Celestron C10-NGT, Instruction Manual

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TELESCOPE BASICS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Image Orientation ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Focusing.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30
Aligning the Finderscope .................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Calculating Magnification................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Determining Field of View ................................................................................................................................................................................. 31
General Observing Hints..................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
ASTRONOMY BASICS........................................................................................................................................................................................ 32
The Celestial Coordinate System ........................................................................................................................................................................ 32
Motion of the Stars.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 33
Finding the North Celestial Pole ......................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Declination Drift Method of Polar Alignment..................................................................................................................................................... 36
CELESTIAL OBSERVING.................................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Observing the Moon............................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
Lunar Observing Hints........................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
Observing the Planets.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Observing the Sun............................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Solar Observing Hints......................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Observing Deep Sky Objects .............................................................................................................................................................................. 38
Seeing Conditions ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Transparency....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Sky Illumination.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 38
Seeing ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 38
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Piggyback ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Short Exposure Prime Focus Photography.......................................................................................................................................................... 41
Terrestrial Photography....................................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Metering.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
Reducing Vibration............................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
Auto Guiding ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Care and Cleaning of the Optics.......................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Collimation ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
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APPENDIX A – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1
APPENDIX B – GLOSSARY OF TERMS
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APPENDIX C – LONGITUDES AND LATITUDES.......................................................................................................................................... 55
APPENDIX D – RS-232 CONNECTION............................................................................................................................................................. 60
APPENDIX E – TIME ZONE MAP..................................................................................................................................................................... 62
SKY MAPS............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 64