Orion telescopes & binoculars Skyview pro intelliscope User manual

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INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Orion®

SkyView™Pro IntelliScope®

Upgrade Kit

#7885

IN 274 REV B 12/05

Figure 1. The SkyView Pro IntelliScope Upgrade Kit.

IntelliScope object locator

hand controller

Hand controller cable

Right ascension encoder

magnet ring

Declination encoder

Declination encoder magnet ring

Declination adapter Socket-head cap screws

Encoder-to-encoder cable

Counterweight shaft lock nut

9V battery

Nylon hook-and-loop strip

3/32” hex key

Loctite liquid

thread-locker

Congratulations on your purchase of a SkyView Pro (SVP) IntelliScope Upgrade Kit. This kit contains all the

parts needed to transform your SkyView Pro equatorial mount into a computerized system. Once installed, the IntelliScope

object locator will direct your telescope to point to thousands of astronomical targets (over 14,000!) in the night sky. You’ll find

yourself observing more objects in one night than you ever have before!

Please take the time to read this instruction manual before attempting to install and use the SVP IntelliScope kit. If you do not

have an Orion SkyView Pro equatorial mount, this kit will not work with your telescope.

PARTS LIST (Refer to Figure 1.)

Qty. Description

1 IntelliScope object locator hand controller

1 Hand controller cable

1 Right ascension encoder

1 Right ascension encoder magnet ring

1 Declination encoder

1 Declination encoder magnet ring

1 Declination adapter

4 Socket-head cap screws

1 Encoder-to-encoder cable

1 Counterweight shaft lock nut

1 9V battery

1 Nylon hook-and-loop strip

1 3/32” hex key

1 Loctite single-use liquid thread-locker

INSTALLATION ON THE

SKYVIEW PRO MOUNT

Installation requires a Phillips-head screwdriver in addition to

the supplied hex key. Give yourself at least an hour to complete

the required assembly. Installation is easiest if the telescope

tube is removed from the mount. The installation procedure is

broken into three parts: encoder installation, cable and hand

controller installation, and then encoder “tuning”.

Encoder Installation

1. Remove the polar axis finder scope from the mount. The

polar axis finder scope cannot be used when the SkyView

Pro IntelliScope system is installed. For visual purpos-

es, just sighting Polaris along the right ascension (R.A.)

axis will be sufficient. For precise polar aligning for long-

exposure astrophotography, try using the drift alignment

method.

2. Install the R.A. encoder magnet ring into the rear of the

R.A. axis of the mount (Figure 2). The magnet on the ring’s

surface should be facing outward. The ring threads onto

the exterior threads of where the polar axis finder scope is

normally installed. It is OK to use the magnetic strip itself

as a fingertip “grip” when threading the ring, just be care-

ful not to displace or damage the magnet. You can also

tighten the ring by rotating the mount about its R.A. axis

while holding the ring stationary. Thread the ring until it is

completely seated, but do not firmly tighten it yet. If you are

having trouble threading the ring all the way on, try remov-

ing the ring and cleaning the ring and mount threads with a

household solvent.

3. Now, loosen the ring a few turns so some of the ring’s

threads are exposed (Figure 3). Apply some Loctite onto

the exposed threads, and rethread the R.A. magnet ring

onto the shaft until tight. Allow approximately 30 minutes

for the Loctite to bond. Once cured, you should not be able

to easily unthread the R.A. magnet ring.

4. Loosen the four Phillips-head screws on the exterior perim-

eter of the R.A. encoder a couple of turns, then press the

Figure 2. The R.A. encoder magnet ring goes onto the threaded

shaft just inside the rear of the mount’s R.A. axis. The ring’s surface

with the magnet on it should face outwards.

Magnet

Threaded shaft

R.A. encoder

magnet ring

Figure 3. Loosen the R.A. encoder magnet ring a few turns in

order to expose a few threads to apply the Loctite onto.

Exposed threads

R.A. encoder onto the rear casting of the SVP mount’s

R.A. axis (Figure 4). The slot in the encoder’s housing

should line up with the casting feature on the rear of the

mount’s R.A. axis. Do not retighten the screws on the exte-

rior of the R.A. encoder yet.

5. Remove the counterweight shaft from the mount.

6. Thread the four socket head cap screws into the Dec.

adapter (Figure 5). Only thread the screws in a couple of

turns, for now; use the hex key to do this.

7. Install the Dec. adapter into the bottom of the mount’s

Dec. casting (Figure 6). This is where the counterweight

shaft was removed from. The Dec. adapter clamps onto

the inner diameter of the casting. Push the adapter into

the casting until the adapter is fully seated. Rotate the

Dec. adapter so the slot in it is on the same side of the

mount as the R.A. and Dec. lock levers. Now, thread the

socket head cap screws tightly to clamp the adapter to the

mount.

8. Thread the Dec. magnet ring onto the exterior threads of

where the counterweight shaft connects to (Figure 7). The

magnet on the ring’s surface should be facing outward. It

is OK to use the magnetic strip itself as a fingertip “grip”

when threading the ring, just be careful not to displace or

damage the magnet.You can also tighten the ring by rotat-

ing the mount about its Dec. axis while holding the ring

stationary. Thread the ring until it is completely seated,

but do not firmly tighten it yet. If you are having trouble

threading the ring all the way on, try removing the ring

and cleaning the ring and mount threads with a household

solvent.

9. Now, loosen the ring a few turns so some of the ring’s

threads are exposed (Figure 8). Apply some Loctite onto

the exposed threads, and rethread the Dec. magnet ring

onto the shaft until tight. Allow approximately 30 minutes

for the Loctite to bond. Once cured, you should not be able

to easily unthread the Dec. magnet ring.

10.Loosen the four screws on the exterior perimeter of

the Dec. encoder a couple of turns, and press the Dec.

encoder onto the Dec. adapter previously installed (Figure

9). The slot in the Dec. adapter should line up with the

modular jack in the Dec. encoder. Do not retighten the

Phillips-head screws on the exterior of the Dec. encoder

yet.

Figure 4. With the Phillips head screws loosened, press the R.A.

encoder onto the rear of the mount’s R.A. axis. Note that the slot in

the encoder housing should line up with the casting feature on the

mount.

Casting feature on mount

Slot in R.A.

encoder

housing

Figure 5. The four socket head cap screws go into the Dec.

adapter. Only thread the screws a couple of turns for now.

Figure 6. The Dec. adapter installs into the bottom of the mount’s

Dec. axis. It clamps onto the inner diameter of the casting. The slot

in the Dec. adapter should be on the same side of the mount as the

R.A. and Dec. lock levers.

Slot in Dec.

adapter

Figure 7. The Dec. encoder magnet ring goes onto the exterior

threads where the counterweight shaft is normally mounted. The

ring’s surface with the magnet on it should face outwards.

Magnet

Dec. encoder

magnet ring

Exterior threads

Lock levers

Cable and Hand Controller Installation

11.Slide the battery cover off the back of the IntelliScope

object locator hand controller and insert the 9-volt alkaline

battery. Make sure the positive and negative terminals of

the battery are oriented as shown in the bottom of the bat-

tery compartment. Replace the battery cover.

12.Plug one end of the encoder-to-encoder cable (flat cable)

into the modular jack in the Dec. encoder.

13.Plug the other end of the encoder-to-encoder cable into

the smaller (4-pin) modular jack in the R.A. encoder.

14.Plug one end of the hand controller cable (curly cable) into

the larger (6-pin) modular jack in the R.A. encoder.

15.Plug the other end of the hand controller cable into the

6-pin modular jack in the top of the object locator hand

controller.

16.The nylon hook-and-loop strip is included to provide some-

where to place the hand controller when it is not in active

use. Peel off the adhesive backing, and affix one strip to

the back of the hand controller, and the other strip to a

convenient location on the mount.

“Tuning” the Encoders

Now that the encoders are installed, and the cabling is con-

nected, the encoders must be “tuned” for best performance.

Tuning generally consists of seating the encoders onto the

encoder magnet rings while checking the encoder perfor-

mance through a diagnostic routine in the hand controller.

While this may sound confusing at first, it is quite easy to do,

and will ensure best pointing accuracy of the assembled sys-

tem.

17.Access the “hidden functions” of the IntelliScope object

locator hand controller. This is done by simultaneously

pressing the Power and Enter buttons.

18.Use the up and down scroll buttons (the buttons with

arrows on them) until “ENCODER TEST” appears on the

LCD screen. Press Enter.

19.Two rows of numbers will be displayed. The first row of

numbers corresponds to data from the Dec. encoder, while

the second row of numbers corresponds to data from the

R.A. encoder. Rotate the mount about each axis to see

how the numbers on each row will change.

Figure 8. Loosen the Dec. encoder magnet ring a few turns in

order to expose a few threads to apply the Loctite onto.

Exposed threads

Figure 9. The Dec. encoder installs onto the Dec. adapter. The

slot in the Dec. adapter should line up with the Dec. encoder’s

modular jack.

