COMPUTERIZED TELESCOPE ITEM #22089 SkyProdigy 90 ITEM #22091 SkyP rodi g y 13 0 ITEM #31 153 SkyProdigy 70 INSTRUCTION MANUAL
INSTRUCTION MANUAL TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 Warning 4 SkyProdigy Models 5 ASSEMBLY 8 Assembling SkyProdigy 8 Attaching the Hand Control Holder 8 Attaching the Fork Arm to the Tripod 8 Attaching the Telescope to the Fork Arm 9 The Star Diagonal 9 The Eyepiece 9 Focusing 10 Attaching the Hand Control 10 Powering SkyProdigy 10 The StarPointer Finderscope 10 StarPointer Installation 11 StarPointer Operation 11 HAND CONTROL 12 The Hand Control 12 Aligning SkyProdigy
Advanced Level Menu Items 17 Database Setup 17 Telescope Setup 18 Tracking 18 Slew Limits 18 Direction Buttons 18 Cordwrap 18 Backlash Compensation 18 StarSense Camera 18 SKYPRRODIGY MENU TREE 20 TELESCOPE BASICS 21 Focusing 21 Image Orientation 21 Calculating Magnification 21 Determining Field of View 21 General Observing Hints 21 CELESTIAL OBSERVING 22 Observing the Moon 22 Lunar Observing Hints 22 Observing the Planets 22 Planetary Observing Hints 22 Observing th
INSTRUCTION MANUAL [Continued] INTRODUCTION SkyProdigy’s Computerized Hand Control has built-in instructions to guide you through all the features needed to have the telescope up and running in minutes. Use this manual in conjunction with on-screen instructions provided by the hand control. The manual gives detailed information regarding each step as well as needed reference material and helpful hints guaranteed to make your observing experience as simple and pleasurable as possible.
SkyProdigy 70 Telescope 1 14 13 11 2 3 10 4 9 8 5 7 6 70 1. Objective Lens 8. Tripod Coupling Screw 2. Fork Arm 9. Focus Knob 3. On/Off Switch 10. Star Diagonal 4. Computerized Hand Control 11. Eyepiece 5. Tripod 12. StarPointer Finderscope (not shown) 6. Tripod Leg Extension Clamp 13. StarSense Camera 7. Accessory Tray 14.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL SkyProdigy 90 Telescope 1 12 11 10 3 2 4 9 5 6 8 7 90 1. Corrector Lens 7. Tripod 2. StarSense Camera 8. Accessory Tray 3. Fork Arm 9. Star Diagonal 4. On/Off Switch 10. Eyepiece 5. Tripod Coupling Screw 11. StarPointer Finderscope 6. Computerized Hand Control 12.
SkyProdigy 130 Telescope 1 12 2 11 10 3 4 5 9 6 8 130 7 1. Eyepiece 7. Tripod Leg Extension Clamp 2. Secondary Mirror 8. Accessory Tray 3. Fork Arm 9. Tripod Coupling Screw 4. On/Off Switch 10. 5. Computerized Hand Control 11. Telescope Tube 6. Tripod 12.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL [Continued] ASSEMBLY 2. Slide the inner portion of each leg down 6” to 8” inches. 3. Adjust the tripod height until the bubble level on the tripod leg is centered (See figure 2-2). 4. Tighten the tripod locking bolts to hold each leg in place. SkyProdigy comes partially assembled and can be operational in a matter of minutes.
Attaching the Telescope to the Fork Arm not obstruct the inner diameter of the eyepiece end of the diagonal. 2. Your telescope optical tube has a built on dovetail mounting bar used to attach the tube to the fork arm. To attach the telescope tube (See figure 2-5). 3. 4. Tube Clamp Tightening Knob Dovetail Mounting Bar Remove the protective dust cap from the star diagonal’s barrel. Slide the chrome portion of the low power 25 mm eyepiece into the star diagonal.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL Attaching the Computerized Hand Control 3. Tighten the thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece in place. To remove the eyepiece, loosen the thumbscrew on the eyepiece barrel and slide the eyepiece out. Eyepieces are commonly referred to by focal length and barrel diameter. The focal length of each eyepiece is printed on the eyepiece barrel. The longer the focal length (i.e., the larger the number) the lower the eyepiece power or magnification; and the shorter the focal length (i.e.
diode (LED); it is not a laser beam and will not damage the glass window or your eye. The StarPointer comes equipped with a variable brightness control, two axes alignment control and mounting brackets. Before the StarPointer is ready to be used, it must be attached to the telescope tube and properly aligned. ON/OFF Brightness Control Altitude Adjustment Control Battery Compartment (not shown) 1.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL HAND CONTROL The Computerized Hand Control • SkyProdigy’s hand controller is designed to give you instant access to all the functions SkyProdigy has to offer. With automatic slewing to over 4,000 objects and common sense menu descriptions, even a beginner can master its variety of features in just a few observing sessions. Below is a brief description of the individual components of SkyProdigy’s hand controller: 5.
Tips for Aligning SkyProdigy Remember the following alignment guidelines to make using SkyProdigy as simple and accurate as possible. • • • 1. Start out by facing the front of the telescope towards an unobstructed part of the sky, free of any bright lights. • 2. Make sure the cap is removed from the camera lens. 3. • Press the ALIGN button on the hand control to begin the alignment process.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL Solar System Alignment SkyProdigy also provides two other alignment methods that can be used instead of the StarSense Auto Alignment. To access the additional alignment methods, Press and hold the OPTION Key and press the ALIGN button. This will display the StarSense Manual Alignment and Solar System Alignment options. Use the UP/DOWN Scroll keys to select either option.
