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SkyProdigy 102 ITEM #22090

INSTRUCTION
MANUAL
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4
Warning 4
SkyProdigy Models 5
ASSEMBLY 7
Assembling SkyProdigy 7
Attaching the Hand Control Holder 7
Attaching the Fork Arm to the Tripod 7
Attaching the Telescope to the Fork Arm 8
The Star Diagonal 8
The Eyepiece 8
Focusing 9
Attaching the Hand Control 9
Powering SkyProdigy 9
The StarPointer Finderscope 10
StarPointer Installation 10
StarPointer Operation 10
HAND CONTROL 11
The Hand Control 11
Aligning SkyProdigy 11
StarSense Alignment 12
Manual StarSense Alignment 13
Solar Sytem Alignment 13
Refine Alignment 14
Object Catalog 14
Selecting an Object 14
Slewing to an Object 14
SkyTour Button 14
Identify Button 15
Direction Buttons 15
Motor Speed Button 15
Help Button 15
Menu Button 15
Basic Level Menu Items 16
Time and Location 16
View/ GOTO Location 16
Utility Features 16
Backlight 16
LCD Contrast 16
Get Version Info 16
Restore Defaults 16
Menu Level 16
 Advanced Level Menu Items 16
Database Setup 16
Telescope Setup 17
Tracking 17
Slew Limits 17
Direction Buttons 17
Cordwrap 17
Backlash Compensation 17
StarSense Camera 17
SKYPRRODIGY MENU TREE 19
TELESCOPE BASICS 20
Focusing 20
Image Orientation 20
Calculating Magnification 20
Determining Field of View 20
General Observing Hints 20
CELESTIAL OBSERVING 21
Observing the Moon 21
Lunar Observing Hints 21
Observing the Planets 21
Planetary Observing Hints 21
Observing the Sun 21
Solar Observing Hints 21
Observing Deep Sky Objects 21
Seeing Conditions 22
Transparency 22
Sky Illumination 22
Seeing 22
TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE 23
Care and Cleaning of the Optics 23
Collimation 23
APPENDIX A - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 25
APPENDIX B – GLOSSARY OF TERMS 26
APPENDIX C – TIME ZONE MAP 29
INSTRUCTION MANUAL [Continued]

INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of Celestron’s SkyProdigy SkyProdigy’s Computerized Hand Control has built-in instructions
telescope! SkyProdigy ushers in a whole new generation of to guide you through all the features needed to have the
computer automated technology. It combines electronic motors, telescope up and running in minutes. Use this manual in
a digital camera and internal *StarSense™ Technology to create conjunction with on-screen instructions provided by the hand
an automatic, instant alignment telescope that requires no input control. The manual gives detailed information regarding each
from the user. Simply turn it on, push a button and enjoy the step as well as needed reference material and helpful hints
view! It’s that easy. If you are new to astronomy, you may wish guaranteed to make your observing experience as simple and
to start off by using SkyProdigy's built-in Tour feature, which pleasurable as possible.
commands SkyProdigy to find the most interesting objects in
the sky and automatically slews to each one. Or if you are more Your SkyProdigy telescope is designed to give you years of fun
experienced , you will appreciate the comprehensive database and rewarding observations. However, there are a few things to
of over 4,000 objects, including customized lists of all the best consider before using your telescope that will ensure your safety
deep-sky objects, planets and bright double stars. No matter and protect your equipment. See warning below.
what level you are starting out, SkyProdigy will unfold for you
and your friends all the wonders of the Universe.

Some of the many standard features of SkyProdigy include:

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SkyProdigy’s deluxe features combined with Celestron’s

legendary optical standards give amateur astronomers one of
the most sophisticated and easy to use telescopes available on
the market today.

*Celestron’s SkyProdigy telescope uses an integrated imaging camera and patented StarSense Technology to automatically align
itself with the night sky and determine where the telescope is currently pointing.The camera automatically captures an image of the
sky, which is processed internally to positively identify the stars in the image. Once a positive match is found, SkyProdigy determines
the coordinates of the center of the captured image. The process is automatically repeated two more times so that the system has
three known alignment points that can be used to make an accurate model of the night sky. From this information the user can
select any celestial object in the hand controller’s database, and SkyProdigy will automatically move itself to the correct position.

*The SkyProdigy’s internal camera does not have an external output allowing users to view or save the captured images. The captured
images are used internally solely for the purpose of self-aligning the SkyProdigy telescope.

WARNING
• Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or with a telescope (unless you have the proper
solar filter). Permanent and irreversible eye damage may result.
• Never use your telescope to project an image of the Sun onto any surface. Internal heat build-up can damage the telescope
and any accessories attached to it
• Never use an eyepiece solar filter or a Herschel Wedge. Internal heat build-up inside the telescope can cause these devices
to crack or break, allowing unfiltered sunlight to pass through to the eye
• Never leave the telescope unsupervised, either when children are present or adults who may not be familiar with the
correct operating procedures of your telescope

4
SkyProdigy 102 Telescope

12

11

10

9
102

1. Optical Tube 7. Tripod

2. StarPointer Finderscope 8. Accessory Tray
3. Eyepiece 9. Hand Control
4. Diagonal 10. Fork Arm
5. Focus Knob 11. StarSense Camera
6. Tube Clamp Knob 12. Objective Lens

5
SkyProdigy 6 Telescope

1
2

10
3

9 5

8 6

1. Optical Tube 6. Tripod

2. StarPointer Finderscope 7. Accessory Tray
3. Eyepiece (Not Shown) 8. Hand Control
4. Diagonal (Not Shown) 9. Fork Arm
5. Tube Clamp Knob 10. StarSense Camera

6
INSTRUCTION MANUAL [Continued]

ASSEMBLY

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SkyProdigy comes partially assembled and can be operational in 3. Adjust the tripod height until the bubble level on the tripod
a matter of minutes. SkyProdigy is conveniently packaged in one leg is centered (See figure 2-2).
reusable shipping carton that contains the following accesso- 4. Tighten the tripod locking bolts to hold each leg in place.
ries:

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Assembling SkyProdigy
Your SkyProdigy comes in three major sections: the optical tube,
fork arm and tripod. These sections can be attached in seconds FIGURE 2-2
using the quick release coupling screw located under the tripod Leveling Tripod
mounting platform and the dovetail mounting clamp located on
the inside of the fork arm. To begin, remove all of the accessories Attaching the Hand Control Holder
from their individual boxes. Remember to save all of the contain-
ers so that they can be used to transport the telescope. Before SkyProdigy comes with a snap-on hand control holder that con-
attaching the visual accessories, the telescope tube and fork arm veniently attaches to any of the tripod legs. To attach the hand
should be mounted to the tripod. First, install the accessory tray control holder simply position the holder with the square plastic
onto the tripod legs: tab facing up and push against the tripod leg until it snaps into
place (See figure 2-3).
1. Remove the tripod from the box and spread the legs apart
until the center leg brace is fully extended.

2. Locate the accessory tray, and place it on top of the tripod

center support brace in between the tripod legs
(see figure 2-1).

3. Rotate the accessory tray so that the central hole in the tray
slides over the flange post in the center of the support
bracket.

4. Finally, rotate the tray so that the locking tabs slide under the
locking clips on the support bracket. You will hear the tray FIGURE 2-3
snap into place.
Attaching the Fork Arm to the Tripod
Flange Post With the tripod properly assembled, the telescope tube and
fork arm can easily be attached using the quick release coupling
Locking screw located underneath the tripod mounting platform:
Clips
1. Place the fork arm base inside the tripod mounting platform.
2. Thread the coupling screw into the hole at the bottom of the
fork arm base and hand tighten (See figure 2-4).

Fork Arm Base

Locking Tabs

FIGURE 2-1
Coupling
Screw Tripod
It is a good idea to level the tripod and adjust the height of the tripod
legs before attaching the fork arm and tube. Minor adjustments can Mounting
Platform
be made later. To adjust the height of the tripod legs:

1. Loosen the tripod leg locking bolt located on the side of

each leg. FIGURE 2-4
7
 Attaching the Telescope to the Fork Arm The Eyepiece
Your telescope optical tube has a built on dovetail mounting bar The eyepiece, is the optical element that magnifies the image fo-
used to attach the tube to the fork arm. To attach the telescope cused by the telescope. To install the eyepiece:
tube (See figure 2-5).
1. Loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal so it does
not obstruct the inner diameter of the eyepiece end of the
Tube Clamp
Dovetail Tightening Knob
diagonal.
Mounting Bar 2. Remove the protective dust cap from the star diagonal’s
barrel.
3. Slide the chrome portion of the low power 25 mm eyepiece
into the star diagonal.
4. Tighten the thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece in place.

