iOptron SmartStar Cube E Series User manual

1
SmartStar® CubeTM-E Series
Mount and Telescopes
(For 8500, 8502, 8503 and 8504)
Instruction Manual
®

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Table of Content
Table of Content .............................................................................................................. 2
1. SmarStar® CubeTM-E Series Overview ........................................................................ 4
1.1. SmartStar® CubeTM-E Series Features ................................................................ 4
1.2. Package Contents ................................................................................................ 5
1.3. Assembly Terms ................................................................................................... 6
1.4. GoToNova® 8405 Hand Controller ........................................................................ 7
1.4.1. Key Description .............................................................................................. 7
1.4.2. The LCD Screen ............................................................................................ 7
1.4.3. Check the Battery ........................................................................................... 9
2. Get Started ................................................................................................................ 10
2.1. Setup SmartStar® Cube Mount ........................................................................... 10
2.2. Get Familiar with Telescope ............................................................................... 14
2.2.1. Assemble the Telescope .............................................................................. 14
2.2.2. Use the telescope ........................................................................................ 16
2.3. Move the telescope ............................................................................................. 17
2.4. Initial Star Alignment ........................................................................................... 17
2.5. Go to the Moon and Other Stars ......................................................................... 17
2.6. Turn Off the Mount .............................................................................................. 18
3. Complete Functions of GoToNova® Hand Controller ................................................ 19
3.1. Slew to an Object ................................................................................................ 19
3.1.1. Planets, Sun, Moon ...................................................................................... 19
3.1.2. Deep Sky Objects ........................................................................................ 19
3.1.3. Comets ......................................................................................................... 19
3.1.4. Asteroids ...................................................................................................... 19
3.1.5. Stars ............................................................................................................. 19
3.1.6. User RA&DEC JD2000 Objects ................................................................... 19
3.1.7. Enter Position ............................................................................................... 20
3.1.8. Watch List .................................................................................................... 20
3.1.9. Watch List Auto ............................................................................................ 20
3.2. Land Objects....................................................................................................... 20
3.3. Sync to Target .................................................................................................... 21
3.4. Set Up Controller ................................................................................................ 21
3.4.1. Set Up Time and Site ................................................................................... 21
3.4.2. Set Display Info ............................................................................................ 21
3.4.3. Set Key Beep ............................................................................................... 21
3.4.4. Set Azi Work Mode ...................................................................................... 22
3.4.5. Reset All ....................................................................................................... 22
3.5. Align .................................................................................................................... 22
3.5.1. Solarsys Align .............................................................................................. 22
3.5.2. One Star Align .............................................................................................. 22
3.5.3. Two Star Alignment ...................................................................................... 22
3.6. Modify Star Catalog ............................................................................................ 23
3.6.1. User RA&DEC JD2000 ................................................................................ 23
3.6.2. Comets ......................................................................................................... 24
3.6.3. Asteroids ...................................................................................................... 25

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3.7. Watch List ........................................................................................................... 26
3.8. Set Telescope Coord. ......................................................................................... 26
3.9. Park Scope ......................................................................................................... 26
4. Maintenance and Servicing ....................................................................................... 27
4.1. Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 27
4.2. Storage and Transport ........................................................................................ 27
4.3. Troubleshooting .................................................................................................. 27
4.4. iOptron Customer Service .................................................................................. 29
4.5. Product End of Life Disposal Instructions ........................................................... 29
4.6. Battery Replacement and Disposal Instructions ................................................. 29
Appendix A. Technical Specifications............................................................................ 30
Appendix B. GoToNova® 8405 HC MENU STRUCTURE ............................................. 31
Appendix C. GoToNova® Star List................................................................................ 33
IOPTRON ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY .............................................................. 46
WARNING!
NEVER USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN!
Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye.
Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

