Operation Manual

ManualsBrandsCelestron ManualsMiscellaneousAstroMaster 76 EQ

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3

ASSEMBLY ................................................................................................................................... 6

Setting up the Tripod .................................................................................................................. 6

Attaching the Equatorial Mount.................................................................................................. 7

Installing the Counterweight Bar & Counterweights.................................................................. 7

Attaching the Slow Motion Cables............................................................................................. 8

Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount............................................................................... 8

Installing the Diagonal & Eyepiece (refractor)........................................................................... 9

Installing the Eyepiece on the Newtonians................................................................................. 9

Moving the Telescope Manually .............................................................................................. 10

Balancing the Mount in R.A. .................................................................................................... 10

Balancing the Mount in Dec. .................................................................................................... 10

Adjusting the Equatorial Mount................................................................................................ 11

Adjusting the Mount in Altitude............................................................................................... 11

TELESCOPE BASICS ................................................................................................................. 12

Image Orientation ..................................................................................................................... 13

Focusing.................................................................................................................................... 13

Aligning the Finderscope.......................................................................................................... 13

Calculating Magnification ........................................................................................................ 14

Determining Field of View ....................................................................................................... 15

General Observing Hints........................................................................................................... 15

ASTRONOMY BASICS .............................................................................................................. 16

The Celestial Coordinate System.............................................................................................. 16

Motion of the Stars.................................................................................................................... 16

Polar Alignment with Latitude Scale........................................................................................ 17

Pointing at Polaris..................................................................................................................... 18

Finding the North Celestial Pole............................................................................................... 18

Polar Alignment in the Southern Hemisphere .......................................................................... 19

Aligning the Setting Circles...................................................................................................... 21

Motor Drive .............................................................................................................................. 22

CELESTIAL OBSERVING ......................................................................................................... 23

Observing the Moon ................................................................................................................. 23

Observing the Planets ............................................................................................................... 23

Observing the Sun..................................................................................................................... 23

Observing Deep-Sky Objects.................................................................................................... 24

Seeing Conditions ..................................................................................................................... 24

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY............................................................................................................ 25

Short Exposure Prime Focus Photography ............................................................................... 25

Piggyback Photography ............................................................................................................ 25

Planetary & Lunar Photography with Special Imagers............................................................. 25

CCD Imaging for Deep Sky Objects ........................................................................................ 25

Terrestrial Photography ............................................................................................................ 25

TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE.................................................................................................. 26

Care and Cleaning of the Optics ............................................................................................... 26

Collimation of a Newtonian...................................................................................................... 26

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES ..................................................................................................... 29

AstroMaster Specifications........................................................................................................... 30