Chapter
2.2.1 Right ascension and declination
2.2.2 Declination and latitude
2.2.4 Other coordinate systems
2.2.5 Degrees, minutes, and seconds
2.2.6 Distance between points in the sky
2.3.1 Why time of year matters
2.4.1 Solar time and time zones
2.4.3 UTC, ET, and other subtleties
2.5 Slow changes in R.A. and declination
2.5.1 Precession and epochs
2.5.2 How precession works
Chapter 3 How telescopes track the stars
3.1 What's inside a computerized telescope
3.1.4 Digital setting circles (DSC)
3.2 Altazimuth and equatorial mounts
3.3.2 Obtaining site data
3.4 Why compasses don't point north
3.5 Setting up the telescope
3.6 Choosing alignment stars
3.7 Automatic setup with GPS
3.8.2 Other tripod and wedge hints
3.8.3 Observatories and permanent piers
3.9.2 Factors that affect pointing accuracy
3.9.3 Aligning the telescope tube in the mount
3.9.4 The double-GO TO trick
3.9.5 Meade high-precision mode
3.9.7 What the telescope is calculating
3.11 Electricity for telescopes
Chapter 4 Using equatorial mounts and wedges
4.2 Must field rotation be eliminated?
4.3 Using an equatorial mount
4.3.1 Setting up the mount
4.3.2 Rough polar-axis alignment without sighting stars
4.3.4 Rough polar-axis alignment on Polaris
4.3.5 Initializing the computer
4.4 Refining the polar alignment
4.4.1 Iterating on Polaris and one other star
4.4.2 Fine alignment – the drift method
4.6 Tracking in equatorial mode
4.6.2 Periodic-error correction (PEC)
4.8 Southern declination limits
4.9 German equatorial mounts
Chapter 5 Telescope optics
5.1 How a telescope works
5.2 Upside down and backward images
5.3 Light grasp and image brightness
5.5.1 Refractors, reflectors, and catadioptrics
5.5.2 Catadioptric quirks
5.5.3 “Fast” and “slow” f -ratios
5.5.4 Does the central obstruction ruin the image?
5.5.5 Which design is best?
5.6.1 Collimating a Schmidt–Cassegrain
5.6.2 Collimating a Newtonian
5.8 Buying a telescope secondhand
Chapter 6 Eyepieces and optical accessories
6.1 What eyepieces do you need?
6.6 New-generation eyepieces
6.7 Anti-reflection coatings
6.8 Choosing eyepieces wisely
6.9 Eyepiece calculations and technical details
6.9.2 Limits on low power
6.9.3 Limits on high power
6.9.4 Field stop and tube size
6.10 Eyepiece accessories
6.10.3 Focal reducers (compressors)
Light-pollution (nebula) filters
Chapter 7 Astrophotography
7.2 Attaching cameras to telescopes
7.2.1 Optical configurations
7.2.2 Brackets and adapters
7.3 Two simple projects to get you started
7.3.1 Project #1: the Moon, afocal method
7.3.2 Project #2: the stars, piggybacking
7.4 Equipment for astrophotography
7.4.1 Telescope requirements
7.4.4 Digital and video cameras
7.4.5 Astronomical CCD cameras
7.5 Focal length, image size, and f -ratio
7.5.1 Finding the effective focal length
7.5.2 Image size and field of view
7.5.3 Finding the f -ratio
7.5.4 Exposure, film, and development
7.6 Focusing and sharpness
7.8 Digital image processing
Chapter 8 Troubleshooting
8.1 Electrical and computer problems
Telescope is electrically dead
Computer hangs or resets at random moments
LX200 fails to retain site data and other settings
LX200 fails to retain date and time
NexStar fails to retain site data
Keypad display is blank (no light)
Keypad display is very dim
LX200 keypad display is blank but illuminated
ENTER key is not recognized
Autostar does not recognize keystrokes
NexStar does not recognize keystrokes
Menu selections do not seem to work
Incorrect information on keypad display
Text scrolls horizontally too fast to read
Scrolling down through a long menu is tiresome – there has to be a better way!
