SKY-WATCHER EQ6 User manual

291104V3W
EQ-6
Dec. Lock Level
Mounting Plate
Lock Knob
R.A. Setting Circle
Polarscope Holder
(not shown)
AltitudeAdjustment
T-bolts
Hand Control
Accessory Tray
Dec. Setting Circle
Counterweight
Rod Lock Knob
Counterweight
Thumb Screw
Counterweight Rod
AltitudeAdjustment
T-bolts
AzimuthAdjustment
Knob
Tripod Leg
HeightAdjustment
Clamp
ESC SETUP ENTER
123
456
789
0
TOUR EVENT
RATE
MIC
NGC
PLANET USER
OBJECT
ID
EQ6 SkyScanTM
Battery Box
R.A. Lock Level
Latitude Scale
Power
DC 12V
Power Switch
ON
OFF

Assembling the EQ6 MOUNT
Tripod Set Up
Mount Assembly
Hand Control Holder Installation
3
3
3
4
Balancing the Telescope
Operating the EQ6 Mount Manually
4
5
Polar Aligning the EQ6 6
Introduction to the EQ6 SkyScanTM
Powering the EQ6 SkyScanTM
SkyScanTM Hand Control
The EQ6 SkyScanTM
Initial Setup
Star Alignment
Hand Control Operation
Object database in the EQ6 SkyScanTM
Selecting an Object
Object Catalogue 13
13
13
10
11
8
10
8
8
8
Utility Functions
Setup Functions
Using the User Defined Database
Identifying an Unknown Object
Linking with a Computer
Auto Guiding
Other Features
EQ6 SkyScan Menu Tree
14
16
Technical Specifications 17
Astronomy Basics 18
14
14
14
15
15
15
Appendix A - Enhancing the precision I
VI
VII
VIII
Appendix B - Standard Time Zones of the World
Appendix C - RS-232 Connection
Appendix D - Periodic Error Correction
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEVER USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN. PERMANENT
EYE DAMAGE WILL RESULT. USE A PROPER SOLAR FILTER FIRMLY MOUNTED
ON THE FRONT OF THE TELESCOPE FOR VIEWING THE SUN. WHEN OBSERVING
THE SUN, PLACE A DUST CAP OVER YOUR FINDERSCOPE OR REMOVE IT TO
PROTECT YOU FROM ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE. NEVER USE AN EYEPIECE-TYPE
SOLAR FILTER AND NEVER USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO PROJECT SUNLIGHT ONTO
ANOTHER SURFACE, THE INTERNAL HEAT BUILD-UP WILL DAMAGE THE
TELESCOPE OPTICAL ELEMENTS.

3
MOUNT ASSEMBLY
Fig. 1 ASSEMBLING TRIPOD LEGS (Fig.1)
1) Slowly loosen the height adjustment clamp and
gently pull out the lower section of each tripod
leg. Tighten the clamps to hold the legs in place.
2) Pull the tripod legs away from the tripod head to
stand the tripod upright.
3) Adjust the height of each tripod leg until the tripod
head is properly leveled. Note that the tripod legs
may not be at same length when the tripod head
is level.
ATTACHING THE ACCESSORY TRAY (Fig. 3)
1) Slide the accessory tray along the primary locking
shaft until it pushes against the tripod legs.
2) Secure with the washer and locking knob.
ATTACHING MOUNT TO TRIPOD LEGS (Fig. 2)
1) Loosen the azimuth adjustment knobs. Align metal
dowel on the tripod head with the gap between the
azimuth adjustment knobs underneath the mount.
Retighten knobs to secure.
2) Push the primary locking shaft up against the mount
and turn the knurled knob underneath to secure
mount to tripod.
Fig. 3
Fig. 4 Fig. 5
TRIPOD SET UP
Fig. 2.
INSTALLING COUNTERWEIGHTS (Fig. 4, 5)
1) Loosen the counterweight rod lock knob and gently
pull out the counterweight rod. Re-tighten the lock
knob to secure the counterweight rod in place.
2) Unscrew the threaded cap from the end of the
counterweight rod.
3) Locate counterweights and slide them halfway
along the counterweight rod. Tighten counterweight
thumb screws to secure.
5) Replace cap on the end of counterweight rod.
EQ-6
Loosen the azimuth adjustment knobs to allow more space for the
metal dowel if mount does not fit into tripod head completely.

4
Fig.a
Slowly unlock the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs.
Rotate the telescope until both the optical tube
and the counterweight rod are horizontal to the
ground, and the telescope tube is to the side of
the mount (Fig.a).
Tighten the Dec. lock knob.
Move the counterweights along the counterweight
rod until the telescope is balanced and remains
stationary when released.
Tighten the counterweight thumb screws to hold
the counterweights in their new position.
A Telescope should be balanced before each observing session. Balancing reduces stress on the
telescope mount and allows for precise control of micro-adjustment. A balanced telescope is
specially critical when doing astrophotography. The telescope should be balanced after all
accessories (eyepiece, camera, etc.) have been attached. Before balancing your telescope, make
sure that your tripod is level and on a stable surface. For photography, point the telescope in the
direction you will be taking photos before performing the balancing steps.
R.A. Balancing
1)
2)
3)
4) N
Fig. 6
1) Locate the hand control holder. Slide
the holder onto the accessory tray as
shown in Fig.6.
INSTALLING THE HAND CONTROL
HOLDER (Fig. 6)
1)
2)
3)
4)
Dec. Balancing
The R.A. balancing should be done before proceeding with Dec. balancing.
Release the R.A. lock knob and rotate around the R.A. axis so that the counterweight rod is in a
horizontal position. Tighten the R.A. lock knob.
Unlock the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope tube until it is parallel to the ground.
Slowly release the telescope and determine in which direction it rotates. Loosen the telescope
tube rings and slide the telescope tube forward or backward in the rings until it is balanced.
Once the telescope no longer rotates from its parallel starting position, re-tighten the tube rings
and the Dec. lock knob. Reset the altitude axis to your local latitude.
HAND CONTROL HOLDER INSTALLATION

