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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
ASSEMBLY ...................................................................................................................................6
Setting up the Tripod .................................................................................................................. 6
Moving the Telescope Manually ................................................................................................7
Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount...............................................................................7
Installing the Diagonal & Eyepieces ( refractor)........................................................................8
Installing the Eyepieces on the Newtonians ...............................................................................8
TELESCOPE BASICS ...................................................................................................................9
Image Orientation .....................................................................................................................10
Focusing....................................................................................................................................10
Aligning the Finderscope..........................................................................................................10
Calculating Magnification ........................................................................................................11
Determining Field of View.......................................................................................................12
General Observing Hints...........................................................................................................12
ASTRONOMY BASICS ..............................................................................................................13
The Celestial Coordinate System..............................................................................................13
Motion of the Stars....................................................................................................................14
CELESTIAL OBSERVING .........................................................................................................15
Observing the Moon ................................................................................................................. 15
Observing the Planets ............................................................................................................... 15
Observing the Sun.....................................................................................................................15
Observing Deep Sky Objects....................................................................................................16
Seeing Conditions.....................................................................................................................18
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY............................................................................................................19
Short Exposure Prime Focus Photography...............................................................................19
Piggyback Photography............................................................................................................19
Planetary & Lunar Photography with Special Imagers.............................................................19
CCD Imaging for Deep Sky Objects ........................................................................................19
Terrestrial Photography ............................................................................................................19
TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE..................................................................................................20
Care and Cleaning of the Optics...............................................................................................20
Collimation of a Newtonian......................................................................................................20
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES .....................................................................................................23
AstroMaster Specifications...........................................................................................................24
