsiprettymuch aguessinggame todeterminetheoptimalsettingfor an evening.
In additionto dewstripsfor thecorrectoror main lens, theKendrick controllercan also
drive additionaloptionaldewstripsfor eyepieces, finder scopes, and more.
A newer controllerwas recently introduced . The DewBuster by Ron Keating
(http://www .gbronline.comlronkeating)cycles the power on and off accordingto temper-
ature.This takes theguessworkout of theoptimalpowersetting. It was designedas a
directreplacementfor theKendrick controllerand in fact you can use the Kendrickdew
stripswith DewBuster. The price higher
is , but worth it in areas with heavy dewformation.
Ron's website even includes plans for homemadedewstrips.
Cold weatheris not friendly to an electronicallycontrolledtelescope.If you resisted

buying a largerechargeablepowersource,you will discoverthatyour little AAbatteries
run out of juice even faster in cold weather..c.adapter

An a or other good power source is
a necessity in winter weather.
Additionally, the LCDpanel on the handcontrolbecomes sluggish and even illegible in
cold weather. If it
isn't too cold, you can slow down the rate for the scrolling
information
using the1,4,and 7buttonsas describedin Chapter5. But when thetemperature really
drops, your hand control needs some heat to operate normally
.If you are already using the
Kendrick or DewBuster dewpreventionsystems,Kendrick makes aheaterelementfor
handcontrols.The Kendrick TelRad heaterelementalso works well forhandcontrols.
Another option is chemical handwarmers available from most outdoorequipmentsuppli-
ers.Attach one to the back of the hand control with elastic
.
If your handcontrolis pastwarrantyand you arehandywith asolderingiron, another
solutionis to mounttwo smallresistorsinsidethe hand control.Power for these mini
heaters comes from the hand control itself. Visit the Astro Articles page at Matthias Bopp's
web site(http://www .dd1us.de)and read the article for the
N5/8or the N5i/8ielectronic
handcontrolheater.
While dew can be ap roblemat othertimes of the year, frost will form opticsin
on the
winter. Powered dewpreventionstripsdiscussed earlierare your best defense against
frost.
At some point,you might like tomountextraequipmentsuch ascamerason top of your

scope or you will need
counterweightsto balance heavy equipmentm ountedat the rear of
the scope. The NexStar515i/8shouldbe balanceda littlefront-heavyfor besttracking,
while the NexStar 8iand NexStar 8/11 GPStrackbest when back heavy . Mounting rails
with sliding counterweightsprovidegreat flexibility whenb alancinga fork-mounted
scope, but only the NexStar 8/11 GPS are drilled for .Anotherpopularuse
rails of rails on
the NexStar8/11GPSis to mountsmall refractors on top to provide a wide-field view.
Losmandymakes premiumrails andmountingaccessoriesfor a widevarietyof uses.
Less expensive, but sufficient for all but the heaviest
equipment,
of are themountingrails
from ScopeStuff. In additionto equipment,t heirweb site has anincredibleamountof
Figure 8. 18 .
Homemade mounting
rail. Photo courtesyRobert
Codloll.
informationat http://www.scope stuff.com/ ss_mrail.htm.You should also visit Robert

Cadloff's web site - http://www3.s ympatico.ca/bom o/ astro/jig/railsystem .html.Robert
provides simple instructionsfor making your ownmountingrails (Figure 8.18) and coun -
terweight ystems,includinglinks
s to goodsources for raw materials.
In additionto RobertCadloff's web siteand ScopeStuff, visit Starizona's web site for
counterweightsetsanda wealth ofi nformationaboutbalancinga fork-mountedscope -
http://www .starizona.com/basics/balance.html. Their rails also aresuitablefor mounting
equipment.
One of the best options for balancingthe NexStar5/5i/8/ 8iis Ray's Bracket sold at
BuyAstroStuff.com.This bracketallows theopticaltube to b e slid fore and aft to
i mprove
balance.Ray's Bracketwill be discussed fully in Chapter13.
If your needs are simply to mounta camera piggyback, Celestron m ake sthe model
93598 piggyback cameramountfor the NexStar 8/8iand 8/ 11GPS and model93601 for
the NexStar 5/5i. ScopeTronixsells piggyback cameramounts for the NexStar4,5, and
5i.
Other than warm clothe s in winter, nootheritem will afford samuch observing comfort as
a well-designedchair. Theultimatechairfor use at the elescope
t shouldadjust height with
ease,fit easily betweenthe tr ipodlegs, sportcomfortable a pdd ing,and fold into a small
profile foreasein transportand storage. Th e most commondesign to meetthese require-
ments has an inclined railthatthe supports the seatat a wide varietyof heights. M an y
astronomyretailers carry such a chair , but one stands out - the AstroChair from
BuyAstroStuff.com. It is very well builtand costs much less thancompeting chairs. With
only onehand,thepaddedseat adjusts in height from 18 to 31 inches, sufficient range for
use with all NexStar model s (Figure 8.19).
If your woodworkingskills arebetterthanmine,you can even build your own chair.
There are several common designs; one such is the Denver Observer's Seat -
http://m embers .tripod.com/denverastro/ seat.html.
Other altern atives are pneumaticchairs similar to office chairswithout the back. Shutan
and others sell such a model. In fact, ifyour observing locat ionhas a concrete orsolid
wood sur face,an office chai r might be the bestaltern ative foryou. Rolling around on the
wheels would be a wonderfulconvenience ifyou can finda chair that ad justshigh enough.
A lot of peopledon'tseem toconsider thisaccessoryimportant,but I couldn't live without

mine.The first thing I set upwhen observing is my table. M y accessory casethensits on
top for the rest of the night. I thenhave aplace for clipboards, books, pens, and more
importantthings like drinks and snacks.Any table will do, butportability should becon-
sidered. The outdoorequipmentsuppliers listedin Appendix A stocka variety of tables
designedfor camping.These include roll-up tables and several type
s of folding tables. M y
person al favorite is the Coleman"Tailgater" fold ing table .At 24 by 48 inches, it is large
enough to hold plenty yet it folds into a 24-by
-24-by-3-inch packagethat fits ea
sily in most
cars. You mightalreadyhave somethi ng suitable- cardtablesandTV trays make good
travelingscope-side tabl es.
Figure 8.19.
BuyAst roStuff.com's
Astro Chair .
If you find the coiled cord on the

handcontrolis just tooshor t for you, it is fairly ea
sy to
extend the length . You need a6-conductorcable withan RJ-12 plug (6 gold lead s) on each
endand an RJ-12 or RJ-45couplerthatwill allow you toconnectthe exte nsioncable and
the hand control cable together.Naturallyit is importantthatthe wirepath remain
" straightthrough", meaningpin 1 on one end goes to pin 1 on the otherend, pin 2 to pin
2, etc.If you cross theconnectionsit is likely that oyu will damage yourhandcontrol!It is
easyenoughto make one of these if you hav e the rightmaterialsand tools, but the follow
-
ing are available from Radio Shack(http://www .radioshack.com)for less than $15:
• 25ft Line Cord (Flat), part
#: 279-422
• 6-ConductorIn-Line Coupler, part #: 279-423
4 button ha nd control
--L.
r - - - - - - - -- Up -
S ingle-pole, momentary,
push-button switch
Looking down on the

top of the RJ ·12 plug
to be inserted into
the Auto Guide port
Figure 8.20. F60ur-button hand co ntrol schematic.
A manualhand controlcan beatt ached to the Auto Guide porton the NexStar 8111 GPS
and NexStar si/8i. Thiss ivery useful formanuallyguiding thescopeduringlong-exposure
astrophotography. When using the normalhandcontrolto guide,you may accidentally
press theEnterbutton,causing the telescopeto swing away and re-center,r uiningyour
exposure.
If you can find it, you canpurcha sethe manualhandcontrol(Celestronpartnumber
28983) made for the CI-700 and some of the older Celestron scopes. You canbuildonealso
yourself.The requiredparts are a small projectbox, four normallyOFF push-button
(momentary) switches, and an RJ-12 cable. Refer to Figure 8.20 for the ct corre
wiring.
For further reference,thepins in the Auto Guideporton the base of the telescopeare
numbered1 through6 going left to right as shown in Figure 8.21. Thefunctionof each pin
is also shown in Table 8.5.If pin 3 is electricallyconnectedto pin 2, thetelescopemoves
left, pin 4 to in
p 2 moves down, etc.
Table 8.5. Functions 01 pins in Auto Guide port

Auto Gu ide port pin Function
1 Not connected
2 Ground
3 Move left/ east
4 Move down/negative declination
5 Move up/positive declinat ion
6 Move r ight/west
Figure 8.21. A uto

Guide port on the
NexStor 5i/8iand
NexStar 8/11 GPS .
If tiny switches,soldering irons, and wire don'texcite you,M ike Zeidlersells a complete
4-buttonhandcontrol(Figure 8.22) for a ver y reasonableprice. You can contacthim via
emailatzeidler@igs.net.
Conclusion
Actually,thereis no conclusionto thischapter... you will likely findthatonce you are
infectedwith "equipmentiti s" it will behardto stoplooking for newastronomyequip-
Figure 8.22. Manual hand control. PhotocourtesyMike Zeidler.

Figure 8 .23. Ne xStar

5 i " Bo rg" - yes, there
is 0 Ne xSta r under
there! Photo courtesy
Matlhios Bapp.
ment.But you will neverbejustlyaccusedof beingobsesseduntil your telescop ebeginsto

resembleM atthias Bopp's NexStar Si "Borg" (Figure 8.23)!If you are curi ousabout all the
gearburdening that poor little NexStar,visit M atthias' website- http://www . ddlus.de.
In this chap te r Isugges tedsevera l useful accessoriesfor your NexStar telescop e,b ut
there are mor e out there.If I didn't discuss eno ugh ways to help you spendyour mon ey,I
would refer you to Phil Harrington's book Star Ware,a comprehensive ook l at ast rono my
equipmentfor the amateur astro nome r.
Collimationis the process of aligning all the opticalcomponentsof a telescope so that the
focal plane of the telescopemeets the focal planeof the eyepiece s quarely. With any tele-
scope thereare manypotentialsourcesfor misalignment,b utonly alimitednumberof
componentsare easily adjusted. In fact, some telescope s do not have any user adjustments
at all. These scopes are collimated at the factory or the design of the telescope insures
itself
collimation.
Collimation is critical for good optical
performance . A poorly collimatedtelescope does
notshow as muchdetailas when it is wellcollimated.For example,on Jupiter,accurate
collimationcan be thedifferencethatenablesus to see the Great Red Spot and shadow
transitsof the Jovian moons .SCT and Newtonian telescopes require very accurate collima -
tion and they often fall out collimation
of after traveling or after a rough jarring.For these
scopes,you shouldget in thehabitof checkingcollimationregularly.For refractora nd
Maksutov telescopes,t estingthe scope onceafteryou receive its houldbe sufficient,as
they hold collimat ion well.
The general test for collimationrequiressettingup your scope and waiting for it to cool
to theambienttemperature. This might take as long saan hour for the NexStar 4 and th e
SCT models, but for the o therNexStars 20minutesshouldbe sufficient. Align the scope so
that it istrackingthe sky and GoTo a2nd-magnitudestar - Polaris is a good choice.
Select an eyepiece t hatgives amagnificationabouttwo times theaperturesize in mil-
limeters- for example,120x for the NexStar 60 or 560 x for the NexStar 11 GPS . Slightly
defocus the imagejustenoughto see a set ofthreeor morerings. If you see a set of per -
fectlyconcentriccircles, your scope is fairly well collimated.If the circles are offset to one
side, adjustmentsare in order.Refer to Figure 9.1 forc omparison,but note thaton
Newtonian,Maksutov, andSchmidt-Cassegra in telescopes the centerof the image will be
darkenedby theshadowof thesecondarymirror. If the circles arec oncentric,you won't
need to worry aboutthis chapterj ustyet,althoughwith theproceduresdescribedhere it
may be possible to improve the collimationif seeingconditionsare very good.
It is veryimportant to note that poorseeingconditionsdo not allow precise collimation.
In fact, it is likely that you will
worsenthestateof your telescopeif you attemptcollima-
tion with a shaky,waveringimage. The same holds truewith atelescopethathas not yet
cooledsufficiently. Currentsof air inside the opticaltubewill deformthe out-of-focus
circles in a waythatmakesthe image look like the scope s out
i ofcollimation. As you
attemptto align the optics ,you neverseem to make the correct adju stmentsand ultimately

Figure 9.1.
Unfocused star images
through a collimated
and an uncollimated
telescope .
thesituationjustgets worse.I f you cannotsee stable, clearly visible rings, wait another
for
night to collimate.
Ifit seems you never get an eveningwith good seeingconditions,you might want to try
collimatingin the day with an"artificial"star. Look for ashining reflection ofs unlightoff
in thedistance,p erhapsa steel fixture on distantbuildingor
a a glassinsulatoron an elec-
tricpole projectinga glint of sunlight.Or you can constructan artificialstarwith a ball
bearingor a glassChristmastreeornament.Place it wheresunlightglints from itssurface
and far enoughaway for thetelescopeto be able to focus on it, preferablywith a field of
grass between- asphaltand concreteradiateheatin thesunlightand produceunsteady
seeingconditions.You will find that the out -of-focusimage lookssurprisinglike thatof a
star.
Anotherpotentialaid, particularlyfor Newtonianscopes like the NexStar 114, is a laser
collimator.In particular,holographiclasercollimators,with theirprojectedpattern,make
accuratecollimationof a Newtoniantelescopemuch easier. Theholographiclasersfrom
Helix Manufacturing(http://www.helix-mfg.com) and Howie Glatter( http://www .collima-
tor.com)are two fineexamples.To aid in precisefinalcollimationusing adefocusedstar,
you mightconsiderthe StarCollimatorfrom EZTelescope(http://www.eztelescope .com).
This unique eyepiece has concentricreticle rings that allowsy
eacenteringof the defocused
starpattern . This typicallyallows a much moreprecisecollimationat a lower power and
thus you are not as limitedby poorseeingconditions.
The actualprocedurefor collimationvariesaccordingto the telescope design, so we will
discuss eachseparately .
(NexStar5 andLarger)
The onlycollimationadjustmentfor most Schmidt-Cassegraintelescopes (SCT) is the sec-
ondarymirrorat the front of the telescope
. Due to themagnifyingnatureof thesecondary
mirror in an SCT these scopes are verysensitiveto small inaccuraciesin collimation.
Fortunately, commerciallyproducedSCTs are also the easiest type of scope to collimate.
Collimationis accomplishedby adjustingthe threescrews on thesecondaryholderat
the frontof thetelescope
. As you can see from Figure .2,the
9 screws cause the
secondary
mirrorto tilt on arockerpivot.Adjustingthe screwsrequires eithera cross-tipscrew-
driver,preferablyof shortlength,or a hexwrench.Be certainit is thecorrectsize to seat
properlyin thescrewheads. Tighteningone screw willgenerallyrequirelooseningthe
othertwoscrews by no more than half the same amount.
Collimation - Optical Alignment 177
Correctorplate- - --1
Collimation screw- - Secondary mirror

and holder
Collimation screw- Rockerpivot

Fig ure 9.2.
Secondary mirror
assembly in a
Schm idt-Casseg ra in
telescope .
Having a pointedmetalobjectso close to thedelicatecorrectorplatein thedark is a

little nerve-racking for most. One of best investments you can make for a
Schmidt-Cassegraintelescopeis a set ofno-tools,thumbscrewcollimationscrews. The
addedconveniencemakescollimationa quick,simpleprocedure.The mostpopularare
Bob's Knobs from Morrow TechnicalServices or thecollimationscrews availablefrom
ScopeStuff. When installingsuch screws note that on some Schmidt-Cassegraintelescopes
the only thingsholdingthesecondarymirrorin place are the collimationscrews. Point the
frontof thetelescopedownwards,loosenall threescrewsabouta halfturn,thenremove
and replacethemone at atime. Removing all threeat the sametimecould releasethe
secondarymirrorfrom its perch with catastrophicresults.
To startcollimation,align the scope to s tarttracking.GoTo or manuallyslew to a 2nd-
magnitudestar- 3rd-magnitudeis often best for anl-inchscope
l - aboveabout70°alti-
tude.Ifyour telescopeis severelymis-collimated,you may need tostartwith abrighter
star. Select an eyepiece that gives a magnificationof about the same as the aperturein mil-
limeters,for example 200 x for the NexStar 8. Accurately centerthe star in the field of view.
Defocus slightly untilconcentriccircles with a small, darkshadow in the middle are clearly
visible.
Viewing this donut-shape, place your finger infrontof thecorrectorplateand move it
aroundthe edgeuntil you see theshadowof your finger (orhand if you can'tsee the
shadowof your finger) at the t hin partof thedonut.Be careful not totouchthecorrector
plate.Look at thefront of thescope and tightenthe collimationscrewclosestto your
finger.Ifthe screw is verytight,loosentheotherscrews a bit. Ify our finger liesbetween
two screws,tightenthem botha bit. Look in the eyepiece and re-centerthe star.It is very
importantto re-centerthestarafter eachadjustment; creatingperfectlyconcentriccircles
on a starnot centeredin theeyepieceresultsin a telescopethatis out of collimation.
Repeatthis processuntil the concentriccircles arecentered . Final adjustmentsm ight
requirejust a littlepressureon the screws, with hardlyany movementnoticed.
If theseeing is good,increasethemagnificationto two times the a perturein millimeters
and defocusjustenoughto seethreeor four tiny concentricrings. Follow theprevious
procedureto centerthese rings. If the seeing exceptional
is , focus the star and look for the
Airy disk and the one or twodiffractionrings aroundit. If the scope isperfectlycolli-
mated, the diffractionrings will run all the way aroundthe Airy disk.If not, the diffraction
ring will bebroken.Adjust for acompletediffractionring aroundthe Airy disk and things
are as good as they get.
If the finalcollimatedpositionresults in screws that are slightly loose, the telescope will
not hold collimation. It is best if your finaladjustments
aretighteningonly, but don't force
anything.This is anotheradvantageof theno-toolsthumbscrews ; your fingers provide
much betterfeedbackthana screwdriver.Additionally,with the NexStar 5/5i you can
adjust thesethumbscrewswhile observing the results in the eyepiece.
Despite howcomplicatedthis mightsound,it really is simple. After a few goes of it, you
will find you can do it without even thinkingmuch about the process . Rememberthough, if
the telescope is not adequatelycooled or the seeing conditionsare not stable, you will not
see steady rings and you shouldnot adjustcollimation.Wait for abetternight.
(NexStar114)
Of all thecommontypes oftelescopes,a Newtonianis the mostcomplicatedto collimate.
This is mostly due to the relatively complex optical
alignmentof thesecondarymirrorand
the severaldifferentways it can becomemisaligned.The critical factors for the
secondary
mirrorare:
1. It must be accurately
centeredin the main tube.
2. Itmustbe directlyunderthe focuser tube (or offset a little
towardstheprimarymirror
end of the main tube).
3. The flat of themirrormustbe alignedwith thefocusertubeaxis, not tiltedabove or
below the view in the focuser tube
.
4. It must be angled so thatthe focuser tube axis (the opticalcenterof the inserted
eyepiece) reflects off the
secondaryand strikes the exact
centerof theprimarymirror.
To furthercomplicatematters,the focuser tube must be square with the main tube.
For this discussion, we will assume thatthe factorydid theirpartby centeringthe
secondaryin themain tubeandconstructinga focuser tubethatis squarewith themain
tube. If you suspectthis is not the ca
se,you might use thincardboardand arazorknifeto
constructtemplatesto check and adjust as necessary.
One additionalcomplicatingfactoris the correctorlens at thebottomof thefocuser
tube. This makes itdifficultto get therough mechanicala lignmentsnecessaryprior to
aligningwith astar.To check thatthe secondaryis directlyunderthe focusertubeand
aligned with the focuser tube axis, we must remove corrector
the lens.If your scope is very
close toaccuratecollimation,as indicatedby the star test at the
beginningof thischapter,
these steps may not be necessary and you can skip to theadjustments
final section below.
Before You Start

Prior to beginning,you eitherneed topurchasea sight tube such as Orion's Collimating
Eyepiece or you can make similartool
a using a 35mm film canister. Usingsolid-colored
a
film canister,not clearplastic,cut and removethe bottom.Make a very small(lmm or
smaller) hole in the precise
centerof thecanister'scap. If it is not precisely
centeredor if it
is too large,it will notwork correctly.One good methodfor creating the holes ito use a
lar ge safety pin spread open.First,use the tip of the pin to make apin prick at the xeact
center. Then,use a pair ofpliers to hold the pinand heat it in a ameuntil
fl red-h ot.Then
you can easily push it through the centerof the cap.
You will also need:
• a cross -tipscrewdr iver;
• a hex wrench for the screwson the secondary mirror;
• a piece ofpaper;
• a pair of scissors;
• a dark ,fine-tip marker- a permanentmark er or a dry-erasemarker are fine,but a
water-ba sedmarkertypicallyfound in an artssupplystore will not do;
• recommendedif using alasercollimator- a self-adhesive apperhole reinforcementring
(" paper donut").
First, you must removethecorrector lens. Rack the foeuser all the way outandloosen
the twoscrewssecuring the foeu serknob shaftenoughto allow the chromefoeuser tube to
slide completelyout. At the bottom of the foeuser tube you will find a plasticretainerring
with two notches. Using your thumband fingernailsor soft plastic implement s, unscrew
this ring. Important:Note which side of the lens faces the bott omof the tube. If you re-
inst all the lens backwards, the scope will not focus. It is best to make a note. Set the
len s aside on a soft, clean cloth. Repl acethe focuser tube and tight enthe screws for the
foeuserknob shaft.
Next, you must remove the primar ymirrorand mark the precise centerof themirror.
Removethe three screws on the sidesof the primary mirr or cell, theblack metal ring on
the rear ofthescope. Be careful to hold the mirrorcellas you removethe screws- we don't
wan t the prim ary mirror to go cras hing to the floor! Donot tou ch the surface of the
mirr or ; ti is verydelicate and easy to scra tch. Remo vethe screws on the clips holding the
mirro r in the cell. Set the mirro r,shiny side down, on top of apiece ofpaperand traceits
outline onto the paper.Set the mirror, shiny side up, to the side.
Cut the circle from the paper.Fold the circle in half, then in half agai n to producea
wedge .Cut abouti in (3 mm) from the tip of the wedgeto produce a small hole in the
exactcente r of the circle. Centerthe ope nedpaperover the mirro rand gently markthe
centerof the mirrorwith a good-sizeddot.If you like, you may centera self-adhesive hole
rein for cementring around the dot to make it easier tosee. Donot be concernedabout
these marks in thecenterof the primarymirror;no light fro m the sky reachesthis partof
the mirror asit is in the shadow of the secondarymirror.
Replacetheprimary mirr or in the mirrorcell,tighteningthe clips enough topreventthe
primary from rotatingor moving, but not too itght or you will distort the shape of the
mirror, resulting in "pinched optics". Pinchedoptics are recognizablewhen you are
viewing the out-of-focus sta r image.Rather than roundconcentric circles,you will see
circles with threecorners. Set the mirr or cellaside for now.
Coarse Alignment of Secondary and Primary

The various reflections of th
e two mirrors presents a view thatmost initiallyfind confus-
ing. Figure9.3should helpyou identify thevarious part s you seethroughthe peephole.If
you are not using a sight tube with crosshairs,thenthe two crossed lineswill be missing
from your view of the sight tube and you will likely see only the center of your eye in the
reflectionof the secondary(thelast objectin Figure 9.3). If you findyourself loosing track
of whatyou are trying to center, er ferback to this figur e.
Sight tube with

GO A
Secondary ond Primor y with Reflection of second ary
crosshoi rs its suppor t center spot o nd 3 suppor t vones ond
reflection of crossho irs
Figure 9.3. Various objects viewed through the locuser tube of a Newtonian telescope .
To start,insert thesight-tubeor filmcanistersquarelyin the focuser tube. Point the back

of the main tube at a well-lit, light
-coloredwall. Look into the peephole and you will see the
secondarymirror.Look at themirroritself, not the reflectionof themirror.The circle of
themirrorfaceitselfshouldbe centeredin thepeephole.You will find iteasierto gauge if
you rack the focuser tube in or out to fill the peephole withsecondary
the mirror.If the sec-
ondaryis not centered,loosenthe centerscrew on thesecondaryholderand adjustthe
mirroruntilit is centeredand facingdirectlytowardsyou. Refer to Figure 9.4 to confirm
thecorrectview. Retighten thecenterscrew.
Next we willadjustthe tilt of thes econdarymirrorto pointdirectlyto thecenterof the
primarymirror.Adjust the three hex screws on the secondarymountto roughlycenterthe
reflection of the open tube on the face ofsecondary
the mirror.This is usually easiest if you
only adjusttwo of the screws, leavingthe thirdaloneunlessone of theothertwo reaches
the end of itsadjustment.Replace theprimarymirrorcell and secure it with the previously
removedscrews. In thepeepholeyou will see severalreflections,but you need toc oncen-
primarymirror.If you are using a sight tube ith
trateon the reflection of the w crosshairs,
adjustthe three hex screws on thesecondaryto centerthe crossdirectlyover the dot in the
centerof theprimarymirror.If you are using the filmcanister,you will adjustthe hex
Figure 9.4. Step 1 in

Newtonian collimation.
Figure 9.5. Step 2 in

New tonian collimat ion.
screws tocenterthe reflection of theentireprimarymirrorin thesecondaryitself. Refer to

Figure 9.5 for an example of the correct
alignment.
The hardestpartis now behindyou. Thesecondarymirrorshouldremainwell aligned
unless the scope is severely
jarredor the screws are
adjusted.
The last step in thismechanicala lignmentprocessis to adjustthe tilt of thep rimary
mirrorso that the light reflected from it comes right back to center
the of the foeuser tube.
The rear of theprimarymirrorcell hasthreecross-headscrewsand threethumbscrews .
The cross-headscrews lock theprimarymirrorin positionand thethumbscrewsadjust the
tilt. Loosen thec ross-headscrewsabouttwo turns.Then,looking in thepeephole,adjust
thethumbscrews- again,adjustingjust two is best - until the reflection of the foeuser tube
and thepeephole(you might be able to see your eye) are precisely aligned with center
the
dot on theprimary.If a thumbscrewwill move no further, loosen the correspondingcross-
head screw. Refer to Figure 9.6 for this confusing view. Tighten cross-head
the screws to fix
the mirrorin place. Notethatthis willsometimesshiftthe primarymirrorslightlyand
some furtheradjustmentwith thethumbscrewsmay be necessary .
With this accomplished, loosen the two screwsholding the foeuserknob shaftand
remove the chrome foeuser tube . Replace thecorrectorlens (be sure you get it right side up
- remember,if you can'teven focus, thiss imost likely theculprit)and tightentheretain-
ing ring withyour fingernailsor soft plasticimplement s. Replace thefoeusershaftand
tightenthe two screwsenoughto producesmoothfocusing motion.Too tightand the
Figure 9 .6. Step 3 in

Newtonian collimation.
focuser will require too much effort to move smoothly; too loose and the focuser will easily
slide in when you press the end of the tube
.
Final Adiustments
The finishing adjustmentsnecessaryto producethe bestimages fromyour telescope
require collimation with a star. All final
adjustmentsshould be to the p rimarymirroronly,
althoughan exceptionwill bediscussedat the end of th is section.To startcollimation,
align the scope tostarttracking. Wait at least 20m inutesfor your scope to cool to the
ambienttemperature. GoTo or manuallyslew to a2nd-magnitudestarabove about70°
altitude.Select an eyepiece t hatgives amagnificationof about100x - a lOmm eyepiece .
Accuratelycenterthe star in the field of view .Defocus slightly untilconcentriccircles with
a small, darkshadow in the middle are clearly visible .
If the rings are concentric
, skip to the nextparagraphto see if you can improve the colli-
mationas shown at a higher magnification. If the rings are not concentric ,loosen the three
cross- tip locking screws on the back of the primarymirrorcell byhalfa turn.Then,while
observingthe rings in the eyepiece , very slightly turn one of thethumbscrewson the
primarymirrorcell. This will either improve or worsen the concentricityof the rings. With
carefuladjustmentsto just two of the thumbscrewsyou should be able to centerthe rings.
If a thumbscrewwill move no more, loosen the correspondingcross-headscrew slightly.
Look in the eyepiece and re-centerthe star.I t is very importantto re-centerthestarafter
eachadjustment; creating perfectly concentric circles on a star not centered in the eyepiece
resultsin a telescopethatis outof collimation.Repeat thisprocessuntilthe concentric
circles arecentered.Final adjustmentsmight requirejusta littlepressureon the screws,
with hardly any movement noticed .
If the seeingis good, increasethe magnificationto 200x - a 10mm eyepiece with a
Barlow lens is good. Follow thepreviousprocedureto centerthese rings. If the seeing is
exceptional,focus thestarand look for the Airy disk and the one or two diffractionrings
aroundit. If the scope isperfectlycollimated,the diffractionrings will run all the way
aroundthe Airy disk. If not,thediffractionring will bebroken. Adjust for a complete dif -
fraction ringaroundthe Airy disk and things are as good as they get.
After you aresatisfied with the results,tightenthethreecross-headscrews to lock the
primarymirrorin place. Note that this might somewhataltercollimationand it would be
necessary to slightly adjust the thumbscrews again .
Remember,if thetelescopeis not adequatelycooled or the seeing c onditionsare not
stable, you will not seesteadyrings and youshould not adjustcollimation. Wait for a
betternight.
There is one final test that you should make. Look at the concentric rings as you rack the
focus knobs in and out past the actualfocus point.The rings shouldbe concentricboth
insideand outsideof focus. If they are not, it eitherindicatesless thanperfectopticsor
your centering and aiming of the secondary mirrorin the previous section was not as accu-
rate as it might have been, (iffor example, yourpinholein the filmcanisterwas not accu-
ratelycentered).It is also possiblethatthesecondarymirroris not centeredin the tube
itself or the focuser is not square to the main tube (refer to the beginning of this section on
Newtoniancollimationfor thecomplicatingfactors in Newtonian scopes) . Some have had
success reaching a more accuratecollimationby looking at the side of focus with the non-
concentricrings andadjustingthe hex screws on the secondaryto make the rings concen-
tric. Then it isnecessaryto defocus theotherdirectionand adjusttheprimarymirrorto
centerthe rings. Keep in mind thatyou must re-centerthe starafter eachadjustment.
Understandthatit is possibleto makethings even worse this waya nd thenyou will be

forced tostartover with the coarse
adjustments.
My last bit of advice oncollimatinga Newtonianscope is to find anexperienced
amateurastronomerto assist you if you run intop roblems.The first few times you colli-
mate aNewtonianscope can be quite trying.
Maksutov Collimation. .
(NexStar4)
The NexStar 4 is not designedfor user collimation.It is adjustedat thefactoryand
Maksutov telescopes do a good job of holding collimation.However, some NexStar 4s have
been found to be slightlyoutof collimation. Ifyou test your NexStar 4 as describedat the
beginningof thischapterand find it needscollimationyou caneithersend it toCelestron
or you cancollimateit yourself. Be warned,though: since it was notdesignedfor this, it
can be a littlefrustrating.
Startby removingthe rubberfocus knob,loosenthesetscrewfound underneath, and
then remove the metal bushing. Loosen and remove three of the screws holdingthe plastic
backontothe opticaltube.Align the scopeto starttracking. Wait at least onehour for
your scope to cool to theambienttemperature.GoTo or manually slew to a 2nd-
magnitudestaraboveabout70 altitude.Select aneyepiecethatgives amagnificationof
0
about100x - a 13mmeyepieceor theclosestyou have.Accuratelycenterthestarin the

field of view. Defocusslightly until concentriccircleswith asmall, dark shadowin the
middle are clearly visible.
If the rings areconcentric, skip to the nextp aragraphto see if you can improve the colli-
mationas shown at a highermagnification.If the rings are notconcentric,hold your finger
in frontof thecorrectorlens (becarefulnot totouchit) and move itarounduntilit the
shadow of your finger is located at the thinnestside of the rings
. Note thislocation. Loosen
and removethe remainingscrew and removethe plastic back with theeyepiece. Notice
how themirrorleverengagesthe flipmirror- you will needto put itback togetherin a
minute!Be very careful not to t ouchthe mirroror you mayscratchit. Afterremovingthe
back, you will find three pairs of screws - each pair consistingof a cross-tipand hex screw .
The cross-headscrews pull theprimarymirror,while the hex screws p ush.Recallingthe
locationwhere your finger found the thinnestpartof the rings, loosen the cross-head
screw on that side of the scope very slightly tightenthe
and hex screw . Replace the back of
the scope (watchthatmirrorlever),re-centerthestarin theeyepiece,and checkthe de-
focused rings. Continue adjustinguntil you see concentricrings. Final adjustments
might requirejust a littlepressureon the screws, with hardlyany movementnoticed.
If the seeing is good,increasethe magnificationto about200x - a 13mm eyepiece with
Barlow lens is good. Follow the p reviousprocedureto centerthese rings.If theseeingis
exceptional,focus thestarand look for the Airy disk and the one or two diffractionrings
aroundit. If the scopeis perfectlycollimated,the diffractionrings will run all the way
aroundthe Airy disk. If not, thediffractionring will bebroken.Adjust for acompletedif-
fraction ringaroundthe Airy disk and things are as good as it gets .
Reassembleyour telescopeand enjoy theimprovedviews. Your NexStar 4shouldhold
collimationindefinitely.
(NexStar60 and 80)