5
Fig.c
Fig.d
Fig.b
Altitude
adjustment
Azimuth
adjustment
EQ-6
The EQ6 mount has controls for both
conventional altitude (up-down) and azimuthal
(left-right) directions of motion. Use the altitude
adjustment T-bolts for altitude adjustments.
These allow fine-adjustment for setting the
mount to your local latitude. The azimuthal axis
is changed by the two azimuth adjustment
knobs located near the tripod head. These allow
fine-adjustment of azimuth for polar aligning
(Fig.b).
R.A. adjustment
Dec. adjustment
Warning Tips Trouble Shooting
Do not adjust the mount manually when
under the EQ6 SkyScanTM operation mode.
The telescope will have to be returned to
the Home Position and initial star alignment
will have to be done again. (See Initial
Setup under Hand Control Operation for
information on the telescope Home
Position. )
Make sure to loosen one altitude
adjustment T-bolt before tightening the
other. Over-tightening can cause the bolts
to bend or break.
Power
DC 12V
Dec. scale
R.A. scale
Latitude
scale
Power
DC 12V
In addition, this mount has direction controls for
polar aligned astronomical observing. These
directions use right ascension (east/west) and
declination (north/south) axis. There are two
options to move the telescope in these
directions: For large and quick movement,
loosen the R.A. lock level under the R.A. shaft
or the Dec. lock level near the top of the mount
(Fig.c). For fine adjustments, use the EQ6
SkyScanTM hand control (see "Hand Control
Operation").
There are three numerical scales on this mount.
The lower scale is used for polar alignment of
the telescope to your local latitude. The R.A.
(right ascension) scale is measures hour angle
and is adjustable to your local meridian. The
declination scale is located near the top of the
mount (Fig.d).
ON
OFF
ON
OFF

6
The polarscope supplied with the EQ6 Mount can be used for
simple or precise polar alignment. Simple method of polar
alignment described here is sufficient for casual visual use of
the telescope. See Appendix A-Enhancing the Precision for
accurate polar alignment method.
Remove the caps from the upper and lower ends of the Right
Ascension (R.A.) axis (Fig.e) so you can look into the
polarscope. Rotate the mount in declination axis so that the
hole in the shaft is in front of the polar scope. This allows you to
see all the way through the Right Ascension shaft. If possible,
this procedure should be carried out while the telescope and
counterweights are on the mount. This prevents the mount from
becoming misaligned when the load on the tripod is changed.
Leveling the tripod will make it easier to use the Azimuth and
Altitude adjustments on the mount when trying to center the
stars in the polar scope. The tripod can be made level by using
a bubble level or carpenter's level.
Looking through the polar scope, lines should be seen super-
imposed on the sky. Figure e-1 shows the view through the
pole finder. Line drawings representing the Big Dipper and
Cassiopeia are used for the Northern Hemisphere. The third
line drawing represents Octans and is used for the Southern
Hemisphere. The circle in the center of the field indicates the
path Polaris makes around the North Celestial Pole.
Before using the polarscope for the first time, it is
recommended that you perform the following polarscope
alignment. This only needs to be done once unless the
polarscope has been removed from the mount.
Polarscope alignment
The optical axis of the polarscope is already aligned with the
rotation axis of the mount. The optical axis of the polar scope
can not be adjusted. This is set permanently at the factory. The
reticule in the polar scope must be centered on the optical axis
of the polar scope. When this is true, the reticule in the polar
scope will be parallel to the rotation axis of the mount. If this is
not the case, accurate polar alignment will not be possible.
Locate Polaris and place it in the center of the polarscope by
adjusting the Altitude and Azimuth of the mount. Place Polaris
directly under the cross in the center of the reticule (Fig.e-2).
Rotate the mount one half turn about the R.A. axis. Polaris
should remain under the cross in the center of the reticule. If it
does not, the reticule is not centered on the R.A. axis of the
mount.
To move the reticule, adjust the three small setscrews on the
polarscope (Fig.e-3). Make small adjustments by moving only
two of the screws at a time. You will have to alternately loosen
one and then compensate for the slack by tightening the other
screw. Adjust the screws slightly, less than one-quarter turn at a
time, to move Polaris half the distance back to the center of the
reticule (Fig.e-4). This is because Polaris started in the center of
the reticule. By rotating the mount 180 degrees, Polaris moved
Fig.e
Fig.e-1
Fig.e-2
Power
on
off
Polaris
NCP
Octans
C
a
s
s
i
o
p
e
i
a
B
i
g
D
i
p
p
e
r
Polaris
NCP
Octans
C
a
s
s
i
o
p
e
i
a
B
i
g
D
i
p
p
e
r
Place Polaris here
Fig.e-3
1
2
E
W
20
20
10
10
0
12
adjust these
screws

