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Continue using stars as guideposts in this way until you are
at the approximate position of the object you are trying to find
(Figure 14). Look in the telescope's eyepiece, and the object
should be somewhere within the field of view. If it's not, sweep
the telescope carefully around the immediate vicinity until the
object is found.
If you have trouble finding the object, start the starhop again
from the brightest star near the object you wish to view. This
time, be sure the stars indicated on the star chart are in fact
the stars you are centering in the eyepiece. Remember, the
finder scope (and main telescope eyepiece, for that matter)
gives an inverted image, so you must keep this in mind when
starhopping from star to star.
terrestrial Viewing
The SkyView Pro 150mm not only excels at astronomical
observing, it's great for terrestrial (land) viewing too. The
equatorial mount, however, is not well suited for land viewing
due to its motion about R.A. and Dec. axes instead of altitude
(vertical) and azimuth (horizontal) axes. Because of this, we
recommend removing the optical tube from the SkyView Pro
mount and placing it on an appropriate heavy‑duty photo‑style
tripod. Connect the optical tube to a photo tripod by threading
the tripod's 1/4"‑20 shaft into one of the holes in the tube's
mounting plate.
The included mirror star diagonal, while preferred for astro‑
nomical observing because of its viewing angle and better
resolution, is not optimal for land viewing because it inverts
images from left‑to‑right. We recommend purchasing an
optional 45° correct‑image diagonal for terrestrial observing;
it provides a more comfortable viewing angle for land viewing
and an image that is oriented the same as the naked eye. In
addition, an optional correct‑image finder scope will be useful
for aiming the optical tube.
For terrestrial viewing, it's best to stick with low power eye‑
pieces that yield a magnification under 100x. At higher pow‑
ers, images rapidly lose sharpness and clarity due to "heat
waves" caused by Sun‑heated air.
Remember to aim well clear of the Sun, unless the front of the
telescope is fitted with a professionally made solar filter and
the finder scope is covered with foil or some other completely
opaque material.
8. astrophotography
With an optional camera adapter, the SkyView Pro 150mm
EQ becomes a 1800mm f/12.0 telephoto lens for a single‑lens
reflex camera. For long‑distance terrestrial or astronomical
photography, you need only a T‑ring for your specific camera
model. The T‑ring attaches to your camera and threads onto
the eyepiece adapter (first remove the eyepiece and diago‑
nal), coupling the camera body to the telescope (Figure 15).
Use the camera's viewfinder to frame the picture. Use the
telescope's focuser to focus the image.
You may want to consider using a remote shutter release
instead of the shutter release on the camera. Touching the
14
Figure 14.
Starhopping is a good way to locate hard‑to‑find
objects. Refer to a star chart to map a route to the object that uses
bright stars as guideposts. Center the first star you've chosen
in the finder scope and telescope eyepiece (1). Now move the
scope carefully in the direction of the next bright star (2), until it
is centered. Repeat (3 and 4). The last hop (5) should place the
desired object in the eyepiece.
camera can vibrate the system and blur the resulting photo‑
graphic image.
9. care and Maintenance
storing
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a lifetime.
Store it in a clean, dry, dust‑free place, safe from rapid chang‑
es in temperature and humidity. Do not store the telescope
outdoors, although storage in a garage or shed is OK. Small
components like eyepieces, diagonals, and other accessories
can be kept in an optional eyepiece case. Keep the dust cover
on the front of the telescope and cap the rear opening of the
eyepiece adapter. Also keep the finder scope caps on if you
leave it attached to the optical tube.
T‑ring
Eyepiece
adapter
Figure 15.
35mm SLR camera
connects directly
to the eyepiece
adapter with only
the addition of a
T‑ring
for
your
camera model.
A
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