Celestron C4.5 - Nighttime Observing

NOTE:
Nighttime Observing
Looking at objects in the sky is quite different than looking at objects on
Earth. For one, many objects seen in the daytime are easy to see with the
naked eye and can be located by using landmarks. In the night sky many
objects you observe are not visible to the naked eye. Finding these objects is
discussed later in the section on “Visual Observing.” For your first look,
choose something bright like the Moon or one of the naked-eye planets.
1. Orient the telescope so that the polar axis is pointing as close to true
north as possible. You can use a landmark that you know faces north to
get you in the general direction.
2. Make sure the mount is level.
3. Adjust the mount until the latitude indicator points to the latitude from
which you are observing.
4. Insert an eyepiece into the telescope. It should be a low power eyepiece
(i.e., one with a large number on the side) to give you the widest field
possible.
5. Turn the clock drive on (if using the optional motor drive).
6. Release the right ascension and declination clamps and point the tele-
scope at the desired target. The Moon or one of the brighter planets is an
ideal first target.
7. Locate the object in the finder and center it.
8. Look through the telescope.
9. Turn the focus knob until the image is sharp.
10. Take your time and study your subject. If looking at the Moon, look for
small detail in the craters.
That's all there is to using your Celestron C4.5. However, don’t limit your
view of an object to a single eyepiece. After observing an object for a few
minutes, try using a different eyepiece, perhaps a more powerful one. This
gives you an idea of how the field of view changes. Center your target and
focus. Once again, if looking at the Moon you will be looking at a few craters
at one time. Use the slow motion knobs to scan the lunar surface.
If not using the clock drive, the stars will appear to drift out of the field of
view. This is due to the Earth’s rotation. In fact, anything in the sky, day or
night, will drift out of the field unless the telescope has been polar aligned
and the clock drive is running. More on this in the section on “Polar Align-
ment.”
Getting Started © 23