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1. SmarStar® CubeTM-E Series Overview
1.1. SmartStar® CubeTM-E Series Features
Alt-Azimuth Mount – The Cube™
Our proprietary Grab 'N Go Alt-Azimuth Mount, a.k.a. The Cube, rated 4-star by Sky
and Telescope Magazine is one of the most functional and flexible unit on the market. Both axis
motors are built into a small single unit which is universally compatible with all telescopes using
a Vixen-type dovetail connection. The Go2Nova® hand controller on each Cube mount is easy
to use with menus for planets, stars, nebulas, and constellations. And at only 12 lbs. you can
take it anywhere and get accurate tracking! It also has a large LCD screen with more lines of
content compared with the competition (so you don’t have to keep scrolling to read the screen).
The controller is designed so you can easily set up your telescope and select where you want to
go. The revolutionary GOTONOVA® computerized control system is one of the most
technologically advanced automated tracking system available on the market today. There are
no "dead spots" -- so you can point your telescope to anywhere above the horizon, whereas,
other mounts block the telescope tube at certain points of rotation. This mount can be operated
by 8 AA batteriew or a external AC/DC power adapter, makes it an idea travel mount.
Compatible with most tubes on the market
Telescopes and cameras with Vixen-type dovetail connection and a weight up to 7 lbs.
(including accessories) are compatible with the CubeTM GOTO Altazimuth Mount. (If you do not
have a dovetail connection -- attach your OTA using mounting rings and dovetail available at
your local telescope store or the OTA manufacturer). Contact iOptron for expert advice on
compatibility issues.
GOTONOVA®computerized control system
The revolutionary GOTONOVA® computerized control system is by far the most
technologically advanced automated goto and tracking system available on the market today.
With its large celestial object database, including all of the well-known galaxies, nebulae, star
clusters-- not to mention the planets, sun and moon-- you’ll be able to enjoy star gazing with the
simple push of a button. Both axis motors are built into a small single unit with optical encoders
that provide accurate GOTO and tracking. The control system also allows you to slew the
telescope at different drive speeds, keeping the object within the telescope's viewfinder for as
long as you wish.
The most easy to understand controller on the market
The GoToNova® hand controller is much easier to use than other similar products. The
hand controller is more intuitive with menu categories better organized. It also has a larger LCD
screen with more lines of content compared with the competition. Using the easy-to-use hand
controller and its large LCD screen, you can easily set up your telescope and select where you
want to go.
Simply a better tripod
Made of 1.25-inch heavy-duty stainless steel, the Cube tripod is sturdy yet light weight,
and gives the user unparalleled stability during operation. Solid construction joints keep your
mount locked securely.

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“ This seems like such a good idea, we wonder why someone didn’t think of it sooner. The
iOptron Cube is a standalone alt-azimuth mount that will add Go To pointing and sidereal
tracking to just about any small telescope with a Vixen-style dovetail connector.” Contributing
Editor Gary Seronik of “Sky and Telescope”
1.2. Package Contents1
1X SmartStar® CubeTM-E mount (Models 8500, 8502, 8503 and 8504)
1X GoToNova 8405 hand controller
1X Controller vable
1X Tripod
1X AC adapter with cord
For Model 8502 (SmartStar®Cube-E R80)
1X 80mm refractor telescope
2X Eyepieces (10mm & 25mm)
1X Barlow lens
1X 45º erect diagonal
For Model 8503 (SmartStar®Cube-E N114)
1X 114mm Newtonian reflector telescope
1X Eyepieces (9mm & 25mm)
1X Red dot finderscope
For Model 8504 (SmartStar®Cube-E MC90)
1X 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain reflector telescope
2X Eyepieces (9mm & 25mm)
1X Red dot finderscope
1X 45º diagonal
1 The color and contents may vary from batch to batch without notice.

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1.3. Assembly Terms
Figure 1. Cube Mount and Telescope Assembly Terms
1. Telescope Tube
2. Dovetail lock screw
3. Hand controller
4. Altitude lock
5. Mount
6. Azimuth lock screw
7. Tripod
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

