How do i properly use maneuver nodes for the mun

[Virmana]

i'm a huge noob and youtube tuts don't cut it for me. I want to head to the mun.

I see people fidgeting around with these maneuver nodes while in orbit(as am i), what i usually do is keep my thrust going until my apoapsis is within range of the mun, then what? i think this isn't enough, i need to face a particular direction and use whatever fuel i have left to properly arrive and i think maneuver nodes are for this reason. Thanks i'm an idiot.

[Rhomphaia]

In the in game tutorials (start game>Training) there is one called "to the Mun part 1", this will give you the basics to do exactly what you are asking, the "orbiting 101" tutorial will have more detail on how to use maneuver nodes as well

Edited June 17, 2020 by Rhomphaia

[Spricigo]

10 minutes ago, Virmana said:

i'm a huge noob and youtube tuts don't cut it for me.

That is kind of a problem. What do you expect to find in plain words that is not possible to be better presented with images? But if that is what you looking for: https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Maneuver_node#:~:text=Adding%20a%20maneuver%20node,-Two%20maneuver%20nodes&text=Click%20on%20the%20vessel's%20orbital,it%20in%20%22delete%22%20mode.

 

I still think a nice video tutorial is much better: 

 

 

 

 

[Vanamonde]

Maybe my guide can help. 

 

[katateochi]

assuming you're in orbit around Kerbin, at say around 100 or 200 km (doesn't have to be perfectly circular, this isn't rocket sci....oh, but yeah, sloppy orbit is ok)

Go into map mode and pan the camera so you are looking side on at Kerbin, now rotate the camera so you're going around Kerbin counter clockwise.  As soon as you see Mun appear from behind Kerbin stop. That's the mark where you want to set your node. At the point on Kerbin's horizon where the Mun rises. 

Now drag the prograde marker  out from the node, which will raise the "projected" orbit's Ap.  Keep dragging until it intersects with Mun.  You'll see a sudden change and your yellow orbit line go from being a complete orbit to a curve that ends in a yellow marker and then changes colour to purple.  The purple part is the orbit path around Mun and you should see a purple Pe marker.  If you don't then you've probably dragged the prograde marker too far and the orbit actually hits Mun, so just drag the retrograde  marker a little bit until you see the Pe marker appear.  On the right of the Nav ball there will be a green bar and a value in m/s. That value should be somewhere in the region of 830m/s (depends a bit on your starting orbit, but that's roughly how much dV you need to intersect with Mun).

You should now be looking at something like this:

Couple tips here:
Dragging the node markers can be really inaccurate and it's hard to make slight adjustments. Instead, place your mouse over one of the markers and gently roll the mouse wheel, that will make small adjustments to that marker.
You will want to see the altitude value of the Pe marker which is only shown when you hover the mouse over it, but if your right click on the marker then the values will stay when you move the mouse away (this works with all orbital markers).
As well as making adjustments to the prograde/retrograde makers on the  node, you can also drag the entire node back and forth along the orbit, by clicking and holding in the middle of the node. Don't worry too much about that at first, but that's one way to find the most optimal position for the node.

"Fiddle" the pro/retro-grade makers to get the Pe marker to something like 100,000m or whatever height you want your Mun orbit to be. And that's it, you've setup a Mun intercept maneuver. 

Now to execute it. By the nav ball (bottom right side) will be two values 'Node in T' and 'burn time'. Divide your burn time by 2 and then time warp until the Node in T value reaches that result. ie if your burn time is 2m, then you want to start your burn at T-1m. 
Fire ze engines! Slam the throttle to max and watch the ...oh wait, make sure your nav-ball cross hair is lined up with the Blue node marker first, then fire the engines! Now watch the green bar on the left of the nav ball decrease and when that hits zero cut the engines. Your orbit should now be the same as your projected orbit. 
Time warp out to Mun and up to the Pe marker, then face your craft retrograde and fire ze engines again. The fly-by trajectory will close down to become a complete but very elliptical orbit, keep burning to then bring the Ap down to the same value (ish) as your Pe and boom, your're in a circular(ish) stable Mun orbit.