Page 2 - ii • Table of Contents
ii • Table of Contents T h e C e l e s t r o n C M- 1 1 00/1400 Copyright © 1998Celestron International2835 Columbia StreetTorrance, CA 90503(310) 328-9560 No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy-ing, recording, or by any in...
Page 3 - Table of Contents • iii; T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Table of Contents • iii ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 How to Use this Manual ....................................................................................................
Page 4 - iv • Table of Contents
iv • Table of Contents ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ USING THE DRIVE ............................................................................................................................. 37 Powering Up the Drive .......................................................................................................
Page 5 - Introduction • 1; I N T R O D U C T I O N; 100 or CM-1400 to the mountains or desert or wherever you observe.; N O T E; The CM-1100 and CM-1400 share the same mount and are basically the
Introduction • 1 I N T R O D U C T I O N Welcome to the Celestron world of amateur astronomy! For more than a quarter of a century, Celestron has provided amateur astronomers with the tools needed to explore the universe. The Celestron CM-1100 and CM-1400 continues in this proud tradition combining ...
Page 6 - • Introduction; NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN WITH THE NAKED EYE OR WITH A; A Word of Caution
2 • Introduction This manual is designed to instruct you in the proper use of your CelestronCM-1100 telescope. The instructions are for assembly, initial use, long termoperation, and maintenance. There are seven major sections to the manual.The first section covers the proper procedure for setting u...
Page 7 - Introduction • 3
Introduction • 3 DREN ARE PRESENT OR ADULTS WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITHTHE CORRECT OPERATING PROCEDURES OF YOUR TELESCOPE. NEVER POINT YOUR TELESCOPE AT THE SUN UNLESS YOU HAVE THEPROPER SOLAR FILTER. WHEN USING YOUR TELESCOPE WITH THECORRECT SOLAR FILTER, ALWAYS COVER THE FINDER. ALTHOUGHSMALL IN ...
Page 8 - • Assembling Your CM-1100; A S S E M B L I N G Y O U R C M - 1 1 0 0; In separate boxes are the following:
4 • Assembling Your CM-1100 A S S E M B L I N G Y O U R C M - 1 1 0 0 This section covers the assembly instructions for your Celestron CM-1100telescope. The Celestron CM-1100 should be set up indoors the first time sothat it is easy to identify the various parts and familiarize yourself with thecorr...
Page 9 - Assembling Your CM-1100 • 5
Assembling Your CM-1100 • 5 Figure 2-1 1. Optical Tube2. Finderscope3. Star Diagonal4. Eyepiece5. Polar Axis Finderscope6. Drive Control Electronics7. Hand Control8. Tripod 9. Center Leg Brace10. Counterweight11. Counterweight Bar12. R.A. Clutch Knob13. DEC Clutch Knob14. Mounting Platform Clamp Kno...
Page 10 - • Assembling Your CM-1100; Setting Up the Tripod
6 • Assembling Your CM-1100 Setting Up the Tripod The tripod legs attach to a central column which together form the tripod towhich the equatorial mount attaches. The tripod comes with two leg supportbrackets; a collapsible one that is already attached to the lower legs and aremovable one that must ...
Page 11 - Center Leg Brace
Assembling Your CM-1100 • 7 Before the equatorial mount head can be installed, the central column withthe electronics module must be attached to the tripod. To attach the centralcolumn: 1 Position the central column so that the electronics module is rightside up (see Figure 2-4). 2 Place the lower e...
Page 12 - Central Column
8 • Assembling Your CM-1100 After the tripod is set up, you are ready to attach the equatorial mount. Theequatorial mount is the platform to which the telescope attaches and allowsyou to move the telescope in right acsension and declination. The mount isalso adjustable so you can orient the axis of ...
Page 13 - HINT; Counterweight
Assembling Your CM-1100 • 9 To properly balance the telescope, the mount comes with a counterweight barand one counterweight (the CM-1400 comes with two counterweights). Thecounterweight bar is located in the same box as the Equatorial Mount Head —in a cutout along the bottom of the shipping box. To...