8.3 Motor and slewing problems
Motors whir but telescope does not move
Starting the alignment process, telescope points far away from intended star
Telescope goes to wrong object
Telescope does not move when tracking sky objects
Telescope refuses to slew to certain parts of the sky
Telescope goes “the long way round,” rotating nearly 360
to make a short movement
After finding the object, telescope moves off it
Incorrect motion when you press an arrow button
Slewing arrow buttons have no effect after connecting autoguider
“Runaway” (motion that does not stop)
Unduly difficult polar alignment
No image in eyepiece (whole field is dark)
Dark spot in middle of image
Image shifts sideways while focusing
Image will not hold focus
Diagonal prism is off center
Complete inability to focus with camera adapter; light, but no image
Focusing with camera adapter is difficult
Part II Three classic telescopes
Chapter 9 Three that led the revolution
10.1.1 Evaluation of the LX200
10.2 Electrical requirements
10.3.1 Direction of movement
10.3.2 How to enter negative numbers
10.4 Operation without electricity
10.5 Motorized operation without alignment
10.6 Controlling the slewing speed
10.7 Entering date, time, and site information
10.7.3 Entering site latitude and longitude
10.8 Aligning the telescope on the sky
10.9 Finding objects by coordinates
10.9.1 Slewing to a given R.A. and declination
10.9.2 Slewing to a given altitude and azimuth
10.9.3 Dealing with decimal minutes
10.10 How to interrupt a slewing movement
10.11 Finding deep-sky objects using the built-in catalogues
10.11.1 M (Messier) Catalogue
10.12 Finding stars using the built-in catalogues
10.12.2 STAR, SAO, and GCVS numbers
10.13 Finding the Moon and planets
10.14 More precise pointing
10.14.1 How to sync on an object
10.14.2 High-precision mode
10.15 Training the Smart Drive (PEC)
10.16 Cables, connections, and ports
10.16.1 Keypad and declination cables
10.16.6 The floating ground
10.17 Known firmware bugs
10.18 Mechanical and electrical improvements
Chapter 11 Celestron NexStar 5 and 8
11.1.2 Evaluation of the NexStar 5
11.2 Important precautions
11.3 Electrical requirements
11.4.1 Direction of movement
11.4.2 How to enter declinations and latitudes
11.5 Basic operation without alignment
11.5.1 Operation without electricity
11.5.2 Motorized operation without alignment
11.5.3 Controlling the slewing speed
11.6 Entering date, time, and site information
11.6.1 Setting the date and time
11.6.2 Entering site latitude and longitude
11.6.3 Storing an observing site
11.7 Aligning the telescope on the sky
Manual selection of two stars
Rough alignment without sighting stars
Polar-aligning the NexStar
Improvised equatorial mode on NexStar 4
11.8 How to interrupt a slewing movement
11.9 Finding objects with the built-in catalogues
11.9.1 Messier, Caldwell, and NGC objects
11.10 Finding objects by coordinates
11.10.1 Slewing to a given R.A. and declination
11.10.2 Slewing to a given altitude and azimuth
11.10.3 The “User Object” catalogue
11.11 More precise pointing
11.11.1 Approaching with…
11.11.2 Backlash adjustment
11.11.3 How to sync on an object
11.11.4 The controversy over tripod leveling
11.12 Cables, connections, and ports
11.12.2 Serial (RS-232) port
11.13 Known firmware bugs
Chapter 12 Meade Autostar (ETX and LX90)
12.1.2 Evaluation of the Autostar (ETX-90 and LX90)
12.2 Electrical requirements
12.3.1 Is the computer included?
12.3.2 Please type slowly!
12.3.3 Howto enter information
12.3.4 Display adjustments
12.3.5 Direction of movement
12.4 Power-on sequence, date, and time
12.5 Entering site information
12.5.1 Choosing your location from a menu
12.5.2 Entering latitude, longitude, and time zone directly
12.6 Basic operation without alignment
12.6.1 Operation without electricity
12.6.3 Controlling the slewing speed
12.7 Aligning the telescope on the sky
12.7.1 Checking the finder
12.8 Howto interrupt a slewing movement
12.9 Finding objects with the built-in catalogues
12.10 Finding objects by coordinates
12.11 More precise pointing
12.11.1 Howto sync on an object
12.11.2 High-precision mode
12.11.3 Square spiral search (“box scan”)
12.11.4 Drive training and backlash adjustment
12.12 Cables, connections, and ports
12.12.1 The connector panel
12.13 Upgrading the firmware and downloading data
12.14 Other advanced features
12.14.1 Satellite tracking
EXAMPLE OF FINDING A MESSIER OBJECT
SELECT ITEM AND OBJECT MENU MAPS
How to Use a Computerized Telescope: Volume 1
：Practical Amateur Astronomy Volume 1
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