Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Telescope AstroMaster Manual (70EQ, 76EQ, 114EQ) - Page 2

Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ...3 ASSEMBLY ...6 Setting up the Tripod ...6 Attaching the Equatorial Mount 7 Installing the Counterweight Bar & Counterweights 7 Attaching the Slow Motion Cables 8 Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount 8 Installing the Diagonal & Eyepiece (refractor 9 Installing the Eyepiece on the Newtonians 9 Moving the Telescope Manually 10 Balancing the Mount in R.A...10 Balancing the Mount in Dec...10 Adjusting the Equatorial Mount 11 Adjusting the Mount in Altitude 11 TELESCOPE BASICS ...12 Image Orientation ...13 Focusing...13 Aligning the Finderscope...13 Calculating Magnification ...14 Determining Field of View ...15 General Observing Hints...15 ASTRONOMY BASICS ...16 The Celestial Coordinate System 16 Motion of the Stars...16 Polar Alignment with Latitude Scale 17 Pointing at Polaris ...18 Finding the North Celestial Pole 18 Polar Alignment in the Southern Hemisphere 19 Aligning the Setting Circles...21 Motor Drive ...22 CELESTIAL OBSERVING ...23 Observing the Moon ...23 Observing the Planets ...23 Observing the Sun...23 Observing Deep-Sky Objects...24 Seeing Conditions ...24 ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY...25 Short Exposure Prime Focus Photography 25 Piggyback Photography ...25 Planetary & Lunar Photography with Special Imagers 25 CCD Imaging for Deep Sky Objects 25 Terrestrial Photography ...25 TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE 26 Care and Cleaning of the Optics 26 Collimation of a Newtonian...26 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES ...29 AstroMaster Specifications...30 2