Page 16 - Installing the Eyepiece
12 • Assembling Your CM-1100 The eyepiece, or ocular, is an optical element that magnifies the imagefocused by the telescope. The ocular(s) fit into either the visual back directly,the star diagonal, or the Erect Image Diagonal (purchased separately). Toinstall an ocular: 1. Loosen the set screw on ...
Page 18 - Mounting Screw into the threaded hole on top of the Polar Housing.; Finderscope Bracket Assembly; Knurled Mounting Screw; Polar Axis Housing
14 • Assembling Your CM-1100 To aid in polar aligning the mount, your telescope comes standard with a PolarHousing Finder. It installs directly on top of the polar housing of the mount. Toinstall the Polar Finder: 1. Locate the Polar Finder assembly. The Polar Finder assembly consists of the polar f...
Page 26 - 2 • Telescope Basics; T E L E S C O P E B A S I C S; Image Orientation
22 • Telescope Basics T E L E S C O P E B A S I C S Once your telescope is fully assembled, you are ready for your first look. Thissection deals with some of the basics of telescope operation. The image orientation changes depending on how the eyepiece is inserted intothe telescope. When using the s...
Page 27 - Telescope Basics • 23; Focusing
Telescope Basics • 23 The Celestron CM-1100 focusing mechanism controls the primary mirror whichis mounted on a ring which slides back and forth on the primary baffle tube.The focusing knob, which moves the primary mirror, is on the rear cell of thetelescope just right of the star diagonal and eyepi...
Page 28 - Aligning the Finder
24 • Telescope Basics Your Celestron CM-1100 can be used for both terrestrial and astronomicalphotography. Your Celestron CM-1100 has a fixed aperture and, as a result, afixed f/ratio. To properly expose your subjects photographically you need toset your shutter speed accordingly. Most 35mm single l...
Page 29 - Telescope Basics • 25; Daytime Observing; Find a distant object that is fairly bright.; Your First Look
Telescope Basics • 25 With the telescope fully assembled and all the accessories attached, you areready for your first look. Your first look should be done in the daytime when itis easier to locate the locking clutches. This will help to familiarize you withyour telescope, thus making it easier to u...
Page 30 - 6 • Telescope Basics; Nighttime Observing; Adjust the tripod legs until the mount is level.
26 • Telescope Basics Nighttime Observing Looking at objects in the sky is quite different than looking at objects on Earth.For one, many objects seen in the daytime are easy to see with the naked eyeand can be located in the telescope by using landmarks. In the night skymany objects are not visible...
Page 32 - 8 • Astronomy Basics; A S T R O N O M Y B A S I C S; The celestial sphere seen from the outside showing R.A. and DEC.
28 • Astronomy Basics A S T R O N O M Y B A S I C S The following section deals with observational astronomy in general. It in-cludes information on the night sky, polar alignment, and using your telescopefor astronomical observing. In order to help find objects in the sky, astronomers use a celesti...
Page 33 - Astronomy Basics • 29; Motion of the Stars
Astronomy Basics • 29 The daily motion of the Sun across the sky is familiar to even the most casualobserver. This daily trek is not the Sun moving as early astronomers thought,but the result of the Earth’s rotation. The Earth’s rotation also causes thestars to do the same, scribing out a large circ...
Page 34 - 0 • Astronomy Basics; Polar Alignment
30 • Astronomy Basics In order for the telescope to track the stars, you must meet two criteria. First,you need a drive motor that moves at the same rate as the stars. TheCelestron CM-1100 comes standard with a built-in drive motor designedspecifically for this purpose. The second thing you need is ...
Page 35 - Astronomy Basics • 31; Finding the Pole; Spring; Winter; Summer; Fall
Astronomy Basics • 31 In each hemisphere, there is a point in the sky around which all the other starsappear to rotate. These points are called the celestial poles and are named forthe hemisphere in which they reside. For example, in the northern hemisphereall stars move around the north celestial p...
Page 36 - 2 • Astronomy Basics; Latitude Scales; Latitude Scale
32 • Astronomy Basics Latitude Scales The easiest way to polar align a telescope is with a latitude scale. Unlikeother methods that require you to find the celestial pole by identifying certainstars near it, this method works off of a known constant to determine how highthe polar axis should be poin...
