Here's the ask in video form: Run this Scope, Please
Here's the Ask, have someone in your Family / COVID Pod run this scope: Scope Station: iOptron MiniTower
It's easy.
The scope will be aligned before you get to it.
Here's the absolute to know:
If it starts moving out of control, Push an Arrow Key. That should stop it.
Or turn it off.
Basically, just learn to
Keep Object Centered
Alignments are seldom perfect and the object may drift off center. A decent alignment may keep a target centered for an hour or more. Others...
- Push a number button for "Slew" Speed. 3 is slow, 5 is reasonable. no no on the 9
- Push the Direction Arrows to keep it Centered on a Target
Move to a New Target
If you get bored, here's how to have it point to another Target
(here's a Video: How to Go To Another Object (40 seconds long!))
(Actually, this video is better but it's a full 90 seconds long: Select and Slew to an Object)
- Know Your Target (as in the Observation List)
- Hit the Menu button
- Select Select and Slew ("Slew" means "move the scope to").
- The Controller list the Catalogs of Objects
- Arrow to Deep Sky Objects, press Enter
- Arrow Down to "Messier", press Enter
- Type in the Messier Object Number (it's on your list). Include the leading zero. Press Enter.
The scope will move to the new object. It will need to be centered (see above)
(The target may be outside the field of view. You may have to move it around a bit. If you get completely lost, repeat the Go To an Object steps.
Tiny Little Ask:
(Know what objects you want to look at. Maybe print out the Observing List before you leave home).