7
The CATALOG display for selecting a planet:
MERCURY
VENUS
MARS
JUPITER
SATURN
URANUS
NEPTUNE
PLUTO
FinD
The
FIND mode provides steering directions to a pre-selected object
in the catalog. Pick an object from any of the catalog databases, then
press MODE to return the mode selector, and press UP or DOWN
until
FIND is displayed, then press ENTER. FIND takes the last object
selected from the
CATALOG, compares the object’s published coor-
dinates with the current telescope position, and displays steering
directions. The unit of measure is degrees from the current position.
Suppose, for example, we selected
M27, but the telescope got
bumped a few degrees before we could see it. Use the
FIND mode
and move the telescope as indicated to make the displayed deviation
zero. The example below shows 2.3 degrees left and 1.5 degrees up.
Press ENTER to obtain a scrolling description.
Guide display arrows:
2.3
1.5
Description:
M027 MAG=8.0 SIZE=480
DUMBBELL NEBULA VULPECULA
PLANETARY NEBULA IRREGULAR
SA=08
As you move the telescope, the numbers will count down until the
object is re-centered and the distance displayed is 0.0 degrees. If the
distance back to the object is greater than 10 degrees in either direc-
tion, the steering will be in whole 1 degree increments. Once the
object is within 10 degrees of center the instrument will display finer
resolution steering directions of 0.1 degrees. The following sequence
of guiding displays shows how the guiding arrows and digits change
as the object is approached and then passed.
50
36
17
24
2.3
1.5
0•0 0•0
1.4
0.8
The guide mode displays guide directions based on the axes of
motion of the telescope mount. Thus an altazimuth mount will be
directed by the pointing arrows right, left, up, and down. Motion in one
axis will not cause the other deviation display to change.
Scrolling UP or DOWN while in
FIND mode will tell Sky Wizard to
move in the previously selected catalog database.
If your telescope has a German-type equatorial mount, Sky Wizard
allows for the two possible ways to point at an object. Sky Wizard will
display the path from the current position that involves the least turn-
ing. Should the observer want to “flop” the telescope 180°, Sky
Wizard will guide you to that position as well.
iDEntiFY
The
IDENTIFY mode provides another way to locate objects. Simply
point your telescope at any object and ask Sky Wizard to search its
database for an identity. This feature is particularly useful when
observing is restricted by cloud or sky conditions. The
IDENTIFY
mode also allows you to enter a selection criteria: first, you may tell
Sky Wizard to search either all of its catalogs, or to search by the
object type of your choice. Then, tell it what magnitude to search for
by scrolling to any magnitude between 1 and 17. If you choose
ANY
and Magnitude 17, it will search the entire database. This will proba-
bly include objects that are too faint to see with your telescope and
observing location. The display blinks every time it updates the
search, so if you are moving around in the sky while in the
IDENTIFY
mode, it will provide information on the current, or nearest, object that
the telescope is pointed at. To do this, press Mode and scroll to
IDENTIFY. Each search takes about 3 seconds.
IDENTIFY choices:
Identify any type of object
IDENT ANY MAG 10
Identify the star of Mag. 10
IDENT ST MAG 10
Globular cluster:
IDENT GC MAG 10
Open cluster:
DENT OC MAG 10
Galaxy:
IDENT GX MAG 10
Planetary nebula:
IDENT PN MAG 10
Nebula:
IDENT NB MAG 10
Double star:
IDENT 2* MAG 10
Red or colored star:
IDENT R* MAG 10
In this example, we are searching for a double star, magnitude 6:
Set criteria:
IDENT 2* MAG 10
Press ENTER to start search:
SEARCHING
FOUND ST062
Press ENTER for description:
ST062 MAG=5.8 SIZE=2.0
h162 PERSEUS TRIPLE STAR
CHALLENGE UA=061
When no object fits the search parameters, the first item in the cata-
log is displayed, (e.g.
FOUND NGC0001)
tiMEr
The Timer is a stopwatch function which measures elapsed time in
hours, minutes, and seconds. It is a real convenience to have an illumi-
nated stopwatch right on the telescope for observing the planets or
comets. Press the MODE button and select the T
IMER option using the
arrow buttons. Press ENTER to enter the
TIMER mode. Press the
ENTER button to start, stop, or reset the timer. Time is shown in hours,
minutes, seconds.
sYnc
This function is to be used only when objects are not centered in the
field of view. It allows any star or object in the database to be used for
alignment. For example, center the Messier object
M37 in the eye-
piece. Enter
CATALOG mode and select M37 in the M list, then press
MODE and scroll to
SYNC mode. Press the ENTER button to choose
this as a new alignment fix. This function is useful for obtaining a new
alignment fix during the middle of an observing session to correct
small coordinate errors that may accumulate due to slight misalign-
ments of the encoder installation. When you
SYNC, Sky Wizard will
display the object as a reminder. Example:
SYNC M037. If you SYNC
with the wrong subject, Sky Wizard may become disoriented and you
will need to run SETUP again to re-orient accurately to the sky.
3. sample observing
session
Power on & setup alignment
Let’s pretend we are observing through our telescope with an equatorial
mount, not perfectly polar aligned. We turn on the Sky Wizard. It will
briefly display the startup message
ORION SKY WIZARD V3.51 (3.51 is
the software version number - your unit may have a larger number). Then
it will display
DEC=0, this indicates that you need to point the telescope