To remove the eyepiece, loosen the thumbscrew on the star

diagonal and slide the eyepiece out.

FIGURE 2-5
StarPointer
Finderscope
1. Loosen the tube clamp tightening knob.
2. Slide the dovetail mounting bar of the telescope tube into
the fork arm clamp until it touches the positioning stop.
Eyepiece
Make sure that the logo on the side of the tube is right side
up when the tube is aligned with the fork arm.
3. Tighten the tube clamp knob by hand to secure the tube to Star
the fork arm. Diagonal

Your SkyProdigy is fully assembled and is ready to attach the Focus Knob
accessories.
FIGURE 2-6
VISUAL ACCESSORIES FOR SKYPRODIGY 102
The Star Diagonal
StarPointer
The star diagonal diverts light at a right angle from the light path Finderscope
of the telescope. For astronomical observing, this allows you to ob-
serve in positions that are more comfortable than if you were to look
straight through. To attach the star diagonal: Eyepiece

1. Turn the thumbscrew on the eyepiece adapter at the end of Star

Diagonal
the focuser barrel until it no longer extends into (i.e.,
obstructs) the inner diameter of the focus barrel/ visual back.
Remove the protective dust cap from the focus barrel/ visual Focus Knob
back.
2. Slide the chrome portion of the star diagonal into the eye
FIGURE 2-7
piece adapter.
VISUAL ACCESSORIES FOR SKYPRODIGY 6
3. Tighten the thumbscrew on the focus barrel/ visual back to
hold the star diagonal in place.

If you wish to change the orientation of the star diagonal, loosen

the thumbscrew on the eyepiece adapter until the star diagonal
rotates freely. Rotate the diagonal to the desired position and
tighten the thumbscrew.

8
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Eyepieces are commonly referred to by focal length and barrel Powering the SkyProdigy
diameter. The focal length of each eyepiece is printed on the
eyepiece barrel. The longer the focal length (i.e., the larger the SkyProdigy can be powered by 8 user supplied D-size alkaline
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batteries or an optional 12v AC adapter.
shorter the focal length (i.e., the smaller the number) the higher To power SkyProdigy:
the magnification. Generally, you will use low-to-moderate
power when viewing. For more information on how to determine 1. Insert 8 D-batteries into battery pack.
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star diagonal or focuser. SkyProdigy uses eyepieces with a power button and hand control display will come on.
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In case of a loss of power, the optical tube can be moved by hand
Focusing in altitude (up and down) only. However, when powered on, the
For astronomical viewing, out of focus star images are very diffuse, telescope should always be controlled using the hand control.
making them difficult to see. If you turn the focus knob too quickly, SkyProdigy will lose its star alignment if moved by hand when
you can go right through focus without seeing the image. To avoid powered on.
this problem, your first astronomical target should be a bright object
(like the Moon or a planet) so that the image is visible even when out
of focus. To get the focus close, star by focusing on a distant daytime
object at least a quarter of a mile away.

For SkyProdigy 102: Auxiliary

To focus your telescope, simply turn either of the focus knobs at Port
the eyepiece end of the optical tube (see figures 2-6 and 2-7). Turn
the focus knob until the image is sharp. Once sharp, turn the knob
Hand
towards you to focus on an object that is closer than the one you Control
are currently observing. Turn the knob away from you to focus on a Port
more distant object than the one you are currently observing. The
mm and 102 mm has a silver focusing tension screw used to lock the
focuser in place. FIGURE 2-8
For SkyProdigy 6:
The focusing knob, which moves the primary mirror, is located on the
The StarPointer Finderscope
rear of the telescope next to the star diagonal and eyepiece. Turn the
The StarPointer is a zero magnification pointing tool that uses
focusing knob until the image is sharp. Once an image is in focus,
a coated glass window to superimpose the image of a small
turn the knob clockwise to focus on a closer object and
red dot onto the object you are viewing. The StarPointer is very
counterclockwise for a more distant object. If the knob will not turn,
useful for finding terrestrial objects in the daytime, and seeing
it has reached the end of its travel on the focusing mechanism. Turn
where the telescope is pointing in the night sky.
the knob in the opposite direction until the image is sharp.
While keeping both eyes open when looking through the
StarPointer, simply move your telescope until the red dot, seen
Attaching the Computerized Hand Control through the StarPointer, merges with the object as seen with
SkyProdigy’s hand control has a phone jack type connector at the your unaided eye. The red dot is produced by light-emitting
end of its cord. Plug the phone jack connector into the outlet at the
base of the telescope’s fork arm. Push the connector into the outlet On/Off
until it clicks into place and place the hand control into its holder as Switch
described previously in the Assembly section of the manual.

12v Power
Outlet

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StarPointer Installation (SkyProdigy 102)
window or your eye. The StarPointer comes equipped with a vari-
able brightness control, two axes alignment control and mount- 1. Slide the StarPointer bracket into the dovetail mounting
ing brackets. Before the StarPointer is ready to be used, it must platform on top of the focuser assembly (see figure 2-12).
be attached to the telescope tube and properly aligned. 2. Orient the StarPointer so that the sight tube is facing towards
the front of the tube.
! Battery Sight 3. Secure the StarPointer bracket by tightening the thumb
ON/OFF Compartment Tube screw on the mounting platform.
Brightness (not shown)
Control StarPointer Operation
Altitude
Adjustment The StarPointer is powered by a long life 3v lithium battery
Control Azimuth (#CR2032) located underneath the front portion of the StarPointer.
Adjustment Like all finderscopes, the StarPointer must be properly aligned
Control with the main telescope before it can be used. This is a simple
Dovetail process using the azimuth and altitude control knobs located on
Tightening the side and bottom of the StarPointer.
Screw
1. Before using the StarPointer, you must first remove the
FIGURE 2-10
protective plastic cover over the battery (see figure 2-13).
THE STARPOINTER FINDERSCOPE WITH BRACKET
2. To turn on the StarPointer, rotate the variable brightness
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StarPointer Installation (SkyProdigy 6) increase the brightness level of the red dot, continue rotating
the control knob about 180º until it stops.
Locate the dovetail mounting bracket, which should be already
attached to the rear cell of the optical tube. 3. Locate a distant object and center it in a low power eyepiece
in the main telescope. If aligning during the daytime,
Slide the mounting track at the bottom of the Star Pointer choose an object at least a quarter of a mile away. If
over the dovetail portion of the bracket. It may be necessary aligning at nighttime, select the Moon or a bright star that
to loosen the two screws on the side of the mounting track is easy to see. Use the four directional arrow buttons on
before sliding it over the dovetail. The end of the Star Pointer 4. the hand control to move the telescope side-to-side and up
with the glass window should be facing out towards the front and down.
of the telescope. 5. With both eyes open, look through the glass window at the
alignment star. If the StarPointer is perfectly aligned, you
Tighten the two screws on the side of the mounting track to will see the red LED dot overlap the alignment star. If the
secure the Star Pointer to the dovetail bracket. StarPointer is not aligned, take notice of where the red dot
is relative to the bright star.
6. Without moving the main telescope, turn the StarPointer’s
azimuth and altitude alignment controls (see figure 2-10)
until the red dot is directly over the alignment object.

If the LED dot is brighter than the alignment star, it may

make it difficult to see the star. Turn the brightness control
counterclockwise, until the red dot is the same brightness as
the alignment star. This will make it easier to get an accurate
alignment. The StarPointer is now ready to use.
FIGURE 2-11
INSTALLING THE STARPOINTER FOR
Battery Azimuth
SKYPRODIGY 6 Protective
Cover Adjustment
Knob

FIGURE 2-13 FIGURE 2-14

BATTERY COMPARTMENT ALIGNING THE STARPOINTER

FIGURE 2-12
INSTALLING THE STARPOINTER FOR
SKYPRODIGY 102
10
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

HAND CONTROL
The Computerized Hand Control t
Deep Sky - Custom lists of all the best Galaxies, Nebulae
SkyProdigy’s hand controller is designed to give you instant and Clusters as well as the complete Messier and select NGC
access to all the functions SkyProdigy has to offer. With objects.
automatic slewing to over 4,000 objects and common sense
menu descriptions, even a beginner can master its variety 5. Identify: Searches SkyProdigy’s databases and displays the
of features in just a few observing sessions. Below is a brief name and offset distances to the nearest matching objects.
description of the individual components of SkyProdigy’s hand
controller: 6. Menu: Displays the many setup and utilities functions,
such as tracking rate and user defined objects, and many
1. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Window: Has a four-line, others.
18 character display screen that has red backlighting
for comfortable viewing of telescope information and 7. Option (Celestron Logo): Can be used in combination
scrolling text. with other keys to access more advanced features and
functions.
2. Align: Instructs SkyProdigy to begin the StarSense
alignment of your telescope. 8. Enter: Pressing ENTER allows you to select any of SkyProdigy’s
functions, accept entered parameters and slew the telescope
3. Direction Keys: Allows complete control of SkyProdigy to displayed objects.
in any direction. Use the direction keys to center objects in
the eyepiece or manually slew telescope. 9. Back: Pressing BACK will take you out of the current menu
and display the previous level of the menu path. Press
4. Catalog Keys: SkyProdigy has a key on the hand control BACK repeatedly to get back to a main menu or use to
to allow direct access to each of the main catalogs in its erase data entered by mistake.
4,000+ object database. SkyProdigy contains the
following catalogs in its database: 10. Sky Tour: Activates the tour mode, which seeks out all
the best objects in the sky and automatically slews SkyProdigy
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Solar System - All 7 planets in our Solar System plus the to those objects.
Moon, Sun and Pluto.
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11. Scroll Keys: Used to scroll up and down within any of
variable stars and asterisms. the menu lists. A double arrow symbol on the right side
of the LCD indicates that the scroll keys can be used to
view additional information.

