9
Operation
SELECTING AN
OBSERVATION LOCATION
The best way to observe celestial objects is
outdoors on a clear night, away from sources
of bright light. Select a location that is in an
open area with good overall visibility, without
too many trees or buildings nearby, and
away from metal and magnetic material.
Warning: Never look directly at the sun.
Tips for Better Stargazing
• Wait at least 5–10 minutes after you first
go outside to view celestial objects, to
give your eyes time to adjust to the
reduced light.
• If your location is extremely dark, you
might need a source of light to help you
operate the Star Navigator. Use a small
flashlight or penlight, with a red filter or a
piece of clear red plastic over the light
source. The red light helps preserve
your ability to see at night.
• You might not be able to see all the
objects shown on the star maps at your
location due to factors such as weather,
atmospheric conditions, and your prox-
imity to “light pollution” such as city
lights, automobile headlights, or even a
full moon.
• Planets are generally bright and do not
twinkle as much as stars, offering a
steadier light.
• The first few times you use your Star
Navigator, find the brightest stars and
most recognizable constellations first.
Then look for distinctive patterns. This
can help you locate some of the harder-
to-see constellations.
Operation
FINDING A
CONSTELLATION OR STAR
1. Repeatedly press
FIND
until
CONSTL
(to
search for a constellation) or
STARS
(to
search for a star) appears.
2. Refer to the tables on Pages 7 and 8 to
find the abbreviation for the constellation
or star you want to find.
3. Repeatedly press
STEP
or
IDENTIFY
until the desired abbreviation ap-
pears.
appears if the constellation or
star is currently visible or will be visible
later that night.
does not appear if the
constellation or star is not currently visi-
ble and will not be visible later that night.
For example, to find the Big Dipper con-
stellation, repeatedly press
FIND
until
CONSTL
appears, then repeatedly
press
STEP
or
IDENTIFY
until
BIGDIP
appears.
4. If
appears, press
SELECT
. If the con-
stellation or star is visible, a rotational
indicator on the front of the Star Naviga-
tor flashes, one of the star map indica-
tors on the back of the Star Navigator
flashes, and
MAP
and a map number
appear. Otherwise, the time or date
Summer
Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Lyra,
Cygnus, Big Dipper
Autumn
Cygnus, Pegasus, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Big Dipper, Lyra
Winter
Pegasus, Auriga, Taurus,
Canus Minor, Orion
Season
Visible Constellations