Page 37 - Astronomy Basics • 33; Pointing at Polaris; Set the telescope up so that the polar axis is pointing north.
Astronomy Basics • 33 Pointing at Polaris This method utilizes Polaris as a guidepost to the celestial pole. Since Polarisis less than a degree from the celestial pole, you can simply point the polaraxis of your telescope at Polaris. Although this is by no means perfectalignment, it does get you wit...
Page 38 - 4 • Astronomy Basics; The Polar Axis Finder; Wait until it is dark enough to see Polaris with the unaided eye.; Put Polaris Here
34 • Astronomy Basics The Polar Axis Finder The Polar Axis Finder is designed to minimize polar alignment time whilemaintaining maximum accuracy. The installation of this accessory is de-scribed in the section on “Installing the Polar Axis Finder.”Here’s how to use it: 1. Wait until it is dark enoug...
Page 39 - Astronomy Basics • 35; Declination Drift; If the star drifts south, the polar axis is too far east.
Astronomy Basics • 35 Declination Drift This method of polar alignment allows you to get the most accurate alignmenton the celestial pole and is required if you want to do long exposure deep-skyastrophotography through the telescope. The declination drift method requiresthat you monitor the drift of...
Page 41 - Using the Drive • 37; U S I N G T H E D R I V E; Following is a brief discussion of each feature.
Using the Drive • 37 Figure 5-1 The CI-700 electronic console. Powering Up theDrive U S I N G T H E D R I V E The drive system uses a 5.625 diameter bronze gear with 180 teeth for incred-ibly accurate tracking. One of the most unique features of the drive is thePeriodic Error Correction (PEC) functi...
Page 42 - Guide Speed
38 • Using the Drive This function allows you to select the speed at which the motor moves whencorrections are made via the hand controller. Once the drive is activated, thedefault setting is .3 times sidereal rate. Press the Speed button to change theguiding rate. The selections are .3x, .5x, 8x, a...
Page 43 - Using the Drive • 39; RATE; tracking rate light (
Using the Drive • 39 RATE The BC (Backlash Correction) function allows you to eliminate the backlash inthe DEC motor when changing directions (i.e., from north to south or viceversa). Here’s how it works. Each time you change the direction of thetelescope in declination, the motor speeds up momentar...
Page 44 - 0 • Using the Drive
40 • Using the Drive 12 V DC 5. Press the “PEC” button once to activate the mode. The LED will flashonce a second for 5 seconds indicating you have five seconds to get backto the eyepiece and begin guiding before it begins recording. The .3xguiding rate is best for this function. NOTE: The star shou...
Page 45 - Using the Drive • 41; The Hand Controller
Using the Drive • 41 The Hand Controller When using your Celestron CM-1100 in the southern hemisphere, there is aneed to reverse the motors. Changing from northern hemisphere to southernhemisphere requires changing the polarity of the drive motor by changing thesettings of the dip switches on the el...
Page 46 - 2 • Using the Drive; Autoguiding; Reverse switches
42 • Using the Drive R.A./DEC Reverse As mentioned previously, the direction a particular button moves the mountvaries depending on the telescope’s orientation (i.e., whether it’s on the east orwest side of the mount). This can create confusion when guiding if you changethe telescope’s orientation d...
Page 47 - Celestial Observing • 43; C E L E S T I A L O B S E R V I N G; LUNAR OBSERVING HINTS; King or sidereal rates work best for tracking the planets.; Observing the Moon; Observing the Planets
Celestial Observing • 43 C E L E S T I A L O B S E R V I N G With your telescope set up, you are ready to use it for observing. This sectioncovers visual observing of both solar system and deep-sky objects. In the night sky, the Moon is a prime target for your first look because it isextremely brigh...
Page 48 - 4 • Celestial Observing; SOLAR OBSERVING HINTS; Observing the Sun
44 • Celestial Observing Although overlooked by many amateur astronomers, solar observation is bothrewarding and fun. However, because the Sun is so bright, special precautionsmust be taken when observing our star so as not to damage your eyes or yourtelescope. WARNING: Never project an image of the...
