Celestron CGE1100 Instruction Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Celestron Manuals
  4. Telescope
  5. CGE1100
  6. Instruction manual
Celestron CGE1100 Instruction Manual

Celestron CGE1100 Instruction Manual

Cge series
Hide thumbs Also See for CGE1100:
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual
I
N
S
T
R
U
C
T
I
O
N
M
A
N
U
A
L
I
N
S
T
R
U
C
T
I
O
N
M
A
N
U
A
L
C
G
E
8
0
0
●
C
G
E
9
2
5
●
C
G
E
1
1
0
0
●
C
G
E
1
4
0
0
C
G
E
8
0
0
●
C
G
E
9
2
5
●
C
G
E
1
1
0
0
●
C
G
E
1
4
0
0

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the CGE1100 and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Related Manuals for Celestron CGE1100

Summary of Contents for Celestron CGE1100

  • Page 1 ● ● ● ● ● ●...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Attaching the Visual Back...9 Installing the Star Diagonal...10 Installing the Eyepiece ...10 Installing the Finderscope ...11 Moving the Telescope Manually...12 Adjusting the Mount ...12 Balancing The Mount in R.A..13 Balancing The Mount in DEC...13 Attaching the Motor Cables ...14 Powering the Telescope ...14...
  • Page 3 Fastar F/2 Imaging...49 F/6.3 with Reducer/Corrector ...50 Medium size to small galaxies –...50 Planetary or Lunar-- ...50 Auto Guiding...51 TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE ...52 Care and Cleaning of the Optics ...52 Collimation...52 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES...54 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS...57 APPENDIX A – LONGITUDES AND LATITUDES...59 APPENDIX B –...

  • Page 4: Introduction

    Congratulations on your purchase of the Celestron CGE telescope! The CGE ushers in the next generation of computer he Celestron CGE series continues in this proud tradition combining large aperture automated telescopes. T optics with the sophistication and ease of use of our computerized GoTo mount.
  • Page 5 Figure 2.1 - The CGE Telescope ASSE Schmidt Corrector Lens Optical Tube Finderscope Eyepiece Star Diagonal Declination Clutch Lock Latitude Adjustment Scale CONTROL PANEL Dec Motor Port R.A. Motor Port PC Interface Port Auto Guider Port (CGE 1400 Shown) Control Panel (see below)

  • Page 6: Assembly

    Remove all the pieces from their respective boxes and place on a flat, clear work area. A large floor space is ideal. When setting up your Celestron telescope you must start with the tripod and work up from there. These instructions are laid out in the order each task must be performed.

  • Page 7: Attaching The Center Leg Brace

    Hand Control Holder Attaching the Center Leg Brace For maximum rigidity, the Super HD Tripod has a center leg brace that installs on to the threaded rod below the tripod head. This brace fits snugly against the tripod legs, increasing stability while reducing vibration and flexure. To attach the center leg brace: Unscrew the tension knob from the threaded rod beneath the tripod head.

  • Page 8: Attaching The Equatorial Mount

    After the tripod is set up, you are ready to attach the equatorial mount. The equatorial mount is the platform to which the telescope attaches and allows you to move the telescope in right ascension and declination. To attach the equatorial mount to the tripod: Insert the base of the equatorial mount into the top of the electronics pier.

  • Page 9: Attaching The Optical Tube To The Mount

    Slide the dovetail bar on the telescope tube into the mounting platform of the mount. Slide the telescope so that the back of the dovetail bar is almost flush with the back of the mounting platform.

  • Page 10: Installing The Star Diagonal

    Installing the Star Diagonal The star diagonal is a prism that diverts the light at a right angle to the light path of the telescope. This allows you to observe in positions that are physically more comfortable than if you looked straight through. To attach the star diagonal onto a CGE 800, 925 or 1100: Turn the set screw on the visual back until its tip no longer extends into (i.e., obstructs) the inner diameter of the visual back.

  • Page 11: Installing The Finderscope

    The bracket should be oriented so that the rings that hold the finder are over the telescope tube, not the rear cell (see Figure 2-8). Start threading the screws in by hand and tighten fully with an Allen wrench.

