iOptron iEQ30 SmartStar with Go2Nova 8407 Hand Controller Instruction Manual

iOptron iEQ30 SmartStar with Go2Nova 8407 Hand Controller

Safety Precaution

WARNING!
NEVER USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT A PROPER FILTER! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

Rev.1.1
iOptron reserves the rights to revise this instruction without notice. Actual color/contents/design/fucntion may differ from those described in this instruction.

iEQ30™ Overview

The iEQ30 is one of the new breed of premium astro-imaging equatorial mounts from iOptron. The iEQ30 offers the next generation GOTO technology from iOptron. The mount is made of the highest quality materials to ensure stability and durability. With a payload of 31 lb (14 kg) balanced – it comes standard with a calibrated dark field illumination polar scope and a sturdy 1.5-inch stainless steel tripod. Its lighter weight (only 15 lb or 6.8 kg) makes it a perfect portable EQ mount.

Features:

• Specialized astrophotography mount ideal for entry-level and intermediate Astro-photographers

• Portable, compact, and sturdy German equatorial mount with the highest Payload/Mount ratio (>2.0) in the category

• Payload: 31 lb (14 kg) (excluding counterweight)

• Mount weight: 15 lb (6.8 kg)

• Ultra-accurate tracking with temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO)

• Angular contact bearing for R.A and DEC axles

• Resolution: 0.11 arc second

• Go2Nova® 8407 controller with Advanced GOTONOVA® GoTo Technology

• Permanent periodic error correction (PPEC)

• Built-in 32-channel Global Positioning System (GPS)

• Integrated ST-4 autoguiding port capable of reverse guiding with auto-protection

• iOptron AccuAligning™ calibrated polar scope with dark-field illumination and easy polar alignment
  procedure, allowing for fast and accurate polar alignment

• RS232 port for computer control via ASCOM platform

• Heated hand controller for low temperature operation (as low as -20ºC)

• 3.5 inch Vixen-type saddle

• Standard 1.5 inch heavy-duty stainless steel tripod (4.8kg), optional 2 inch tripod (8kg)

• Optional hard case

• Optional pier

• Optional MiniPier extension

• Optional PowerWeight™ rechargeable battery pack

• Optional 2kg (4.5lbs) counterweight

iEQ30™ Terms

Parts List1

There are two shipping boxes for a regular tripod version. One box contains an EQ mount. One box contains a hand controller, a tripod, one 10lbs (4.5kg) counterweight and accessories.

•  iOptron® iEQ30TM telescope mount (with built-in GPS)
• Go2Nova® 8407 Hand Controller
• 1.5-inch Tripod
• One 10lb (4.5 kg) counterweight
• Counterweight shaft
• One counterweight extension shaft
• Dark field illuminating LED with cable
• AC adapter (100V-240V)
• 12V DC adaptor cable with car lighter plug
• Controller Cable X 2
• RS232 cable and RJ9 to RS232 serial cable

ONLINE CONTENTS (click under “Support” menu) www.iOptron.com

• Quick Start Guide
• This manual
• Tips for set up
• Hand controller and mount firmware upgrades (check online for latest version)
• ASCOM driver
• Reviews and feedback from other customers

Assembly Terms

Figure 1. iEQ30 assembly terms (mount and tripod)

iEQ30 Ports

Ports on Right Ascension (R .A.) Unit

Figure 2. Ports on right ascension (R.A.) unit

• Dec: For connecting to DEC driver unit
• iOptron port: For connecting to other iOptron accessories, such as a laser pointer, a planetary dome control, or an electronic focuser.
• HBX (Hand Box): For connecting to the 8407 Hand Controller
• Reticle: Power supply for the polar scope dark field illumination LED, or lighted eyepiece
• DC 12V: DC power plug
• ON/OFF Switch: Power switch
• Guide: Autoguiding port for ST-4 compatible guiding cameras
• RS232: Series port for ASCOM control and main board, R.A. and DEC motor driver firmware upgrade

Port on DEC Unit

The only port on the DEC unit is used to connect to the Dec port on R.A. unit.

Go2Nova® 8407 Hand Controller

Figure 3. Go2Nova 8407 hand controller

The Go2Nova® 8407 hand controller (HC) shown in Figure 3 is the standard controllers that used for the iEQ30 mount. It has an integrated temperature controller that ensures it can be operated below 20ºC (-4ºF). It has a large LCD screen, function keys, direction keys and number keys on the front; a red LED reading light on the back; and a HBX port (6-pin) and a serial port (4-pin) at the bottom.

Key Description

• MENU Key: Press “MENU” to enter the Main Menu.
• BACK Key: Move back to the previous screen, or end/cancel current operation, such as slewing.
• ENTER Key : Confirm an input, go to the next menu, select a choice, or slew the telescope to a selected object.
• Arrow (▲▼◄►) Keys: The arrow keys are used to control the movement of DEC and R.A. axes. Press and hold ▲(DEC+),▼(DEC-) buttons to move a telescope along the DEC direction, ◄(R.A.+), ►(R.A.-) to move a telescope along the RA direction. They are also used to browse the menu or move the cursor while in the menu. Holding an arrow key for a fast scrolling.
• Number Keys: Input numerical values. Also used to adjust speeds (1: 1X; 2: 2X; 3: 8X; 4: 16X; 5: 64X; 6: 128X; 7: 256X; 8: 512X; 9: MAX)
• Light Key(☼): Turns on/off the red LED reading light on the back of the controller.
• ? Key: Identify and display bright stars or objects where the telescope points to.
• STOP/0 Key: Stop the mount during GOTO. Also toggling between start and stop tracking.
• HBX (Handbox) port: connect the HC to the iEQ30 mount using a 6-wire RJ11 cable.
• Serial port: connect the HC to a Computer via a RS232 to 4-wire RJ-9 cable. The pin out of the serial port is shown in Figure 4.
  Figure 4. Serial port pin out on an 8407 hand controller

The LCD Screen

The 8407 HC has a large 8-line, 21-character per line LCD screen, which displays all the information as shown in Figure 5. The user interface is simple and easy to learn.

Figure 5. 8407 HC LCD Information Screen

1. Target Name/Mount Position: displays the name of the target that telescope is currently pointed to or
   the current mount position.

   • Zero Position: The position when the mount is turned on. Or the mount is moved to Zero Position “ To Zero Position ” command;
   • User Position: The mount is point to a user defined position, which could be a real sky object or just simply due to press an arrow key.
   • An object name, such as “Mercury” or “Andromeda Galaxy”: Name of the Star or celestial object that the mount is currently slewing to, GOTO or tracking;
   • Park Position : One of two positions that you park the scope using “Park Scope” command.

2. Target R.A.: Right Ascension of the target object.

3. Target Declination: Declination of the target object.

4. Right Ascension : Right Ascension of the telescope, or R.A.

5. Declination: Declination of the telescope, or DEC.

6. Altitude: Altitude of the telescope (degrees vertical from the local horizon – zenith is 90º).

7. Azimuth: Azimuth of the telescope (north is 0º, east 90º, south 180º, and west 270º).

8. Local Date and Time: display local time in a format of YY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.

9. Mount Status: Display current operation status of the mount.

   • Stop: mount is not moving;
   • Slew: mount is moving with an arrow key is pressed;
   • Go To: mount is slewing to a celestial object using “Select and Slew”;
   • Busy: mount is busy slewing to some predefined position, such as Zero Position.

10. GPS status: When the power is turned on, it shows “GPS ON”, which means a GPS receiver is properly connected. When the GPS receiver finds the satellites and receives the GPS signal, it shows “GPS OK”. The “GPS OK” may turn off after few minutes to save power.

11. PEC status: Display of “PEC” here Indicates the PEC playback is turned on. Default is off.

12. Tracking speed: Display current tracking status of the mount
    • SDRL: mount is tracking at a sidereal speed;
    • Solar: mount is tracking at a solar speed;
    • Lunar: mount is tracking at a lunar speed;
    • King: mount is tracking at a king speed;
    • CSTM: mount us tracking at a customer defined speed.

13. Slew speed: It has 9 speeds: 1X, 2X, 8X, 16X, 64X, 128X, 256X, 512X, MAX (~4º/sec, depends on power source).

iEQ30™ Assembly

Introduction

You have just purchased a telescope mount that is capable of taking you to a new level of astronomy. No matter which telescope or optical tube assembly (OTA) you select to install on the mount, the overall performance will be greatly enhanced. In order for you to get the optimum performance from the mount and OTA combination, you must assemble and adjust the mount correctly. The following fundamentals of telescope mounts are included to help you understand the big picture before you get into the specific details of the iEQ30 mount.