Mos t refractors,he t NexStar 60 and 80 included,are not designed for a djustablecollima-
tion.The plastic cell that holds the objective lenss imanufactured to hold the lens assem-
bly at a perpendicular orientati onto the main tube and it has no adjustments. But it is
possiblethat,when perfo rmingthe star testoutlinedat the beginn ing ofthis chapter,you
may discover your telescope is ou t of collimation.
A lo ose retainingring at the fro ntof the lenscell almost always causes this condition.
The fix is quite easy.Point the fro ntof the scope upwardand removethe dust cover and
dew shield. With a clean, lint-fre
e cloth or tissue,press down all around the outside edge of
the el ns.Then tighten(turnclockwise)theinnerretainingring just until itsi snug.
This ring can also be too ght.When
ti this happens,the defocused tsarimage will display
slightcorners- the sign of pinched optics. This can occurduringcold weather as the con-
tractingplasticpressesdown on the ens.Slightlyloosening(turn
l ing count erclockwise)the
retainingring will solve the problem.
Although thecomputerizedhandcontrolperformsall essentialfunctionsthat areneeded
for a night outunderthe stars, many NexStar owners also elect connecta
to personalcom-
puter(PC) or palmtopcomputerto theirtelescopefor addedfeaturesand convenience.
And thenthereis justsomethingaboutcomputersand thecrowd thatpurchaseGoTo
scopes ...
A planetariumprogram,discussedin Chapter2, can show you thesectionof sky cur-
rentlyin theeyepieceof thetelescope,h elpingyou to identifyobjectsyou arecurrently
observing. You can select anobjectin thatsame planetariumprogramand your PC can
directthe telescopeto GoTo thatobject. This makes it very easy to workthroughseveral
objectsin the sameareaof the sky.Otherprograms,such asNexStarObserverList, dis-
cussed inChapter7, can help you plan an observingsession. Then when you are outunder
thestars,theprogramcan directyour NexStar to GoTo each object on your ,list one after
another.
A PC or palmtopprogramcan easilyallow GoTo forobjectsnot in thehandcontrol's
database,for example,asteroidsand comets.And at least oneprogram, SatelliteTracker,
will allow you to viewsatellitesand the InternationalSpace Stationwith NexStar tele-
scopes. Smoothtrackingof satellites is possible with the NexStar 8/11 GPS and Si/8i. Other
models are capable of "leapfrog"tracking- the scopejumpsahead and waits for the satel-
lite to passthroughthe field of view. Then Satellite
Trackerleaps forward for the next pass
throughthe eyepiece .
All models of NexStartelescopesare capableof interfacingwith a PC orpalmtopcom-
puter.With theNexStar Sil8i, theoptionalcomputerizedhand controlis required.All
otherNexStar modelsare readyout of the box. In all cases you will needa connection
cable, a suitable PC or
palmtopcomputer,and software to run on that computer.The cable
connectsto thebottomof the NexStar handcontrol-the RS-232jack.
Thereare somedetailsyou shouldbe aware of with the little NexStars (the 60/80/114/4
models).The NexStar 80 and 114 were sold in an "HC" configurationwith amanualhand
controland a "GT" configurationwith acomputerizedhandcontrol.The HC hand control
is capableof PC control, butonly with thesuppliedGuideStarsoftwarefrom Celestron.
This softwareallows a PC toemulatethecomputerizedGT handcontrol,thusproviding
completeGoTo capability. Also, a supplementalsoftwarepackage,Arrow Keys for

GuideStar, has been developed by Micha elGanslmeierand Matthias Bopp to add on-screen
arrow keys to the Gu ideStarprogram.Arrow Keys For GuideStar is available for free down-
load from http://www .ddlus.de.
Also, as mentionedin Chapter3,therehave been twoversionsof the GThandcontrol
for the NexStar 60/80/114/4 telescopes.These two version s use differentcontrolcom-
mands.Thus, aprogramthat si compatiblewith the new GThandcontrolmay not be com-
patiblewith theoriginalGT handcontrol.Also, theoriginalGT handcontrolhas several
bugs in the PCcontrolroutines,of which two aremost notable.First ,afterthe scope
finishes a slewaftersendinga GoTo commandfrom your PC, you must move the scope
manuallywith thearrowkeys on thehandcontrolor thehandcontrolwill becomeunre-
sponsiveto futureGoTo commands.Second,when the PCretrievesthe RA-Dec coordi-
nates from the scope , theoriginalGT handcontrolreportsincorrectcoordinatesfor more
than half of thesky. Refer toChapter3 if you are not sure which version you have.
Potentially,any computerwith the ab ility to use a serialp ort- also known as an RS-232
portis capableof controlling a NexStartelescope . This includes almost all desktopor
laptop(notebook)computersrunningMS-DOS, Microsoft Windows,theMacintosh as,or
the variousflavors of Unix. This alsoincludes mostpalmtopcomputersrunningthe Palm
as or Windows CEo
When searchingfor alaptopor desktopcomputer,you will find itmoreconvenientto
use a modelwith abuilt-in serialport.Many newerlaptopcomputers do not haveserial
ports. In thatcase, youmustpurchasea USB-to-serial adapter (about$40) toprovidethe
requiredserial port. Other nice features include:
• a largekeyboardfor use with gloved hands;
• extra long attery
b life or a 12Vcigarette -lighter
poweradapteroption;
• a fastprocessor,lots of memory, and lots harddrive
of space - especially if you
intendto
try yourhandat digital imaging.
With palmtopcomputers,be sureto get amodelthatoffers aserialsync cable (a USB
sync cable will not do) or you will not be ableconnectit
to toyour telescopewithoutan
expensivecompactflash serialadaptercard. W ith most palmtopcomputers,the serial
cable is optional;generally only aUSB cable si included. Other nice features :are
• a color display- much easier to read in the dark
;
• a backlit display or aip-on
cl light (don'tforget ot color the bulb red!);
• long batterylifeor a 12V cigarette-lighterpoweradapteroption;
• extra memo ry for larger-objectdatabasesin your astronomysoftware.
Although most astronomysoftwareincludes a"night-vision" modethatchangesthe
screento shades of red, onmostcomputersthis will still be too br ight.Try using one or
two sheets ofdark-redplasticinstead.Check plasticsuppliers,art stores,and camera shops
for plasticsheets. It will need to bedarkerthan you might think; try
stackingsheetsto get
the right den sity.A simple cardboardframe secured to the computerwith Velcro will keep
it all in place.
You will also find ithardto type on an unlit keyboard. A small
, red LEDlight attachedto
the top of thedisplaywill fixthat. Clip-onlights, typicallymarketedfor use inairplanes,
will generallybe toobrightwithoutmodification.The key is to use a faint, red light to pre-
serve your ey es' dark adaptation.
Controlling Your NexStar with a PC or Palmtop Computer 187
Power in the field willenerallybe

g aproblem.The batteriesin mostlaptops andpalm-
tops do not last long, particularlywhen using the serialportand potentiallycapturing
images. If you are not near an a.c
. poweroutletyou will most likel y be using a 12Vbattery
with acigarette-l ightersocket.Some laptopand palmtopcomputershave a 12V power
adapteroption. For others you will needa d.c.-to-a.c.powerinverter. Widely available in
automotivepartsstores, apowerinverterprovides standard a.c. power,allowingyou to
use your computer'sstandardpower adapter/charger in the field
. Power invertersdo use a
substantiala mountof batterypower, so go with the 12V pow er adapter ifit is available for
your computer.
Next, you willneeda cable. The same cable work s for all NexStarmodels. The basic
requirementis a cablethatmates the correctpins from a DB-9 connector(foundon the
computer)to an RJ-22connector(foundon thebottomof the NexStarhandcontrol). The
RJ-22 connectoris the same asfound on thehandsetof a typicaltelephone- it is also
referredto as a 4P4Cconnector.This is not the same as the RJ -11112used toconnecta
telephoneto the wall jack.The correctpin connections for thestandardNexStar cable are
shown in Figure 10.1.Note that this drawing representsthe end of the cable that
connects
to thebottomof the NexStar h a ndcontrol.Figure 10.2 shows thecorrectconnectionsfor
the less commonlyused DB-25 serial port found on some older computers.
The cablesrequiredfor connectingto apalmtopare a bit morecomplicated.The stan-
dardserial porton alaptopor desktopcomputeruses a DB-9 maleconnector.Thus, the
standard NexStar cable p rovidesa DB-9 femaleconnector.The serial sync cable for a
palmtopprovides a DB-9 femaleconnectorand is wired with pins 2 and 3 backwards of the
serial port on acomputer.Thus, to use astandardNexStar cable with a palmtopserial sync
cable,you willpotentially need twoadapters:a null modemadapter(always required) and
a genderchangerif the nullmodemadapterdoes not connectordirectly between the sync
cableand the NexStar cable.
Most telescopeequipmentvendorsstock thestandardNexStar cable for about $25. Null
modem and genderadaptersare availabl efrom computerparts stores or from the
Software Bisqueweb site(http://www.bi sque.com).I highly recommendthe cable s sold by
Figure 10.1. Pin

connections for DB-9
DB9 pin 3
\
DB9 pin 5 DB9 pin 2
serial ports.
DB25p in 2
\
DB25 pin 7 DB25pin 3
Figure 10.2. Pin
connections for DB-25
serial ports,
Astro Gadgets(http://nexstar.astrogadgets.com). The cost is much lowerthanfrom other

suppliersand thequalityis high. They also sell NexStar cables designedfor palmtopcom-
putersthatdo not requirea null modemadapteror a genderchanger- theseare easily
worth three times themodestcost they ask .
If you decideto build a cable,hereare some tips. Buy atelephonehandsetcable, the
coiledtype that goes from the handsetto thetelephone.A standardtelephonecable does
not have thecorrectconnectorrequiredfor the NexStarhandcontrol.Be sureit has four
coloredwires visible atbothends;some cables only have two . Remove one of the RJ plugs
and attach a DB-9 female connectormatchingthe pins shown in Figure 10 .1.For apalmtop
sync cable,attacha DB-9 male connectorand reverse the c onnectionof pins 2 and 3.I t is
best to make the DB-9 end by crimpingan RJ-II connector(a standardphoneconnector)
on one end of the cable and using a DB-9RJ-II/12adapter
to , which can be found at com-
puterpartsstoresor A2Z Cables (http://www.a2zcables.com). If all of this seems too com-
plicated,b etterbuy apre-madecable.
Most NexStar cables are 12 to IS feet long. Some have
experimented with longerlengths
and successhas beenreportedwith distancesof 50 feet.A notheroptionis to go wireless.
There are RS-232wirelessadaptersavailable, but the cost is significant. The marketis small
for such devices and thatmarketis shrinkingdue to thereplacement of RS-232with newer
connectioninterfaces.My most recentsearcheson theInternetturnedup severalsources
in the$300-and-upprice range.
Software to Control NexStar

iFelesco es" . ., . '. - '.- ' """ .
There are a wide variety of software packages available for controlling your NexStar telescope
.
Prices range from free to a few
hundreddollars.While many of the packages are sim ilar in
function, some are very unique. recommend
I you spend some time researching manufactur-
ers' web sites todeterminewhichsoftware package or packages best suit your needs.
When researchingsoftware for use with your NexStar telescope, shouldbe
you aware of
the various models.Not all programsthatclaim NexStar compatibilitywork with all
models. Table 10 .1summarizesthe various models:
Table 10 .1. NexStar models summarized

Model Description
Original GT The originalGT (computerizedGo'lo] hand control for theNexStar
60/80/114/4 telescopes, as well as all TascoStarGuidetelescopes
.
NewGT The upgradedGT hand control for theNexStar 60/80/114/4
telescopes. This hand control isincludedwith all littleNexStars
manufacturedafterDecember2001 . See thesidebar" O ld Versus
New GT Hand Control" in Chapter3 to determinewhetheryou have
theoriginal or new GT hand control
NexStar 5/8 The original NexStar 5 and 8 models. These modelswerediscontinued
in the summer of2 002 and replacedwith theNexStar 5i and 8i
NexStar 5i/8i The new NexStar 5i and 8i telescopes . Only theoptionalcomputerized
hand control allows PC control.
NexStar GPS The NexStar 8/11 GPS telescopes .
The New GT,NexStar Si/8i, andNexStar GPS use the samebasic controlcommands.
Thus, a programthatstatescompatibilitywith one willgenerallywork with theothers,
althoughsome featuresin theprogrammightnot work with allmodels.For example,a
programwith manualslewbuttonsthat emulate the directionbuttonson the NexStarh and
controlwill work with the NexStar Si/8i, GPS,and New GT models ,but that specific feature
(manualslew buttons)will not work with the New GT h and control.The Old GT and
NexStar 5/8are eachuniqueand notcompatiblewith theothersor eachother- if you own
one of these youshoulddefinitelyask if the softwarepublisherdoes not clearly state com-
patibilitywith theseoldermodels.
AppendixC is a list of allNexStar-compatible p rogramsknown to me at the time of this
writing. Note thatthe freeversionof TheSky (Levell) thatships with some NexStar tele-
scopes does notincludetelescopecontrol.Refer toAppendixC for versionsofTheSky that
do provide telescope control.
One of thepackagesmentionedin AppendixC is the ASCOM driverset. The ASCOM
driveris not actuallya completesoftwarepackage butratheris used byotherprogramsto
interfacewith thetelescopesthatit supports.This allows a singletelescopedriverto be
optimizedfor each model oftelescopeand authorsof astronomysoftwareare relievedof
the task ofcreatingand maintainingdriversin theirprogramsas new telescopes are intro-
duced.In fact, anupdatedASCOM drivercan beinstalledon your computerwithout
requiringchanges to theastronomysoftwarethatuses it.
Thereare avarietyof commands,sometimesreferredto as RS-232commands,that
NexStar telescopesrespondto. Thebasiccommandsdirectthe NexStar to GoTo a set of
RA-Dec coordinatesand querythe scopefor thecurrentRA-Dec it is pointedtowards.
All models ofNexStartelescopesrespondto thesecommandsand most PC andpalmtop
softwaremakesuse ofthem.Additionalcommandsare availableto allowdirectmotion
control,in essenceemulatingthe four arrow buttonson the hand control.Only the
NexStar8/l1GPS and Sil8i providethis capability . Direct motioncontrolis neededto
provideon-screenslewbuttons,smoothsatellitetracking,and software-based autoguid-
ing for astrophotography. Slew buttonsare now availablein some softwareand the
ASCOM driver. SatelliteTracker provides smooth tracking of satellites and the
InternationalSpace Station.Software-basedautoguidingis still underdevelopmentat
the time of thiswriting.
There is nopreferredorder,but you will need toconnectyour PC or palmtopcomputerto

thebottomof thehandcontrol,power up thecomputer,and performan alignmentof the
telescope. If you aretestingindoors,use Quick Align or ifyour modelof NexStardoesn't
supportthatmethod,use Auto Align andacceptthe defaultlocationsfor the twoalign-
mentstars. On the NexStarSIS (originalmodel)and thelittleNexStarswith the new GT
handcontrol, press the Menubutton,scroll to RS-232,and press the Enterbutton.
Startyour astronomysoftwareand your computershouldbe readyto communicate
with your NexStar. Someprogramshave amenuitem ortoolbarbuttonto establishcom-
municationwhileotherprogramsare ready to talk immediatelyafterstarting;refer to the
documentationfor yourprogramif this is notreadilyapparent.A good test forcommuni-
cationis to directyour programto retrievethe telescope'scoordinates . Otherthanthe
originalGT handcontrol,the RA and Decreturnedshouldmatch thecoordinatesr eported
by the Get RA-Deccommandon thehandcontrolMenu button.The next test would be to
use the program to directthe scope to GoTo an object.After thescope slews to the
requestedcoordinates ,check with thehandcontrol'sGetRA-Dec command.If thecoordi-
natesmatchwithin a few arcminutes,then all isworkingproperly. If the telescoped oesn't
move at all, check the LCD panel on thehandcontrolfor a slew limitwarning- the object
you requestedmight beoutsideyour establishedSlew Limits.
If things don'tseem to beworking as expected , refer to the next
sectionfor possible
solutions.
Most NexStar ownersexperienceno problemscontrollingtheirtelescope with caomputer.

However,computersare sometimes finicky and there are several potential problems you may
come across. First, you will want to be sure you are using
programthat
a iscompatiblewith
your model of NexStartelescope . If you are not sureaboutyour programand are using a
computerwith Microsoft Windows, I wouldrecommendyou downloadthe freely availab le
NexStar Observer List (NSOL) from my web site (http://www.NexStarSite.com).NSOLu ses
the moststraightforward method possible for communicatingvia the serial port, so if you get
NSOLwork ing with your telescope then, other programsshould work just fine.
Following are sometips to getyour PC and scopecommunicating.Note thatsomeof
these tips arerelatedto Microsoft Windows and may not apply directlyto yoursituation.
• Thetelescopemust bealignedbeforeit will acceptcommands. To testindoors,simply
performa Quick Align or an Auto-Align, accepting thelocationspointedout for the two
stars.
• For some models of NexStar (N5/S and the newversionof theN60/S01114/4),you must
enter"RS-232" modefrom thehandcontrolmenubeforethe scopewill acceptcom-
mands.
• A faultycablemightbe theproblem. One way totestthe cable is toinstallNSOL on a
standarddesktopPC and trycontrollingthescopefrom there(remembertheindoors
alignmentfrom the first item above). Desktop PCs do not generally have much
problem
with conflictingcommports,exceptin thecase ofsoftwareto synchronizea PDA such
as a Palm Pilot.
• With homemadecablesa commonproblemis incorrectpin connections.C heck the

cableagainstFigure 10.1,again notingthatthis figure shows the endof thecablethat
connectsto thehandcontrol.
• Check the porton thebottomof the hand controlfor bentpins - thesecan easilybe
straightenedwith a smallscrewdriver.
• Besurethereare nootherprogramsusing theserialport.For example,installingPalm
Pilot softwareon acomputeris a sureway todisablethe serialportfor access byother
programslike NSOL. If thereis a littleicon for synchronizingin thesystemtray(the
section in the lower rightcornerof thescreenwith thecur rent time) , thenit is possible
thata synchronizingprogramhas takencontrolof theserialport.You can generally
close such programsby right-clickingthe icon in thesystemtray and choosing Exit. If
you no longeruse thatprogram,try uninstallingit.
• Try other"Cornm Port" settingsin theprogram.In NSOL,go to the Toolsmenu,choose
Setup and trysettingsotherthan Com1. If this resolvesyour problem,be sure torecord
your settingfor use inotherprograms.
• If you are using Microsoft Windows, go to ControlPanel (Startmenu,Settings)and
openthe System icon. Click on the Device Managerandlook for "Ports (COM & LPT)".
Thereshouldbe a "+" marknextto itandwhenyou click the+, Device Managerwill
expand to show the actual ports. At least one of the ports should be labeled
"CommunicationsPort (Corn l )" or perhapsCom2 . If the littleicon next tothis entry
has an Xthroughit, you must double-clickthe icon and try to d eterminewhy thecomm
portis not operating.
• Anotherpotentialconflict, particularlywith alaptopcomputer,is an infrared(IrDA)
port.In Microsoft Windows you can find itlistedin the Device Manageras well.If you
are not using the infraredport, double-click the icon(notthe one with the + mark,but
ratherthe onebelowit) andcheckthe box to"Disable in this hardwareprofile." Other
methods for disablingthe infraredportare generallyexplainedin themanualfor your
computer.
• Thereis a known problemwith the serialporton somenewercomputers- notablyDell
andToshibacomputers.S ometimesthey will communicatewith thescope,sometimes
they just won't. If you have tried all of the above and get no
communicationor intermit-
tentcommunication , purchasea USB-to-serial-portadapterand usethatratherthan the
built-inserialport.Also, checkthe computermanufactur er's web site, a BIOSupdate
that fixe
s theproblemmight be available.
• Most otherpotentials olutionsrequireinvestigatingand possiblychangingthesettings
for serialand/orIrDA portsin thecomputer'ssetup(BIOS settings).This requiresrea-
sonableexperiencein configuringcomputersand is not recommendedunlessyou are
alreadyfamiliar with suchprocedures .
Computersare fairly complex, and t hereareotherpossiblesources oftrouble, but hope-
fully one of these tips will resolve any issues you have.
Thereis somethingalluringaboutusing your own equipmentto producea photographof
a celestialobject.Hanging in your homeor office, such photosneverfail todrawattention
andcomments.W hen askedif you got theimagefrom a magazine,you can imaginethe
prideexperiencedwhen you say, "No, Itookthatmyself."
What you may notbe able toimagineis the hours of hard,oftenagonizingwork that
you will endureto createa photographyou can proudlydisplay.For everyacceptable
image produced,m anymorewill bethrownout. But ce rtainlythatmakesthe good ones all
thatmuch morespecial.
A trueintroductionto astrophotography is a book untoitself. In this chapterI will try to
give you the bigpicture,as well aspointoutNexStar-specificissues. For additionali nfor-
mation, I recommend:
• Astrophotographyfor theAmateurby Michael A. Covington- an excellentintroductory
book.
• The New CCD Astronomy:How to Capturethe Stars With a CCD Cam era in Your Own
Backyard by Ron Wodaski - the definitivebook on CCD astronomyfor theamateur
astronomer.
• http://groups .yahoo.com/group/digital_astro
- a discussiongroupon astrophotography
using digital cameras.
• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/videoastro- a discussiongroup on astrophotography
using video cameras.
• The QCUIAG web site -http://www .astrabio.demon .co.uk/QCUIAG - a greatcollection
of information and tools for using web cams and other video cameras for
astrophotography .
I will give you one specific tip - youm ustkeep accuratenotes. Although thereare many
guidelinesthatwill help you to producegood images,thereis a lot of trial and error
involved.I recommendyou keep alogbookfor your imagingefforts,separatefrom your
observinglog. For everyexposureyou shouldrecordthe objectbeingimaged(includethe
phaseof theMoon if thatwas your target), the equipmentused, the resultingfocal ratio,
the camerasettings,the exposuretime, the type of film (if applicable),andtheseeingcon-
ditions. This historicalreference will beinvaluableas you progress.

Camera Types
A w idevarietyof camerasare useful for astrophotogra phy c-ha ncesare you may already
havea suitable camerato getyou started.
35mm SLR Cameras The traditional camera for ast roph oto graphyis a 35mm
SLR with interchangeablelenses. M any people have just such a cameratuckedaway in the
closet.Up front though, youshould know that film require s longer exposur esthan allother
methods we will discuss and thus requires an accuratelytracking telescope mountwith
autogui decapability as a veryattractive option.The only N exStartelescop esthatmatch
this descriptionare the NexStar 8111 GPS and theNexStarSil8i. Addition ally,thelonger
exposures will requirethe scopeto bepolar-alignedon a wedge.
Wh en consideringa 3Smm SLR, notethatsome arebettersuited o t astrophotography
thanothers. The most crit icalfeature is theability to hold theshutteropen for ol ng periods
of time to allow the faint light ofep desky objectsto accumulateon the film. Look for a " B"
shutt erspeedsett ing. With thi s sett ing the shutterwill stay open aslong as the buttonis
pressed.To reduceshake and hold the shutt erbuttonin place, you will need a locking
shutte r elease
r ca ble. Another nice feature is a camerathat manually hold s the shutt er
open. Most 35mm SLR cameras rely on the battery to hold the shutte r,a serious disad van -
tage,especially ni coldweatherwhen batt eriesquickly loosepower.
Focu sing on faint objectsis sur pr isingly difficultwith most cameras. Some 3Smm SLR
came ras have interchangeable cusing fo screens . Focusing screens that allow maximum
light to pass through aid in focu sing .Another useful feature is a viewfindermagnifier to
further ease ocusing.
f These accessories are availableat fully stockedcamerastores .
W henselecting filmand total exposure times, a littl eexperi mentation is in order. There
are many variables involved,primarybeing film spee d,shutte rspeed,focallengthof the
telescop e,p rime focus or eyepiece projecti on a , nd the inher entbrightness of the object
being photogra phed. A full descript ion is w ell beyond the intend ed scopeof this book, so I
would refer you toany of a good number of books on astrophot ograph y.Your locallibrary,
book stor e,or the Internet would be places to sta rt. In pa rticul ar I recommend
As trophotograph y for the Amateu r by Michael A. Coving ton and The Backyard
A stronomer's Guide by TerenceDickinson and Alan Dyer.
Digital Cameras A much easierway to get yourastrophotography feet wet is with

a digitalcamera(Figure 1l.I).While not well suitedfor fainterobjects- even the best
commercial digital cameras can captureimages of only thebrightest deep sky objects-
wonderful images of theplanets and the M oon are being creat edregularly with digital
cameras.A great resour cefor inform ation as well as getting your questi
ons answered is the
digital cameraastrophotogra phy di scu ssion gro up onYahoo:http:// groups.yahoo.com/
group/digital_astro.
Addition alprocessing of images isgenerally accomplished ona personal co mputer(PC);
W ind ows or Macintosh computers are commonly used. It is commo n to captur esevera l
images in rapid successionand then electronically"s tack" them in the Pc. The resulting
image has improved detail with redu ced noise. To take adva ntageof this technique, a
remot e control for thecame rais a greataccessory. Using the remo te,you can easily sna p
multipleimages withoutshaking the camera.
Astrophotography with a NexStar 195

4 on a wedge.
Attachedto therear
port: LAR , SCT visual
bock, eyepiece, digital
cameroadopter,and
digitalcamero.Photo
courtesy Jordi Sese
.
Video Cameras Traditionalvideo cameras(video tapecamcorders)and PC-

basedvideo cameras(oftencalled web cams) are a notherway to capturethe brighter
objects in the sky. With theadditionof a small videomonitoror TV, it is also a great way
to sharetheseobjectswith agroup in real time. Some of thebetterastronomy-specific
video cameras will even let you captureand display relatively faint deep sky objects in real
time.
At some point, if youintendto produceprintedphotographs or post your images on the
Internet,a computerwill berequired.With some video cameras, you will be abletrans- to
fer video files toyour computervia eithera USB or an IEEE 1394 port.For othervideo
cameras you will need to purchasea videocapturedevice.Convertinga video file to a still
image requiresadditionalprocessingwith avarietyof PC-basedsoftwareavailable. In
essence,a video file ishundredsof snapshotsthatcan bestacked forgreatlyimproved
detail.
In the pastthoseinterestedin video astronomywere forced to work with less than
optimalweb cams,usuallyperformingpermanentmodificationsto make them more suit -
able to the task. Still, these modified web cams were only capablelow-resolution
of images
of the brightercelestialobjects.Today, you will find a widevarietyof video cameras
specificallymanufacturedfor astronomy.Lower-pricedmodels,generallyno morethan
about $200, are available from SAC Imaging (http://www .sac-imaging.com).Sky-
AstronomyQuest.com(http://www . astronomyquest.com).Adirondack Video Astronomy
(www.astrovid.com),and others.These lower-pricedmodelsare still onlysuitablefor
brighterobjects, but they are ready out of the box.
A very exciting class of videocamerasfor astronomyis based on newer, super-sensitive
CCD chips. AdirondackVideo Astronomy(http://www.astrovid.com) offers the Astrovid
StellaCam EX, ITE Telescopes (http://www.itetelescopes.com) has the DeepSky Pro B&W
and the slightlymoresensitiveDeepSky PRO EX B&W, and for ahighly sensitivecolor
videoastronomycameraconsiderITE's ColorEye PRO . All of these cameras integrate mul-
tiple video frames on the fly, allowing deep sky objects to be displayed on amonitor
video
or capturedon videotapeor a PC.
Note that manyastronomy-specific video camerasareblack-and-whiteonly.While this
is not adisadvantagefor the Moon and most of the deep sky objects theycapture,
can you
will most likely want color forJupiter,Saturn,Mars, and somenebulae.As a tradeoff, the
betterblack-and-whitevideo camerasare much more light-sensitivethancolor video
cameras,allowing the black-and-white models to show much fainter objects.An
alternativeis to use ablack-and-whitecamera to capturethreevideo clipsthroughdiffer-

ent colored filters and then digitally
combinethe results.
To getstartedvisit the QCUIAGweb site -http://www. astrabio.demon .co.uk/QCUIAG.
To ask questionsand for feedback on your efforts, join the Yahoo video
astronomydiscus-
sion group- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/videoastro.
CCD Astronomy Cameras (Figure 11.2) Forlong-exposureimages of faint

objects, you really have two choices: film camerasor CCD astronomycameras -generally
justreferredto as CCD cameras.CCD camerasenjoy severaladvantagesover film. First,
theyrequireshorterexposuretimes tocapturefaint objects.Anotheradvantageis that
CCD camerasdo notsufferfrom thecharacteristic of film known as reciprocityfailure.
During longer exposures, film steadily loose s its ability torecordadditionallight and even-
tuallyfails altogether. CCD camerascontinueto capturelight in asteady,linearfashion
throughoutthe exposure . A final clear advantage is the nearly instantfeedback you receive
with a CCD camera. You can view the capturedimages on acomputerscreenimmediately
withoutthe need to process a roll of film.
Film does still have someadvantages.Most CCD chips are very smalland thuscannot
capturelargesectionsof the sky. For larger objects this may requiremultipleimages to be
tiledtogetherto createa completecompositeof thesubject.This is steadilychangingas
largerastronomy-capable CCD chips are now beingreleasedon themarket, butthey are
very expensive. Anotherarea where film still offers an advantageis the realmof color
imaging. Most CCD camerasareblack-and-white .To producecolor images it isnecessary
to captureat leastthreeimages, eachthrougha differentcoloredfilter, and then combine
themdigitallyon acomputer.Typically this isaccomplishedwith a filter wheel that holds
all requiredfilters androtatesthem intopositionas necessary. Some filter wheels are even
controlledautomaticallyby a computer . One finaladvantageis overall cost. A 35mm film
camerais cheaperthaneven anintroductorylevel CCD camera.And most CCD cameras
will requirea computeralongside the telescope when you capturingimages.
are
Figure 11.2. 5BIG

5T-237 A C CD camero
on a Nex 5tor 11 G P5 .
Photo courtesy Jeff
Richords.
In some ways, the term"CCO camera"is ambiguous.The heart of such a camerais a

CCO (charge-coup led device) chip. Mostdigitalcamerasand videocamerasalso capture
theirimages with a CCO chip . But CCO camerasare designedfor exposuresof many
minuteswhile digitalcamerasseldomallow exposuresof morethanaboutone minute.
Video camerasaredesignedto capturemultipleexposureseach minute.Longer exposures
on digitalcamerasare notpracticaldue to noisebuildupthatshows itself aslight-colored
flecksthroughoutthe image. This noise can be red ucedif the CCO chip is cooled .
Since the CCO chip ismountedin thedarkinsides of thecamera,alteringa camerafor
cooling is generallyimpractical(you will findthatlongerexposuresare possiblewith a
digital cameraduring very cold weather). CCO cameras incorporateCCO chips with
improvedlight sensitivityand such camerasemploy activecooling. They are, in effect,
" air-conditioned". This is w
hy they are capableof the longerexposuresrequiredto capture
thefaint est objects.
The most popular models of CCOcamerascome from Santa Barbara Inst ru mentGroup
(SBIG) (http://www.s big.com),Apogee Instruments (http: //www.ccd.com), and Starlight
Xp ress (http: //www.starlight-xpress.co
.uk). StarlightX press has the distinctionof produ c-
ing the only full-color CCO astronomy cameras. Meade Instruments(http ://www.
meade.com)also man ufactur ers CCOcameras,b utthe comparablypricedmodelsfrom
the big threearerecom mended .
SAC Imaginghas recentlyintroducedtwo newmodels, the SAC?and SAC8, provi ding
low-cost, cooled CCD cameras somewherebetweentraditional CCOcameraand video
camera tec hno logies.The SAC? series are full-color; theSAC8 is black-and-white.They are
relatively low-cost andprovidean affordable entryinto long-exposure astrophotography.
Note thatmost CCO cameras use eitherthe parallelport or the serial portto transfer
images to a compu ter. Newer CCO camerasuse a USB interfacefor much faster im age
transfer- a highly recommendedfeature.
Capturingtheimages and processingthem aftertransferringthem to acomputer will be
required.The software that comes with the camerawill generally suffice to getyou started,
but most serious imagers elect to sue alternatesoftware tofurtherautomatethe image pro-
cessing and captur e process. Popular software package s such as MaxIm OL from
CyanogenImaging Products or CCOSoft from Software Bisque (http://www .bisque .com)
can greatly reducethe effortrequiredto get grea t images.
Be careful when choosinga CCD camerafor your telescope. The objectsyou will image
and the focal le ngth of your telescope will dicta te th e camerasbest suitedfor the task.
Again, this top ic is beyond the scope of this book, so prior to spending thousands of
dollars on a CCO camera, the book The New CCD Astronomy: How to Cap tu re theStars
With a CCD Camera in Your Own Backyardby Ron Wodaski isrequired rea ding.
Mounting the Camera

The reare several differentways to use a came ra to phot ographthe night sky. To some
extent the camerawill dictate whic
h techniques you can apply.
Piggyback Any camerawith its own lens can bemountedpiggybackon larger

scopes. The camera is mounted on top of the scope,with a specific piggybackbracket or
genericmountingrails (see Chapter8 for more details). nI addition to a mount, you
should also considera slow-motion adaptersuch as are availablefrom Orion,and Baader
Planetarium(Baader calls theirs "Witty 1" ), or most camerashops.Theseadaptersattach
between th e mountand the camera, allowing anefilevel of control over the pointingof the
camera. This greatly improves your ability tocomposea shotwhile using the main tele-
scope to guide on anybrightstar in the area.
Exposuresof severalminutesaregenerallyrequiredto capturefaint nebulaeandstar

fields. 3Smm SLRand CCD camerasare commonly used, althoughsome haveexperi-
mentedwith digitalcameras.A camerawith interchangeable lenses isdesirableto allow
various magnificationsand fields of view to becaptured.Piggyback astrophotography
almost alwaysrequirespolar-alignmenton a wedge due to the longer exposures.
Afocal With the afocalm ethod,a camera,with its lens in place, matedto
is the eye-
piece of thetelescope.This is the best (inmost cases only) methodsuitablefor digital
cameras,video camcorders,and standardweb cams. In fact, afocalastrophotography was
seldompracticeduntildigitalcamerasbecamewidely available.It is possibleto simply
hold the cameraup to theeyepiece,but much betterresultsare possiblewith special
adaptersto hold thecamerasecurelyto the eyepiece. The most criticalkey to good afocal
imaging ispositioningthe lenses of the camera very closely to the first lens of the eyepiece.
Indeed,theyshouldalmosttouch.To insuresuch closepositioning,thepropereyepiece
and mountingadaptermust be carefully selected.
Prime Focus When imaging at primefocus, thecameralens isremovedand the

camerais mounteddirectlyin place of thetelescopeeyepiece. Thetelescopebecomesthe
camera'slens. Thismethodis commonlyused with 3SmmSLR cameras, CCD cameras, and
video camerasdesignedfor astronomy. Since thecamerais placed where the eyepiece is
normallylocated,it is commonto use a "flipmirror" or off-axisguiderto allowbotha
cameraand an eyepiece to be used. Thediagonalis replaced with the flipmirroror guider.
The camerais mountedat the rear and an eyepiecemountedin
is the tube comingstraight
up from the side of the flip
mirroror guider.If using an off-axisguider,after the image is
centered,an autoguiderwill often be used in place of the eyepiece as shown in Figure 11.3.
Due to relatively long exposure times, prime focus
astrophotography requires very accu-
rate tracking. Long exposuresalso requirepolar alignmenton a wedge, andguiding
(manualor auto) is generally needed. The NexStar 4 and all of the SCT models are capable
of meeting theserequirements, althoughonly the NexStar Si/8i and NexStar 8/11 GPSallow
autoguiding(discussedlater in thischapter).
Figure 11.3. Off-axis

guider with CCD auto-
guider and 35mm
camero . Photo courtesy
Andrew Riehl.
Eyepiece Projection While primefocus astrophotographyproducesstunning

images ofextendedobjects, the added magnificationrequiredfor smallersubjects, such as
theplanetsand close-ups of the Moon, providedwith
is the eyepieceprojectiontechnique .
Eyepieceprojectionis similar to afocal except the lens is removed fromcameraand
the the
camerais mountedabove the telescope's eyepiece . Just as with visualobservation,different
eyepieces can be used to vary
magnification.Eyepieceprojectionplaces evenmoresevere
demandson trackingand guiding than prime focus photography.
Focusing
Often we find itdifficultto achieve good focus even when visually observingat the eye-
piece. Focusd uringimaging is even more critical capturingthe
to best possible images. In
fact, even the s lightestdeviationfrom correctfocus becomespainfullyobvious during
longerexposures.To makemattersworse, it is much more difficult to focus the telescope
with a cameramounted.
As discussedearlier, you may find necessary
it to replace the focusing screen of a 35mm
SLR camerato allowenoughlight throughthe viewfinderfor accuratefocusing. Also, a
viewfinder magnifier aids the process. With most CCD cameras you must adjustthe focus,
wait for theupdatedimage totransferto thecomputerscreen andrepeatuntil you achieve
a good focus.Focusingwith a digitalc amerarequiresa camerawith a small LCD preview
panel;otherwiseyou aresimply "shootingin the dark." The small viewscreenon most
camcordersallows fairlyaccuratefocusing, but for an easier time ofconnectthecamera
it,
to a smalltelevisionor video monitor. The samesuggestioncan beusedwith manyweb
cams and even some digital cameras .
While you will likely find thesetechniquessufficientto focus on theplanetsand the
Moon, focusing on stars and otherdeep skyobjectsis truly difficult.Many find the
Hartmannmask indispensable,especiallywhen imagingat primefocus. The Hartmann
mask is simply a cardboardcoverthatfits over thefrontof thetelescope.Two or three
holes (refer to Figure 11.4) are cut into cardboard
the and focusis achieved when the light
from all the holesmerges into a tight pattern . Kwik Focus from Kendrick Astro
Instrumentsis a ready-madeHartmannmask, or you can easily make your own.
A newer techniquesaid toprovideevenbetterfocus utilizes twobungeecords (thick
elastic cords)stretchedacross the front of the scope at right angles. The cords form an "X"
Figure 11 .4.
Hartmann mask .
centeredon thefrontof the scope. When pointedat abrightstar,thecordswill cause dif-

fraction spikes easily visible in the camera. Focus until the spikes are as small as possible.
And finally, focusing isconsideredso cru cial thatcomputersoftware has been designed
to analyzethe image from CCDcamerasand drive motorizedfocusersto automatically
provide the best image. MaxIm DL from Cyanogen and PCFocus/FocusAide from
AdirondackVideo Astronomyare two examples.
Accurately Tracking the Sky