12. Motor Speed: Instantly changes the motor’s rate of speed

when the direction buttons are pressed.

13. Object Info: Displays coordinates and useful information

about objects selected from SkyProdigy’s database.

14. RS-232 Jack: For use with a computer, software programs

for point and click slewing capability, and updating firmware
via PC.

Aligning SkyProdigy
StarSense Alignment
11 In order for SkyProdigy to accurately point to objects in the sky, it
must first align itself to known patterns of stars in the sky. Once
aligned, the telescope can create a model of the sky, which it
uses to locate any object with known coordinates.
12
Before beginning the alignment, SkyProdigy must be set up (as
described in the previous section) in an outdoor location. Place
your telescope in a wide open area away from large trees or
building that may obstruct SkyProdigy’s view of the sky. Prefer-
13
ably your observing site should have a view as low to the horizon
as possible with no bright lights near the telescope.

14

11
 Tips for Aligning SkyProdigy
Remember the following alignment guidelines to make using
SkyProdigy as simple and accurate as possible.
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level tripod will help the telescope better match the images
it takes with the actual sky and give you a more accurate
determination of your location.
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noticeable movement in the tripod while aligning the telescope,
it may affect results. You may need to tighten both the
leg extension locking bolts and the hinge bolts at the top of
the tripod.
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telescope tube is mounted flush against the bottom of the
1. Start out by facing the front of the telescope towards an mounting clamp. If the telescope tube is attached at an
unobstructed part of the sky, free of any bright lights. angle, it will not be accurately aligned with the camera.
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2. Make sure the cap is removed from the camera lens. optics may no longer be aligned with the optical axis of the
camera resulting in unsuccessful alignments or poor pointing
3. Press the ALIGN button on the hand control to begin the accuracy.
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recommended that you calibrate the camera to match the
Although SkyProdigy will essentially align itself after pressing optics. For information on calibrating the camera, see the
the ALIGN button, the following is an overview of the StarSense Calibrate option under the StarSense Camera section of the
alignment process: manual.
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Moon) than it is on stars, you may need to reset the time/
sky, it will slew (move) upwards, away from the horizon location information to improve accuracy. Use the Time and
about 25 degrees. Location menu in the hand control to update time/location
information.
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Once SkyProdigy has begun its alignment process, it 1
is important not to touch or move the telescope in any 11
way. Also, while imaging the sky, do not obstruct, cover
or shine light into the camera lens located on the fork 2
10
arm of the mount. Immediately after imaging, SkyProdigy will
automatically slew to another portion of the sky.
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processed and will display the number of stars that were
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message as it attempts to positively identify the stars in the 7 5
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is pointed towards an open area of the sky that has a clear
ways to improve positive alignment matches. horizon to the right (clockwise) of its starting position.
Once the first alignment image is taken, SkyProdigy
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Once the image has been solved, SkyProdigy will repeat will move clockwise at least 90° to take a second image
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somewhere between the 4 and 6 o’clock position. If the
after three images are successfully acquired. horizon is blocked between the 3 and 6 o’clock position,
SkyProdigy will continue to move clockwise until it finds
SkyProdigy is now ready to start finding and tracking any of the an unobstructed view of the sky. The third image will be
objects in its 4,000+ object database. taken between the 7 and 9 o’clock position. The 10 to 12
o’clock position will only be used if the sky is obstructed in
its previous position.
12
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

SkyProdigy also provides two other alignment methods that Solar System Alignment
can be used instead of the StarSense Auto Alignment. To access
the additional alignment methods, Press and hold the OPTION Solar System Align is designed to provide good tracking and
Key and press the ALIGN button. This will display the StarSense GoTo performance by using solar system objects (Sun, Moon
Manual Alignment and Solar System Alignment options. Use and planets) to align the telescope with the sky. Solar System
the UP/DOWN Scroll keys to select either option. Align is a great way to align your telescope for daytime viewing
as well as a quick way to align the telescope for night time
Manual StarSense Alignment observing. Since the StarSense camera can not detect celestial
objects during the daytime, Solar System Align is done using
Manual StarSense Alignment allows the user to point the the eyepiece.
telescope in the part of the sky they wish to use for taking
alignment images. This is particularly useful in locations where
the horizon is partially obstructed and you only have limited
WARNING
visibility to the sky. Manual StarSense Alignment will not give • Place cap over the camera lens! Since you may
wish to use the Sun for your alignment, remember
you as accurate an alignment as the automatic alignment
to place the cap over the camera lens to protect
described above. However, it will provide good pointing the imaging sensor.
accuracy throughout the visible region of the sky that was used
• Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye
for the alignment. To use Manual StarSense Alignment:
or with a telescope (unless you have the proper
solar filter). Permanent and irreversible eye
1. With the telescope powered on, press and hold the damage may occur.
OPTION Key and press the ALIGN button. This will allow
you see the additional alignment options that are available.
1. To access Solar System Align, hold down the OPTION
2. Use the UP/DOWN Scroll keys to select the StarSense
button while pressing the ALIGN button. This will allow you
Manual option and press ENTER.
see the additional alignment options that are available.
3. The telescope will automatically move to its home position
2. Use the UP/DOWN Scroll buttons to select Solar System
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Align from the alignment options. Press ENTER to accept
horizon.
the time/site information displayed on the hand control or
4. Make sure the cap is removed from the camera lens. press BACK to accept the displayed values.