Telescope mounts are either equatorial mounts or altitude-azimuth (Alt-Az) mounts. Both types of mounts rotate the OTA around two perpendicular axes to point to a desired object in the night sky. An equatorial mount has the right ascension (R.A.) axis aligned with the celestial North Pole (CNP), or celestial South Pole (CSP), to provide rotation matching the celestial sphere rotation around the Earth and the declination axis (DEC) to provide elevation relative to the celestial equator. Since all celestial objects appear to rotate around the CNP, the R.A. axis allows the OTA to rotate with the celestial sphere and provide accurate tracking for visual observations and astrophotography. R.A. is the celestial equivalent of longitude. Like longitude, R.A. measures an angle that increases toward the East as measured from a  zero reference point on the celestial equator. An Alt-Az mount has a horizontal axis to provide vertical (altitude) OTA movement from the local horizon and a vertical axis to provide horizontal (azimuth) OTA movement, similar to compass headings. An Alt-Az mount can provide tracking that is good enough for visual observing and short exposure photos, but not good enough for serious astrophotography. Alt-Az mounts require star alignments for the OTA to track stars and they do not have adjustment components on the mount. Equatorial mounts require alignment of the mount components as well as star alignments for accurate OTA tracking.

In order to provide the required Polar Axis alignment, equatorial mounts use a combination of both mount types described above. The adjustable part of the mount moves in the Alt-Az mode in order to align the R.A. axis, also known as the mount’s Polar Axis, with the CNP. These Polar Axis adjustments do not involve any rotations of the OTA about the R.A. or DEC axes and can be performed without the OTA installed. The first step is to make an approximate azimuth alignment of the Polar Axis by aligning the specified tripod leg or reference point toward True North using a compass for reference (you must allow for the variation between True and Magnetic North at your location). Precise horizontal alignment of the Polar Axis is accomplished with azimuth adjustments on the mount. The second step is to adjust the Polar Axis vertically (altitude) above the North horizon by setting the observer’s latitude on the provided latitude scale. This procedure is based on the fundamental geometry of the Earth’s coordinate system in conjunction with the concept of the celestial sphere. You can verify this by visualizing yourself at the North Pole (latitude N90°) and Polaris will be 90° from the horizon, or directly overhead. These steps will place the Polar Axis very close to the CNP. Both of the above adjustments can be enhanced by the use of an opening along the R.A. axis that allows direct viewing of the North Star and the use of a polar scope to view through this opening. If you are going to get the most out of your equatorial mount it is essential to understand the concept of the Polar Axis and how the equatorial mount helps you establish and maintain a true Polar Axis alignment. Now, you are ready to perform star alignments using the equatorial mount’s electronic controller and enjoy the night sky.

The iEQ30 is a next-generation equatorial mount that provides the precision alignment capabilities required for today’s complete astronomy solution. The following sections of this manual provide the detailed steps required to successfully set up and operate the iEQ30.

iEQ30 Assembly

NOTE: The iEQ30 is a precision astronomical instrument. It is highly recommended that you read the entire manual and become familiar with the nomenclature and function of all components before starting the assembly.

STEP 1. Setup Tripod

Expand the tripod legs and install the Tripod Support using the Tripod Lock as shown in Figure 6. Tightening the Tripod Lock will expand the tripod legs fully and provide maximum support for the mount and the Optical Tube Assembly (OTA). Adjust the tripod height by unlocking the tripod Leg Locking Screws, sliding the lower tripod leg to the desired length, and relocking the tripod Leg Locking Screws. It is recommended that you extend the legs fully during the first assembly and modify the length as required in subsequent adjustments. After the legs are adjusted and locked, stand the tripod with the Alignment Peg facing True South. If you are located in the southern hemisphere, face the Alignment Peg True North.

Figure 6

CAUTION: If the latitude of your location is below 20º, you need to move the Alignment Peg to the opposite position to prevent the counterweights from hitting the tripod legs.

STEP 2. Set Latitude Adjustment Knob

Carefully remove the mount from the shipping box and familiarize yourself with the components shown in Figure 1. Unlock the R.A. Clutch and rotate the mount 180º around the R.A. axis to move the dovetail saddle face topside to the highest vertical position as shown in Figure 7. Tighten the R.A. Clutch.

The iEQ30 mount has two latitude setting positions: a High Latitude Position (25º ~ 65º) and a Low Latitude Position (0º ~ 35º). It can be set by change the Position Safety Pin. If the latitude of your location is between 25º and 65º, set the Position Safety Pin at High Latitude Position and choose a Latitude Adjust Knob for high latitude, as shown in Figure 8(a). If the observation latitude is between 0º and 35º, set the Position Safety Pin at Low Latitude Position and choose a Latitude Adjust Knob for low latitude, as shown in Figure 8(b). The  factory set default position is High Latitude Position.

Figure 7 Upright position

CAUTION: If your location latitude requires changing the Latitude Adjustment Knob, change the knob before attaching the mount to the tripod.

STEP 3. Attach the iEQ30 Mount

Locate the Azimuth Adjustment Knobs (next to the Bubble Level Indicator) and retract them to allow enough clearance for the mount to fit on the tripod head. Unscrew the two (2) Azimuth Locking Screws shown in Figure 9 and be careful not to lose the plastic washers; they will be needed to secure the mount. Place the mount onto the Tripod Head with the Bubble Level Indicator on top of the Alignment Peg. Place the Teflon washers and the two (2) Azimuth Locking Screws back and tighten the screws. Level the tripod base by adjusting the individual legs. You may use the built-in Bubble Level Indicator or an external torpedo level to check leveling.

STEP 4. Set the Location Latitude

This step requires you to know the latitude of your current location. This can be found from your 8407 hand controller after the embedded GPS receives the signal from the satellites. It also can be easily found on the Internet, with your GPS navigator or a GPS capable cell phone. You will have to change this latitude setting every time you significantly change your night sky viewing location. This setting directly affects the mount’s tracking and GOTO accuracy.

Unscrew the Latitude Adjustment Lever from the Latitude Adjustment Knob. Turn the Latitude Adjustment Knob to set your current latitude in the Latitude Mark Window, using the Latitude Adjustment Lever for a fine adjustment, if needed. At this point, with the mount leveled and pointed north, and the latitude set, the Polar Axis (R.A. axis) should be pointing very close to the NCP and Polaris. This alignment accuracy will be sufficient for visual tracking and short duration piggy-back (camera mounted on top of the OTA) astrophotography.

CAUTION: For safety reasons, always adjust the latitude without an OTA and/or counterweights installed. Also, it is much easier to make this precise adjustment without a load on the axis being adjusted.

STEP 5. Attach Counterweight (CW) Shaft

Unscrew the CW shaft from the top of the mount as shown in Figure 10(a) and thread it into the opening of the DEC axis as shown in Figure 10(b).

Figure 10

STEP 6. Connect Cables

Attach one end of an RJ11 cable into the socket on the side of the DEC unit and the other end into the DEC socket located on the R.A. unit. Using another RJ11 cable, connect the hand controller and the HBX socket located on the R.A. unit. Plug the 12V DC power supply into the Power socket on the R.A. unit.
The red LED will illuminate when the power switch is turned on.

STEP 7. Setup Hand Controller

The iEQ30 is equipped with a GPS receiver, which will receive the time, longitude and latitude information from satellites after the link is established. A clear sky outside is needed for the GPS to establish its link with the satellites.

Press MENU button, from the main menu, scroll down and select “Set Up Controller”

Press ENTER and select “Set Up Time and Site”

Press ENTER. A time and site information screen will be displayed:

Local Time Set

The time will be updated automatically when the GPS has picked up a signal. You also can manually input the time information in case GPS does not function. Use the ◄ or ► key to move the cursor _ and use number keys to change the numbers. Use the ▲ or ▼ button to toggle between “Y” and “N” for Daylight Saving Time. Hold on the arrow key to fast forward or rewind the cursor.

In order to make hand control reflect your correct local time, time zone information has to be entered. Press ◄ or ► key, move the cursor to the third line “300 Min. behind UT” to set the time zone information (add or subtract 60 minutes per time zone). Enter minutes “ahead of” or “behind” UT (universal time). For Example,

• Boston is 300 minutes “behind” UT
• Los Angeles is 480 minutes “behind” UT
• Rome is 60 minutes “ahead of” UT
• Beijing is 480 minutes “ahead of” UT
• Sydney is 600 minutes “ahead of” UT

All the time zones in North America are behind UT, as shown in the following table. So make sure it shows “behind” instead of “ahead of” UT.