Exposureslongerthanjusta fewsecondsrequirea mountthataccuratelytracksthe sky.
Additionally,exposureslongerthanabouta minuterequirea polar-alignedmount.For
NexStar telescopes,polar alignmentrequires a wedge to tilt the s cope such that the
azimuthaxis (a linecomingstraightup from thecenterof the base) is in line with the axis
of theEarth.Anotherway ofsaying this isthatthe forkarms are pointedat thenorthor
southcelestial pole.
As notedin Chapter8, the NexStar 4, NexStar 5/5i/8/8i, and NexStar 8/11 GPS can all be
easilymountedon a wedge. Figure 11.5 shows a NexStar 11 GPS on a wedge.Mounting the
otherNexStars on a wedge wouldrequirethat youbuilda wedge oradapteryourself. After
mountingon a wedge, use the a lignmentmethodsdiscussedin Chapter4 to get a fairly
Figure 11 .5 . NexStar
1 1 GPS polar-aligned
on a wedge. The fork
arms are pointed
towardsthe north
celestial pole. Photo
courtesyBob Berta.
accuratepolar alignment.For exposures longer thana fewminutes, you will likely need to
refine thepolaralignmentwitha methodlike " driftalignment".
Even with a very good polar alignmentthe gears in most mountsare notaccurate
enoughto allow unguided images longerthan justa fewminutes. The NexStar8/1 1 GPS
includea featureknown as PermanentP eriodicError Correction (PPEC) to improvethe
maximum possibledurationof unguidedimages.PPEC, describedin Chapter5, allows
longerunguided images, althoughthe maximumtime is dependentupon the focallength
of your configur ation, th
e subject's pla
cementin the sky, and other factor s.
Longer expos ureswill usuallyrequire that the telescopebe guided. Guiding can be per-
formedby manually keeping a starcentered ina reticleeyepiece or by an autoguidercon-
nected ot the NexStar5i18i and NexStar 8/ 11 GPS models' Auto Guide port.The autoguider
contains a CCD chi p and att empts ot keep a star locat ed on the same pixel (pictur e
element) for thedurationof the expo sur e. Guiding requir es eit her a piggyback-mounted
guide scope (a small refractor telescop e)or an off-axis guider(shown earlier inFigure
11.3). The er ticleeyepie ce or autoguideris mounted in either the guidescope or theoff-
axis guider.Some CCD camerasand astronomy-specific videocamerascan be used to both
guide andcapturean image.The cameraaltern ates betw eenthe two tasks and thu s an off-
axis guider is not neededfor aseparateautoguider.
Digital Ima ge Processing

Images capturedwith a digitalor CCD camera are d igital in nature. Images capturedwith a
video camera must be convertedto digital (as discussedearlier)if you wish to makeprints
or post theimage on the Int ernet.While it is possiblethat the raw images will be ofsuitable
qualityfor presentation,most astrophotogr aphersprocess theirimagesin various PC-
based software to bringout the best possibleappearance .
The most popularprocessingsoftware for the final imag e is Adobe Photo shop,although
otherpackagescan als o be used .Advancedtechniques such as dark frame subtraction,
unsharp mask, and color balancingare used to improve contrast and overallappearance .
Photoshop is also usefulto combinethe black-and -whit e CCD im agestakenthroughcolor
filtersto produ cea final color image.
As discussed earlier,mult iple vide o framesand digital camera expos ures are often
"s tacked"(combined) ot producea finalimagewith greaterdetailand contrast.Two useful
program s for stacking are AstroStack (htt p:// www.astros tack.com) and Regista x
(http://a ber rator.astronomy .net/registax)othb free for download.
Digital and Video Cameras

All NexStar models are acpableof fine imagesusing a digital camerain an afocalmanner.
A ll NexStar scopescan be usedsuccessfully for video imaging as well. Inbothcases the
biggestchallengemightbe balancingthe added load of th e camera,especiallywhen using
the NexStar 60/80/114/4 s copes. The addedweight can cause te rribletracking and in
extreme ca ses the scope may not be able to track at all. Theestsolutionis
b to addweight to
offset the load. Ankle weight s used when exercisingare a goodsuggestion, but many possi-
ble solutions exist if you use a little cre
ativity.
When mountedin thealtitude-azimuthmode,thetracking of the earlier NexStars - the
60/8011 14/4/5/8 m odels - is not usually accura te en o ugh for digit al cameraexposur es
lon gerthan just a fewseconds. Infact,the simplemotion of tracking can cau seblurred
imagesin theshortest expo s ures.If you expe rience thi
s problem, afterfocusing with the
came ramountedturntrackingoff (on the Menu button) whe n taking images.GoTo still
works and you can manually center your object and sna p sho ts after any vibra tions
subside.
Long-Exposure CCD and Film Imaging

The NexStar8111 GPS were desig ned from thegroundup with this in mind. Their rock-
solid design,PPEC , andautoguide capabilityprovide a greatplatformfor long-exposure
imaging. They also offer the ve r satility of multiplefocal ratios when using focalreducers
and Fastarcapability.The NexStar5i18i can letyou getyour feet wet,althoughthe single
fork arm and spur gears do not offer the beststability and tra cking.To theiradvantagethe
NexStar5i/8i can also use focal reducer s an d offerautoguidecapability as w ell. The NexStar
4/5/8 can ebusedon a wedgefor longer exposures, butyou will needto manuall yguide any
exposures longer thana minute.
Correctlybalancingthescope is the key to the preci se guiding and trackingrequiredfor
lon g-exposure astrophotogr aph y. For objects in the ea sternsky, balan cethescope to bea
bit front heavyin the RA(azimuth)axis. For objectsin the western ks y, cha nge the balanc e
to back heavy.This is when a sliding weight set, availablefor the NexStar 811 1 GPS and dis-
cussedin Chapter8,proves very useful.The key is to keepthe RA (azimuth) motordriving
the gearsagainst the weight. An alternatemethodis to use weightson the lower fork arm,
the one that si being lifted by the rotationof the RA axis.
In relationshipto the Dec (altitude) xis a the scope always needsto be a little unbalanced,
fro nt- or back-heavy, when mounted on a wedge. This prevent sbacklash from causing
problems with guiding and tracking on that axis. If thescope is perfectlybalancedin Dec, it
can " float" from oneside of the gear play to the other. For some orient ationsof theoptical
tube,it is necessaryto place weightsalong thebottomand top of the telescopeto achieve
thecorrect balan ceon bothaxes.
Occasionally you will choose to im agean objectthatis very faint; some may actuallybe
too faint to see visually .The film orCCD chip will be able torecordsuch faint images - but
only if you getthemcentered in th e frame .For addedGoTo precision you might find it
useful to use the Re-Alignment featuredescribedin Cha pter 4. Realign on a starnearto
your target.T henwhen youGoTo that faint objectit should be locatednear thecenterof
the CCD chip or film frame.
The Auto Guideporton the NexStar 5i/ 8iand NexStar 8111 GPS is design edto becom-
patible with the SBIG ST 4 sta nda rd. The ST 4 operates likeour
f simpleswitches, one for
each of the four slew dire ction s. Most autog uide rs use electro nicswitchesand require a
relaybox as an interfacebetweenthe autoguiderand the telescop e. Som e have successfully
used their autoguiderwithouta relaybox,but Iwould recomm endthe relaybox. In addi-
tion to providing the required in ter face, th e relaybox also electrically si olatesthe autogu-
ider/camer a from ethtelescope el ectronics. The motors in the scope are a potent ial ource
s
of electrical noise that can spoil images insomecameras.
S econda ry mirror
Focal plane
f! 10 co nfigura tion
Figure 11.6.
Standard f!1 0
configuration compar ed
ST·237 CC D camera
to Fastar f/2
configuration. Drawings
Fastar configuration
courtesy Celestron.
Celestron's Fastar System

The NexStar 8/11 GPStelescopesincorporatea uniquecapabilityknown as Fastar. When
imaging, faster focal ratios (f/5 for example is faster
thanf/10) allow fors horterexposure
times andcapturea wider section of sky in any given frame size. As we will discuss in the
next section,focal reducersare typicallyused toprovidea fasterfocal ratio,butFastar
exceeds what is possible with a focal reducer.
The NexStar 8/11 GPStelescopeshave removablesecondarymirror assemblies.A
threadedlockring holds the secondary in place, yet allows easy removal. r removing
Afte the
secondarymirror,a Fastar lens assembly mountedin
is its place.In turn,a CCD camera si
mountedon the Fastar lens. The result is a focal ratioapproximately
of f/2 (Figure 11.6).
The standardfocal ratio of the NexStar 8/11 GPS scopes is f/10 . Images takenat f/2
requireexposures25 times shorterthanf/10. A faintnebularequiring three20-minute
exposuresthroughcolor filters can now be completed with three exposures of just 1 minute
each. Fastaris not suitablefor everyobject,b utit is awonderfulway to getstartedwith
many deep sky objects. An addedadvantageis thatmost objectscan beimagedwithout
guiding due to the short exposure times.
One caveat exists - the only camerasupportedfor allFastarmodelsis Santa Barbara
InstrumentGroup's ST-237.The ST-237 is quiteaffordable- in fact it is one of the least
expensivecamerasSBIG makes - and offersadvancedfeaturessuch as Track and
Accumulatemode (autoguidingand imagingwith a singlecamera)and anoptionalinte-
grated filter wheel for color imaging
.With the correctadapterssome Fastar lens assemblies
arecompatiblewith the MX5Cand MX7C camerasfrom StarlightXpress. It is best to ask
before you buy to insure a specific cameracompatible
is with Fastar.
Celestron makes a Fastar lens(model 94180) for the NexStar 8 GPS . Starizona
(http://www.starizona .com) makes and sells its ownF astar-compatible lens assemblies
Figure 11.7.
HyperStar and ST-237
on the NexSta r 1 1
GPS . Photo courtesy
Sta rizona.
under the name of HyperStar.They have models for both the NexStar 8 GPS and the
11 GPS (Figure 11.7). HyperStar lens assemblies provide an even fa
s ter focal ratio
thanCelestron's offerings.
Adapters for Astrophotography

The various methods of photograph ydiscussed n
i thischapterrequireadapter
s for attach-
ing thecamera to the telescope or
educingthe
r focal length to
shortenexposuretime.
Prime Focus and Eyepiece Prejecflen Adapters The most

commonmethodof attaching3Smm and some CCD camerasto a tele scopeis with the use
of astandardizedthreadreferred to as a T-Mount (BaaderPlanetariumcalls it T-2). A T-
Ring made for ht e specificcamerais requiredto mate thecamerato the T-Mount. While
the end of the black focusertubeof the NexStar 80 is threaded asaT-Mount, all other
NexStar modelsrequirea T-Adapter toprovidethe T-Mount threadingthat then ma testo
the camera'sT-Ring.
StandardT-A dapters,sometimes calleduniversal adapters,are availablefor insertionin
a 1.2Sin focusertube or visual back. Schmidt-Cassegraintelescope(SCT) T-A da pters
thread to the rearof all NexStar SCT mo dels and are preferredas they offer awider
openingthatilluminates more of a 3Smm film frame. For the NexStar 4, good choices are
Orion's " T-Adapter for the C90 and Meade ETX telescope",BaaderPlanetarium 's " C90/N4
T-Adapter" , or Meade's " T-Adapter for ETX" . These standardT-Adaptersallow prime
focus photography,providing the widestpossible view (lowest magnification)dur ing
imaging.
When using a CCD or filmcamerato imagesmaller objects such as theplanetsand the
Moon, we need to pump up themagnification. For this,we turnto eyep ieceprojection
adapters.A s with T-Adapters, eyepieceprojectionadapters are made to fit into a 1.2Sin
focuser tube orthreaddirectly to the rear of an CT.
S An eyepieceis slid into theadapterto
provide the neededmagnification. The top of theadapteris threaded as aT-Mount, pro-
viding the neededconnection for thecamera. Eyepieceprojectionadaptersareavailable as

eitherstandardor variable adapters.Standardadaptersare a set len
gth and the onl
y way to
change themagnificationis to changethe eyepiecein use.Variableadaptersareadjustable
in length, allowing changes in m
agnificationby eitherchanging the length orybchanging
the eyepiece.
Celestron, BaaderPlanetarium , Meade, and Orion manufactur e a varietyofT-Mount
and eyepieceprojectionada pters . The adaptersfrom Baad erPlan etariumare espec ially
notabledue totheiruniquedesign s thatallow greatflexibility in mixing and matching
adapters ot get therequiredconfiguration.
Digital and Video Camera Adapters With the exception ofastronomy

video camerasdesignedto fit in the place of an eyepie ce,all othervideo camerasand
digital cameras are used in the afocalmethod.Better digital cam erasand camcordershave
threads in thefrontof theirlens assemblyfor the use of filters. When this is the case, a
threadedadapteris the best choice fora closematingof thecameraand the eyepiece . For
cameraswithoutfilterthreads, a large bracketis necessaryto hold the cameranearthe
eyepiece.In practice,it is extremelydifficult toadjustsuch bracket sto keep the camera
lens closelymatedto the eyepie ce.To provideeasy focusingand reducevignetting(dark-
ening aroundthe edge s of the image) , it is crucial that the camera slen be as close as possi-
ble to theeyepiece and that the camera sit squarely above the eyepiece.
ScopeTronix (http://www. scopetronix.com)manufactur es adaptersfor a wide variety fo
cameras.Mo st of their ada pters require the use of an eyepiecethathas a removablerubber
eyecupto allow three scr ews to secure the adapterto the e yepiece.I f you would rathernot
mar your eyepiece sand for additional flexibil ity, Baader Planetarium's OPFA s ystem
(http://www.alpinea stro.com and http:// www.baader-plan etarium.de) holds eyepieces
intern allyin the same fashion as an eyepiece projectionadapter.Threaded adapter rings
mount on top of the OPFA adapterfor connecting toyour camera.
OH-Axis Guiders and Flip Mirrors As mentionedearlier,with a CCD or

other cam eramountedin primefocus or eyepieceprojectionconfiguration s, a flipmirror
or off-axis guider is useful to sur
in ethe imageis centered in the field. An off-axis guideris
also convenientto manually guide an image withoutuse of a piggyback guide scope.
Celestron, Meade, the nowdefunct Lumicon,and Van Slyke Engineeringmake off-axis
guiders and flipmirrors. Mo st prefer the Lumicon and Van Slyke model s. It should also be
noted thatthe NexStar 4 ha s an internalflip mirrorand a rear port formountinga camera.
Focal Reducers A shorterfocal lengthmeans shorter exposure times. Also,

shorter focallengthsaremoreforgiving of trackingerrors caused by themountor poor
polar alignment.In additionto the Fastar lens assembly , there areotheroptionsto reduce
the focallengthof aSchmidt-Cassegraintelescope .SCT focal reducers threaddirectlyto
the rearof 5- and 8-inch SCTs (Figure 11.8). On the NexStar ,the 11 focal reducerthreads
to the largeadapter ring. A st and ard visual back (1.25in or in)
2 or cameraadapteris then
threadedto the focalreducer. Celestronand Meade make f/6.3 focal reducersand Meade
also makes an f/3.3 focal reducer.As theirnamesimply, these reducersconvertan fl10
SCT to an f/6.3 or f/3 .3 resp ectively . BaaderPlanetarium(http://www .baader-planetar-
ium.deand http://www.alpinea stro .com )makes a uniquely designedfocalreducerknown
as the Alan Gee Telecompressor M ark II - it converts an fIlO SCT to f/5.9. Optec
(http://www.optecinc .com/astr on omy)makes fl5 and f/3.3 focal redu cers, which they call
telecompre ssors.
Figure 11.8. This

NexStar 5i has a
piggyback 35mm
camera on top .
Attached to the rear: an
f/6.3 focal reducer;
followed by an off-axis
guider with illuminated
reticle eyepiece; and at
prime focus, a second
35mm camera mounted
at the rear of theguider
with a T-Ring. Photo
courtesyCelestron.
SAC Imaging has createdan f/7 focalreducerfor the NexStar .This

4 is quite an advan
-
tage over the original f/13 focal ratio.
It threadsto the NexStar 4's rear
portand providesa
standard 1.25inopeninggiving the flexibility tom ountmany of the accessories previously
discussed.It is also possibleto useCelestron'sC90 Large AccessoryRing (LAR ; Figure
11.9) in the rear port of a NexStar 4 to providestandard
a SCT threading.This would allow
you to use an SCT focalreducer.Additionallyyou would need an SCT visual back (Figure
11.1) orothersuitable camera adapter . Note that an f/6.3 focal
reduceractually reduces the
existing focal length to 63% of the original, sthu
such acombinationwouldproducea focal
ratio of about f/8 on a NexStar 4.
Conclusion · -- .
Astrophotographycan be arewardingand challengingextensionof your interestin
astronomy,b utyou mustbe preparedfor thedisciplineand timerequirementsastropho-
tographydemands. Many beginningbackyardobserversfeel thedesireto jump into
astrophotography very early on. Is tronglyrecommendthatyou spendat least a year
limitedto visualobservationbefore you delve into imaging. See as much as you can with
your own eyes before yout urnto the task ofcapturingphotonswith a camera.
Figure 11.9. This

Nex Star 4 has on LAR
cttcched to the rear
port, followed by on
SCT T-Adapter, a nd
then a 35 mm camero
mounted c ttoched with
a T-Ring. Also note the
magnifier crtoched to
the viewfinderof the
camero. Photo courtesy
Booder Plonetorium.
The astrophotoscomprising Figures 11.10through11.23 and those includedin Chapt er2

were taken with NexStar telescopes.additionto
In these images you will findanymore
m at
the NexStar Group's Image Gallery- http://www.buya .;trostuff.com/dons. Most of these
folks arebeginners- every image theyproduceis betterthan the last.
Figure 11.10. Jupiter

imaged with a Nex Star
8 and a digital
ca mera . Imag e by AI
Fugiera .
Figure 11.11. Saturn

8 and a video
astronomy camera .
Image by Chr is Wilkie.
Astrophotography with a NexStar ' 209
Figure 11 .1 2. Jupiter and one of its Figure 11. 13. Saturn imaged with a
moons imaged with a NexStar 114 and a NexStar 114 and a digital camera . Image
digital camera. Image by Dove Sean. by Dove Scan.
Figure 11.14. Close-up of the Moon imaged with a NexStar 114 and a d igital camera .
Image by Kevin Brett.
Figure 11.1 S. Saturn

5 and a digital video
comera. Image by
Dr. Moria Marian i.
Figure 11.16. The Sun with close-ups of sunspot groups . Imaged with a NexStar 5,
Baoder AstroSolar Film, and a digital camera . Image by Dr. Mor ia Marian i.
Figure 11.17. Close-

up of the Moon imaged
with a NexStar 5 and a
digital video camera .
Image by Dr. Mario
Mar iani.
Figure 11.1 8. The

Crab Nebula (M 1)
11 GPS and a CCD
camera . Image by
Vernon Riley.
Figure 11.19. Saturn

and its moon Titan
4 and a modified
webcam . Image by
Stephone Poirier.
Figure 11.20. Jupiter

and its moon Europa
5 and a digital video
camera . Notice
Europa's shadow on
Jupiter's surface. Image
by Dr. Mario Mariani .
Figure 11.21. NGC

891 imaged with a
NexStar 11 GPS and a
CCD camera. Image by
Vernon Riley.
Figure 11 .22. The

Hercules Cluster (M13)
11 GPS and a CCD
camera. Image by
Vernon Riley.
Figure 11 .23. The

Dumbbell Nebula
(M27) imaged with a
NexStar 11 GPS and a
CCD camera. Image by
Vernon Riley.
As is true with any machine or strument
in , a littlepreventivemaintenancewill keep your
NexStar in top shape for many years to come. Depend ing upon your mechanicalinclina-
tion, you may elect to follow
some of theproceduresin this chapter,or perhapsyou will
ask your dealer to occasionally overhaul your telescope.
Optical Surfaces
When it comes tocleaningoptical surfaces, clean infrequently
as as possible. Dust visible
on the optics in the light of day will
hardlybe detectable when the scope is in actual use. A
full cleaningof optical surfacesshouldbe performednot morethanonce every year.If
your optics don'tseem verydirtyafter a year,don'tclean them!Cleaningalmostalways
causes somepermanentdamage to your optics and most foreign mattercauses noharm.
When it does come time to clean keep two thingsin mind at all times: du st scratches
and be gentle.
I do recommendcleaning as soon as possible if any liquids (otherthan dew) wind up on
your optics.Otherthanthat, a lightdustingwith a large blower bulb and soft lens brush,
bothavailable from mosttelescopeand cameradealers,is the onlyregularcleaningyour
opticswill need. Istronglyrecommendyou do notuse cannedair. Some makescontain
propellantst hatwill adhereto your optics. Onh umiddays, allcannedair will cause very
harsh condensationto form on optics .
Eyepieces are theexceptionto thecleaningrule. Fingerprints, high humiditydue to
moisturefrom your eyes andbreathing,eye gunk, kids asking" Do you look righthere?"
while pointingwith theirchocolate-covered fingers - eyepieces seem to be magnetsfor
contaminants.While you still need to clean as infrequentlyas possible,eyepieces will
require more frequent cleaning thanotheroptical surfaces .
To protect your optics, always use thestdu covers and caps. Not only does this help keep
clean the opticalsurfaces you cansee, it also keeps dustout of the inside of the telescope
tube -an area you will seldom want to clean.

You will needa large blower bulb, camelhair

a brush,lint-free issues,
t and cleaningfluid.
The brush is used to verygentlydislodge any dustthatwon't leave the surfacewith air
from the bulb . Special lens cleaning ssuesare
ti available from mo st astronomyand photo-
graphydealers,a ndmanyexperiencedamateurastronomersuse white Kleenexs tissue s.
Be sur e not to usetissueswith lotionsor fragrance,only plainwhitetissues. And other
brandsdo not seem tohold up as welland tendto leavelint on thesurface. In no case
shouldyou use dry tissues of any type to rub your optics;atcheswill
scr result.
Cleaning fluids for glass surface
s can bepurchased,but many tend to leave a film . Alpine
Astronomical(http://www.alpinea stro.com)stocks andsuppliescleaning fluids that work
quite well, or you can make your own . M ix equalamounts of distilled water and isopropyl
alcohol(it is importantthatit is 91% alcoholor higher) and addtwo or threedrops of
liquid dishwashing soap - nothingfancy here,just plain dishwashing soap .A good idea for
using and storingthis fluid is a newspray bottle- it is bestnot to reuse a hou s ehold
cleanerspray bottle due to residue - it will be much easier to workinwith this fashion.
Obiective Lenses and Corrector Plates The frontglass sur faces on

refractor ,SCT, and Maksutov tele scopesaretreatedwith a fairly tough anti-reflective coat-
ings. Nonetheless,r epeatedcleaningscreatemicroscopicscratches in these coatingsthat
rob your telescope of some of contrast.
its U se a blower bulbregularlyto keep the surface
clear ofstraydust. A goodroutineto follow is to dust the opticsafter each use of the tele-
scope. Dust left on the surface will become stuck to it the next time your lens rrector
or co
is coveredwith dew. In fact,dew is your chiefenemy in keeping these sur faces clean.
Adequatedew preventionas discussedin Chapter8 will allow you to go a long time
between cleanings.
To clean your optics, follow these steps :
• Startby only cleaningon a bright, sunny day in aroom with lots of light from the
outside.Set upyour telescopeand pointthe fronta littleup from level. Set up chair a
and a small table and positionthe heightof the scope so that you can clearly eeany
s dust
on the lens orcorrectorwhen you are seated .
• Take the largeblowerbulb and removeall of thedustpossible.For the fewremaining
bits, use thecamelhairbrushto verygentlybrushthemloose.Follow with theblower
bulb. Remember: Dustscratches.
• Next,get two tissues, fold them into quarters (this results in a4-inch/lOcmsquare)and
set one aside. Spray (or otherwi se wet) the cleaning fluid on theothertissue untilabout
half of itis damp. Do not use so much flu id that it isdripping,just damp. Working from
thecenterof the lens orc orrectorplate, drag the tissue to the edge. Follow immediately
by draggingthe dry tissueacrossthe same area to a bsorbthe fluid. Throw thosetwo
tissues away andrepeatwith anotherpair,workingyour wayaroundthe lens or correc -
tor. If you notice any stubborndirt, do not rub, instead, repeatwith a dampand dry
tissue until clean. Remember : Be gentle, do not apply pressure.
• After you havecompletedthe entiresurface, gentlyb reatheon thesur face and ook l for
streaks. If there are any
, repeat with a damp and drysue tis across that area.ight
L streak-
ing will not generallybe noticeableduringactual use;do not be overlyconcernedwith
perfection .
Mirrors The mirrorsof SCTand Maksutov telescopes are quite well

protectedin their
closedopticaltubes;it will bemanyyears beforeany cleaningis required. By thattime,
they mayactuallyneed to berecoated,a taskrequiringexpertattention . The disassembly
requiredto clean themirrorswill not be discu
ssed here, but I would refer you to the excel-
Maintenance, Care, and Cleaning 21
lentbook Choosing and Using a SchmidtCassegrain Telescopeby Rod Mollise for addi-
tional details.
The mirrorsin a Newtoniantelescopeare open to theoutsideand will occasionally
requirecleaning. Again, removinga littledustmay requireonly forced air from a blower
bulb. Themirrorsmust be removed from the optical tube and from supportspriorto
their
cleaning.The surfaceof a mirroris very delicateand easy toscratch;be carefulnot to
touchit.Startby removingthe threescrews on the sides of the primarymirrorcell, the
black metal ring on the rear of the scope
. Hold themirrorcell as you remove the screws to
preventthemirrorfrom falling. Remove the screws on the clips holdingthemirrorin the
cell and set them irroraside,shiny side up. Remove the s econdarysupportby loosening
the hex screws slightly and completely removing the large
centerscrew. Be sure to hold the
secondarysupport to preventit from falling when the screw comes loose. Set the
secondarymirroraside.
For mirrors,you will need purecottonballs (syntheticmaterialswill likelyscratchthe
surface)if there are anys tubbornspots. You will also need a sink to work in, a mild dish-
washingsoap, and a couple of towels. Before starting,remove any rings from your fingers
to avoidaccidentalscratches. To clean the primarymirror,follow these steps:
• Take the largeblowerbulb and removeall of the dustpossible.Do not use abrushon
stubbornparticles; amirroris much more delicate than a coated lens.
• Line asink with a towel and run warm waterover thesurfaceof themirrorto remove
additionaldust.
• Fill thesink with about2 inches (5 em) of warm water. Add 2 ordropsof
3 mild dish-
washing soap. Mix the soap into the water and then setmirror,shiny
the side up, in the
bottomof the sink. Allow it to soak for a few minutes.
• Lift themirrorandlook for remainingdirtor spots.To attemptto removethem,sub-
merge themirroragain andgentlydraga cottonball acrossthesurface.Do not apply
any pressureat all; let the weight of the
cottondo the work. Work only in satraightline;
do not make acircularmotion. Remember: Be gentle.
• After you havefinished,drainthe sink and run warm water over the m irror.Tilt the
mirrorandallow all the water to drain.If any waterdropsremain,dip thecornerof a
tissue in thedrop to absorbit. Set themirrorat an angle on a large towel and allow it to
completelydry beforereassemblingthe scope.
To clean thesecondarymirror,follow thedirectionsabove for lenses, being extra careful
not to apply anypressurewith the tissuesd uringcleaning. Note that the
secondaryoften
does notattractas much dirt as the
p rimarydue to theirorientations
.
Eyepieces Eyepieces can be quite difficult to clean, especially those shorterfocal

of
lengthswith theirextremelysmall lenses.Additionally,it issometimesnecessaryto clean
thebottomlens on theinsideof thebarrel- an especiallydifficultlocationto reach.The
generalprocedureso utlinedfor lensesandcorrectorplates are also useful for eyepieces.
As usual, startwith a gooddustingusing a bulbblowerand camelhairbrush. Extra care
must be takennot to use too muchcleaningfluid as itmight leak down into the lens
assembly. If this occurs, donotattemptto disassemblethe eyepiece; you are
certainto do
more harm than good.
An alternativeis to purchasea productknown as LensPen Mini Pro. This tool has a non-
abrasivecleaningtip on one endand a camelhairbrush on theother.The tip is small
enoughfor all but thesmallesteyepiece lenses. Since theLensPen'scleaningtip picks up
dust that may scratch lens coatings, be sure to dustpriorto
well use.
Diagonals As discussedin Chapter8, diagonalscome in two types: glass prism and

mirror.Prism diagonals use atriangular-shapedglass prism with a side facing the eyepiece
holderand a side facing the front barrel. As always, the frequent
only cleaning you should
performis removingdustwith a bulb blower and camelhair
a brush.When moreserious
cleaning is necessary,recommend
I using a LensPen or removing the prism and cleaning it
like an objective lens.
Standardmirror diagonals are easily scratchedand apartfrom dusting should be
cleaned only rarely. The safest
methodis to remove them irrorand follow themirrorclean-
ing procedureabove. Dielectricm irrors(mostmanufacturer'scall these"enhanced")are
immuneto scratchingduringnormalcleaning. Remove dustwith theblowerand brush
andeitherclean with the lensprocedureor use a LensPen.
Exterior Surfaces
Any cloth can be used to remove dust from exterior
the of your telescope. I preferto use a
furniturepolishing cloth (dry). For any stubborndirt,use a slightly damp cloth. To
producea nice, clean sheen on all those stylish curved surfaces, use a plastic
conditioning
wipe likeArmor Aile.Anotherusefulproductfrom the car care c enteror boat shop is car
or fiberglass wax. Applied to optical tubes, wax provides a great shineprotects
and the tube
as well. Use care not to get wax on plastic surfaces
;some waxes leave a white residue that is
difficult to remove
, resulting in a scope that looks worse than when you started!
The mechanicaldesign of the NexStar 60/801114/4 and the NexStar S/Si/8/8itelescopesis

actuallyquitesimple. If you are mechanicallyinclinedyou will find it easy tocompletely
disassembleand reassembleany of them. There are only a few mechanicala djustmentson
these models and they are forgiving of slightmaladjustment. These models also have few
internalwires,furthersimplifying maintenance.
The NexStar8111 GPS telescopesare a bitmorecomplicated.The much moreprecise
gearsand bearingsrequiremoreexactingadjustment. Thereare alsomany morewires
routedthroughoutthe base and forkarms.Some internalmaintenanceis simple and
highly recommended, butfor itemsbeyondthosementionedhere,I would recommend
anyone not familiar with precise mechanicaladjustmentto returnthe scope to their dealer
or Celestron ifmechanicaltroublesarise.
Caution: The very real possibility exists
duringany of theproceduresdescribed here that
you may damagesomething.Also, some of theseproceduresmay void yourwarrantyand
you shouldconsiderreturningyour telescopefor warrantywork ratherthanattempting
adjustmentson your own. After thewarrantyhas expired you shouldconsiderthe possibil-
ity that you will cause costly damage when working on your scope. While considerany
I of
theseproceduresreasonably safe, not everyone should approacha thousand-dollarpiece of
equipmentwith ascrewdriverin their hand.
Thatsaid, when working on your telescope , work in a well-litlocationand startonly
when you have the time to work slowly and finish the jobrelativelyuninterrupted. I
stronglyrecommendthatyou NEVER have the powerconnectedto your scope with the
coversoff.This is not really asafety measurefor you - theelectrical powerinsideis not
dangerous- butratherone foryour scope.If a screwdrivershorts two pins on ac ircuit
board, damage is likel
y to result.
I haveorganizedthe various tips and

proceduresby related models
.
NexStar 8/11 GPS

As notedin theintroductionto thissection,I do not recommendmuch by way of self-
servicemaintenanceon themechanicalp artsof the NexStar 8/11 GPS . It can certainlybe
done,but many of theadjustmentsfor thebearingsand gears require a delicate touch that
comessecondnatureto amechanicbut eludesothers.If you are amechanic,you will not
need my assistance in any case.
For the rest of us, there is one task that must performed
be and requires noadjustments,
justreasonablecare. Theupperbase rotateson threerollerbearingsconsistingof steel
wheelsriding on a trackin the lower base(Figure 12.1). Both the wheelsand the track
should besmooth and clean. When they accumulatecontaminantsthe telescope turns with
a rough "rumble" that you can feel when you rotatethe scope with the clutch disengaged.
This alsoinhibitssmoothtrackingand manualslewing with thehandcontrol.
Cleaning the wheelsand trackis not difficult.Release thealtitudeclutch,move the
opticaltubeperpendicularto the forkarms,and reengagetheclutch. Using a 3.5mm or
14-inchhex wrench,completelyloosen the five screws securingthe plastic base cover - the
cover with the Aux, Auto Guide, and PC ports. It is not necessary to remove the screws as
we will only be lifting the cover
, not completelyremovingit. If you do remove the screws,
note that the one in the backshorterthan
is the rest.
Carefullylift the base cover. Wires run from the cover to the and baseonly allow the
coverto beraisedabout2 inches(5 cm). Put arolled-upsock in bothgaps betweenthe
cover and each fork arm to hold it in place.Dampena lint-freecloth (not tissue!) with
alcohol. Do not make the cloth so wet that you can squeeze liquid out - the excess alcohol
could rinse away the grease on the bearings .
Start by cleaning the wheels. Release azimuthclutch.
the Hold the damp cloth to one of
the wheels androtatethe base. Be careful to preventthe cloth fromcatchingbetweenthe
Figure 12 .1 . Base
cover lifted to reveal
roller bearings .
wheelsand the base. Afteryou clean the whee ls, clean the track. Find thelargestopening
leadingto the track and clean thetrackwhile rotati ng the base to gain access tothe entire
path.
This is the only regularmaintenancep rocedureI recommend for the NexStar/181GPS.
Any time you have the base open, check all screws to insurethey are tight. Also check tha
t
all accessible cablesare firmly seated to thecircuitboards.
After severalyears - the exact durationwill depen dlargelyon theamountof useyour
scope gets- it will become necessary to clea n and regreasethe bearings and gears. For most
folks this will require a trip to your localscopedealer or Ce l estron. For the moreadven-
turesome, take good notes as you work; maybe you can author "The Comp lete
Main tenanceGuide for the NexStarGPS"!
NexStar 5/5i/S/Si
As mentionedearlier ,comp letedisassembly of thesingle-armNexStar models is a much
easiertask.Thereare two sections that potentially ne ed atte ntion: th
e altitudeaxis and the
azimuth axis. W e will discuss disassembl y, ubr l icatio n,and reassembly/a djus tment.
Adjustmentsto the altitudeaxis arethe most common requirement as it carries theweight
of the optical tube directly. You will notlikely find it necessaryto disassemble an d lubricate
your telescopefor several years. I wouldrecommend lubricationonce every two orthree
years, unless your scope startsto exhibit proble ms preventingsmooth motion.
Disassembly of the Altitude Axis To disassemblethealtitudeaxis, dis-

connect the handcontroland set ti aside. Use ahex wrenchto removethe threescrews
holding the handcontrolhook. It is best toloosenthe screwsslightlyand thenhold the
entiretelescopeon its side with the fork arm down whi le removing the screws. This helps
to preventthe screws from fallingnsidei the fork arm.If they do, youmust retrievethem as
they will bind the gears in the base. After removing the hook, you will see a nut attached to
the altitudeaxis as shown in Figure 12.2. Using a marker,mark the currentlocation on the
nut and the fork arm benea th it. This will allow you totighten the nut to the sametension
when you reassemble.
W hile holdingthe opticaltube,removethis nut and the washersand bearingsbeneath.
Set them on a clean cloth in the orderthey are removed to insure correct reassembly. It is
best tomake aquick sketch of the order of assembly for theseparts.Slide the optical tube
and altit udeaxis from the fork arm.
A large gear is found between he t optical tube and the fork arm. It will either remain ni
the fork arm or stay with the optical tube.In eithe rcase, remove itas well and set iton a
cleancloth. Note that the gearhas three nylon disks, each in its own recess in the gear.
These disks suppo rt the gear and rideni a track found in the fork arm. Occasionally the
disks stay ni the track;if this happens,remove themfro m the track and place hemin t the
recesses ni the gear.
Between the gear andthe bracketattachedto the opt icaltubeyou will find a fiber disk.
This disk providesthe slip that allows theopticaltube to be movedup and down by hand
whileat the same time providingsufficientgrip tohold the tubeduringnormal use. This
disk and the surfaces it mates to mus t be kept free ofrease.
g
Disassembly of the Azimuth Axis To disassembletheazimuthaxis,start

e itherend of the
by removingthe batt erycover.Next removethe four screws (two on
Figure 12.2. NexS tar

