® SmartStar®CubeTM-A Series Mount and Telescopes (For 8600, 8602, 8603 and 8604) Instruction Manual
Table of Content Table of Content ............................................................................................................................. 2 1. SmarStar® CubeTM-A Series Overview....................................................................................... 4 1.1. SmartStar® CubeTM-A Series Features ............................................................................... 4 1.2. Assembly Terms ................................................................................
6.6.1. One Star Align ............................................................................................................ 23 6.6.2. Two Star Alignment .................................................................................................... 23 6.6.3. Three-Star Align.......................................................................................................... 23 6.6.4. Dis R.A axis error..........................................................................................
1. SmarStar® CubeTM-A Series Overview 1.1. SmartStar® CubeTM-A Series Features Alt-Azimuth Mount– The Cube™, with AltAzi/EQ dual application The SmartStar® Cubetm-A series come with our patented Alt-Azimuth (AltAzi) mount, a.k.a. The Cube™. This compact mount design is probably the most functional and flexible unit on the market. It was named “Hot Product 2008” by Sky and Telescope. Both axis motors are built into a small single unit with optical encoders which provides accurate GOTO and tracking.
Most light weight (<7lbs) Optical Tube Assembles (OTAs) with dovetail connection should be compatible with the SmartStar® CubeTM-A GOTO AltAzi mount. If you do not have a dovetail connection -- attach your OTA using mounting rings and dovetail available at your local telescope store or the OTA manufacturer. Contact iOptron for expert’s advice on compatibility issues. USB Port The 8401 hand controller equipped with a USB port that tremendously expands the functionalities of the already powerful system.
1.2. Assembly Terms 1. Telescope tube 2. Dovetail lock 3. Hand controller 4. Altitude lock 5. Mount Polaris 6. Tripod 7. Tripod shaft 8. Tray 9. Tray lock 10. Azimuth lock screw 11. Wedge tilt screw 12. Tilt locks 13. Counterweight and shaft Zenith 5 10 13 11 12 7 8 9 Figure 1.
2. Telescope Assembly Step 1. Preparing the Tripod 1. Extend tripod legs to full extension. 2. Slide tray on bottom of shaft (#7). Then screw on round black knob (#9). Step 2. Attaching the Mount 1. Raise wedge plate on the tripod by turning two tilt locks (12); 2. Attach mount to wedge plate using supplied azimuth lock screw (10). 3. lower wedge plate to it’s lowest position by turning the upper tilt lock upward while lightly push the mount down. Secure the mount by tightening the lower lock. Step 3a.
Step 5. Plug in hand controller and AC adaptor. Plug hand controller into either one of the two HBX ports on the mount. Next plug in AC adaptor. (Or use batteries—see step 3). Turn on power (the red light should go on). At this point you can begin observing manually. Use the 4 Arrow keys (▲▼◄►) to rotate the scope Up, Down, Left, and Right. Use the SPEED key to change the slew rate from the slowest (2X) to the fastest (MAX).
For 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain (#8504)…………………………………. Diagonal Eyepiece Install Diagonal by screwing it onto the back end of the scope. You can adjust the position of the diagonal by loosening the free-spinning threader on the diagonal. Install the Finderscope by sliding the dovetail plate onto the sleeve (see arrow) and tightening the side screw. The eyepiece can be placed on the end of the scope or on the side (see next step). Secure the eyepiece using the side screw.
3. GoToNova® 8401 Hand Controller HBX Port USB Port Figure 1. GoToNova 8401 Hand Controller GoToNova® 8401 hand controller (HC) is the standard controller for a SmartStar® Cube -A series mount and telescope, as shown in Figure 1. (The earlier version equipped with a 8402 hand controller. Contact iOptron for instruction.) TM 3.1. Key Description • • • • • MENU: Press “MENU” to enter the Main Menu. BACK: Move back to the previous screen, or end/cancel current operation, such as slewing.
• • • • • Light Key(☼): Turns on/off the red LED reading light on the back of the controller. ? Key: For help or extra information. STOP/0 Key: Stop/Start tracking. HBX (Handbox) port: connect the HC to MiniTower mount using a 6-wire RJ11 cable. USB port: connect the HC to a Computer via a USB cable. 3.2. The LCD Screen The 8401 HC is designed to use for SmartStar-A GOTO mount and telescopes.
