Question about Celestron Goto

Hi all,

I have a Meade ETX-105 and am considering upgrading to a C9.25 (have not decided on Nexstar or AS-GT mount). I am not real familiar with the Celestron goto system. The one or two I've seen, seems to be harder to select certain objects for viewing. For example I was helping a couple with their Nexsat 8 and they wanted to look at Albireo. We could not figure out how to select the star by name. Is this possible? All we could find was an input asking for the SAO #. Now since I don't really feel like carrying around a copy of the SAO catalog, this to me seems like a problem.

Is it, or is it something I'll learn over time?

Thanks

Craig

The Celestron computerized hand control lets you select Albireo and other named stars by their names under "Named Stars" in the "List" program; in that program you can also select "Double Stars" where you would find Albireo by name, as well as other prominent double stars. I believe this go-to system is now standard with most of Celestron's SCTs, but it was an optional extra in the past and perhaps the people who couldn't figure out how to find Albireo you mention had not obtained that extra device. Similarly, you can go to deep sky objects by their NGC numbers in the NGC program, and if they are in the Messier catalog you can also use their M designation in the Messier program.