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1.4. GoToNova®8405 Hand Controller
Figure 2. GoToNova® 8405 Hand Controller
GoToNova® 8405 hand controller (HC) is the standard controller for a SmartStar®
CubeTM-E GOTO telescope, as shown in Figure 2.
Key Description
 MENU: Press “MENU” to enter the Main Menu.
 BACK: Move back to the previous screen, or end/cancel current operation, such as
slewing.
 ENTER: Confirm an input, go to the next menu, select a choice, slew the telescope to a
selected object, or stop/start tracking.
 Arrow (▲▼►◄): Press ▲▼ buttons to move a telescope along the altitude direction,
►◄ to move a telescope along the azimuth direction. Brows the menu or move the
cursor in operating menu.
 SPEED Key: To select a manual slew speed (2X, 8X, 64X, 256X, and MAX)
 Light Key (☼): Turns on/off the red LED reading light on the back of the controller.
 HELP Key: For help and display more information on an object.
 HBX (handbox) port: connect the HC to SmartStar mount using a 6P4C RJ11 cable.
1.4.1. The LCD Screen
The 8405 HC consists of a large 4-line LCD screen, which displays all the information as
shown in Figure 3. The user interface is simple and easy to read.

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Figure 3. 8405 Hand Controller LCD Information Screen
1. Target Name: displays the name of the target that telescope is currently pointed to.
 Park Position: A default position when the mount is turned on, i.e., the telescope is
pointed to zenith (altitude reading is 90º) and the mount is facing south (azimuth reading
is 180º);
 An object name, such as “Mercury” or “Andromeda Galaxy”: Name of the Star or
celestial object currently that is currently slewing, gotoing or tracking;
 LandMark #: The telescope is working in Land mode and is pointing to a land mark #
(note: telescope does not track in land mode)
 User Position: The mount has been manually slewed to an object; or an R.A and DEC
value of an object was manually entered; or a goto or tracking process has been
interrupted.
2. Mount/GPS Status: display current status of the mount. If the mount equipped with a GPS
(integrated GPS receiver or external GPS module), it also indicates GPS status, when the
mount is turned on.
 Stop (Mount Status): the telescope is in a standby position;
 Slew (Mount Status): the telescope is manually slewing to the target;
 Goto (Mount Status): the telescope is going to the target;
 Track (Mount Status): the telescope is tracking a target;
 Align (Mount Status): the telescope is in align mode;
 G-ON (GPS Status): GPS is on and trying to lock on to a satellite (for mount with GPS
receiver);
 G-OK (GPS Status): The connection between GPS receiver and satellites has been
established (This status will be replaced by Mount Status after a few minutes).
3. R: Right Ascension of the telescope, or R.A.
4. D: Declination of the telescope, or DEC.
5. A: Altitude of the telescope (zenith is 90º).
6. Z: Azimuth of the telescope (north is 0º, east 90º, south 180º, and west 270º).
7. Local Date and Time: display local time in a format of YY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.
8. Slew speed: There are 5 speeds: 2X, 8X, 64X, 256X (1º/sec), MAX(~4º/sec). Press the
SPEED key to change the speed while slewing.
9. Current Time: display local time in a format of HH:MM:SS.
Azimuth
Slew Speed
Target Name
Right Ascension
Altitude
Local Date and Time
Mount/GPS Status
Declination

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1.4.2. Check the Battery
The hand controller has a real time clock (RTC) which should display the correct time
every time the mount is turned on. If the time is incorrect, please check the battery inside the
hand controller and replace it if needed. The battery is a 3V, CR1220 button battery.

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2. Get Started
2.1. Setup SmartStar®Cube Mount
STEP 1. Tripod Setup
1. Extend tripod legs to full extension and lock knobs.
2. Stand Tripod upright. Then press down to lock center arms in place.
3. Place tray on center knob and turn tray until it locks in place. (The tray will turn
underneath the center knob)
4. Use an extra level to level the tripod top.
STEP 2 Attach the Cube Mount
Put the mount on top of the tripod head and secure it using the Azimuth Lock Screw.
STEP 3. Install Batteries
The mount can be operated by either 8 AA batteries or an AC/DC adapter (STEP 5). To
install the batteries, lift the battery cover. Carefully pull out the battery holder from the
compartment. Be sure not to accidentally disconnect the wires.
Insert 8 AA batteries (not included) into the battery holder, with the polarities match the
diagram on the holder. Replace the holder back into the battery compartment and replace the
lid.
The battery holder only fits into the battery compartment in one direction. If it can’t fit in,
rotate the holder 90 degree and make sure the wires are not block the holder. Do not mix new
batteries with old ones.
Tray
locksin
p
lace
Center
knob
AZLock
Screw