4. 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. 4.1. Level and Align the Mount 4.1.1. Level the Mount. Leveling is critical for a good GOTO and tracking accuracy. Level the mount by observing the bubble (shown) on the base of the mount by adjusting tripod legs. The bubble should be in the center of the circle.
4.2.1. Set Up Local Time and Site Info Press MENU button, from the main menu, scroll down and select “Set up controller” Select and Slew Sync. to Target Electronic Focuser Set Up Controller Align Set Up Tracking User Objects Auto Guide Press ENTER. Select “Set Up Local Time” Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Up Local Time Up Site N/S Hemisphere Display Contrast Eyepiece Light Backlight Snti-backlash Key Beep Press ENTER. The “Set Local Time” screen will show: Set Local Time: 2009-06-01 11:55:09 300 Min.
To adjust minutes, move the cursor to each digit and use ▲ or ▼ key to change the number. To change the “behind” or “ahead of” UT, move the cursor to “ahead of” and using ▲ or ▼ key to toggle between “behind” and “ahead of”. For other parts of the world, you can find out your “time zone” information from internet, such as http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/. DO NOT COUNT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.
Press Enter. Equatorial Mount Alt/Azi Mount Select Alt/Azi mount and press ENTER to go back the previous screen. 4.2.3. Set Anti-backlash For an Alt/Azi operation, both R.A. and DEC anti-backlash should be set to 0 step. Scroll down and select “Set anti-backlash” Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Up Local Time Up Site N/S Hemisphere Display Contrast Eyepiece Light Backlight Anti-backlash Key Beep Press ENTER. A R.A. anti-backlash will display: R.A. anti-backlash: 0000 steps One steps equal to 1.
4.2.4. Using your telescope Selecting an Eyepiece: 1. Always begin viewing with the lowest power eyepiece. (Note: a 25 mm focal length eyepiece has a lower power than a 10 mm one.) A formula can be used to determine the power of each eyepiece: Telescope focal length divided by eyepiece focal length equals magnification. Ex. 400mm ÷ 25mm = 16X (magnification). The rule of thumb is that the magnification should not be too much larger than the OTA aperture, otherwise view and color distortion may occur. 2.
4.2.6. Initial Star Alignment A simple alignment/synchronization can be performed to improve the GOTO and tracking accuracy. To do so, press MENU button, scroll down to “Align”, select “One Star Align” and press ENTER. A list of three bright objects, such as Moon, Venus, and other stars, will be displayed for you to select from. Select an object using ▲ or ▼ key. Then press ENTER. Use ◄ ► ▲ or ▼ key to center the object in your eyepiece. Press SPEED button to change the slew speed if needed.
5. Operate SmartStar® CubeTM-A mount in EQ Mode The SmartStar can precisely track a celestial object while in the alt-az position. The integrated wedge of an A-series telescope allows the telescope to be operated in an equatorial mode, which is a great option for those who want get familiar with the EQ operation. Please Note: the Park Position of an EQ mode is different from that of an A/A mode. Follow the steps below to change the mount from A/A mode to EQ mode: R.A.
5. Align the altitude axle (with or without counterweight) that is pointing straight down, in line with the north-facing tripod leg. This can be done by either loosen the azimuth lock (10) or turn the mount using left or right arrow key. The altitude axle will served as the DEC axis of the EQ mode. 6. Mount the OTA onto the mount and align its optical axis parallel to the azimuth axle of the mount. This can be done by either loosen the altitude lock (4) or turn the mount using up or down arrow key.
6. Use SmartStar® CubeTM-A Telescopes 6.1. Manual Operation of a Telescope You may observe land and astronomical objects using GoToNova’s arrow keys. After the telescope was assembled (referring to Section 2. Telescope Assembly), flip the I/O switch on the telescope mount to turn on the mount. Use ►,◄,▼ or ▲ buttons to point the telescope to desired object. You may need using SPEED key to change the slewing speed. 6.2. Slew to an Object Press MENU button, from the main menu, select “Select and Slew.