Refine Alignment brightest stars, double (Binary) stars, variable stars, and selected asterisms. Once the telescope is aligned using Solar System Align, you have the option of adding additional alignment objects (either other planets or stars from the Named Star Catalog) in order to improve pointing accuracy. To add an alignment object: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. • Select the desired object from the Named Star or Solar System database and slew to it. Press the ALIGN button on the hand control.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL coordinates of the object. Press it again to display the text description. Press BACK to return to the previous screen. - To slew to the object displayed, press ENTER. - To see the next tour object, press the DOWN key. The hand control has a “double button” feature that allows you to instantly speed up the motors without having to choose a speed rate. To use this feature, simply press the arrow button that corresponds to the direction that you want to move the telescope.
Get Version Info – Selecting this option will allow you to see the current version and build number of the hand control, camera and motor control software. The first set of numbers indicate the hand control software version. For the motor control, the hand control will display two sets of numbers; the first numbers are for azimuth and the second set are for altitude. Use the UP/ DOWN Scroll buttons to view all the information.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL Cordwrap – Cordwrap safeguards against the telescope slewing more than 360º in azimuth and wrapping cables around the base of the telescope. This is useful any time that the telescope is powered using an external power supply. By default, the cord wrap feature is turned on. displayed when the IDENTY button is pressed. This will not only allow you to set the brightness of the object you want SkyProdigy to identify but also the distance away from its current location.
SkyProdigy will then take an image of the sky and calibrate the center of the camera sensor with the star seen in the eyepiece. Note: In order to manually slew the telescope and center a bright star in the eyepiece it may be necessary to first align the StarPointer finderscope with the eyepiece. For instructions on aligning the finderscope, see StarPointer Operation in the Assembly section of this manual.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL SKYPRODIGY MENU TREE The following figure is a menu tree showing the sub-menus associated with the MENU functions.
TELESCOPE BASICS Although the power is variable, each instrument under average skies has a limit to the highest useful magnification. The general rule is that 60 power can be used for every inch of aperture. For example, SkyProdigy 90 is 3.5” (90 mm) in diameter. Multiplying 3.5 by 60 gives a maximum useful magnification of 210 power.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL CELESTIAL OBSERVING Other fascinating targets include the five naked eye planets. You can see Venus go through its lunar-like phases. Mars can reveal a host of surface detail and one, if not both, of its polar caps. You will be able to see the cloud belts of Jupiter and the Great Red Spot (if it is visible at the time you are observing). In addition, you will also be able to see the moons of Jupiter as they orbit the giant planet.
urban areas washes out most nebulae making them difficult, if not impossible, to observe. Light Pollution Reduction filters help reduce the background sky brightness, thus increasing contrast. Seeing Conditions Seeing conditions directly affect image quality. These drawings represent a point source (i.e., star) under bad seeing conditions (left) to excellent conditions (right). Most often, seeing conditions produce images that lie some where between these two extremes.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE To check if your telescope is in collimation the following diagram will help you. If you look into the eyepiece adapter (without an eyepiece) at the top of the focuser, this is what you should see. (See figure 6-1) If the reflection of your eye is off center, then collimation is necessary. While your SkyProdigy telescope requires little maintenance, there are a few things to remember that will ensure your telescope performs at its best.
APPENDIX A - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Optical Specification SkyProdigy 70 mm SkyProdigy 90 mm SkyProdigy 130 mm Design Refractor Maksutov-Cassegrain Reflector Aperture 70 mm 90 mm 130 mm Focal Length 700 mm 1250 mm 650 mm F/ratio of the Optical System 10 14 5 Optical Coatings Fully Coated Fully Coated Aluminum Highest Useful Magnification 165x 213x 307x Resolution: Rayleigh Criterion Dawes Limit 1.99 arc seconds 1.66 arc seconds 1.55 arc seconds 1.29 arc seconds 1.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY OF TERMS A Absolute Magnitude The apparent magnitude that a star would have if it were observed from a standard distance of 10 parsecs, or 32.6 light-years. The absolute magnitude of the Sun is 4.8. at a distance of 10 parsecs, it would just be visible on Earth on a clear moonless night away from surface light. Airy Disk The apparent size of a star’s disk produced even by a perfect optical system.
D Declination (DEC) E Ecliptic Equatorial mount F Focal length G GoTo J Jovian Planets K Kuiper Belt L Light-Year (ly) M Magnitude The angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the celestial equator. It may be said to correspond to latitude on the surface of the Earth. The projection of the Earth’s orbit on to the celestial sphere. It may also be defined as “the apparent yearly path of the Sun against the stars”.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL P Parallax Parallax is the difference in the apparent position of an object against a background when viewed by an observer from two different locations.
APPENDIX C - TIME ZONE MAP 29
INSTRUCTION MANUAL 30
Celestron 2835 Columbia Street Torrance, CA 90503 Tel. (310) 328-9560 Fax. (310) 212-5835 Web site at http://www.celestron.com Copyright 2011 Celestron All rights reserved. (Products or instructions may change without notice or obligation.) This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rule.
