Instructions / Assembly

moments to start up the system. “Press 0 to
align or Mode for Menu” displays (if you select
“0”, Alignment will begin).
3. The Arrow keys are now activated. Press the
Arrow keys (Pg. 22, Fig. 19a, 5) to slew (move)
the telescope up, down, right, or left.
4. Press a Number key (Pg. 22, Fig. 19a, 6) to
change the telescope’s slew speed. See Slew
Speeds, on pg 24 for more information.
5. Use the viewnder (Pg. 15, Fig 10, 5) to locate an
object and practice using the AudioStar’s Arrow
keys to center the object in the telescope’s eld
of view.
6. Use the telescope’s focus knob (Pg. 14, Fig. 5, 1
or Pg. 18, Fig 12, 1) to bring the object into focus.
Observe the Moon
Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon
is not visible every night) and practice using the Arrow
keys and the slew speeds to view different features.
The Moon contains many interesting features, including
craters, mountain ranges, and fault lines.
The best time to view the Moon is during its crescent
or half phase. Sunlight strikes the Moon at an angle
during these periods and adds a depth to the view.
No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing
the overly bright surface to appear at and rather
uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral density
Moon lter when observing the Moon. Not only does it
cut down the Moon’s bright glare, but it also enhances
contrast, providing a more dramatic image.
Terrestrial Observing
The ETX is an excellent high-resolution, terrestrial
(land) telescope. Viewing terrestrial objects requires
looking along the Earth’s surface through heat waves.
These heat waves often cause degradation of image
quality. Lower power eyepieces, like the Super Plössl
26mm eyepiece, magnify these heat waves less than
higher power eyepieces. Therefore, lower power
eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image.
If the image is fuzzy or ill-dened, reduce to a lower
power eyepiece, where the heat waves do not have
such an effect on image quality. Observing in early
morning hours, before the ground has built up internal
heat, produces better viewing conditions than during
late afternoon hours.
If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a
mountain top or a bird, you want to use your telescope
in its Terrestrial Observing mode. To start up the
telescope in Terrestrial mode:
1. Turn on the telescope.
2. Move your telescope using the direction arrows
on the handbox while looking through the Red-
Dot Finder to put your target in the eyepiece.
3. Focus on the target with the focus knob (Pg. 14,
Fig. 5, 1 or Pg. 18, Fig 12, 1).
ETX OBSERVER TIPS
Observing Considerations
• Try to pick an observing site away from street
and house lights and car headlights. While this
is not always possible, the darker the site, the
better.
• Try not to use a standard ashlight.
Experienced observers use red LED ashlights,
the red utility light on the AudioStar handbox, or
tape red cellophane over their ashlights to use
for setup and map reading so they don’t have to
continually readjust their eyes to the darkness. Be
careful not to shine bright lights if there are other
observers in the area. Do not shine a ashlight
into the telescope while someone is observing!
• Dress warmly. It gets chilly when you’re sitting for
prolonged periods.
• Practice setting up your equipment during the
day or in a lighted area to become familiar with it
before going to a dark site.
• Use your 26mm eyepiece to view terrestrial
objects and wider areas of space, such as
open star clusters. Use optional higher power
eyepieces, such as a 9mm eyepiece, when you
wish to view something up close, such as craters
on the Moon or the rings of Saturn.
AUDIOSTAR HANDBOX
25