  • Page 12: Moving The Telescope Manually

    Both the R.A. and DEC axis have two knobs to clutch down each axis of the telescope. To loosen the clutches on the telescope, rotate the clutch knobs counterclockwise. Rotate the clutch knobs on each axis clockwise to lock the telescope in place.

  • Page 13: Balancing The Mount In R.a

    And when the tube is on the east side of the mount there should be a slight imbalance toward the telescope side. This is done so that the worm gear is pushing against a slight load. The amount of the imbalance is very slight.

  • Page 14: Attaching The Motor Cables

    Turn on the power to the CGE by flipping the switch, located in the center of the pier, to the "On" position. Transporting the CGE Because of the Celestron CGE telescope size and weight, you should ALWAYS remove the telescope from the mount when moving the telescope. To do so: Take the telescope off of the mount and return it to its shipping box.
  • Page 15 When not in use, your CGE telescope can be left fully assembled and set up. However, all lens and eyepiece covers should be put back in place. This will reduce the amount of dust build-up on all optical surfaces and reduce the number of times you need to clean the instrument.

  • Page 16: Hand Control

    Align: Instructs the CGE to use a selected star or object as an alignment position. Direction Keys: Allows complete control of the CGE in any direction. Use the direction keys to move the telescope to the initial alignment stars or for centering objects in the eyepiece. Figure 3-1...

  • Page 17: Named Stars

    Alignment, Setup and Utilities. The alignment section deals with the initial telescope alignment as well as finding objects in the sky; the setup section discusses changing parameters such as tracking mode and tracking rate; finally, the last section reviews all of the utilities functions such as the calibrating your mount, PEC and backlash compensation.

  • Page 18: Alignment Procedures

    In order for the CGE to accurately point to objects in the sky, it must first be aligned to two known positions (stars) in the sky. With this information, the telescope can create a model of the sky, which it uses to locate any object with known coordinates.

  • Page 19: Auto Two-Star Align

    4. Select one of the four alignment methods as described below. Auto Two-Star Align Auto Two-Star Align allows the user to select two stars on which to align the telescope. To Auto Align your telescope: Select Auto Two-Star from the alignment choices given. Based on the date and time information entered, the CGE will automatically select and display a bright star that is above the horizon.

  • Page 20: Quick-Align

    Quick-Align Quick-Align uses all the date and time information entered at startup to align the telescope. However, instead of slewing to two alignment stars for centering and alignment, the CGE bypasses this step and simply models the sky based on the information given.

  • Page 21: Object Catalog

    Selecting an Object Now that the telescope is properly aligned, you can choose an object from any of the catalogs in the CGE's extensive database. The hand control has a key (4) designated for each of the catalogs in its database. There are two ways to select objects from the database: scrolling through the named object lists and entering object numbers.

  • Page 22: Tour Mode

    Constellation Tour In addition to the Tour Mode, the CGE telescope has a Constellation Tour that allows the user to take a tour of all the best objects in each of the 88 constellations. Selecting Constellation from the LIST menu will display all the constellation names that are above the user defined horizon (filter limits).

  • Page 23: Setup Procedures

    However, if any of the slower slew rates (rate 6 and below) are used to center an object in the finderscope, you may need to press the opposite directional button to make the telescope move in the correct direction.

  • Page 24: User Defined Objects

    Additionally, Identify Mode can be used to find other celestial objects that are close to the objects you are currently observing. For example, if your telescope is pointed at the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, choosing Identify and then searching the Named Star catalog will no doubt return the star Vega as the star you are observing.

  • Page 25: Precise Goto

    The hand control then calculates the small difference between its goto position and its centered position. Using this offset, the telescope will then slew to the desired object with enhanced accuracy. To use Precise Goto: Press the MENU button and use the Up/Down keys to select Precise Goto.

  • Page 26: Filter Limits

    (west) for azimuth and counterclockwise in declination. Declination Goto approach will only apply while the telescope tube is on one side of the Meridian. Once the tube passes over to the other side of the Meridian, the Goto approach will need to be reversed.

  • Page 27: Utility Features

    Polaris should be. By using the equatorial head to center Polaris in the eyepiece, the mount will then be pointed towards the actual North Celestial Pole. Once Polar Align is complete, you must re-align your telescope again using any of the alignment methods described earlier.