Page 49 - Celestial Observing • 45; Using Your Setting Circles; Look up the coordinates in an atlas or reference book.
Celestial Observing • 45 Deep-sky objects are simply those objects outside the boundaries of our solarsystem. They include star clusters, planetary nebulae, diffuse nebulae, doublestars, and other galaxies outside our own Milky Way. The Celestron SkyMaps (#93722) can help you locate the brightest de...
Page 50 - 6 • Celestial Observing; Star Hopping; Start at the star in the northeast corner. The star is Alpha (
46 • Celestial Observing Star Hopping Another way to find deep-sky objects is by star hopping. Star hopping is doneby using bright stars to “guide” you to an object. Here are the directions fortwo popular objects. The Andromeda Galaxy, M31, is an easy target. To find M31: 1. Locate the constellation...
Page 52 - 8 • Celestial Observing; Transparency
48 • Celestial Observing Viewing conditions affect what you can see through your CM-1100 telescopeduring an observing session. Conditions include transparency, sky illumina-tion, and seeing. Understanding viewing conditions and the effect they have onobserving will help you get the most out of your ...
Page 53 - Celestial Observing • 49
Celestial Observing • 49 Type 2 seeing conditions do move as quickly as Type 1, though the image isquite blurry. Fine detail is lost and the contrast is low for extended objects.Stars are spread out and not sharp. The source of Type 2 seeing is the loweratmosphere, most likely heat waves from the gr...
Page 54 - 0 • Celestial Photography; C E L E S T I A L P H O T O G R A P H Y
50 • Celestial Photography C E L E S T I A L P H O T O G R A P H Y After looking at the night sky for awhile you may want to try photographing it.Several forms of celestial photography are possible with your Celestron CM-1100 telescope. The most common forms of celestial photography, in order ofdiff...
Page 55 - Lunar Phase
Celestial Photography • 51 Short exposure prime focus photography is the best way to begin recordingcelestial objects. It is done with the camera attached to the telescope withoutan eyepiece or camera lens in place. To attach your camera you need theCelestron T-Adapter (#93633-A) and a T-Ring for yo...
Page 56 - 2 • Celestial Photography
52 • Celestial Photography The exposure times listed here should be used as a starting point. Alwaysmake exposures that are longer and shorter than the recommended time.Also, try bracketing your exposures, taking a few photos at each shutterspeed. This will ensure that you will get a good photo. Kee...
Page 57 - Piggyback
Celestial Photography • 53 The easiest way to enter the realm of deep-sky, long exposure astrophotogra-phy is via the piggyback method. Piggyback photography is done with acamera and its normal lens riding on top of the telescope. Through piggybackphotography you can capture entire constellations an...
Page 58 - 4 • Celestial Photography
54 • Celestial Photography The exposure time depends on the film being used. However, five minutes isusually a good starting point. With slower films, like 100 ISO, you can exposeas long as 45 minutes. With faster films, like 1600 ISO, you really shouldn’texpose more than 5 to 10 minutes. When getti...
Page 59 - Eyepiece Projection
Celestial Photography • 55 This form of celestial photography is designed for objects with small angularsizes, primarily the Moon and planets. Planets, although physically quitelarge, appear small in angular size because of their great distances. Moderateto high magnification is, therefore, required...
Page 60 - 6 • Celestial Photography
56 • Celestial Photography The following table lists exposures for eyepiece projection with a 10mmeyepiece. All exposure times are listed in seconds or fractions of a second. The exposure times listed here should be used as a starting point. Alwaysmake exposures that are longer and shorter than the ...
Page 62 - 8 • Celestial Photography
58 • Celestial Photography When getting started, use fast films to record as much detail in the shortestpossible time. Here are proven recommendations: • Ektar 1000 (color print)• Konica 3200 (color print)• Fujichrome 1600D (color slide)• 3M 1000 (color slide)• T-Max 3200 (black and white print)• T-...