To adjust minutes, move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to input number directly. To change the “behind” or “ahead of” UT, move the cursor to “ahead” and using ▲ or ▼ key to toggle between “behind” and “ahead of”. When the number is correct, press ENTER and go back to the previous screen.

For other parts of the world you can find your “time zone” information from iOptron website (http://www.ioptron.com/support.cfm?module=faq#). DO NOT COUNT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME. Fraction time zone can be entered as well.

Observation Site Coordinate Set

The longitude and latitude coordinates will be automatically updated when the GPS picks up satellite signals. “W/E” means western/eastern hemisphere; “N/S” means northern/southern hemisphere; “d” means degree; “m” means minute; and “s” means second.

If for any reason your GPS can’t pick up a signal, you can manually enter the GPS coordinates.  Press ◄ or ► key to move the cursor and using ▲ or ▼ key to toggle between “W” and “E”, “N” and “S”, using number key to change the numbers. It is always a good idea to do your home work to get the GPS coordinates before traveling to a new observation site.

The site coordinates information can be found from Support section in iOptron website, under Controller Set-up (http://www.ioptron.com/support.cfm?module=faq#). By entering the city name or address, you can find its latitude and longitude. In case you only find the site information in decimal format you can convert them into d:m:s format by multiplying the decimal numbers by 60. For example, N47.53 can be changed to N47º31’48”: 47.53º = 47º +0.53º, 0.53º=0.53×60’=31.8′, 0.8’=0.8×60″=48″. Therefore,
47.53º=47º31’48” or 47d31m48s.

N/S Hemisphere Selection

If the polar axis is aligned to North Celestial Pole, then set the mount to Northern Hemisphere. If the polar axis is pointing to South Celestial Pole, set the mount to Southern Hemisphere. Press ◄ or ► key to move the cursor and using ▲ or ▼ key to toggle between “Northern Hemisphere” and “Southern Hemisphere”.

Select Northern Hemisphere if you are located in US and press ENTER to go back to the main menu.

The time and site information will be stored inside the HC memory chip. If you are not traveling to  another observation site, they do not need to be changed.

STEP 8. Polar Alignment

CAUTION: It is recommended that whenever possible you perform this procedure before loading the OTA. NOTE: Thread the polar scope eyepiece all the way in after polar alignment, before put the Polar Scope Cover back on. Otherwise, the polar scope eyepiece could be stuck inside the Polar Scope Cover to cause R.A. axis jamming.

As explained in the introduction, an equatorial mount must have an accurate polar axis alignment in order to track properly. With iOptron’s AccuAligning™ polar scope and Quick Polar Alignment procedure, you can do a fast and accurate polar axis alignment.

Figure 11. Polar Scope Dial

As indicated in Figure 11, the Polar Scope Dial has been divided into 12 hours along the angular direction with half-hour tics. There are 2 groups, 6 concentric circles marked from 36’ to 44’ and 60’ to 70’, respectively. The 36’ to 44’ concentric circles are used for polar alignment in northern hemisphere using Polaris. While the 60’ to 70’ circles are used for polar alignment in southern hemisphere using Sigma Octantis.

You have already pointed the tripod to True North in Step 1 and set your current latitude in Step 4. Now, you are ready to perform the Quick Polar Axis Alignment procedure.

Polar axis adjustments

Whenever polar axis adjustments are required, loosen the Azimuth Locking Screws and adjust the Azimuth Adjustment Knobs to do a fine adjustment of the mount in the azimuth direction. Tighten the locking screws to secure the mount. Loosen four Latitude Locking Screws on the side of the mount, turning the Latitude Adjustment Knob to adjust the latitude (altitude). Use the Lever for a fine latitude adjustment. Re-tighten the lock screws.

Initializing the polar scope

During initial setup of the iEQ mount, it is likely that the viewing hole on the DEC axis of the polar scope may be blocked by the DEC axle. The Polar Scope Dial in the polar scope may not be set at the normal clock position with 12 located at the top, as shown in Figure 11. Before doing the Quick Polar Axis Alignment, complete the following steps:

1. Take off both the Polar Axis Cover and the Polar Scope Cover from the mount.
2. First, thread the dark field illuminating LED end into the threaded hole on the polar scope. Then plug the other end into the Reticle socket located on the Main unit. The illumination intensity can be adjusted using the hand controller (HC) via the “Set Eyepiece Light” function under the “Set Up Controller” menu.
3. Release DEC Clutch lock handle and turn the DEC axle manually to unblock the Polar Scope view and relock the DEC Clutch.
4. Adjust polar scope eyepiece shown in Figure 12 to bring the polar scope dial in focus.
5. Release RA Clutch lock handle, rotate the mount along the RA axis until the 12 position of the dial is on the top, as shown in Figure 11. If your polar scope is equipped with a bubble level indicator, as shown in Figure 12, simply make sure the bubble is in the middle. Relock the RA Clutch.
6. Figure 12. Polar scope with bubble level indicator

Quick Polar Alignment

1. Turn on the mount power by pressing the On/Off switch on the R.A. unit. Make sure that the time and site information of the hand controller is correct. Press the MENU button, then select “Align” and “Pole Star Position” to display the current Polaris position. For example, on May 30, 2010, 20:00:00 in Boston, United States (Lat N42º30’32” and Long W71º08’50”, 300 min behind UT, DST set to Y), the Polaris Position is 1hr 26.8m and r = 41.5m, as shown in Figure 13 (a).
2. Look through the polar scope; make sure the polar scope is not blocked by the DEC axle. The 12 o’clock indicator of the Polar Scope Dial must be positioned on top.
3. Follow the Polar axis adjustment procedure (not the hand controller) to adjust the mount in altitude (latitude) and azimuth (heading) direction and place Polaris in the same position on the Polar Scope Dial as indicated on the HC LCD. In this case, the Polaris will be located at a radius of 41.5’ and an angle of 1 hour 26.8 minute, as shown in Figure 13 (b).

NOTE: Thread the polar scope eyepiece all the way in after polar alignment, before put the Polar Scope Cover back on.

NOTE: If you are located in southern hemisphere, Sigma Octantis will be chosen for Polar Alignment. For example, on May 20, 2010, 20:00:00 in Sydney, Australia (Lat S33º51’36” and Long E151º12’40”), 600 min ahead of UT, the Sigma Octantis Position is 1hr21.8m and 64.4m.

STEP 9. Install Counterweight

iEQ30 comes with a 10lb (4.5kg) counterweight (CW) and an extension shaft. Use CW or CW and extension shaft to balance your OTA. Additional CW(s) can be ordered from iOptron.

Figure 14

Remove the CW Safety Screw on the end of the CW shaft. Loosen the CW Locking Screw on the side of the CW (there is a CW pin inside) and slide the CW onto the shaft. Tighten the CW Locking Screw to hold the CW in place. Tighten the CW Safety Screw.

CAUTION: For safety reasons, the CW Safety Screw must be installed and tightened to prevent the CW from dropping off the end of the CW shaft. This can cause serious personal injury.

STEP 10. Attach and Balance an OTA on the Mount

After attaching an OTA and accessories to the mount, the mount must be balanced to ensure minimum stress on the mount’s gears and motors. R.A. or DEC axis will rotate freely after the respected https://manual-hub.com/ 19 clutch is released. The balancing procedure should be performed after the CWs, OTA, and any accessories are installed.

CAUTION: The telescope may swing when the R.A. or DEC clutch is released. Always hold on to the OTA before you release the clutch to prevent it from swinging. It can cause personal injury or damage to the equipment.

Balance the mount in DEC axis

Release the R.A. Clutch and rotate the R.A. axis to place the DEC axis in the horizontal position, as shown in Figure 15(a), and then tighten the R. A. Clutch. The OTA can be on either side. Then release the DEC Clutch and rotate the OTA to a horizontal position as shown in Figure 15(b). If the OTA has a tendency to rotate about the DEC axis, you will have to slide the OTA forward or backward to balance it in the horizontal position about the DEC axis. Sometime you may need an extra weight to balance the OTA. When the OTA is balanced horizontally, tighten the DEC Clutch.

Balance the mount in R.A. axis

Release the R.A. Clutch. If the DEC axis stays in the horizontal position, as shown in Figure 15(a), it means the R.A. axis is balanced. Otherwise, release the CW Locking Screw and move the CW as required to balance the R.A. axis. Tighten the CW Locking Screw.

Adjust the mount to Zero Position

After polar alignment and balancing OTA, adjust the mount to Zero Position. The Zero Position is the position with the CW shaft pointing toward the ground, OTA at the highest position with its axis parallel to the polar axis and the OTA pointing to the NCP, as shown in Figure 16. Loosen the DEC and R.A. clutches to adjust the mount to the Zero Position. Tighten the clutches after each adjustment. Remember, the hand controller needs to be at the Zero Position as well! The simplest way is turn the mount power OFF and ON again to reset the hand controller.