Slot

Modular jack

Figure 10. SkyView Pro IntelliScope cable installation.

Dec. encoder

modular jack (4-pin)

Encoder-to-encoder

cable

R.A. encoder modular jack (6-pin)

Hand

controller

cable

R.A. encoder

modular jack

(4-pin)

Hand controller

modular jack (6-pin)

20.The third number in each of the two rows is called the

“radius number” (Figure 11). The goal in tuning the encod-

ers is to get this number above 40 but below 110 for each

encoder. Also, the radius numbers should not change by

more than about 25 counts when either axis of the tele-

scope mount is rotated.

21.Tune the encoders by seating them onto the magnet rings.

The three posts on the interior of the encoders should

contact the rings just inside the magnets (Figure 12). If the

radius number is too low, press the encoder more firmly

onto the magnet ring. If the radius number is too high,

carefully pull the encoder slightly away from the magnet

ring. Perfect seating will be obtained when the posts just

make contact with the ring.

22.Now, rotate each axis of the mount, and watch to see how

much the radius number changes. If the radius number

does not vary by more than about 15 to 20 counts on either

axis, encoder tuning is complete. If the radius number does

vary by more than 20 counts for either or both axis, then

the encoder is not properly installed. Pull the encoder off,

and reinstall the encoder. For the Dec. encoder, additional

tuning can be done by rotating the Dec. adapter relative to

the mount (i.e. so the slot in it is oriented differently than

shown in Figure 6). Also, be sure the magnet rings are not

cross-threaded on the mount.

23.Tighten the four Phillips head screws on the exterior perim-

eter of each encoder. Be sure to tighten all four screws on

each encoder equally.

Once both encoders are tuned, the counterweight shaft

and counterweight(s) can be re-installed on the mount.

The shaft now requires a new lock nut, however, to accom-

modate the installed Dec. encoder.

24.Remove the counterweight from the counterweight shaft.

This will require removing the “toe saver” from the base

of the shaft.

25.Remove the counterweight lock nut on the counterweight

shaft. Replace it with the supplied counterweight lock nut.

Thread the lock nut all the way onto the shaft. The narrow

end of the lock nut should be closest to the threaded end

of the shaft (Figure 13).

26.Reinstall the counterweight shaft through the Dec. encoder

and into the equatorial mount. Thread the shaft as far as

it will go into the mount, then secure it in place by thread-

ing the newly installed counterweight lock nut clockwise

on the shaft as far as it will go.

27.Replace the counterweight and “toe saver” on the counter-

weight shaft.

The IntelliScope system is now installed on the SkyView

Pro mount. When transporting the mount, be careful not

to bump or otherwise damage the encoders. We recom-

mend transporting the mount in a padded case with the

head oriented so the weight of the mount does not rest on

the encoders.

Before taking the system into the field at night, a reference

mark to indicate the required initial position of the mount

must be made.

Making the Dec=0° Reference Mark

In order for the IntelliScope object locator to properly align the

SkyView Pro mount with the night sky, the mount first needs

to be set to an initial position. This initial position is when the

mount is at precisely zero degrees declination (Dec. = 0°) and

the telescope is pointing to the western sky. To consistently

and easily set the mount to this initial position, a reference

mark will need to be made. In order to make the reference

mark, the (mechanical) declination setting circle must first be

calibrated with the mount. To do this:

Figure 11. In the “ENCODER TEST”, the third number in each

row is called the “radius number”; this number will help you tune the

encoders for best performance.

Dec. radius number

R.A. radius number

Figure 12. When properly seated, the three posts on the interior

of the encoder should seat just inside the magnet on the ring.

Ring surface Posts

Figure 13. The supplied counterweight lock nut replaces the one

that is on the SkyView Pro mount. Orient the lock nut on the shaft

as shown.

Narrow end of counterweight lock nut

Threaded end of counterweight shaft

1. Rotate the mount about the declination axis until the tele-

scope is parallel with the R.A. axis. Tighten the Dec. axis

lock lever. Rotate the mount about the R.A. axis until the

counterweight shaft is horizontal (Figure 14a).

2. Locate a distant object that is at least 1⁄4 of a mile away.

3. Lift and rotate the entire mount, and use the latitude adjust-

ment L-bolts to center the distant object in the field of view

of the telescope (with a 25mm or shorter focal length eye-

piece). Do not make adjustments to the right ascension or

declination of the mount to center the object. You can use

the mount’s azimuth adjustment knobs to fine-adjust the

left-to-right positioning.

4. Once the object is centered, rotate the mount precisely

180° in right ascension. Use the R.A. mechanical setting

circle as a reference, and rotate the mount 12 hours (180°)

in R.A. from its initial position (Figure 14b).

5. Now, look in the eyepiece again. The object that was cen-

tered prior should be somewhere within the field of view.

Use the Dec. slow-motion control knob to bring the object

half the distance back to center in the up-and-down direc-

tion. Do not worry about left-to-right centering for the time

being. If the object is not in the eyepiece’s field of view, use

the (aligned) finderscope’s field of view to bring the object

half the distance back to center in the up-and-down direc-

tion.

6. Re-center the object in the eyepiece using the latitude

adjustment L-bolts and the azimuth adjustment knobs.

7. Rotate the mount precisely 180° in R.A. again until the

mount is back to the initial position.

8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until the centered object stays

centered in the up-and-down direction when rotating 180°

in right ascension.

Note: If the object does not stay somewhat centered in the left-

to-right direction when rotating the mount 180° in R.A., then

you probably have some optical axis offset error in your setup.

If your resultant pointing accuracy is somewhat poor, consult

Appendix B to reduce the optical axis offset error.

9. Loosen the two small thumbscrews on the Dec. setting

circle on the mount.

10.Rotate the Dec. setting circle and set it so the Dec. setting

circle indicator arrow points to precisely 90°.

11.Retighten the thumbscrews on the Dec. setting circle.

12.Rotate the mount in R.A. so that the counterweight shaft is

pointing downwards.

13.Loosen the Dec. lock lever and rotate the mount 90° in dec-

lination so the Dec. setting circle indicator arrow points to

0° on the Dec. setting circle. Do not use the Dec. slow-

motion control knob at this time. There are two 0° marks

on the Dec. setting circle; use the one that positions the

telescope tube so it is pointing to relative west (i.e. the R.A.

axis of the mount points to relative north, see Figure 14c).

Retighten the Dec. lock lever.

The mount is now in its proper initial position for IntelliScope

object locator alignment. To be able to easily return to this

position at night, make a reference mark on the mount.This

will require a straightedge and a razor (or some other tool

capable of fine etching the mount...a sharp Phillips-head

screwdriver or a nail, for example).

14.Place the straightedge on the mount so that it bisects both

the Dec. setting circle indicator arrow and the 0° declina-

tion mark on the Dec. setting circle (Figure 15a).

15.Etch the mount across the 0° declination mark on the Dec.

setting circle and onto the top part of the mount’s declina-

tion casting (Figure 15b).

The reference mark is now ready for use. When instructed

to “ALIGN DEC MARK” by the IntelliScope object locator,

simply align the etched 0° declination mark on the Dec.

setting circle with the etched reference mark on the Dec.

casting by rotating the setting circle, and then rotate the

mount in declination so the reference mark and 0° declina-

tion mark align with the Dec. setting circle indicator arrow

(as in Figure 15b).

Telescope pointing to relative west

0° on Dec.

setting circle

Figure 14a-c. (14a.) To make the Dec = 0° reference mark, first orient the mount so that the telescope tube is parallel with the R.A. axis

and the counterweight shaft is horizontal. (14b) Once a distant object is centered with the latitude L-bolts and azimuth adjustment knobs,

rotate the mount precisely 180° in R.A. using the R.A. mechanical setting circle as a reference. (14c)There are two 0° marks on the Dec.

setting circle; use the one that points the telescope to relative west (i.e. the R.A. axis points to relative north).

a. b. c.

ALIGNING THE

INTELLISCOPE OBJECT

LOCATOR

Powering the Object Locator Hand Controller

To turn the hand controller on, firmly press the Power button.

The LED lights will activate and the LCD screen will display its

introduction message. The intensity of the illumination can be

adjusted by repeatedly pressing the Power button. There are

five levels of LED brightness. Choose a brightness level that

suits your conditions and needs. (Dimmer settings will prolong

battery life.)

To turn the controller off, press and hold the Power button for a

few seconds, then release it.

To conserve battery life, the controller is programmed to shut

itself off after being idle for 50 minutes. So, make sure to press

a button at least once every 50 minutes if you do not want the

controller to turn off. If the controller does turn off, you will need

to perform the initial alignment procedure again.

If the LCD screen and the buttons’ backlighting automatically

begin to dim, it’s time to change batteries.

Note Regarding Polar Alignment

The mount does not need to be polar aligned for the

IntelliScope system to work properly to find objects. It is use-

ful, however, to at least perform a rough polar alignment of the

mount. By doing this, objects will remain centered in the field of

view of the telescope over time by periodically rotating the R.A.

slow-motion control knob. A motor can also be added to make

tracking automatic.

