iOptron SmartEQ Instruction Manual
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iOptron SmartEQ Instruction Manual

Portable german equatorial goto mount
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®
TM
SmartEQ™ and SmartEQ
Pro
Portable German Equatorial GOTO Mount
Instruction Manual
Product #3100 & 3200

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Summary of Contents for iOptron SmartEQ

  • Page 1 ® SmartEQ™ and SmartEQ Portable German Equatorial GOTO Mount Instruction Manual Product #3100 & 3200...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    4.3.1. Set Up Time and Site........................15 4.3.2. Initial Star Alignment ........................17 4.3.3. Go to the Moon and Other Stars..................... 17 4.3.4. Star Identifying Function........................ 17 4.4. Autoguiding (Only for SmartEQ Pro Mount) ................... 17 4.5. Turn Off the Mount ..........................17 ®...
  • Page 3 Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Children should always have adult supervision while observing. Rev.1.0 iOptron reserves the rights to revise this instruction without notice. Actual color/contents/design may differ from those described in this instruction.

  • Page 4: Smarteq Tm Mount Overview

    Vixen-type dovetail saddle Standard 1.25 inch heavy-duty stainless steel tripod Serial port for firmware upgrade and computer controller Metal wheels and worm shafts (SmartEQ Pro mount only) ST-4 guiding port (SmartEQ Pro mount only) AccuAligning bright field polar scope (optional for SmartEQ...

  • Page 5: Introduction

    Now, you are ready to perform star alignments using the equatorial mount’s electronic controller and enjoy the night sky. The SmartEQ mount is a next-generation equatorial mount. The following sections of this manual provide the detailed steps required to successfully set up and operate a SmartEQ mount.

  • Page 6: Smarteq Tm Mount Assembly

    The Alignment Peg may be moved to the opposite position if used at latitude lower than 20º to avoid counterweights hit the tripod leg. STEP 2. Attach the SmartEQ Mount: Remove the Latitude Adjustment Screw from its Storage Position by unscrewing it all the way out (Figure 3).
  • Page 7 Adjustment Latitude dial position Storage position Latitude clutch Figure 5. Move latitude adjustment screw Figure 6. Adjust mount latitude STEP 3. Install Batteries and Connect Cables: There are two battery compartments that each can hold 4 AA batteries (Figure 7). Lift the battery cover.
  • Page 8 Latitude Adjustment Screw to adjust the latitude (altitude) to center the Polaris along the altitude direction. Re-tighten the locking screws. If an AccuAligning polar scope is installed (standard for a SmartEQ Pro mount, and optional for a SmartEQ mount), please follow Section 4.1.1 to perform the Quick polar Alignment.
  • Page 9 After attaching an OTA and accessories to the mount, balance the mount in both R.A. and DEC to ensure minimum stress on the mount. CAUTION: The telescope may swing when the R.A. or DEC clutch is released. Always hold on to the OTA DEC clutch screw before you release the clutch to prevent it from swinging.

  • Page 10: Go2Nova ® 8408 Hand Controller

    HBX (Handbox) port: connect the HC to the SmartEQ mount using a 6 pin 4 wire (6P4C) RJ11 plug. • Serial port: connect the HC to a Computer via a RS232 to 4 pin 4 wire (4P4C) RJ-9 cable (iOptron item# 8412). The pin out of the serial port is shown in Figure 15.

  • Page 11: The Lcd Screen

    Figure 15. Serial port pin out on an 8408 hand controller 3.2. The LCD Screen The 8408 HC has a large 4-line, 21-character per line LCD screen. The user interface is simple and easy to learn. When the mount first turned on, an initial information screen will be displayed as shown in Figure 16, after company logo displayed.
  • Page 12 4. Declination: Declination of the telescope, or DEC. 5. Azimuth: Azimuth of the telescope (north is 0º, east 90º, south 180º, and west 270º). 6. Altitude: Altitude of the telescope (degrees vertical from the local horizon - zenith is 90º). 7.

  • Page 13: Getting Started

    4.1. Setup the Mount and Polar Alignment Assemble your SmartEQ mount, perform Polar Alignment and mount your telescope or camera. The default position for the mount is the Zero Position when the power is switched on, as shown in Figure...
  • Page 14 As indicated in Error! Reference source not found., the Polar Scope Dial has been divided into 12 hours along the angular direction with half-hour tics. There are 2 groups, 6 concentric circles marked from 36’ to 44’ and 60’ to 70’, respectively. The 36’ to 44’ concentric circles are used for polar alignment in northern hemisphere using Polaris.

