FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
hardware resources - NexStar 11 GPS
These quick instructions for the Celestron NexStar 11 GPS telescope
were written by Blake Nancarrow and reviewed by Phil Chow. They are
to help you get up and running very quickly. It is assumed the N11
will be used in alt-az mode (as opposed to on a wedge). Please report
any errors or omissions. See the full manual, the Celestron Instruction
Manual, for detailed information.
Content taken from the November 8, 2015 paper edition.
setting up quickly
- open tripod
- fit leg-brace spreader under legs
- tighten leg-brace spreader
- level tripod
- open case
- put OTA / base atop tripod (heavy! may require more than one
human!)
- screw in 3 tripod bolts (hand tight)
- connect hand controller (in arm, not base)
- connect power cord, into the side of the base (not the "output")-not
the top
- attach mirror diagonal
- install an eyepiece
- attach finder scope
- remove objective cover
- connect to power source
- turn on telescope
- verify hand controller lights up
- re-tighten tripod spreader
- ensure the azimuth and altitude clutches are tightened
See the "Improving Go-To Performance" so to ensure the go-to slew
actions hit their targets.
aligning the finder scope
- release telescope clutches
- aim telescope at very distant object
- lock clutches
- with hand controller direction keys, centre object in eyepiece
of the telescope
- view target through finder scope
- adjust the 3 finder scope screws
- refine position so finder scope cross-hair covers target
aligning the telescope
- power off base, if nec.
- declutch altitude, turn OTA to face down, i.e. objective near
ground, tighten clutch
- turn on telescope
- check hand controller shows message "GPS Align"
- press ALIGN
- wait for telescope to finish moving
- review the date, time, time zone, and location data; change if
necessary
- turn mirror diagonal so eyepiece is facing up
- after telescope has moved to alignment star, use hand controller
direction keys and centre alignment star in finder scope; change
RATE if nec.
- press ENTER
- for precise alignment, with hand controller direction keys, place
star in lower-left of field (see below)
- carefully, with up and right keys only, place star in centre
of field
- press ALIGN
- repeat steps 9 thru 13 once more
- check hand controller shows message "Align Success"
realigning the telescope
Do this immediately after alignment if a go-to slew does not put
target in low power eyepiece. Continue to do this process a couple
of times through on evening so to improve alignment accuracy.
- in the telescope eyepiece, centre a bright (common) star in the
east
- press UNDO until at main screen
- press ALIGN
- select old star to replace & press ENTER
- centre new star in eyepiece
- press ALIGN
- check hand controller shows confirmation message
improving go-to performance
- set up tripod
- carefully level the tripod
- complete normal set-up
- run SAS, if available
- choose good alignment stars
- complete GPS align
- perform the compass calibration
- perform the altitude calibration
- do re-alignment with star in east
Note: SAS is Jean Piquette's Select Alignment Stars (old DOS) application.
going to an object
- insert a low-power eyepiece
- on the hand controller, press preferred button
- for a Messier object, press the M (1) button
- New General Catalog object, press the NGC (4) button
- Caldwell object, press the CALD (2) button
- planet, press the PLANET (5) button
- star (by SAO catalogue), press the STAR (7) button
- other objects such as double or variable stars, a star (by
common name), press the LIST (8) button
- specify additional details, as required
- press ENTER
- pan, if nec.
- increase power, if nec.
See Celestron Instruction Manual for more info.
panning / moving
- press RATE button
- enter a number from 1 to 9
- 1 = very slow
- 5 = medium
- 9 = very fast
- press a direction key
tips
As noted, in the ALIGNING TELESCOPE topic, for precise alignment,
it is recommended that one place star in lower-left of field and then
move up and to the right to centre it. This is strongly recommended
so to improve alignment accuracy. Carefully, with up and right keys
only, place star in centre of field. If one overshoots the star, simply
reposition it to the bottom-left and try again.
Review the NexStar Resource Site by Michael Swanson for additional
information, more tips and tricks, etc. Also review his book The
NexStar User's Guide.
See the full manual, the Celestron Instruction Manual (e.g. NexStar11GPS_11053.pdf),
for detailed information.
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