7
Fig.e-4
Fig.e-5
Fig.e-6
exactly twice the distance between the center of the
reticule and the center of rotation. The center of rotation
lies midway between the center of the reticule and the new
position of Polaris. Do not turn any of the setscrews more
than one-quarter turn at a time or the reticule will
disengage from the setscrews. Do not over-tighten these
screws too much or the stress could fracture the reticule.
Now re-center Polaris under the cross in the middle of the
reticule using the Azimuth and Altitude adjustments.
Repeat the entire procedure until Polaris remains in the
center of the reticule when the mount is rotated about the
R.A. axis. With some practice, you should be able to align
the reticule with the R.A. axis to within about 2 arc-
minutes. You should never have to make this adjustment
again, unless the polar scope has been dropped,
disassembled, or if the polar scope is to be used on
another mount.
If Polaris is not visible from your area, a distant object
such as the top of a telephone pole or a mountaintop can
be used. These objects are larger than the image of a star,
so they will not provide as accurate an alignment, but they
will not move during this alignment procedure.
Using the Polarscope
Northern Hemisphere
There is only one easily visible star near the North
Celestial Pole. This star is Polaris. The rest of the stars in
Ursa Minor are around Magnitude 5 and require very dark
skies to become visible. Since Polaris is not exactly on the
North Celestial Pole, the telescope's R.A. axis must be
offset from Polaris by a small amount in the correct
direction.
By using the line drawings of the Big Dipper and
Cassiopeia, the RA shaft can be rotated so the view in the
pole finder is similar to the view of the sky. This can be
done by using one eye to look through the pole finder
while using the other eye to look at the sky. This procedure
takes some practice. Adjust the mount in Altitude and
Azimuth, until Polaris is in the small circle on the line in the
pole finder (Fig.e-5). The polar alignment is now complete.
This should get the mount's R.A. axis within 5 arc-minutes
of the celestial pole.
Southern Hemisphere
There is a 4-star pattern in the polar scope, which
resembles the bucket of the Big Dipper. In the Southern
Hemisphere, there is an Asterism in Octans, which has
this shape. By rotating the R.A. axis and by adjusting
the altitude and azimuth of the mount, the four stars in
the Asterism can be placed in the circles in the Pole
Finder (Fig.e-6). This procedure can be somewhat
difficult in the city because all four of these stars are
fainter than Magnitude 5.
Place Polaris here
(half the distance)
If Polaris drifted to here
Polaris
NCP
Octans
C
a
s
s
i
o
p
e
i
a
B
i
g
D
i
p
p
e
r
Place Polaris
here
Northern Hemisphere
Place the four stars
in the Asterism here
Polaris
NCP
Octans
C
a
s
s
i
o
p
e
i
a
B
i
g
D
i
p
p
e
r
Southern Hemisphere

Introduction to the EQ6 SkyScan
TM
Powering the EQ6 SkyScan
TM
The EQ6 SkyScanTM is a precision-engineered
instrument that will allow you to easily find and
enjoy viewing night sky treasures, such as
planets, nebulae, star clusters, galaxies and
much more. The hand control allows you to point
your telescope at a specific object or even tour
the skies at the touch of a button. The user
friendly menu system allows automatic slewing
to over 13,400 objects. Even an inexperienced
astronomer can master its variety of features in a
few observing sessions. Below is a brief
description of the individual components of the
EQ6 SkyScanTM hand controller.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM should be powered by 11-15V
DC power supply (tip-positive) capable of
producing continuous current of minimum 2 amps.
Correctly plug the power cord into the 12V DC
outlet on the side of the mount. Flip the Power
Switch to the "on" position to turn on the power.
The power indicator will flash when the power is
low (Fig.f).
SkyScan
TM
Hand Control
The EQ6 SkyScanTM has a RJ-45 connector on
one end and DB9 on the other. Plug the RJ-45
connector into the hand control. Push the
connector into the outlet until it clicks into place.
Plug the DB9 connector into the outlet on the
mount. Tighten the screws to secure the
connector in place (Fig.g). The RJ-11 4-pin port
is used for RS-232 communications between the
EQ6 SkyScanTM and a computer (see "Linking
with a Computer"). The DC power port allows
independent use of the EQ6 SkyScanTM hand
control for users who wish to browse the
database without connecting to the telescope.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM Hand Control allows direct
access to all the motion controls of the telescope
and a database with a range of preset objects.
The Hand Control comes with a dual-line, 16
character display screen that is backlit for
comfortable viewing of the telescope information
and scrolling text. To explore the many functions
that the EQ6 SkyScanTM has to offer, there are 4
main categories of control on the Hand Control
(Fig.i):
8
Fig.h
RJ-45 RJ- 11 DC power port
Fig.i
ESC SETUP
ENTER
123
456
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0
TOUR UTILITY
RATE
MIC
NGC
PLANET USER
OBJECT
ID
Display screen
Mode keys
Directional keys
Dual purpose keys
Scroll keys
The DC power port on the hand
control is for hand control stand-
alone applications only. For
telescope applicaions, use the 12V
DC outlet on the mount.
Fig.f Fig.g
Power
DC12V
Auto Guider
ESC SETUP
ENTER
123
456
789
0
TOUR EVENT
RATE
MIC
NGC
PLANET USER
OBJECT
ID
power indicator
power switch
(to power
supply)
ON
OFF
Auto Guider