5/5i/8/8i altitude u
nt
with hand cantralhook
removed. Photocourtesy
Roy Cooper.
batteryholder)securingthe base cover to the base. When removing the base cover you will
need todisconnectthe cableconnectingthebatteryholderto the base . It is keyed toinsure
correctpolaritywhen you reassemble.
Underthe cover you will find one (NexStar5/8) or two (NexStar Si/8i) circuitboardsas
shown in Figure 12 .3. Remove these, makinga carefulsketchof all cableconnections.Be
sure to indicate wire color
s on your sketch.
Underthecircuitboard(s)you will find a large nuta ttachedto theazimuthaxis. While
holdingthe fork arm,remove this nut and the washers and bearings beneath . Set them on a
clean cloth in theo rderthey areremovedto insurecorrectreassembly.It is best to make a
quick sketchof theorderof assemblyfor theseparts. Lift the forkarm and upperbase
assembly and slide it from theazimuthaxis. Set the assembly aside on a clean surface.
A large gear is foundbetweentheupperand lower base . Remove it and set it on a clean
cloth. Note that the gear has three nylon disks, each in its own recess in the gear. These disks
supportthe gear and ride in a track found in the base. Occasionallythe disks stay in the track;
if this happens, remove them from the track and place them in the recesses in the gear.
You may have noticed I have made no mentionof a fiber disk in thea zimuthassembly -
there is none. The scopecannotbe moved byhandin azimuth.
Cleaning and Lubrication Start by cleaning away old grease

. For removable
parts thatare all metal(the large gears
, bearings, and washers)you may use an old

5/5i/8/8i with the
ba se cover and ins ide
arm cover removed.
Photo courtesy Morio
M orioni.
toothbrushandkerosenein a smallplasticbasinwhileworking in a well-ventilated area.

(Pleasedo notuse gasoline- it isextremelyflammableand the fumes areexplosive!)To
removethe slight residueleft by thekeroseneand grease,spray-onautomotivebreak
cleanercan be used.Break cleanerwill deform plastic - use care! Do not
immersethe fiber
disk in anyliquids,althoughyou can use a cleanclothdampenedlightlywith alcoholto
degrease the surfaces of the disk
. Use alcohol tocompletelydegrease thep artsthat mate to
the fiber disk as well. For
otherparts, usecottonswabs, lint-free cloths, and alcohol.
Lubricate thebearingswith a small but evenly applied coatinghigh-quality
of lithiumor
syntheticgrease. Also apply grease in the recesses for the nylon disks in the large .gears
A
thin coatingof greaseis also neededin thetracksthatthe disks ride in. Finally, applya
small amountof grease to the teeth of the large gears.
Reassembly and Adiustment of the Azimuth Axis Referring to

your sketch, reassemble all parts in the correct order. Tighten the nut until the fork arm no
longer rocks left and right. Thisadjustmentis not as sensitive as the altitude ,axis
but if the
nutis too tight, the scope will not slew left and right
smoothlyand might not slew at all at
lower rates. If it is too loose, the fork
a rm will rock left andright. Reinstallthe circuit
board(s)andbase coverand test theazimuthmovement.U nfortunatelya littletrialand
errormay berequiredbefore you are satisfied with the results .
Reassembly and Adiustment of the Altitude Axis While you

have itapart,insurethe screwsholdingthe optical tu be to themountingbracketare tight.
Occasionally these screws come loose and resultin some play in thealtitudeaxis. Also
check to besurethat thethreescrewssecuringthe motor(directlybelow thealtitudeaxis
nut in Figure 12.2) are tight.
Referring to yoursketch,reassembleall partsin thecorrectorder. Tightenthe nut back
to theoriginallocation. Push down on thefrontof the scope. If it move s too easily (some
experiencewill be called for),
tightenthe nut a bit and try again
. If you tightenit too much,
the motorwill be underexcessivestrain,up/downmotionwill not besmooth, and the
scope will use too muchbatterypower. If it takessignificanteffort to pu sh the fr ontof the
scope up or down, loosen thenut a small amount.When you think you have itright,
connectpower and set the slew rate to1. Check to in surethe scope will move at this slow
rate. Put in an eyepiece and focus on distantobject.Check
a thatmotionis smoothwhile
observingthrough the eyepiece. If not, loosen the ut
n a very smallamountand test agai n.
Adiustment of Motor Position A djus tingthe positio n of the mot ors

requiresa bit moremechanicalskill thanthe previous adjustments.If you are not familiar
with gear sets,proceedwith caution and realizethatadjustingthemotorpositionwill yield
only a small improvement,if any, in theoperationof your telescope.
The positionof the altitudeand azimuthmotors affects the gear mes h between the fina
l
gears on themotorand the large gears attachedto the axes . If the gear mesh is too loose
,
you will have excess play in the affectedaxis. If it is too tight,m ovementwill berough or
may actuallyjam if thelargedrive gearis not perfectlycircular(very common). If you
noticeexcess play or the scopewill not movethroughits completerangeand you have
ruled out otherfactorsdiscussedin the axisadjustments ections,you may be able to
improvethesituationby adjustingthemotorpositionfor that axis. Please note thatthere
will always be some play; if these gears are too closely meshed y will
thenot movesmoothly.
The screwsholdingthealtitudemotorin place are foundbehindthehandcontrolhook.
As seen inFigure 12.2,thereare threescrews forthe altitudemotor.Loosen the screws
slightly, adjustthedistancebetween the gears, and then retighten.Test theamountof free
play andadjustagain ifnecessary. After you are sa tisfied, power up the scope and use the
up and downarrowbuttonsto rotatethealtitudeaxis a complete 360°.Observethe gears
and insure they do not bind. If they do, you need to allow more distancebetween the gears.
The azimuth motoris mountedat the base ofhe t fork arm. This mountdoes not have
any appreciableadjustment. If you feel h
t ereis excess free play in this axis you may lect
e to
use a small file or hobbygrinderto elongatethe mou nting holes to provideadjustment .
You will need todisassembletheazimuthaxis asdescribedabove and you may also find it
easierto perform this task byremovingthe entire fork arm. Keep in mind that the metal
filings will need to be completelycleanedfrom the base as otherwisethey will definitely
adhereto thegreaselub ricatingthescopeand cause und ue wear on hese t parts.This by
itself may be a reaso n for declining to attem pthist procedur e.
After reassembly,adjustment of the azimut hgear meshproceedsas describedfor the
altitude axis.
NexStar 60/80/114
Disassembl yof the NexStar 60/80/114 modelsis easiestof all the NexStars. There are two
section s thatpotentiallyneed attention: the altitudeaxis and theazimuthaxis. We will
discuss disassembly, lubrication,and reassembly/adjustment. Adjustmentsto thealtitude
axis are the mostcommonrequirementas it carries the weight of the optical tube directly.
You will not likely find it necessary to disas
sembleand lubricateyour telescope for several
years. I wouldrecommendlubricationonce every two ort hreeyears,unlessyour scope
startsto exhibitproblemspreventingsmoothmotion.
Disassembly of the Altitude Axis Startby removingtheopticaltube

from thetubering. Inside the tubering you will find a largenutsecuringthe ring to the
altitudeaxis, as shown in Figure 12.4.While holding the tube ring, remove this nut and the
washersbeneath.Set them on a clean cloth in the orderthey are removed to insurecorrect
reassembly.It is best to make a quick sketch of the
orderof assembly for these parts. Slide
the tube ring from the fork arm.
A large gear is found between the tube ring and the fork. It will eitherremain in the
arm
fork arm or come off with the tube ring. eithercase,removeit
In as well and set it on a
clean cloth. Note that between the andthe
gear fork armtherearethreenylon disks, each
in its own recess in the fork arm. Thesesks
disupportthe gear and slide along the surface
of the gear. Occasionallythe disksstick to the gear; if this
happens,place themin the
recesses in the fork arm.
Between the gear and the tube ring you will find a fiber.This
disk disk providesthe slip
that allows the optical tube to be moved up and down handwhile
by at the same time pro
-
viding sufficientgrip to hold thetubeduring normaluse. This disk and the surfacesit
mates to must be kept free of grease
.
Disassembly of the Azimuth Axis Start byremovingtheopticaltube

from thetubering. Next,removethe mountfrom thetripod.On thebottomof the base
you will find a metal bar held by two screws
. Remove the screws and bar to access the large
nutunderneath.Remove this nut and the washers beneath. Set them on a clean cloth in the

114 with optical tube
and basecover
removed.
orderthey areremovedto insurecorrectreassembly.It is best to make q a uick sketchof

theorderof assemblyfor these parts .Slide the base away from the rest of mount.
the
A large gear is found between the base and the mount. It will eitherremainin themount
or come off with the base . In eithercase, remove it as well and set it on a clean cloth
. You
will also findthreenylon disks in recessesaroundthebottomedge of themount.These
disks supportthemountand slide along the top surface of the base .Occasionally the disks
stick to the base; if this
happens,place them back in the recesses in themount.
Between the gear and the base you will find a fiber disk. This diskprovidesthe slip that
allows themountto bemovedleftand right by handwhile at thesametime providing
sufficient grip to drive themountduringnormaluse. This disk and the surfaces it mates to
must be kept free of grease.
Cleaning and Lubrication Start by cleaning away old grease

. For removable
partsthat are all metal (the large gears) you may use an toothbrush
old andkerosenein a
small plastic basin whileworking in awell-ventilated
area. (Please do not use gasoline- it
is extremelyflammable and the fumes are explosive!) To remove the slight residueleft by
the kerosene and grease, spray
-on automotivebreak cleaner can be used. Break cleaner will
deform plastic - use care! Do not
immersethe fiber disks in anyliquids,althoughyou can
use a clean clothdampenedlightlywith alcoholto degreasethesurfacesof the disk. Use
alcoholto completelydegreasethe partsthatmateto the fiber disks as well. For other
parts, usecottonswabs, lint-free cloths, and alcohol.
Apply high-qualitylithiumor syntheticgrease in the recesses for the nylon disks
. A thin
coatingof grease is al
so neededon thesurfacesthat the disks slide on. Also, apply a small
amountof grease to the teeth of the large gears
.

your sketch, reassemble all partsin thecorrectorder. Tighten the nut just to pointthat
the
the base no longer rocks back and forth .This adjustmentis not assensitiveas thealtitude
axis, but if the nut is too tight, the scope will not slew left andsmoothlyand
right might not
slew at all at lower rates. If it is too loose, the fork arm will rock left and right. Power up the
scope and test the azimuthmotion.A little trial anderrormay berequiredbefore you are
satisfied with the results.
If you cannotseem to get a good adjustment, there is asecondnut on the top end of the
azimuthaxis. It is accessedunderthe plasticcover on top of the base. Along the bottom
edge of this cover, on b othsides nearthe forkarm,you will find a smallopeningthat
allows you to pry the cover up and removeItit. is attachedto the base with two-sided foam
tape. Under this cover you will find a nut as shown in Figure 12.4.
This nut and the one u nderneaththe base worktogetherto providestabilityand smooth
movementof theazimuthaxis. The nut underneaththe baseadjuststhe abilityof the
azimuthaxis to slip leftand right.This is only importantto protectthe motorand this
adjustmentmust be tightenoughto drive theazimuthaxis securely. Thenutfound under
the base covera djuststhe tensionof the axisagainstthe nylon disks. Generally,the nut
underneaththe base can be adjustedas tight as you like. The nutunderthe base cover (the
nuton top) isadjustedto allowsmoothmovementwithoutthe fork armrockingback and
forth. It takes a little trial and errorto get the best setting.
Reassembly and Adiustment of the Altitude Axis Referring to

your sketch, reassemble all
partsin the correcto rder.Tighten the nut until the altitude axis
does notrock backandforth. Push down on the frontof the scope.Ifit moves too easily
Figure 12.5. Nex Star

1 14 with fork arm
cover removed.
(some experiencewill be called for) , tighten the nut a bit and ytragain. If you tighten it too
much, themotorwill beunderexcessive strain,up/downmotionwill not besmooth, and
thescope will use too muchbatter y power. fI it takes significanteffort to pu sh thefrontof
the scope up or down,l oosenthe nuta small amount. Whenyou thinkyou have it right,
connectpowerand set the slew rate to1. Check to insurethescope will move at this slow
rat e. Put in an eyepiece andfocus on a distant objec t.Check that moti on is smooth while
observingthroughtheeyepiece.I f not,loosenthe nut avery smallamountand test again.
If you cannotseem to get a good ad justment ,there is a secondnuton the other side of
the fork arm. It is found underthe plastic cover on the out sideof thefork arm, as shown in
Figure 12.5.Remove the two screw s holding the pla sticcover to the out side of the fork arm.
Thereis a cableconnectingthe power and hand controljacks to the circuit boardfound in
the forkarm. You may allow thecover to hang by this cable(be careful o nt to damagethe
cable whileyou work) or make asketch showing theconnection of thi s cable to thecircuit
board. On the sketch besure to note the color s of the wires.
This nut and the one inside the tube ring worketherto tog provide stabilityand smooth
movementof thealtitudeaxis. The nutinsidethe tube ringadjusts the abilityof the alti-
tudeaxis toslip up and down. This isimportantto protectthe motor,but this adjustment
must be tightenoughto supportthe weight of the o pticaltube. The nutf ound underthe
fork armcover adjuststhe tension of the axis againstthe nylon disks. Generally, the nut in
the tubering can beadjustedas tight as you like while still allowing a good push on the
frontof the optical tube to cause it to slip. The nutunderthe fork arm cover is adjusted to
allow smoothmovementwithouttheoptical tube rock ing up and down.Unfortunatel y, it
takes a littletrial anderrorto get the best setti ng.
Adjustmen t of Moto r Position Adjust ing the posit ion of the motors
requires a bit moremechanicalskill than the previous adjustm ent.sIf you are notfamiliar
with gear sets,proceedwith caution and realize at
th adjusting the motorpositionwill yield
only a smallimprovement, if any, in the
operation of your telescop e.
The positionof thealtitudeand azimuthmotorsaffects the ge ar mesh betweenthe final

gear on themotorsand the large gear sattachedto the axes . If the gear mesh is too loose,
you will have excess play in the affected axis. Ifit is too tight, mo v ementwill berough or
may actually jam if the large drive gear is not perfectly circular(very common). If you
noti ce excess play or the scope will not move throughits completerange and you have
ruled out other factors discussed in the axis adjustmentsections,you may be able ot
improve the situation by adjusting the motorpositionfor that axis. Pleasenote thatthere
will always besome play; if these gears are too closely meshedthey willnot movesmoothly.
The altitudemotoris mountedin the forkarm on a metal plate. It is access ibleafter
removingthe plastic overon
c the outside of the fork arm.The metal plate si secured to the
fork arm with four hex screws.Thereis a wide rangeof adjustmentavailable when the se
four screws are loosened .To see thespacing between theears g you will need to remove the
tube ringas discussedabove in the section on disassemblyof the altitude axis . After adjust-
ing the motor position, testtheamountof free play andadjustagain if necessar y.After you
are satisfied,attachand adjustthe tube ring. Power up the sc ope and use the up and down
arrowbuttonsto rotatethealtitudeaxis a complete 360 °. If themotoris straini ng,e ither
the nutinside the tube ring is too tight ore th gears arebinding.If you determinethatthe
problemis the gears,you will need to allow mor e distancebetween them.
The azimuthmotoris mountedat the base of the fork arm on a smallmetalplate.It is
accessibleafter removingthe plastic cover on theoutsideof the forkarm. The metalplate
is securedto the base of the mountwith three hex screws.Thereis a wide range ofadjust-
ment availablewhen these threescrews areloosened. To see the spacing between the gears
you will needto remove the base of the mountas discuss edabove in thesection on disas-
sembly of theazimuthaxis.After adjusting themotorposition,test theamountof free play
and adjustagain if necessary. After you are sati sfied,attach and adjustthe base. Power up
thescopeand use the leftand rightarrow buttons to rotate the azimuthaxis a complete
360°. If the motoris strai ning, eith
er thenutunderneaththe baseis too tightor the gears
arebinding. If you determin e that the probl emis the gear s, you will need to allow more
distance betweenthem.
N exSta r 4
The NexStar 4 is the most difficult of the little NexStars to di
sassembleand adjust correctl
y.
Ther eare twosectionsthatpotentiallyneedattention : the altitude axis and theazimuth
axis. We will discuss disassembly,lubrication,and reassembly/adjustment.Adjustments to
the altitude axis are themostcommo nrequirementas it carries the weight of the optical
tube directly. You will not likely find it nece ssaryto disassembleand lubricateyour tele-
scope for severalyears. I would recommendlubricationonce every two ort hreeyears,
unless your scopestartsto exhibitproblems preventingsmoothmotion .
Disassembly of the Altitude Axis First removethehandcontrolbracket

located in the fork arm. It is best to loosen the screws slightly and then hold theentiretele-
scope onits side with the forkrm a down whileremovingthe screws. This helps to prevent
thescrews from falling in sidethe fork arm. If they do,you mustretrievethem,as otherwise
they will bind the gears in the base.After removingthe hook,you will seea nut attached to
thealtitudeaxis as shown inFigure 12.6.
Rem ovethis nutwhilesuppo rting the opticaltube. Lay the nut and washers on a clean
cloth in the orderin which you remove them.It is critical that they are reassembledin the
same order.It is best to make aquick sketch of theorder of assembly for these parts. At

4 with hand control
bracket and inside arm
cover removed. Photo
courtesy Don Hupp .
this point, the opt

icaltube, a large gear, and the
shaft they both ride on will come free from
the fork arm. You will also find three nylonsks
diheld in three recesseson the large gear.If
any of the nylon disks is missing,you will find it in theroundtrackinsidethe forkarm.
When reassembling , you mustpositionthese disks in the recesses in the ear.g
Disassembly of the Azimuth Axis On thebottomof the base you will

find a large nut. Remove this nut ande washersbeneath
th . Set them on a clean cloth in the
orderin which they areremovedto insure correctreassembly. It is best to make q a uick
sketchof theorderof assemblyfor theseparts.Slide the base away from the rest of the
mount.
A large gear is found between the base ande th
mount.It will eitherremain in themount
or come off with the base. eithercase,
In remove it as well and setit on a clean cloth. You
will also find three nylon disks at the end of threestspo
on thebottomof the mount. These
disks supportthemountand slide along the top surface of the large gear . Occasionally the
disks stick to the gear; if this
happens,place them back on the sts po in the mount.
Between the gear andthe base you will find a fibersk.This
di disk provides the slip that
allows the mountto bemovedleftand rightby handwhile at the same time p roviding
sufficient grip to drive the

mountduring normal use.This disk and the surfaces it mates to
must be kept free of grease.
Cleaning and Lubrication Start by clean ing away old grease. For the large
gear removed from the base you may use antoothbrush
old and kerosene in a small plastic
basin whileworking in awell-ventilated area. (Please do not use gasoline- it is extreme ly
flammable and the fumes are explosive!) To remove the slight residue leftkeroseneby the
and grease, spr ay-on automotivebreakcleanercan be used. Breakcleanerwill deform
plastic- use care!Do not immerse the fiber disk in anyliquids, althoughyou can use a
clean clothdampenedlightly with alcohol to degrease the surfaces of the. disk Use alcohol
to completelydegreasethepartsthatmate to th e fiber diskas well. Forotherparts,use
cotton swabs, lint-free cloths
, and alcohol.
Apply high-qualitylithiumor syntheticgrease in the recesses for the nylon disks. A thin
coatingof grease si also needed on the surfaces that the disks slide. Also,
on apply a small
amountof grease to the teeth of the large s.gear

your sketch,reassembleall partsin thecorrectorder.Tightenthe nutjust to thepointat
which the base nolongerrocks back and forth . This adjustmentis not assensitive as the
altitudeaxis, but if the nut is too tight
, the scope will not slew left and right
smoothlyand
If it is too loose,the fork arm will rock left and right
might not slew at all at lower rates. .
Power up the scope and test the azimuthmotion.A little trial anderrormay berequired
before you aresatisfied with theresults.
If you cannotseem to get a good adjustment, there is asecond nut on the top end of the
azimuthaxis. It is accessedunderthebatteryholderon top of the base. Gently pry the
batteryholderfrom the base,using carenot tobreakthe wires. Underthis cover you will
find a nut as shown in Figure 12.7
.

4 with base cover
removed . Photo courtesy
Don Hupp.
This nut and the oneunderneaththe base work together to provide stability and smooth
movementof theazimuthaxis. The nut underneaththe baseadjuststhe abilityof the
importantto protectthemotorand this
azimuthaxis to slip left and right. This is only
adjustmentmust be tight enough to drive the azimuthaxis securely.The nut foundunder
the base cover (on the top of the axis)
adjuststhe tensionof the axisagainstthe nylon
disks. Generally, the nut
underneaththe base can be adjustedas tight as you like. The nut
underthe base cover (on top) adjusted
is to allowsmoothmovementwithout allowing the
fork arm to rock back and forth.
It takes a little trial and
errorto get the best setting.
Reassembly and Adiustment of the Altitude Axis Referring to

your sketch, reassemble all parts in the correct order.Tighten the nut until the altitude axis
does not rock back and forth . Push down on the front of the scope. If it moves too easily
(some experience will be called for), tighten the nut a bit and try . Ifagain
you tighten it too
much, themotorwill beunderexcessivestrain, up/down motionwill not besmooth,and
the scope will use too much batterypower.Ifit takes significant effort to push the front of
the scope up or down, loosenthe nut a smallamount.When you thinkyou have it right,
connectpower and set the slew rate1.toCheck toinsurethe scope will move at thi s slow
rate. Put in an eyepiece and focus ondistantobject.
a Check thatmotionis smoothwhile
observingthroughthe eyepiece . If not,loosen the nut a very small amountand test again.
If you cannotseem to get a gooda djustment, thereis a secondnut locatedunderthe
optical tube . This nut and the one on the outsideof the fork arm worktogetherto provide
stability andsmoothmovementof the alt itudeaxis. The nutunderthe optical tube adjusts
the ability of the altitudeaxis to slip up and down .This is importantto protectthemotor,
but thisadjustmentmust be tight enough to supportthe weight of the opt icaltube. The nut
found on the outside of the fork arm adjusts the tension of the axis against the nylon disks.
Generally, the nut undertheopticaltube can beadjustedas tight as you like (wh ile still
allowing a good push on the front of the optical tube to cause it to slip) and the nut on the
outside of the fork arm is adjusted to allow smooth movement without allowing the optical
tube to rock back and forth .
It is a majortask to access the n ut underthe opticaltube and afrustratingordealto
adjustcorrectly.Remove theoutsidenut (the oneunderthehandcontrolhook) and pull
the optical tube from the fork arm again . Next you must remove the gear from the optical
tube.It is necessaryto rotatethe gear to align the threeholes with the screws below . The
best way to do thisis to put the assembly back in the fork arm and push down a bit on the
optical tube. This causes the optical tube to slip while theremainsin gear place. Check to
see if the holes and screws have lined;if upnot, try again. Once you can access the screws,
remove them and the OTA will finally come off the bracket attachedto the gear.
At this point, put the gear, optical tube bracket, and altitude axis back into the .fork arm
Tighten the nut shown in Figure 12.8 byquarter a turn. Pull thebracketand nut from the
fork arm andreattachtheopticaltube. Reassemble everythingand attemptto adjustthe
axis forsmoothmotion.It takes a little trial and error to get the best setting.
While thecomputersand motorsin a NexStar telescope provide the technological wonder

of its GoTo system, in many ways you are also at their mercy
. None of the NexStar models
is truly usable without the electronics
functioningproperly. Fortunately,modernelectron-
ics are very reliable
.With minimal care you can expect the electronics in your telescope to
last for many years. Here are some tips:
Figure 12.8. Ne xStar

4 w ith optical tube
removed . Photo courtesy
Don Hupp.
• The mostimportantmeasure you can take is to be certainyou are using aproperpower

source.Severaloptionswerediscussedin Chapter8, but to review the main points,use
only a 12V d.c. power source with the correctconnector.I t is crucial that theconnector
is wired for positive(+) in the center and negative (-) on outside
the . Reversingpolarity
can yielddisastrousresults.
• Neverdisconnector connect the h andcontrolwith the power applied . While this gener-
ally causes no problems, it can and has damaged some hand controls .
• Do not store your telescope inhumidlocation
a . High humiditywill causecorrosionon
electronic contacts, causing unusual misbehavior. Other metal parts will also suffer.
• Use care whenconnectingaccessoriesto the"12V OUPUT" jack on the base of the
NexStar 8/11 GPS.I t is only designedfor very low power draw. Celestronstatesthat
nothingratedhigherthan 750rnAshouldbeconnectedto this jack and recommend I a
more conservative 500rnA. Too much power and you will damage theing slipr
inside the
base,resultingin a costlyrepair.This definitelyrules outdew strips,but small acces-
sorieslike digital/CCOcamerasand focusmotors(if they run off 12V)s houldbe just
fine. You will be requiredto makeyour own power cablesthough.Note thatif you
connectmultipledevices, youmust add theirpower ratingsand insure they do not
exceed 750 rnA .
• Do not allowliquids to enterthe handcontrolor telescopebase. I know, you would
never do that... but that cup of hot coffee has been known to end up in places other than
my stomach. If this doeshappen,power offimmediatelyand pack it up for the night.
When you have everything in a well-lit location, remove any covers to allow the liquid to
dry morequickly. If you can, wipe up as much possible
as . Ifyou spill somethinginto
thehandcontrolit will likely foul thebuttoncontacts.Remove thehandcontrolcase
(thereare six small screws on the back), using care with the es.Pick
wir up as much of
theliquidas possiblewith tissues and then wait for a day foreverythingto dry. Then,
using alcoholand cottonswabs, clean the f rontof thecircuitboard (thekeypadside)
and thebottomof the whiterubberkeys.
• Ifyou suspectcorrosion on electricalcontacts,use cottonswabs and a can ofc ontact
cleaner (available at electronic parts suppliers) to clean all metal contacts
. In additionto
the contactsin the jacks on the base
, there are cable
connectorsinside the base . In most
cases simplyslippingtheconnectoroff and on a couple of times can succe ssfully clean
thesecontacts.Whetherthis methodworks or you mustresortto contactcleaner,it is
vitalthatyou reattachtheseconnectorsexactly as they were iginally.Most
or of them
have multiplepins and are easilyconnected with the pins offset from ethintended
position - be very careful.
For all proceduresin thischapter,use appropriatecare and takey our time. Ifyou run
intosomethingyou didn'texpect, ask for help. In additionto contacting me via my web
site (http://www.NexStarSite .com). you will find themembers of the NexStarand
NexStarGPSGroups on Yahoo are alwa ys happy to help a NexStar owner
in need.
The NexStarmountshave provento be verypopular. GoTo, tracking,light weight,a nda
low price(particularlythe GT models) make them very attractiveas potentialm ountsfor a
wide variety of optical tube assemblies (O'I'.AGeneralconcernsto
s) keep in mind include
:
• A longer O'I'A may affect your ab
ilityto pointat objectshigh overhead.
• A longer OTA may causebalanceproblemsand thus stress the motorsor impairtrack-
ing accuracy.
• An OTA weighing much more than the originalmay strainthemotors,shorteningtheir
life.
Each model of NexStarpresentsdifferentpossibilities, but do be aware that some of the
following suggestions may void your
warranty.
Removing the originalO'I'A and replacingit with anotheris not really anoptionon the
NexStar8/11 GPS. However,m ountingshort-focal-length r efractorson the top of these
scopes is verypopular(Figure 13.1).The gearsand motorsare verysturdyand can easily
take theaddedweight of a 3- or 4-inch wide-fieldrefractor.The NexStar optical tube pro -
vides the high-resolutionandlight-gatheringcapabilitiesrequiredfor most objects while
the short-tuberefractorprovides stunningwide-fieldviews of openclustersand other
extendedobjects. It is truly the best of
bothworlds.
Tele Vue, William Optics, and Stellarvueall makewonderfulrefractorss uitedfor this
purpose. Many use thepopularChinese 80mmshort-tuberefractoravailable from Orion,
Celestron(theNexStar 80 is anexample),andothers. Suitabletuberings and mounting
rails as discussed inChapter8 will berequired.
Due to the height of the refractor
's eyepiece,you will generally need torotatethe diago-
nal to the side or se
u the eyepiecedirectlyin the focuser tube withouta diagonal.Another
possibleoptionwould be a 45°diagonalratherthanthe standard 90° model. Be aware,
though, that many 45° diagonals degrade the image quality.