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STEP 4. Attach and Balance a Telescope
The mount has a Vixen-type dovetail saddle. It accepts any telescope (under payload
limit) with a Vixen dovetail bar. Release the dovetail lock knob. Slide the telescope dovetail bar
into the dovetail saddle. Retighten the dovetail lock knob.
Attach all the accessories to the telescope. Loosen altitude lock a little, with another
hand hold the scope. Check the mount balance. If the telescope eyepiece end tends to move
down, move the scope forward. If the telescope objective lens end (front side) tends to move
down, move the scope backward. You may leave the telescope a little bit front heavy.
STEP 5. Connect Cables
Connect the GoToNova 8405 hand controller into either one of the two HBX ports on the
mount using coiled control cable. Plug 12V DC power supply into the power socket on the
mount panel, if use external power source to power the mount. The red LED will be on when
power switch is turned on.
PluginAC
adaptor
here
Dovetail
lockknob
Altitude
lockknob
HCcable
Battery
Wire

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STEP 6. Level the Mount
Leveling is critical for a good GOTO and tracking accuracy.
To level the mount:
1. Locate the air bubble inside the bull’s eye circular level, as
shown on the left. Adjust the tripod legs to move the bubble
inside the small circle. It is always help if you level the tripod
first when set it up.
2. Turn on the mount. Press “9” button to change the slew speed
to MAX.
3. Rotate the mount 90° incremental by pressing ► or ◄ button
to check if the bubble stays inside the circle. If it wonders out of the circle, adjust the legs
to bring it back in.
4. Slew the mount 360° in azimuth to make sure the mount is leveled.
5. Fully tighten/lock the tripod legs.
If the bubble does not stay inside the small circle, you may need to calibrate the level by
make sure it stays at the same position while rotating the mount. Mark the new bubble position
as a calibrated center position. It is also recommended to use an additional levelers (such as a
torpedo leveler) to assure precise leveling.
STEP 7. Setup Initial Position
The start point of a Cube mount is the Park Position. For an alt-azimuth (AA) operation
mode, its altitude is 90º00’00” and azimuth is 180º00’00”, which means the “SOUTH” mark is
pointing to south and the telescope is pointing straight up at the zenith.
Note: You can always improve the initial position later during “One Star Align” or “Sync
to Target”. To set the Park Position (after leveling the mount), you can:
1. Align the mount to south by releasing the azimuth lock half a
turn and rotating the mount so that the South mark faces south, with the
assistant of a compass. You may need to take the magnetic declination
into account (true south instead of magnetic south.) Unlock the altitude
lock and rotate the telescope to point straight up at the Zenith. Put a
torpedo level on top of the optical tube may help. Make sure the mount
is leveled. Then turn the mount power on.
Or
2. Turn the mount power on. Press the SPEED button to change
the slew speed to MAX. Turn the SOUTH mark pointing to south using
► or ◄ button with the assistance of a compass is needed. You may
need to take the magnetic declination into account (true south instead of
magnetic south.) Rotate the telescope to point to zenith using the ▲ or
▼ buttons. Then turn the mount power off and turn it on again.
Any Zero Position discrepancy will be correct by star alignment or target synchronization
operation later.
STEP 8. Setup Hand Controller
Time and Site Set Up
This is critical to ensure the telescope pointing to a correct direction. Press MENU
button. From the main menu scroll down and select “Set Up Controller”

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Press ENTER. Select “Set Up Time and Site”
Press ENTER. The Set Local Time screen will show:
Set local time:
Use the ◄ or ► key to move the cursor, and the ▲ or ▼ button to change the numbers.
Set daylight saving time:
Use ▲ or ▼ button to toggle the DaylightTime Saving between Y and N. Press ENTER
to go to Setup Site Info screen.
Set site coordinates:
“W/E” means western/eastern hemisphere; “N/S” means northern/southern hemisphere;
“d” means degree; “m” means minute; and “s” means second.
Use the ◄ or ► key to move the cursor, and the ▲ or ▼ button to change the numbers
or toggle between “W” and “E”, “N” and “S”.
The site coordinates information may be found from your cell phone, GPS navigator,
Google map or other online website.
Set time zone
Press ◄ or ► key. Move the cursor to the bottom of the screen to set the time zone
information (add or subtract 60 minutes per time zone). Enter minutes “ahead of” or “behind” of
UT (universal time). The minimum time difference is 15 minutes.
 New York City is 300 minutes “behind” UT
 Los Angeles is 480 minutes “behind” UT
 Rome is 60 minutes “ahead of” UT
 Beijing is 480 minutes “ahead of” UT
 Sydney is 600 minutes “ahead of” UT
Set Local Time:
2009-06-01 11:55:09
DaylightTime Saving Y
Set Up Time and Site
Set Display Info
Set Key Beep
Set Azi Work Mode
Select and slew
Land Objects
Sync. to Target
Set Up Controller
Setup Site Info:
Longi: W071d27m47s
Lati : N42d15m40s
300 Min. behind UT