9
Fig.k Fig.l
Fig.j
NEVER USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN.
PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE WILL RESULT. USE A PROPER SOLAR FILTER
FIRMLY MOUNTED ON THE FRONT OF THE TELESCOPE FOR VIEWING
THE SUN. WHEN OBSERVING THE SUN, PLACE A DUST CAP OVER YOUR
FINDERSCOPE OR REMOVE IT TO PROTECT YOU FROM ACCIDENTAL
EXPOSURE. NEVER USE AN EYEPIECE-TYPE SOLAR FILTER AND NEVER
USE YOUR TELESCOPE TO PROJECT SUNLIGHT ONTO ANOTHER
SURFACE, THE INTERNAL HEAT BUILD-UP WILL DAMAGE THE
TELESCOPE OPTICAL ELEMENTS.
Mode keys
Directional keys
The mode keys are located near the top, close to the LCD display. They include the ESC,
ENTER, and SETUP keys:
ESC key is used to escape from a certain command or to go back a level in the menu tree.
ENTER key is used to select the functions and submenus in the menu tree, and to confirm
certain functional operations.
SETUP key is a quick hot key that takes you to the Setup main submenu.
These Keys range from the middle to the bottom of the hand control. They serve two
distinct purposes data entry and quick reference hot keys.
TOUR key (Fig.k) takes you on a preset tour across the sky you are currently under.
RATE key (Fig.k) changes the speed rate of the motors when the direction keys are
pressed. There are 9 speeds to choose from: 1 (slowest) 9 (fastest).
UTILITY key (Fig.k) shows functions such as Show Position, Display Time...etc.
USER key (Fig.k) gives access to up to 25 user-defined coordinates.
ID key (Fig.k) identifies the object the telescope is currently pointing to.
NGC, IC, M, PLANET, and OBJECT keys (Fig.l) allow direct access to EQ6 SkyScanTM
database of over 13,400 objects.
The up and down scroll keys allow you to scroll up and down within the menu tree or
selections.
The directional keys allow complete control of the telescope at almost any step in the
EQ6 SkyScan's operation. These controls are locked out when the telescope is slewing
to an object. They are normally used to initially align, and center objects in the eyepiece.
The left and right directional keys can also be used to move the text curser when entering
data to the hand control.
Dual Purpose keys
Scoll Keys (Fig.j)

10
Fig.m
Initial Setup
This section provides a step-by-step procedure on how to operate your EQ6 SkyScanTM hand control.
Perform the Polar alignment
using the polarscope.
Point the telescope roughly to
the North Celestial Pole (or
Polaris) if you are in the
Northern Hemisphere. Point to
the South Celestial Pole if in
Southern Hemisphere. Make
sure the counterweight rod is
pointed down as seen in
Fig.m. This will be the home
position of the telescope.
Flip the Power Switch on the
side of the mount to the "ON"
position to turn on the power.
The initial screen displayed on
the hand control is the Version
Screen. Press ENTER to
proceed.
The hand control will display
"Begin Alignment?" Press
ENTER to proceed to the
alignment procedure. Press
ESC will exit to the main menu
(see p.16 for EQ6 SkyScanTM
Menu Tree).
The hand control's red light will become dimmer and the key pads will turn off if idle
for 30 seconds. Pressing any key turns it back on.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Enter the telescope's current latitudinal and longitudinal position using the numeric
keypad. First enter the longitudinal coordinate, followed by the latitudinal coordinate.
Use the scroll keys to choose between W or E, and N or S. Pressing the left or right
directional keys will move the cursor to the previous or next number. Press ENTER to
confirm.
Enter your current time zone in hours (see Appendix B), using the scroll keys and
numeric key pad (+ for East, - for West). Press ENTER to confirm.
Enter the date in the following format mm/dd/yyyy using the numeric keypad. Press
ENTER to confirm.
Enter your current local time using the 24 hr time mode (e.g. 2:00PM=14:00). Press ENTER
to view the time you entered. If it is incorrect, press ESC to go back to the previous screen. If
correct, press ENTER again to proceed to the daylight saving setting.
Press ENTER if you are currently on Daylight Savings time. Using the scroll key to scroll
down to "NO" and press ENTER if you are on regular time.
After setting the daylight saving, EQ6 SkyScanTM will take you to the alignment menu.
If a mistake was entered into the EQ6 SkyScanTM hand control, press the ESC key to
go back to the previous menu, and press ENTER to start again.
Plane of local horizon Nadir
(Northern Hemisphere)
North Celestial Pole
Zenith
Right
Ascension
Apparent
movement
of stars
Declination
W
S
E
N
Plane of Celestial Equator
Latitude
Meridian
Line