  • Page 15: Adjust Polar Scope Focuser

    4.1.2. Adjust Polar Scope Focuser If the polar scope does not focus on the distant object, take the polar scope out of the mount housing. Point the polar scope to a far distant object. Adjust the Objective Lens by turning the tube to get a clear image.
  • Page 16 “behind” and “ahead of”. When the number is correct, press ENTER and go back to the previous screen. For other parts of the world you can find your “time zone” information from iOptron website (http://www.ioptron.com/support.cfm?module=faq#). DO NOT COUNT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME. Fraction time zone can be entered as well.

  • Page 17: Initial Star Alignment

    Site, slew the telescope to an bright star, manually or using GOTO. Press ? (Help) button to identify the star name telescope is pointing to, as well as nearby bright stars if there are any. 4.4. Autoguiding (Only for SmartEQ Pro Mount) The SmartEQ Pro mount equipped with an ST-4 autoguiding port.

  • Page 18: Complete Functions Of Go2Nova Hand Controller

    ® 5. Complete Functions of Go2Nova Hand Controller 5.1. Slew to an Object Press the MENU button. From the main menu select “Select and Slew.” Select an object that you would like to observe and press the ENTER key. ® The Go2Nova 8408 hand controller has a database of over 50,000 objects.

  • Page 19: User Objects

    5.1.7. User Objects It can store up to 60 used entered objects. 5.1.8. Enter R.A. DEC Here you can go to a target by entering its R.A. and DEC numbers. 5.2. Sync to Target This operation will match the telescope's current coordinates to Target Right Ascension and Declination.

  • Page 20: Meridian Treatment

    Set Up Time & Site Set Display & Beep Set Anti-backlash Meridian Treatment Press ENTER. A R.A. anti-backlash screen will display: R.A. anti-backlash: 0000 steps One step equals to 0.6 arc second. To adjust steps move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to input number directly. Press ENTER –...

  • Page 21: Two Star Alignment

    one star alignment should be sufficient for good GOTO accuracy. To increase the accuracy you may choose to do two star alignment. 5.5.2. Two Star Alignment Two star alignment will increase the GOTO accuracy of the mount. Two star alignment requires a wider view of the sky, since the two align stars need to be far apart.

  • Page 22: To Zero Position

    To set user objects, press MENU button, from the main menu, scroll down and select “Set User Objects” Electric Focuser Set Up Controller Align Set User Objects Press ENTER to bring up Set User Objects screen. Add a New Record Browse Records Delete One Record Delete All Records...

  • Page 23: Maintenance And Servicing

    Department. Customer Service hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that the mount requires factory servicing or repairing, write or call iOptron Customer Service Department first to receive an RMA# before returning the mount to the factory. Please provide details as to the nature of the problem as well as your name, address, e-mail address, purchase info and daytime telephone number.

  • Page 24: Appendix A. Technical Specifications

    Dovetail VIXEN Tripod 1.25” Stainless Steel (5.7lbs or 2.6kg) AccuAligning bright field illuminated Polar Scope Standard for SmartEQ Pro, Optional for SmartEQ Power consumption 0.1A(Tracking), 0.3A(GOTO) Power requirement DEC 9 ~12V, 1 amp Battery 8AA (not included) Serial port Yes (on hand controller)

  • Page 25: Appendix B. Go2Nova

    ® Appendix B. Go2Nova 8408 HC MENU STRUCTURE MENU Select and Slew Select and Slew Solar System Solar System Mercury Mercury Venus Venus Mars Mars Jupiter Jupiter Saturn Saturn Uranus Uranus Neptune Neptune Moon Moon Deep Sky Objects Deep Sky Objects Named Object Named Object Messier Catalog...
  • Page 26 Meridian Treatment Set Polar Light Firmware Information Firmware Information Align Align One Star Align One Star Align Two Star Align Two Star Align Three Star Align Three Star Align Disp. R.A. Axis Error Disp. R.A. Axis Error Pole Star Position Pole Star Position Set User Objects Set User Objects...

  • Page 27: Appendix C. Firmware Upgrade

    You need a cable to connect this port to the serial port of a computer. Here is a sample of a RJ9 to RS232 serial cable. It is also available from iOptron online store (iOptron item# 8412). If you are making your own cable, here is the wiring instruction:...
  • Page 28 2. Find the serial port (COM port) number from your computer: The first step is to find the COM port number. If your computer has a serial port (9-pin D-shape male connector on the back, next to the 25 pin printer connector), the default assigned number is COM1. If you are using a USB to COM converter to convert one USB port to a COM port, you can find the computer assigned COM port number.
  • Page 29 Software/Firmware Upgrades catalog on the left part of the screen, and click on it. Download and save Upgrade Utility software and Go2Nova 8408 Hand Controller firmware. 4. Upgrade 8408 hand controller firmware: (1) Connect 8408 hand controller to the HBX port of a SmartEQ mount. Make sure the mount power is OFF;...
  • Page 30 (3) Hold ENTER button of the hand controller while switch the ON/OFF button to turn the mount power (4) Locate download software and click on Upgrade Utility.exe: (5) An iOptron Upgrade Utility window will display. Click on Browse: (6) Select hand controller firmware 8408_VerXXXXXX and click Open (7) The FileType and Version will be verified and displayed.
  • Page 31 (8) Click on Upgrade button to start the process; (9) After the firmware upgraded successfully, exit the Upgrade Utility program by click on If the upgrade process was disrupted, wrong firmware is loaded, or the firmware does not successfully, just start over it again. Make sure a correct COM port is selected.