5. If the telescope is not pointing at a clear portion of the sky, 3. Use the number key pad to enter updated information.
use the direction buttons to aim the telescope at a clear
4. Use the UP/DOWN Scroll keys to toggle between choices
part of sky and press ENTER. When moving the telescope,
like North/South and time zone information.
remember to always finish slewing using the UP and
RIGHT direction buttons on the hand control. A check 5. Use the UP/DOWN Scroll keys to select the daytime object
mark will display at the right of the hand control display (planets, Moon or Sun) you wish to align. Press ENTER.
to confirm that the UP and RIGHT direction buttons have The hand control will only display the solar system
been used. This will help eliminate much of the mechanical objects that are above the horizon for the day and time
backlash in the gears and help ensure the best possible selected.
alignment.
t
SkyProdigy then asks you to center in the eyepiece
6. SkyProdigy will then begin taking the first image and will the alignment object you selected. Use the direction
display “Acquiring Image” on the hand control display. arrow buttons to slew the telescope to the alignment
object and carefully center it in the StarPointer
7. Once the image is captured and processed, the display will
finderscope. Press ENTER when centered.
ask you to select the next alignment point. Use the direction
buttons to slew the telescope to another clear portion of t
Then, center the object in the eyepiece and press
sky. Once again, use the UP and RIGHT direction buttons ALIGN.
to finish slewing the telescope. Press ENTER.
Once in position, SkyProdigy will model the sky based on this
8. Once the second image is captured and processed, use the information and display Alignment Complete.
direction buttons to slew the telescope to a final clear
portion of sky as far away as possible from the first alignment
position. Press ENTER. Tips for Using Solar System Alignment
When using Solar System Alignment to view the Moon or Sun,
Once the third image is processed, SkyProdigy is aligned and you can change the tracking speed to the appropriate setting
ready for use. for these objects. You can access the tracking menu by
pressing: MENU>Telescope Setup>Tracking
Tips for Using Manual StarSense Alignment
If SkyProdigy is missing bright objects or not placing them near
the center of a lower power eyepiece, press the HELP button to
access the “Can’t see objects “ utility. See Help menu feature
for more information on this feature.
13
 Refine Alignment brightest stars, double (Binary) stars, variable stars, and
selected asterisms.
Once the telescope is aligned using Solar System Align, you
t
Deep Sky
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have the option of adding additional alignment objects (either
best Galaxies, Nebulae and Clusters, as well as the complete
other planets or stars from the Named Star Catalog) in order to
Messier and select NGC objects. There is also an alphabetical
improve pointing accuracy. To add an alignment object:
list of all deep sky objects in order by their common name.
1. Select the desired object from the Named Star or Solar
The Messier and NGC catalogs require the user to enter a
System database and slew to it.
numeric designation. Selecting these catalogs will display a
2. Press the ALIGN button on the hand control.
blinking cursor next to the name of the catalog chosen. Use
3. The display will then ask you if you want to add an
the numeric key pad to enter the number of any object within
alignment object or replace the existing one.
these standardized catalogs. For example, to find the Orion
4. Select ADD to add the additional alignment object. If
Nebula, press the “Mw
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an additional object has already been added, then you
have the option of replacing one of the existing objects
When scrolling through a long list of objects, holding down
with the new object.
either the UP or DOWN key will allow you to scroll through the
5. Carefully center the object in the eyepiece using the
catalog at a rapid speed. Holding down the option button while
UP and RIGHT buttons for final centering.
pressing the UP/DOWN buttons will allow you to scroll through
6. Press ALIGN to add the alignment object.
the database three objects at a time.
Tips for Using Solar System Align
For safety purposes, the Sun will not be displayed in any of the
Slewing to an Object
hand control’s object lists unless it is enabled from the Database Once the desired object is displayed on the hand control screen,
Setup Menu. To allow the Sun to be displayed on the hand control, you have two options:
do the following:
t
Press the OBJECT INFO Key. This will give you useful
1. Press the UNDO button until the display reads “SkyProdigy information about the selected object such as magnitude,
3FBEZw constellation and extended information about the most
2. Press the MENU button and use the UP and DOWN keys popular objects.
to select the Utilities menu. Press ENTER. - Use the UP/DOWN arrow buttons to scroll through the
3. Use the UP and DOWN keys to select Menu Level and displayed object info.
press ENTER. - Use the BACK button or OBJECT INFO to return to the
4. Use the UP and DOWN keys to select Advanced and press object database.
ENTER. This will give you access to the Database Setup t
Press the ENTER Key. This will automatically slew the
menu that you will need to allow the Sun to be displayed. telescope to the coordinates of the object displayed on the
5. Press BACK until the Menu option is displayed. hand control. While the telescope is slewing to the object,
6. Use the UP and DOWN keys to select Database Setup and the user can still access many of the hand control functions
press ENTER. (such as displaying information about the object).
7. Use the UP and DOWN keys to select Allow Sun and press
ENTER. Caution: Never slew the telescope when someone is look-
8. Use the UP and DOWN keys to toggle the solar option to ing into the eyepiece. The telescope can move at fast slew
Yes and press ENTER. speeds and may hit an observer in the eye.

The Sun can be removed from the display by using the same
procedure as above. SkyTour Button
The SkyProdigy includes a tour feature which automatically allows
Object Catalog the user to choose from a list of interesting objects based on the
date and time in which you are observing. The automatic tour
Selecting an Object will display only those objects that are within your set catalog
filters limits. To activate the Tour feature, press the SKY TOUR key
Now that the telescope is properly aligned, you can choose an
on the hand control.
object from any of the catalogs in the SkyProdigy’s database.
The hand control has a key designated for each category of t
Press the SKY TOUR button on the hand control.
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Use the SCROLL buttons to select Best of Tonight.
Sky objects. t
SkyProdigy will automatically slew in azimuth to its starting
position which will help minimize the chance of wrapping
t
Solar System - The Solar System catalog will display all the power cord during the tour.
the planets (and Moon) in our Solar System that are currently t
SkyProdigy will display the best objects to observe that are
visible in the sky. To allow the Sun to be displayed as an currently in the sky.
option in the database, see Allow Sun option in the Database - To see information and data about the displayed object,
Setup section of the manual. press the OBJECT INFO key. Press it once to display the
t
Stars
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14
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

coordinates of the object. Press it again to display the text 5IF
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description. Press BACK to return to the previous screen. to instantly speed up the motors without having to choose a
- To slew to the object displayed, press ENTER. speed rate. To use this feature, simply press the arrow button
- To see the next tour object, press the DOWN key. that corresponds to the direction that you want to move the
telescope. While holding that button down, press the opposite
directional button. This will increase the speed to the maximum
Identify Button slew rate.

Pressing the IDENTIFY button will search SkyProdigy’s database When using the UP and DOWN buttons on the hand control, the
catalogs and display the name and angular distances to the near- slower slew rates (6 and lower) move the motors in the opposite
est matching objects from the telescope’s current location. This direction than the faster slew rates (7- 9). This is done so that an
feature can serve two purposes. First, it can be used to identify object will move in the appropriate direction when looking into
an unknown object in the field of view of your eyepiece. Addi- the eyepiece (i.e. pressing the up arrow button will move the star
tionally, Identify Mode can be used to find other celestial objects upwards in the field of view of the eyepiece). However, if any of
that are close to the objects you are currently observing. the slower slew rates (rate 6 and below) are used to center an
object in the StarPointer, you may need to press the opposite
For example, if your telescope is pointed at the brightest star in directional button to make the telescope move in the correct
the constellation Lyra, choosing Identify will no doubt return the direction.
star Vega as the star you are observing. However, the Identify
feature will also search its NGC and Solar System databases and
display any planets or Deep Sky objects that are close by. In this Help Button
example, the Ring Nebula (M57) would display as being
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The HELP button gives you instant access to helpful information
and useful utilities that can help improve the pointing accuracy
The brightness and proximity of the objects displayed of your telescope.
can be defined by the user using the Identify Filter under
Telescope Setup. t
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and function of your telescope.
Direction Buttons t
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you may come across while using your telescope.
The SkyProdigy has four direction buttons in the center of the
hand control which control the telescope motion in altitude (up t
5IF
HELP button can also be used to diagnose and improve
and down) and azimuth (left and right). The telescope can be pointing accuracy should you notice that bright objects are
controlled at nine different speed rates. not well centered (or completely missing) in the eyepiece.
This is particularly useful when using the StarSense Manual
1 = 2x 6 = .3º / sec alignment process in which only a small portion of the sky is
2 = 4x 7 = 1º / sec used to align the telescope. To use the HELP button to improve
accuracy:
3 = 8x 8 = 2º / sec
1. Slew to the database object that is not visible (or not well
4 = 16x 9 = 3.5º / sec
centered) in the eyepiece.
5 = 32x 2. After the slew is complete press the HELP button. Do not
attempt to use the direction buttons to manually search for
the object.
Nine available slew speeds
3. The telescope will then slew to a nearby bright star and
take a reference image. SkyProdigy will make adjustments
Motor Speed Button to its sky alignment model based on the stars captured
in the image. Once complete, slew the telescope back to
Pressing the MOTOR SPEED button (12) allows you to instantly the original object. You should notice a considerable
change the speed rate of the motors from high speed slew improvement in pointing accuracy in that region of the sky.
rate to precise guiding rate or anywhere in between. Each rate
corresponds to a number on the hand controller key pad. The
number 9 is the fastest rate (approximately 3.5º per second, Menu Button
depending on power source) and is used for slewing between
objects and locating alignment stars. The number 1 on the hand SkyProdigy contains many user defined setup functions
control is the slowest rate (2x sidereal) and can be used for designed to give the user control over the telescope’s many
accurate centering of objects in the eyepiece. To change the features. All of the set up and utility features can be accessed by
speed rate of the motors: pressing the MENU key and scrolling through the options below.

t
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MOTOR SPEED key on the hand control. The LCD In order to make navigating through the hand control menus
will display the current speed rate. as easy as possible, the menu levels are divided into Basic and
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Advanced functions.
the desired speed.
15
The Basic functions, which are displayed on the hand control Get Version Info
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when initially powered on, are the commonly used functions the current version and build number of the hand control, camera
that you may need to use every time you use your telescope. and motor control software. The first set of numbers indicate
These features include updating the time and location information the hand control software version. For the motor control, the
and many utility functions such as changing the backlighting IBOE
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and contrast of the hand control display. are for azimuth and the second set are for altitude. Use the UP/
DOWN Scroll buttons to view all the information.
The Advanced functions give you the ability to customize the
many features of your telescope and the object database, as Restore Defaults
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well as, the Telescope Setup functions needed to improve your original factory setting. Press ENTER to restore the defaults or
mount’s overall performance. press BACK to escape.
To access the Advanced menu items, see Menu Levels under
the Utilities section of the manual. Menu Level
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control menus as easy as possible, the menu levels are divided
into Basic and Advanced functions. To display Advanced
Basic Level Menu Items features, select the Menu Level option. Under Menu Level
select the Advanced option and press ENTER.
Time and Location
t
The Basic functions, which are displayed on the hand
View / Modify Location o
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control when initially powered on, are the commonly
changes to the longitude and latitude of your current location.
used functions that you may need to use every time you
Please note that changing your current location will result in a
use your telescope. These features include updating the time
loss of alignment. You will need to realign your telescope after
and location information and many utility functions, such
making location changes.
as changing the back lighting and contrast of the hand
control display.
View / Modify Time