8 GPS with piggy back
refractor. Photocourtesy
Don Hupp ond Jell Gerst.
For the NexStar S/Si/8/8i

mount(they are mechanically the same), the optionis
best "Ray's
Bracket"(Figure 13.2). Available atBuyAstroStuff.com(http://www.buyastrostuff .com).
Ray's Bracket iscomprisedof two metal rails
. One rail isattachedto the fork arm in place
Figure 13.2. Tele Vue

Gene sis on N exSta r 8
using Ray ' s Bra cket.
Photo courtesy Honk
Wi llioms.
Mounting Other Optical Tubes on a NexStar 235

8 mounted withRoy's
Brocket. Photo courtesy
Fronk Di lotush.
of theoriginalOTA. The secondrail slidesinto the first rail and is held in place with two
thumbscrewsfor no-toolsmountingof the O'I'A. Any suitableO'I'A can be attachedto the
sliding rail andadditionalrails can bepurchasedfor multipleO'TAs. In fact, if you have
more than one O'I'A with rails attached,you can swap tubes in less than a minute.
Additional photographsand the completeinstallationinstructionsare availableat
BuyAstroStuff.com's web site.
The motorsand gears on the NexStar S/Si/8/8i are quite robust.Well-balancedtubes up
to 20lb (9.1 kg)shouldnotposemuch trouble,althoughyou may needto upgradeyour
tripod. For many opticaltubes you will also need t uberings, availablefrom mostastron-
omy equipmentdealers, toattachthe tube to the rail.
Swapping optical tubes is not the most
commonusage of Ray's Bracket - the Sin and 8in
SCT Celestronopticaltubesare hard to beat.A more common reasonfor using Ray's
Bracket is to takeadvantageof the ability to slide the OTAbackwardand forward. This can
be criticalto improving the balanceof thescopewith heavyequipmentattached.For
example, a large digital camera
mountedat the eyepiece may cause trackingto suffer. With
Ray's Bracket,you can slide the OTAforwardto improvebalanceand tracking.Also, as
mentionedin Chapter8, a 2-inchdiagonaland otherequipmentmay not clear the base on
a NexStar8/8i whenpointedtowardsthe zenith.Ray's Bracketallows the OTA to slide
forward, easilyprovidingtheneededclearance(Figure 13.3).
NexStar; 4 ..
Optionsarelimitedwith the NexStar 4; thereare currentlyno adaptersor bracketson the
market, although the Baader Bracketdiscussedin the nextsectioncan besuccessfully
modifiedfor the NexStar 4.If you aredeterminedto mountanotherO'I'A on a NexStar 4,
you will need todisassemblethecurrentmountingbracketand fashionsomethingon your
own. Metalworkingskills will likely beneeded,althougha woodenbracketcouldbe fash-
ioned.Be awarebeforeyou startthatthe motorsandgearingin theNexStar4 are much
less robustthanthelargerNexStars.Short-tuberefractorsand smallMaksutov telescopes
weighing no morethanabout10 lb (4.5 kg)shouldwork fine,althoughpointingto the
zenithmay be restr ictedby contactwith the base.Balancingthe weight of the opticaltube

and accessor iesis crucial to achieve acceptabletracking. The following instructions can get
you started, but proceedat your own risk.
To remove the NexStar 4 optic al tube, you must first removehehand
t control hook located
in the fork arm.It is best to loosen the screws slightly and then hold theiretelescope
ent onits
sidewith the fork arm down while removing the screws. This helps to prevent the s from
screw
fallinginside the fork arm. If they do, you must retrieve themeywill as th bind the gears in the
base. After removing the hook, you will see a nut attached to the e altitud
axis.
Remove this nut whilesupporting theopticaltube. Lay thenutandwasherson a clean
clothin thesameorderyou removethem. It is criticalthat theyare reassembledin the
same order.At this point,the optical tube ,a large gear, and the
shaft theybothride on will
come free from the fork arm. You will also find three nylon isks dheld in threerecesses on
the large gear. These,in effect, are the bearingsof thealtitudeaxis. Ifany of the nylon idsks
are missing,you will find them in the r oundtrack inside the fork arm . When reassembl ing,
you mustpositionthese disks in the recesses in the gear .
To remove the gear from the o pticaltube, you must rotatethe gear to align thethree
holes with the screws foundbelow. The best way to do isthis to putthe assemblybackin
the fork armand push down a bit on theopticaltube. This causes the opticaltubeto slip
while the gearr emainsin place. Check to see if the holes and screws have linedup; if not,
try again. Once you can access the screws,removethemand the OTA will finallycome off
the bracketattachedto the gear. At this point,you are onyour own with fashioning a
methodof attaching an alternateoptical tube.
NexStaL60/80/~
For the NexStar 60/80/114, the easiest
methodis to mountanotherOTA in the existing tube
ring. (Binocularsmay bemountedon PV C tubingheld in thetubering- see Figure13.4.)
Figure 13.4.
Binoculars mounted on
PVC tubing held in tube
ring of a Ne xStar 80 .
Photo co urtesy Joe Shuster.
Mounting Other Optical Tubes on a NexStar 237
Figure 13.5. W ill iam

Optics Megrez 80
mounted directly in the
tube ring of a Nex Star
80 . Photo courtesy Don
Wyman .
The insidediameterof theN1l4 tubering is 140 mm,thatof the N80(Figure 13.5)tube

ring is 90 mrn,and thatof the N60 tube ring is 63 mm. OTAs slightlylargerwould fitjust
fine. OTAs slightly smaller could be
mountedby using felt. Please note that diameter
the of
a scope isalmostnever the same as its aperture,so be sure to check the actual size before
orderingthat OTA of yourdreams.
The NexStar60/801114models use the samemotorsas the NexStar 4and the same rec-
ommendationsfor suitableopticaltubesare truehere as well.S hort-tuberefractorsand
small Maksutov telescopesweighing no more than about 10 lb (4.5 kg) will work fine.
Balancing the weight of the optical tube and accessories is crucial
trackingwill
or suffer. In
fact, itsi possible tomounta heavier optical tube, if the balance is nearly perfect.
For a widerrangeof possibilitiesthereis the BaaderBracket (Figures 13.6and 13.7).
Baader Planetariumhas designeda wonderfulbracketavailablein Europe from Baader
(http://www .baader-planetarium.de) or in North America at Alpine Astronomical
(http://www .alpineastro.com).
The bracket has two major parts mountwithhand-screw
- a
attachedto the NexStar fork arm and a dovetail attached
bar to the optical tube. The dove-
tail is the samedimensionsas those used on many German equatorialmounts,so an
optical tube in your closet might compatible
be with nomodifications.
The dovetail bar slides into the
mountand thehand-screwis tightenedto secure it .The
barallows amodestamountof adjustmentfore and aft toattainbalance. Extra dovetail
bars can bepurchasedfor mountingadditionaloptical tubes allowing quick and easy swap-
ping, even afteran alignmentis performed.For many opticaltubesyou will needtube
rings, available from mostastronomyequipmentdealers, to attach the tube to the dovetail
bar. Additionalphotographsas well as theinstallationinstructionsare availableon the
BaaderPlanetariumand AlpineAstronomicalweb sites.
If you mounta refractoror a compoundscope (SCT or Maksutov) on a NexStar 114
mount,go to Model Select on the Menu b uttonandchangethesettingto NexStar 4. This
will provide the correct gear ratio (the NexStar 4 and 114are the same in this respect) while
reversingthe up/downarrowbuttonsat lower slewrates.This reversalmakes thearrow
buttonsbehavemorenaturallyin the right-side-up,mirroredview ofrefractorsand com-
poundtelescopes .
Figure 13.6.
C ele stronC90 and
original Ne xStar 80
using BaaderBrac ket.
Photos courtesy Matthias
Bop p.
Figure 13.7. Or ion

Sta rMa x 127 on
Nex Sta r 80 using
BaaderBracket. Photo
courtesyJim Bla ckwe ll.
Although the NexStar line of tel
escopesis aboutas easy as it gets when it comes to com-
puterizedtelescopes,thereis a learningcurve. I hopethatby now most of your questions
have been answered in the previous chapters,b utthereare some issues yet to discuss. The
NexStar line is notentirelywithoutproblems,but fortunatelymany of the potential
difficultieshave simple solutions.When all else fails, it is time tocontactCelestron
TechnicalSupportat (310) 328-9560 or via ema il atsupport@celestron.com .
The tips in thischapterare dividedinto sections for specificNexStar models and a
section for tip
s that apply to multiple model
s. Refer toChapter3 for clarificationregarding
theoriginal/newGT handcontroland the various versions of the GPS handcontrol/motor
control.
Buying a Used NexStar

(All models)
Amateurastronomersgenerallytake excellent care of theirequipment.Buying a used tele-
scope is a good way to sav
e substantialmoneywhile still getting the scope of your dreams.
Here are some things to check on a used NexStar.
• Look for any obvious damage. Even if the dents or scrapes do not seem to have damaged
any criticalcomponents , theimpactthat caused them may have caused unseen damage .
• Check thesurfacesof themirrorsllensesfor scratches ord iscolorationthatwill impair
opticalperformance .
• Try the scope out at night,checkingfor pinpointstarimages and similarinside-and
outside-focusstar patternsas discussedin Chapter9. Keep inmind thatdistortedpat-
ternscan becausedby poor collimationor inadequatetime to cool theoptics.If you
cannotcheck theopticsat night, focus on distantobject,
a looking for obviousdefects.
You can even check defocu sed"star" patternsusing sunlightreflectedoff adistantglass
or metal object.
• Check the focuser motion -shouldmove

it easily with little backlash
.
• Power up the scope and attemptan Auto Alignment.Insurethe scope slewssmoothlyto
thealignmentstars. Accept the given locationof the twoalignmentstars. Press the Tour
buttonand select an object, pressingEnterto GoTo the object. Again, observe whether
themovementis smooth.
• Set therateto 2and focus on astaror distantobject.Does the scope movesmoothly
(althoughslowly) in all four directions?
If the scope checks out,considerthe age andconditionandcomparewith the cost of a
factory new telescope. With thenumberof NexStar telescopes sold since
theirrecentintro-
duction,I expect themarketfor used models to be substantialin the next few years .
Personally,I would hesitateto purchasea used telescopevia theInternetor throughthe
mail-thereis often littlerecourseif the telescope
h appensto bedamaged- butif you can
see and test it in person, a used scope is often a great deal.
Some of the Features Described in This Book

Are Not Found on Your Scope
(All models)
Check to see if I noted that the feature applies to your model of NexStar.
perhapsyou
If so,
have anolderversionof handcontrolor motorcontrolfirmware. Refer toChapter3 for
informationon modelsandversions.If it is notpossibleto upgradeto anewerversion,
some of the tips in this
chapterwill help to overcome
problemswith older versions.
No Power When Running on Internal

Batteries
(NexStar 5/5i/8/8i)
The batterycompartment on the NexStar S/Si/8/8i holds the
batteriesvery tightly, some-
timesresultingin difficulties in making a good
connection.Afterinsertingnewbatteries, if
thetelescopewill not power up, try reseatingthebatteries
.The bestsolutionis to remove
thebatteriesaltogetherand power your scope with an.c.adapter
a or external power source
-as describedin Chapter8.
Power-Related Problems
(All models)
Low or marginalpowercausesany numberof problemswith NexStartelescopes . Hand
controllockup,GoTos thateitherdon't reach theirtargetor neverstop looking, "No
Response 16/17"e rrors,and variousothermisbehaviorsof the scope are all
commonwith
faultypower.Celestronrecommendsan a.c.adapterwith aminimumcurrentratingof
Additional Tips and Solutions 241
1500 rnA,but due tovariationsin qualityI recommenda minimum of 2000 rnA. Even
betteris a rechargeableb atterypack asdescribedin Chapter8. Suchbatteriesarecapable
of much morethan2000 rnA and theaddedportabilityis appreciatedeven when you are
close to a power outlet.
Also, momentaryloss of power is a frequentculprit. The most common cause for
momentaryloss of power is a loose power connector.Ifyou haveproblemswith the power
cord pulling loose when the scope slews, attach it to the fork arm with rubberband
a large
or a self-adhesive hook
.Sometimes even this may not be enough. Bumping the power con-
nector maycontinueto causeproblems.
Many power cords seem to provide a good fit, but the inside hole of connector
the is too
large for thecenterpost in the scope 's powerconnector . One possiblesolutionis to use a
jeweler'sscrewdriveror a razor knife to gentlyspreadthecenterpost of the power socket
on the base of the telescope
. Be very careful not to twist the post as you
performthis deli-
cateoperation- you could break the connectorinside the scope, necessitatingreplacement
of the entire power socket.better
A solutionis to replace the
connectoron the power cord .
The correctconnectorfor NexStar scopes has ano utsidediameterfor 5.5 mmand an
inside diameterof 2.1 mm. While aloose-fittingconnectormight seem to work, hard-to-
diagnoseproblemsoften occur.
Alternate Locations for The Hand Control

(All models)
Although it was nice ofCelestronto give us a place to s torethehandcontrolin the fork
arm on the N4andlargerNexStars,I doubtmany of us find thelocationconvenientfor
operatingthe scope. For all modelsof NexStarscopes, strategicallyplacedVelcro's will
make life with your scope more comfortable.
On my NexStar 11 GPS I haveattachedthe handcontrolto the baseusingt-inch self-
adhesiveVelcrow. Use the hookpartof the Velcro'" to cover the NexStaremblemon the
base. Put3-inch-longstripsof the fuzzy, looppartof the Velcro's on the back of the h and
control, just below the middle screw s.
With thehandcontrolplugged into Aux 2 (it works in eitherAux port),the cord makes
a graceful loop up to the top of the handcontrolwhen it is stuck in place. In this
location
you can see thehandcontrolfrom your positionat the eyepiece (Figure 14.1). Plus, you
can putpatchesof Velcrow atotherlocationsif you like! Note that the scope won'tswing
back to theparkedpositionwithoutpulling the hand controlfreeand storingit in the
holder in the fork arm. I no longer use thehandcontrolin the fork arm position, so I never
reattachthe plug-inthathard-to-reach jack.
Additionally, you mightconsiderRay (RJ) Rauen's Keypad Holder.Models are available
for the NexStar 8/11 GPS and the NexStar 5/8. See R]'s web site http-://www.hometown .
aol.com/rjrjrOOI - for more deta ils.
Transporting Your SCT NexStar

(NexStar8/11GPS, NexStar 5/5i/8/8i)
The heavyprimarymirrorof a Schrnidt-Cassegraintelescoperideson a metaltube(the
baffle tube
) secured to the rear cell of the telescope. When
transportingyour SCT, it is best
Figure 14.1.
Alternativelocation for
the hand control on the
NexStar 8/11 GPS
to movethe mirror completelyto the rear by t urningthe focuser knob clockwise to the end
of its travel. Thisminimizesthestressplaced on het baffle tube by the heavy weight of the
primarymirror.
To aid thelongevityof theclutcheson theNexStar8/11 GPS, it is best toreleaseboth
clutch levers after the scopepositioned
is for travel.
Incorrect Date and Time Displayed on GPS

Models During Quick Align and Auto Align
(NexStar8/11GPS , NexStarSi/8iwith optionalGPS
module)
During a Quick Align or Au to Align the scope refere nces he t GPS module for the correct
dateand time. If the GPS module can obtaina link, the date and ti me will be upd at ed; if
not,the GPS modulereportsthe date and time based on h t e lastlink,potentia lly offbya
fewseconds. The GPS mod ule uses a small rechargea blebatteryto maintain thedate and
time as we ll as the mostrecentdataelementsdownloadedfrom the GPS satellites . If your
telescope has not been used in several weeks or ly is used
on infrequentlyfor shortperiods
of time thenthis batterywill loose its charge. In this case the date and timerevert
will to an
arbitrarystate.
To recharge thebattery,use an a.c . adapterand switch the power on . There is no need to
performan alignment- in fact it isbetterthatyou don't so thatthe scope will not begin
tracking- butleave thepoweron for atleast48 hours. Then take thescopeoutdoorsto
allow a GPSlink. Ifthe dateand timeare incorrectthe next time you are unableto get a
GPS link (typically only iftestingindoors),thebatterymay need replaced .
Park Position for Your Scope

(All models)
Most SCT and Maksutov owners storetheirscopes with thefrontpointeddown.With the
otherNexStar models,otherorientationsmay bemorefavorable foryour uses. In either
case,wouldn'tit be nice if you could simply press a fewbuttonson your handcontroland
the scope would GoTo its storageposition?Actually, auser-definedLand Object can be
used to do just that.
The next time you are finishing upsessionwith
a your scope, use thearrowbuttonsto
move to your desiredp arkposition.Then press the Menubutton,select User Objects, and
then Save Land Object. Store the currentlocation in the first Land Object. In the future you
can park the scope with GoTo Land Object.
Note that while you can release the clutcheson the NexStar8/llGPS to move to apark
position,this will loose thealignmentif you intendto use theHibernatemode.In this case,
GoTo the saved Land Object, then activateHibernate
the mode.
Attaching Accessories to the Rear of

Schmidt-Cassegrain Models
The SCT modelsall providea standardSCT threadon therearof thetelescope . Many
accessories are made for this
threading.One accessory, the 1.25in visual back
, is included
with the scope. Other accessories,
discussedin Chapters 8 and 11, include
:
• focal reducers
;
• 2inadapters- also known as 2in visual backs;
• thread-on2in diagonals;
• SCT T-Adapters;
• off-axis guiders;
• flipmirrors;
• micro-focusers .
The NexStar 11 has a larger rear
openingthan the 5- and 8-inch models. An
adapterthat
attachesto thelarger3.29in openingsuppliesthe standardSCT threading.The only
commonaccessory thatattachesdirectlyto the largeropeningis a 2in adaptert hatgives a
larger clearaperturethan thestandardSCT 2in adapter.
When the Scope Slips or Moves In Altitude

(NexStar5i18i, NexStar60180111414)
When using heavy eyepiecesor cameraswith your telescope,the scopemightslip up or
down in altitude.I f this occursyou mustpoweroff and realignyour scope.If thescope
does not otherwise move easily by hand when a standardeyepieceis used,the best way to
fix the problem is to addweight to the otherend of the sc opeto achieve betterbalanc e.If
you use Ray's Bracketor the BaaderBracket yo u can shift the optical tube forward or back-
ward to balancethe scope.With the NexStar60 and 114you may find there is enough lati-
tude with the tube ring ot move the opticaltube to a balancepoint.
If thescope moveseasily by hand, ht e altit udeaxis must be adjusted. R
efer to Chapter 21
for the adjustmentprocedure.
When the Scope Won't Move in Altitude or

Azimuth when Pressing Hand Control Buttons
(NexStar 5i/8i, NexStar
60/80/114/4)
Occasionallya newtelescopewill not move freelywhen using the arrowbuttonson the
handcontrol,particularlywhen using lower slew rates. Thestbesolution is toreturnthe
scop eto the dealer for adjustm ent ro a replacement.The problemis generallycaused by a
bad motor, the axis being adju stedtoo tight, or themotorhaving beenposition edtoo close
to the lar gegear that drives the axis. Fur therinformati onabout adjusting the axes and
motors can be found in Chapter12.
Scope Rocks Left and Right

(NexStar 5i/8i, NexStar
60/80/114/4)
If the fork arm or the opticaltube rock left and right, either the altitudeor theazimuth axis
is too lo ose. Refer to Chapt er12 for details on adjusting the axes.
Can the Scope be Moved by Hand?

(All models)
The NexStar 60/80/114/4 can be moved up and down in altitudeand left and right in
azimuthwith sufficient force. This is not apracticalmeans to use the scopewithoutpower,
but ratheris designedto protectthe motors. If you move the sc op eby handafteralign-
ment, th e alignmentis lostand you must power off tostartagain.
The NexStar S/Si/8/ 8i can be moved up anddown inaltitude, butannot c be moved left
and right in azimuth.Again this is a feature designedto protectthe altitude motor,not to
permituse without power. If you move the scope by handafteralignment, the alignmentis
lost and you must power off to startagain.
The NexStar 8/1 1GPS has clutches of r both thealtitudeand azimuthaxis. When the
clutches are released the telescopemoves freely inbothaxes. If you releaseeitherclutch
after alignme nt, thealignmentis lost and you must power offto startagain. If you
sufficiently balancethe scope you might fin d it possible to use the telescope w ith the
clutches released- manu allypointing at objectsand nudging the back ofthe scope to track
the motion of the sky. I suspectyou would rather keepa reliablepower source hand y.
The Image in the Eyepiece Shifts when

Focusing seT Models
Schmidt-Cassegra in telescopesadjustfocus by sliding the large prim ary mirrorback and
forth along the baffle tube thatextendsinto theopticaltube. This resultsin a certain
amountof lateralmovementthatcauses the image in the eyepiece to shift . Celestron's
focusermechanismis an excellent designthatshouldresult ina minimumof image shift,
however,when the scope is new theinthfilm of grease found on the baffle tube often needs
to be distributedevenly.Take a fewmomentsand run the focuser knob clockwi se until you
reach the end of travel,thencounterclockw ise to theotherend. Repeat this two or three
times andyou should see animprovementin image shift.
Ifyou feel the shiftis stillexcessive you mightloosen the three screws found aroundthe
focuser and re -centerthe knob.This might take some trial and error, if but
the knob is off-
center,the mirroris pulled laterally when focu sing.
Anothersolutionis to add a"zero-imageshift" focuserbetweenthe SCTthreadon the
rear of the scope and the visual backcameraadapter.
or You then use thestandardfocus
knob to reachrough focus andthe zero-image-shiftfocuserfor fine focus. Zero-image-
shiftfocusers are availablein motorizedand manualmodels. Jim's Mobile , Inc. OM!),
V an Slyke Engineering,and Apogee Incorporatedoffer a variety of zero-image-shift
focusers. Zero-image-shift focusersare oflittlebenefitfor visual use, butcan be very
effective for imaging .
A relatedtrick is to always move to focus byturningtheknob counterclockwi se.This
moves themirrorforward, or up against gravity and mirrorshiftis also in a uniform direc -
tion. If you focus with a clockwisem otion, the mirrorwill gentlysettle a bit after a few
moments,ruiningthe focus.
Improving Focuser Sensitivity

(All models)
Focusing at lower powerss iquite easy due to a larger" sweet-spot". Focusing at high power
can be a littlefrustratingdue to the muchreater
g sensitivityrequired.On almost any tele-
scope you can improve focuser sen sitivityby creating a larger focuser knob.eTh
basic idea
is to use a largecircularobjectwith a hole in themiddleto fit over theexistingfocuser
knob. Plastic jar lids, foam, model car tires - the possibiliti
es are endless
.
One immediateimprovementyou can make with your SCT NexStar or NexStar 4 is to
pull therubberfocuserknob out farenoughfor itnot to drag on the rear of the scope .
Celestron'sSCT focusing mechanism is remarkablysmooth andmany find this simple
improvementsufficient to allow good focus controlat higher powers .
The NexStar 60,80, and 114 use atraditionalrack-and-pinionfocusermechanism that
has someadjustment.The screws on thebottomof the focuser ssemblyprovidesome
a
adjustmenton thetensionof the focuser knob. If they are too tight, the focuser is difficult
to move and it is easy to overshootproperfocus. Ifthey are too loose, the focusermight
move when you touch the eyepiece .
On the NexStar80, thereare twotiny holes on the top of the foeuserassembly,one in

frontand onebehindthe largethumbscrew.The thumbscrewis used to lock the foeuser to
supportheavy camerasthatmight cause the focus to shift. Inside the two holesthereare
very small hex screws. Allthreeof these screwspress down on aplasticbar thatslides
againstthe foeusertube.Loosen thethumbscrewand thenadjustthe two hex screws to
providesmoothfoeusermotionthat stays put with your heaviest eyepieces.
Anotherpossibilityis a focusingmotor.Some are made to simply move the focuser knob
for you. This type ism adeto bemoreor less universalfor a specific type of scope:SCT,
Newtonian,refractor.I t is justa matterof finding onethatwill physically fit onyour tele-
scope. Most peoplequickly tire oftheseand simply perfecttheirfocusing "touch". A
secondtype is themotorizedzero-image-shiftfoeusermentionedpreviously.For SCTs
thesecan bequiteuseful for thatfinal, criticalfocusing.There is the disadvantageof
achievingrough focus with thestandardfocus knob and thenmoving to thecontrolbox
for themotorizedfoeuser.
An alternativefor some SCT NexStars is aninnovativefoeuser: theFeatherTouchSCT
MicroFocuserfrom StarlightInstruments(sold atStarizona). This is a dual-knobfoeuser
thatfits on theoriginalfoeusershaftof Celestron8in and 1Un SCTs. One knob focuses
normally;theotherknob providesa 10:1 gearratioreductionto provideextremelyfine
control.Though completelymanual,the 10:1reductionhas becomea bit of a hit with
astrophotographers .And for visual use, this is about as good as it gets.
Obiects Drift out of the Field of View While

Tracking
(All models)
First,hereis whatyou can expect.The NexStar 8111 GPS and the NexStar 5i/8ishould
trackobjectsvery well,keepingthemin the field of view forh ours.The olderNexStars
are anotherstory.The NexStar 60/801114/4/5/8 were designedmainly for visual use
only. They vary greatlyin theirtrackingability,even whencomparingscopesof the
same model.It is not uncommonfor objectsto driftout of the field of view in as little at
10 minutes.
To get an idea ofw hatwe should expect,the NexStar Group on Yahoo developeda
"StandardTrackingTest" thatyou can executewithouteven seeingthe sky. As the chief
protagonistin this discussion,I have postedthe test andmany sets ofresultsat my web
sitehttp://www.NexStarSite.com - feel free tovisit the site and compareyour tele-
scopewith thepostedresults.
One factorthatcan affecttrackingin all modelsis the anti-backlashsetting. If anti-
backlashis inaccurate,an objectcan driftoutof the field of viewrightafteryou manu-
ally centerit. For example,in the NorthernHemispheremost areas of the sky are
moving to theright in the sky. If you manuallycenteran objectwith a finalmovement
to the left,a nti-backlashshould rewindthe motorto theright afteryou releasethe left
arrowbutton.This re-engagesthe gearsto allowtrackingto startimmediately . If your
anti-backlashsettingsare too low, themotoris not rewoundfar enoughand tracking
does not startimmediately,c ausing the objectto drift out of the eyepiece. Refer to
Chapter5 for thecorrectmethodto adjustanti-backlash.
Telescope Slews to Obiect, but Jumps Out of

Field of View at the End of GoTo
(All models)
One common cause for thisbehavioris Negative anti-backlashset too high. Refer to
Chapter5 for thecorrectmethodto adjustanti-backlash.A notherpotentialcause is an
extreme balance problem. Try adding weight to the front commonlyrequired)or
(most the
back of the telescope to improve situation.
the
A Planet or the Moon Is Not Available on the

Hand Control Although It Is Visible in the Sky
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5i18i, NexStar60180111414)
Either thedate/time/time
zone is setincorrectlyor the object is
outsideof thecurrentFilter
Limits. Refer toChapter5 for detailson adjustingthe date/time/time zone and Filter
Limits.
Hand Control Compatibility Between NexStar

models
(All models)
Although all NexStarhandcontrols(He) areidenticalin appearance, they are not univer-
sally compatible. Following are the three families of NexStar telescopes. Models in the same
family use the same h andcontrol.Models in one familycannotuse the HC fromanother
family. Families arelistedin theorderthey wereintroducedon themarket. It shouldalso
be noted that some families have had
upgradedHCs to fixproblemsand add features - this
is discussed inChapter3:
• NexStar 5 and 8;
• NexStar60,80,114 and 4 - notethatthe TascoStarGuideseries iscompatiblewith this
family;
requirehandcontrolversion 2.2
• NexStar 8/1 I GPS and NexStar Si/8i - the NexStar Si/8i
or higher; versions1.2 and 1.6 only work with the NexStar 8/1I GPS.
Fixing Incorrect Local Time on the Hand

Control
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar 5il8i withGPS Module)
If you check the local time on the NexStar
handcontroland find that it is wrong (in
hours),
thereis a simple fix.The scope gets its time from the GPS
satellites,an extremelyaccurate
source,but thesatellitesr eportUniversal Time.It is up to you to ell

t the scope whatimet
zoneit is located in
. To do this,press the Menubutton, scroll down to Setup Time-Site and
selectthe correct time zone.
Potential Fix for Hand Control Misbehavior

(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5i18i, NexStar60/80111414)
Ifyour handcontrolstarts to act strangelyor won'trun throughthealignmentprocedure
correctly, a potentials olutionis to resetthe hand controlto the factorysettings. For the
NexStar SIll GPS and 5i/Si, use theFactorySetting option on the Utilitiesmenu to reset
thehandcontrol to it s default settings.This has even beenreportedto work on new scopes
and replacement handcontrolsreceiveddirectlyfrom Celestron. Note that thi s will erase
any stored settings such as PEC and backlashcompensation. Furtherinformation on the
Factory Setting function can be found in Chapter 5.
For the NexStar60/S0/114/4,reset the Model Select on the Menu button. This has the
effect ofresettingall optionsin thehandcontrol.For furtherinformationon the Model
Select sett
ing,refer to Chapter 5, especially if you have the originaland
GT hcontrol.
When NexStar 8/11 GPS and NexStar 5i/8i

Don't Seem to Come Close to the Alignment
Stars During GPS Alignment
(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar 5il8i withGPS Module)
The GPS models use anelectroniccompassto determinemagneticnorth. In most areas,
magneticnorthis significantlydifferent from true north- a phenomenoncalled magneti c
declinationor deviation.In some locations this deviationcan be as much as 20 degree s!
GPS handcontrolversion 1.6and higher includescalibration
a function thatautomatically
corrects for th
is deviation. Refer to Chapter 5 to learn about thisibration
cal .
If you have a NexStar S/11 GPS withhand controlversion 1.2, you can avoid this
problemby forcing the GPSalignmentto usetruenorthinstead.After youstartthe GPS
alignment,the telescope will level the tubeand begin to turn toward s north. After the tube
is level and while the scope is still locating
north,press the Undobutton.Then, release the
azimuthclutch, pointtowards truenorthyourself(refer to Polaris when possible) ,set the
clutchagain, and then press Enter tosume re the GPSalignment.The scope will use your
northdirectionand move on accurately to the first alignment star.
Keep in mind that regardle ss where the tele
scopeinitiallypoints for the alignmentstars,
the onlyimportantfactor for alignment accuracy is the precision with which you center the
alignmentstars. The compassinaccuracies will only affect the telescope 's ability to assist
you in locating those stars.
Problems Obtaining GPS Link

(NexStar8111 GPS, NexStar5il8i withGPS Module)
Generally the NexStar 8111 GPS and NexStar 5i/8i with GPS modulewill successfully link
with the GPSsatellitesin less thanone minute. Occasionallythe link may take laittle
longer,particularlyif you have moved yourtelescopea greatdistancesince the last use -
hundredsof miles for example - or haven'tused your scope in a long time. If it seems you
have waitedlong enoughand thescope still has notachieveda link, the mostc ommon
problemis an obstructionbetween the telescope and the GPSsatellites. For example , it is
generallynot possible to get a link insidebuilding.When
a outside, a buildingor a large
tree canobstructthe signals from the satellites.
One otherpotentialproblem is a slightincompatibilitybetweenhandcontrolversion 2.2
andsome of theearliestNexStar 8111 GPS telescopes.The handcontrolmightquerythe
GPSmodule before it isinitialized.I f this happens, you will not get a GPSlink even if you
wait for hours.
Ifyou have a NexStar8/11 GPSwith handcontrol2.2 and experience this problem, there
is a workaround.After waiting aminuteor two, if the scope doesn'tlink, press Undo until
initialstartuppromptand startover again.If it doesn't link immedi-
you are back at the
ately, press Undo andrestartthe alignmentagain.Normally it will get the link the first
time, unless you were just being
impatient.
No Response 16/17 Error

This error indicates that thehandcontrol is unable to communicatewith the motor control
processorslocated inside the mount. As discussed in the tip on power problems, low power
sometimes causes this error. If the problemdoesn'tseem to be power-related, there may be
a looseconnectorinside the telescope.
For the NexStar 8/11 GPS, startby disconnecting the power from the telescope.Using
a h-inch hex wrench, remove the two bolts securingthehandleto the left fork arm. Using
a14-inch or 3.5mm hex wrench, remove the plastic coveringon the left fork arm. Remove
and reseat all connectorcablesattachedto the smallm otorcontrolcircuitboard. Be very
carefulnot tomisalign the pins and theconnectorsor damagemay result.Replace the
cover and the handle and test the telescope .
If you still experienceproblems,theremay be aconnectorlooseunderthe panel on the
base of the scope. Using14-inch
a or 3.5mm hex wrench, remove the five bolts on the top of
the base panel. In a well-lit space, slowly raise the panel, being careful not to pull any of the
cables loose. With the panelraisedabout2 inches,reseat allc onnectorcables you can
easily reach.Reseat the panel and secure the five bolts .
For the NexStar 5i/8i, open the batterycover andremovethe four screwssecuringthe
base cover. Carefully lift the base cover, notingthereis a cablerunningfrom thebattery
holderto the base. Remove and reseatconnector all cablesattachedto thecircuitboards.
Be very careful not to misalign the pins and connectors
the or damage mayresult. Replace
the cover and test the telescope.
If this does not resolve your problem , it is time to call Celestron.
Errors in Messier Obiects in Hand Control

Database
(NexStar5/8,OriginalNexStar60/80/114/4GT, Version1.2
ofNexStar8/11 GPS )
Th e hand controls for the NexStar 5/S and original 60/S01114/4 con tainthreeMe ssier
objects with mistakencoordinates - M 2, MIO , and MilO . The correctcoordinate s I give
below are Epoch 2000 - referencedto the year 2000. As a workaround, use the Goto
RA -Dec command on themenuto GoTo these objects. Note thatthe new GThandcontrol
has correctedtheseerrorsfor the60/S0/ 114/4m odels. The NexStar5i1Si has no coordinate
errors in Messier objects.Other thanthe errorfor M2 notedbelowfor the NexStarSill
GPS (handcontrolversion 1.2only), the NexStar Sill GPS ha s no coordinate errors in
Me ssier objects.
NexStar S/8 and Original GT

M2
NexStar:21h33.5m +Od4S.Sm
Epoch 2000: 21h33.5m _Od49m
M10
NexStar: 16h 59.lm -52d 43.l m
Epoch 2000: 16h 57.1m _4d 6m
M 110
NexStar: Il h 57.6m +53d 23.0m (thisis a duplicatecoordinateset of MI09)
Epoch 2000: Oh 40Am +41d41m
Hand Control Version 1.2 for the NexStar 8/11 GPS

M2
NexStar: 21h 33.5m + Od35m
Epoch2000:21h33.sm _Od 49m
Unable to Read Scrolling Text on the LCD

Display in Cold Weather
(All M odels)
LCD panels do notoperate well in cold weather.Refer to thesection" Cold WeatherGear
for Your Scope " of Chapter S for solutions.
Tripod Feet Fall Out on the Heavy Duty Tripod

(Tripod 93499 and 93501)
Severalowners havereportedthat one or moreof the metalfeet has come loose on their
Heavy Duty Tripod.Losing one ofthesein the fieldwould be a shame,butfortunately
thereis an easy fix. Se
v eralcompanies make a metal-based epoxy; JB Weldand Poxy
Weld are two fineexamples. Look for suchproductsin an automotivepartsstore in your
area.
Correct Installation of the 9xSO Finderscope

You wouldn'texpect theinstallation of a finderscope to be muchtrouble,but the 9x50
finders copesuppliedwith the NexStar 8/11 GPS is aittletricky.
l I had realproblemswith
my 9x50 the first fewnights; it just would notstay aligned.I then realizedthatthe large
groove orchanneltowardsthe back is to beignored; don'tput therubberO-ring in it as
intuition would suggest. Rather, push the -ring
O furtherto the back (eyepieceend)so that
mounting bracketwhen the screws in the front ring
it seats firmly in the back ring of the
are setin the small groove towards the front of the finderscope.
Mounting the NexStar 8/11 GPS on the

Tripod
Due to the weight, mounting the NexStar 8/1 1 GPS on thetripodseemsdauntingthe first
few tries. Practice will make it easier. One potentialp roblemis if thecenterpin on top of
thetripodis set too high or low.The top of the pinshouldbe locatedaboutt inch (9 mm)
above the top of th e tripod. Loosen the nutsecuringthethreadedrod to thebottomof the
tripodhead to makeadjustments .
After you have the scope seated on thetripod,you must align theboltholes. Engage the
azimuthclutch to allow use of a fork arm to rotatethe base. Kneel down and look for the
metal rib between the power connectorand the power switch .When this is centeredabove
any of thetripodlegs theboltholesare aligned.Insertthe first bolt, but do not tightenit.It
is likelythatyou will need torotatethe base slightly to start theothertwo bolts. After all
three bolts arestarted,tighten them allybhand.
If you still have difficultly, Starizona sells aproductthey call theLanding Pad. The
Landing Pad guides thescope base to thecenterof thetripodhead,takingtheguesswork
out of finding the center pin.I t also has three recesse
s that the base locks into when
rotated
- these align the boltholes.
Rumbling Sound When Rotating Left/Right

with Clutch Released
This is generallycaused by dirty rollerbearings.Refer toChapter 12 for instructionson
cleaningthem.
Clicking Sound When Slewing Left/Right

A few owners have found thattheir telescopeclicks slightly when slewing left and right.
Misrouted cables in the base of h t e scope can cause this disturbing sound. To fix the
problem, use a14-inch or 3.Smm hex wrench to removethe five bolts o n thetop ofthe base
panel.In a well-lit space, slowly raise the panel, beingcarefu l not to pull any ofthe cables
loose. All cablesshould be routedso that they do notmakecontactwith the slipring circuit
boards. Thesecircuitboardsare horizontallymounted inthe centerof thebase; oneis sta-
tionary, the other rotateswith the scope . Reroute the cables so that hey
t arelowerthan the
bottomcircuit board . Testyour results by rotating the telescope360 in azimuth. Reseat
0
the panel and securethe five bolts.
Loose Secondary Mirror on the NexStar 8/11

