Table of Contents • iii
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INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1
How to Use this Manual ..................................................................................................................... 2
A Word of Caution ............................................................................................................................. 2
The Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical System .......................................................................................... 3
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ASSEMBLING YOUR CELESTRON CM-1100 ...................................................................................... 4
Unpacking Your Celestron CM-1100 .................................................................................................. 4
Setting Up the Tripod ......................................................................................................................... 6
Attaching the Center Leg Brace ........................................................................................................ 7
Attaching the Central Column ............................................................................................................ 7
Attaching the Equatorial Mount .......................................................................................................... 8
Installing the Counterweight Bar ........................................................................................................ 9
Installing the Counterweight ............................................................................................................... 9
Attaching the Celestron CM-1100 to the Mount ................................................................................ 10
Attaching the Visual Back ................................................................................................................ 11
Installing the Star Diagonal ............................................................................................................... 11
Installing the Eyepiece ..................................................................................................................... 12
Installing the Finder .......................................................................................................................... 13
Installing the Polar Axis Finder ......................................................................................................... 14
Moving the Telescope in R.A. and DEC ............................................................................................ 15
Using the Slow Motion Controls ........................................................................................................ 15
Adjusting the Mount ......................................................................................................................... 16
Balancing the Mount in R.A. ............................................................................................................. 17
Balancing the Mount in DEC ............................................................................................................. 18
Transporting Your Celestron CM-1100 .............................................................................................. 19
Storing Your Celestron CM-1100 ...................................................................................................... 19
Technical Specifications ................................................................................................................... 20
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TELESCOPE BASICS ......................................................................................................................... 22
Image Orientation ............................................................................................................................. 22
Focusing .......................................................................................................................................... 23
General Photography Hints ............................................................................................................... 24
Aligning the Finder ............................................................................................................................ 24
Your First Look ................................................................................................................................. 25
Daytime Observing ..................................................................................................................... 25
Nighttime Observing ................................................................................................................... 26
Calculating Magnification .................................................................................................................. 27
Determining Field of View ................................................................................................................. 27
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ASTRONOMY BASICS ....................................................................................................................... 28
The Celestial Coordinate System ...................................................................................................... 28
Motion of the Stars ........................................................................................................................... 29
Polar Alignment ................................................................................................................................ 30
Finding the Pole ............................................................................................................................... 31
Latitude Scales .......................................................................................................................... 32
Pointing at Polaris ...................................................................................................................... 33
The Polar Axis Finder ................................................................................................................. 34
Declination Drift .......................................................................................................................... 35
Aligning the Setting Circles ............................................................................................................. 36
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S