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All time zones in North America are behind UT as shown in the following table (Be sure
it shows “behind” instead of “ahead of” UT).
Time Zone Hawaii Alaska Pacific Mountain Central Eastern
Hour behind UT -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5
Enter Minutes 600 540 480 420 360 300
To adjust minutes, use the ◄ or ► keys to move the cursor and the ▲ or ▼ keys to
change the numbers. To change the “behind” or “ahead of” UT, move the cursor to “ahead of”
and using ▲ or ▼ keys to toggle between “behind” and “ahead of”. When the number is correct
press ENTER and go back to the previous screen.
For other parts of the world, time zone information can be found online, such as
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/. DO NOT COUNT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.
If your mount is equipped with a GPS receiver, only Daylight Time Saving and Time
Zone settings are needed. However, the local time and site info can still be manually entered (in
case the GPS signal is too weak to be picked up). It is always recommended to get the GPS
coordinates before traveling to a new observation site.
Check the Hand Controller Battery
The hand controller has a real time clock which should display the correct time every
time the mount is turned on. If the time is off too much, please check the battery inside the hand
controller and replace it if required. The battery is a 3V, CR1220 button battery.
2.2. Get Familiar with Telescope
2.2.1. Assemble the Telescope
R80 - 80mm Refractor Telescope, Model 8502
Insert 45º diagonal: Insert the diagonal into the eyepiece
side of the telescope. Tighten the thumbscrews to a firm feel
only.
Insert the eyepiece: Slide the eyepiece into the open end of
the diagonal. Tighten the thumbscrews to a firm feel only.
Remove the dust cover from the other end of optical tube
assembly.
45°dia
g
onal
eyepiece
Focusknob

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N114 - 114mm Newtonian Telescope, Model 8503
Attach the red dot finder scope to the telescope tube:
First remove the two washers on the tube. Then place the
finder scope onto the two bolts and re-attach the washers
securely. The finder scope should face towards the open end
of the tube (see arrow in diagram).
Turn on the beam using the switch on the side. (note: you
may need to remove the plastic insulation placed next to the
battery underneath)
Insert the eyepiece: Slide the eyepiece into the open end of
the eyepiece holder. Tighten the thumbscrews to a firm feel
only.
Remove the round dust cover lid from the end of telescope.
Use the focus knob to bring objects into focus. You may
need to turn the focus knob quite a few turns to focus your
telescope for the first time. Always start observing using a
lower power eyepiece (such as a 25mm eyepiece) to get a
wider field of view. Later on you can change to higher
powers.
MC90 - 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope, Model 8504
Install Diagonal by screwing it onto the back end of the
scope. You can adjust the position of the diagonal by
loosening the free-spinning threader on the diagonal.
Install the Finderscope by sliding the dovetail plate onto
the sleeve (see arrow) and tightening the side screw.
The eyepiece can be placed on the end of the scope or on
the side (see next step). Secure the eyepiece using the
side screw.
Use the focus knob to adjust the focus.
This picture shows the eyepiece on the side. Remove the
protective cap to insert the eyepiece. The diagonal is not
used for side viewing.
Use the flip switch to flip the internal mirror to view from
the side or the end of the scope.
Flip
switch
Diagonal
Eyepiece
Bolts
Switch
Pointtowardopenend
oftelescope
Eyepiece
Focusknob

