How do I Set Up a GoTo Computerized Telescope?

Set up the telescope mount with legs on a hard, level surface. If the mount has legs which can be extended, extend all three of the legs to an equal distance. For ease of setup, most GoTo telescope mounts have a leveling bubble located on either the side or the top of the large cylindrical center portion of the mount. Adjust the legs as needed until the bubble is in the center of its glass container.

Install the main body of the telescope on top of the mount and fasten it down securely. To secure it firmly, look for the tightening levers or knobs on the mount. Once the body has been set onto the mount, tighten them hand-tight without overtightening.

Connect the power cord which is needed to power the GoTo telescope mount's controller and motors. The socket will normally be located on the side or on the bottom of the central part of the mount in which the motor exists. Connect the other end to your power source.

Plug the hand-held controller module cable into the controller port socket on the central part of the mount. These are designed with a tab on one side so that they may only be inserted one way. Line up the tab with the groove in the socket and press the plug into the socket firmly until it snaps into place or cannot be inserted any further.

Rotate the entire telescope and mount system so it is pointing at magnetic north. GoTo telescopes have a line or a marking on the top of the center hub on the mount which is designed to assist in lining up the unit. Center the compass on this mark and continue rotating the entire mount until the marking is aimed at magnetic north.

Turn on the power switches on the mount and on the controller if it has one. Consult with your telescope's manual to learn its particular procedure for completing the alignment process. GoTo telescopes have built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers in the controllers or in the mount itself, but they do require fine manual adjustments.

Set the telescope controller to "go to" the North Star, also called Polaris, if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, or Sigma Octanis if living in the Southern Hemisphere. These two stars are closely aligned with Earth's axis and are considered near-stationary, always appearing in the same position of the sky at all times of the day and night. Manually adjust the telescope with the controller set to "Manual" mode so that either of the stars is in the absolute center of the eyepiece cross-hairs when looking into the lens.

Set the GoTo controller to its alignment mode according to your telescope user manual once the appropriate star has been centered when viewing it in the eyepiece. This is where a GoTo telescope really shines---it will make all of the error adjustments for a highly accurate alignment on its own without any further human intervention. With the GPS receiver included in such telescope systems, they are accurate enough to use for astronomical photography.

Set your controller to have the telescope find any object it has in its built-in database and enjoy the view.