USER MANUAL SkyScout Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 2 Parts Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 2 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 3 Menu Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 3 Navigating the SkyScout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 4 Identify Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 4 Locate Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 5 Locating Objects From The SkyScout Database . . . . . . . .pg 6 Playing Audio Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 6 Exploring Constellations and Asterisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 7 Field Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 7 GPS Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 8 a) Viewing GPS Information Settings Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 8-9 a) About menu b) Enter Time/Location Information Manually c) Updating Time/Location Information Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 9 a) Help Button b) Troubleshooting Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 10 Updating your SkyScout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 10-11 a) Installing SkyScout Update Program SkyScout Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 12 Appendix A - Time Zone Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 13 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg 14 1 Introduction The SkyScout is a revolutionary handheld device that uses advanced GPS technology with point-and-click convenience to identify and locate thousands of stars, planets, constellations and more. Identify Simply point the SkyScout at nearly any star in the sky and click the "target" button. The SkyScout will identify and display the object you are looking at. Locate To locate a star or planet, select the object's name from the menu and follow the directional arrows through the viewfinder. SkyScout shows you when you are on target. It's that easy! Learn Once you have targeted an object, the real fun begins. The SkyScout includes entertaining and educational audio and text information, including facts, history and mythology about the most popular celestial objects in the sky. A fun learning tool for all ages, the SkyScout Personal Planetarium puts the knowledge of an expert astronomer in the palm of your hand. Parts Identification RUGGED DESIGN Compact (2.5"H x 4"W x 7.4"L), lightweight (15.2oz.), rubber armoring and high-impact plastic body for outdoor use EASY TO READ DISPLAY Large display with red LED-backlit display to maintain night vision TARGET BUTTON Identifies the celestial object you are viewing VOLUME & BRIGHTNESS Easy to adjust controls for audio volume and display brightness SKY TOUR/SD CARD SLOT SkyTour cards provide interactive guided tours of the night sky (sold separately) USB PORT Download database updates from your PC (USB cable included) MENU NAVIGATION PAD Intuitive menu for easy on-screen navigation VIEWFINDER with LED directional arrows HELP & MENU BUTTONS Quickly access various on-screen menus 3.5mm HEADPHONE JACK ONE-TOUCH CONTROLS Provides quick access to "Identify", "Locate" and "GPS" functions ON/OFF BUTTON Requires 2 AA batteries (user supplied) for audio presentation (headphones included) Your SkyScout comes with the following: · SkyScout Personal Planetarium · Wrist Strap · Quick Setup Guide · Padded Case · Earphones · USB Cable · Instructional CD-ROM · 2 Battery Sleeves (inside battery compartment) Never look directly at the sun with the naked eye or through the SkyScout. Permanent and irreversible eye damage may result. 2 Setup 1. Installing the Batteries a) Use a flat head tool to loosen the screw on the battery compartment door. b) Remove the two battery sleeves from inside the compartment. c) Slide a battery into each of the sleeves and insert into the battery compartment as shown. Make sure that the sleeves cover the entire length of the battery. The battery sleeves are necessary to block out the magnetic field variations that are inherent in all batteries. These magnetic fields can cause inaccuracies when using the SkyScout. 2. Plug in the stereo jack of the included earphones into the audio output jack on the SkyScout. 3. Powering up the SkyScout a) Make sure you are outside with a clear view of the sky. This will allow you to get the best possible GPS reception. Avoid standing too close to large metal objects, such as automobiles as this may interfere with SkyScout's sensors. b) Hold down the Power Button until the display turns on. c) When a GPS fix is acquired, SkyScout will display your exact longitude and latitude. Select Continue to display the Main Menu. The SkyScout is now ready to begin identifying and locating objects in the sky. To power off the SkyScout, press the Power button until the display turns off. To conserve battery life, SkyScout will automatically power off if no button has been pressed for a period of five minutes Menu Navigation In addition to the three quick access menu keys (Identify, Locate and GPS), SkyScout has a Menu Navigation Pad that allows you to scroll through available menu options, select options or return back to the previous screen. You can use the Menu Navigation Pad not only to access the same menus as the quick access keys, but also to explore the other features of the Field Guide and Settings menus. Locate mode icon Go back to the previous menu Scroll bar slider Select highlighted option or menu Battery life icon Scroll up and down through menu options On-screen information bars give you useful information about the status of the screen you are viewing. Battery Life Indicator - Shows the current battery charge. When the indicator is solid black, the batteries are at maximum strength. When the indicator is clear, the batteries are low and need to be replaced. Locate Mode Icon - Indicates that SkyScout is in Locate mode and is ready to guide you to the selected object. When this icon appears you will see a red arrow light up when you look through the viewfinder. Manual Mode - Indicates that the GPS receiver cannot pick up satellite signals from your present location and that the time, date and location have been entered manually. If you have entered the Time/Location information manually, a letter "M" will