Instruction manual

Table of Contents

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

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

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

Moving the Telescope Manually ................................................................................................7

Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount...............................................................................7

Installing the Diagonal & Eyepieces ( refractor)........................................................................8

Installing the Eyepieces on the Newtonians ............................................................................... 8

TELESCOPE BASICS ...................................................................................................................9

Image Orientation ..................................................................................................................... 10

Focusing....................................................................................................................................10

Aligning the Finderscope.......................................................................................................... 10

Calculating Magnification ........................................................................................................11

Determining Field of View.......................................................................................................12

General Observing Hints...........................................................................................................12

ASTRONOMY BASICS .............................................................................................................. 13

The Celestial Coordinate System..............................................................................................13

Motion of the Stars....................................................................................................................14

CELESTIAL OBSERVING .........................................................................................................15

Observing the Moon ................................................................................................................. 15

Observing the Planets ............................................................................................................... 15

Observing the Sun.....................................................................................................................15

Observing Deep Sky Objects....................................................................................................16

Seeing Conditions..................................................................................................................... 18

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY............................................................................................................19

Short Exposure Prime Focus Photography ............................................................................... 19

Piggyback Photography ............................................................................................................ 19

Planetary & Lunar Photography with Special Imagers.............................................................19

CCD Imaging for Deep Sky Objects ........................................................................................19

Terrestrial Photography ............................................................................................................ 19

TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE.................................................................................................. 20

Care and Cleaning of the Optics...............................................................................................20

Collimation of a Newtonian......................................................................................................20

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES ..................................................................................................... 23

AstroMaster Specifications...........................................................................................................24