  • Page 28: Periodic Error Correction

    - Hibernate allows the CGE to be completely powered down and still retain its alignment when turned back on. This not only saves power, but is ideal for those that have their telescopes permanently mounted or leave their telescope in one location for long periods of time. To place your telescope in Hibernate mode: 1.

  • Page 29: Turn On/Off Gps

    Turn On/Off GPS If using your CGE telescope with the optional CN-16 GPS accessory (see Optional Accessories section of the manual), you will need to turn the GPS on the first time you use the accessory. Additionally, just like with the real time clock you will need to turn the GPS module off in order to enter dates...
  • Page 30 MENU ALIGNMENT TRACKING START-UP PROCUDURE MODE EQ NORTH EQ SOUTH RATE SIDEREAL SOLAR LUNAR VIEW TIME-SITE SCOPE SETUP SETUP TIME-SITE ANTI-BACKLASH FILTER LIMITS DIRECTION BUTTONS GOTO APPROACH AUTOGUIDE RATE MOUNT SETTINGS UTILITIES CALIBRATE MOUNT MOVE TO SWITCH HOME POSITION POLAR ALIGN LIGHT CONTROL FACTORY SETTING VERSION...

  • Page 31: Image Orientation

    A telescope is an instrument that collects and focuses light. The nature of the optical design determines how the light is focused. Some telescopes, known as refractors, use lenses. Other telescopes, known as reflectors, use mirrors. The Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system (or Schmidt-Cass for short) uses a combination of mirrors and lenses and is referred to as a compound or catadioptric telescope.

  • Page 32: Focusing

    60 gives a maximum useful magnification of 660 power. Although this is the maximum useful magnification, most observing is done in the range of 20 to 35 power for every inch of aperture which is 220 to 385 times for the CGE1100 telescope.

  • Page 33: General Observing Hints

    To convert degrees to feet at 1,000 yards, which is more useful for terrestrial observing, simply multiply by 52.5. Continuing , multiply the angular field .66 with our example one thousand yards. The apparent field of each eyepiece that Celestron manufactures is found in the Celestron Accessory Catalog (#93685). General Observing Hints When working with any optical instrument, there are a few things to remember to ensure you get the best possible image.

  • Page 34: Astronomy Basics

    Up to this point, this manual covered the assembly and basic operation of your telescope. However, to understand your telescope more thoroughly , you need to know a little about the night sky. This section deals with observational astronomy in general and includes information on the night sky and polar alignment.

  • Page 35: Motion Of The Stars

    Motion of the Stars The daily motion of the Sun across the sky is familiar to even the most casual observer. This daily trek is not the Sun moving as early astronomers thought, but the result of the Earth's rotation. The Earth's rotation also causes the stars to do the same, scribing out a large circle as the Earth completes one rotation.
  • Page 36 The Celestron CGE1100 mount can be adjusted from 13 to 65 degrees (see figure 5-3).

  • Page 37: Finding The North Celestial Pole

    Loosen the DEC clutch knob and move the telescope so that the tube is parallel to the polar axis. When this is done, the declination setting circle will read +90°. If the declination setting circle is not aligned, move the telescope so that the tube is parallel to the polar axis.

  • Page 38: Declination Drift Method Of Polar Alignment

    So, repeat the process again to improve the accuracy checking both axes for minimal drift. Once the drift has been eliminated, the telescope is very accurately aligned. You can now do prime focus deep-sky astrophotography for long periods.

  • Page 39: Celestial Observing

    With your telescope set up, you are ready to use it for observing. This section covers visual observing hints for both solar system and deep sky objects as well as general observing conditions which will affect your ability to observe.

  • Page 40: Observing The Sun

    The best time to observe the Sun is in the early morning or late afternoon when the air is cooler. • To center the Sun without looking into the eyepiece, watch the shadow of the telescope tube until it forms a circular shadow.

  • Page 41: Seeing

    Seeing Seeing conditions refers to the stability of the atmosphere and directly affects the amount of fine detail seen in extended objects. The air in our atmosphere acts as a lens which bends and distorts incoming light rays. The amount of bending depends on air density.