Initial Dec=0° Alignment

After powering up the object locator hand controller, the top

line of the LCD display will read either “ALIGN DEC MARK” or

“POINT VERTICAL”. If the display reads “POINT VERTICAL”,

then press the scroll up button until it reads “ALIGN DEC

MARK”. (“POINT VERTICAL” is for using the object locator with

the Orion IntelliScope Dobsonians.)

Now, align the reference marks on the Dec. setting circle and

upper Dec. casting of the mount with the Dec. setting circle

indicator arrow, as they are in Figure 15b. The telescope tube

should be pointing west, as it is in Figure 14c. If the tube is

facing east, you will need to remove the tube from the mount,

rotate it by 180°, and replace it on the mount. When the refer-

ence marks are aligned, press the Enter button. You are now

ready to begin star alignment.

Simple Two-Star Alignment

After setting the Dec = 0° initial position, a simple two-star

alignment process is all that is needed to ready the IntelliScope

system for operation. This is a great simplification from other

computerized systems, which require you to enter data such

as your longitude, latitude, and time zone. For the IntelliScope

controller to accurately find objects, you only need to center

two bright stars in your telescope and indicate to the controller

which two stars you have centered. This is quite easy to do.

For your convenience, we have provided finder charts for the

alignment stars in Appendix C. Use the finder chart to locate

and identify two bright stars in your current night sky. For best

results, choose two stars that are at least 60° apart from each

other. (The width of your fist at arm’s length is about 10°, so

you want the stars to be at least six fist-widths apart.)

So, the optical tube is now in the Dec = 0° initial position and

you’ve chosen two bright stars in the sky to use for alignment.

The telescope should have a high power eyepiece, such as

the 10mm Sirius Plössl, in the eyepiece holder and the finder

scope should be aligned with the telescope. The LCD screen

will state on its top line “ALIGN STAR 1,” with the name of a

star flashing on the second line.

Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the names of the

alignment stars. The up arrow button scrolls through the stars

alphabetically from A to Z. The down arrow button scrolls

alphabetically backwards, from Z to A. When you arrive at the

name of the star you wish to align on, you can begin to move

Figure 15a-b.(15a.) Once the mount is in the proper Dec = 0°

position, use a straightedge and sharp object to etch a reference

mark into the mount. Place a straightedge on the mount so that it

bisects the Dec. setting circle indicator and 0° on the setting circle

itself. (15b.) Etch the mount across the setting circle and onto the

upper Dec. casting of the mount.

Upper Dec.

casting

Dec. setting circle

indicator arrow

0° on Dec.

setting circle

the telescope so that it is pointing at that star (but don’t press

the Enter button yet).

Note:The controller will not accept Polaris as the first alignment

star. This helps prevent the pointing accuracy from decreasing

over time. For equatorial mounts, it is not recommended that

Polaris be used as an alignment star.

Move the telescope so it is pointing in the general area of the

alignment star. Aim the telescope so the alignment star appears

in the finder scope. Be careful not to confuse the alignment

star with other stars in the area when doing this. (The align-

ment star will likely be the brightest star in the field of view.)

Now, move the telescope until you have centered the star on

the crosshairs of the finder scope. Look into the eyepiece of

the telescope, and you should see the alignment star in the

field of view of the eyepiece. If it isn’t, then your finder scope is

out of alignment with your telescope and will need to be adjust-

ed. Once the alignment star is in the eyepiece’s field of view,

center it in the eyepiece as best you can by using the R.A. and

Dec. slow-motion control knobs. (If you have one, an illumi-

nated reticle eyepiece is great for centering alignment stars).

Once this is done, press the Enter button on the controller.You

have now completed one-half of the two-star alignment.

The LCD screen will now read “ALIGN STAR 2” on the first line

with an alignment star’s name flashing on the second line. As

before, scroll through the names of the stars with the arrow

buttons until you reach your second chosen alignment star.

Repeat the procedure described above for your second align-

ment star. When you have aligned on the second star, press

the Enter button. The LCD will then display a number. It is the

alignment error factor, or “warp” (W) factor.

The Alignment Error (Warp) Factor

The “warp” alignment error factor essentially lets you know if

your alignment was accurate or not. Ideally, this number should

be as low as possible, but any “W” of 0.7 or smaller is usually

acceptable (regardless of + or - sign). Warp factors of ±0.3 and

±0.4 are most common. Warp factors under ±0.2 are typically

not achievable. If you complete an alignment and the warp fac-

tor is larger than ±0.7 (e.g., +0.8, -0.8, +0.9, -0.9, etc.), then

you must turn the controller off (by holding down the Power

button) and begin the alignment procedure again. Otherwise,

there is no guarantee the object locator will consistently place

objects within the field of view of a medium-low power eye-

piece.

An unacceptable warp factor may indicate you aligned on the

wrong star or did not have the telescope precisely at the Dec =

0° initial position. If you are having problems getting the warp

factor at or below ±0.7, see the troubleshooting section in

Appendix A.

Your IntelliScope object locator is now ready to find objects.

Replace the high-powered eyepiece you used for centering the

alignment stars with a low-power, wide-field eyepiece, such as

the 25mm Sirius Plössl.

The simple two-star alignment will provide adequate pointing

accuracy. For best pointing accuracy across the entire sky, it is

recommended that more star alignments be made.

Using Additional Star Alignments

A clever feature of the IntelliScope object locator is its ability to

use multiple star alignments in order to improve pointing accu-

racy across the entire sky. While two-star alignment may be

adequate for most applications, using one-to-three additional

alignment stars (five total) will help reduce inherent pointing

errors in the mount. These errors can be due to many factors,

none of which are easily remedied by mechanical means.

To use multiple alignment stars:

1. Perform the 2-star alignment as outlined previously.

2. Press the Star button on the object locator.

3. Use the scroll buttons to get to “STAR NAMED” on the hand

controller’s LCD screen. Press Enter.

4. Use the scroll buttons to select the next star you would like

to align on.

5. When the name of the star you want appears, point the

telescope at that star. You can use the guide arrows and

numbers on the hand controller’s LCD screen to guide the

telescope to the star’s location; it should appear as the

brightest star in the finderscope.

6. Center the star in the (high-power) eyepiece. It is conve-

nient to use the R.A. and Dec. slow-motion control knobs to

do this.

7. Press the FCN button on the hand controller. Then press

the Enter button.

8. The hand controller will now display “ALIGN STAR 3” on the

first line with the centered star’s name on the second line.

Pressing Enter again will complete the alignment. Make

sure the star is indeed still centered in the eyepiece before

pressing Enter.

You can repeat this process two more times for a total of

five alignment stars. Aligning on a sixth star will simply

overwrite the first alignment star’s position.

For best results, it is recommended that at least two stars

on each side of the meridian are used for alignment (i.e.

two stars in eastern sky and two stars in western sky). If

using less than four alignment stars, make sure at least one

star is on either side of the meridian.

OVERVIEW OF

CONTROLLER

The IntelliScope object locator hand controller has been specif-

ically designed for ease of use. This section will help familiarize

you with the basic layout and operation of the controller.

Pushbuttons

Besides the Power, Enter, ID, FCN, and up/down scroll

arrows, all pushbuttons have letters on them with numbers

above them. The letters designate the function of the pushbut-

ton. The numbers above them are used for entering numerical

data only; the numbers are never active until a function is first

chosen. The numbers are arranged like a telephone keypad for

ease of number entry. None of the function buttons will work

properly until an initial 2-star alignment, as outlined previously,

is completed. If you press a function button before the two-

star alignment is completed, the controller will display “MUST

STAR ALIGN.” Turn the unit off, then on again (by using the

Power button), to begin the alignment routine again.

The Guide Arrows and Numbers

The controller leads you to astronomical targets with guide

arrows and numbers displayed on the LCD screen. After an

object is selected to view, you will see two guide arrows with

numbers next to them, one that points left or right, and one

that points up or down. The left or right arrow corresponds

to the R.A. axis while the up or down arrow corresponds to

the Dec. axis. The number next to each guide arrow indicates

how far the telescope needs to be moved to reach the select-

ed object. As you move the telescope toward the object, this

number will decrease. When the number goes below ten, the

figure will be displayed in tenths; this helps to make small,

precise movements (with the slow-motion control knobs) to

the telescope in order to bring the object into your field of view.

When both numbers reach zero, stop moving the telescope.

The object will be within the field of view of a medium-low

power eyepiece (25mm focal length or longer).

For example, look at Figure 16a, which shows an LCD screen

for someone trying to locate M51, otherwise known as the

Whirlpool Galaxy. The first arrow is pointing right and gives a

number of 34. The second arrow is pointing up and displays

the number 12. When you are close to M51, the numbers will

be displayed in tenths, as is shown in Figure 16b. When the

numbers reach zero (Figure 16c), the telescope will be point-

ed right at the Whirlpool Galaxy.