appear in the upper left corner of the display. Magnetic Sensor Warning - This icon is displayed whenever a magnetic field is detected that is different than expected for your current geographic location. This usually results from standing too close to a large metal object, for example an automobile. Scroll Bar Slider - Visible whenever there is a list of menu options or text that do not fit on a single screen. Play Audio - Indicates that the Select button can be used to play an audio clip. Pause Audio - Indicates that the Select button can be used to pause an audio clip. 3 Navigating the SkyScout SkyScout uses two illuminated targeting rings and a series of eight direction arrows to help you identify and locate objects. The targeting rings are located on each end of the viewfinder to assist in alignment with celestial objects. To use SkyScout, hold it up so that the larger viewfinder window is pointed towards the sky while you are looking through the smaller viewfinder window. The orange "Target" button should be on top of the unit. To locate objects, SkyScout will illuminate the direction arrows inside the viewfinder to guide you to objects in the sky. As you get closer to the desired object, the arrows will blink rapidly until the object is in the viewfinder. Once the object is positioned in the viewfinder targeting rings, all the direction arrows will light up at once. Identify Mode To Identify Objects In The Sky 1. Press the Identify button on the control panel of SkyScout. The following message will appear. 2. Hold the SkyScout with the smaller viewfinder window closest to your eye and the larger window facing out towards the sky. 3. While looking through the viewfinder, aim the SkyScout at the object in the sky you wish to identify. 4. Align the two illuminated targeting rings so that one fits evenly inside the other. 5. Center the desired object inside the illuminated rings and press the Target button on the top of the SkyScout. When the target button is pressed, all eight of the direction arrows will briefly light up. 6. The screen will then display the name of the object you have targeted. If more than one object is identified, the SkyScout will display all identified objects in order of their brightness. 7. Use the Menu Navigation Pad to select one of the following possible options for that object: Audio description - Listen to an audio narration about the displayed object (not available for all objects). Text description - Read a text description about the displayed object (not available for all objects). Scientific data - View scientific data about the displayed object Observing Tip Since the SkyScout uses a zero-magnification viewfinder, it is not necessary to hold it close to your eye in order to see objects in the sky. It is often easiest to find objects if it is held at a comfortable distance from your eye. This allows you to see both the object in the viewfinder as well as the surrounding star patterns in the vicinity. 4 Locate Mode The SkyScout has a database of over 6,000 celestial objects that are divided into six custom catalogs that include: Tonight's Highlights - In addition to the many customized object lists, SkyScout also has a Tonight's Highlights feature that uses the internal GPS system to display a custom list of all the best objects visible from your exact location and time. Tonight's Highlights is a useful tool for both novice and experienced users. Remember to view Tonight's Highlights each time you use SkyScout since displayed objects will change as new objects appear in the sky. Planets - All nine planets in our Solar System plus the Moon. Stars - This catalog is separated into the following useful categories: Brightest 20 - A list of the 20 brightest stars in the sky in order of their apparent magnitude. Common Name - An alphabetical list of the brightest stars by common name. Double Stars - An alphabetical list of stars that are part of a multiple star system. Variable Stars - An alphabetical list of stars that are known to vary in brightness. SAO Number - Allows you to directly enter a known SAO (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) catalog number from a partial list of the brightest stars in this catalog. Hipparcos Number - Allows you to directly enter a known Hipparcos catalog number from a partial list of the brightest stars in this catalog. Constellation - A complete listing of all 88 constellations in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. You can view only the 12 constellation of the Zodiac or an alphabetical list of all Constellations as well as a guided tour of each star in the constellation. See Exploring Constellation and Asterisms section below. Observing Tip Since many of the SkyScout's object lists are quite long, the Constellations, Common Name Star and Double Star lists are broken up into convenient alphabetical groupings for quicker access. For example, if you would like to select the star Polaris from the Common Name star list, scroll down to the Naos to Prijipati group and press the select button. This will display a list of the individual stars from Naos to Prijipati, including the star Polaris. Deep Sky - Based on the popular Messier object list of deep sky objects, this catalog is broken-up in the following customized list: Galaxies - A list of the most popular Galaxies outside of the Milky Way. Common Name - A list of all Messier objects with common names. Messier Objects - A complete list of all Messier objects. Nebulae - A list of diffuse nebulae and star forming regions. Planetary Nebula - A list of famous planetary nebulae. Globular Clusters - A list of the brightest of these ancient star clusters. Open Clusters - A list of the best Open Clusters from the Messier list. Asterisms - A list of some of the most famous star patterns in the sky. Similar to the constellations, there are many recognizable patterns of stars (such as the Big Dipper and The Northern Cross) that are not actually constellations, but are equally well known. Observing Tip Although many of the Deep Sky objects are relatively bright, some of them may not be visible with the naked eye. However, SkyScout makes an excellent companion for binoculars or a small telescope that will allow you to see all the Deep Sky objects. 5 Locating Objects From The SkySc ...