  • Page 42: Astrophotography

    Short exposure prime focus photography is the best way to begin recording celestial objects. It is done with the camera attached to the telescope without an eyepiece or camera lens in place. To attach your camera you need the Celestron T- Adapter (#93633-A) and a T-Ring for your specific camera (i.e., Minolta, Nikon, Pentax, etc.).

  • Page 43: Eyepiece Projection

    In order to get the image large enough, you must attach your camera to the telescope with the eyepiece in place. To do so, you need two additional accessories;...

  • Page 44: Long Exposure Prime Focus Photography

    After the exposure is complete, place the card over the front of the telescope and close the shutter. Advance the film and you're ready for your next shot. Keep in mind that the card should be held a few inches in front of the telescope, and not touching it.

  • Page 45: Periodic Error Correction (Pec)

    To accomplish this you need a guiding ocular with an illuminated reticle to monitor your guide star. For this purpose, Celestron offers the Micro Guide Eyepiece (#94171) Here is a brief summary of the technique.

  • Page 46: Using Periodic Error Correction

    Hint Once the worm gear is indexed, it will not need to be positioned again until the telescope is turned-off. So, to give yourself more time to prepare for guiding, it is best to restart PEC recording after the worm gear has found its index.

  • Page 47: Terrestrial Photography

    (land) photography. Terrestrial photography is best done will the telescope in Alt-Az configuration and the tracking drive turned off. To turn the tracking drive off, press the MENU (9) button on the hand control and scroll down to the Tracking Mode sub menu. Use the Up and Down scroll keys (10) to select the Off option and press ENTER.
  • Page 48 The F/# stands for the ratio between the focal length and the diameter of the light gathering element. A CGE1100 optical tube has a focal length of 110 inches and a diameter of 11 inches. This makes the system an f/10, (focal length divided by diameter). The CGE 800 has a focal length of 80 inches and a diameter of 8 inches, also making it an f/10 optical system.

  • Page 49: Fastar F/2 Imaging

    The following is a brief description of the advantages of imaging at each f-number configuration and the proper equipment needed to use the telescope in any of its many settings Fastar F/2 Imaging As stated above, the exposure times are much shorter at f/2 than at f/6.3 or f/10. The field-of-view is wider, so it is easier to find and center objects.

  • Page 50: F/6.3 With Reducer/Corrector

    with a 30 second exposure and can be improved upon dramatically if several 30-60 second exposures are added together . F/6.3 with Reducer/Corrector When imaging some objects like planetary nebula (for example M57, the Ring Nebula) and small galaxies (M104, the Sombrero Galaxy), larger image scale is needed to resolve finer detail. These objects are better shot at f/6.3 or even f/10.

  • Page 51: Auto Guiding

    Auto Guiding The CGE telescope has a designated auto guiding port for use with a CCD autoguider. The diagram below may be useful when connecting the CCD camera cable to the CGE and calibrating the autoguider. Note that the four outputs are active-low, with internal pull-ups and are capable of sinking 25 mA DC.

  • Page 52: Telescope Maintenance

    This will prevent contaminants from entering the optical tube. Internal adjustments and cleaning should be done only by the Celestron repair department. If your telescope is in need of internal cleaning, please call the factory for a return authorization number and price quote.
  • Page 53 (see figure 8-2). Center the de-focused star and notice in which direction the central shadow is skewed. Place your finger along the edge of the front cell of the telescope (be careful not to touch the corrector plate), pointing towards the collimation screws.

  • Page 54: Optional Accessories

    Barlow Lens - A Barlow lens is a negative lens that increases the focal length of a telescope. Used with any eyepiece, it doubles the magnification of that eyepiece. Celestron offers two Barlow lens in the 1-1/4" size for the CGE. The 2x Ultima Barlow (#93506) is a compact triplet design that is fully multicoated for maximum light transmission and parfocal when used with the Ultima eyepieces.
  • Page 55 Fastar Lens Assembly – (#94180 – 8", #94179 – 11", #94181 - 14 ) Fastar Lens Assembly can be combined with any of Celestron's Fastar compatible telescope to achieve amazing f/2 wide- field images. Celestron offers the lens assembly complete with lens assembly, secondary holder and counterweight.
  • Page 56 Skylight Filter (#93621) - The Skylight Filter is used on the Celestron CGE telescope as a dust seal. The filter threads onto the rear cell of your telescope.