Page 63 - Celestial Photography • 59; CCD IMAGING
Celestial Photography • 59 Fastar Lens Assembly Option – Using your CM-1400 telescope at f/2.1 withoptional PixCel CCD Camera Only the CM-1400 is equipped with a removable secondary mirror that allows you to convert your f/11 telescope into an f/2.1 imaging system capable ofexposure times 25 times s...
Page 64 - Fastar Configuration
60 • Celestial Photography The F/# stands for the ratio between the focal length and the diameter of thelight gathering element. A C14 optical tube has a focal length of 154 inchesand a diameter of 14 inches. This makes the system an f/11, (focal lengthdivided by diameter). When the secondary is rem...
Page 65 - Celestial Photography • 61; Medium size to small galaxies
Celestial Photography • 61 When imaging some objects like planetary nebula (for example M57, the RingNebula) and small galaxies (M104, the Sombrero Galaxy), larger image scaleis needed to resolve finer detail. These objects are better shot at f/7 or even f/11. Medium size to small galaxies -- f/7 im...
Page 67 - Telescope Maintenance • 63; T E L E S C O P E M A I N T E N A N C E; Collimation
Telescope Maintenance • 63 T E L E S C O P E M A I N T E N A N C E While your CM-1100 telescope requires little maintenance, there are a fewthings to remember that will ensure your telescope performs at its best. Occasionally, dust and/or moisture may build up on the corrector plate of yourtelescope...
Page 69 - Telescope Maintenance • 65
Telescope Maintenance • 65 6 Once the star image is in the center of the field of view, check to see ifthe rings are concentric. If the central obstruction is still skewed inthe same direction, then continue turning the screw(s) in the samedirection. If you find that the ring pattern is skewed in a ...
Page 70 - 6 • Optional Accessories; O P T I O N A L A C C E S S O R I E S
66 • Optional Accessories O P T I O N A L A C C E S S O R I E S The following is a partial list of optional accessories available for your CelestronCM-1100/1400. You will find that additional accessories enhance your viewingpleasure and expand the usefulness of your telescope. For ease of reference,...
Page 71 - Optional Accessories • 67; SMA - The SMA design is an improved version of the Kellner eyepiece.
Optional Accessories • 67 prism arrangement that, in addition to producing correctly oriented images,allows you to look into the telescope at a 45° angle, a desirable arrangementfor terrestrial viewing. Eyepiece Filters - To enhance your visual observations of planetary objects,Celestron offers a wi...
Page 73 - Optional Accessories • 69
Optional Accessories • 69 prime focus long-exposure astrophotography. It makes guiding easier andexposures shorter. Sky Maps (#93722) - When learning the night sky, the Celestron Sky Mapsoffer the ideal solution. The maps include all the constellations and brighterdeep-sky objects. The maps are prin...
Page 74 - THE MESSIER CATALOG; DEC
70 • The Messier Catalog THE MESSIER CATALOG The Messier Catalog, compiled by Charles Messier, was the first extensive listing of star clusters and nebulae.Messier’s primary observational purpose was to discover comets. He compiled this list so that others searchingfor comets would not be confused b...
Page 77 - LIST OF BRIGHT STARS; Star Name
List of Bright Stars • 73 LIST OF BRIGHT STARS The following is a list of bright stars that can be used to align the R.A. setting circle. All coordinates are inepoch 2000.0. Epoch 2000.0 Star Name Constellation R.A. DEC Magnitude H M S ° ‘ “ Sirius CMa 06 45 09 -16 42 58 -1.47 Canopus Car 06 23 57 -...
Page 78 - FOR FURTHER READING; Astronomy Texts
FOR FURTHER READING The following is a list of astronomy books that will further enhance your understanding of the night sky. Thebooks are broken down by classification for easy reference. Astronomy Texts Astronomy Now ....................................................................................
Page 79 - CELESTRON ONE YEAR WARRANTY
CELESTRON ONE YEAR WARRANTY A . Celestron International (CI) warrants this telescope to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one year. CI will repair orreplace such product or part thereof which, upon inspection by CI, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a condi...