It is easiest to move the telescope in one direction at a time

(say R.A.) until the corresponding number reaches “0.0”. Then

move the scope in the other direction (Dec.) until that number

also reads “0.0”.

Locating the Planets

The most popular objects for viewing, after the Moon, are the

planets. Since the other eight planets in our solar system are

also orbiting the Sun, they do not appear in fixed positions in

the night sky like deep sky objects and stars do. Because of

this, the object locator requires you to input the date before it

can find the planets.

To find planets with your IntelliScope object locator, use the

following procedure:

1. Press the Planet button on the hand controller.

2. The LCD screen will display a date similar to the follow-

ing:

DATE 01 MAY 2005

3. The number after the word “DATE” will be flashing and

represents the day of the month. Input the two-digit day

using the number buttons.

4. The three-letter month will now be flashing. Use the arrow

buttons to scroll to the present month and then press the

Enter button.

5. Now the year will flash. Input the year using the number

buttons.

If you make a mistake while inputting the date, press the

Enter button at any time while still within the Planet button

function. The LCD screen will then display the last date input,

with the two-digit day after the word “DATE” flashing. Input the

correct date as outlined previously.

Now, to choose a planet to view, press the up/down arrow

buttons and scroll through the planets. The planet’s name will

be displayed in the upper left section of the LCD screen, with

the guide arrows and numbers on the upper right of the LCD

screen. Move the telescope as shown by the guide arrows

and numbers.

The lower left screen shows the constellation the planet

appears in, with its present co-ordinates given in right ascen-

Figure 16a-c. This sequence of pictures illustrate how the controller’s guide arrows will look as you are finding an object. (a.) When you

are far away from the object, there will be a number (from 10 to 179) to the left of the guide arrows. (b.) When you are close to the object,

each guide arrow will display a number on its immediate left (from 0 to 9) and immediate right (from 0 to 9); the number on the left is whole

number increments, while the number on the right is in increments of tenths. This helps in making small movements to the telescope to

pinpoint the object’s location. (c.) When the guide arrows display “0.0 0.0”, the object will be within the field of view of the telescope (with

a 25mm or longer focal length eyepiece).

a. b. c.

sion and declination. When you are finished viewing the

planet, you may scroll to another planet by using the arrow

buttons.

The planetary features and details you can see will vary from

planet to planet. The following descriptions give a brief over-

view of what to expect when viewing them:

MERCURY

Mercury is often so close to the Sun that it cannot be seen.

Sometimes it is visible for a brief period after the Sun sets,

and sometimes it’s visible in the morning just before the Sun

rises. Mercury does not really show any detail, but is quite

bright. With your telescope, you will be able to investigate this

planet’s orange-colored hue. Like Venus, Mercury sometimes

appears as a crescent, rather than as a full disk.

VENUS

At its brightest, Venus is the most luminous object in the sky,

excluding the Sun and the Moon. It is so bright that sometimes

it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight! Ironically,

Venus appears as a thin crescent, not a full disk, when at its

peak brightness. Because it is close to the Sun, it never wan-

ders too far from the morning or evening horizon. No surface

markings can be seen on Venus, which is always shrouded in

dense clouds.

MARS

The Red Planet makes its closest approach to Earth every

two years. During close approaches you’ll see a red disk, pos-

sibly some light and dark regions, and maybe the polar ice

cap. To see surface detail on Mars, you will need a high power

eyepiece and very steady air!

JUPITER

The largest planet, Jupiter, is a great subject for observation.

You can see the disk of the giant planet and watch the ever-

changing positions of its four largest moons — Io, Callisto,

Europa, and Ganymede. Higher power eyepieces should

bring out the cloud bands on the planet’s disk and maybe

even the Great Red Spot.

SATURN

The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is well posi-

tioned. The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period of many

years; sometimes they are seen edge-on, while at other times

they are broadside and look like giant “ears” on each side of

Saturn’s disk. A steady atmosphere (good seeing) is neces-

sary for a good view.You will probably see a bright “star” close

by, which is Saturn’s brightest moon, Titan.

URANUS

Uranus is a faint planet, and requires high powers (at least

100x) before it starts to show any detail that distinguishes it

from stars. Uranus will appear as a pale, blue-green disk.

NEPTUNE

Like Uranus, Neptune will require high powers before showing

anything to distinguish itself from stars. Neptune will appear

as a bluish-colored disk, possibly with a very faint moon near-

by if you are using a large-aperture telescope.

PLUTO

Smaller than our own Moon, Pluto is very, very faint and

shows little more than a point of light similar to a star. Even

the Hubble Space Telescope is unable to show much detail

on Pluto. Many amateur astronomers note how Pluto moves

with respect to background stars (over several nights) in order

to confirm their observation of our most remote planet.

Locating Deep Sky Objects by Catalog

Catalogs are groups of deep sky objects that have been

assembled and given designations. Very often a deep sky

object will have a catalog number, as well as a “common”

name. For example, the Orion Nebula is listed in the Messier

catalog as “M42.” The controller has three catalogs built-in:

The Messier catalog (M), the New General Catalog (NGC),

and the Index Catalog (IC). Many of the objects in the Messier

catalog also have NGC catalog designations.

A.The Messier Catalog

The Messier catalog contains 110 galaxies, nebulas, and star

clusters identified by the famous French astronomer Charles

Messier and his colleagues in the late 1700’s. These are

some of the most popular celestial attractions observed by

amateur astronomers.

To view an object from the Messier catalog, press the Mbut-

ton. Then enter the number of the Messier object you wish to

view using the numeric buttons and press the Enter button.

For example, to view Messier 57, also known as “the Ring

Nebula,” you would press the Mbutton, then press the “5” but-

ton, then press the “7” button, followed by the Enter button.

If the number of the Messier object you wish to view contains

three digits, it is not necessary to press Enter after inputting

the third digit.

The object’s catalog designation will be shown in the upper

left corner of the display screen, with the guide arrows and

numbers in the upper right. The lower left will display the

constellation the object resides in and the object’s common

name (if it has one) or a brief description of the object. Move

the telescope as shown by the guide arrows and numbers to

locate the object.

You can get more information about the selected object by

pressing the Enter button.The second line of the LCD display

will then cycle information about the object you are viewing

such as its celestial coordinates (R.A. and Dec.), magnitude

(brightness), size (in arc-minutes or arc-seconds), and a brief

scrolling text description.

When you are finished viewing the selected Messier object,

you may scroll to another Messier object by using the arrow

buttons, or you can select another Messier object to view by

pressing the Mbutton again.

B.The New General Catalog

The New General Catalog, or NGC, is a catalog of some

7,840 deep-sky objects compiled by the Danish astronomer J.

L. E. Dreyer more than 100 years ago. It contains hundreds of

excellent examples of each type of deep sky object and is the

most well known and used catalog by amateur astronomers

beyond the already mentioned Messier catalog. To be more

precise, the version of the New General Catalog used in the

IntelliScope object locator is an improved version known as

the “Revised New General Catalog”; this version has many

corrections from Dreyer’s original list.

To view an object from the NGC catalog, press the NGC but-

ton.Then enter the number of the NGC object you wish to view

using the numeric buttons and press Enter. For example, to

view the Andromeda Galaxy, which is listed as NGC224, you

would press the NGC button, then the “2” button twice, then

the “4” button, followed by the Enter button. If the number of

the NGC object you wish to view contains four digits, it is not

necessary to press Enter after inputting the fourth digit.

The object’s catalog designation will be shown in the upper left

corner of the LCD screen, with the guide arrows and numbers

in the upper right. The lower left will show the constellation

the object resides in, and the object’s common name (if it has

one) or a brief description of the object will be shown in the

lower right. Move the telescope as shown by the guide arrows

and numbers.

You can get more information about the selected object by

pressing the Enter button.The second line of the LCD display

will then cycle information about the object you are viewing

such as its celestial coordinates (R.A. and Dec.), magnitude

(brightness), size (in arc-minutes or arc-seconds), and a brief

scrolling text description.

When you are finished viewing the selected NGC object, you

may scroll to another NGC object by using the arrow buttons,

or you can select another NGC object to view by pressing the

NGC button again.

C.The Index Catalog

The Index Catalog, or IC, contains 5,386 objects discovered

in the decade or so after the NGC catalog was first published.

This list contains objects similar to the NGC, but IC objects

are typically fainter and more difficult to observe.

To view an object from the IC catalog, press the IC button.

Then input the number of the IC object you wish to view using

the numeric buttons and press the Enter button. For example,

to view the Flaming Star Nebula, which is listed as IC405,

you would press the IC button, then the “4” button, then the

“0” button, then the “5” button, followed by the Enter button.

If the number of the IC object you wish to view contains four

digits, it is not necessary to press Enter after inputting the

fourth digit.

The object’s catalog designation will be shown in the upper left

corner of the LCD screen, with the guide arrows and numbers

in the upper right. The lower left will show the constellation

the object resides in, and the object’s common name (if it has

one) or a brief description of the object will be shown in the

lower right. Move the telescope as shown by the guide arrows

and numbers.