6.2.4. Asteroids I his catalog contains up to 4,096 asteroids. This database is customer upgradeable. 6.2.5. Stars • Named Stars: It consists of 191 stars with their common names. They are listed alphabetically. A list is attached in Appendix C. • Double Stars: It consists of 40 double stars. A list is attached in Appendix C. • SAO Bright Stars: It consists of 26,584 SAO catalog objects. • GCVS Variable Stars: consists of 38,624 GCVS variable stars. They are listed numerically. 6.2.6.
6.5. Set Up Controller 6.5.1. Set Up Local Time Refer to 4.2.1. 6.5.2. Set Up Site Refer to 4.2.1. 6.5.3. Set N/S Hemisphere Set northern or southern hemisphere. 6.5.4. Set Display Contrast Use arrow keys to adjust LCD display contrast. 6.5.5. Set Eyepiece Light If you have an illuminated-reticule eyepiece or illuminated polar scope, and it is supported by GoToNova hand controller-- use this option to adjust the light intensity. 6.5.6. Set Backlight Adjust LCD and keypad backlight. 6.5.7.
6.5.13. Set Language Select hand controller display language in English or French. 6.6. Align This function is used for align the telescope. Before star alignment, please make sure the mount is well leveled. The system also provides “One Star Align” and “Two Star Align”. Any one can be selected for telescope alignment. 6.6.1. One Star Align From the main menu, select “Align”. Select “One Star Align” and press ENTER.
it means the polar axis of the mount is pointing 7.5” lower and 4.3” to the east to the North Pole. Pointing error is zero when you power on the mount (unless you “Park Telescope” before powering off). 6.6.5. Test Anti-backlash This command tests the backlashes in both R.A. and DEC. The saved numbers will show in “Set Anti-backlash” menu. However, if no high accuracy is needed or your equatorial mount is not a high accuracy unit (i.e.
7. Maintenance and Servicing 7.1. Maintenance The SmartStar® Cube-A mount or telescope is a precision instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your telescope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Maintenance guidelines include: 1. Using wet cloth to clean the mount and hand controller. Do not use the solvent. 2. Leave the dust cap on while not operating the telescope. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics.
7.3. Troubleshooting The following suggestions may be helpful with operation of the SmartStar® Cube-A mount or telescope. The power indicator light on the mount does not come on or there is no response when pressing hand controller’s arrow keys: (1) Verify that the power switch on the mount is in the ON position. (2) Verify that the hand controller cord is firmly connected to the HBX port on the mount, or switch the cord to the other HBX port.
• Extension cord: Make sure the cord is in good condition. Power drop along the extension cord has been known to cause this error message. Also check all the plugs and connections. (4) Check the hand controller cord. Unplug it and re-plug into the other HBX port. Error Message “Warning! Can not communicate with DEC motor controller.” (1) Check the hand controller cord. Unplug it and re-plug into another HBX port.
daytime telephone number. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to the factory. It is also strongly support@ioptron.com.
Appendix A.
Appendix B. GoToNova® 8401 HC MENU STRUCTURE MENU Select and Slew Planets, Sun, Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Sun Moon Deep Sky Objects Named Deepsky Object Messier Catalog NGC IC Catalog UGC Catalog MCG Catalog Caldwell Catalog Abell Catalog Herschel Catalog Comets Asteroids Stars Named Stars Double Stars GCVS Variable Stars SAO Catalog Constellations User Objects Enter R.A. and DEC Sync.
Set Up Controller Set Up Local Time Set Up Site Set N/S Hemisphere Set Display Contrast Set Eyepiece Light Set Backlight Set Anti-backslash Set Key Beep Set Mount Type Reset All Upgrade Firmware Set Gear Ratio Set Language Align Easy One Star Align One Star Align Two Star Align Three Star Align Disp. R.A.
Appendix C. GoToNova® Star List GoToNova Deep Sky Object List for 8401 ID No.