Figure 16. Zero position

You can also use the Electronic Balance Test function to check and fine tuning the R.A. and DEC balance (please refer to Section 5.12 for more details).

Getting Started

In order to experience the full GOTO capability of GOTONOVA® technology it is very important to set up the mount correctly before observation.

Setup the Mount and Polar Alignment

Assemble your iEQ30 mount according to Section 3.2, steps 1 ~ 6. Turn the mount power switch on. After the GPS status change to GPS OK when the GPS receiver is connected to satellites, the LCD will display the Pole Star Position chart. Follow Section 3.2, step 8 to do the Polar Alignment. If this has already been done or the mount has not been moved from the previous location, press the BACK button to go to the main menu. Mount an OTA and accessories, and carefully balance the mount around the polar axis, as indicated in 3.2, steps 9 and/or 10.

The default position for the mount is the Zero Position, as shown in Figure 16, when the mount is powered on: the counterweight shaft is pointing to ground, telescope is at the highest position with its axis parallel to the polar axis and the telescope is pointing to the North Celestial Pole, if you are located in
northern hemisphere.

Manual Operation of the Mount

You may observe astronomical objects using the arrow keys of a Go2Nova® hand controller. Flip the I/O switch on the telescope mount to turn on the mount. Use ►,◄,▼ or ▲ buttons to point the telescope to the desired object. Use the number keys to change the slewing speed. Then press STOP/0 button to start tracking.

Initial Star Alignment

Perform a simple one star alignment/synchronization after set up the hand controller to correct any pointing discrepancy of the Zero Position and to improve the GOTO accuracy.

To perform “One Star Align,” press MENU button, scroll down to “Align”, select “One Star Align” and press ENTER. The screen will display a list of bright objects for you to select from. Select an object using ▲ or ▼ key. Then press ENTER. After the mount slews to the target, use the arrow keys to center it in your eyepiece. Then press ENTER. (More align details in 5.6)

An alternate way is to perform “Sync to Target.” Press the MENU button, select “Select and Slew” and press ENTER. Browse over the catalogs and select an object, such as “Stars” Æ“Named stars” Æ140 (Polaris), and press ENTER. After the mount slews to Polaris, press the MENU button, scroll down to “Sync. To Target”, follow the on-screen instruction to center Polaris and press ENTER. You may need to use the number keys to change the slewing speed to make the centering procedure easier.

Go to the Moon and Other Stars

After performing these set-ups the mount is ready to GOTO and track objects. One of the most common objects is the Moon.

To slew to the Moon press the MENU button. Select “Select and Slew” by pressing the ENTER button. Select “Solar System”, and use the ▲ or ▼ buttons to select Moon. Press ENTER. The telescope  will automatically slew to the Moon and lock on it. It will automatically begin to track once it locks on. If the Moon is not centered in your eyepiece, use the arrow keys to center the Moon. Or for better performance use “Sync to Target.”

You may also select other bright celestial objects to start with, such as Jupiter or Saturn.

Star Identifying Function

The 8407 hand controller has a star identifying function. After Polar Alignment and Set Up Time and Site , slew the telescope to an bright star, manually or using GOTO. Press ? (Help) button to identify the star name telescope is pointing to, as well as nearby bright stars if there are any.

Turn Off the Mount

When you have finished your observation, just simply turn the mount power off and disassemble the mount and tripod. If the mount is set up on a pier or inside an observatory, it is recommended that you return the mount to Zero Position, or Park Position before powering down. This will ensure that there is no need for you to perform the initial setup again when you power up the mount subsequently, if the mount is not moved. To return the mount to its Zero Position, press the MENU button, scroll down to “To Zero Position” and press ENTER. Once the telescope returns to Zero Position turn the power off.

Complete Functions of Go2Nova® Hand Controller

Slew to an Object

Press the MENU button. From the main menu select “Select and Slew.” Select an object that you would like to observe and press the ENTER key.

The Go2NovaTM 8407 hand controller has a database of about 358,000 objects. Use the ► or ◄ buttons to move the cursor. Use the number buttons to enter the number, or the ▼ or ▲ buttons to change the individual number. Hold on a button to fast scroll through the list. The “ ” indicates the object is above the horizon, and a cross mark “ ” means it is below the horizon. In some catalogs those stars below the horizon will not display on the hand controller.

Solar System

There are 9 objects in the Solar system catalog.

Deep Sky Objects

This menu includes objects outside our Solar system such as galaxies, star clusters, quasars, and nebulae.

• Named Objects: consists of 60 deep sky objects with their common names. A list of named deep sky objects is included in Appendix E.
• Messier Catalog: consists of all 110 Messier objects.
• NGC IC Catalog: consists of 7,840 objects in NGC catalog and 5,386 objects in IC catalog. To select an object from NGC or IC catalog, move the cursor to NGC, using▲ or ▼ button to toggle between NGC and IC. Then move the cursor to a numerical position and use the number button to select the object.
• UGC Catalog: consists of 12,921 objects.
• MCG Catalog: consists of 30,642 objects.
• Caldwell Catalog: consists of 109 objects.
• Abell Catalog: consists of 4,076 objects.
• Herschel Catalog: consists of 400 objects.

Stars:

• Named Stars: consists of 195 stars with their common names. They are listed alphabetically. A list is included in Appendix E.
• Binary St a rs: consists of 210 binary stars. A list is attached in Appendix E.
• GCVS Variable Stars: consists of 38,528 GCVS variable stars. They are listed numerically.
• SAO Catalog: consists of 258,997 SAO catalog objects. They are listed numerically.

Constellations

This catalog consists of 88 modern constellations with their names. They are listed alphabetically. A list is attached in Appendix E.

Comets

This catalog contains 15 comets.

Asteroids

This catalog contains 116 asteroids.

User Objects

It can store up to 60 used entered objects, including comets.

Enter R.A. DEC

Here you can go to a target by entering its R.A. and DEC numbers.

Sync to Target

This operation will match the telescope’s current coordinates to Target Right Ascension and Declination. After slewing to an object, press MENU—then scroll to “Sync to Target” and press ENTER. Follow the screen to do the sync. Using this function will re-calibrate the computer to the selected object. Multiple syncs can be performed if needed. This operation is most useful to find a faint star or nebula near a bright star.

“Sync to Target” will only work after “Select and Slew” is performed. You can change the slewing speed to make the centering procedure easier. Simply press a number (1 through 9) to change the speed. The default slew speed is 64X.

“Sync to Target” does the same thing as one star alignment except that you choose the object to “sync” to. “One star align” chooses the star/object for you.

Set Up Controller

Set Up Time & Site

Refer to STEP 7 in Section 3.2.

Set Display and Beep

Press MENU button, from the main menu, scroll down and select “Set Up Controller”. Press
ENTER and select “Set Display and Beep”:

Use arrow keys to adjust LCD display contrast, LCD backlight intensity, keypads backlight Intensity and turn the keep beep ON/OFF

Set Anti-backlash

All mechanical gears have a certain amount of backlash or play between the gears. This play is evident by how long it takes for a star to move in the eyepiece when the hand control arrow buttons are pressed (especially when changing directions). The Go2Nova anti-backlash feature allows user to compensate for backlash by inputting a value which quickly rewinds the motors just enough to eliminate the play between gears.

To set the anti-backlash value, scroll down and select “Set Anti-backlash”

Press ENTER. A R.A. anti-backlash screen will display:

To adjust steps move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to input number directly. Press ENTER – “DEC anti-backlash” will display:

Move the cursor to each digit and use the number keys to set the anti- backlash. Press ENTER to go back the previous screen. Press BACK button to go back to main menu.

While viewing an object in the eyepiece, observe the responsiveness of each of the four arrow buttons. Note which directions you see a pause in the star movement after the button has been pressed. Working one axis at a time, adjust the backlash settings high enough to cause immediate movement without resulting in a pronounced jump when pressing or releasing the button. The hand controller will remember these values and use them each time it is turned on until they are changed.

The 8407 hand controller has a function to test the mount backlash number and can store the antibacklash steps here. The maximum steps are 9999.

Meridian Treatment

This function tells mount what to do when it tracks across the meridian. There are three options.  Stop Tracking will stop the mount when it passes the meridian. Telescope Flip will flip the telescope and continuous to track the object. The third option is Continue to Track. In this case, the mount will keep tracking and the OTA could hit the tripod leg if the mount is not monitored.

Set Eyepiece Light

Turn on/off the controller internal heater.