11
EQ6 SkyScanTM will beep once when it has finished slewing to an object. Do not try to
adjust the telescope before you hear the beep. EQ6 SkyScanTM will only respond to the
ESC key while slewing.
Three-Star Alignment
1.
2. In the alignment screen, select 3-Star Align using the scroll keys. Press ENTER to confirm.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM will provide a list of stars available in your current sky for you to
choose as the first alignment star. Using the scroll keys, choose a star you are most
familiar with and press ENTER. The telescope will start slewing towards it. When the
telescope stops slewing, adjust its position with the directional keys until the star is
centered on the crosshairs in the finder scope. Now look through the eyepiece and adjust
the telescope so that the object is centered in the field of view of the eyepiece. Press
ENTER to confirm.
EQ6 SkyScanTM will provide a list of objects suitable for the second alignment star.
Choose a star using the scoll keys and press ENTER. Repeat the centering procedure for
the second star and press ENTER to confirm.
EQ6 SkyScanTM will once again provide a list of objects suitable for the third alignment
star. Choose a star from the list and press ENTER. Once again, repeat the centering
procedure for the third alignment star. EQ6 SkyScanTM will display "Alignment Successful"
if appropriate stars have been chosen. In the event that three stars have been improperly
chosen, EQ6 SkyScanTM will take you back to the alignment screen and the alignment will
have to be done again.
Star Alignment
In order for the EQ6 SkyScanTM to correctly point to objects in the sky, it must first be aligned to one to
three known positions (stars) in the sky. As the Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours, astronomical
objects appear to move through the sky following an arc. With the supplied information, the
telescope can replicate a model of the sky and the movements of astronomical objects.
There are three ways to align the SkyScanTM depending on your demand for accuracy. If you are
using the SkyScanTM for the first time, we recommend that you begin with the Three Star Alignment.
This produces the most accurate alignment among the three methods. Before performing any of the
alignment methods, be sure that your finderscope is well aligned with the telescope tube. Below
describes a step-by-step procedure on how to perform the Three StarAlignment:
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
In the alignment screen, select 2-Star Align using the scroll keys. Press ENTER to confirm.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM will provide a list of stars available in your current sky for you to
choose as the first alignment star. Using the scroll keys, choose a star you are most
familiar with and press ENTER. The telescope will start slewing towards it. When the
telescope stops slewing, adjust its position with the directional keys until the star is
centered on the crosshairs in the finder scope. Now look through the eyepiece and adjust
the telescope so that the object is centered in the field of view of the eyepiece. Press
ENTER to confirm.
EQ6 SkyScanTM will provide a list of suitable objects for the second alignment star. Choose
a star using the scoll keys and press ENTER. Repeat the centering procedure for the
second star and press ENTER to confirm.
Once completed, EQ6 SkyScanTM will display "Alignment Successful".
Two-Star Alignment
Two-Star Alignment requires only two alignment stars but may produce lesser pointing accuracy
than the Three-Star Alignment. Below describes a step-by-step procedure on how to perform the
Two-Star Alignment:
The slewing speed can be adjusted by pressing on the RATE button. Then choose a
number between 1 (slowest) - 9 (fastest).

12
One-Star Alignment
One-Star Alignment is the easiest and quickest alignment method. It requires only one alignment
star. Below describes a step-by-step procedure on how to perform the One-Star Alignment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Make sure the telescope has been polar aligned.
In the alignment screen, select 1-Star Align using the scroll keys. Press ENTER to confirm.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM will provide a list of stars available in your current sky for alignment.
Using the scroll keys, choose a star you are most familiar with and press ENTER. When
the telescope stops slewing, adjust its position with the directional keys until the star is
centered on the crosshairs in the finderscope. Now look through the eyepiece and adjust
the telescope so that the object is centred in the field of view of the eyepiece. Press
ENTER to confirm.
Once completed, EQ6 SkyScanTM will display "Alignment Successful".

13
Selecting an Object
Object database in the EQ6 SkyScan
TM
Solar System - The other 8 planets of our solar system, plus the Moon.
Named Star - A list of 100 best known stars from the SkyScanTM database.
*NGC - 7,840 of the brightest deep sky objects from the Revised New General Catalogue.
IC - 5,386 of standard stars and deep sky objects from the Indexed Catalogue.
Messier - Complete list of 110 Messier objects.
Single Stars - Select list of the brightest stars from the NGC.
Others - There are also Double Stars, Globular Clusters, Uncertain Stars, Galaxies,
Clusters, Nebulea, Reflection Nebulea, Planetary Nebulea, and Open Clusters.
Once the telescope has been aligned. You can now access and view the 13,400 different objects
in the EQ6 SkyScanTM database. There are three methods of selecting a celestial object to view:
TOUR - Takes you on a preset tour across your current sky. It
will automatically choose from the database the brightest and
most beautiful deep-sky objects for your viewing pleasure. Use
the down scroll key to view through the deep sky objects.
Choose the desired object by pressing ENTER. It will show the
coordinate of the chosen object. Pressing ENTER once more will
cause the telescope to slew to the object.
M, NGC, IC - These shortcut keys give you access to the most
popular celestial catalogues to date. Each Catalogue has a set
number of objects to choose from. Use the numeric keys to
select an object by entering its number. Pressing ENTER will
display its coordinate. Primary information such as size,
magnitude, and constellation are obtained by pressing the scroll
keys. Pressing ENTER once more will cause the telescope to
slew to the object.
PLANET - This shortcut key takes you straight to the Planets
sub menu in the database. Use the scroll keys to scroll through
the list of planets in our solar system. Press ENTER to view its
coordinates, and ENTER once more to slew to the planet.
USER - This will take you to the database that you have defined
for yourself. You can enter a new location or recall the objects
that have been previously saved (see Using the User Defined
Database).
The OBJECT key takes you to the Objects Catalogue, where
you have complete access to over 13,400 celestial objects in the
database. (See Object database in the EQ6 SkyScanTM and the
menu tree.)
In the Main Menu, scroll down to OBJECT CATALOGUE and
press ENTER. Similar to the OBJECT key, this gives you the
complete access to all 13,400 celestial objects in the database.
(See Object database in the EQ6 SkyScanTM and the menu tree.)
OBJECTCATALOGUE
The EQ6 SkyScanTM comes with a vast database with over 13,400 objects coordinates and
information all available in the palm of your hand. The database contains the following
catalogues:
Fig.p
OBJECT CATALOGUE
*NGC 2000.0 database, edited by Roger W. Sinnott, copyright by Sky Publishing Corporation. Used with permission.