GPS
The Fastarsecondary assembl yholds thesecondarymirrorin place on thecorrector plate.
Insur e the largelockringat the front of the scopetightened
is by hand.
Using Hand Control Version 2.2 or Higher

with an Older NexStar 8/11 GPS
The newest NexS tar8/ 11 GPStelescopescome with hand control ve rsion 2.2or higher. Some
elect to purchase the separatelyavailableversion 2.2hand control - sold as the computerized
hand controlupgradefor the NexStar Si/8i- as aspareor replaceme ntfor the NexStar8/11
GPS.This version requires an indexm arkon the fork arm indicating he t position where the
opticaltube is perpendicu larto the fork arm . If you purchaseor receive a version .22 hand
control for an olderscope withoutthe index mark, yo u will need to make one.
Affix tapeto both sides ofthe joint betweenthe fork arm and the rail supports as show n
in figure 4-2 in thehandcontrolversion2.2addendum suppliedby Celestron(theadden-
dum is also available fromCelestron's download site). Carefully level thetripodand mount
the scope. Then performa GPS alignment.Insure the alignmentis accurate(good GoTo
performance),and thenperformthe Compass calibrationand the AltSensor (the new
namefor thelevel switch) calibration.Next, turn tracking off via themenu.Then on the
Alt Sensor menu, use the optionto move to the alt sen sor. This actually moves to the
Alt = 0 location. Use a rulerand a pen todrawa lineacross the two pie cesof tape to indi
-
cate this Alt = 0 location.
NexStar 8/11 GPS Vibrates or Hops While

Tracking Obiects
Some of the first NexStar11 GPS scopes to reach ownerspresenteda problemwith vibra-
tion (which could actuallybe felt at thediagonal)and a slight " bump" in tracking(the
object in the eyepiece would drift fromcenter
the and thenreturn).Certainversionsof the
motorcontrolfirmware resurfaced the "bump" problem.Ifyour NexStar8111 GPShas such
a problemyou shouldcontactCelestronTech Support(support@celestron.com) to learn
how toupdateyour motorcontrolfirmware.
NexStar 8/11 GPS Loops Over the Top When

Locating Level During GPS Alignment
Almost anyone who owns an early version of the NexStar GPShas watched theirscope loop
all the way over while finding level and
wonderedjusthow silly acomputercan be! While
generallyamusing, it can behorrifyingif you happento have anyaccessoriesthatare
damagedby theunusualpositionsof theopticaltubeassembly(OTA) duringthese ma-
neuvers.This problemwas addressedstartingin hand controlversion 1.6,but if you
have version 1.2 it is easy toprevent.Before startingthe alignment,insurethe OTA is
pointedwith thefront about100 below level. The level positionis locatedonly as the
front of the OTA is moving up.
Version 1.6triesto preventthis bydippingslightlywhen it firststartsthe alignment.
Providingyou startwith the OTAaboutlevel, it will not loop over when seekingthe level
position.
Left and Right Buttons Reversed or Unable to

Find North after Replacement of Motor
Control Board
Ifyou have a very early NexStar 8/11 GPS,you may berequiredto send yourmotorcontrol
(MC) boardto Celestronfor replacement. After contactingCelestronTech Support,they
will send you therequiredinstructions.
After you receive the r eplacement andinstallit, you may findthatyou haveproblems
with theleftlrightarrowbuttonsor the scope may not be able to findnorth.The scope may
pointsouthinsteadof northduring the GPSAlignment routineor continuearoundin
circles.Most likely the MCboardyou replacedwas the oldest version and one of the cables
you reconnected has ashortextensioncable that reverses theazimuthmotorleads. Simply
remove the extension cable and connectthe main cable directly to the MC
board.
Some of the olderb oardsthatrequiretheextensioncable have beenu pdatedas well. So
if you have theproblemafter removing the extension cable, reinstall it and try. If you
again
have theproblemand your scope had no j umperto begin with, call Celestron.
It is alsopossibleto experienceproblemsrangingfrom nomovementat all, toinopera-
tivecompassor GPS functions.Check to be sure all of the cables to the boardare
MC cor-
rectlyoriented,all the silverpins on theboardare in acorrespondinghole in a cable
connector,and all theconnectorsare fully seated .
NexStaL5/8~
Locations (Longitude And Latitude) Not
Stored Correctly on NexStar 5/8
The orig inal NexStar 5/8 offers the ability to store up to 10observing locations.
Unfortunatelythere is a problemthatcauses new entries to corruptthe adjacentthree
entries.Thus,you can only use entries 0,4, 8or 1, 5, 9.
Runaway Slews and Hand Control Lockup on

Original NexStar 5
(NexStar 5)
Some early models of the exStar5
N had problems with runawayslewing (the scope takes
off duringa GoTo and never stops) and handcontrollockup,especiallywhen using a com-
puterto control the scope. Some have claimedthat low power (weak batteries) or a loose
powerconnectorcauses most runaways, but others feelit is more likely aproblemwith the
firmware in thehandcontrol.It is known that newer ver sions of the firmwareresolved the
problemwithcomputer-control lockups as well as most runawayproblems.
If you believe you areexperiencingtheseproblems,contact Celestron for as sistance.
Attaching Accessories to the Rear Port of the

NexStar 4
An y accessory designedto fit the re
ar portof theCelestronC90 or the Meade ETX will fit
the rearportof the NexStar .4Some of the acce ssories, discu ssed n
i Chapters8 and 11,
include:
• focalreducers;
• T-Adapters;
• 1.25visual backs (not discussedelsewhere in the book)
; Meade partnumber07812;
• thread-ondiagonals- butnotethatnot alleyepiecescan reach focus with diagonal
a
attachedto the rear port
;
• Celestron'sLarge Accessory Ring (LAR) - prov idesa standardSCT threadallowing SCT
accessories to beattachedas well.
Misplaced Secondary Baffle on NexStar 4

Some of the earliest
NexStar 4s to reach
owners sufferedfrom a NexStar 80 (Short-Tube 80mm F/S)
misplaced secondary Tune-Up
baffle. The secondary
baffle is a tubethat is (Also appliesto manyotherChinese-
mountedon the inside of
the correctorlens at the
maderefractorssuch as theshort-
front of thetelescope.I t tube90 and 120mmmodels)
should be centeredover
the secondary mirror
spot on theinside of the
By Bob Berta
corrector. On some Disclaimer:The following are all easy user fixes but of course
NexStar 4s, the gluethat they may cancelyour warrantyand the aut ho rcannot be respon -
holds the baffle in place sible for any probl ems that arise.But the sma ll risk is wort h it;
seems to have melted and the impro vementin performa ncecan be dramatic!
the baffle shifted from the First,some scopes exhib ita bit of pinched optics defect. Test
correct position. While your scope by point ingat a bright star and slightlydefocusing the
image.You shouldsee aroundimagethat resemb lesa bull's-eye. fI
Celestron fixed the
the image is not round but shows threesemi-corners you have
problem soon after the pinched optics.The objectivelensis actually two air-spaced enses l
initial release, one of (good) and the spacingmaterial is threethin shims between he t
these units will still occa- two eleme nts. A retaining ring that is a little o t o tight causes
sionally surface, espe- pinchedoptics. To fixthis, slideoffthe dew cap/lens hood - it pulls
cially on the used straig htout.Look for a threadedplasticretainin gring just infront
of the lens.Simp ly unscrewthis ring a very smallamountand see if
telescopemarket.If you
the problem goes away. Note th at this can be temperat ure-
are theunhappyowner of sensit ive- you may nothave pinched opticsat warmer temp er a-
a NexStar 4 with a slipped tures,but in very cold temperatures it may appear- so it might be
baffle, contactCelestron necessaryto adjust h t ering based ontemperat ure.
for repair. The next fix requiresyou to actua lly remove the lenses from
the holding cell.First, removethe scope from the tube ring on the
fork arm. Then, unscrew and removethe retainingring described
above.Be sure the scope is aiming upwar ds - you don't want the
FOV Moves lenses to fall to the floor!Take a clean,lint-freecloth (ahan dk er-
ch ief is good) and place it over your hand. Place your cloth -
Up/Down coveredhan d over the end of the scope and point it front- dow n.
If the len sesdon' t slide out into your han d, keep yo u r hand in
When place and gently tap the sco pe, hand and all,on a hard surface ot
Slewing makethem slip loose.Rem ember,the lensassembly has two ele-
men ts.You could separatethosetwo elemen tsfrom each othe r,
Left/Right but it isbestto keep them together. Warning:Make sure you note
the orienta tio nof the lens pair; you don ' t want to put the lensin
backwar ds! While you have the lenses in hand, use a wide-ti p,
If you find that the black; perm an entmarker and blacken the edges of the opt ics.
objects in the field of view Don't use paint,as this will often make the lensestoo tight for the
on your NexStar move up cell. Setthe lenses aside on the cloth and go to the next step.
(the view seems to hop) Look insid e the scope from the now open fro nt of the tube.
when you start slewing You will see severa lshiny screws, the end of the focusing tube,
and othe rbits of baremetal. Using flatblack modelpaint , paint
left or right, the most
anythi ngsh iny with a lo ng-handled brush. You migh t conside r
likely cause is a loose remo ving the focusing assemb ly by removing the three al r ge
azimuth axis. To cor- chrome screws.
rectlyadjusttheazimuth
axis, refer to Chapter12.
NexStar 80(Short-Tube 80mm F/S) Tune

-Up (continued)
since theythreadinto thickaluminumbut don't remove the three

screwsthathold theplasticlens cellassemblyto thefront of the
tube.Those threescrews threadinto soft,thin aluminumand
strip easily.However,if you do damagethe threading,drill out
r
the holes to and replace the screws with pop ri vets(don't forget
to paint them flat black).
After thepaintdries you may reassemblethe scope. When
reinstallingthedoubletlens,don'tjust"drop" it into the lens cell .
It may not seatproperlyand it is possiblethe thin metalshims
will shift. Rather, place the len s setup on top of your cloth-
coveredhand and invertthe scope tube. Use y our hand to push
the lens up into the scopekeepingit square and makingsureit
seats fully. Replacehe t retain ing ring ensuringyou don't over-
tightento avoid pinchedoptics.It is a good idea topressdown
arou nd the edges of the lens with the cloth to insure it is well
seated.
The last fix is to remove any excess play fro m the foeuse r
assemb ly. Look closely at h t e very top of the foeuse r near the
focus- lock thumbscrew - you will see two tiny holes. These
contai n hex screws.The focusing assembly rides on plast icrails.
The upper one is adjustablevia these twohex screws. Loosen the
focus- lock thumbscrew and try to wiggle the rear of the focus ing
tube .If it moves up and down relativeto the scope,you can
improvethe situation by tightening the twohex screws. Adjust
both of the screws to get the uppe r rail toridesmoothlyat both
ends of the focuser travel.
Once completedyour scope will have no pin ched optics,
reducedghost images aroundvery bright objectslike the Moon,
reduced flare, increasedcontrast,increasedsharpness, and
smootherfoeuser actio n .Quite a payback for very little work.
These tips also pply

a to the Tasco StarGuide telesco
pes.
Original GT Model Hand Control: Known

Bugs
The originalGT handcontrol-the GoTohandcontrolfor the NexStar 60/80/114/4 and he t
only handcontrolfor the TascoStarGuidemodels - has several known flaws, chief
among
them being:
• No official RS-232 support- however, several programs are availablefor PC and
palmtopcomputer controlof theoriginalGT handcontrol.
• Won't save observinglocations (longitude/latitude)
in the Easte rn Hemisphere- it is
necessaryto re-enterthelongitudeand latitudeduringevery alignmentfor locationsin
the Eastern Hemisphere.
Additional Tips and Solutions 257:
• Won't save backlash settings

.
• Cordwrap feature not functional.
• Occasional lockups and runaway slews.
• Very touchy keypad that often leads to double key entries.
• LightControlfeature not functional.
• Tracking Rate defaults to Solar.
Celestronreleasedan updatedhand controlwith alltelescopesmanufacturedafter
December2001. All of the above issues have been corrected.C ontactCelestronTech
Supportvia theirweb site(http://www.celestron .com)if you have theoriginalGT hand
control.You can determineif you have theoriginalmodel by any of the bugs above or by
the lack of the Two Star Alignmentoptionthatwas addedto the new GThandcontrol.If
you cannotget anupdatedhandcontrol(Tasco didnot release anupdatedversion),the
following tips will help you enjoy your telescope
.
Avoiding Hand Control Lockup

The original GThandcontrolon NexStar telescopes can be a little temperamental at times.
Occasionallyit will notrespondto thebuttons,particularlyrightafter finishing a slew. A
little patience goes a long way in this case
.After a slew, itsometimestakes as long as20-30
secondsbeforethehandcontrolis readyto respondagain.Try not to get in ah urryand
you will find things gosmoothly.When thehandcontrolis still unresponsiveafter ashort
wait, trypressingthe directionbuttons(the arrows) or the Undobutton- this usually
wakes it up.
Third Star Align Feature

The Third Star Align feature (now called -Align)
Re on the original GT NexStars is
reported
to benonfunctional,but actuallyit does work. Theproblemis that theinstructionsin the
manualare incorrector at least difficult to follow
. Like thedescriptionin Chapter4, this
feature allows you to replace
eitherof thecurrentalignmentstars with any of the 40 align-
ment stars in the Named Stars .This
list can help to improve accuracy in the area of the new
alignmentstar.
Here is thecorrectprocedure:
• Press the LIST key, select
NamedStars, scroll toyour desiredalignmentstar,and then
press the ENTERkey to slew to that star.
• Center the star in the eyepiece usingdirectionkeys.
the
• Press the UPbutton(the6) thenthe DOWN button(the 9) toreselectthe starin the
Named Stars list.
• Press theALIGN key.
• You will bepromptedto choose theoriginalalignmentstarto be replaced, use the UP or
DOWN key (6 and 9) to select the star you wish to replace
.
• Press the ENTERkey.
Sounds tough, but after you do it a few times it will be second
nature.
Simulating a Two-Star Alignment

The NexStar60/80/114/4 with the orig inal GT handcontroldoes not offer the opt
ion of a
two-star alignmentprocedure.The two-star alignmentfeature on the bigger NexSt ars and
the new GTcontrolallows you to choose the a lignmentstarsyourselfratherthanhaving
the auto-align do it for you. As di scu ssed n
i Chapter4, selection ofalignmentstars is
importantfor improvedGoTo performance.
Hank Williams offers the follow ing suggestion. Performthe Auto Align, simply accept-
ing thelocationof the two stars withoutbotheringto center. Then, after the al
ignmentis
complete, use theThird Star Align feature (above) to replace the two Auto Align stars with
two ofyour choosing. Naturallyyou would be careful to centerthestarsduringtheThird
Star Alignprocedureand becertainto replacebothof the original Auto Align stars.
Preventing Lockup When Using Computer

Control
If you connecta computerto the original GThandcontrol,you will soon find that it is ver
y
easy to lock up theh andcontrolwhen sendingGoTo commandsfrom thecomputer.The
solutionis simple;rememberingto use thesolutionmight be more difficult.
a rrowbuttons on thehandcontrolto move the scopem anu-
After each Go'I'o, use the
ally. Generally you will do this anyway toenterthe
c objectin the eyepiece,
butshould you
changeyour mind and decideto immediatelyGoTo anotherobject,be sure to press an
arrowbuttonanyway topreventlockup.
Conclusion .
I hopethese tips will help you to get the
mostfrom your NexStar. In the Oddsand Ends
section of the NexStar Resource Site - http
://www.NexStarSite
.com- you will find many of
theseand newertips introducedafterthis book was published. Suggest your favorite
NexStarworkaroundor improvementby contactingme at swanson.michael@usa.net.
Site name Description Web site address
Ne xStar Resource Site The author's web site www .NexStarSite.com
Ne xStar FAG Site Articles and tips for NexStar www .grcooperjr.com/faq
.htm
telescopes
Ya hoo Ne xStar Group Discussion group for all groups.yahoo.com/group/
models of NexStar telescopes Ne xStar
Ya hoo Ne xStarGPS Discussion g roup for the GPS groups.yahoo.com/group/
Group models of NexStar telesc opes NexStarGPS
Ne xStar 50 Club Web site for the NexStar 50 www .NexStarSite.com/
observerclubs - awardsare nexstar50club.htm
g iven for a generallist afobjects
and observa tionof lunar features
N exStar m
I age Gallery A co llectio n ofhundredsof www .buyastrostuff. com/dons
ima gestak e n with all model
s of
Ne xStar telescopes
Matthias Bopp's Site A unique co llectio n of technical www.dd 1us.de
informationand tips for
Ne xSta r telescopes
The Unofficial Ne xStar Dave Cole's web sitefeaturing www.nexstarl1.com
1 1 SupportSite tips and resources for the
Ne xStar ~/1 1 GPS telescopes
Celestron's Web Site Official web site of Celestron, www.celestron
.com
manufacturerof NexSta r
telescopes
Celestron's Download Productmanuals and other www.celestron.com/
S ite downloads downloads/inde x.htm
259
Site name Descript ion W eb site a ddress

American Associat ion of Web site of the Association - www.corvus .com
Amateur Astronomers general astronomy information
Astronomical league Web site of the league - an www.astroleague .org
organization for amateur astronomers,
general astronomy information,
observation programs and awards
Astronomy Magazine Web site of Astronomymagazine - www.astronomy.com
news and general information for
amateur astronomers
Cloudy Nights Equipment reviews subm itted by www.c1oudynights.com
Telescope Reviews amateur astronomers
NASA Web Site Official web site of the United States' www.nasa .gov
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
ScopeReviews .com Equipment reviews by Ed T ing www.scopereviews .com
Sky and Telescope Web site of Sky and Telescope skyandtelescope .com
magazine - news and general
information for amateur astronomers
SkyMaps Free mon thly sky charts www.skymaps .com
Students for the Great source of informationon solar seds.lpl.arizona .edu
Exploration and system, deep sky objects, and
Development of Space general astronomy
Vendor and Manufacturer Web

it - "< .' " ' , ' ," .... , . "
Company Prod ucts - notes W eb site address

Adirondack Video CCD and v ideo cameras , automated www.astrovid.com
Astronomy focusing software, imaging accessories
Adorama Telescopes , accesso ries www.adoramaphoto.com
Alp ine Astronomical The Baader Bracket, Baader astre- www.alpineastro.com
photography adapters , other accessories
Anacortes Telescopes Telescopes , accessor ies www.buytelescopes.com
Apogee Instruments CCD astronomy cameras www.ccd .com
Apogee, Incorporated Telescopes , accessories www.apogeeinc .com
AstroMart Used equipment; you can both buy www.astromart.com
and sell
Internet Resources 261
Company Products - notes Web site address
Ast ronomics Telescopes, accessories www.astronomics.com

Astronom y-Mall A short listing of astronomy vendors and astronomy-mall.com
free classified ads for astronomy
equipment
Astro-Physics Diagonals, Baader Solar Film , Baader www.astro-physics .com
Color Filters, Baader Skyglow Filter,
portable piers
Baade r Planetarium Telescopes , the Baader Bracket, filters, www.baader·
astrophotography accessories , planetarium.de
other accessories
BuyAstroStuff .com Ray's Bracket, observing cha irs www.buyastrostuff.com
Campmor O utdoor equipment supplier www.campmor.com
Cases and Covers You guessed it - telescope cases casesandcovers .com
and covers
Coleman Out door equipment supplier www.coleman.com
Coronado HAlp ho solar filters www.coronadofilters.com
GRABBER Warmers Chemic al hand warmers www.grabberwarmers.com
Hands On Optics Telescopes , accessories www.handsonoptics .com
ITE Telescopes C CD and video cameras , other www.itetelescopes .com
accessories
Jim's Mobile, Inc. UMI) Telescope accessories www.jimsmobile.com
Kendrick Astro Dew prevention systems, other www.kendrick-ai.com
Instruments accessories
Losmandy Rails , counterweights, mounting www.losmandy .com
accessories
Morrow Technical Bob 's Knobs (no-tools collimation www.bobsknobs .com
Serv ices screws for SCTs). no-tools tripod bolts
for the N8/1 1GPS
Optec Focal reducers (telecompressorsl www.optecinc.com/
astronomy
Orion Telescopes Telescopes, accessories www.telescope.com
and B inoculars
Pelican Cases Telescope cases www.pelican.com
Peterson Engineering EyeOpener 2 " adapter for SCTs www.peterson-web .corn
REI Outdoor equipment supplier www.rei .com
S . King Company A co llection of 12V d .c. www.skingco .com
convenience equ ipment
SAC Imaging Video astronomy cameras www.sac-imaging.com
Santa Barbara CCD astronomy cameras www.sbig.com
Instrument Group
(SBIGI
ScopeGuard Cases Telescope cases www.scopeguard .com
ScopeStuff Accessories www.scopestuff.com
Company Products - notes Web site address

ScopeTronix Digita l ca me raadapters, other www .scopetronix.com
accessories
S ightAndSoundShop Telescopes, accessories www .sightandsound
shop.com
SKB Golf casessuitablefor so me www.skbcases.com
telescopesand tripods
Starizona Telescopes, accessories www .stariz ona.com
Starlight Xpress CCD as tronomy cameras www .starlight-
xpress.co .uk
Tele Vue Telescope, eyepiece, and accessory www .televue.com
manufacturer
The Telescope Unique astronomyaccessories www .astronomy
-
Warehouse mall.com/telescope-ware
house
Thousa ndOaks Filters www .thousandoaks
optical.com
UniversityOptics Eyepieces, Barlow lenses www .universityoptics.com
Van Slyke Engineering Zero-image-shiftfocusers, off-oxis www .observatory
.org
guiders
WarehousePhoto T-mountsand various camera www .warehousephoto
. com/
adapters lenses&.htm
W illiamOptics Telescopes, accessories www .william-optics
.com
The objects in the NexStar d
atabase rae organized byseveralcategories.Several ofthecat-
egories are the well-knowncatalogs discussed n
i Chapters 2 and 6.
Named Stars (Alignment Stars)

The brighteststars in the sky are listed , primarily for use asalignmentstars.
Nam e RA D ec M ag Cons tellation

Achernar Olh 37m 43' -57°14' 0.6 Eri
Acrux 12h 26m36' -63°05' 1.6 Cm
A lbireo 19h 30m43' +27 °58' 3.2 Cyg
Aldebaran 04h 35m55' + 16°31' 1.1 Tau
Algenib OOh 13m 14' + 15°11' 2.9 Peg
A lpha Centauri 14h 39 m36' - 60°50' 0.0 Cen
Alphard 09h 27m35' -08°39 ' 2.2 Hya
Alphecca 15h 34m4 1' +26 °43' 2.3 CrB
A lpheratz OO h 08m 23' + 29°06' 2.1 A nd
A ltair 19h 50 m47' + 08° 52' 0.9 Aql
A ntares 16h 29m 24' -26°26' 1.1 Sco
Arcturus 14h 15m40' + 19°13' 0.2 Boo
Betelgeuse 05h 55m 10' +0 7°24' 0.6 Ori
Canopus 06h 23m57' -52°42' - 0.9 Car
Capella 05h 16m41' +46 °00' 0.2 A ur
Caph OOh 09 m 11' + 59°09' 2.4 Cas
Castor 07h 34m36' + 31° 3'5 1.6 Gem
Deneb 20h 41m 26' +45 °17' 1.3 Cyg
Denebola Il h 49 m04' + 14°34' 2.2 Leo
D ubhe Il h 03m 44' +61°45' 2 Uma
Fomalha ut 22h 57m39' -29°37' 1.3 PsA
Had ar 14h 03m50' - 60°23' 0.9 Cen
Hamal 02h 07m 10' + 23°28' 2.2 Ari
Mim osa 12h 47m43' - 59°41' 1.5 Cru
M irach Ol h09 m44' +35 °37' 2.4 And
263
Mi rfa k 03h 24m 19' + 49°52' 1.9 Per

Mizar 13h 23m 56' +54°55' 2.4 Uma
Navi OOh 56m 43' + 60°43' 2.8 Cas
Peacock 20h 25m 39' -56°44' 2.1 Pay
Polar is 02h 31m 50' +89°16' 2.1 Umi
Pollux 07h 45m 19' +28 °02' 1.2 Gem
Procyon 07h 39m 18' +05°14' 0.5 Cmi
Rasalhague 17h 34m 56' +12°34' 2.1 Op h
Regulus 10h08m 22' + 11°58' 1.3 Leo
Rigel 05h 14m 32' - 08°12' 0.3 Ori
Scheat 23h 3m 46' +28°05' 2.6 Peg
Sirius 06h 45m 9' - 16°42' - 1.6 Cma
Spica 13h 25m 12' -11 °10' 1.2 Vi r
Su hai l 09h 08m 00' - 43°26' 2.2 Vel
Vega 18h 36m 56' + 38°47' 0.1 Lyr
Double Stars
T he reare 55 double sta rs in the NexSta r dat ab a se. Ad ditio nal double stars can be accessedwith the
St ar button on the hand con t ro l.Lis ts of those sta rs (h un d re dsfor the GT, thou sands for theother
NexS ta r mod els) are available in the Downloa ds sectio n of my NexStar Resource Site -
http://www.NexStar Site.com .''
Nam e Ra Dec Mag Sep /Pos angle Constellation

107 Aqr 23h 46m 01' - 18°41' 5.8 7" 1143° Aq r
145 Cma 07h 16m 36' -23°19' 4.8 27" 1 65° Cma
17 Cyg 19h 46m 26' +33°44' 5.0 26" 1 73° Cyg
19Lyn 07h 22m 54' +55 °17' 5.6 14 .8" 1 315° Lyn
24 Com 12h 35m 08' + 18°22' 5.2 20"/271° Com
30 Ari 02h 37m 00' +24 °39' 6.6 39" 1 274° Ari
32 Eri 03h 54m 18' - 02"57' 5.0 7" 1 347° Eri
35 Com 12h 53m 18' +2 1°15' 5.1 29" 1 T rip le Co m
38 Gem 06h 54m 39' +13 °11' 4.7 7" Gem
54 Leo 10h55m 37' + 24°45' 4.5 6.8" 1 110° Leo
61 Cyg 2l h 06m 36' +38 °42' 5.4 30" 1 148° Cyg
94 Aqr 23h 19m 07' - 13°27' 5.3 13" 1 350° A qr
95 H er 18h oi- 30' + 21°36' 5.1 6.5" 1 258° H er
Acamar 02h 58m 16' - 40°18' 4.4 8" 1 82° Er i
Adh ar a 06h 58m 38' - 28°58' 1.6 7.5" 1 161° Cma
A lbi reo 19h 30m 43' + 27°58' 3.2 35" 1 54° Cyg
Algieb a IOh 19m 58' + 19°50' 2.6 4.4" 1 124° Leo
Al gorab 12h 29m 52' - 16°31' 3.1 24" 1 214" Cry
A lmac h 02h 03m 55' +42 °20' 5.1 10" 1 63° And
Beta Mo n 06h 28m 49' - 07°02' 4.7 3" 11 32° Mo n
Casto r 07h 34m 36' + 31°53' 1.6 1.8" 1171° Gem
Cor Caro li 12h 56m 01' +38°19' 2.9 19" 1 229° CVn
Dabih 20h 21m 01' - 14°47' 3.3 205" 1 267° Cap
Delta Cep 22h 29m 10' +58 °25' 4.0 20" 1192° Cep
Delta Ser 15h 34m 48' + 10°32' 5.2 3.9" 1 179° Ser
Epsilon Boo 14h 44m 59' + 27°05' 2.7 3" 1 303° Boo
Eps ilon Lyr I 18h 44m 20' +39 °40' 6.0 2" 1 353° Ly r
Epsilon Lyr 2 18h 44m 23' +39 °37' 4.5 2.2" 1 80° Lyr
Epsilon Peg 21h 44m 11' +09 °53' 2.5 83" 1 320° Peg
Objects in the NexStar Hand Control 265
Eta Cas OOh 49m 03' + 57°49' 3.6 12" /312° Cas
Eta Puppis 07h 34m 20' -23°28' 5.9 10" /117° Pup
GammaAries O lh 53m 30' + 19°19' 4.8 8" /360° Ari
GammaCet 02h 43m 18' +03°14' 3.6 2.7" /297° Cet
Graffias 16h 05m 26' -19°48' 2.9 14" /21° Sco
Iot aCancer 08h 46m 42' +28 °46' 4.2 31" / 307° Cnc
Kappa Boo 14h 13m 29' + 51°47' 4.6 13" /236° Boo
Kappa Puppis 07h 38m 48' - 26°48' 4.6 10" /318° Pup
Lamda Aries Olh 57m 54' + 23°36' 4.8 38" /47° Ari
Mintaka 05h 32m 00' - 00°18' 2.5 53" Ori
M izar 13h 23m 56' + 54°55' 2.4 14"/151° Uma
N u Dra 17h 32m II ' +55°11' 5.0 62" /3 12° D ra
Omicro n Cap 20h 29m 54' -1 8°35' 6.1 19" / 239° Cap
Polaris 02h 31m 50' +89°16' 2.1 18" / 218° Umi
Porrima 12h 41m 40' - 01°27' 2.9 3" /287° Vi r
Psi Piscium Ol h 05m 42m + 21°28' 5.5 30" /159° Psc
Rasalgethi 17h 14m 39' +14°24' 3.5 4.6" /107° Her
Rigel 05h 14m 30' - 08°12' 0.3 9" /203° Ori
Sigma Cas 23h 59m 01' + 55°45' 4.9 3" /326° Cas
Tau I Aqr 22h 47m 43' - 14°03' 5.7 23" /121° Aqr
Tegman 08h 12m 13' + 17°39' 6.0 9" /89° Cnc
Theta 2 Cnc 08h 26m 48' +26°56' 6.3 5" /217° Cnc
Xi Boo 14h 51m 23' + 19°06' 4.6 7" / 326° Boo
Zeta Aqr 22h 28m 50' +00°01' 4.6 2" /207° A qr
Zeta Lyr 18h 44m 46' +37°36' 4.3 44" / 150° Lyr
Zeta Piscium 01h 13m 42' +07°35' 5.6 23" /63° Psc
Variable Stars
The hand control databaseincludesa small selectionof the most interesti
ng variablestars.
Name RA Dec Min Max Period Constellation

mag mag in days
Algol 03h 08m 10' +40°57' 2.2 3.5 2.9 Per
Beta Lyr 18h 50m OS ' + 33°22' 3.5 4.3 12.9 Lyr
Delta Cep 22h 29m 10' +58 °25' 3.6 4.3 5.4 Cep
L Car 9h 45m 15' - 62°30' 3.4 4.1 35 Car
Mira 02h 19m 21' - 02°59' 3.4 9.2 332 Cet
R Car 09h 32m 15' -62°47' 4.6 9.6 309 Car
R Cen 14h 16m 34' - 59°55' 5.9 10.7 546 Cen
R Cyg 19h 36m 26' +50°13' 7.5 13.9 426 Cyg
R Dra 16h 32m 39' +66 °45' 7.6 12.4 246 D ra
RH or 02h 54m 06' - 50°52' 6.0 13.0 404 H or
RLeo 09h 47m 34' +U026' 5.8 10.0 312 Leo
R Tri 02h 35m 47' + 34°41' 6.2 11.7 266 Tri
RRL yr 19h 25m 27' +42 °47' 7.3 8.1 0.6 Lyr
SCar IOh 09m 22' - 61°33' 5.7 8.5 150 Car
SS Cyg 21h 42m 34' +42 °26' 8.2 12.4 50 Cyg
TCen 13h 41m 46' -33°36' 5.5 9.0 91 Cen
TCep 21h09m 32' +68°30' 6.0 10.3 388 Cep
UGem 07h ssm 06' + 22°40' 8.2 14.9 103 Gem
UU ma IOh 44m 38' +68 °46' 7.5 13.0 302 Uma
Zeta Gem 07h 04m 07' +20°34' 3.7 4.3 10.2 Gem
Named Obiects
A l istingof some of the mo
st spectacular deep
sky objects.
Name RA Dec Mag S ize Type Const Comments

A ndromeda OOh 42.7ffi +41°16' 3.5 178' Gal Andromeda M31. The closest spiral
GaiaxyM 31 galaxy to earth.
Spanning3° across, the
Andro medagalaxy is
thefarthest ob jectthat
can be seen with the
nakedeye. Distance=
2.8 million Iy.
Diameter = 180000 Iy.
Barnard 's 19h 44.9ffi -1 4°48' 9.0 10.2' Gal Sagitt ariu s Irregular dwarfgalaxy.
Galaxy D istance = 1.7milly.
NGC 6 822 Diameter= 10000 Iy.
Bear Paw 08h 13.2ffi +46°00' 11.7 1.7' Gal Lynx Moderatelybright,
Galaxy round,and well-resolved
NGC 2537 galaxy.
Beehive OC 08h 40.l ffi + J9059' 3.1 95' OC Cancer Open cluster containing
M44 over 200 sta rs, visible to
the naked eye. Also
called Praesep eand M44.
Di stance = 525 Iy.
Diam eter= 40 Iy.
Black-Eye 12h 56.7ffi +21°41' 8.5 9.3' Gal Coma A spiral galaxy with a
GaiaxyM 64 Berenices strikingdark dust cloud
nearthe central nucleus.
Dis tance = 20 million Iy.
Blinking Plan 19h 44.Sffi + 50°31' 10.0 2.3' PN Cygnus Planetar y nebuladisc
NG C 6826 with 11th-magnitude
centralstar.
Blue Planeta ry II h 50.3ffi - 57°11' 8.0 0.2' PN Centa urus Small,round planeta ry
NG C 3918 nebula. Blue in color
with 7th-mag nitudestar
in center.
Blue Snowball 23h 25.9ffi + 42°33' 9.0 2.2' PN Andromeda A h azy blue planetary
NG C 7662 nebulaestim atedto be
1800 to 5600 Iy away and
20000 to 50000 AU
across.
Bode's Nebula 09h 55.6ffi + 69°04' 6.9 25.7' Gal Ur sa Ma jor A mas sive galaxy witha
M8 1 luminosity equal to 20
billionsuns and a total
mass of approx 250 solar
masses. Dista nce7
millionly.
Diamet er= 36 000 Iy.
Box Nebula 17h 14.1ffi - 12°55' 11.0 1.1' PN Ophiuchus This planetary nebula
NG C 6309 has a green ish disk and
appea rs rectangularin
sha pe, hen ceits name.
The Box Nebul a si best
seen using an 0 III
nebula filter.
BubbleNebula 23h 20.7ffi +61°12' 15' SR Cassiopeia Remnantof a supern ova,
NGC 7635 namedfor its gaseous arc
Name RA Dec Mag Size Type Const Comments

thatresemblesa large
bubble.
Distance= 11000 ly.
Bug Nebula 17h 13.7ffi -37°06' 13.0 0.8' PN Scorpius Irregular-shaped
NGC6302 planetarynebula.
ButterfiyOC 17h 40.1ffi -32°13' 4.2 15' OC Scorpius Also called M6. Bright
M6 open clustercontaining
about50 stars.
Distance= 1300 ly.
Diameter= 20 ly.
California 04h 00.7ffi +36°37' 145' Neb Perseus Very faint, large , and
Nebula diffusenebula
NGC 1499 resemblingtheshapeof
Californ ia. Best seen
using ahydrogen-beta
filter.
Cat's Eye l7h 58.6ffi +66°38' 9.0 5.8' PN Draco One of thebrightest
Nebula planetarynebulaewith a
NGC6543 centralstar nearly 100
times theluminosityof
the Sun.
Distance= 3200 ly.
Diameter= 0.33 ly.
Christmas 06h 4I.lm +09°53' 3.9 60' OC Monoceros A very young open
Tree cluster,also called the
NGC 2264 Cone Nebula, with 150
memberssurroundedby
darknebulosity.
Distance = 2600 ly.
Diameter= 20 ly.
Cocoon 21h 53.4ffi +47°16' 7.2 12' Neb Cygnus A faint openclustersur-
Nebula roundedby nebulosity
IC 5146 that islocatedESEof a
largedarknebula-
Barnard168.
Crab Nebula 05h 34.5ffi +22°01' 8.4 6' SR Taurus Also called Ml.
Ml Supernovaremnantthat
was recordedby the
Chinese in the year 1054.
At its brightest,it was
visible evenin the
daytimeand cast a
shadowin thenighttime.
Distance= 6500 ly.
Diameter= 10 ly.
Crescent 20h 12ffi +38°21' 20' Cygnus A faint, very large
Nebula nebularwith adouble
NGC6888 starvisible inside. Best
seen with an OlII filter.
Deer Lick 22h37 .1ffi +34°25' 9.5 10.7' Gal Pegasus A fairly brightelongated
Galaxy galaxy with four small
NGC 7331 companiongalaxies sur-
roundingit.
Double 2h 19ffi +57°09' 4.0 30' OC Perseus Two openclusters
Cluster visible