Upgrade RA & DEC

Use this operation to upgrade 8407 hand controller R.A. and DEC motor controller firmware. It only needed under a very rare circumstance. Please refer to iOptron online announcement when the event happens.

Please refer to iOptron online documents for iEQ30 main control board and 8407 hand controller firmware upgrade details.

Firmware Information

This option will display firmware version information of hand controller, main board, R.A. control board and DEC control board.

Align

This function is used for aligning the telescope. The system provides three alignment methods: “One Star Align”, “Two Star Align” and “Three Star Align”. The mount has to be at Zero Position before perform any star alignment.

One-Star Alignment

Press MENU button and select “Align”. Select “One Star Align” and press ENTER. A list of alignment stars that are above the horizon is computed based on your local time and location. With the mount at the “Zero Position,” use ▲ and ▼ buttons to select a star and press ENTER. Center the target in  your eyepiece using arrow key. Press ENTER when finished. If your mount is well set up and polar aligned, one star alignment should be sufficient for good GOTO accuracy. To increase the accuracy you may choose to do two star alignment.

Multi-Star Alignment (for firmware version later than V121213)

With iOptron’s multi-star alignment, you can choose two, three, or as many stars as you want to reduce the mount alignment offset.

Press MENU button and select “Align”. Select “Multi-Star Align” in the align menu. A list of alignment stars that are above the horizon is computed based on your local time and location. With the mount is at the “Zero Position,” use ▲ and ▼ buttons to select first alignment star and press ENTER. Center the target in your eyepiece using arrow key. Press ENTER when finished. The hand controller will prompt you to choose the second star. If the star you choose is too close to the first one, the system will let you choose another one. When you are aligned with the second star, the two star alignment is finished. You can reject the suggested star if it is blocked by a tree or other obstruction.

If you’ve done with the two star alignment, press the BACK button to finish the alignment. Press ENTER key to select third star for further alignment.

Test Backlash

This function is used to test the R.A. and DEC backlash value. The saved numbers will show in “Set Anti-backlash” menu. To get better results, perform this function on a land object during daytime and use a cross-hair eyepiece.

Lower the mount altitude to its lowest position. Release the R.A. Clutch to move the telescope to east or west side of the mount. Tighten the R.A. Clutch. Release DEC Clutch and put the telescope in horizontal position.

To test the backlash, point the telescope to a tip of a distant object, such as a telephone pole. Select “Test Backlash” under “Align” menu and press ENTER:

Using “►” or “◄” to move the object to center only in one direction, press the ENTER button. Do not move over the center. You may use a slow speed when the object is close to the center. The LCD screen will change to

Follow the on-screen instruction to bring the object back to center again and press ENTER. The screen will show

If you want to save this anti-backlash number, press ENTER. Otherwise press BACK. This will bring the hand controller to DEC backlash testing screen. Follow the on-screen instruction to test the DEC backlash.

Pole Star Position

This shows Polaris position in northern hemisphere or Sigma Octantis position in southern hemisphere, which is used for Quick Polar Alignment.

PEC Option

PEC Playback

You can turn “PEC Playback On” while you do the tracking, especially for long time astrophotography. A “PEC” indicator will be displayed on the LCD main screen when it is turned on. The default status is PEC Playback Off when the mount is turned on.

Record PEC

All Equatorial mounts have a small variation in the worm gears which can be corrected by using Period Error Correction or PEC. PEC is a system which improves the tracking accuracy of the mount by compensating for variations in the worm gear and is especially useful when doing astrophotography without autoguiding. Because the variations are regular, it is possible to record the corrections required to cancel out the worm gear variations and to play them back.

In order to use the PEC function, the Go2Nova hand controller needs to record the PE first. The periodic error of the worm gear drive will be stored and used to correct periodic error. There is no need to record the PE value again unless it is necessary, such as wearing of worm gear after extended use.

Here’s how to use the PEC function.

1.  Setup the mount with a telescope in autoguiding condition by connecting a guiding camera to a computer via ST-4 autoguiding port or ASCOM protocol;
2.  Press MENU, select “Auto Guide” and press ENTER. Select a guiding speed from 0.20X to 1.00X;
3.  Then press the BACK button and select “PEC Option” from the menu. Use the ▲ and ▼ scroll buttons to display the “Record PEC” option and press ENTER to start record the PE.
4.  It takes the worm gear 400 seconds to make one complete revolution. After 400 seconds PEC will automatically stop recording. The PEC value will permanently stored inside PEC chip on R.A. motor drive until a new data are recorded.
5.  If you want to re-record the periodic error, select “Record PEC” and repeat the recording processes again. The previously recorded information will be replaced with the current information.

System Self-Test

If system self-test function is turned on, the mount will swing back and forth about 2 seconds to check the PEC encoder condition.

Set Tracking Rate

You can set up tracking in the main menu by selecting “Set tracking Rate”. Then the user can select “Sidereal speed” , “Solar speed” , “Lunar speed” , “King speed” and “User defined speed ”. For “User defined speed,” it can be adjusted from 0.9900X to 1.0100X of sidereal speed by pressing the ▲or ▼ button or number buttons.

Set User Objects

Besides various star lists available in the hand controller –you can add, edit or delete your own user defined objects. You can also add your favorite observation object into the user object list for easy sky surfing. Up to 60 user objects can be stored here.

You also can enter new comets by select “Set the Comet” submenu.

To set user objects, press MENU button, from the main menu, scroll down and select “Set User Object.

Press ENTER to bring up user objects setting screen. Then select “Objects Except Comet” submenu:

Select “Add a New Record” from Objects Except Comet screen. A screen will display asking to Enter R.A. DEC:

You may enter the R.A. and DEC coordinates of the star you want to watch, and press ENTER. A confirmation screen will show. Press ENTER to confirm storing your object under assigned user object number, or press BACK button to cancel it.

A more useful application of this function is to store your favorite viewing objects before heading to the filed. When “Enter R.A. DEC” screen showed, press the MENU button. It brings up the star catalogs that you can select the star from. Follow the screen to add your favorite objects. Press BACK button to go back one level.

Press BACK button few times to go back to Set User Objects. You may review the records or delete the ones you don’t want it anymore. Press BACK button to finish the operation. Now you can slew to your favorite stars from User Objects catalog using “Select and Slew.”

To enter a new comet data, select “Set the Comet” submenu and press ENTER:

Select “Add a New Record” from the screen. A screen will ask to Enter Comet Parameter:

Enter the comet data in the format of date (YYYY-MM-DD.HHHH), q, e, ω, Ω, and i.

Guide Options

Set Guider Rate

This is an advanced function for autoguiding when a guiding camera is equipped either via an ST-4 guiding port or an ASCOM protocol. Before autoguiding, align the polar axis carefully. Select a proper  guiding speed. The suppositional guiding speed can be selected from ±0.20X to ±1.00X. Follow the autoguiding software for detailed operation.

Guide Port Direction

The Guide Port iEQ30 equipped is capable to handle an ST-4 autoguiding camera with both straight and a reverse wired RJ11 guiding cable. Select “Reverse” option in the “Auto Guide” function for an ST-4  camera with a reversed RJ11 guiding cable, as shown in Figure 17.

Figure 17. ST-4 guiding port wiring direction

Set Slewing Rate

You can select the maximum GOTO speed to be 128X, 256X, 512X, or MAX. The slower the speed is, the quieter the mount runs.

Park Scope

There are two parking positions: east side or west side. The mount my move to either position depends on which one is closer, when “Park Scope” is selected. The mount will remember the Zero Position if the power is turned off after “Park Scope”.

To Zero Position

This moves your telescope to its Zero Position (refer to Figure 16). When the power is turned on, the mount assumes the Zero Position. This is its reference point for all other objects being tracked.

Balance Test

This function provides a visual indication and assistance balancing both the R.A. and DEC axes. Before performing the balance test, make sure the correct latitude is set according to the instructions in Section 2.5, Step 4. Turn the mount on and make sure the telescope is in the Zero Position.

Press the MENU button, scroll down to “Balance Test” , and press ENTER. The mount will start to slew and stop at the balance position. You can select either “DEC Balance Test” or “RA. Balance Test.”

Select “RA Balance Test” and press ENTER to start the test. After few swings, a test results will be displayed on the hand controller LCD screen (Figure 18 (a)):

Figure 18. (a) R.A. and (b) DEC Balance Test

Follow the arrow indicator to move the CW left or right. There are six balance test indicators in each
direction:
< Balance OK! >: The R.A. is balanced; < . Balance OK! > or < Balance OK! . >: The R.A. is almost balanced; a minor adjustment may be done; < .. Balance OK! > or < Balance OK! .. >: The mount balance is OK for observation; a small adjustment may be done;

< = or =>: Move counterweight left or right;
< == or ==>: Move counterweight left or right more;
< === or ===>: The R.A. axis is off balance. Move counterweight according to the arrow left or right.