  • Page 59: Appendix A - Longitudes And Latitudes

    LONGITUDE LATITUDE degrees degrees ALABAMA Anniston 34.8 Auburn 26.4 40.2 Birmingham 34.2 Centreville Dothan 19.2 Fort Rucker 43.2 16.8 Gadsden 58.2 Huntsville 46.2 Maxwell AFB 22.2 22.8 Mobile 40.8 Mobile Aeros 37.8 Montgomery Muscle Shoal 37.2 Selma 59.4 20.4 Troy 52.2 Tuscaloosa 37.2...
  • Page 60 LONGITUDE LATITUDE degrees degrees Melbourne 37.8 Miami 16.8 49.2 Naples Nasa Shuttle 40.8 37.2 Orlando 19.2 25.8 Panama City 40.8 Patrick AFB 13.8 Pensacola 19.2 Ruskin 58.2 Saint Peters 40.8 55.2 Sanford 46.8 Sarasota Tallahassee 22.2 22.8 Tampa Intl 31.8 58.2 Titusville 31.2...
  • Page 61 LONGITUDE LATITUDE degrees degrees Wurtsmith Ypsilanti 31.8 13.8 MINNESOTA Albert Lea 22.2 40.8 Alexandria 22.8 52.2 Bemidji Muni 55.8 Brainerd-Crw Detroit Laks 52.8 49.2 Duluth 10.8 49.8 49.2 Fairmont 25.2 Fergus Falls Grand Rapids 31.2 13.2 Hibbing 22.8 Intl Falls 22.8 34.2 Litchfield...
  • Page 62 LONGITUDE LATITUDE degrees degrees OKLAHOMA Altus AFB 16.2 40.2 Ardmore Bartlesville Clinton Enid 22.8 Fort Sill Gage 46.2 Hobart Lawton 25.2 34.2 Mcalester 46.8 52.8 Norman 28.2 13.8 Oklahoma Page 37.2 40.8 Ponca City 43.8 Stillwater Tinker AFB 22.8 25.2 Tulsa Vance AFB 55.2...
  • Page 63 LONGITUDE LATITUDE degrees degrees Walla Walla 16.8 Wenatchee Whidbey Is Yakima 31.8 WEST VIRGINIA Beckley Bluefield 13.2 Charleston Clarksburg 13.8 Elkins Huntington Lewisburg Martinsburg 58.8 Morgantown 55.2 Parkersburg 25.8 Wheeling Wh Sulphur CITY PROVINCE LONGITUDE Calgary Alberta Churchill Newfoundland Coppermine Northwest Terr.

  • Page 64: Appendix B - Rs-232 Connection

    Appendix B - RS-232 Connection You can control your CGE telescope with a computer via the RS-232 port on the computerized hand control and using an optional RS-232 cable (#93920). Once connected, the CGE can be controlled using popular astronomy software programs.
  • Page 65 Additional RS232 Commands Multiply the desired tracking rate (arcseconds/second) by 4. Example: if the desired trackrate is 150 arcseconds/second, then TRACKRATE = 600 Separate TRACKRATE into two bytes, such that (TRACKRATE = TrackRateHigh*256 + rackRateLow). Example: TrackRateHigh = 2 TrackRateLow = 88 To send a tracking rate, send the following 8 bytes: Positive Azm tracking: Negative Azm tracking:80, 3, 16, 7, TrackRateHigh, TrackRateLow, 0, 0...

  • Page 66: Appendix C - Time Zone Map

    APPENDIX C – MAPS OF TIME ZONES...

  • Page 74: Celestron Two Year Warranty

    Celestron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a condition to the obligation of Celestron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to Celestron together with proof-of-purchase satisfactory to Celestron.
  • Page 75 Celestron 2835 Columbia Street Torrance, CA 90503 Tel. (310) 328-9560 Fax. (310) 212-5835 Web site at http//www.celestron.com Copyright 2003 Celestron All rights reserved. (Products or instructions may change without notice or obligation.) Item # 11063-INST $10.00 03-03...

This manual is also suitable for:

Cge800Cge1400Cge925

Table of Contents

Save PDF