  • Page 32: Appendix D. Computer Control An Smarteq Mount

    Appendix D. Computer Control an SmartEQ Mount The SmartEQ mount can be connected to a computer using a RS232 cable via hand controller serial port. A RS232 to USB adapter (not included) is needed if your computer does not have a serial port, like most of the laptops on the market today.
  • Page 33 3. Select Control panel in Telescope pull-down manual.
  • Page 34 4. Click on Select button, an ASCOM Telescope Chooser window will pop-up. Click on the pull-down menu to select iOptron Telescope .NET, then click OK. 5. Click on Configure. In iOptron Telescope ASCOM Driver Setup pop-up window, select COM1 port from the COM Port pull-down menu. Click OK.

  • Page 36: Appendix E. Polar Scope Adjustment

    Appendix E. Polar Scope Adjustment Reticle Adj. Screws Eyepiece Objective Lens Locking Ring If you are suspecting that the polar scope may be misaligned to the mount R.A. axis, you may check it by putting a star in the center of the polar scope reticle cross hairs and rotating mount’s R.A. axis. If the star stays in the center of cross hairs, the polar scope is aligned to the mount’s R.A.

  • Page 37: Appendix F. Go2Nova Star List

    ® Appendix F. Go2Nova Star List Messier Catalog This table is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article List of Messier objects...
  • Page 38 Named Star List 001 Acamar 050 Asellus Australis 099 Kaus Media 148 Rastaba 002 Achernar 051 Asellus Borealis 100 Keid 149 Regulus 003 Acrux 052 Aspidiske 101 Kitalpha 150 Rigel 004 Acubens 053 Atik 102 Kochab 151 Rigel Kentaurus 005 Adhafera 054 Atlas 103 Kornephoros 152 Ruchbah...
  • Page 39 Modern Constellations Constellation Abbreviation Constellation Abbreviation Andromeda Lacerta Antlia Apus Leo Minor Aquarius Lepus Aquila Libra Lupus Aries Lynx Auriga Lyra Boötes Mensa Caelum Microscopium Camelopardalis Monoceros Cancer Musca Canes Venatici Norma Canis Major Octans Canis Minor Ophiuchus Capricornus Orion Carina Pavo Cassiopeia...
  • Page 40 Deep Sky Object List ID No. OBJECT NGC # Messier# A(Abell) U(UGC) ID No. OBJECT NGC # Messier# A(Abell) U(UGC) Andromeda Galaxy Hind's Variable Nebula 1555 Barnards Galaxy 6822 Hubble's Variable Nebula 2261 Beehive Cluster 2632 Integral Sign Galaxy 3697 Blackeye Galaxy 4926 Jewel Box Cluster...
  • Page 41 Double Star List No. Object Const Sep. Magitude Comm. Name No. Object Const Sep. Magitude Comm. Name 2.3 / 5.1 37734 Almaak 36 Eta 12.9 3.5 / 7.5 21732 Achird 35.9 4.4 / 8.6 54033 37 Iot 4.7/7.0/8.2 12298 12.8 3.7 / 11 125235 Alshain...
  • Page 42 No. Object Const Sep. Magitude Comm. Name No. Object Const Sep. Magitude Comm. Name 71 Bet 34.4 3.1 / 5.1 87301 Albireo 106 Del 3.1 / 8.2 84951 Sarin 72 Omi 1 3.8 / 6.7 49337 107 Mu 3.4 / 9.8 85397 73 52 4.2 / 9.4...
  • Page 43 No. Object Const Sep. Magitude Comm. Name No. Object Const Sep. Magitude Comm. Name 141 Eps 2 5.2 / 5.5 67315 Double dbl2 176 Zet 5.6 / 6.5 109739 142 Alp 20.5 5.0 / 10 212472 177 Kap 4.5 / 4.7 174199 143 Zet 4.3 / 10...

  • Page 44: Ioptron One Year Telescope, Mount, And Controller Warranty

    As a condition to the obligation of iOptron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to iOptron together with proof-of-purchase satisfactory to iOptron.

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