ASTRO SWISS KNIFE
4/4

PRINTING

All the boards must be printed on the same printer with the same printing parameters, especially the printing percentage in order to be sure to have the right dimensions when cutting. So be careful with printing at more or less long intervals. Surprises can be unpleasant. Sometimes you may be tempted to adjust the printing rate to enlarge as much as possible or to reduce the size to make it smaller. OK, but everything must be printed in a row, checking each time you print that the count is correct. A word to the wise... Hello!

For my part, 100% printing, all my files are in 200mm X 200mm format on glossy photo paper 280g A4.

SUMMARY

Choose the favorite observation location then:
- Request your star finder.
- Request the GOTO version, using the same coordinates.
- Request the photographic field calculators for your sensors.

Download supplements:

- Messier table in color.
- Messier table in black and white.
- Caldwell table in color.
- Caldwell table in black and white.
- Abell - IC - Mel - NGC - Sh2 table in color.
- Abell - IC - Mel - NGC - Sh2 table in black and white.

Note: These color tables will be used preferably for the preparation of an observation. The black and white tables will be useful to identify an object at night with the eyepiece. These tables contain numbers on the abscissa and ordinate to determine the number of the object.

- Messier by Numero_1.
- Messier by Numero_2.
- Messier by Difficulte_1.
- Messier by Difficulte_2.
- Marathon_Messier_Fr_1.
- Marathon_Messier_Fr_2.
- Caldwell by Numero_1.
- Caldwell by Numero_2.
- Caldwell by Difficulte_1.
- Caldwell by Difficulte_2.

- Goto Table - stars used for GOTO pointing Listed in alphabetical order with the corresponding constellations.
- SynScan_Stars.
- AlignmentNord.
- AlignmentSud.

- CartoLynx_Fr.
- CartoLynx_Notice.
- Search Moon Sun.
- Search Moon Sun_Notice.
- CCD Star Field Calculator.

CUTTING

Once the printing of the boards is finished, move on to cutting using a guillotine or if you don't have one, cutters, scissors, cutting knives and/or scalpels on a cutting board or an old cardboard calendar.

Warning! Wanting to finish before having started is not on the agenda.

In card mode, only the image of each board will be cut to the square. The two strips (thickness marker) and the assembly tab will not be necessary in this case.

ASSEMBLY

If you want to glue your cards back to back:

On a board of compressed wood or plywood, large enough, nail a slat to correctly align the cards to be assembled.
Cut a 195mm X 195mm slab that will serve as a pressing block. Prepare a few fairly heavy books or something else to ensure gluing while it sets.

We will use white, liquid paper glue. You can add a little water to make the glue more liquid if necessary, yes but not too much, the glue should not appear through the paper. You have another glue, no problem. In all cases, tests will be necessary with the scraps of paper that will not be lacking after the cuts. Spread the glue well and not generously, especially on the edges. Be quick, do not hang around.

Provide water, a sponge, cloths, a hair dryer, a marouflage roller, if you have one. Marouflage by friction is strongly discouraged because scratches will appear on the surface of the photo paper.

PROTECTION

You have finished your Astro Swiss Army Knife and you must be proud of it and I congratulate you. All that remains is to protect your work. I suggest you make a protective case with a sheet of black CANSON 50cm x 35cm - 270grs or more simply a cardboard binder corresponding to the need and cut to the desired dimensions. I leave it up to you to imagine the case in which you want to store it. To keep it for a very long time without degradation of the colors, you must keep the cards away from light when you are not using them.