Celestron ASTROMASTER EQ, Instruction Manual, Page: 3 / 140

ENGLISH I 3
CONTENTS
SOLAR WARNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
WHAT’S IN THE BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ASSEMBLING YOUR TELESCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Tripod and Equatorial Mount 7
Counterweight Bar and Counterweights 8
Slow Motion Controls 8
The Telescope Tube 9
The Erect Image Diagonal (Refracting Telescopes Only) 9
The Eyepiece 10
The StarPointer Finderscope 10
Changing the Finderscope Battery 11
Moving the Telescope 11
Aligning the Finderscope 12
Balancing the Telescope 12
POLAR ALIGNMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
YOUR FIRST ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVING SESSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Moon 16
CELESTIAL OBSERVING TIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Magnification 16
Field of View 16
The Planets 17
Deep-Sky Objects 17
Sky Conditions 18
Selecting an Observing Site 18
Choosing the Best Time to Observe 18
Cooling the Telescope 19
Adapting Your Eyes 19
Astroimaging 19
Deep-Sky Observing Equipment 20
Star Hopping 20
CARE AND CLEANING OF THE TELESCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
COLLIMATION OF A NEWTONIAN TELESCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Aligning the Secondary Mirror 23
Aligning the Primary Mirror 23
A Word on Setting Circles 24
NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
CELESTRON TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28