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the date, time, time zone offset and Daylight Savings Time. t
The Advanced functions give you the ability to customize
the many features of your telescope and the object database,
To modify time and location information: as well as the Telescope Setup functions needed to im-
t
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prove your mount’s performance and overall performance.
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some cases may set the date forward or back by one day.
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UP/DOWN Scroll keys to toggle between choices Advanced Level Menu Items
like North/South and time zone information.
Database Setup
View / GOTO Location SkyTour Filters
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RA/DEC- Displays the Celestial coordinates (Right Ascension limit (brightness) for objects that will be displayed when the
and Declination) of the telescope’s current location in the sky. SKY TOUR button is pressed. When using your telescope from
a dark sky location, set the minimum magnitude to a higher
t
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ENTER and use the number number. When using your telescope from an urban location or
keypad to enter the desired set of coordinates. when the Moon is full, set the minimum magnitude to a lower
t
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UP and DOWN Scroll keys to change the declination number. The filter limit can be set between 0 (very bright
from positive to negative and back. objects) and 25.5 (extremely faint objects). Press ENTER to
t
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ENTER to slew the telescope to the new coordinates. accept the value.

Utility Features Once the filter limit is set, the hand control will display a list
of all the object catalogs that are searched when creating
Scrolling through the MENU options will also provide access the customized SkyTour. To narrow down your search you can
to several advanced utility functions such as adjusting hand select just the catalogs you want to include in the search:
control brightness and restoring factory defaults.
1. Use the UP and DOWN Scroll buttons to select the desired
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catalog.
of both the red keypad light and LCD display for daytime use 2. Press ENTER to select or deselect the catalog.
to conserve power and to help preserve your night vision. Use t
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the UP/DOWN Scroll buttons to increase or decrease the numeric t
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value from 0 (off ) to 99 (brightest). Press ENTER to accept the
values. Press BACK to exit the menu. Catalog Filters - Allows you to set the minimum magnitude
limit (brightness) for objects that will be displayed when viewing
LCD Contrast
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any of the database catalogs. This will filter out any objects too
display. This is useful in different lighting conditions and faint to view for the sky conditions of your observing site.
temperatures that can affect the appearance of the LCD. Use
the UP/DOWN Scroll buttons to increase or decrease the Identify Filters- Allows you to set the minimum magnitude
numeric value from 0 (brightest) to 31 (darkest). limit (brightness) and search radius for objects that will be
16
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

displayed when the IDENTIFY button is pressed. This will Cordwrap
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not only allow you to set the brightness of the object you want more than 360º in azimuth and wrapping cables around the
SkyProdigy to identify but also the distance away from its current base of the telescope. This is useful any time that the telescope
location. is powered using an external power supply. By default, the cord
wrap feature is turned on.
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and 25.5 (extremely faint objects) There may be a time when the telescope may not slew to an
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¡ object from the shortest distance but instead slew to the object
from the opposite direction. This is normal and necessary to
Press ENTER to accept the value. prevent power cord from wrapping around the telescope.

Allow Sun
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Backlash Compensation
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that will be displayed under the Solar System object catalog and amount of backlash or play between the gears. This play is
that can be used when using the Solar System alignment option. evident by how long it takes for a star to move in the eyepiece
Use the UP and DOWN 4DSPMM
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when the hand control arrow buttons are pressed (especially
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ENTER to accept. when changing directions). SkyProdigy’s backlash compensation
feature allows the user to compensate for backlash by inputting a
value which quickly moves the motors just enough to eliminate
Telescope Setup the play between gears. The amount of compensation needed
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Tracking - In addition to being able to move the telescope with the rate the longer it will take for the star to appear to move in the
hand control buttons, SkyProdigy will continually track a celestial eyepiece. Therefore, the backlash compensation will have to
object as it moves across the night sky. The tracking rate can be CF
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changed depending on what type of object is being observed: a value between 20 and 50 is usually best for most visual observing.
Positive backlash compensation is applied when the mount
Sidereal This rate compensates for the rotation of the Earth changes its direction of movement from backwards to forwards.
by moving the telescope at the same rate as the Similarly, negative backlash compensation is applied when
rotation of the Earth, but in the opposite direction. the mount changes its direction of movement from forwards
to backwards. When tracking is enabled, the mount will be
Lunar Used for tracking the Moon when observing the moving in one or both axes in either the positive or negative
lunar landscape. direction, so backlash compensation will always be applied
when a direction button is released and the direction moved is
Solar Used for tracking the Sun when solar observing opposite to the direction of travel.
using a proper solar filter.
To set the anti-backlash value, scroll down to the backlash
Disable Turn tracking completely off. compensation option and press ENTER. Enter a value from 0-99
for both azimuth and altitude directions and press ENTER after
each one to save these values. SkyProdigy will remember these
Slew Limits
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values and use them each time it is turned on until they are
slew. The slew limits prevent the telescope tube from slewing to changed.
an object below the horizon or slewing to an object that is high
enough that the tube might hit one of the tripod legs. However,
the slew limits can be customized depending on your needs. For StarSense Camera
example, if you would like to slew to an object that is close to the
zenith and are certain that the tube will not hit the tripod legs, you StarSense Camera settings are an advanced level feature that allows
can set the maximum slew limits to 90º in altitude. Setting your you to calibrate the telescopes camera and customize the camera
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control settings.
above the horizon. Use the UP/DOWN Scroll buttons to increase
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ENTER to Calibrate
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accept the values. Press BACK to exit the menu. the telescope cannot find objects after being successfully aligned.
To Calibrate the camera:
Direction Buttons
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varies depending on the optical accessories being used. This feature 1. Slew the telescope to the bright star that you are trying to
can be used to change the direction that the stars moves in the find.
eyepieces when a particular arrow button is being pressed. To 2. Select Calibrate from the StarSense menu option.
reverse the button logic of the direction keys, press the MENU 3. The hand control will display the current pixel position of the
button and select Direction Buttons from the Telescope Setup menu. center of the camera sensor.
Use the ENTER button to select either the Azimuth buttons (left 4. Use the direction buttons to manually center the bright star
and right) or Altitude buttons (up and down). Pressing the UP in the eyepiece. Press ENTER.
and DOWN Scroll buttons to reverse the direction of the hand
control buttons from their current state. Press BACK to exit the SkyProdigy will then take an image of the sky and calibrate the
menu. Direction Buttons will only change the eyepiece rates center of the camera sensor with the star seen in the eyepiece.
(rate 1-6) and will not affect the slew rates (rate 7-9).
17
SkyProdigy will then take an image of the sky and calibrate the
center of the camera sensor with the star seen in the eyepiece.

Note: In order to manually slew the telescope and center a bright

star in the eyepiece it may be necessary to first align the StarPointer
finderscope with the eyepiece. For instructions on aligning the
finderscope, see StarPointer Operation in the Assembly section of
this manual.

Capture Setting
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exposure time settings for the camera to use under different sky
conditions. Capture Setting should be changed only if you are
having difficulties aligning the telescope using the StarSense
alignment method. The options below represent various condi-
tions that could result in unsuccessful alignment under normal
capture settings.

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limit the brightness of stars that the camera can image.
These setting represents the default setting that should work
under most conditions.

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city lights which can adversely affect alignment.

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record too many stars, needlessly prolonging the processing
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not be processed by the camera.

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DVTUPN
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in case any of the above setting do not apply.

After making changes to the capture settings, perform a

StarSense Auto, or Manual alignment and observe the number
of stars that are acquired for each image. A minimum of 8 stars
are needed, but 20-50 stars produce the best results. If your
captured images are not recording enough stars, go to the
Custom setting. Increasing the gain or exposure time has the
potential to increase the number of stars detected up to
the threshold for your observing location, the wind and
other factors.

18
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

SKYPRODIGY MENU TREE

The following figure is a menu tree showing the sub-menus associated with the MENU functions.