NG C 869/884 to thenakedeye, each
with a dia meterof about
70 ly. Both clusters are
veryyoung. NGC 884 is
8500 ly in distance and
11.5 million years old.
NG C 869 is 7000lyaway
and 6.4millionyears old.
Dumbbell 19h 59.6ffi + 2Z043' 8.1 15.2 PN Vulpecula One of theclosest
Nebula M27 planetary nebulaeto
earth.Expandingat a
speed of 27 km/s, it can
be estimatedto beabout
48 000 years old.
Distance= - 750 ly.
Diameter = 2 ly.
Eagle Nebula 18h 18.8ffi -13°47' 6.0 35' Neb Serpens A large opencluster
MI6 surroundedby a diffuse
nebula. A very active
region ofstarformation.
Distance= - 8000 ly.
Diameter= 70 ly.
Eight Burst 10h07.0ffi -40°26' 8.0 0.8' PN Vela Bright central star.
Nebula Namedafterits multi-
NGC 31 32 ring structure visible in
photograph s . Distance=
2500 ly. Diameter=0.7Iy.
Eskimo 07h 29.2ffi +20°55' 10.0 0.7' PN Gemini Bright innerring
Nebula separatedby a darkgap
NGC 2392 from anotherfaint outer
ring. Distance= approx.
2500 ly.
Ghost Of 10h24.8ffi -18°38' 9.0 20.8' PN H ydra Planetary nebula with an
Jupiter elongated ni ner ring.
NGC 3242 Distanc e= - 2600 ly.
Diameter =0.5 ly.
Helix Nebula 22h 29.6ffi -20°48' 12.8' PN Aqu ariu s The large stand closest
NG C 7293 planetar y nebulawith an
angulardiameterof half
the full Moon.
Di stanc e= - 300 ly.
Diameter= 1.751y.
Hercules GC 16h 41.7ffi +36°28' 5.9 16.6' GC He rcules Globularclustervisible to
M13 the nakedeye. The cluster
contains about I million
stars and isestimatedto
be 10billion years old.
Distance= 25 000ly.
Diameter= 160 ly.
H ind 's 04h 22.9ffi +l9°32m Neb Taurus Very faint reflection
Variable nebula.
Nebula
NG C 1555
Hor sehead 05h 41ffi -OZ024' I I.3 60' Neb Orion A darknebula that
Nebula resembles theshapeof a
IC 434 horse head, positionedin
frontof a bright diffuse

nebula. This objectis best
seen using an H-Beta
filter.Distance= 1500 Iy.
Hubble 06h 39.2m +08°44' 2' Neb Monoceros Gaseous nebula
Variable surroundinga variable
Nebula star.Distance= 2600 Iy.
NGC 2261 D iameter= 7 Iy.
Hyades 04h 27.0m +16"00' 4° OC Taurus A very close opencluster
NGC 7845 with atriangularshape
forming the head of the
bull of theconstellation
Taurus. Distance= 150 Iy.
Diameter= 121y.
Lagoon 18h 03.8m -24°23' 5.8 90' Neb Sagittarius A very brightnebula
NebulaM8 which is an active star
formationregion.
Distance= 5000 Iy.
Diameter= 100 Iy.
Little 01h 42.3m +51°34' 12.0 4.8' PN Perseus
Dumbbell
NGC 650
NGC 891 02 h 22.6m +42°21' 10.0 13.5' Gal Andromeda Edge-on spiral galaxy
with prominentban of
darkinterstellarm atter
along the galactic plane
.
Distance= 43 million Iy.
Diameter= 120000 ly,
North 20h 58.8m +44°20' 120' Neb Cygnus A diffuse nebulathat
American resemblestheoutlineof
Nebula the NorthAmerican
NGC 7000 continent.Best seen with
an om filter. Distance
1600 Iy. Diameter451y.
Omega Cluster13h 26.8m -47°29' 3.7 36.3' GC Centaurus The brightestand largest
NGC 5139 globularclusterin the
sky. Best seen at lower or
southernlatitudes.
Distance = 17000 Iy.
Diameter= 100 Iy.
Orion Nebula 05h 35.4m - 05°27' 4.0 66' Neb Orion One of the most
M42 impressivediffuse
nebulaein the sky.
Visible to thenakedeye
bellowOrion's belt. Star
formingregion with four
prominentstars called
"The Trapezium"
centeredin thenebula.
Distance= 1600 Iy.
Diameter= 30 Iy.
Owl Nebula llh 14.8m +55°01' 11.2 3.2' PN Ursa Major Also called M97.1rregular
M97 shapedplanetarynebula.
Distance= -3000 Iy.
Diameter= 3 Iy.
Pinwheel 01h 33.9m +30°39' 5.7 62' Gal Triangulum A large spiralgalaxy
M33 structurewith bright
knotsof dust andgas.

After the Andro meda
Galaxy, it is the closest
spiralgalaxy to the Milky
Way.
Distance= 3 million ly.
Diame ter= 60 000 Iy.
Pleiades 03h 47.5m +24°07' 1.5 89' OC Taurus Also called " The Seven
M 45 Sisters" and M45. Bright,
open clusterwith 250
members. Six or seven
stars easily visible to the
naked eye.
Dis tance= 450 Iy.
Diameter= 20 ly.
Ring Nebula 18h 53.6m +33°02' 9.0 2.5' PN Lyra A very famo us planeta ry
M5 7 nebula with an extremely
hot blue dwarf star in the
center.
Distanc e= 1400ly.
Dia meter= 0.5 Iy.
Ring-Tail 12h 01.9m - 18°53' 13.0 3.2' Gal Corvus A very unusual pair of
Galaxy interacting galaxies
NGC 4038 result ing ni
extrao rdin arylon g,
curvedfilame nts
extend ingfrom each
galaxy.
D istance= 90 million ly.
D iameter= 100 000 Iy.
Rosette 06h 30.3m +05°03' Neb Monoc eros A diffuse nebula
Nebula surr ounding an open
NGC 2244 cluster. Clouds ofdark
interstellarmaterial
against the glowing back
ground of the nebulagive
it its " ros e" appea ra nce.
Dis tance = 2600 ly.
Diameter= 55 ly.
Saturn Nebula 21h 04.2m - 11°22' 8.0 1.7' PN A qua rius Plan etarynebul awith an
NGC 7009 elonga tedring
resembling the rings of
Saturn.
Di stan ce= 4000 ly.
Diamet er= 0.5 ly.
Sculpto r OO h 47.6m - 25°17' 7.1 25.1' Gal Sculp tor The bright estmemberof
Galaxy the SculptorGalaxy
NGC 2 53 Clusterand very similar
in size to our Milky W ay.
Total luminosityof
5 billion suns.
Di stance= 7.5 million Iy.
D iameter= 70 00 ly.
Siamese 12h 36.5m + 11°15' 11.3 3.0' Gal Virgo Elongate dgalaxy with
Twins close companion galaxy.
NG C4 567
Somb rero 12h 40m - 11°37' 8.3 8.9' Gal Virgo Al so called M104.
Galaxy Edge-ongalaxy with a
M I04 darkband of interstellar
Name RA Dec Mag Size Type Const Com ments

matterin theequatorial
galacticplane resembling
the brim of a sombrero.
Distance= 30 millionIy.
Diameter= 82 000 Iy.
SpindleGalaxy lOh 05.2m -07°43' 9.2 8.3' Gal Sextans A greatly flattened,
NGC 3115 ellipticalgalaxy shaped
like aspindle.
Diameter= 30000ly
Stephan's 22h 36.1m +33°57' 12.7 2.2' Gal Pegasus A groupof five galaxies,
Quintet some of which are
NGC 7 317 connectedby " bridges" of
ar matter.
interstell
Sunflower 13h 15.8m +42°02' 8.6 12.3' Gal Canes An elongatedgalaxy with
Galaxy Venatici a brightcore anda tight
M63 spiralpatternresembling
a giantcelestialflower.
Diam eter= 90000 Iy.
Swan Nebula 18h 20.8m -16°11' 6.0 46' Neb Sagittarius Diffuse nebula
M17 resemblinga swan
swimmingacrosswater.
Distance= 5500 Iy.
Diameter= 151y.
TarantulaNeb 05h 38.6m - 69°05' 8.2 40' Neb Dorado A g iantdiffusenebula
NG C 2070 located ni the Large
M agellani c Cloud is the
large stobjectof its kind
known in theUniverse.
Di stan ce= 1690001y.
Di ameter= 800ly
Trifid Nebula 18h 02.3m - 23°02' 6.3 29' Neb Sagittarius A diffuse nebula
M20 characterized by three
darkbands dividing the
brightregion sof the
nebula.
Di stance= 3700 ly,
V eil Nebula 20h 56,4m +31°43' 2.5° SR C ygnu s A beautifulcomplex
NG C 6992 / nebula, whose delicate
6960 filamentstructureis best
seen using an om filter.
The Veil Nebulais the
remnant of an ancient
supernova thatexploded
some 35000 years ago .
Distance= 1500 Iy.
Whirlpool 13h 29.9m +47°12' 8,4 11' Gal Canes Also called M51. One of
Galaxy M51 Venatici the closestand brightest
galaxie swith very
pronouncedspiralarms.
Diam eter= 100000 Iy.
Wild Du ck 18h51.1 m -06°16' 5.8 14' OC Scutum Also calledMIl. A rich
Cluster open clustercontain ing
Mil about 500 stars.
Distance = 6000 Iy.
Diameter= 211y.
Asterisms
A collectionof unique starpatterns
.
Name RA Dec Const Comments

Kite Cluster Ol h 40
m
+59°00' Cas A d iamond-shapedpatternof stars
resemblinga kitewith astringof
5 stars making up theail. t
TriangleCluster 01h 54m +38°00' And A long stringof stars leading to an
isoscelestriangle situatednear the
bright,open cluster NGC 752.
Perseus Cluster 03h 28m +49°00' Per Called the Pers eus Moving Cluster,
this asterismis a largeassociat ion
of over 50starsscattered across°3
of the constellationPerseus.All
stars visible are bright ,very young,
hot starsdatingback onlyabout
50 million years.
Kemble's Cascade 03h 57m +63°00' Cam Long strand of 5th- to
8th-magnitudestars stretching
over 2°.Continuingsoutheast
from the clusterwill lead to the
open cluster NG C 1502.
Little Fish 05h 18m +33°30' Aur Mor e thana dozen stars make up
this clusterwhich cover an ar eaof
30' x 75' across
Arrowhead Cluster 06h 40m -09°00' CMa A distinctive V-shapedpatternof
star resemblingan arrowhead
position sabout7°northof thestar
Sirius.
Number 3 Cluster 06h 53m -10°12' CMa A patternof faint starsseen as a
backwardsnumber " 3" througha
low power eyepi ece. Look for the
bright,open cluster M50 just
northwestof this asterism.
Crown Cluster IOh 50m +56°12' UMa A small " crown" of stars with a
bright"jewel" star near the center
located 2 ° west of thestar Merak.
h +25°48' The Coma StarCluster. A
Coma Star Cluster 12 22m CmB
V-sh apedpatternof stars visibleto
the naked eye . This clusteris one
of the closestto Earth at adistance
of250 Iy.
Star GateCluster 12h 36m -12°00' Crv A uniquetriangle of sta rs with
anothertriangleof fainter starsin
its center.
Mini -Coathanger 16h 30m +80°12' UMi A patternof 10 faintstars
spanning[ degree, n icknamedthe
"Mini -coathanger" or "S" Cluster
S Cluster 16h 37m +31°00' Her A curving patt ernof a dozenstars
resemblinga backwards letter "S'.
Ring Cluster 18h 04m +26°30' Her A faint ring ofstars witha brighter
7th-magnitudestarinside the ring .
W Cluster 18h 35m +72°18' Dra An asteri smof 20 stars, with the
5 brightest stars makinga
distinctive"w" pattern! degree
across.

h
CoathangerCluster 19 25 m
+20°12' Vul Called"Brocchi's cluster"or the
" Coathangercluster". Visible to
the naked eye 8° southof the star
Albireo. Ten visible stars make up
a coathangershapespanning
1°across.
h
Spiral Cluster 20 14m +36°30' Cyg A sprawlingpatternof stars
resemblingthe arms of a spiral
galaxy with abrighterreddishstar
in the center.
Diamond Cluster 20h 39m +13°30' Del Seen as abrighttriangleof
7th-magnitude stars,ith w
6th-magnitudeThetaDelphini
being thebrightest.
HorseshoeCluster 21h 07m +47°18' Cyg A "horseshoe"patternof over a
dozen 7th- to 11th-magnitude
stars measuring20' across lying
near thebrightstar Deneb.
Number7 Cluster 23h 07m +59°00' Cas Nine 5th- and 6th-magnitude
stars makingup a sideways
number"7".
Arrow Cluster 23h 21m +62°30' Cas One degree of starsresemblingan
arrowpatternnortheastof the
cluster M52.
CCD Obiects
Only available in the NexStar 8/11 GPS and NexStar 5i/8i
. A collection of galaxyclusterswell suitedto
CCD imaging .

NGC 383 Group Olh 07m 23' +32°25' Pisces Awell-populated galaxygroup
with more than a dozen small
galaxiesspreadover a 1.5° area.
A good object for f/2
Fastar imaging.
Arp 318 02h 09m 24' -10°08' Cetus Astringof four spiral galaxies
arrangedin a line curving east
and south.
NGC 1068 & 1055 02h 42m 24' +00°13' Cetus This galaxy pairconsistsof a
circularspiral galaxy with a
brilliantcore and less brightspiral
arms, with a visible dust lane
runningthroughone of its arms.
NGC 1097A 02 h 46m 12' -30°14' Fornax A stronglybarredspiral galaxy
with a largebrightoval core.
Detachedfrom the galaxy is a
30' companionoff thenorthern
spiral bar.
FornaxCluster 03h 22m 42' -3]012' Fornax This cluster iscenteredaroundits
brightestmember,NGC 1316, a
bright, slightlyelongatedoval
galaxysurroundedby many
fainter galaxies.
Name RA Dec Cons t Comments

NGC 1400 & 1407 03h 39m 59' - 18°35' Eridanus Two very similarspiralgalaxies
with brightcores and faint halos
separatedby 12'.
NGC 1532 & 1531 04h 12m 06' - 32°52' Eridanus This visually cont rasti nggalaxy
pair isseparatedby only 1.75'.
NGC 1532 is a 10th-magnitude
elongatedgalaxy with a bright
core. NGC 1531 is a smalle r,less
elongatedcompanion galaxy.
NGC 1723 Group 04h 59m 00' - 11°00' Eridan us A gro up of four galaxies in the
shape of a eat's paw with three
faintgalaxies in an arc and the
bright er NGC1723,directlynorth
of the trio.
Bode 's Galaxies 09h ssm 36' +69 °20' This galaxy pair made up of M81
and M82 are bothbright ,oval
galaxies separated by halfof a
degree. Good object for Fastar f/2
imaging.
N GC 3 158 Group IOh 13m 48' + 38°46' This galaxy gro up centered
around NGC 3 158 is made up of
eight galaxies that spa n a 10'
diam eter n a d can be image d at
f/6.3 or at f/2 wi th a Fastar len s.
NGC 3 190Group 10h 18m 06' + 21°50' Leo NGC 3190 is the bright estmember
of this trio of galaxies, which
include NGC 3187 and NGC 3193.
Hyd ra I Cluster 10h36m 42' - 27°32' Hydr a Hydra I is a cluster of eight
galaxiesthat lie at adistan ce of
200 million light -yea rsaway. All
are 11th - and 12th-magnitude
galaxies.the fart hestbeingabout
30' from each other. Good objec t
for f/2 Fasta r imaging.
MI0 5 Trio IOh 47m 48' + 12°35' Leo This galaxy groupis compos edof
an 8 arc minut etrian gle of
contrast inggalaxies includi ngan
ellipti cal, lenticular n a d loose
spiralgalaxy.
Butterfly Galaxy IOh 50m 00' +33°00' Two elonga tedinteracting ga laxies
connectedat their tips giving the
appeara nceof a butterfly.
Leo's Tripl e 11h 19m 30' + 13°15' Leo The Leo Triple is compr ised of two
bright M essier objects (M65 and
M66) and NGC 3628 that form a
triangle ofmorethan 30' across.
Best suitedfor Fastar f/2 imagin g.
Copelan d'sSeptet 11h37m 54' +2 1°59' Leo Copeland's Septet si a tight cluster
of 6 faint galaxies scatteredacross
a 6' field of view.The galaxies
range in brightness from
magnitude13.6 to I S. This cluster
is best imag ed th rou gh an
f/6.3reducer.
Ring-TailGalaxy 12h O l m 53' - 18°53' Corvus NG C 4038-39 is an unusual pair of
interactinggalaxiesthat appearas
one comma-shaped objec t.

h
NGC 4298 & 4302 12 21m 43' +14°36' Coma This visually contrastingpair is
Berenices onlyseparatedby I' and is best
imaged at f/6.3 with reducerlens.
Virgo Cluster 12h 26m 12' +12°57' V irgo M86 lies at thecenterof this
galaxy clustersurroundedby
sevensatellitegalaxies of various
sizes andmagnitude.
Siamese Twins 12h 36m 36' +11°14' Virgo The Siamese Twins are a pair of
interactinggalaxiesthatappearto
be joinedat the tips .
NGC 5350 Group 13h 53m 24' +40°22' Canes This groupis positionedneara
Venatici 6.5-magnitudestar and has a
brightspiralgalaxy, NGC 5471
less than0.5° to thenortheast.
A good object for f/2
Fastarimaging.
NGC 5774-75 14h 54m 00' +03°33' Virgo Two spiralgalaxies,one seen
edge-on,theotherseen face-on,
with a faintcompaniongalaxy to
thesouth.
Stephan'sQuintet 22h 36m 07' +33°57' Pegasus These five galaxies all lie
withina
3.5' areaandrange inbrightness
from 12.6 to 13.6. Stephan's
Quintetis positionedjustsouthof
anothergood CCD object
NGC 7330.
Deer Lick Cluster 22h 37m 06' +34°25' Pegasus NGC 7331 is a nearly edge-on
spiralgalaxy with foursmaller
companiongalaxiesorbiting
towards the east.
h
Pegasus I Cluster 23 20m 42' +08°13' Pegasus This galaxyclusteris made up of
morethan10 faint galaxies
rangingin magnitudefrom
II to 13. The clusterspans30'
across with two equalbrightness
twin galaxies in itscenter.Pegasus
I is a good object for
Fastar imaging.
NGC 7782 Group 23h 53m 54' +07°58' Pisces At 12th-magnitudeNGC 7782 is
thebrightestof this five galaxy
clusterlocatedin Pisces.
Stars
In additionto the Named, Double,
andVariable star lists,
additionals tarsare accessible using the Star
buttonon thehandcontrol.The numberof starsvaries by NexStar model. Lists of thestarsare avail-
ablein theDownloadssection of my NexStarResourceSite - http://www .NexStarSite.com.
• NexSta r 60/80/114/4
- 2824stars.The new GThandcontrolorganizesthis list by
SAO catalognumbers. The originalGT handcontrol uses aNexStar-specificnumberthatcan be
cross-referencedto the SAOcatalogwith the list available on my web site
.
• NexStar 5 / 8- 10384starsorganizedby a NexStar-specificnumberthatcan becross-ref-
erencedto the SAO catalog with thestliavailable on my web site.
• NexStar Si/8i and 8/11 GPS - 29522 stars organizedby SAO catalog
numbers.
Messier Obiects
All 110 Messier objects areavailablein all NexStarmodels. The Messier objects arelistedin Chapter6
and a list is also available in the
Downloads sectionof my NexStar Resource Site
.
Caldwell Obiects
All 109 Caldwell objects are available in all NexStar models
. A list of the Caldwell objects is available in
the Downloadssectionof my NexStarResourceSite.
NGC Obiects
The NexStar 60/80/114/4handcontrolincludes1165 NGC objects. All othermodelsincludethe entire
NGC catalog of 7840 objects
. Both lists are available in the
Downloadssection of my NexStarResource
Site.
IC Obiects
The NexStar 5i/8i and 8/11 GPS
containtheentireIC catalogof 5386objects. A list of the ICobjectsis
available in theDownloadssectionof my NexStar Resource ite.
S
Abell Obiects
The NexStar5i/8iand8/1 I GPScontainthe first 2712objectsin the Abell galaxyclustercatalog.The
magnitudegiven by thehandcontrolis themagnitudeof thetenth-brightest galaxy in thecluster.A
list of these Abell objects is available
in theDownloads sectionof my NexStarResourceSite.
There are a widevarietyof softwarepackagesavailablefor controllingyour NexStar telescope .
Programswrittenfor Windows, Macintosh,and palmtopcomputers(PDAs) can provideextended
controlandenhancedfeaturesfor your scope. Prices range from free to a few hundreddollars. While
manyof thepackagesare similarin function, someare quiteunique. I recommendyou spendsome
timeresearchingat themanufacturers ' web sites todeterminewhich softwarepackageor packages
best suit your needs.
Table C.I shows thedesignationsusedto denotewhich modelsof NexStarscopesare compatible
with eachsoftware pa ckage.
Followingis a list ofsoftwarepackagesavailableat thetimeof this writing; additionals oftwareis
introducedcontinually. Please visit the PC Control section of the NexStar Resource Site -
http://www .NexStarSite.com - for the mostup-to-datelist. Allinformationis subjectto changeby the
softwaremanufa cturer; please visit th
e web sitelistedfor the latest details.
Table C. 1. Designations denoting compatibilityof modelsof NexStar scopeswith software

packages
Model Description
Original GT The original GT (computerizedGoTo) hand control for the Ne x Star
60/80/114/4telescopes, as well as all Tasco StarGuidete les co pe .s
NewGT The upgradedGT hand controlfor the NexStar 60/80/114/4
telescopes. This hand control is includedwith all little Ne xStars
manufacturedafter December 2001 . See the sidebarOld versus
New GT Hand Control in Chapter3 to determine whetheryou have
the original or new GT hand control.
Ne xStar 5/8 The original NexStar 5 and 8 models. The se modelswerediscontinued
in the summer of 002
2 and replacedwith the NexStar 5i and 8 i.
Ne xStar 5 i/8i The new NexStar 5 i and 8 i telescopes. Only the optionalcomputerized
hand control allows PC control.
Ne xStar GPS The NexStar 8/11 GPS telescopes.
277.
NexStar Observer List

Author: MichaelSwanson
Cost: Free
Web Site:http ://www
.Nex StarSite.com /
Computer systemssupported : Win dows 9s/98/ME/NT12000/XP
Models ofNexStarsupported:Original GT, New GT, NexStar 5/8,NexStar si/8i,NexStar GPS
Arrow Keys for GuideStar

Authors: M ichael Ganslmeierand Ma tthias Bopp
Cost:Free
Web Site: http://www. ddlus.de
Computersystemssupported : Windows 2000/XP
Mod els ofNexStarsupported : H C mod els (the manual handcontro l littl eN exStar s)and GT models
with modification s
Note: A unique package that allows the PC to act as the directi onbutton s on the hand control.Thi s
allows completeremotecontro lof the little NexStarsafterthe initial alignment si accomplished. V isit
the site and downl oad the articleon "Co nt ro lling the NexSta r 4/60/80/ 114 series tele scop esfully
remotely" for complete details.
ASCOM
Publisher: Astronomy Common ObjectMo del (ASCOM)
Cost: Free
Web Site: http://ascom -standards.o rg
Computersystemssupport ed:Windows 9s/98/ME/NT12000 /XP
Mod elsof NexStarsupported:Original G'I', New G'T , NexStar5/8, NexStar si/8i, NexStar GPS
Note: This is a plug-in that isused by otherprogramsto controla telescope, not a standalone program.
AstroPlanner
Publisher: iLanga, Inc.
Cost: $20 download versio n;$30 CD- ROM versio n
W eb Site:http://www.ilangainc.com/ astroplann er
Computersystemssupported : Mac OS and Wind ows 9s/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported:OriginalGT, New GT, NexStar 5/8, NexStar si/8i, NexStar GPS
Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts)

Author: Patric kChevalley
Cost: Free
Web Site:http://www.stargazing.net/astropc
Computersystemssupported: Windows 9s/98/ME/NT /2000/XP
Mod els of NexStarsupported : Uses the ASCOM pl ug-i n above and supports the samescopes. Note
that it is necessary to download the ASCOM platform from the ASCOM lin k above and you must
downloadthe ASCOM driverfrom theCartesdu Ciel web site -the " CompletePackage" download
does not include ither.
e
PC and Palmtop Software Compatible with NexStars 279
Deepsky 2003
Author:Steven Tuma
Cost:$53 on CD, $40 whendownloaded
Web Site: http://www.deepsky2000.net
Computersystemssupported : Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported:Uses the ASCOM plug-inabove andsupportsthe same scopes.
Pocket Deepsky
Author: Steven Tuma
Cost:$20 whenpurchasedseparately,free with apurchaseof Deepsky 2003
Web Site: http://www.deepsky2000
.net
Computersystemssupported:Windows CE Version 3
: NexStar5/8
Models of NexStarsupported
Desktop Universe
Publisher: Main Sequence Software
Cost:$300
Web Site: http://www.desktopuniverse.com
Computersystemssupported:Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported : Uses the ASCOM plug-inabove andsupportsthe same scopes.
DigitalSky Voice
Publisher:Astro Physics, Inc.
Cost: $175
Web Site: http://www.digitalskyvoice.com
Models of NexStarsupported:New GT, NexStar5/8,NexStar5i/8i, NexStar GPS
Earth Centered Universe Pro

Publisher:Nova Astronomies
Cost:$60
Web Site: http://www.nova-astro
.com
Computersystemssupported:Windows 3.1/95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
: Uses the ASCOMplug- in above andsupportsthe same scopes.
Guide CD-ROM Star Chart, Version 8

Publisher: Project Pluto
Cost: $89
Web Site:http://www.projectpluto
.com
Computersystemssupported:DOS, Windows 3.1I95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported:Original GT, New GT, NexStar5/8,NexStar5i/8i,NexStar GPS
HNSKY
Author: Han Kleijn
Cost: Free
Web Site:http://www .hnsky.org
Computersystemssupported:Window s95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStar supported:Uses the ASCOM plug -in above and supportsthe same scopes. In
addition to the SACOM plug-in, you must also downloadthe HNSKY to AS COM Interfacefrom the
HN SKY website.
MegaStar 5
Publisher: Willmann-B ell,Inc.
Cost: $130
Web Site: http://www.willbell
.com/software/megastar/ind ex.htm
Computersystemssupported : W indows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported : New GT, NexStar 5/8, NexStar5i/8i,NexStar GPS
NGCView
Publisher: Rainman Software
Cost:$90
Web Site: http://www.rainman-soft.com
Models of NexStarsupported: Uses the ASCOM plug-inaboveand supports the same
scopes.
Observer
Publisher: Procyon Systems
Cost: $90 forIntermediate,$125 for Advanced ,Basic does notsupporttelescopecontrol
Web Site :http://www.procyon-sys.com
Computersystemssupported : Power Mac
Models of NexStarsupported : New GT, NexStar5i/8i,NexStarGPS
Planetarium
Author: Andreas H ofer
Cost:$24
Web Site: http://www.aho.ch/pilotpl anets
Computersystemssupported : Palm Pilot (orcompatible)r unningPalm OS version 2.0or higher
Models of NexStar supported : Original GT, New GT, NexStar 5/8,NexStar 5i/8i,NexStar GPS -
requires download of telescopecontrolplug-in for specificscopes
PC and Palmtop Software Compatible with NexStars 281
Real-Time PC Software for Astronomical

Observers
Author: Robert Sheaffer
Cost: Free
Web Site:http://www.debunker.com/astro/rtastro.html
Computersystemssupported : DOS, W indows 3.1/95/98/ME
: Original GT, New GT, NexStar 5/8,NexStar5i/8i,NexStar GPS
Satellite Tracker
Author: Brent Boshart
Cost:$20
Web Site:http://www .heavenscape.com
Computersystemssupported : W indow s 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported : NewGT, NexStar 5/8,NexStar 5i/8i, NexStar GPS - continuous tracking
on the NexStar GPS (HC 1.6 or higher) and NexStar5i/8i;leapfrog trackingon othermodels
SkyChart III
Publisher: Southern Stars Systems
Cost:$50
Web Site: http://
s outhernstars.com/skychart
Computersystemssupported : Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP and Mac
Models of NexStar supported : NexStar 5/8 and reportedly supports New GT, NexStar 5i/8i, and
NexStar GPS when the Ultima 2000river
d is selected
SkyMap Pro
Publisher: SkyMap Software
Cost: $100
Web Site: http://www. skymap.com
Computersystemssupported:W indows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported :
exStar5/8;version 8 supportsN ew GT, NexStar 5/8, NexStar 5i/8i,NexStar
V er sion 7 supports the N
GPS
StarParty
Publisher: PFD Systems
Cost: $12
Web Site: http://www.pfds
ystems.com
Computersystemssupported : Palm Pilot orcompatible -seeweb site for OSversionrequirements
Models of NexStarsupported: Original GT, New GT, NexStar 5/8,NexStar 5i/8i,NexStar GPS
STAR Atlas:PRO
Publisher:SKYLab AstronomySoftware
Cost: $130
Web Site: http://www.skyl
ab.com.au
Computersystemssupported:Windows 95/98/MEINT/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported: Uses the ASCOM plug-inaboveand supportsthe samescopes
Starry Night Pro

Publisher: Space Software
Cost: $180
Web Site: http://www .starrynight.com
Computersystemssupported : Cur rent version (version4) only supports W indows 98/ME12000/XP
and Mac OS X 10.1or higher.Version 3 suppor tsWindows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP and olderMac OS
versions.
Models of NexStarsupported :
Windows ver sion - can use the AS COM plug-in for controllingmodels listedin the ASCOM section
above. M ac version - Variou s plug-insare availablesupportingNew GT, NexStar5/8,NexStar 5i/8i,
NexStar GPS
TheSky Level II or Higher

Publisher: Software Bisque
Cost: LevelII - $130
Web Site: http://www .bisque.com
Computersystemssupported:W indow s 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP and Mac
Models of NexStarsupported : New GT, NexStar 5/8, NexStar 5i/8i, NexStar GPS
TheSky Pocket Edition

Publisher: Software Bisque
Cost:$50
Web Site: http://www.bisque.com
Computersystemssupported : Windows CE V ers ion3 on Pocket PC, Windows CE 2.11for Palm-size
PC and a fewotherversion/hardware combinations detailedon the web site
.
Models of NexStarsupported : New GT, NexStar 5/8,NexStar 5i/8i,NexStarGPS
Voyager III with SkyPiiot

Publisher: Car inaSoftware
Cost: $200 (be certa
in to purchaseSkyPilot,sold separately)
Web Site: http://www.carina soft.com
Computersystemssupported : Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
Models of NexStarsupported:N exStar 5/8, NexStar GPS, NewGT, NexStar 5i/8i
In additionto theinformationpresentedhere, severalresourcesare available at the NexStar Resource
Site(http://www.NexStarSite.com)toincludesampleprogramswritteninVisuaIBasic6 .awidelyused
programmingplatform. The completesource code for these programsis available fordownloadfrom
the NexStarResourceSite. Thesourcecode requiresthatyou have Visual Basicinstalledon your
computer.
Basic Control Commands - Get

