Celestron NexStar 8i - Manual (Page 3)

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ASTRONOMY BASICS................................................................................................................... 28
The Celestial Coordinate System........................................................................................................... 28
Motion of the Stars................................................................................................................................. 29
Polar Alignment (with optional Wedge) ................................................................................................ 30
Finding the North Celestial Pole ........................................................................................................... 31
CELESTIAL OBSERVING .............................................................................................................. 32
Observing the Moon .............................................................................................................................. 32
Observing the Planets............................................................................................................................ 32
Observing the Sun.................................................................................................................................. 32
Observing Deep Sky Objects.................................................................................................................. 33
Seeing Conditions .................................................................................................................................. 33
Transparency ......................................................................................................................................... 33
Sky Illumination..................................................................................................................................... 33
Seeing .................................................................................................................................................... 33
CELESTIAL PHOTOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 35
Short Exposure Prime Focus Photography ........................................................................................... 35
Eyepiece Projection ............................................................................................................................... 36
Long Exposure Prime Focus Photography............................................................................................ 37
Terrestrial Photography ........................................................................................................................ 39
CCD Imaging......................................................................................................................................... 39
TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE ....................................................................................................... 40
Care and Cleaning of the Optics ........................................................................................................... 40
Collimation ............................................................................................................................................ 40
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES...........................................................................................................43
APPENDIX A – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................... 46
APPENDIX B – GLOSSARY OF TERMS....................................................................................... 48
APPENDIX C –LONGITUDES AND LATITUDES.......................................................................... 51
APPENDIX D – RS-232 CONNECTION ......................................................................................... 56
APPENDIX E – TIME ZONE MAPS................................................................................................ 57
SKY MAPS ...................................................................................................................................... 59