14
Using the User Defined Database
EQ6 SkyScanTM allows you to save up to 25 objects in the user defined
database.
Press the USER key (Fig.q) or select USER DEFINED under the object
catalogue. Press ENTER.
Choose INPUT COORDINATE and press ENTER to confirm.
You can choose to enter the location by its R.A. and Dec., or telescope
altitude and azimuth coordinates. Press 1 (R.A. and Dec.) or 2 (Alt-
Azimuth) to make your selection. Insert the coordinate using the
numeric keypad and scroll keys. Press ENTER to save the coordinate.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM will ask you to choose a number between 1 to 25.
Select the number you wish to represent the coordinate, using the
scroll keys. Press ENTER to confirm.
Once a number is given to the coordinate, the hand control will display
"View Object?". Pressing ENTER will cause the telescope to slew to
the coordinate. Press ESC to exit.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fig.q
Saving an object to the database
Utility Functions
Utility Functions are useful tools that provide simple, one-step processes to your EQ6 SkyScanTM:
Show Position - This displays the coordinates of the location where the telescope is
currently pointing.
Display Time - This displays the local time and local Sidereal time.
Park Scope - This moves the telescope to the Home position.
RS-232 mode - This allows linking to a computer. (See "Linking with a Computer".)
PEC Training - See Appendix D for information.
Setup Functions
Auto Guide Speed - When using an autoguider, this sets the guiding speed to 1X, 0.75X,
0.5X, or 0.25X sidereal rate.
Daylight Savings - Allows you to change the Daylight Savings option.
Alignment - Allows you to perform the star alignment. (See "Alignment".)
Set Backlash - This feature allows you to insert a value for each axis to compensate for its
backlash. For better pointing accuracy, it is important that the backlash value is set to be
equal or greater than the real amount of backlash between the gears. If the real amount of
backlash is unknown, we recommend that you set the value to 5000 (equivalent to approx.
0.2°). First set the value for R.A. Press ENTER to proceed to Dec.
Set Tracking
The Setup functions allow you to change any system variable or information regarding location,
time, date, and alignment configurations. To access the Setup Functions, either press SETUP key
on the key pad or scroll to SETUP under menu option using the scroll keys. Below lists the
different types of functions available to you, and their purposes.
Date - Allows you to change the date entered at the initial setup.
Time -Allows you to change the current time.
Observing site - Allows you to change the current location.
Sid. Rate: This activates tracking in Sidereal rate (R.A. Tracking).
Lunar Rate: This activates tracking in Lunar rate (R.A. Tracking).
Solar Rate: This activates tracking in Solar rate (R.A. Tracking).
PEC + Sidereal Rate: Sidereal rate with Periodic Error Compensation.
Stop Tracking: This stops the tracking instantly.

15
Press the USER key or select USER DEFINED under the object catalogue. Press ENTER.
Choose RECALL OBJECT and press ENTER to confirm.
Select the number representing the object you wish to view, using the scroll keys. Pressing
ENTER will show its coordinate. Press ENTER again to choose the object.
The EQ6 SkyScanTM will display "View Object?". Pressing ENTER will cause the telescope
to slew to the coordinate. Press ESC to exit.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Selecting an user defined object
Identifying an Unknown Object
EQ6 SkyScanTM has the ability to identify the unknown object the
telescope is currently pointing at. To do so, simply:
Press the ID key (Fig.r) or scroll down to IDENTIFY in the
main menu and press ENTER to identify the object.
If it is a truly unknown object, the hand control will take you
back to the IDENTIFY menu.
Press ESC to exit from this function.
1.
2.
3.
Linking with A Computer
Another feature of the EQ6 SkyScanTM is the ability to connect to a computer via a serial cable.
Many commercially available planetarium softwares can be used to control the EQ6 SkyScanTM.
Look for softwares compatible with NexStar5. Below describes the procedure on how to connect
and disconnect the EQ6 SkyScanTM to a computer:
Make sure that the telescope has been aligned.
Connect the RS-232 cable to the RJ-11 connector on the
hand control and to the COM-port of your computer (Fig.s).
On your EQ6 SkyScanTM hand control, select RS232 under
the UTILITIES menu. Press ENTER to go to RS-232
mode.
In the planetarium software of your choice, choose
"Celestron NexStar5" in the driver setup and follow the
instructions provided by your program to establish the
connection to the telescope. The EQ6 SkyScanTM should
be under the full control of your computer once the
connection is successfully established.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fig.s
RJ- 11
Hand Control
Follow the instructions provided by your software to close the connection to the telescope.
On the EQ6 SkyScanTM hand control, press ESC to resume normal hand control operations.
1.
2.
Do not disengage the EQ6 SkyScanTM unit
before you disengage the program. Doing
so may cause some programs to freeze.
Disconnecting from the computer
Auto Guiding
The EQ6 SkyScanTM has a designated auto guiding port on the side of the mount
for use with an auto guider (see Fig.f). The pin-outs on the 6 pin modular
connector is fully compatible with most autoguiders on the market. Refer to Fig.t
when connecting the autoguider cable to the EQ6 SkyScanTM and calibrating the
autoguider. Relay box can be added for extra protection. Note that the four inputs
are active-low, with internal pull-ups. Guiding speed can be adjusted using the
Auto Guide Speed function in the Setup Menu.
Fig.t
See Appendix C for more
information on RS-232
connection.
654321
1= NC
2= Ground
3= +RA (right)
4= +DEC (up)
5= -DEC (down)
6= -RA (left)
1= NC
2= TD
3= GND
4= GND
5= RD
6= NC
RJ-11 Pin-outs
654321