You can get more information about the selected object by

pressing the Enter button.The second line of the LCD display

will then cycle information about the object you are viewing

such as its celestial coordinates (R.A. and Dec.), magnitude

(brightness), size (in arc-minutes or arc-seconds), and a brief

scrolling text description.

When you are finished viewing the selected IC object, you

may scroll to another IC object by using the arrow buttons, or

you can select another IC object to view by pressing the IC

button again.

Locating Objects by Object Type

Rather that trying to select objects by catalog numbers,

you may wish to simply view certain types of objects. This

is where the Nebula, Galaxy, and Cluster buttons come in

handy. These buttons will access a selection of the best and

brightest nebulas, galaxies, and star clusters in the night sky.

The Nebula, Cluster, and Galaxy buttons are organized by

constellation. So, before using these buttons, decide in which

constellation you would like to observe an object. Choose a

constellation that is at least 40° high in the sky to get the best

view. If you are unsure of the constellations currently visible in

your night sky, consult Appendix C.

A. Locating Nebulas

Among the most beautiful objects in the night sky, nebulas are

clouds of dust and gas that are lit by a nearby stellar source.

There are several different types of nebulas; emission nebu-

las, which are where star systems form, planetary nebulas,

which are the result of a star dying, and reflection nebulas,

which are caused by dust reflecting starlight. Most have low

surface brightness, so a dark sky free of light pollution is best

for a night of observing nebulas.

To view a nebula, press the Nebula button on the control-

ler. The LCD screen will then display the word “NEBULA”

with a flashing three-letter constellation designation after it.

Now, select the constellation in which you would like to view

a nebula. Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the list of

constellations. If you are unsure which constellation the three-

letter designation represents, refer to Appendix D. Once you

have selected the constellation, press Enter. A nebula in that

constellation will now appear on the LCD screen, along with

the guide arrows and numbers to lead you to the nebula. The

current constellation is shown in the lower left, and the nebu-

la’s proper name or catalog number is in the lower right. For

more information about the nebula selected, press the Enter

button.

To go to the next nebula in the selected constellation, simply

press the up arrow button. The guide arrows and numbers

will now direct you to the next nebula in the constellation. If

there are no more nebulas available in that constellation, a

nebula from the next constellation (in alphabetical order) will

be displayed. To select another constellation in which to view

nebulas, press the Nebula button again.

B. Locating Star Clusters

Star clusters are just what their name implies; groupings of

stars. Star clusters come in two main types, open and globu-

lar. Open star clusters reside within our Milky Way galaxy and

usually contain a handful of stars clustered together because

they were spawned from the same gas cloud. Globular

clusters are more like miniature galaxies, with hundreds or

thousands of stars packed into a spherical shape by mutual

gravity. Globular clusters reside outside the disk of the Milky

Way galaxy and orbit the galaxy’s center. It is believed that

globular clusters are formed as a natural consequence of gal-

axy formation. Star clusters, in general, are somewhat bright

compared to other deep-sky objects, so many will appear

quite spectacular, even in smaller telescopes.

To view a star cluster, press the Cluster button on the control-

ler. The LCD screen will then display the word “CLUSTER”

with a flashing three-letter constellation designation after it.

Now, select the constellation in which you would like to view a

star cluster. Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the list of

constellations. If you are unsure which constellation the three-

letter designation represents, refer to Appendix D. Once you

have selected the constellation, press Enter. A star cluster in

that constellation will now appear on the LCD screen, along

with the guide arrows and numbers to lead you to the star

cluster. The current constellation is shown in the lower left,

and the star cluster’s proper name or catalog number is in

the lower right. For more information about the star cluster

selected, press the Enter button.

To go to the next star cluster in the selected constellation,

simply press the up arrow button. The guide arrows will now

direct you to the next star cluster in the constellation. If there

are no more star clusters available in that constellation, a star

cluster from the next constellation (in alphabetical order) will

be displayed. To select another constellation in which to view

a star cluster, press the Cluster button again.

C. Locating Galaxies

Nebulas may be beautiful and star clusters impressive, but

nothing has quite the breathtaking power of observing a gal-

axy. Galaxies are collections of billions of stars and have a

variety of shapes and sizes. Viewing a galaxy always gives

the observer a revelation of just how vast our universe truly

is. Keep in mind, however, that most galaxies are quite faint

and may be challenging to identify, especially in smaller tele-

scopes.

To view a galaxy, press the Galaxy button on the control-

ler. The LCD screen will then display the word “GALAXY”

with a flashing three-letter constellation designation after it.

Now, select the constellation in which you would like to view

a galaxy. Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the list of

constellations. If you are unsure which constellation the three-

letter designation represents, refer to Appendix D. Once you

have selected the constellation, press Enter. A galaxy in that

constellation will now appear on the LCD screen, along with

the guide arrows and numbers to lead you to the galaxy. The

current constellation is shown in the lower left, and the gal-

axy’s proper name or catalog number is in the lower right. If

you wish to have more information about the galaxy selected,

press the Enter button.

To go to the next galaxy in the selected constellation, simply

press the up arrow button. The guide arrows will now direct

you to the next galaxy in the constellation. If there are no

more galaxies available in that constellation, a galaxy from

the next constellation (in alphabetical order) will be displayed.

To select another constellation in which to view galaxy, press

the Galaxy button again.

D. Locating Stars

The IntelliScope database contains 837 stars. Stars always

appear like tiny points of light. Even powerful telescopes can-

not magnify a star to appear as more than a point of light.You

can, however, enjoy the different colors of the stars and locate

many pretty double and multiple stars. You can also monitor

variable stars from night to night to see how their brightness

changes over time.

To view a star, press the Star button on the controller. The

LCD screen will then display the word “STAR” with the word

“NAMED” flashing next to it. From this screen, use the arrow

buttons to choose from “NAMED,” “DOUBLE,” “VARIABLE,”

and “CATALOG.”

1. Named Stars

The named stars are the brightest in the night sky. These

are the stars that the ancients gave proper names to, like

“Arcturus” and “Mizar.”

To select a named star, press Enter after selecting “NAMED”

from the Star button choices. You can now use the arrow but-

tons to scroll through the list of named stars. The stars are

listed in alphabetical order. Once you have found the named

star you would like to observe, the guide arrows and numbers

will direct you to move the telescope to the star’s position.

The upper left corner of the LCD screen will show the named

star’s ST catalog number (the IntelliScope’s entire ST catalog

is printed in Appendix E for easy reference), and the lower left

shows the constellation in which the star resides. Pressing

Enter again will display the star’s R.A. and Dec. coordinates,

its magnitude, and a brief description.

To find another named star to observe, simply continue scroll-

ing through the list of named stars.

2. Double (and Multiple) Stars

Many stars in the night sky appear to be single stars, but they

are not. They are actually double or multiple star systems.

Some of these systems comprise of two or more stars gravi-

tationally bound to each other, while others are just two (or

more) stars in the same line of sight. At high magnifications, it

is possible to “split” many double (and multiple) stars into their

individual components. It can also be interesting to contrast

and compare the different colors and magnitudes of the stars

in the system. Be aware, however, that good seeing condi-

tions are critical for separating close components of a double

or multiple star.

To select a double (or multiple) star to observe, press Enter

after selecting “DOUBLE” from the Star button choices. The

LCD screen will then display the word “DOUBLE” with a flash-

ing three-letter constellation designation after it. Now, select

the constellation in which you would like to view a double star.

Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the list of constella-

tions. If you are unsure which constellation the three-letter

designation represents, refer to Appendix D. Once you have

selected the constellation, press Enter. A double star in that

constellation will now appear on the LCD screen, along with

the guide arrows and numbers to lead you to the double star.

The current constellation is shown in the lower left, and the

double star’s name is in the lower right.

Note: Double stars typically have names like “Zeta” (Greek

letter designation) or a number like “36” (Flamsteed number).

The full names for these double stars are actually linked to the

constellation they reside in. For example, in the constellation

Andromeda, these stars would be “Zeta And” and “36 And.”

For more information about the double star selected, press

the Enter button. (The “S=” now refers to the separation, in

arc-seconds, between the double stars. For multiple stars, the

“S=” refers to the separation between the two brightest stars.

The “M=” now refers to the magnitude of the brightest star.) To

go to the next double star in the selected constellation, simply

press the up arrow button. The guide arrows and numbers

will now direct you to the next double star in the constellation.

If there are no more double stars available in that constella-

tion, a double star from the next constellation (in alphabetical

order) will be displayed. To select another constellation in

which to view a double star, press the Star button, select

“DOUBLE”, and press Enter.

3. Variable Stars

Variable stars are stars that change their brightness, also

called magnitude, over time. The period of magnitude change

varies greatly from star to star; some variable stars change

brightness over several days while others may take several

months to noticeably change. It is fun and challenging to

watch a star’s magnitude change over time. Observers typi-

cally compare the current brightness of the variable star to

other stars around it (whose magnitudes are known and do

not change over time).