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Lagoon Nebula Little Gem Little Gem Nebula Little Ghost Nebula North American Nebula Omega Nebula Orion Nebula Owl Nebula Pelican Nebula Phantom Streak Nebula Pinwheel Galaxy Pleiades Ring Nebula Ring Tail Galaxy Rosette Nebula Saturn Nebula Sextans B Dwarf Small Magellanic Cloud Sombrero Galaxy Spindle Galaxy Tank Track Nebula Trifid Nebula Ursa Minor Dwarf Whirlpool Galaxy Wild Duck Cluster 6523 6445 6818 6369 7000 6618 1976 3587
Messier This table is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Modern Constellations No.
GoToNova Named Star List 001 Acamar 002 Achernar 003 Acrux 004 Acubens 005 Adhafera 006 Adhara 007 Al Na’ir 008 Albali 009 Alberio 010 Alchibar 011 Alcor 012 Alcyone 013 Aldebaran 014 Alderamin 015 Alfirk 016 Algedi 017 Algenib 018 Algiebra 019 Algol 020 Algorab 021 Alhena 022 Alioth 023 Alkaid 024 Alkalurops 025 Alkes 026 Almach 027 Alnasl 028 Alnilam 029 Alnitak 030 Alphard 031 Alphecca 032 Alpheratz 033 Alrakis 034 Alrescha 035 Alshain 036 Altair 037 Altais 038 Alterf 039 Aludra 040 Alula Australis 041 A
GoToNova Double Star List No.
Appendix D. Set Up USB-PC Connection 1. Download USB2COM driver (cp2102.zip file for 8401) from iOptron Website 2. Install CP210x (usb2com) driver Choose the appropriate driver for your OS. In this case is a Windows XP operation system. Double click on it, and you will see: Click “Next”.
Select “I accept the terms of license agreement”, and click “Next” Using the default installation path, c:\SiLabs\MCU\CP210x, or specify your own path by click “Change”. Click “Next”. Then click “Install”.
When finished installation, click “Finish” 3. Plug the USB cable in to the USB port on your PC, plug the other end of the USB cable to hand controller. Turn on the power on the mount. 4. Install the Hardware The computer will find a new hardware and show the following screen Select “No, not this time” and click “Next”.
Select “Install from a list or specific location” and click “Next”. Select “Search for the best driver in these locations,” and check “Include this location in the search.” Click on “Browse” and select the CP210x driver from directory c:\SiLabs\MCU\CP210x\Win2K_XP, click OK.
Click “Next”. The computer will start to install the driver for the USB2COM. When the installation is done, click “Finish”. If the computer shows “find a new hardware” screen again, just repeat the steps in this section again.
Now you computer should be ready for Firmware Upgrading, computer communication with the mount via ASCOM platform and planetarium software applications. However, you need to find assigned COM port number for the USB connection.
Double click on “Ports(COM & LPT)”, find out the COM number and write it down (in the following figure, it is COM3) 44
Appendix E. Firmware Upgrade 1. Download and install Firmware Downloader from iOptron Website 2.
Click “Open Data File”, and select appropriate “.bin” file that matches your hand controller, and click “Open”. Select “Main Program” ONLY in Update Type. Click “Start Download”. iOptronDownload will display: “Please reset GoToNova[GOTOSTAR], waiting for connection…” On the hand controller, press “MENU”, and using ▼▲ scroll to select “Set up controller”, press “ENTER”, then select “Upgrade firmware”, press “ENTER” and the upgrade starts.
Now the upgrade is finished. Typical Errors: 1. Invalid Port Number: in Device Manager, make sure you have the correct COM port number for CP210x. 2. Wrong “.bin” file: make sure you have the correct “.bin” file for firmware upgrade. 3. Wrong downloader, you should use iOptron Downloader instead of the Flash Downloader. 4. Use CP210x driver provided by iOptron. The newest version from SiLab may not work properly for iOptron’s hand controller.
Appendix F. Use a PC to Control an iOptron Mount In general you need the followings to use a PC to control a SmartStar-A mount, 1. Download USB2COM driver (CP210x.zip file for 8401) http://www.ioptron.com/support.aspx?catalog=28; 2. Install USB2COM and establish the connection between the mount and the PC (see instruction); 3. ASCOM platform (download from http://ascom-standards.org/); 4. iOptron ASCOM drive (download it from iOptron website; and 5. Planetarium software.