16
MAIN MENU
Date
Time
Observ. Site
Daylight Saving
Alignment
Set Backlash
Set Tracking
Auto Guide Speed
1-Star Align.
2-Star Align.
3-Star Align.
SETUP MODE
Show Position
Display Time
Park Scope
RS-232
PEC Training
Sideal Rate
Lunar Rate
Solar Rate
PEC + Sidereal Rate
Stop Tracking
1X
0.75X
0.5X
0.25X
UTILITY FUNC. IDENTIFY
Solar System
Named Star
IC Catalogue
NGC Catalogue
Single Star
Double Star
Globular Star
Uncertain Star
Galaxies
Cluster Nebula
Reflection Nebula
Planetary Nebula
Open Clusters
User Defined
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Moon
Input Coordinate
Recall Object
OBJECT
CATALOGUE
TOUR

German Equatorial
Tube Rings
R.A. & Dec (motor controlled)
2" Diameter Stainless Steel Pipe
85cm-147cm
7.5Kgs
1.8cm
Stainless Steel
16Kgs
41cm
Two or three, 5.1Kgs each
23.5Kgs (counterweight not included)
EQ6 MOUNT SPECIFICATIONS
Mount Type:
Telescope mounting:
Slow-motion Control:
Tripod:
Tripod Height:
Tripod Weight:
Counterweight Shaft Diameter:
Counterweight Shaft Material:
Mount Weight:
Mount Height:
Counterweight:
Total Weight:
17
SkyScanTM SPECIFICATIONS
Power Supply:
Motor type and resolution:
Slew speeds:
11 to 15 V DC 2Amp (Tip positive)
Microstep driven 1.8° stepper motors.
Resolution: 0.144 arc sec (or 9,024,000 steps/rev.)
Rate 1 = 2X
Rate 2 = 8X
Rate 3 = 16X
Rate 4 = 32X
Rate 5 = 64X
Rate 6 = 400X
Rate 7 = 500X
Rate 8 = 600X
Rate 9 = 800X
705
Sidereal, Lunar, Solar
R.A. tracking
One Star Alignment, Two-Star Alignment, Three-Star Alignment
25 user defined objects. Complete M, NGC, and IC catalogues,
Total 13,436 objects
Up to 1 arc min
Gear Ratio:
Tracking Rates:
Tracking Modes:
Alignment Method:
Database:
Pointing Accuracy:

18
To put this in perspective, the moon is about 0.5° or 30 arc-minutes in diameter, so this combination
would be fine for viewing the whole moon with a little room to spare. Remember, too much
magnification and too small a field of view can make it very hard to find things. It is usually best to
start at a lower magnification with its wider field and then increase the magnification when you have
found what you are looking for. First find the moon then look at the shadows in the craters!
Calculating the exit pupil
The Exit Pupil is the diameter (in mm) of the narrowest point of the cone of light leaving your
telescope. Knowing this value for a telescope-eyepiece combination tells you whether your eye is
receiving all of the light that your primary lens or mirror is providing. The average person has a fully
dilated pupil diameter of about 7mm. This value, varies a bit from person to person, is less until your
eyes become fully dark adapted and decreases as you get older. To determine an exit pupil, you
divide the diameter of the primary of your telescope (in mm) by the magnification.
Exit Pupil = Diameter of Primary mirror in mm
Magnification
For example, a 200mm f/5 telescope with a 40mm eyepiece produces a magnification of 25x and
an exit pupil of 8mm. This combination can probably be used by a young person but would not be
of much value to a senior. The same telescope used with a 32mm eyepiece gives a magnification
of about 31x and an exit pupil of 6.4mm which should be fine for most dark adapted eyes. In
contrast, a 200mm f/10 telescope with the 40mm eyepiece gives a magnification of 50x and an
exit pupil of 4mm, which is fine for everyone.
True Field of View = Apparent Field of View
Magnification =0.65°
52°
80X =
Magnification = = = 80X
Focal length of the telescope
Focal length of the eyepiece
800mm
10mm
Calculating the magnification (power)
The magnification produced by a telescope is determined by the focal length of the eyepiece that
is used with it. To determine a magnification for your telescope, divide its focal length by the focal
length of the eyepieces you are going to use. For example, a 10mm focal length eyepiece will
give 80X magnification with an 800mm focal length telescope.
When you are looking at astronomical objects, you are looking through a column of air that
reaches to the edge of space and that column seldom stays still. Similarly, when viewing over
land you are often looking through heat waves radiating from the ground, house, buildings, etc.
Your telescope may be able to give very high magnification but what you end up magnifying is all
the turbulence between the telescope and the subject. A good rule of thumb is that the usable
magnification of a telescope is about 2X per mm of aperture under good conditions.
Calculating the field of view
The size of the view that you see through your telescope is called the true (or actual) field of view
and it is determined by the design of the eyepiece. Every eyepiece has a value, called the
apparent field of view, which is supplied by the manufacturer. Field of view is usually measured in
degrees and/or arc-minutes (there are 60 arc-minutes in a degree). The true field of view
produced by your telescope is calculated by dividing the eyepiece's apparent field of view by the
magnification that you previously calculated for the combination. Using the figures in the previous
magnification example, if your 10mm eyepiece has an apparent field of view of 52 degrees, then
the true field of view is 0.65 degrees or 39 arc-minutes.

I
Accurate Polar Alignment
Generally speaking the EQ6 SkyScanTM produces pointing and tracking accuracies edaquate for most
visual applications. However, if higher precision is required, for example for astro-photography,
accurate polarscope alignment and "cone" error calibration may be required.
Accurate polar alignment enhances both pointing and
tracking precisions. For long exposure astro-
photographer, it is important that the telescope mount
be aligned with true North in order to precisely track
celestial objects.
In order to achieve accurate polar alignment, the reticle
in the polar scope must be centered on the optical axis
of the polar scope (see p.6 Polarscope Alignment) and
the index marker ring must be calibrated.
The Index Marker
The polarscope in combination with the RA setting circle
constitutes a circular slide rule. This slide rule is used to
calculate the hour angle of Polaris at your local time
anywhere on the planet. On a given day of the year, eg
March 30, at a given local time, eg 10:00pm, the hour
angle of Polaris is the same, anywhere on the planet.
This is an approximation, which is good to about 4
minutes of arc. The index marker represents a 'zero' for
the slide rule. If the zero is not set correctly, the
calculated hour angle will not be correct.
Unlock the RA locking knob. Rotate the telescope
around the RA axis so the reticule is as shown in Fig u.
Re-tighten the RA locking knob to lock the RA axis in
this position. In this position, Polaris is in transit - it is at
its highest point in the sky.
Unlock the RA setting circle by loosening the set screw.
Rotate the RA Circle so the pointer indicates 'zero' and
lock the RA Circle. This sets the first of two 'zeros'
required for the slide rule. Now rotate the telescope
around RA axis so the RA Circle indicates 1h 0m (Fig.u-
1). Lock the RA axis. Rotate the Date circle so October
10 is indicated (see Fig.u-2). At 1:00 AM local time, on
October 10, Polaris is in transit anywhere in the world.
Rotate the telescope around the RA axis so the RA
circle indicates 'zero' and lock the RA axis. The view
through the Pole Finder should be the same as before.
Loosen the setscrew on the index marker ring. Adjust
the index marker ring so the Date circle reads 'zero' on
the longitude indication (Fig.u-3). Secure the ring by
tightening the setscrew. This sets the second of the two
zero points.
If the reticule has been re-aligned or the index ring has
come loose, this procedure must be carried out again to
ensure accurate polar alignment.
Fig.u-1
1010
1111
9
8
Fig u-2
Fig.u

II
Loosen the setscrew on the index marker ring.
Adjust the index marker ring so the Date circle
reads 'zero' on the longitude indication (Fig.u-3).
Secure the ring by tightening the setscrew. This
sets the second of the two zero points.
If the reticule has been re-aligned or the index
ring has come loose, this procedure must be
carried out again to ensure accurate polar
alignment.
Accurate Polar Alignment Method
Rotate the Date Circle on the polarscope so the
index mark is lined up with the 'zero' on the
longitude indication (Fig.u-4). Now rotate the
telescope in RA axis so the pointer at the lower
end of the mount points to today's date on the
Date Circle (March 4th in this case) (Fig.u-5).
Tighten the RA lock knob to lock the RA axis in
place. Loosen the thumb screw on the RA
setting circle and rotate the RA Circle so the
pointer points to the current time. The upper set
of numbers apply to viewing in the Northern
Hemisphere, while the numbers below them
apply to viewing in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tighten the thumb screw to lock the RA Circle in
place and rotate the telescope around the RA
axis so the pointer points to 0 hours, 0 minutes
(see Fig.u-6). Now use the Altitude and Azimuth
adjustments to align Polaris in the Polarscope
(Fig.u-7).
Fig.u-4
Fig.u-5
Fig.u-6
The EQ6 SkyScanTM available in the
Northern Hemisphere may not
have Octans in the polarscope.
Fig.u-3