To select a variable star to observe, press Enter after select-

ing “VARIABLE” from the Star button choices. The LCD

screen will then display the word “VARIABLE” with a flashing

three-letter constellation designation after it. Now, select the

constellation in which you would like to view a variable star.

Use the arrow buttons to scroll through the list of constella-

tions. If you are unsure which constellation the three-letter

designation represents, refer to Appendix D. Once you have

selected the constellation, press Enter. A variable star in that

constellation will now appear on the LCD screen, along with

the guide arrows and numbers to lead you to the variable star.

The current constellation is shown in the lower left, and the

variable star’s name is in the lower right.

Note: Variable stars typically have names like “Eta” (Greek let-

ter designation) or a letter designation like “R.” The full names

for these variable stars are actually linked to the constellation

they reside in. For example, in the constellation Aquila, these

stars would be “Eta Aql” and “R Aql.”

For more information about the variable star selected, press

the Enter button. (The “M=” refers to the mean magnitude

of the variable star.) To go to the next variable star in the

selected constellation, simply press the up arrow button. The

guide arrows and numbers will now direct you to the next vari-

able star in the constellation. If there are no more variable

stars available in that constellation, a variable star from the

next constellation (in alphabetical order) will be displayed. To

select another constellation in which to view a variable star,

press the Star button, select “VARIABLE,” and press Enter.

4. Catalog (ST) Stars

The “ST” catalog contains all of the stars in the IntelliScope

Computerized Object Locator’s database. This catalog has

837 of the most interesting stars to view in the night sky. The

full list of stars appearing in the ST catalog is printed Appendix

E. Generally, the best way to observe catalog stars is to first

peruse Appendix E, and then note the catalog number of the

star you wish to observe.

To select an ST catalog star to observe, press Enter after

selecting “CATALOG” from the Star button choices. The LCD

screen will then display the letter “ST” with three digits blink-

ing after it. Now, input the ST catalog number of the star you

wish to observe, and press Enter. If the ST catalog number of

the star you wish to view contains three digits, it is not neces-

sary to press Enter after inputting the third digit.

The object’s ST catalog designation will be shown in the

upper left corner of the LCD screen, with the guide arrows

and numbers in the upper right. The lower left will show the

constellation the object resides in and the star’s name.

You can get more information on the star selected by pressing

the Enter button. The second line of the LCD screen will then

cycle information about the object you are viewing, such as

its celestial coordinates (R.A. and Dec.), magnitude (bright-

ness), and a brief description.

When you are finished viewing the selected star, you may

scroll to another star in the ST catalog by using the arrow

buttons, or you can select another ST catalog star to view

by pressing the Star button, and pressing Enter once

“CATALOG” is selected.

Tours of the Best Objects

The IntelliScope object locator offers guided tours of the best

and brightest celestial objects visible in the sky each month.

There are 12 monthly tours, each consisting of 12 pre-select-

ed objects. The tours are an easy and fun way to locate and

observe the finest wonders of the heavens. They are a great

place to start for a beginner who is unfamiliar with the night

sky, or for a more experienced observer who wants to revisit

some old favorites or show friends or family “what’s up” on a

given evening.

To start an IntelliScope tour, press the Tour button at any

time after you have aligned the IntelliScope system. The LCD

screen will display “SKY TOUR” and a flashing three-letter

designation for the month. Scroll through the months by using

the arrow buttons until you reach the present month, then

press the Enter button.

The LCD screen will display the first tour object for the selected

month in the lower right of the screen, with the guide arrows

and numbers in the upper right. Use the guide arrows and

numbers to point the telescope, and you will soon be observ-

ing the first astronomical showpiece of the month.

You can get more information about the current tour object by

pressing the Enter button. The second line of the LCD screen

will then cycle the following information about the object you

are viewing; its celestial co-ordinates (R.A. and Dec.), mag-

nitude (brightness), size (in arc minutes or seconds), and a

brief text description.

When you have finished viewing the first tour object for the

selected month, you can continue the tour by pressing the

up arrow button to find the next object. You can exit the tour

at any time by pressing any one of the other function buttons

on the controller.

Since several months’ tour objects are visible in the night sky

at one time, feel free to select a month before or after the

current month. These tour objects will likely be visible also.

Remember, however, that viewing objects below 40 or so

from the horizon will not give the best view due to atmospher-

ic distortion (and usually light pollution). If you are finding that

objects in the selected tour month are too close to the hori-

zon, you should choose a month prior to the selected month,

or you can wait a few hours for the objects to rise higher in

the sky!

The Identify Function

There may come a time in your observations when you spot

an unidentified deep sky object or star in the eyepiece and

want to know what it is. With the IntelliScope Computerized

Object Locator, a simple press of a button will tell you.

When you locate an object and center it in the eyepiece,

you can identify it by simply pressing the ID button. The LCD

screen will display “IDENTIFY” with the word “ANY” flashing.

You can then use the up and down arrow buttons to scroll

through several more specific options (“STAR”, “DOUBLE”,

“CLUSTER”, “NEBULA”, and “GALAXY”). If you know which

one of these object types you are looking at, selecting the

object type will make the identification quicker and more

accurate. This is because the computer will search through a

shorter list of potential object matches, and will allow proper

identification if there are several objects within the same field

of view. If you are unsure of the object type you are looking at,

simply select “ANY” from the list of choices. Once you have

selected the object type (or “ANY”), press the Enter button.

The identity of the object centered in the eyepiece will now be

displayed in the lower right area of the LCD screen. The con-

stellation in which the object resides is shown in the lower left.

As always, to get more information about the object, press the

Enter button.

An interesting feature of the ID function is that once initiat-

ed, it is continually active. So, if you press the ID button, and

choose “STAR”, for instance, you can move your telescope

from star to star in the sky, and the controller will automati-

cally display the star’s identity when you center the star in the

eyepiece. This can be a fun and easy way to identify the stars

in the sky. In fact, you can even make a “Name That Star”

game out of it! Point your finger at a bright star in the sky and

see if you can name it. Then, just point the telescope at the

star to see if you were correct or not. If the centered star is not

in the object locator’s database, it will display the identity of

the closest star that is in its database.

To exit the identify function, simply press any other of the con-

troller’s function buttons. If you would like to identify another

object type, press the ID button again.

Adding User-Defined Objects

Not only does the IntelliScope’s database contain over 14,000

fascinating objects to view, you can even add your own! Up to

99 user-defined objects can be entered into the database by

means of the User button. These user-defined objects can be

random stars, a faint object not contained in the controller’s

database, or just a pretty object you would like to come back

to at some point in the future.

To enter a user-defined object into the database, you must

have the right ascension (R.A.) and declination (Dec.) coor-

dinates for the object. If you are currently observing an object

that is not in the controller’s database and you wish to add it,

but don’t know its coordinates, you can use the FCN button to

obtain its coordinates (described in next section).

To input a user-defined object, begin by pressing the User

button. The LCD screen will display the word “NEW” with a

two-digit number flashing after it. Since no user-defined

objects currently exist, press Enter to create user-defined

(“NEW”) object number 01. The LCD will display the R.A. and

Dec. coordinates for the “NEW” object selected in the lower

left. Since no data has been input yet, these coordinates will

be 00:00 +00.0. The first four digits indicate the R.A. coordi-

nate (in R.A. hours and minutes), and the remaining digits

(and the ± sign) indicate the Dec. coordinate (in degrees).

Now, press the Enter button, and the first two digits of the

R.A. coordinate (R.A. hours) will begin flashing. Press the two

numerical buttons on the keypad that correspond the hours

value of the R.A. coordinate. If the value of the R.A. hours is

less than 10, make sure to enter a zero first. Then the sec-

ond two digits of the R.A. coordinate (R.A. minutes) will begin

flashing. Press the two numerical buttons that correspond to

the minutes value of the R.A. coordinate. If the R.A. minutes

are less than 10, make sure to enter a zero first. Next, the

sign of the Dec. coordinate will be flashing. Use the arrow but-

tons to select “+” or “-”for the Dec. coordinate. Then, the first

two digits of the Dec. coordinate will begin flashing. Press the

two numerical buttons that correspond to the degrees value

of the Dec. coordinate. Then the tenth of a degree value for

the Dec coordinate will begin flashing. Press the numerical

button that corresponds to the tenths of a degree value for the

Dec. coordinate.

You have now input the data for your first user-defined object.

Remember that this object is now “NEW01”. If you wish to

view this object in the future, press the User button, and

press Enter once “NEW01” is selected. The guide arrows and

numbers will then tell you where to point your telescope to

find the user-defined object.

If you wish to input another user-defined object, select

“NEW02” (by using numerical buttons or the arrow buttons)

after pressing the User button and input the data as outlined

previously. If you select a “NEW” object number that you have

already entered coordinates for and attempt to input new

data, you will lose the data that was input previously. You may

find it convenient to keep a written log of the “NEW” objects

so that you can easily keep track of them.

The FCN Button

The IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator has several

other useful functions, a couple of which can be accessed by

using the FCN (function) button.

