Solar Observing Hints; Observing Deep Sky Objects; Seeing Conditions; Transparency - SKY-WATCHER LightChariot 80AR-AZ Instruction Manual

Never project an image of the Sun through the telescope. Tremendous heat build-up may result inside
the optical tube. This can damage the telescope and/or any accessories attached to the telescope.
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For .safe .solar .viewing, .use .a .Sky-Watcher .USA .solar .filter .(see .Optional .Accessories .section .of .manual) .
that .reduces .the .intensity .of .the .Sun's .light, .making .it .safe .to .view. .With .a .filter .you .can .see .sunspots .as .
they .move .across .the .solar .disk .and .faculae, .which .are .bright .patches .seen .near .the .Sun's .edge. .
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Solar Observing Hints

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

Observing Deep Sky Objects

Deep .sky .objects .are .simply .those .objects .outside .the .boundaries .of .our .solar .system. .They .include .star .
clusters, .planetary .nebulae, .diffuse .nebulae, .double .stars .and .other .galaxies .outside .our .own .Milky .Way. .
Most .deep .sky .objects .have .a .large .angular .size. .Therefore, .low-to-moderate .power .is .all .you .need .to .see .
them. .Visually, .they .are .too .faint .to .reveal .any .of .the .color .seen .in .long .exposure .photographs. .Instead, .
they . appear . black . and . white. . And, . because . of . their . low . surface . brightness, . they . should . be . observed .
from .a .dark .sky .location. .Light .pollution .around .large .urban .areas .washes .out .most .nebulae .making .them .
difficult, .if .not .impossible, .to .observe. .Light .Pollution .Reduction .filters .help .reduce .the .background .sky .
brightness, .thus .increasing .contrast.

Seeing Conditions

Viewing . c onditions . a ffect . w hat . y ou . c an . s ee . t hrough . y our . t elescope . d uring . a n . o bserving . s ession. . C onditions .
include .transparency, .sky .illumination, .and .seeing. .Understanding .viewing .conditions .and .the .effect .they .
have .on .observing .will .help .you .get .the .most .out .of .your .telescope.

Transparency

Transparency .is .the .clarity .of .the .atmosphere .which .is .affected .by .clouds, .moisture, .and .other .airborne .
particles. .Thick .cumulus .clouds .are .completely .opaque .while .cirrus .can .be .thin, .allowing .the .light .from .
the .brightest .stars .through. .Hazy .skies .absorb .more .light .than .clear .skies .making .fainter .objects .harder .
to . see . and . reducing . contrast . on . brighter . objects. . Aerosols . ejected . into . the . upper . atmosphere . from .
volcanic .eruptions .also .affect .transparency. .Ideal .conditions .are .when .the .night .sky .is .inky .black.

Sky Illumination

General .sky .brightening .caused .by .the .Moon, .aurorae, .natural .airglow, .and .light .pollution .greatly .affect .
transparency. .While .not .a .problem .for .the .brighter .stars .and .planets, .bright .skies .reduce .the .contrast .
of . extended . nebulae . making . them . difficult, . if . not . impossible, . to . see. . To . maximize . your . observing, .
limit .deep .sky .viewing .to .moonless .nights .far .from .the .light .polluted .skies .found .around .major .urban .
areas. .LPR .filters .enhance .deep .sky .viewing .from .light .polluted .areas .by .blocking .unwanted .light .while .
transmitting .light .from .certain .deep .sky .objects. .You .can, .on .the .other .hand, .observe .planets .and .stars .
from .light .polluted .areas .or .when .the .Moon .is .out.