Celestron NexStar HC Instruction Manual
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Celestron NexStar HC Instruction Manual

Celestron NexStar HC Instruction Manual

Celestron telescope instruction manual
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Table of Contents
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Summary of Contents for Celestron NexStar HC

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    SSEMBLING THE Powering the NexStar ... 8 The Hand Control ... 9 The Eyepiece ... 9 The Star Pointer Finderscope ... 10 NEXSTAR HC MODEL ... 12 ... 12 ONTROL Rate Button... 13 Utility Features ... 13 GuideStar Software ... 14 NEXSTAR GT MODEL...
  • Page 3 ... 33 EEING ONDITIONS Transparency ... 33 Sky Illumination ... 33 Seeing... 34 TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE ... 35 ARE AND LEANING OF THE PTICS OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES ... 36 APPENDIX A - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS... 39 APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY OF TERMS ... 40 APPENDIX C –...

  • Page 4: Introduction

    Congratulations on your purchase of the Celestron NexStar! The NexStar ushers in a whole new generation of computer automated technology. Simple and friendly to use, the NexStar is up and running after locating just two alignment stars. It’s the perfect combination of power and portability. If you are new to astronomy, you may wish to start off by using the NexStar's built-in Sky Tour feature, which commands the NexStar to find the most interesting objects in the sky and automatically slews to each one.

  • Page 5: Quick Setup

    Once powered on, the display will read NexStar Ready. Press ENTER to AutoAlign the NexStar. The hand control display will ask you to move the telescope tube so that it is level with the ground and facing the north horizon. Use the UP and Down arrow buttons to position the telescope North and level.
  • Page 6 Alignment Star The NexStar will automatically pick an alignment star and slew the telescope close to that star. Once there, the display will ask you to use the arrow buttons to aim the Star Pointer at the star. If the star is not visible (perhaps behind a tree), press UNDO to select a new star.
  • Page 7 Optical Tube Liquid Crystal Display Hand Control ON/OFF Switch Battery Compartment Focuser Knob Straight Through Photographic Adapter Flip Mirror Control Eyepiece Star Pointer Finderscope...

  • Page 8: Assembly

    Start by removing the telescope from its shipping carton and setting the round base on a flat table or surface. It is best to carry the telescope by holding it from the lower portion of the fork arm and from the bottom of the base. Remove all of the accessories from their individual boxes.

  • Page 9: The Hand Control

    Once the telescope is powered up, the hand control can be used to move the optical tube in altitude (up and down) and azimuth (side to side).

  • Page 10: The Star Pointer Finderscope

    The Star Pointer Finderscope The Star Pointer is the quickest and easiest way to point your telescope exactly at a desired object in the sky. It's like having a laser pointer that you can shine directly onto the night sky. The Star Pointer is a zero magnification pointing tool that uses a coated glass window to superimpose the image of a small red dot onto the night sky.
  • Page 11 Without moving the main telescope, turn the Star Pointer's azimuth and altitude alignment controls until the red dot is directly over the alignment star.

  • Page 12: Nexstar Hc Model

    (see the Optional Accessories section of this manual). The NexStar HC has a removable hand control that gives the user quick access to all the motion controls the NexStar HC offers. Below is a brief description of the individual components of the NexStar HC hand controller: Star Key Activation Light: Indicates that the Star button has been pressed and the utility functions on the hand control are active.

  • Page 13: Rate Button

    Utility Features The NexStar HC hand control comes with a Star function key that allows you to change certain parameters of the hand controls functions, such as the directional logic of the arrow keys, backlash compensation of the motor gears and azimuth tracking.

  • Page 14: Guidestar Software

    GuideStar Software The NexStar HC has an RS-232 port on the back of the hand control, allowing it to be controlled using the GuideStar telescope control software. Linking the NexStar to a computer requires the use of a RS-232 cable. Connect the phone jack connector to the RS-232 port in the hand control and the 9-pin connector to the back of your computer.

  • Page 15: Nexstar Gt Model

    Direction Keys: Allows complete control of the NexStar in any direction. Use the direction keys to move the telescope to the initial alignment stars or for centering objects in the eyepiece. Catalog Keys: The NexStar has keys on the hand control to allow direct access to each of the catalogs in its 4,000+ object database.

  • Page 16: Hand Control Operation

    The NexStar will then automatically choose two stars for alignment and roughly center the stars in the field of view of the Star Pointer. Before the telescope is ready to be aligned, it should be set up in an outside location Common name listing of the brightest stars in the sky.
  • Page 17 Use the Up and Down scroll keys to select AutoAlign if it is not already displayed, and press ENTER. The telescope will then ask you to use the arrow keys (3) to level the telescope tube and point the front of the telescope towards north.

  • Page 18: Object Catalog

    Selecting an Object Now that the telescope is properly aligned, you can choose an object from any of the catalogs in the NexStar'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 19: Tour Mode

    The scrolling text can be viewed even if a star alignment has not been performed. The NexStar has four direction buttons in the center of the hand control which control the telescope motion in altitude (up and down) and azimuth (left and right). The telescope can be controlled at nine different speed rates.

  • Page 20: Setup Procedures

    While holding that button down, press the opposite directional button. This will increase the slew rate to approximately 1º per second (equal to rate 7 on the hand control). This feature will not function if the telescope is currently set at a speed rate of 8 or 9.