Press the ENTER key to test it again, until the < Balance OK!> indicator is displayed.

Press BACK button and select “DEC Balance Test”. Move the telescope back and forth to balance the OTA around the DEC axis until < Balance OK! > is displayed.

Maintenance and Servicing

Maintenance

The iEQ30 is designed to be maintenance free. Do not overload the mount. Do not drop the mount, this will damage the mount or degrade the GOTO tracking accuracy permanently. Use a wet cloth to clean the mount and hand controller. Do not use solvent.

If your mount is not to be used for an extended period, dismount the OTAs and counterweight(s).

iOptron Customer Service

If you have any question concerning your iEQ30 contact iOptron Customer Service Department. Customer Service hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that the iEQ30 requires factory servicing or repairing, write or call iOptron Customer Service Department first to receive an RMA# before returning the mount to the factory. Please provide details as to the nature of the problem as well as your name, address, e-mail address, purchase info and daytime telephone number. We have found that most problems can be resolved by e-mails or telephone calls. So please contact iOptron first to avoid returning the mount for repair.

It is strongly suggested that to send technical questions to support@ioptron.com. Call in the U.S. 1.781.569.0200.

Product End of Life Disposal Instructions

This electronic product is subject to disposal and recycling regulations that vary by country and region. It is your responsibility to recycle your electronic equipment per your local environmental laws and regulations to ensure that it will be recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment. To find out where you can drop off your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local waste recycle/disposal service or the product representative.

Battery Replacement and Disposal Instructions

Battery Disposal- Batteries contain chemicals that, if released, may affect the environment and human health. Batteries should be collected separately for recycling, and recycled at a local hazardous material disposal location adhering to your country and local government regulations. To find out where you can drop off your waste battery for recycling,  please contact your local waste disposal service or the product representative.

Appendix A. Technical Specifications

Appendix B. Go2Nova® 8407 HC MENU STRUCTURE

Appendix C. Firmware Upgrade

The firmware in the 8407 hand controller and/or control boards can be upgraded by the customer. Please check iOptron’s website, www.iOptron.com, under Support Directory/iEQ30 with 8407 Hand Controller, for detail.

Appendix D. Computer Control an iEQ30 Mount

The iEQ30 mount can be connected to a computer using supplied RS232 cable. A RS232 to USB adapter (not supplied) is needed if your computer does not have a serial port, like most of the laptops on the market today. Follow the adapter instructions to install the adapter driver.

When the communication between the mount and computer has been established, the mount can be controlled via ASCOM protocol.

To control the mount via ASCOM protocol, you need:

1. Download and install ASCOM Platform from http://www.ascom-standards.org/. Make sure you PC meet the software requirement. Refer to the ascom-standards website for details.
2. Download and install latest iOptron Telescope ASCOM drive from iOptron website.
3. Planetarium software that supports ASCOM protocol. Follow software instructions to select the iOptron Telescope.

Please refer to iOptron website, www.iOptron.com, under Support Directory/iEQ30 with 8407 Hand Controller, for more detail.

iEQ30 mount may also be directly controlled by other third party software and accessories. Please contact them for more information.

Appendix E. Go2Nova® Star List

Messier Catalog

This table is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article List of Messier objects.

Named Star List

Modern Constellations

Deep Sky Object List

ID No.| OBJECT| NGC #| Messier#| IC#| A(Abell)| U(UGC)
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
1| Andromeda Galaxy| 224| 31| | |
2| Barnards Galaxy| 6822| | | |
3| Beehive Cluster| 2632| 44| | |
4| Blackeye Galaxy| 4926| 64| | |
5| Blinking Planetary Nebula| 6826| | | |
6| Blue Flash Nebula| 6905| | | |
7| Blue Planetary| 3918| | | |
8| Blue Snowball Nebula| 7662| | | |
9| Box Nebula| 6309| | | |
10| Bubble Nebula| 7635| | | |
11| Bipolar Nebula| 6302| | | |
12| Butterfly Cluster| 6405| 6| | |
13| California Nebula| 1499| | | |
14| Cat’s Eye Nebula| 6543| | | |
15| Cocoon Nebula| | | 5146| |
16| Cone Nebula| 2264| | | |
17| Cork Nebula| 650-51| 76| | |
18| Crab Nebula| 1952| 1| | |
19| Crescent Nebula| 6888| | | |
20| Draco Dwarf| | | | | 10822
21| Duck Nebula| 2359| | | |
22| Dumbbell Nebula| 6853| 27| | |
23| Eagle Nebula| | 16| | |
24| Eight-Burst Nebula| 3132| | | |
25| Eskimo Nebula| 2392| | | |
26| Flaming Star Nebula| | | 405| |
27| Ghost of Jupiter| 3242| | | |
28| Great Cluster| 6205| 13| | |
29| Helix Nebula| 7293| | | |
30| Hercules Galaxy Cluster| | | | 2151|
ID No.| OBJECT| NGC #| Messier#| IC#| A(Abell)| U(UGC)
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
31| Hind’s Variable Nebula| 1555| | | |
32| Hubble’s Variable Nebula| 2261| | | |
33| Integral Sign Galaxy| | | | | 3697
34| Jewel Box Cluster| 4755| | | |
35| Keyhole Nebula| 3372| | | |
36| Lagoon Nebula| 6523| 8| | |
37| Little Gem| 6445| | | |
38| Little Gem Nebula| 6818| | | |
39| Little Ghost Nebula| 6369| | | |
40| North American Nebula| 7000| | | |
41| Omega Nebula| 6618| 17| | |
42| Orion Nebula| 1976| 42| | |
43| Owl Nebula| 3587| 97| | |
44| Pelican Nebula| | | 5070| |
45| Phantom Streak Nebula| 6741| | | |
46| Pinwheel Galaxy| 598| 33| | |
47| Pleiades| | 45| | |
48| Ring Nebula| 6720| 57| | |
49| Ring Tail Galaxy| 4038| | | |
50| Rosette Nebula| 2237| | | |
51| Saturn Nebula| 7009| | | |
52| Sextans B Dwarf| | | | | 5373
53| Small Magellanic Cloud| 292| | | |
54| Sombrero Galaxy| 4594| 104| | |
55| Spindle Galaxy| 3115| | | |
56| Tank Track Nebula| 2024| | | |
57| Trifid Nebula| 6514| 20| | |
58| Ursa Minor Dwarf| | | | | 9749
59| Whirlpool Galaxy| 5194| 51| | |
60| Wild Duck Cluster| 6705| 11| | |

