8
10. Scroll Keys: Used to scroll up and down within any of the
menu lists. A double arrow symbol on the right side of
the LCD indicates that the scroll keys can be used to view
additional information.
11. Rate: Instantly changes the rate of speed of the motors
when the direction buttons are pressed.
12. RS-232 Jack: Allows use with a computer and software
programs for point and click slewing capability.
hand ConTroL operaTion
This section describes the basic hand control procedures
needed to operate the LCM. These procedures are grouped
into three categories: Alignment, Setup and Utilities. The
alignment section deals with the initial telescope alignment as
wellasndingobjectsinthesky;thesetupsectiondiscusses
changingparameterssuchastrackingmodeandtrackingrate;
finally, the last section reviews all of the utility functions such as
adjusting the telescopes slew limits and
backlash compensation.
Alignment Procedure
In order for the LCM to accurately point to objects in the sky,
itmustrstbealignedtoknownpositions(stars)inthesky.
With this information, the telescope can create a model of the
sky, which it uses to locate any object with known coordinates.
There are many ways to align the LCM with the sky depending
on what information the user is able to provide: SkyAlign
uses your current date, time and city to create an accurate
model of the sky. Then the user can simply point the telescope
to any three bright celestial objects to accurately align the
telescope with the sky. Auto Two-Star Align will ask the user
to choose and center the first alignment star, then the LCM will
automatically select and slew to a second star for alignment.
Two-Star Alignment requires the user to identify and manually
slew the telescope to the two alignment stars. One-Star Align
is the same as Two-Star Align however only requires you to
align to one known star. Although not as accurate as the other
alignment methods, One-Star Align is the quickest way to
find and track bright planets and objects in Altazimuth mode.
Finally, Solar System Align will display a list of visible daytime
objects(planetsandthemoon)availabletoalignthetelescope.
Each alignment method is discussed in detail below.
“Altazimuth” or “Alt-Az” refers to a type of mounting
that allows a telescope to move in both altitude (up and
down) and azimuth (left and right) with respect to the
ground. This is the simplest form of mounting in which the
telescope is attached directly to a tripod.
Sky Align
Sky Align is the easiest way to get your telescope aligned and
ready to observe. Even if you do not know a single star in the
sky, the LCM will have you aligned in minutes by asking for
basic information like the date, time and location. Then you
simply need to aim the telescope to any three bright celestial
objects in the sky. Since Sky Align requires no knowledge of
the night sky, it is not necessary to know the name of the stars
at which you are aiming. You may even select a planet or the
Moon. The LCM is then ready to start finding and tracking
any of the objects in its 4,000+ object database. Before the
telescope is ready to be aligned, it should be set up in an
outsidelocationwithallaccessories(eyepiece,diagonaland
nderscope)attachedandlenscoverremovedasdescribedin
the Assembly section of the manual. To begin Sky Align:
1. Power on the LCM by flipping the switch located on the
side of the base, to the “on” position. Once turned on the
hand control display will say LCM Ready. Press ENTER
to choose Sky Align. Pressing the ALIGN key will bypass
the other alignment options and the scrolling text and
automatically begins Sky Align.
2. Once Sky Align has been selected, the hand control will
display “Enter if OK”, “Undo to edit” and “Saved Site.” The
bottom line of the LCD will display either the current time or
the time when you last used the telescope. Since this is your
first time using the LCM, press UNDO to enter current time/
site information.
The hand control display will then ask for the
following information:
Location — The hand control will display a list of cities to
choose from. Choose the city from the database that is closest
to your current observing site. The city you choose will be
remembered in the hand controls memory so that it will be
automatically displayed the next time an alignment is done.
Alternatively, if you know the exact longitude and latitude of
your observing site, it can be entered directly into the hand
control and remembered for future use as well. To choose a
location city:
• UsetheUpandDownscrollkeystochoosebetweenCity
Database and Custom Site. City Database will allow you to
select the closest city to your observing site from a list of
either international or U.S. location. Custom Site allows you
to enter the exact longitude and latitude of your observing
site. Select City Database and press ENTER.
• ThehandcontrolwillallowyoutochoosefromeitherU.S.or
international locations. For a listing of U.S. locations by state
and then by city, press ENTER while United States is
displayed. For international locations, use the Up or Down
scroll key to select International and press ENTER.
• UsetheUpandDownScrollbuttonstochooseyourcurrent
state(orcountryifInternationallocationswasselected)from
the alphabetical listing and press ENTER.
• UsetheUpandDownScrollbuttonstochoosetheclosest
city to your location from the displayed list and press ENTER.
Time — Enter the current time for your area. You can enter
eitherthelocaltime(i.e.8:00),oryoucanentermilitarytime
(i.e.20:00).
• SelectPMorAM.Ifmilitarytimewasentered,thehand
control will bypass this step.
• ChoosebetweenStandardtimeorDaylightSavingstime.
UsetheUpandDownscrollbuttons(10)totoggle
between options.
• Selectthetimezonethatyouareobservingfrom.Again,use
theUpandDownbuttons(10)toscrollthroughthechoices.
For time zone information, refer to the Time Zone map in the
appendix of this manual.
Date — Enter the month, day and year of your observing
session. The display will read: mm/dd/yy.
• If the wrong information has been input into the hand
control, the UNDO button will act as a backspace allowing
the user to re-enter information.
• The next time that your telescope is aligned, the hand
control will automatically display the last location (either a
city or longitude/latitude) that was entered. Press ENTER
to accept these parameters if they still apply. Pressing the
UNDO button will allow you to go back and select a new
city location or longitude/latitude.