A. R.A. and Dec. Coordinates

By simply pressing the FCN button, the controller will give a

continuous readout of the telescope’s current R.A. and Dec.

coordinates. This can be helpful and powerful in a number

of ways. You can easily find any object in the night sky if you

know its right ascension and declination coordinates. Grab

any star atlas, choose any object you wish to view, be it faint

galaxy or random star, and jot down its coordinates. Then,

once you have aligned the IntelliScope system, you can point

the telescope to that location by simply pressing the FCN

button and moving the telescope until the R.A. and Dec. coor-

dinates displayed match the coordinates of the object you

wish to view.You can also press the FCN button at any time to

display the current R.A. and Dec. coordinates of whatever you

are currently viewing.

A common use for the FCN button is to locate “transient”

objects, such as comets and asteroids. To find these objects

you will need to learn their coordinates from astronomy

resources, such as Astronomy, Sky & Telescope or a reliable

astronomy website like Space.com. Comet and asteroid posi-

tions will change from night to night, so entering the current

coordinates into the user-defined database is generally not

useful.

After pressing the FCN button, the R.A. and Dec. coordinates

corresponding to the center of the telescope’s field of view are

displayed on the first line of the LCD screen. The lower left of

the screen indicates the current constellation the telescope is

pointing to. The lower right numbers are the current azimuth

(“AZ”) and altitude (“ALT”) coordinates of the telescope; this

information is generally not useful.

B.The Realignment Function

This function is useful for obtaining a new alignment fix dur-

ing an observing session to correct for small pointing errors.

Use this function only when pointing accuracy for a certain

area of the sky appears to be poor compared to other areas

of the sky. This is evident when objects in one area of the sky

consistently fall at the edge or just outside the field of view (of

the 25mm eyepiece) when the numbers on the LCD screen

read "0.0 0.0." This can happen if the alignment stars initially

chosen during setup are somewhat close to each other (less

than 60 apart) or if the area of sky being viewed is a consider-

able distance away from the alignment stars chosen.

To improve pointing accuracy in a specific area of the sky,

select an object in the hand controller’s database from that

region, and use the guide arrows and numbers to find the

object. Precisely center the object in the eyepiece (prefer-

ably a high-powered one). Now, press the FCN button, and

the R.A. and Dec. coordinates of the centered object will be

displayed. Then, press the Enter button. The LCD screen

will now display “ALIGN OBJECT” on the first line, and will

be flashing the object currently centered in the telescope

on the second line. Pressing Enter again then realigns the

IntelliScope system to the object centered in the telescope.

The LCD screen will display a new “warp factor” associated

with the new alignment. If this number is greater than ±0.7,

you may want to consider resetting the controller to perform

another initial two-star alignment. Turn the controller off then

on again (with the Power button) to do this.

If, instead of pressing Enter a second time after pressing the

FCN button, you press one of the arrow buttons, the list of

initial setup alignment stars will be displayed. If you wish, you

can select one of these alignment stars to realign on. Do this

by scrolling to the desired alignment star using the arrow but-

tons, center the star in the telescope, and press Enter.

In general, it will not be necessary to use the realignment func-

tion, but it is a handy feature to have at your disposal. Also, be

aware that while pointing accuracy will increase in the area of

sky around the object realigned on, it may decrease in other

areas of the sky.

The “Hidden” Functions

All of the active functions of the IntelliScope Computerized

Object Locator have been outlined. There are, however,

some additional “hidden” functions that may be of some use

to you. To access the hidden functions, press the Enter but-

ton while pressing the Power button to turn the controller on.

The LCD will display its introduction screen (with software

version number) and then show the words “ALT AZM TEST.”

This is the first hidden function. Scroll to the other hidden

functions by using the arrow buttons. The other hidden func-

tions are “ENCODER TEST,” “DOWNLOAD,” “CHECKSUM,”

“REWRITE,” and “CLOCK.” When the hidden function you

wish to use is displayed, press Enter to select it. To exit the

currently chosen hidden function, press any button except

for the Enter or arrow buttons. To completely exit the hidden

functions section of the controller, you will need to hold the

Power button down until the controller turns off.

The rest of this section gives the details and purpose of each

hidden function.

A. Altitude and Azimuth Test

The altitude and azimuth test (“ALT AZM TEST”) is a diag-

nostic test that gives relative R.A. and Dec. positions for the

telescope. This test will allow you to easily see if the encoders

are “talking” to the controller, and if the encoders are accu-

rately monitoring the telescope’s motions about each axis.

Once “ALT AZM TEST” is chosen from the hidden function

options, the LCD screen will display the telescope’s current

relative R.A. and Dec. position (in degrees); the relative R.A.

is in the lower right, while the relative Dec. is in the upper

right. The first two sets of numbers on the upper and lower

lines of the LCD screen are meaningless for the purposes of

this test.

If you move the telescope in R.A, the number in the lower

right should change. If you rotate the telescope exactly 360

in R.A., the readout should return to the original reading. If

you move the telescope in Dec., the number in the upper right

should change. If you rotate the telescope exactly 360 in Dec.,

the readout should return to the original reading.

If one, or both, of the encoders are not behaving properly

when performing this diagnostic test, there may be a problem

with the assembly of the system, or a problem with one of

the encoder boards or magnet rings. Be sure the magnet ring

is not slipping on its threaded shaft; you may need to apply

more Loctite if this is the case. Also, be sure to check all cable

connections.

B. Encoder Test

The encoder test is another diagnostic test that gives infor-

mation about the performance of the encoders themselves.

Select “ENCODER TEST” from the list of hidden functions

using the arrow buttons and press Enter.

The LCD screen will now display two lines of data. The bottom

line of data corresponds to the R.A. encoder, while the upper

line of data corresponds to the Dec. encoder.The first two dig-

its on each line denote the amplitude of the signal from one of

the magnetic sensors on the encoder board, the second two

digits represent the amplitude from the other sensor on the

encoder board. The numbers are in hexadecimal (base 16)

digits. Therefore “A” in hexadecimal represents “11” in deci-

mal, “B” represents “12” in decimal, “C” represents “13,” “D”

represents “14,” “E” represents “15,” and “F” represents “16.”

When moving the telescope in R.A. or Dec., you will note that

each of the digit pairs rises and falls. None of the digit pairs

should ever go above “F3.” If they do, then the encoder mag-

net ring is too close to the sensors on the encoder board.

If you notice that one of the digit pairs goes above “F3,” try

loosening the Phillips head screws on the exterior of the cor-

responding encoder housing and pull the encoder housing

very slightly away from the magnet ring. Retighten the Phillips

head screws when done. If this does not work, you will need

to disassemble the encoder and carefully reassemble it.

The three-digit number displayed after the digit pairs on each

line is the “radius” for each encoder. This number should not

go above about 110 or below about 40. If it does, performance

may be compromised for the corresponding encoder. If the

number goes above 110, then the encoder sensors and mag-

net ring are too close to each other. If the number goes below

40, the encoder sensors and magnet ring are too far away

from each other. Also, if the radius varies by more than 25

counts in a cycle, encoder performance may not be optimal,

and reinstallation may be necessary; likely, the magnet ring is

cross-threaded on its corresponding shaft.

The four-digit number at the end of each line is the raw

encoder “ticks” in hexadecimal numbers. This information will

generally not be useful for diagnostic testing of the encoders.

C. Download

This function allows downloading of software changes and

upgrades available from Orion’s website. To use this option,

you must have the optional IntelliScope-to-PC cable, avail-

able from Orion. Check www.OrionTelescopes.com for more

information about available software downloads for the

IntelliScope object locator.

D. Checksum

The checksum function is used to make sure that software

has loaded into the controller properly. It has no purpose until

a new software version is downloaded. Check the IntelliScope

download section on www.OrionTelescopes.com to see what

the proper checksum should be for each new software ver-

sion.

E. Rewrite

Rewrite is also only used after a new software version has

been downloaded. It rewrites the new software into its memo-

ry in order to prevent any potential problems from arising after

the software transfer.

F. Clock

This function is for using Orion IntelliScope Dobsonian tele-

scopes with an equatorial platform; it has no purpose in

relation to the SkyView Pro IntelliScope system.

SPECIFICATIONS

Object locator database:

• 110Messierobjects

• 7840NewGeneralCatalogobjects

• 5386IndexCatalogobjects

• 8Majorplanets

• 99User-definedobjects

Computer interface: RS-232 modular jack in hand controller

Power: Requires one 9V battery

Encoder resolution: 9216 counts/revolution

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is

subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device nay not cause

harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference

received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Changes of modifications not expressly approved by the party

responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate

the equipment.

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the

limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC

Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection

against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equip-

ment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if

not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause

harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no

guarantee that interference will no occur in a particular installation. If

this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television

reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and

on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or

more of the following measures:

• Reorientorrelocatethereceivingantenna.

• Increasetheseparationbetweentheequipmentandreceiver.

• Connecttheequipmentintoanoutputonacircuitdifferentfrom

that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consultthedealeroran experiencedradio/TVtechnician for

help.

