The Goto Hand Controller - Orion SkyQuest XX12g Instruction Manual

dial it in precisely. See the section on collimation for details on
how to collimate the optics.
4. The GoTo
Hand Controller
The SkyQuest XXg features the SynScan AZ hand controller,
which provides two different modes of operation:
AutoTracking Mode
The SkyQuest XXg base incorporates a quad-encoder design
that records the position of the telescope relative to the sky.
In the AutoTracking mode, after a quick initial alignment pro-
cedure, you can move the telescope manually, or electroni-
cally by using the directional buttons on the hand controller,
to any position and the telescope will track the motion of the
sky, keeping your viewing target in the eyepiece field of view
indefinitely. Basically, this mode allows you to operate your
Dobsonian in the traditional way, with the added bonus of
automatic tracking.
GoTo Mode
GoTo mode provides automated, computerized object loca-
tion, i.e., "GoTo" functionality to assist you in finding and enjoy-
ing thousands of night sky objects such as planets, nebulas,
star clusters, galaxies, and more. You can slew the telescope
automatically to any of 42,000 celestial objects, or take a pre-
programmed tour the skies, with push-button simplicity. Once
the scope has pinpointed your desired observing target, the
telescope will track its motion, keeping it in the field of view.
Even inexperienced astronomers will find themselves quickly
mastering the variety of features the SynScan AZ GoTo sys-
tem offers in just a few observing sessions.
Note also that after the initial alignment of the GoTo sys-
tem, the SkyQuest XXg's closed-loop electronics allow
you to move the telescope manually (by hand) without
losing the alignment.
GoTo Hand Controller's Features and Functions
The GoTo hand controller (Figure 29a) allows direct access
to all the motion controls of the telescope and a database with
some 42,000 pre-set objects. The controller has a two-line,
16-character LCD screen that is backlit for comfortable view-
ing of the telescope information and scrolling text.
On the bottom end of the hand controller are three ports: a
wide RJ-45 port for the cable that connects the hand control-
ler to the GoTo base, an RJ-12 port that is used to connect
the hand controller to a PC (with provided RS-232 cable) for
firmware updates, and a DC power jack, which allows inde-
pendent use of the hand controller for browsing the database
or updating the firmware without connecting to the telescope
(Figure 29b).
NOTE: The DC power port on the hand controller is for
hand controller stand-alone applications only, such as
updating the firmware without connecting to the tele-
scope. For telescope operation, your 12V power source
16
a.
Display screen
Mode buttons
Directional buttons
Dual purpose buttons
Scroll buttons
b.
Hand controller
RJ-45 port
Figure 29. (
a) The SynScan AZ hand controller's button layout.
(b) The bottom end of the hand controller.
should be plugged into the 12V DC port on the Dobsonian
base (Figure 12).
There are four main categories of control buttons on the
GoTo hand controller (Figure 29a):
1) Mode buttons
2) Directional buttons
3) Scroll buttons
4) Dual purpose buttons
Mode Buttons
The three mode buttons are located at the top of the con-
troller, directly below the LCD display. They include the ESC,
ENTER, and SETUP buttons:
The ESC button is used to escape from a certain command or
to go back a level in the menu tree.
The ENTER button is used to select the functions and sub-
menus in the menu tree, and to confirm certain functional
operations.
Computer 12V DC
interface power port
RJ-12 port