Double Star List

No.| Object| Const| Sep.| Magitude| SAO| Comm. Name
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
1| Gam| And| 9.8| 2.3 / 5.1| 37734| Almaak
2| Pi| And| 35.9| 4.4 / 8.6| 54033|
3| Bet| Aql| 12.8| 3.7 / 11| 125235| Alshain
4| 11| Aql| 17.5| 5.2 / 8.7| 104308|
5| 15| Aql| 34| 5.5 / 7.2| 142996|
6| E2489| Aql| 8.2| 5.6 / 8.6| 104668|
7| 57| Aql| 36| 5.8 / 6.5| 143898|
8| Zet| Aqr| 2.1| 4.3 / 4.5| 146108|
9| 94| Aqr| 12.7| 5.3 / 7.3| 165625|
10| 41| Aqr| 5.1| 5.6 / 7.1| 190986|
11| 107| Aqr| 6.6| 5.7 / 6.7| 165867|
12| 12| Aqr| 2.5| 5.8 / 7.3| 145065|
13| Tau| Aqr| 23.7| 5.8 / 9.0| 165321|
14| Gam| Ari| 7.8| 4.8 / 4.8| 92681| Mesartim
15| Lam| Ari| 37.8| 4.8 / 6.7| 75051|
16| The| Aur| 3.6| 2.6 / 7.1| 58636|
17| Nu| Aur| 55| 4.0 / 9.5| 58502|
18| Ome| Aur| 5.4| 5.0 / 8.0| 57548|
19| Eps| Boo| 2.8| 2.5 / 4.9| 83500| Izar
20| Del| Boo| 105| 3.5 / 7.5| 64589|
21| Mu 1| Boo| 108| 4.3 / 6.5| 64686| Alkalurops
22| Tau| Boo| 4.8| 4.5 / 11| 100706|
23| Kap| Boo| 13.4| 4.6 / 6.6| 29046|
24| Xi| Boo| 6.6| 4.7 / 6.9| 101250|
25| Pi| Boo| 5.6| 4.9 / 5.8| 101139|
26| Iot| Boo| 38| 4.9/7.5/13| 29071|
27| E1835| Boo| 6.2| 5.1 / 6.9| 120426|
28| 44| Boo| 2.2| 5.3 / 6.2| 45357|
29| | Cam| 2.4| 4.2 / 8.5| 24054|
30| 32| Cam| 21.6| 5.3 / 5.8| 2102|
31| Alp 2| Cap| 6.6| 3.6 / 10| 163427| Secunda giedi
32| Alp 1| Cap| 45| 4.2 / 9.2| 163422| Prima giedi
33| Pi| Cap| 3.4| 5.2 / 8.8| 163592|
34| Omi| Cap| 21| 5.9 / 6.7| 163625|
35| Alp| Cas| 64.4| 2.2 / 8.9| 21609| Shedir
36| Eta| Cas| 12.9| 3.5 / 7.5| 21732| Achird
37| Iot| Cas| 2.3| 4.7/7.0/8.2| 12298|
38| Psi| Cas| 25| 4.7 / 8.9| 11751|
39| Sig| Cas| 3.1| 5.0 / 7.1| 35947|
40| E3053| Cas| 15.2| 5.9 / 7.3| 10937|
41| 3| Cen| 7.9| 4.5 / 6.0| 204916|
42| Bet| Cep| 13.6| 3.2 / 7.9| 10057| Alfirk
43| Del| Cep| 41| 3.5 / 7.5| 34508|
44| Xi| Cep| 7.6| 4.3 / 6.2| 19827| Al kurhah
45| Kap| Cep| 7.4| 4.4 / 8.4| 9665|
46| Omi| Cep| 2.8| 4.9 / 7.1| 20554|
47| E2840| Cep| 18.3| 5.5 / 7.3| 33819|
48| E2883| Cep| 14.6| 5.6 / 7.6| 19922|
49| Gam| Cet| 2.8| 5.0 / 7.7| 110707| Kaffaljidhma
50| 37| Cet| 50| 5.2 / 8.7| 129193|
51| 66| Cet| 16.5| 5.7 / 7.5| 129752|
52| Eps| CMa| 7.5| 1.5 / 7.4| 172676| Adhara
53| Tau| CMa| 8.2| 4.4/10/11| 173446|
54| 145| CMa| 25.8| 4.8 / 6.8| 173349|
55| Mu| CMa| 2.8| 5.0 / 7.0| 152123|
56| Nu 1| CMa| 17.5| 5.8 / 8.5| 151694|
57| Iot| Cnc| 30.5| 4.2 / 6.6| 80416|
58| Alp| Cnc| 11| 4.3 / 12| 98267| Acubens
59| Zet| Cnc| 6| 5.1 / 6.2| 97646|
60| 24| Com| 20.6| 5.0 / 6.6| 100160|
61| 35| Com| 1.2| 5.1/7.2/9.1| 82550|
62| 2| Com| 3.7| 5.9 / 7.4| 82123|
63| Zet| CrB| 6.1| 5.0 / 6.0| 64833|
64| Gam| Crt| 5.2| 4.1 / 9.6| 156661|
65| Del| Crv| 24.2| 3.0 / 9.2| 157323| Algorab
66| Alp| CVn| 19.4| 2.9 / 5.5| 63257| Cor caroli
67| 25| CVn| 1.8| 5.0 / 6.9| 63648|
68| 2| CVn| 11.4| 5.8 / 8.1| 44097|
69| Gam| Cyg| 41| 2.2 / 9.5| 49528| Sadr
70| Del| Cyg| 2.5| 2.9 / 6.3| 48796|
71| Bet| Cyg| 34.4| 3.1 / 5.1| 87301| Albireo
72| Omi 1| Cyg| 107| 3.8 / 6.7| 49337|
73| 52| Cyg| 6.1| 4.2 / 9.4| 70467|
74| Ups| Cyg| 15.1| 4.4 / 10| 71173|
75| Mu| Cyg| 1.9| 4.7 / 6.1| 89940|
76| Psi| Cyg| 3.2| 4.9 / 7.4| 32114|
77| 17| Cyg| 26| 5.0 / 9.2| 68827|
78| 61| Cyg| 30.3| 5.2 / 6.0| 70919|
79| 49| Cyg| 2.7| 5.7 / 7.8| 70362|
80| E2762| Cyg| 3.4| 5.8 / 7.8| 70968|
81| E2741| Cyg| 1.9| 5.9 / 7.2| 33034|
82| Gam| Del| 9.6| 4.5 / 5.5| 106476|
83| Eta| Dra| 5.3| 2.7 / 8.7| 17074|
84| Eps| Dra| 3.1| 3.8 / 7.4| 9540| Tyl
85| 47| Dra| 34| 4.8 / 7.8| 31219|
86| Nu| Dra| 61.9| 4.9 / 4.9| 30450|
87| Psi| Dra| 30.3| 4.9 / 6.1| 8890|
88| 26| Dra| 1.7| 5.3 / 8.0| 17546|
89| 16&17| Dra| 90| 5.4/5.5/6.4| 30012|
90| Mu| Dra| 1.9| 5.7 / 5.7| 30239|
91| 40/41| Dra| 19.3| 5.7 / 6.1| 8994|
92| 1| Equ| 10.7| 5.2 / 7.3| 126428|
93| The| Eri| 4.5| 3.4 / 4.5| 216114| Acamar
94| Tau 4| Eri| 5.7| 3.7 / 10| 168460|
95| Omi 2| Eri| 8.3| 4.4/9.5/11| 131063| Keid
96| 32| Eri| 6.8| 4.8 / 6.1| 130806|
97| 39| Eri| 6.4| 5.0 / 8.0| 149478|
98| Alp| For| 5.1| 4.0 / 6.6| 168373| Fornacis
99| Ome| For| 10.8| 5.0 / 7.7| 167882|
100| Alp| Gem| 3.9| 1.9 / 2.9| 60198| Castor
101| Del| Gem| 5.8| 3.5 / 8.2| 79294| Wasat
102| Lam| Gem| 9.6| 3.6 / 11| 96746|
103| Kap| Gem| 7.1| 3.6 / 8.1| 79653|
104| Zet| Gem| 87| 3.8/10/8.0| 79031| Mekbuda
105| 38| Gem| 7.1| 4.7 / 7.7| 96265|
106| Del| Her| 8.9| 3.1 / 8.2| 84951| Sarin
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
107| Mu| Her| 34| 3.4 / 9.8| 85397|
108| Alp| Her| 4.6| 3.5 / 5.4| 102680| Rasalgethi
109| Gam| Her| 42| 3.8 / 9.8| 102107|
110| Rho| Her| 4.1| 4.6 / 5.6| 66001|
111| 95| Her| 6.3| 5.0 / 5.2| 85647|
112| Kap| Her| 27| 5.0 / 6.2| 101951|
113| E2063| Her| 16.4| 5.7 / 8.2| 46147|
114| 100| Her| 14.3| 5.9 / 5.9| 85753|
115| 54| Hya| 8.6| 5.1 / 7.1| 182855|
116| HN69| Hya| 10.1| 5.9 / 6.8| 181790|
117| Eps| Hyd| 2.7| 3.4 / 6.8| 117112|
118| The| Hyd| 29.4| 3.9 / 10| 117527|
119| N| Hyd| 9.4| 5.6 / 5.8| 179968|
120| | Lac| 28.4| 4.5 / 10| 72155|
121| 8| Lac| 22| 5.7/6.5/10| 72509|
122| Gam 1| Leo| 4.4| 2.2 / 3.5| 81298| Algieba
123| Iot| Leo| 1.7| 4.0 / 6.7| 99587|
124| 54| Leo| 6.6| 4.3 / 6.3| 81583|
125| Gam| Lep| 96| 3.7 / 6.3| 170757|
126| Iot| Lep| 12.8| 4.4 / 10| 150223|
127| Kap| Lep| 2.6| 4.5 / 7.4| 150239|
128| h3752| Lep| 3.2| 5.4 / 6.6| 170352|
129| Iot| Lib| 57.8| 4.5 / 9.4| 159090|
130| | Lib| 23| 5.7 / 8.0| 183040|
131| Mu| Lib| 1.8| 5.8 / 6.7| 158821|
132| Eta| Lup| 15| 3.6 / 7.8| 207208|
133| Xi| Lup| 10.4| 5.3 / 5.8| 207144|
134| 38| Lyn| 2.7| 3.9 / 6.6| 61391|
135| 12| Lyn| 1.7| 5.4/6.0/7.3| 25939|
136| 19| Lyn| 14.8| 5.8 / 6.9| 26312|
137| Bet| Lyr| 46| 3.4 / 8.6| 67451| Sheliak
138| Zet| Lyr| 44| 4.3 / 5.9| 67321|
139| Eta| Lyr| 28.1| 4.4 / 9.1| 68010| Aldafar
140| Eps 1| Lyr| 2.6| 5.0 / 6.1| 67309| Double dbl1
No.| Object| Const| Sep.| Magitude| SAO| Comm. Name
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
141| Eps 2| Lyr| 2.3| 5.2 / 5.5| 67315| Double dbl2
142| Alp| Mic| 20.5| 5.0 / 10| 212472|
143| Zet| Mon| 32| 4.3 / 10| 135551|
144| Eps| Mon| 13.4| 4.5 / 6.5| 113810|
145| Bet| Mon| 7.3| 4.7/4.8/6.1| 133316|
146| 15| Mon| 2.8| 4.7 / 7.5| 114258|
147| 70| Oph| 4.5| 4.0 / 5.9| 123107|
148| 67| Oph| 55| 4.0 / 8.6| 123013|
149| Lam| Oph| 1.5| 4.2 / 5.2| 121658| Marfic
150| Xi| Oph| 3.7| 4.4 / 9.0| 185296|
151| 36| Oph| 4.9| 5.1 / 5.1| 185198|
152| Tau| Oph| 1.7| 5.2 / 5.9| 142050|
153| Rho| Oph| 3.1| 5.3 / 6.0| 184382|
154| 39| Oph| 10.3| 5.4 / 6.9| 185238|
155| Bet| Ori| 9.5| 0.1 / 6.8| 131907| Rigel
156| Del| Ori| 53| 2.2 / 6.3| 132220| Mintaka
157| Iot| Ori| 11.3| 2.8 / 6.9| 132323| Nair al saif
158| Lam| Ori| 4.4| 3.6 / 5.5| 112921| Meissa
159| Sig| Ori| 13| 3.8/7.2/6.5| 132406|
160| Rho| Ori| 7.1| 4.5 / 8.3| 112528|
161| E747| Ori| 36| 4.8 / 5.7| 132298|
162| 1| Peg| 36.3| 4.1 / 8.2| 107073|
163| Eps| Per| 8.8| 2.9 / 8.1| 56840|
164| Zet| Per| 12.9| 2.9 / 9.5| 56799| Atik
165| Eta| Per| 28.3| 3.3 / 8.5| 23655| Miram in becvar
166| The| Per| 18.3| 4.1 / 10| 38288|
167| E331| Per| 12.1| 5.3 / 6.7| 23765|
168| Del| PsA| 5.1| 4.2 / 9.2| 214189|
169| Iot| PsA| 20| 4.3 / 11| 213258|
170| Bet| PsA| 30.3| 4.4 / 7.9| 213883|
171| Gam| PsA| 4.2| 4.5 / 8.0| 214153|
172| Eta| PsA| 1.7| 5.8 / 6.8| 190822|
173| Alp| Psc| 1.8| 4.2 / 5.2| 110291| Alrisha
174| 55| Psc| 6.5| 5.4 / 8.7| 74182|
175| Psi| Psc| 30| 5.6 / 5.8| 74483|
No.| Object| Const| Sep.| Magitude| SAO| Comm. Name
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
176| Zet| Psc| 23| 5.6 / 6.5| 109739|
177| Kap| Pup| 9.9| 4.5 / 4.7| 174199|
178| Eta| Pup| 9.6| 5.8 / 5.9| 174019|
179| Eps| Scl| 4.7| 5.4 / 8.6| 167275|
180| Bet| Sco| 13.6| 2.6 / 4.9| 159682| Graffias
181| Sig| Sco| 20| 2.9 / 8.5| 184336| Alniyat
182| Nu| Sco| 41| 4.2 / 6.1| 159764| Jabbah
183| 2| Sco| 2.5| 4.7 / 7.4| 183896|
184| | Sco| 23| 5.4 / 6.9| 207558|
185| Hn39| Sco| 5.4| 5.9 / 6.9| 184369|
186| 12| Sco| 3.9| 5.9 / 7.9| 184217|
187| Bet| Ser| 31| 3.7 / 9.0| 101725|
188| Del| Ser| 4.4| 4.2 / 5.2| 101624|
189| Nu| Ser| 46| 4.3 / 8.5| 160479|
190| The| Ser| 22.3| 4.5 / 5.4| 124070| Alya
191| 59| Ser| 3.8| 5.3 / 7.6| 123497|
192| Zet| Sge| 8.5| 5.0 / 8.8| 105298|
193| Eta| Sgr| 3.6| 3.2 / 7.8| 209957|
194| | Sgr| 5.5| 5.2 / 6.9| 209553|
195| Phi| Tau| 52| 5.0 / 8.4| 76558|
196| Chi| Tau| 19.4| 5.7 / 7.6| 76573|
197| 118| Tau| 4.8| 5.8 / 6.6| 77201|
198| 6| Tri| 3.9| 5.3 / 6.9| 55347|
199| Zet| UMa| 14| 2.4 / 4.0| 28737| Mizar
200| Nu| UMa| 7.2| 3.5 / 9.9| 62486| Alula borealis
201| 23| UMa| 23| 3.6 / 8.9| 14908|
202| Ups| UMa| 11.6| 3.8 / 11| 27401|
203| Xi| UMa| 1.8| 4.3 / 4.8| 62484| Alula australia
204| Sig 2| UMa| 3.9| 4.8 / 8.2| 14788|
 205| 57| UMa| 5.4| 5.4 / 5.4| 62572|
206| Alp| UMi| 18.4| 2.0 / 9.0| 308| Polaris
207| Gam| Vir| 1.4| 3.5 / 3.5| 138917| Porrima
208| The| Vir| 7.1| 4.4 / 9.4| 139189|
209| Phi| Vir| 4.8| 4.8 / 9.3| 139951|
210| 84| Vir| 2.9| 5.7 / 7.9| 120082|