. J ....,. '. .. '. ..',' . ;
For many programs,these are the only commandsthat will be necessary. The GoTo commandsdirect
the telescopeto slew to thecoordinatesprovided.The Getcommandsquerythe telescopefor the
currentcoordinatesof thepositionthe telescopeis pointed. There arecommandsfor bothRA-Dec
and Alt-azcoordinates .
The communicat ions parameterfor all models is 9600 bits per second, no parity, no stop bit, and no
flow control. This last parametercauses many problems,be sure you do not select Xon!Xoff
(sometimescalled software flowcontrol)or Hardwareflow control.
As describedin Chapter10, various models of NexStar telescopes have beenintroducedwith differ-
ing commandsets. The following sectionsdiscuss the commandsfor each of thethreedistinct
protocolsexistingin the NexStar line
.
NexStar 5/8
Golo RA-Dec
• pc sends binaryvalue 63 (ASCII"?") .
• The telescope replies with
binaryvalue 35 (ASCII "#") .
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 82 (ASCII "R") followed by the RAhigh-byte,RA low-byte,Dec high-byte,
Dec low-byte.
• The telescope slews to the RA-Dec
coordinates- aftercompletionthe telescope replies with
binary
value 64 (ASCII "@").
283
Get RA-Dec
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 63 (ASCII "?").
• Thetelescopereplies withbinaryvalue 35 (ASCII "#") .
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 69 (ASCII "E") .
• Thetelescopereplies with the RAhigh-byte, RA low-byte, Dec high-byte,Dec low-byte.
Gala Alt-az
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 63 (ASCII "?").
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 65 (ASCII "A") followed by the Azmhigh-byte,Azm low-byte, Althigh-byte,
Alt low-byte.
• Thetelescopeslews to theAlt-az coordinates- aftercompletionthe telescopereplies with binary
value 64 (ASCII "@").
Get Alt-az
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 63 (ASCII"?").
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 90 (ASCII "Z").
• Thetelescopereplies with the Azmhigh-byte,Azm low-byte, Althigh-byte,Alt low-byte.
Note thatthe high-byteandlow-bytevalues for thesecommandsare binaryvaluesformattedas

individualASCII characters
. For example,to senda GoTo commandwith RA high-byte124andlow-
byte 54and Dec high-byte15 and low-byte 32
, thecorrectVisual Basic stringwould be:
"R" & Chr(124) & Chr(54) & Chr(15) & Chr(32)
To calculatethehigh-byte, divide theencodervalue by 256 andconvertto aninteger(dropthe frac-

tional part). To calculatethe low-byte,divide the encodervalue by 256and use the remainder
(modulusoperationor thefractionalp artmultipliedby 256). Forprogrammingexamplesand other
details,refer to the NexStar
ResourceSite.
Original GT
Gala RA-Dec
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 82 (ASCII " R") followed by the RAhigh-byte,RA low-byte,binaryvalue 0,
Dec high-byte,Dec low-byte,binaryvalue O.
• Thetelescopeslewsto the RA-Dec coordinates.
Get RA-Dec
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 69 (ASCII "E ").
• Thetelescopereplies with the RAhigh-byte, RA low-byte, binaryvalue 0, Dec high-byte,Dec low-
byte,binaryvalue o.
Writing Programs to Control NexStar Telescopes 285
Golo Alt-az
• PC sends binaryvalue65 (ASCII "A") followed by the Azm high-byte,Azm low-byte, binaryvalue 0,
Alt high-byte, Altlow-byte, binary value o.
• The telescope slews to the Alt
-az coordinates.
Get Alt-az
• PC sends binaryvalue 90 (ASCII " Z").
• The telescope replies with the Azm high
-byte, Azm low-byte,binaryvalue 0, Alt high-byte,Alt low-
byte,binaryvalueo.
Note thatthehigh-byte andlow-bytevaluesfor these commandsare binaryvaluesformatte d as

individualASCII characters.For example, to send a GoTocommand with RA high -byte 124 and low-
byte 54 and Dec h
igh-byte15 and low-byte 32, the
correct Visual Basic string would be:
" R" & Chr(124) & Chr(54) & Chr(O) & Chr (15 ) & Chr( 32)
& Chr(O)
To calculatethehigh-byte, divide the encoder value by 256 and convert o

t an integer (drop the frac-
tional part). To calculate the low-byte, divide the encoder value by 256 and use theremainder
(modulus operationor thefractionalp artmultiplied by 256). For programmingexamplesand other
details, refer to the NexStarsourceSite.
Re
NexStar 8/11 GPS, NexStar 5i/8i, New GT

Golo RA-Dec
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 82 (ASCII "R") followed by the RA high -byte,RA low-byte,binaryvalue 44
(ASCII " ."),Dec high-byte, Declow-byte.
• The telescopeslews to h
t e RA-Dec coordinates
.
Get RA-Dec
• PC sends binary value 69 (ASCII " E").
• The telescope replieswith the RAhigh-byte,RA low-byte, binaryvalue 44 (ASCII "." ), Dec high-
byte, Dec low-byte.
Golo Alt-az
• PC sends binaryvalue66 (ASCII " B") followed by the Azm high-byte,Azm low-byte,binaryvalue 44
(ASCII "," ),Alt high-byte, Alt low-byte.
• The telescope ews
sl to the Alt-az coordinate
s.
Get Alt-az
• PC sends binaryvalue 90 (ASC II "Z ") .
• The telescopereplies with the Azmhigh-byte, Azmlow-byte,binaryvalue 44 (ASC II","), A lt high-
byte, Altlow-byte.
Note thatthe high-byteandlow-bytevalues for thesecommandsare binaryvalues formattedas

two-digit hexadecimalnumberssent as ASCIIcharacters.For example, to send a GoTo
commandwith
RA high-byte124 and low-byte54 and Dechigh-byte15 and low-byte 32, the correctVisual Basic
string would be
:
"R" & Mid("OO",

L 2 - Len(Hex(124))) & Hex (124) & Mid("OO", 1,
2 - Len(Hex(54))) & Hex(54) & "," & Mid("OO", 1,
2 - Len(Hex(15))) & Hex(15) & Mid("OO", 1, 2 - Len(Hex(32))) &
Hex(32)
To calculate the high-byte, divide encodervalue

the by 256 and convert to an integer (drop the frac-
tional part).To calculatethe low-byte,divide theencodervalue by 256and use theremainder
(modulusoperationor thefractionalp artmultipliedby 256). For programmingexamples andother
details, refer to the NexStar Resource Site.
A v. n ommands . .
Additionalcommandshave beenintroducedfor some of the NexStar models. The models applicable
are notedfor each of thecommandsbelow. Notethataftermanyof thesecommandsthe telescope
sends one extra bytebinaryvalue
- 35 (ASCII "#") - to indicate the
c ommandhas completed
.
Get Hand Control Version

(NewGT, NexStar 8/11 GPS, NexStar5i18i)
Returnshandcontrolversion only.Two bytesreturned . Each byte is a single-byte
binarynumberthat
shouldbe convertedto decimal.For example,in Visual Basic, use the ASCfunctionto convertthe
binaryvalue to decimal. The first byte is the whole
-numberversion; thesecondbyte is thefractional
part. For example, if the values
returnedare 1 and 6,thehandcontrolis version 1.6.
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 86 (ASCII"V").
• The telescope replies with the
whole-number-version
byte and thefractional-number-version
byte.
Cancel GoTo
(NexStar 8/11 GPS, NexStar5i18i)
Used to cancel a GoTo slew
mid-progress.
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 77 (ASCII "M") .
Is GoTo in Progress
(NexStar 8111 GPS, NexStar 5i!8i)
Used todetermineif a GoTo iscurrentlyin progress. Returns a single-byte
binarynumberthat should
be convertedto decimal.For example,in Visual Basic, use the ASCfunctionto convertthe binary
value to decimal.
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 76 (ASCII "L").

• Thetelescopereplieswith asingle-bytebinaryvalue. If the value is 49 (ASCII"I "), a GoTo is in
progress. Ifthe value is 48 (ASCII"0"), no GoTo is inprogress.
Is Alignment Complete
(NexStar 8/11 GPS, NexStar 5i18i)
Used todetermineif the staralignmenthas been completed.The GoTo/Get RA-Deccommandsdo not
functionpriorto alignment. Returns a single-byte
binarynumberthat should beconvertedto decimal.
For example, in Visual Basic, use the ASCfunction to convertbinaryvalue
the to decimal.
• PC sends binary value 74 (ASCII "1").

• The telescope replies withsingle-byte
a binaryvalue.Ifthe value is I,alignmentis complete
. If the
value is 0,alignmenthas not beencompleted .
Tracking Mode (Start/Stop Tracking)

(NexStar 8/11 GPS hand controlversion 1.6 or higher,
NexStar 5i18i)
The TrackingMode commandprovidesthe samecapabilityas the same funct ion found on the Menu
buttonof the hand control.It is required via computercontrolwhen using the nextcommand,
Tracking Rate. Prior tosendinga trackingrate change, you mu
st use Tracking Mode to stop(turnoff)
tracking. To resumenormalsiderealtrackingyou mustuse theTrackingMode commandto resume
tracking.To resumetracking,you must choice one of threetrackingmodes:Alt-az,EO North, or EO
South. Alt-az is the trackingmode used when the scope mounteddirectlyon
is the tripod. EO
North/Southare used when thetelescopeis polar-alignedon a wedge (Northernor Southern
Hemisphere).Unfortunately,t hereis no commandto determinethe currenttrackingmode,so a
programthat will use the Tracking Mode commandmust ask the user to select thecorrectmode.
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 84 (ASCII " T") and asingle-bytebinaryvalue to set the
t rackingmodeas
follows:
o- stoptracking
I - start Alt- az tracking
2 - startEO North tracking
3 - start EO Southtracking.
Tracking Rate
(NexStar 8111 GPS hand controlversion 1.6 or higher,
NexStar 5i18i)
The TrackingRatecommanddirects the telescope to begin slewing left, right, up, or down - the same
directionsavailable to the
a rrowbuttonson thehandcontrol.Providingyou first stoptrackingusing
the Tracking Modecommand,the telescope will continuemoving at therequestedrate until you issue
eitheranotherTrackingRatecommandor anotherTrackingMode command. For example, you can
issue aTrackingMode commandto stoptracking,then a Tracking Rate c ommandto slew up at 01per

second,and then after any amountof time, you can issue TrackingMode
a commandto startAlt-az
trackingandthe telescopewill resumenormaltrackingat siderealrate. Thismethodcan be used to
writeprogramsthat provideon-screenbuttonsto emulate the arrow buttonson thehandcontrol.
Also note that you can start one axis tracking at any given rate and then start
otheraxis
the tracking
at anindependentrate. This allows trackingof objects,like satellites,moving on a predetermined
course across the sky
.
Following are the fourvariationsof theTrackingRatecommandto allowmovementin any of the
four directions.Each commandrequires 8 bytes; each byte shown is a decimalbinaryvalue.
PositiveAzimuthTracking(move right)
80, 3, 16, 6, TrackRateHigh, TrackRateLow, 0, 0
Negative AzimuthTracking(move left)

80,3, 16,7,TrackRateHigh,TrackRateLow, 0, 0
PositiveAltitudeTracking(move up)
80,3,17,6,TrackRateHigh, TrackRateLow, 0, 0
NegativeAltitudeTracking(move down)
80,3,17,7,TrackRateHigh, TrackRateLow, 0, 0
Multiply your desiredtrackingrate,expressedin arc secondspersecond,by a factorof 4. For

example,10 per secondis 3600 arcsecondsper second.Multipliedby four, thisresultsin a tracking
rate of 14400.To calculateTrackRateHigh,divide this value by 256 and
convertto aninteger(drop
the fractionalpart).To calculateTrackRateLow,divide the encodervalue by 256 and use the
remainder(modulusoperationor the fractional partmultipliedby 256). A sampleprogramusing
thesecommandsto emulatethe handcontrolbuttonsis availablefor downloadfrom theNexStar
ResourceSite.
32-bit RA-Dec Get and GoTo

(NexStar8111 GPS hand controlversion 1.6 or higher,
NexStar5i18i)
GoTo RA-Dec
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 114 (ASCII "r") followed by the RAhigh-byte, RA mid-byte,RA low-byte,
binary value 0,binaryvalue 44 (ASCII ","), Dec high-byte,Dec mid-byte, Dec low-byte,binary
valueo.
• The telescope slews to the RA-Dec
coordinates.
Get RA-Dec
• PC sendsbinaryvalue 101 (ASCII"en).
• The telescope replies with the RA high-byte, RA id-byte,RA
m low-byte,binaryvalue 0,binaryvalue
44 (ASCII ","), Dec high-byte, Dec mid-byte,Dec low-byte,b inaryvalueO.
Note thatthehigh-byte,mid-byte,and low-byte values for these

commandsarebinaryvalues for-
mattedas two-digit hexadecimaln umberssentas ASCII characters.For example,to send a GoTo
commandwith RA high-byte124, mid-byte30,low-byte 54 and Dechigh-byte15, mid-byte102, low-

byte 32, thecorrectVisual Basic string would be
:
"x" & Mid(" OO", 1, 2 - Len(Hex(124))) & Hex(124) & Mid("OO" , 1,

2 - Len(Hex(30))) & Hex(30) & Mid("OO", 1, 2 - Len(Hex(54))) &
Hex(54) & "00," & Mid("OO", 1, 2 - Len(Hex(15))) & Hex(15) &
Mid("OO ", 1, 2 - Len(Hex(102))) & Hex(l02) & Mid("OO" , 1,
2 - Len(Hex(32))) & Hex(32) & "00"
To calculatethehigh-byte,divide theencodervalue by 65 536 andconvertto aninteger(dropthe

fractionalp art). To calculatethemid-byte,multiplythehigh-byteby 65 536 andsubtractit from the
encodervalue, then ividethe
d answer by 256 and convert to an integer
.To calculate the low-byte, mul-
tiply the high-byteby 65 536,multiplythemid-byteby 256,and subtractboth from theencodervalue;
the answer is thelow-byte.For programmingexamplesand otherdetails,refer to the NexStar
Resource Site.
Additional Commands . .
Andre Paquettehas investigatedtheinternalc ommunicationsp rotocolof the NexStar8111 GPS and
NexStar 5i/8itelescopes . Some of themore useful commandscontrolthe motorcontroland GPS
modules.He has publishedan excellent gu ide to thesecommandsfor thetechnicallyinclined,which
you will find available atishweb sitehttp://www .paquettefamily
.ca/nexstar/
Appropriatecaremustbe used with any of theseadditionalc ommandssince a few of them can
renderyour telescopeinoperable , requiringa returntrip to Celestron (most likely at your expense!) to
remedy thesituation.
AFOV See apparentfield of view.
Airy disk The image of a star as seenthrougha telescope
. Although a star is apinpointof light, due to
theinteractionof light and optics, appearsas
it a very small disksurroundedby one or more faint dif-
fraction rings.Viewing the Airy diskrequiresgood optics, steady seeing, and a well-collimated scope.
alt-azimuthor altitude-azimuthA methodof mountinga telescopeso thatmotionis allowed left to
right (azimuth)and up and down(altitude)
.
apparentfieldofview(AFOV)The apparentangularslice shown by an eyepiece. A larger AFOVyields
a "wider" view, while anarrowAFOV is oftenlikenedto viewingthrougha drinkingstraw. See also
field of view andtruefield of view.
apertureThe diameterof a telescope'sobjective(main lens or mirror). Larger aperturesprovide
greaterlight-gatheringpower (the ability to show fainter objects) and higher
resolution(the ability to
show finer detail)
.
arc minuteA unit (symbol ') used tomeasurethe angularseparationof objectsin the sky. An arc
minuteis;oof a degree.
arc secondA unit(symbol'") used tomeasurethe angularseparationof objectsin the sky. An arc
secondislo of an arcminute.
asterismA recognizablepatternof stars, for example the Big Dipper or the
SouthernCross.
asteroidA small rocky bodyorbitingthe Sun orotherstar. In our solar system, great
concentrations
of
asteroidsare found in orbit between Mars and Jupiter
.
avertedvision A techniqueused to see faint objects
.By looking to the side of the object
, the faint light
falls on the more sensitive part of the. eye
binarystarSee doublestar.
binocularviewers Often simply called "bino viewers", used with a telescope, this special
adapterallows
viewing with both eyes
.
Caldwell catalog109 deep skyobjectsto expandbeyondthe Messier list. Many of these
objectsare
only visible to observers in the
SouthernHemisphere.See also Messier catalog
.
catadioptrictelescope A telescope design using both mirror and lenses, for example,
Schmidt-Cassegrainor Maksutov-Cassegraintelescopes
.
celestialequatorAn imaginaryline on the sky found directly above the
Earth'sequator.Objectsnorth
of the celest
ial equatorhave a positivedeclination;objects south have a negative
declination
.
291
celestial pole Either of the points in sky

the directly above the
Earth'sNorth or South Pole.
collimationAlignment of the optical elements
of a telescope,
binocular,or otheroptical device.
cometA celestial body, made mostly of ice and rock, usually
orbitinga star in a highly elliptical orbit.
compoundtelescopeAnothername,and easierto pronouncethancatadioptric, for a telescope
design using bothmirrorand lenses. Schmidt-Cassegrainor Maksutov-Cassegraintelescopesare
examples.
correctorplateThe large lens on thefrontof Schmidt-Cassegrainor Maksutov-Cassegraintele-
scopes.The correctoron aMaksutov-Cassegrainis also called the meniscus lens.
crescentMoon A lunar phase area when less thanquarter
a of the surface of the Moon visible from the
Earth isilluminated.
DEC See declination.
declinationA measurement, in degrees,of an object'sangulardistancefrom thecelestiale quator.
Objectsnorthof the celestial
equatorhave a positive declination; objects south of the celestial
equator
have anegativedeclination. Used togetherwith rightascension,providesthepreciselocationof an
object in the sky.
deepsky objectObjectsoutsideof our solar systemare known collectivelyas deep skyobjectsor
DSOs . DSOs rangefrom individualstarsto cities ofstarsknown as galaxies. Refer to
C hapter2 for
more details.
degreeA unit(symbol 0) used tomeasuretheangularseparationof objects in the sky 0
.There are 360
measuredarounda complete circle.
doublestarA star that can be resolved with optical aid to show two.Multiple
stars stars are also found
with threeor more members. Some arebinary/multiple systemswith thememberstarsrevolving
arounda commoncenterof gravity. Others are merely an optical effect withmemberstarsseparated
by greatdistancesbut coincidentallyin a commonline of sight as viewed from the Earth
.
DSO See deep sky object.
eclipticThe line in the skythattheplanets,the Moon, and the Sun travel along. The line resembles a
sine wave 23° above the celestiale quatorat its highpoint,23° below thecelestiale quatorat its low
point.The courseandseasonalorientationof the line is due to the 023 tilt of theEarth'saxis and the
Earth'spatharoundthe Sun.
ep or e.p. Sometimes used as abbreviation
an for eyepiece
.
equatorialm ountA methodof mountinga telescope so that one of the axes (called the ascension
right
axis) is alignedwith the Earth
's axis. Theotheraxis (called thedeclinationaxis) is mountedat a 900
angle to the first. This allows easytrackingof the sky as theEarth rotateson its axis. The most
commonarefork-mountedscopes on a wedge or the German Equatorial Mount (GEM)
exitpupilThe size, in millimeters,of the column of light project
ing from the eyepiece of a telescope or
binoculars. Refer toChapter2 for additionaldetails.
fieldofview(FOV) The view in the eyepiece oftelescope
a or binoculars. Typical usage: "The Orion
Nebula filled the entire field of view
." Refer toChapters2 and 8 for more details.
focal lengthTraditionally,the measureddistancefrom the mainobjective (lens or mirror)of an
opticalinstrument,to the point where the imagebroughtto
is a focus. Forc ompoundtelescopes such
as Schmidt-Cassegrainand Maksutov-Cassegrain,the complex curves of the correctorand mirrors
fold and compress the light path so thatelativelyshortoptical
ar tube projects a longer effective focal
length.
focalratioThe result ofdividing the focall engthof a telescopeby itsaperture
. Focal ratio iswritten
"finumber". For example,the NexStar 80 has a focal lengthof 400 mm and anapertureof 80 mm
resultingin a focal ratiooff/5(400/80= 5).
focalreducerAn optical adapterthat effectively decreases the focal
lengthof a telescope
. Sometimes
called atelecompressor
or reducer/corrector.
FOV See field of view.
Glossary 293
full Moon The phase of th

e Moon when theentireilluminatedportionof the Moon is facing the Earth.
galaxyA grouping of hundreds of million s or even billion s of starsboundtogetherby gravityand
travelingtogethert hroughspace. Thereare billions of galaxie
s in the universe.
GEMSee equatorialm ount.
gibbousMoon A lunarphasearea whenmorethanhalfof thesurfaceof the Moon visible from the
Earth isilluminated
.
globularclusterA group ofhundredsof thousandsof starsboundtogetherby gravity.
IC catalog5386objectscatalogedby J.L. E. Dreyer. In addition toindividualand doublestars,the
majorityof DSOs of interestto amateurastronomersare found in this or the NGCcatalog
.
localsiderealtime The hour,minute,and second ofr ightascensiondirectly overhead at any
instant.
magnitudeA measurementof thebrightnessof a celestialobjectas viewed from any given
l ocation
(such as theEarth).Smallernumbersindicatebrighterobjects,with negativenumbersbeing the
brightest.Refer toChapter2 for more details
.
Maksutov-CassegraintelescopeSometimescalled Maksutov or simply Mak, a telescope design using
mirrorsand a deeply curvedc orrectorplate to create a compact
instrumentwith a relatively long focal
length. For a more detailed
description and figure, refer to Chapter. 2
meniscuslens Also called correctorplate,the large lens on the
f ront of Maksutov-Cassegrain
telescopes.
meridianAn imaginaryline drawn from duesouth,directly overhead, and then due
north.
Messier catalog110 DSOs of varioustypes of objects
.Most of thebrighterdeep skyobjectsvisible in
theNorthernHemisphereare listed in Charles Messier's catalog. Generally these objects are the first
DSO targets forbeginningamateurastronomers .Messier I would becommonlyreferredto as"MI" .
meteorA small particle that enter
s the Earth'satmosphere
, burningaway with a streakof light.
meteoriteA small metal or rockyobjectthatenterstheEarth'satmosphereand reachesthesurface
before being completelyconsumedby the heat.
nebulaA huge cloud of dustand/orgas found in space
. Refer toChapter2 for more details
.
new Moon The phaseof the Moon when theentireilluminatedportionof the Moon is facing away
from the Earth. Thus, the unlit side of the Moon faces
. us
NewtonianreflectortelescopeA telescope de sign using a largeconcavemirrorand a small fl
at mirror
to gatherand focus light
. For a more detailed
description and figure, refer to
Chapter2.
NGC catalog7840 objects catalogedby J.L. E. Dreyer. Inadditionto individual anddoublestars,the
majorityof DSOsof interestto amateurastronomersare foundin this or the IC catalog.
openclusterA group oflessthan a fewhundredstars looselyboundby theirmutualgravity.Most are
slowly driftingapartand are relatively young
.
parfocalA characte risticof two ormoreeyepiecesthatallows themto beexchanged in atelescope
with little or no refocu
sing requir ed.
ector .See focalreducer.
RICreducer/corr
RA See rightascension.
reducer/corrector
See focalreducer.
reflectortelescopeA telescop edesign thatutilizesa mirror for the mainopticalcompon ent.See
Newtonianreflector,S chmidt-Cassegrain, and Maksutov-Cassegrainfor examples.
refractortelescope The olde
st telescope design, refractor
a uses a lens or
f the main optical
component.
For a more detailed
description and figure, refer to
Chapter2.
resolution Smallest detail able to be
detectedin an optical device
. Usuallymeasuredin arcseconds.
rightascensionLines drawn against the
sky runningfrom the north celestial pole to the south celestial
pole. AbbreviatedRA. Right ascensionchanges as we move"east" and " west" in the sky. Right
ascensionis measuredin hours,minutes,and seconds.The entiresky is dividedinto 24hours,each

hour is dividedinto 60 minutes,and eachminuteis dividedinto 60 seconds.Used togetherwith
declination,provides the precise
locationof an object in the sky.
RS-232 A communicationss tandardin thecomputerindustry. The port on thebottomof the NexStar
handcontrolis RS-232-compatible. Thec omputerindustryis replacing RS-232with newerstandards
such as USB.SeeChapter10 for more details.
Schmidt-Cassegraintelescope(SCT) A telescopedesign usingmirrorsand a relatively flat
corrector
plateto createa compactinstrumentwith a long focall ength.For a moredetaileddescriptionand
figure, refer to
Chapter2.
SCT See Schmidt-Cassegraintelescope.
seeingconditionsThe overallqualityof the locala tmosphereas it affects celestialobservations.The
threemain factors affecting seeing conditionsare known astransparency, seeing. and lightpollution.
Transparencyis affectedby particlesin the air such asm oisture,dust,pollution,etc. Seeing is the
effect ofunsteadyair - basically airturbulence
. Light pollutionis caused by theenormousamountof
light civilizationsends into thenightsky. Thebrightnessof the Moon has asimilaraffect. For more
details, refer toChapter2.
serialportA name commonlyused for an RS-232port on caomputer.SeeChapter10 for more details
.
siderealrate The rate at which the stars move across the
. Each
sky star takes a little less than 24 hours
to make a complete circuit
aroundthe sky.
slew Technically, anymovementof a telescope upon its
mount,but morecommonlyused toindicate
moving a scope with themotorson themount.
terminatorThe linedividing thelightedand darkhalves of aplanetarybody. Generallyconsidered
most importantwith the Moon sincelunarfeatures are most
strikingalong theterminator.
TFOV See truefield of view.
transparencySee seeingconditions.
truefield of view (TFOV) Theactualangulardistanceacross the field of view in an eyepiece
. In any
given telescope, the true field of view changes as you use various eyepieces
. Refer toChapters2 and 8
for more details.
USB- Universal Serial Bus Themodernreplacement
for the RS-232serial port. All new
computersare
equippedwith USB portsand many no longer come with an RS-232port.Since theinterfaceon
NexStar telescopesis RS-232, some newercomputerswill requirea "USB to serial" adapter.See
Chapter10 for more details
.
variablestarA star thatchangesmagnitude(brightness)by a measurabledegree. Some are caused by
unstablenuclearreactions. Others are actuallybinaryor doublestarsystemsresultingin lesser
magnitudewith both stars aligned with our line of sight.
vignetteDarkening aroundthe edges of the field of view
, usually most noticeable astrophotographs
in .
Generally this is caused by using an
equipmentcombinationthat exceeds the maximum possible field
of view for a telescope
.
visual back The l.2S-inch or 2-inch adapter on the back of aSchmidt-Cassegrain or
Maksutov-Cassegraintelescope. Typically a diagonal is placed into the visual back to allow
comfortableviewing.
waningMoon Any phase of the Moon after the full Moon and
priorto the new Moon.Thus the Moon
is "shrinking" in phase each night.
waxing Moon Any phase of the Moon after the new Moon and
priorto the full Moon.Thus the Moon
is "growing" in phase each night.
wedge Anadapterplaced between the
tripodand afork-mountedtelescope to allow polar alignment.
zenithThe pointdirectly overhead.
Index
alignment -mirrors 216 GoTo

-A lignment Myths 84 - objectivelenses 216 - object 87
- centeringalignmentstars 72 -opticalsurfaces215 - specifiedRA-Dec 91
- common problems78 CN -16GPS module 59 GoTo approach95,100
- "M ust Do's" 70 cold weather 167 GoTo telescope, defi
nition2
- overview 69 collimation GPSalign misses alignmentstars
-R e-Alignment 83, 527 -aids 176 248
- star selection74 -description175 GPS hand control versions 64
-wedge alignment 81 -M aksutov(NexStar4) 183 GPS link problems 249
alignment method s -Newtonian (NexStar 114) 178 GPS modulebattery242
-A uto Alignment76 - refractorNexStar60/80)
( 184 GPS module, CN-16 59
-EQ North/South Alignm ent80 -SCT (NexStar 5 and Larger) 176 GT hand control, new 94
-GPS Alignment74 comets24 GT hand control,old 49
- Quick Alignment79 compass calibration 94
-Two StarAlignment78 computercontrolSee PC control
altitude-azimuth omunt 40 constellation9 hand control
alt-sensor aclibration 49 cool down time 15 -alterna telocations241
angularseparation12 corrector plate37 -compatibility b etweenmodels
anti-backlash92 counterweights68 1 247
asteroids23 covers164 - GPS series64
astrono my clubs 118 -GT series49
astrophotography _ "in series 64
- adapters 024 dark adaptation 51 - incorrecttime 247
-autoguiders202 declination 11 - Messier objecterro rs250
-books193 deep sky objects26, II I -misbehaving 248
-camera mounts 169,197 dewprevention 165 -originalGT bugs 256
-cameras 194 dew shield166 hand control features
- digital image processing201 dew strip, electric 6
17 -A bellcatalog 91
- Fastar 203 diagonals 157 -A nti-Backlash 92
- focusing199 digital cameras 194, 20I - Asterisms 90
- image gallery208 doublestars 27,112 -A utoguideRate99
- web sites 193 DSO See deep sky objects -Caldwellcatalog88
autoguiders202 D unlop 100 list 118 - CCD Objects 90
avertedvision 15 -CordwrapPrevention97
-Direction Buttons 100
electronics, care230 -Filter Limits 93
BaaderBracket 237 equato rial m ount41 -GetAlt-Az 101
backlash 92 exit pupil 32 -GetRA-Dec 91
Barlowlenses156 extension cables, hand control 170 -GoTo Alt-Az 101
binocularviewers156 eye relief 32 - GoTo Approach 95,100
binoculars 33 eyepieces 43, 52,
1 154 - GoTo RA-D ec91
buying aused NexStar 239 - Hiberna te 100
-I C catalog91
Fastar 203 -Info 88
Caldwelllist 112 filter lim its 93 -LightControl 97
camera mount s 169, 197 filters 160 - Messier catalog88
cases164, 165 finder scopes 39, 163 -NamedObjects90
CCD ast rono my cameras196, 202 focal length 31 -Named,Double, and Variable
CGEseries telescopes 65 focal ratio 31 Stars89
chairs 169 focal reducer/corrector156, 205 -NGCcatalog89
clean ing focuser, improving sensitivity245 - PeriodicError Correction98
- corr ector plates 216 - Reset to FactorySettings 102
- diagonals218 - RS-232Mode 95
-exteriorsurfaces218 galaxies 29 -SAO catalog 89
-eyepieces217 globularclusters27 - Select Model 101
295
-Setup Time-Site96 NexStar 114 54 SCT See Schmidt-Cassegrain

-SlewLimits 93 NexStar452 telescopes
-Tour90 NexStar 4 rear port 254 SCT rear port 243
- Tracking Mode and Rate99 NexStar556 seeing conditions 14
- User DefinedObjects96 NexStar 5i 58 sessionplanningsoftware 10 7
-V ersion 102 NexStar 8 56 sidereal rate 12
- View Time-Site96 NexStar 8i 58 slew limits 93
Herschel400 list 112 NexStar 8 GPS61 slewrate88
hibernate100 NexStar11 GPS 61 software
NexStar 50 Club119 - planetarium 106
NexStar ObserverList -session planning107
"i" series hand control versions 64 -alignmentstar chart 137 - specialized 107
image shift, focusing 245 -configuration132 solar filters161
Info, hand control feature 88 - database 131 solarsystem objects17, 108
- description 131 speed of light 26
- download 5,139 star charts 105
Jupiter 23,110 -HyperHand Controller 133 stars 27
- installation 132 Sun 17, 109
- observer list
s 132,135 supernova remnants29
latit ude, acc
uracy for alignment - printing137 surface brightness 13
85 - using with your te lescope138
latitude,enteringon handcontrol No Response 16/17 errors 249
77 NSOL SeeNexStar Observer List tables 169
level calibration94 telescopes, types of 34
leveling the tripod85 TheSky
light pollution 14, 104 observation log 16 - animation 128
local sidereal time 11 observation programs118 - configuration 122
longitude, accuracy foralignment observation technique 15 - description 12 1
85 open clusters27 -eclipsefinder 130
longitude,enteringon hand control -findingobjects 127
77 -installation122
PC control -labels 127
- ASCOM drivers 189 - moon phasecalendar130
magnification32 - cables required 187 - object filters 125
magnitude12 - commonproblems190 - objectinformation127
magnitude,surfacebrightness13 - description 185 - printing 130
maintenance215 -fieldpower 187 - setting dateand time 122
Maks SeeM aksutov-C assegrain - software compatiblewith - sky documents129
telescopes NexStar 277 - solar systemview 130
Maksutov-Cassegraintelescopes38 - suitablecomputersand - Virtual Sky 123
manual handcontrol 171 palmtops186 - zooming in and out 125
Mars 22,110 - USBto serialadapter186 time zone setting 75 ,96
mechanicaladjustments PEC Seeperiodicerrorcorrection trackingdrift 246
- NexStar 60/80/1 14223 periodic errorcorrection98 transparency Seeseeingconditions
-NexStar4227 piggyback camera mounts 169, transporting SCT scopes 241
- NexStar 5/5i/8/8i 220 197 tripodmodifications 145
- NexStar 8/11 GPS 219 planetariumsoftware 106 tripod, fe
etfall out 251
Mercury 21,110 planetary nebulae28 tripod, mountingNexStar8/11 GPS
Messier catalogIII Pluto 24,III 251
meteors andmeteorites25 power related problems 240 tripods 141
Moon 17, 109 power sources 149
motorcontrolboard replacement
253 Uranus 24, III
motorcontrolversions64 Ray's Bracket234 user defined objects,
hand control
motorvibration, NexStar 8/11 GPS red lightI S feature 96
253 refractors34
mounting rails 168 right ascension II
RS-232 mode 95 Venus 21,110
run away slews 254 version, hand control and
motor
nebulae 28 control102
Neptune 24, II video camer as195, 205
Newtonian reflectors 35 satellites 25
NexStar 60 48 Saturn 24,III
NexStar 80 50 Schmidt -Cassegrain telescopes 36 wedges 149

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PatrickMoore's

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series ISSN 1617-7185

© Springer-Verlag London 2004

The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does

The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with

Typeset by EXPO Holdings, Malaysia

6 ExpandingYour Horizons - Choosing

Star Charts,Magazines,and Other

8 Accessoriesfor Your NexStar 141

9 Collimation- OpticalAlignment 175

11 Astrophotographywith aNexStar 193

13 Mounting OtherOpticalTubes on aNexStar ..233

14 AdditionalTips andSolutions 239

AppendixA - InternetResources 259

AppendixB - Objects intheNexStarHand

AppendixD - Writing Programsto Control

AppendixE - Glossary 291

2.1 Magnitudelimits withinstrumentsof

1.1 An early NexStar 5advertisement .3

2.21 Insertingan eyepieceintoa Barlow

8.13 BaaderAstroSolarFilm in ahomemade

11.9 NexStar 4 with an LAR, an SCT T-Adapter,

13.3 NexStar 8mountedwith Ray's Bracket ... .235

It is truewith all collectionof informationthatthe

was frustratedor lazy, it wasoftenherdetermination

Man y seasonedamateurastronomers have shown disdainwith theadvent ofentry-level

First, it is a mistakenassumptionthat using acomputerized scope alleviates the need to

A newcomer toamateur satronomywould think that inexpensive, entry -levelGoTo scopes

The jo y o f stargaling uniquefork

Find out more about NcxStar 5. our other exceptionaltelescope s.

Figure 1.1 •.An early NexStar 5 advertisement.

Figure 1.2. My start

The NexStar Resource Site .

Chapter2 - "Astronomy Basics" - is an introductionto the world ofa mateurastron-

Welcometo the N exStarResourceSite! What's New?

Copyright2002, Contact the w

Figure 1.3. The NexStar Resource Site- http://www

Chapter14 - "Additional Tips and Solutions" - is a collectionof specific tipsnot

Appendix B - "Objectsin the NexStarHand Control" - providesa rundownon the

The Motion of the Sky

where westarted.Thus thereare 24hours of rightascension. Declinationis measuredin

Measuring "Distance" Between Two Obiects

Magnitude - Measuring Brightness

Table 2.1. Magnitude limits withinstruments of various sizes

Telescopes 60 mm (2.4 in) 10 .5

Little Dipper. In the

Figure 2.3. Visual Southern Cross

surfacebrightnessof the core ish igherthanthe averagesurfacebrightnessof theentire

of the house might block your

,Qbs f!..rv a tio n Techniq~~_~ ..... ..' _ <_

While buying a largertelescopeis one way to see more difficultastronomicalobjects,

thatis a galaxy millions of light years awa

The Solar System

The Moon (Figure 2.6) Theclosestmajorbody to theEarthis of courseour only

Observer Name: ~ate :

Conditions (1 - worst, 10 - best)