16
2.2.2. Use the telescope
Image Orientation
The image orientation changes depending on how the eyepiece is inserted into the
telescope. When using the star diagonal (the 90º mirror diagonal), the image is right-side-up,
but reversed from left-to-right (i.e., mirror image). If inserting the eyepiece directly into the visual
back (i.e., without the star diagonal), the image is upside-down and reversed from left-to-right
(i.e., inverted). This is normal for the refractor design.
Actual image
orientation as seen
with the unaided eye
Reversed from left to
right, as viewed with a
Star Diagonal
Inverted image, as
viewed with the
eyepiece directly in
telescope
Corrected image, as
viewed with a Erect
Lens or Erect
Diagonal
For terrestrial observation, such as land mark or bird viewing, you can buy an optional
45º Erect Diagonal to have a correct image from your eyepiece.
Select an Eyepiece
The magnification of a telescope is defined by the focal lengths of the telescope and the
eyepiece. A formula can be used to determine the power of each eyepiece: Telescope focal
length divided by eyepiece focal length equals magnification.
For example, a R80 telescope has a focal length of 400mm. If a 25mm eyepiece is used,
the magnification will be
400mm ÷ 25mm = 16X (magnification)
If more magnification is wanted, you may order higher power eyepieces. (Note: a 25 mm
focal length eyepiece has a lower power than a 10 mm one.)
Always start with the lowest power eyepiece for easy locating the objects.
Focus a Telescope
After selecting the desired eyepiece, aim the telescope tube at a land-based target at
least 200 yards away (e.g. A telephone pole or building). Fully extend focusing tube by turning
the focus knob.
While looking through selected eyepiece, slowly retract focusing tube by turning focusing
knob until object comes into focus.
Aligning Finderscope
1. Look through main telescope tube and establish a well-defined target (see focusing
telescope section). Tighten all lock knobs (Right Ascension, Declination, Altitude,
Azimuth, etc) so that telescope’s aim is not disturbed.
2. Turn on the red dot finder and look through the finder window. Adjust the red dot
alignment screws to center the red dot on the object.

17
3. Now, objects centered in the finderscope will be shown in the field of view of the main
telescope.
2.3. Move the telescope
Manually Move the Telescope
Slightly loose Altitude Lock (part #5 on the mount, as indicated in Assembly Terms) and
Azimuth Lock (as shown in Assembly Step 2); push the mount to rotate left or right and push the
telescope to point up or down.
When you finished observation, please re-tighten both locks to avoid accidentally drop of
the mount or telescope.
Move the Telescope using a Hand Controller
Insert 8 fresh AA batteries into the mount battery holder, or using the AC adapter,
Tighten all the screws and locks on tripod, mount and telescope. Flip the ON/OFF switch on the
mount to turn the mount power on. After a beep and LCD displays information screen, press the
number 9 button to change the slew speed to MAX.
Press ▲▼► or ◄ button to move the telescope UP, DOWN, RIGHT or LEFT. Aim and
focus the telescope to a distant object. Press the arrow button while viewing through the
eyepiece. Press a number button to change the speed, if the object is moving too fast.
2.4. Initial Star Alignment
Perform a simple one star alignment/synchronization after set up the hand controller to
correct any pointing discrepancy of the Park Position and to improve the GOTO accuracy.
To perform “One Star Align,” press MENU=>“Align”=>“One Star Align”=>ENTER. The
screen will display a list of bright objects for you to select from. Select an object using ▲ or ▼
key. Then press ENTER. After the mount slews to the target, use the arrow keys to center it in
your eyepiece. Then press ENTER. (More align details in 3.5)
An alternate way is to perform “Sync to Target.” Press MENU=>“Sync. To Target”,
follow the on-screen instruction to center the star and press ENTER. You may need to use the
number keys to change the slewing speed to make the centering procedure easier.
2.5. Go to the Moon and Other Stars
After performing these setups, the mount is ready to GOTO and track objects. One of
the most common objects is the Moon.
To slew to the Moon press MENU=>“Select and Slew”=>“Planet, Sun,
moon”=>Moon=>ENTER. The telescope will automatically slew to the Moon and lock on it. It
will automatically begin to track once it locks on. If the Moon is not centered in your eyepiece,
use the arrow keys to center the Moon. You may use “Sync to Target” to improve the tracking.
You may also select other bright celestial objects to start with, such as Jupiter or Saturn.

