User's Manual

22
4. Getting Started
In order to experience the full GOTO capability of GOTONOVA
®
technology it is very important to set
up the mount correctly before observation.
4.1. Setup the Mount and Polar Alignment
Assemble your GEM28 mount according to Section 3.1. Mount an OTA and accessories, and
carefully balance the mount around the polar axis. Turn the mount power switch on. Check the date and site
info. Perform polar alignment.
Always check if the mount is at the Zero Position when the mount is powered on, i.e. with the
counterweight shaft pointing to ground, OTA at the highest position with its axis parallel to the polar axis and
the telescope pointing to the Celestial Pole. Press MENU => “Zero Position” => “Goto Zero Position” to
check it. If the mount is not at the Zero Position, press MENU => “Zero Position” => “Set Zero Position.”
Release the Gear Switch to manually return the mount to Zero Position, or use the hand controller to slew
the mount to Zero Position. Press ENTER to confirm the zero position..
.
4.2. Manual Operation of the Mount
You may observe astronomical objects using the arrow keys of a Go2Nova
®
hand controller.
Flip the I/O switch on the telescope mount to turn on the mount. Use ►,◄,▼ or ▲ buttons to point
the telescope to the desired object. Use the number keys to change the slewing speed. Then press 0 button
to start tracking. Press 0 button again to stop the tracking.
4.3. Initial Star Alignment
Perform a simple one star alignment/synchronization after set up the hand controller to correct any
pointing discrepancy of the Zero Position and to improve the GOTO accuracy.
To perform “One Star Align,” press MENU=>“Alignment”=>“One Star Align”=>ENTER. The
screen will display a list of bright objects for you to select from. Select an object using ▲ or ▼ key. Then
press ENTER. After the mount slews to the target, use the arrow keys to center it in your eyepiece. Then
press ENTER. (More align details in 5.4)
An alternate way is to perform “Sync to Target.” Press MENU=>“Select and Slew”=>ENTER.
Browse over the catalogs and select an object. Press ENTER. After the mount slews to the star, press
MENU=>“Sync. To Target”, follow the on-screen instruction to center the star and press ENTER. You may
need to use the number keys to change the slewing speed to make the centering procedure easier.
4.4. Go to the Moon and Other Stars
After performing these set-ups the mount is ready to GOTO and track objects. One of the most
common objects is the Moon.
To slew to the Moon press MENU=>“Select and Slew”=>“Solar System”=>Moon=>ENTER. The
telescope will automatically slew to the Moon and lock on it. It will automatically begin to track once it locks
on. If the Moon is not centered in your eyepiece, use the arrow keys to center the Moon. You may use
“Sync to Target” to improve the tracking.
You may also select other bright celestial objects to start with, such as Jupiter or Saturn.