WARRANTY

IOPTRON TWO YEAR TELESCOPE, MOUNT, AND CONTROLLER WARRANTY

A. iOptron warrants your telescope, mount, or controller to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years. iOptron will repair or replace such product or part which, upon inspection by iOptron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a condition to the obligation of iOptron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to iOptron together with   proof-of-purchase satisfactory to iOptron.

B. The Proper Return Merchant Authorization Number must be obtained from iOptron in advance of return. Call iOptron at
1.781.569.0200 to receive the RMA number to be displayed on the outside of your shipping container. All returns must be accompanied by a written statement stating the name, address, and daytime telephone number of the owner, together with a brief description of any claimed defects. Parts or product for which replacement is made shall become theproperty  of iOptron.

The customer shall be responsible for all costs of transportation and insurance, both to and from the factory of iOptron, and shall be required to prepay such costs.

iOptron shall use reasonable efforts to repair or replace any telescope, mount, or controller covered by this warranty within thirty days of receipt. In the event repair or replacement shall require more than thirty days, iOptron shall notify the customer accordingly. iOptron reserves the right to replace any product which has been discontinued from its product line with a new product of comparable value and function.

This warranty shall be void and of no force of effect in the event a covered product has been modified in design or function, or subjected to abuse, misuse, mishandling or unauthorized repair. Further, product malfunction or deterioration due to normal wear is not covered by this warranty.

IOPTRON DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER OF MERCHANTABILITY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HERE. THE SOLE OBLIGATION OF IOPTRON UNDER THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE COVERED PRODUCT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HERE. IOPTRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY LOST PROFITS, GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHICH MAY RESULT FROM BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY, OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE ANY IOPTRON PRODUCT. ANY WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED AND WHICH CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO A TERM OF TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL  PURCHASE.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

iOptron reserves the right to modify or discontinue, without prior notice to you, any model or style telescope.

Customer Support

If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your telescope, mount, or controller contact:

iOptron Corporation
Customer Service Department
6E Gill Street
Woburn, MA 01801
www.ioptron.com
support@ioptron.com
Tel. (781)569-0200
Fax. (781)935-2860
Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM EST

NOTE: This warranty is valid to U.S.A. and Canadian customers who have purchased this product from an authorized iOptron dealer in the U.S.A. or Canada or directly from iOptron. Warranty outside the U.S.A. and Canada is valid only to customers who purchased from an iOptron Distributor or Authorized iOptron Dealer in the specific country. Please contact them for any warranty.

References

• ASCOM - Standards for Astronomy
• ioptron.com
• Manual-Hub.com – Free PDF manuals!

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