18
2.6. Turn Off the Mount
When finishing observation, always move the mount to Park Position. If the mount is not
moved, no initial set up is needed when the mount is powered on next time. To do so, press the
MENU button, scroll down to “Park Telescope” and press ENTER. Turn the power off.

19
3. Complete Functions of GoToNova® Hand Controller
3.1. Slew to an Object
Press MENU button, from the main menu, select “Select and Slew.” Select an object you
would like to observe and press ENTER key.
The GoToNova® 8405 hand controller has a database consists of over 14,000 objects.
► or ◄ button to move the cursor and ▼ or ▲ button to change the number. “ ”indicates the
object is above the horizon, and “ ” means it is below the horizon. Only those objects above
the horizon can be observed. In some catalogs, those stars below the horizon may not display.
3.1.1. Planets, Sun, Moon
There are 9 objects in Solar system.
3.1.2. Deep Sky Objects
This menu includes objects outside our Solar system such as galaxies, star clusters,
quasars, nebulae.
 Named Deepsky Objects: It consists of 137 deep sky objects with their common names.
More information will be available by pressing HELP key. A list of named deep sky
objects is also attached in Appendix C.
 Messier Catalog: It consists of all 110 objects in Messier catalog. More information will
be available by pressing HELP key.
 NGC Catalog: It consists of 7840 objects in NGC catalog. Use ► or ◄ button to move
the cursor and ▼ or ▲ button to change the number.
3.1.3. Comets
It contains up to 64 comets. This database is customer upgradeable.
3.1.4. Asteroids
It contains up to 64 asteroids. This database is customer upgradeable.
3.1.5. Stars
 Named Stars: It consists of 191 stars with their common names. They are listed
alphabetically. A list is attached in Appendix C.
 Constellations: It consists of 88 modern constellations with their names. They are listed
alphabetically. A list is attached in Appendix C.
 Double Stars: It consists of 211 double stars. A list is attached in Appendix C.
 SAO Bright Stars: It consists of 5103 bright SAO catalog objects with their magnitudes
greater than 6.
3.1.6. User RA&DEC JD2000 Objects
It can consist up to 256 user predefined objects. These objects need to be entered
before they can be selected for slewing (Refer to 3.6.1 User RA&DEC JD2000).

20
3.1.7. Enter Position
Go to a target by entering its R.A. and DEC numbers.
3.1.8. Watch List
A watch list is a list of your favorite celestial objects in the database. It can be selected
for slewing. User can add, delete and browse the watch list. (Refer to 3.7 Watch List).
3.1.9. Watch List Auto
This function will set the mount automatically slew to all the objects listed in Watch List
at a preset time interval. The time interval can be set to from 10 seconds to 1200 seconds by
using ▼ or ▲ button.
3.2. Land Objects
Up to 4 your favorite land objects can be stored in the hand controller. Press MENU,
select “Land Objects” and press ENTER, the Land Objects screen will be displayed:
Goto saved (land object):
Use ▼ or ▲ button to move the cursor to “Goto saved” line, use ► or ◄ button to a
saved land object and press ENTER. The mount will automatically slew to the target.
This function only works if a land object has been stored in database.
Save new (land objects)
Use ▼ or ▲ button to move the cursor to “Save new” line, use ► or ◄ button to select
the object number you want to store, and press ENTER. A landmark screen will be displayed:
Use ◄ ► ▲ and ▼ keys to slew the telescope to the target you want to observe, press
ENTER to save the target. Press SPEED button to change the slew speed if needed.
Input coordinates (of a land object)
Use ▼ or ▲ button to move the cursor to “Input coord.” line, use ► or ◄ button to
object number you want to store, and press ENTER. A coordinate setting screen will be
displayed:
Use ► or ◄ button to move the cursor, and ▼ or ▲ button to change the number. Press
ENTER to finish land object coordinates setting.
Enter Alt. Azi.
Alt: 13º 0.0’
Azi: 25º58.8’
LandMark 1 Stop
A 13º 0.0’ Z 25º58.8’
09-05-04 15:43:27 2X
Goto saved 1 2 3 4
Save new 1 2 3 4
Input Coord. 1 2 3 4
A 10º 0.0’ Z 10º 0.0’