  • Page 21: Date/Time

    The NexStar stores celestial objects to its database by saving its right ascension and declination in the sky. This way the same object can be found each time the telescope is aligned. Once a desired object is centered in the eyepiece, simply scroll to the "Save Sky O O O O bj bj "...

  • Page 22: Goto Alt-Az

    – Cord wrap safeguards against the telescope slewing more than 360º in azimuth and wrapping the power cord around the base of the telescope. The cord wrap menu has two settings; batteries and power cord. By default, the cord wrap feature is set to "batteries" when the telescope is powered on. If using the NexStar with a AC adapter, change the setting to "power cord", this will activate the cord wrap feature.

  • Page 23: Hand Control Command Tree

    N exStar R ead y M E N U ALIG N M E N T T R A C K IN G M O D E A U T O A L IG N ALT-AZ NO RTH & LEVEL EQ NO RTH EQ SO UTH O FF T R A C K IN G R A T E...

  • Page 24: Telescope Basics

    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 Maksutov-Cassegrain optical system uses a combination of mirrors and lenses and is referred to as a compound or catadioptric telescope. This unique design offers large-diameter optics while maintaining very short tube lengths, making them extremely portable.

  • Page 25: Focusing

    240 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 80 to 140 times for the NexStar telescope.

  • Page 26: General Observing Hints

    Never look through window glass. Glass found in household windows is optically imperfect, and as a result, may vary in thickness from one part of a window to the next. This inconsistency can and will affect the ability to focus your telescope.

  • Page 27: Astronomy Basics

    Up to this point, this manual covered the assembly and basic operation of your NexStar 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 28: 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 29: Polar Alignment ( With Optional Wedge )

    To do an accurate polar alignment, the NexStar requires an optional equatorial wedge (#93658) between the telescope and a tripod. Celestron also offers a steel tripod with an attached wedge tilt plate (#93497). This allows the telescope's tracking motors to rotate the telescope around the celestial pole, the same way as the stars. Without the equatorial wedge, you would notice the stars in the eyepiece would slowly rotate around the center of the field of view.

  • Page 30: Photography With The Nexstar 4

    The camera must have interchangeable lenses so you can attach it to the telescope and so you can use a variety of lenses for piggyback photography. If you can't find a new camera, you can purchase a used camera body that is not 100-percent functional.

  • Page 31: Finding The North Celestial Pole

    For example, in the northern hemisphere all stars move around the north celestial pole. When the telescope's polar axis is pointed at the celestial pole, it is parallel to the Earth's rotational axis.

  • Page 32: 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 33: 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 34: 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 35: 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 36: Optional Accessories

    Celestron offers SMA eyepieces in 1-1/4" sizes in the following focal lengths: 6mm, 10mm, 12mm, 17mm and 25mm.
  • Page 37 Celestron offers a model for 1-1/4" eyepieces (#94126A). Hand Control, Upgrade (#93961) – Plugs into your NexStar HC to give you instant access to over 4,000 celestial objects. Combined with your telescope’s built-in slew motors, your NexStar will have the ability to automatically find all the Messier objects, dozens of double stars and all the planets at a touch of a button.
  • Page 38 This accessory is a must for long exposure prime focus photography. A full description of all Celestron accessories can be found in the Celestron Accessory Catalog (#93685).

  • Page 39: Appendix A - Technical Specifications

    Near Focus standard eyepiece or camera Field of View: Standard Eyepiece : 35mm Camera Linear Field of View (at 1000 yds) Magnification: Standard Eyepiece : Camera Optical Tube Length Weight of Telescope Input Voltage Maximum Minimum Batteries Required Power Supply Requirements Motor: Type...

  • Page 40: Appendix B - Glossary Of Terms

    Sun against the stars". Equatorial mount A telescope mounting in which the instrument is set upon an axis which is parallel to the axis of the Earth; the angle of the axis must be equal to the observer's latitude.
  • Page 41 1 and those increasingly fainter from 2 down to magnitude 5. The faintest star that can be seen without a telescope is about magnitude 6. Each magnitude step corresponds to a ratio of 2.5 in brightness. Thus a star of magnitude 1 is 2.5 times brighter than a star of magnitude 2, and 100 times brighter than a magnitude 5 star.
  • Page 42 Sidereal Rate This is the angular speed at which the Earth is rotating. Telescope tracking motors drive the telescope at this rate. The rate is 15 arc seconds per second or 15 degrees per hour. Terminator The boundary line between the light and dark portion of the moon or a planet.

  • Page 43: Appendix C - Maps Of Time Zones

    – –...
  • Page 51 CELESTRON ONE YEAR WARRANTY Celestron International (CI) warrants this telescope to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year. CI will repair or replace such product or part thereof which, upon inspection by CI, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship.
  • Page 52 Celestron International 2835 Columbia Street Torrance, CA 90503 Tel. (310) 328-9560 Fax. (310) 212-5835 Web site at http//www.celestron.com Copyright 2000 Celestron International All rights reserved. (Products or instructions may change without notice or obligation.) This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rule. Operation is subject to the following...
  • Page 53 ENTER. Now enter the same number for altitude as you did for azimuth, Alt = 1059334 and press ENTER. 5. The hand control will now say Recycle Power. Re-start the power to the telescope to save the changes.

This manual is also suitable for:

Nexstar 4Nexstar gt

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