• Ashieldedcablemustbeusedwhenconnectingaperipheralto

the serial ports.

APPENDIX A:

TROUBLESHOOTING THE

INTELLISCOPE SYSTEM

This section is intended to help you if you are encountering

any problems with your IntelliScope system. If this information

is not useful to you in determining the source of the problem,

contact Orion Technical Support via phone or email.

Warp factor consistently above ±0.7 but below

±2.0

•ChecktheaccuracyoftheDec=0°referencemark.

•Arealignmentstarsbeingcenteredwithreasonablepreci-

sion? Using a high-power eyepiece (at least 10mm focal

length), or an illuminated reticle eyepiece (preferred) to do this

is recommended.

•Areencodermagnetringsslippingslightlyontheirshafts?

You can use the “ALT AZM TEST” to check this. Rotate the

mount 360° about each axis and confirm that the numbers on

the LCD screen return to their original readings. You can also

disassemble the encoders and attempt to gently unthread the

rings from their shafts; if they easily unthread, you will need to

apply more Loctite.

•Usealignmentstarsthatarewellabovethehorizon.Light

from stars is refracted as it travels through the atmosphere

and starlight near the horizon has to travel through the great-

est amount of atmosphere before reaching your telescope.

Stars near the horizon can appear as much as 2° away from

their actual position.

•TryrotatingtheDecadapterby45°fromitsoriginalposition

shown in Figure 6. Remove the Dec. encoder before attempt-

ing this. Make sure the Dec. adapter is well seated against the

Dec. casting once rotated.

• Are the encoders properly tuned? Check this with the

“ENCODER TEST”.

•ArethePhillipsheadscrewsthatthatclampeachencoder

to the mount tightened equally? If not, the encoder sensors

may be shifted to one side relative to the magnet ring. Remove

and reinstall the encoder, this time being sure to tighten all the

Phillips head screws on the exterior perimeter of the encoder

equally.

•Adjustfortheopticalaxisoffseterrorbetweenthetelescope

and mount. See Appendix B for details on how to do this.

Warp numbers larger than 2.0

•Arethestarsyoualignedonactuallythestarsyouselected

with the controller? Consult the finder charts in Appendix A if

you are unsure.

•Areencodermagnetringsslippingontheirshafts?Youcan

use the “ALT AZM TEST” to check this. Rotate the mount 360°

about each axis and confirm that the numbers on the LCD

screen return to their original readings. You can also disas-

semble the encoders and attempt to gently unthread the rings

from their shafts; if they easily unthread, you will need to apply

more Loctite.

•IsthetelescopepointingwestwhentheDec.=0°initialposi-

tion is set? If the telescope is pointing east, then you will need

to remove the tube from the mount (leaving the tube rings

and tube ring mounting plate attached), rotate it by 180°, and

replace it on the mount.

Readout does not change when you move the

scope (during “ALT AZM TEST”)

•Checkthecableconnections.

•Trydisassemblingthenreassemblingtheencoder(s).

If you need to contact Orion Technical Support, email

suppor[email protected] or call (800) 676-1343

APPENDIX B: ADJUSTING

OPTICAL AXIS OFFSET

For best pointing accuracy, the optical axis of the telescope

(not the mechanical axis) must be precisely perpendicular to

the mount’s declination axis. While this is generally not the

case, the resultant pointing accuracy is still usually sufficient.

If you are having trouble consistently placing objects within

the field of view of a low-power eyepiece (25mm or greater),

however, the optical axis of your telescope may be slightly

skewed. To correct this, you will need a tube ring mounting

plate with optical axis offset adjustment screws (Figure 17)

and an eyepiece with crosshairs (preferable illuminated). If

you do not have either of these items, you can purchase them

from Orion.

The following optical axis offset correction procedure can be

performed on a distant object (1/4 mile or greater away) during

the day or on Polaris (because it doesn’t move over time with

the rotation of the Earth) at night:

1. Insert the illuminated reticle eyepiece into the focuser (or

diagonal) of the telescope. Confirm the telescope is prop-

erly set up and balanced, and the finderscope is aligned

with the optical tube of the telescope.

2. Loosen the thumbscrew and rotate the illuminated eye-

piece in the focuser (or diagonal) until the crosshairs are

parallel with the motions of the telescope. In other words,

when you move the telescope in R.A., a centered object

or star should move along one crosshair, and when you

move in Dec. it moves along the other crosshair. Tighten

the thumbscrew on the focuser (or diagonal) to secure the

Figure 17. To correct for optical axis offset, a tube ring mounting

plate with four optical axis offset adjustment screws is required.

Optical axis offset

adjustment screws

Flat washer

Lock washer

Tube ring

attachment screw

eyepiece in position. Make sure the eyepiece will remain

stationary while the telescope is slewed; if you are using a

star diagonal, do not rotate the diagonal at anytime during

this procedure.

3. Loosen the R.A. lock knob and rotate the telescope about

the R.A. axis until the counterweight shaft is horizontal.

4. If you are performing this procedure at night, roughly polar

align the telescope. Then, adjust the mount in Dec. until the

telescope tube is parallel to the R.A. axis (as it is in Figure

14a).

5. If you are performing this procedure during the day, rotate

the telescope tube about the Dec. axis until it is parallel to

the R.A. axis (as it is in Figure 14a). Now, rotate the tripod

and use the latitude adjustment L-bolts to acquire a distant

object into the eyepiece’s field of view.

6. Using the Dec. slow-motion control knob, adjust the tele-

scope in Dec. so Polaris or the distant daytime object lies

on the R.A. crosshairs of the illuminated reticle eyepiece

(Figure 18).

7. Without moving the R.A. axis, adjust the mount’s azimuth

fine-adjustment knobs to orient Polaris or the distant object

in the center of the eyepiece field of view. Slight adjust-

ments with the Dec. slow-motion control knob may also be

necessary to center the object.

8. Loosen the R.A. lock knob and carefully rotate the tele-

scope 180° about the R.A. axis. This should be done as

accurately as possible referencing the R.A. mechanical

setting circle (12 hours of R.A. = 180°).

9. Polaris or the distant object will not be centered in the

eyepiece field of view anymore. Adjust the position of the

telescope in the Dec. axis (using the slow-motion control

knob) so Polaris or the distant daytime object lies on the

R.A. crosshairs of the illuminated reticle eyepiece (Figure

18). Polaris or the daytime object will likely not be centered

on the intersection of the crosshairs (in fact if it is, there is

no optical axis offset error to correct!).

10.Carefully push the telescope in a horizontal motion while

observing the movement of Polaris or the distant daytime

object in the eyepiece field of view (Figure 19). This will

determine which direction (left or right) moves Polaris or

the distant object closer to the center of the eyepiece field

of view.

11.Loosen the two hex head tube ring attachment screws that

connect the tube rings to the mounting plate (refer to Figure

17) by a couple of turns.

12. Make adjustments to the optical axis offset adjustment

screws (the socket head cap screws located at each cor-

ner of the mounting plate, refer to Figure 17) according to

the results of step 10. If Polaris or the distant object moves

toward the eyepiece’s center when the telescope is pushed

as indicated in Figure 19, loosen the optical axis offset

Figure 18. Adjust the Dec. slow-motion control knob to place the

star on the R.A. crosshair.

Figure 19. Gently push the telescope horizontally to determine

direction of optical axis offset.

Figure 20a. Adjust the optical axis offset screws this way if

Polaris (or the distant daytime object) moves toward the center of the

eyepiece when the tube is pushed as in Figure 19.

screws near the front of the tube and tighten the optical

axis offset screws closer to the back of the tube (Figure

20a). If Polaris or the distant object moves away from cen-

ter when the telescope is pushed as in Figure 19, loosen

the optical axis offset screws near the back of the tube and

tighten the optical axis offset screws closer to the front of

the tube (Figure 20b). Look into the eyepiece and adjust

the screws just enough to place Polaris or the distant object

HALF the distance back to the center of the eyepiece’s

field of view (Figure 21).

13.Retighten the tube ring attachment screws.

14.Repeat steps 7 to 13 until Polaris or the distant object

remains close to the center of the eyepiece field of view

with only correction to the Dec. slow-motion control knob

when the mount is rotated 180° about the R.A. axis.

The optical axis offset error is now greatly reduced, if not elimi-

nated altogether. You should now get better warp numbers

after star alignments, and resultant pointing accuracy should

also be improved. It is recommended that you leave the tube

rings and tube ring mounting plate attached to the telescope

tube. Otherwise, you may need to adjust for optical axis offset

error again.

Note: This procedure can be applied to both refracting and

reflecting telescope designs. Differences in the optical path of

telescopes do not affect how the telescope tube and tube rings

should be adjusted on the mounting plate.

Figure 20b. Adjust the

optical axis offset screws this

way if Polaris (or the distant

daytime object) moves away

from the eyepiece’s center.

Figure 21. Using the optical axis offset screws move Polaris

halfway to the eyepiece’s center.

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