MENU

DATABASE SETUP

SKYTOUR FILTERS

CATALOG FILTERS

IDENTIFY FILTERS

ALLOW SUN

TELESCOPE SETUP

TRACKING

SLEW LIMITS

DIRECTION BUTTONS

CORDWRAP

BACKLASH COMP

STARSENSE CAMERA

CALIBRATE

CAPTURE SETTINGS

TIME AND LOCATION

VIEW/MOD LOCATION

VIEW/MOD TIME

VIEW/ GOTO POSITION

RA/DEC

UTILITIES

BACKLIGHT

LCD CONTRAST

GET VERSION INFO

BASIC MENUS
RESTORE DEFAULTS
ADVANCED MENUS
MENU LEVEL

19
TELESCOPE BASICS
A telescope is an instrument that collects and focuses light. The Multiplying 4 by 60 gives a maximum useful magnification of
nature of the optical design determines how the light is focused. 240 power. Although this is the maximum useful magnification,
Some telescopes, known as refractors, use lenses. Other telescopes, most observing is done in the range of 20 to 35 power for every
known as reflectors, use mirrors. SkyProdigy 102 telescope inch of aperture which is 80 to 140 times for SkyProdigy 102 .
is a refractor telescope that uses an objective lens to collect its
light. SkyProdigy 6 are reflecting telescopes with a primary and
secondary mirror to gather and focus light. Determining Field of View
Determining the field of view is important if you want to get
Focusing
an idea of the angular size of the object you are observing. To
Once you have found an object in the telescope, turn the focusing calculate the actual field of view, divide the apparent field of
knob until the image is sharp. To focus on an object that is nearer the eyepiece (supplied by the eyepiece manufacturer) by the
than your current target, turn the focusing knob toward the magnification. In equation format, the formula looks like this:
eyepiece (i.e., so that the focusing tube moves away from the
front of the telescope). For more distant objects, turn the Apparent Field of Eyepiece
focusing knob in the opposite direction. To achieve a truly sharp True Field = ________________________________________
focus, never look through glass windows or across objects that
produce heat waves, such as asphalt parking lots. Magnification
As you can see, before determining the field of view, you must
Image Orientation calculate the magnification. Using the example in the previous
The image orientation of any telescope changes depending on section, we can determine the field of view using the same
how the eyepiece is inserted into the telescope. When observing 25 mm eyepiece. The 25 mm eyepiece that comes with the
through SkyProdigy 102 or 6 using the diagonal, the image will 4LZ1SPEJHZ

IBT
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be right side up, but reversed from left to right. When observing by the magnification, which is 60 power. This yields an actual
straight through, with the eyepiece inserted directly into the öFME
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telescope, the image will be inverted.
To convert degrees to feet at 1,000 yards, which is more useful for
! ! terrestrial observing, simply multiply by 52.5. Continuing with our
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linear field width of 43.75 feet at a distance of one thousand yards.
The apparent field of each eyepiece that Celestron manufactures is
found in the Celestron Accessory Catalog (#93685-11).
Reversed from left to right, as Inverted image, as viewed with
viewed with a Star Diagonal the eyepiece directly in telescope
General Observing Hints
For astronomical viewing, out of focus star images are very diffuse, When working with any optical instrument, there are a few
making them difficult to see. If you turn the focus knob too things to remember to ensure you get the best possible image:
quickly, you can go right through focus without seeing the t
/FWFS
MPPL
UISPVHI
XJOEPX
HMBTT

(MBTT
GPVOE
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image. To avoid this problem, your first astronomical target windows is optically imperfect, and as a result, may vary in
should be a bright object (like the Moon or a planet) so that the thickness from one part of a window to the next. This
image is visible even when out of focus. inconsistency can and will affect the ability to focus your
telescope. In most cases you will not be able to achieve a
Calculating Magnification
truly sharp image, while in some cases, you may actually see
You can change the power of your telescope just by changing a double image.
the eyepiece (ocular). To determine the magnification of your t
/FWFS
MPPL
BDSPTT
PS
PWFS
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UIBU
BSF
QSPEVDJOH
IFBU

telescope, simply divide the focal length of the telescope by waves. This includes asphalt parking lots on hot summer
the focal length of the eyepiece used. In equation format, the days or building rooftops.
formula looks like this: t
)B[Z
TLJFT
GPH
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DBO
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when viewing terrestrially. The amount of detail seen under
Focal Length of Telescope (mm)
Magnification = ___________________________ these conditions is greatly reduced. Also, when photographing
Focal Length of Eyepiece (mm) under these conditions, the processed film may come out
a little grainier than normal with lower contrast and
Let’s say, for example, you are using the 25 mm eyepiece. To underexposed.
determine the magnification you simply divide the focal length t
*G
ZPV
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DPSSFDUJWF
MFOTFT
TQFDJöDBMMZ
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of your telescope (for example, SkyProdigy 6 has a focal length of want to remove them when observing with an eyepiece
1500 mm) by the focal length of the eyepiece, 25 mm. Dividing attached to the telescope. When using a camera, however,
1,500m by 25 yields a magnification of 60 power. you should always wear corrective lenses to ensure the
sharpest possible focus. If you have astigmatism, corrective
Although the power is variable, each instrument under average lenses must be worn at all times.
skies has a limit to the highest useful magnification. The general
rule is that 60 power can be used for every inch of aperture.
'PS
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20
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

CELESTIAL OBSERVING
Other fascinating targets include the five naked eye planets. You
With your telescope set up, you are ready to use it for observing. can see Venus go through its lunar-like phases. Mars can reveal
This section covers visual observing hints for both solar system a host of surface detail and one, if not both, of its polar caps. You
and deep sky objects as well as general observing conditions will be able to see the cloud belts of Jupiter and the Great Red
which will affect your ability to observe. Spot (if it is visible at the time you are observing). In addition,
you will also be able to see the moons of Jupiter as they orbit the
giant planet. Saturn, with its beautiful rings, is easily visible at
Observing the Moon moderate power.

Often, it is tempting to look at the Moon when it is full. At this

time, the face we see is fully illuminated and its light can be Planetary Observing Hints
overpowering. In addition, little or no contrast can be seen
during this phase. t
Remember that atmospheric conditions are usually the
limiting factor on how much planetary detail will be visible. So,
One of the best times to observe the Moon is during its partial avoid observing the planets when they are low on the horizon
phases (around the time of first or third quarter). Long shadows or when they are directly over a source of radiating heat,
reveal a great amount of detail on the lunar surface. At low







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power you will be able to see most of the lunar disk at one time. later in this section.
Change to higher power (magnification) to focus in on a smaller t
5P
JODSFBTF
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CSJOH
PVU
QMBOFUBSZ
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area. Choose the lunar tracking rate from the SkyProdigy’s try using Celestron eyepiece filters.
MENU tracking rate options to keep the Moon centered in the
eyepiece even at high magnifications.
Observing the Sun
! Although overlooked by many amateur astronomers, solar
observation is both rewarding and fun. However, because the
Sun is so bright, special precautions must be taken when observing
our nearest star so as not to damage your eyes or your telescope.

Never project an image of the Sun through the telescope.

Tremendous heat build-up may result inside the optical tube.
This can damage the telescope and/or any accessories attached
to the telescope.

For safe solar viewing, use a solar filter that reduces the intensity
of the Sun’s light, making it safe to view. With a filter you can
see sunspots as they move across the solar disk and faculae,
which are bright patches seen near the Sun’s edge.
Lunar Observing Hints
t
To increase contrast and bring out detail on the lunar surface, Solar Observing Hints
use eyepiece filters. A yellow filter works well at improving
contrast while a neutral density or polarizing filter will reduce
t The best time to observe the Sun is in the early morning or
overall surface brightness and glare. late afternoon when the air is cooler.

t
5P
DFOUFS
UIF
4VO
XJUIPVU
MPPLJOH
JOUP
UIF
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Observing the Planets the shadow of the telescope tube until it forms a circular
shadow.

t
5P
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solar tracking rate.

Observing Deep Sky Objects

Deep sky objects are simply those objects outside the boundaries of
our solar system. They include star clusters, planetary nebulae,
diffuse nebulae, double stars and other galaxies outside our
own Milky Way. Most deep sky objects have a large angular size.
Therefore, low-to-moderate power is all you need to see them.
Visually, they are too faint to reveal any of the color seen in long
exposure photographs. Instead, they appear black and white.
And, because of their low surface brightness, they should be
observed from a dark sky location. Light pollution around large
21
 urban areas washes out most nebulae making them difficult, if not
impossible, to observe. Light Pollution Reduction filters help
reduce the background sky brightness, thus increasing contrast.

Seeing conditions directly affect image quality. These drawings

Seeing Conditions represent a point source (i.e., star) under bad seeing conditions
(left) to excellent conditions (right). Most often, seeing conditions
Viewing conditions affect what you can see through your telescope produce images that lie some where between these two extremes.
during an observing session. Conditions include transparency,
sky illumination and seeing. Understanding viewing conditions
and the effect they have on observing will help you get the most
out of your telescope.

Transparency
Transparency is the clarity of the atmosphere which is affected
by clouds, moisture and other airborne particles. Thick cumulus
clouds are completely opaque while cirrus can be thin, allowing
the light from the brightest stars through. Hazy skies absorb
more light than clear skies making fainter objects harder to see
and reducing contrast on brighter objects. Aerosols ejected into
the upper atmosphere from volcanic eruptions also affect trans-
parency. Ideal conditions are when the night sky is inky black.

Sky Illumination
General sky brightening caused by the Moon, aurorae, natural
airglow and light pollution greatly affect transparency. While
not a problem for the brighter stars and planets, bright skies
reduce the contrast of extended nebulae making them difficult,
if not impossible, to see. To maximize your observing, limit deep
sky viewing to moonless nights far from the light polluted skies
found around major urban areas. LPR filters enhance deep sky
viewing from light polluted areas by blocking unwanted light
while transmitting light from certain deep sky objects. You can,
on the other hand, observe planets and stars from light polluted
areas or when the Moon is out.

Seeing
Seeing conditions refers to the stability of the atmosphere and
directly affects the amount of fine detail seen in extended
objects. The air in our atmosphere acts as a lens which bends
and distorts incoming light rays. The amount of bending depends
on air density. Varying temperature layers have different densities
and, therefore, bend light differently. Light rays from the same
object arrive slightly displaced creating an imperfect or smeared
image. These atmospheric disturbances vary from time-to-time
and place-to-place. The size of the air parcels compared to your
BQFSUVSF
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6OEFS
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conditions, fine detail is visible on the brighter planets like
Jupiter and Mars, and stars are pinpoint images. Under poor
seeing conditions, images are blurred, and stars appear as blobs.

The conditions described here apply to both visual and

photographic observations.

22
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

TELESCOPE MAINTENANCE
position relative to the celestial pole means that it moves very
While your SkyProdigy telescope requires little maintenance, little thus eliminating the need to manually track it.
there are a few things to remember that will ensure your telescope
performs at its best. Before you begin the collimation process, be sure that your
telescope is in thermal equilibrium with the surroundings. Allow
Care and Cleaning of the Optics 45 minutes for the telescope to reach equilibrium if you move it
between large temperature extremes.
Occasionally, dust and/or moisture may build up on the lens of
your telescope. Special care should be taken when cleaning any To verify collimation, view a star near the zenith. Use a medium
instrument so as not to damage the optics. to high power ocular - 12mm to 6mm focal length. It is impor-
tant to center a star in the center of the field to judge collima-
If dust has built up on the optics, remove it with a brush (made tion. Slowly cross in and out of focus and judge the symmetry
of camel’s hair) or a can of pressurized air. Spray at an angle to of the star. If you see a systematic skewing of the star to one
the lens for approximately two to four seconds. Then, use an side, then recollimation is needed.
optical cleaning solution and white tissue paper to remove
any remaining debris. Apply the solution to the tissue and then
apply the tissue paper to the lens. Low pressure strokes should
go from the center of the corrector to the outer portion. Do NOT
rub in circles!

You can use a commercially made lens cleaner or mix your own.
A good cleaning solution is isopropyl alcohol mixed with distilled FIGURE 6-2
water. The solution should be 60% isopropyl alcohol and 40% Even though the star pattern appears the same on both sides of focus,
distilled water. Or, liquid dish soap diluted with water (a couple they are asymmetric. The dark obstruction is skewed off to the left side
of drops per one quart of water) can be used. of the diffraction pattern indicating poor collimation.

To minimize the need to clean your telescope, replace all NOTE: Once your SkyProdigy 6 has been collimated, the
lens covers once you have finished using it. This will prevent optics may no longer be aligned with the optical axis of the
contaminants from entering the optical tube. camera resulting in unsuccessful alignments or poor pointing
accuracy. Therefore, it is recommended that you calibrate
Collimation (For SkyProdigy 6) the camera after collimation. For information on calibrating
the camera, see the Calibrate option under the StarSense
The optical performance of your SkyProdigy telescope is directly Camera section of the manual.
related to its collimation, that is the alignment of its optical
system. Your SkyProdigy was collimated at the factory after it To accomplish this, you need to tighten the secondary collima-
was completely assembled. However, if the telescope is dropped tion screw(s) that move the star across the field toward the
or jarred severely during transport, it may have to be collimated. direction of the skewed light. These screws are located in the
secondary mirror holder (see figure 6-1). Make only small 1/6
to 1/8 adjustments to the collimation screws and re-center the
star by moving the scope before making any improvements or
before making further adjustments.

To make collimation a simple procedure, follow these easy steps:

1. While looking through a medium to high power eyepiece,

Collimation
de-focus a bright star until a ring pattern with a dark shadow
Screws appears (see figure 6-3). Center the de-focused star and notice in
Corrector which direction the central shadow is skewed.
Plate
2. Place your finger along the edge of the front cell of the
FIGURE 6-1
telescope (be careful not to touch the corrector plate), point-
Collimation Adjustment Screws
ing towards the collimation screws. The shadow of your finger
should be visible when looking into the eyepiece. Rotate your
The SkyProdigy 102 has fixed optical systems that should not finger around the tube edge until its shadow is seen closest to
come out of collimation. The SkyProdigy 6, however has three the narrowest portion of the rings (i.e. the same direction in
collimation screws that can be used to adjust the alignment of the which the central shadow is skewed).
secondary mirror.
3. Locate the collimation screw closest to where your finger is
To check the collimation of your telescope you will need a light positioned. This will be the collimation screw you will need to
source. A bright star near the zenith is ideal since there is a mini- adjust first. (If your finger is positioned exactly between two of
mal amount of atmospheric distortion. Make sure that tracking the collimation screws, then you will need to adjust the screw
is on so that you won’t have to manually track the star. Or, if you opposite where your finger is located).
do not want to power up your telescope, you can use Polaris. Its
23
4. Use the hand control buttons to move the de-focused star
image to the edge of the field of view, in the same direction that
the central obstruction of the star image is skewed.

5. While looking through the eyepiece, use a screw driver to

turn the collimation screw you located in step 2 and 3. Usually
a tenth of a turn is enough to notice a change in collimation. If
the star image moves out of the field of view in the direction
that the central shadow is skewed, than you are turning the
collimation screw the wrong way. Turn the screw in the opposite
direction, so that the star image is moving towards the center of
the field of view.

6. If while turning you notice that the screws get very loose,
then simply tighten the other two screws by the same amount.
Conversely, if the collimation screw gets too tight, then loosen
the other two screws by the same amount.

7. Once the star image is in the center of the field of view,

check to see if the rings are concentric. If the central obstruction
is still skewed in the same direction, then continue turning the
screw(s) in the same direction. If you find that the ring pattern
is skewed in a different direction, than simply repeat steps 2
through 6 as described above for the new direction.

Perfect collimation will yield a star image very symmetrical just

inside and outside of focus. In addition, perfect collimation
delivers the optimal optical performance specifications that your
telescope is built to achieve.

If seeing (i.e., air steadiness) is turbulent, collimation is difficult

to judge. Wait until a better night if it is turbulent or aim to a
steadier part of the sky. A steadier part of the sky is judged by
steady versus twinkling stars.

FIGURE 6-3
A collimated telescope should appear symmetrical
with the central obstruction centered in the star’s
diffraction pattern.

24
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

APPENDIX A - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Optical Specification
SkyProdigy 102 SkyProdigy 6
Design Refractor Schmidt-Cassegrain

Aperture 102 mm 152 mm

Focal Length 660 mm 1500 mm

F/ratio of the Optical System 6.5 10

Optical Coatings Fully Multi Coated StarBright Coating

Highest Useful Magnification 241x 354x

Resolution: Rayleigh Criterion 1.37 arc seconds .93 arc seconds

Dawes Limit 1.14 arc seconds .77 arc seconds

Light Gathering Power 212x unaided eye 459x unaided eye

Field of View: Standard Eyepiece 1.5º .83 º

Linear Field of View (at 1000 yds) 81feet 44 feet

Eyepiece Magnification: 26x (25 mm) 60x (25 mm)

73x (9 mm) 167x (9 mm)

Optical Tube Length 27 inches 15 inches

Electronic Specifications

Input Voltage 12v DC Nominal

Batteries Required 8 D-Cell Alkaline

Mechanical Specifications
Motor Type DC Servo motors with encoders, both axes

Slew Speeds Nine slew speeds: 3.5º /sec, 2º /sec, 1º/sec, 0.3 /sec, 32x, 16x, 8x, 4x, 2x

Hand Control Four line, 18 character Liquid Crystal Display

19 fiber optic backlit LED buttons

Fork Arm Cast aluminum

Software Specifications
Ports RS-232 communication port on hand control: Aux port on base

Tracking Rates Sidereal, Solar and Lunar

Alignment Procedures StarSense Automatic Alignment, StarSense Manual, Solar System Alignment

25
APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY OF TERMS

A
Absolute Magnitude The apparent magnitude that a star would have if it were observed from a standard distance of 10 parsecs,
or 32.6 light-years. The absolute magnitude of the Sun is 4.8. at a distance of 10 parsecs, it would just be
visible on Earth on a clear moonless night away from surface light.

Airy Disk The apparent size of a star’s disk produced even by a perfect optical system. Since the star can never be
focused perfectly, 84 per cent of the light will concentrate into a single disk, and 16 per cent into a system
of surrounding rings.

Alt-Azimuth Mounting A telescope mounting using two independent rotation axes allowing movement of the instrument in
Altitude and Azimuth.

Altitude In astronomy, the altitude of a celestial object is its Angular Distance above or below the celestial horizon.

Aperture 5IF
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light-gathering power.

Apparent Magnitude A measure of the relative brightness of a star or other celestial object as perceived by an observer on Earth.

Arc Minute A unit of angular size equal to 1/60 of a degree.

Arc Second A unit of angular size equal to 1/3,600 of a degree (or 1/60 of an arc minute).

Asterism A small unofficial grouping of stars in the night sky.

Asteroid A small, rocky body that orbits a star.

Astrology 5IF
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astrology has nothing in common with astronomy.

Astronomical Unit (AU) The distance between the Earth and the Sun. It is equal to 149,597,900 km., usually rounded off to
150,000,000 km.

Aurora The emission of light when charged particles from the solar wind slams into and excites atoms and mol-
ecules in a planet’s upper atmosphere.

Azimuth The angular distance of an object eastwards along the horizon, measured from due north, between the as-
tronomical meridian (the vertical line passing through the center of the sky and the north and south points
on the horizon) and the vertical line containing the celestial body whose position is to be measured.

B
Binary Stars Binary (Double) stars are pairs of stars that, because of their mutual gravitational attraction, orbit around
a common center of mass. If a group of three or more stars revolve around one another, it is called a multiple
system. It is believed that approximately 50 percent of all stars belong to binary or multiple systems.
Systems with individual components that can be seen separately by a telescope are called visual binaries
PS
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of a multiple star system, it consists of three stars, two very similar to our Sun and one dim, small, red star
orbiting around one another.

C
Celestial Equator The projection of the Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere. It divides the sky into two equal hemi-
spheres.

Celestial Pole The imaginary projection of Earth’s rotational axis north or south pole onto the celestial sphere.

Celestial Sphere An imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth, concentric with the Earth’s center.

Collimation The act of putting a telescope’s optics into perfect alignment.

26
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

D The angular distance of a celestial body north or south of the celestial equator. It may be said to correspond
Declination (DEC) to latitude on the surface of the Earth.

E The projection of the Earth’s orbit on to the celestial sphere. It may also be defined as “the apparent yearly
Ecliptic QBUI
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A telescope mounting using two independent rotation axes allowing movement of the instrument in
Altitude and Azimuth.

"
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Equatorial mount the angle of the axis must be equal to the observer’s latitude.

F The distance between a lens (or mirror) and the point at which the image of an object at infinity is brought
Focal length to focus. The focal length divided by the aperture of the mirror or lens is termed the focal ratio.

G Term used to refer to a computerized telescope or to the act of slewing (moving) a computerized telescope.
GoTo A unit of angular size equal to 1/60 of a degree.

J Any of the four gas giant planets that are at a greater distance form the Sun than the terrestrial planets.
Jovian Planets

K A region beyond the orbit of Neptune extending to about 1000 AU which is a source of many short period
Kuiper Belt comets.

L A light-year is the distance light traverses in a vacuum in one year at the speed of 299,792 km/ sec. With
Light-Year (ly)   
TFDPOET
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9

LN

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M Magnitude is a measure of the brightness of a celestial body. The brightest stars are assigned magnitude
Magnitude 1 and those increasingly fainter from 2 down to magnitude 5. The faintest star that can be seen without a
telescope is about magnitude 6. Each magnitude step corresponds to a ratio of 2.5 in brightness. Thus a star of
magnitude 1 is 2.5 times brighter than a star of magnitude 2, and 100 times brighter than a magnitude 5 star. The
brightest star, Sirius, has an apparent magnitude of -1.6, the Full Moon is -12.7, and the Sun’s brightness,
expressed on a magnitude scale, is -26.78. The zero point of the apparent magnitude scale is arbitrary.

A reference line in the sky that starts at the North Celestial Pole and ends at the South Celestial Pole and
Meridian passes through the zenith. If you are facing south, the meridian starts from your southern horizon and
passes directly overhead to the North Celestial Pole.

A French astronomer in the late 1700’s who was primarily looking for comets. Comets are hazy diffuse
Messier objects and so Messier cataloged objects that were not comets to help his search. This catalog became the
Messier Catalog, M1 through M110.

N Interstellar cloud of gas and dust. Also refers to any celestial object that has a cloudy appearance.
Nebula
The point in the northern hemisphere around which all the stars appear to rotate. This is caused by the fact
North Celestial Pole that the Earth is rotating on an axis that passes through the North and South Celestial Poles. The star Polaris
MJFT
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"MUIPVHI
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Nova cycle.

O One of the groupings of stars that are concentrated along the plane of the Milky Way. Most have an asymmetrical
Open Cluster appearance and are loosely assembled. They contain from a dozen to many hundreds of stars.

27
P Parallax is the difference in the apparent position of an object against a background when viewed by an
Parallax observer from two different locations. These positions and the actual position of the object form a triangle
from which the apex angle (the parallax), and the distance of the object can be determined if the length of
the baseline between the observing positions is known, and the angular direction of the object from each
position at the ends of the baseline has been measured. The traditional method in astronomy of determining
the distance to a celestial object is to measure its parallax.

Parfocal Refers to a group of eyepieces that all require the same distance from the focal plane of the telescope to be
in focus. This means when you focus one parfocal eyepiece all the other parfocal eyepieces, in a particular
line of eyepieces, will be in focus.

Parsec The distance at which a star would show parallax of one second of arc. It is equal to 3.26 light-years,
206,265 astronomical units, or 30,800,000,000,000 km. (Apart from the Sun, no star lies within one parsec of
us).

Point Source An object which cannot be resolved into an image because it to too far away or too small is considered a
point source. A planet is far away, but it can be resolved as a disk. Most stars cannot be resolved as disks,
they are too far away.

R
Reflector A telescope in which the light is collected by means of a mirror.

Resolution The minimum detectable angle an optical system can detect. Because of diffraction, there is a limit to the
minimum angle resolution. The larger the aperture, the better the resolution.

Right Ascension (RA) The angular distance of a celestial object measured in hours, minutes and seconds along the Celestial
Equator eastward from the Vernal Equinox.

S
Sidereal Rate This is the angular speed at which the Earth is rotating. Telescope tracking motors drive the telescope at
this rate. The rate is 15 arc seconds per second or 15 degrees per hour.

T
Terminator The boundary line between the light and dark portion of the Moon or a planet.

U
Universe The totality of astronomical things, events, relations and energies capable of being described objectively.

V
Variable Star A star whose brightness varies over time due to either inherent properties of the star or something eclipsing
or obscuring the brightness of the star.

W
Waning Moon The period of the Moon’s cycle between full and new, when its illuminated portion is decreasing.

Waxing Moon The period of the Moon’s cycle between new and full, when its illuminated portion is increasing.

Z
Zenith The point on the Celestial Sphere directly above the observer.

Zodiac The zodiac is the portion of the Celestial Sphere that lies within 8 degrees on either side of the Ecliptic. The
apparent paths of the Sun, Moon and the planets with the exception of some portions of the path of Pluto,
lie within this band. Twelve divisions, or signs, each 30 degrees in width, comprise the zodiac. These signs
coincided with the zodiacal constellations about 2,000 years ago. Because of the precession of the Earth’s
BYJT
UIF
7FSOBM
&RVJOPY
IBT
NPWFE
XFTUXBSE
CZ
BCPVU

EFHSFFT
TJODF
UIBU
UJNF
UIF
TJHOT
IBWF
NPWFE

with it, and thus no longer coincide with the constellations.

28
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

APPENDIX C - TIME ZONE MAP

29
30
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

31
Celestron
2835 Columbia Street
Torrance, CA 90503
Tel. (310) 328-9560
Fax. (310) 212-5835
Web site at http://www.celestron.com

Copyright 2012 Celestron

All rights reserved.

(Products or instructions may change without notice or obligation.)

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interfer-
ence in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and,
if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio commu-
nications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:
—Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
—Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
—Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
—Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

22090-INST
08-12
Printed in China
$10.00