Instruction Manual Autostar #494 Computer Controller ® Meade Instruments Corporation QUICK START GUIDE WARNING: Never use Autostar to move a telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late. Do not point a telescope or its viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look through a telescope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing. To connect Autostar to your telescope: Remove the telescope from its packaging. Attach the viewfinder (if necessary) and insert an eyepiece into the telescope focuser. See your telescope instruction manual for detailed assembly information. Tighten the telescope's vertical and horizontal locks. Plug Autostar's coil cord into the computer control panel Handbox (HBX) port (Fig. 1). Make sure the telescope's motor assemblies are plugged into the proper ports. Plug the power cord into the 12V connector (Fig. 1). A warning not to look at the Sun then scrolls across the Autostar display. Press the key prompted by Autostar to indicate you have read and understood the message. Press the ENTER key (2, Fig. 3) repeatedly until "Country/State" appears on the Autostar display. (Ignore the prompts for the time, date, and daylight saving. These functions will be covered later in this manual.) -212v COMPUTER CONTROL HBX AZ ALT AUX WARNING LOOKING AT OR NEAR 12v HBX Fig. 1: DS computer control panel 12v and HBX connector ports. Fig. 2: Sun Warning on the Autostar LCD display. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle through the list of countries, states, and provinces. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) when the desired location appears on the Autostar display. Autostar then prompts you to enter the city nearest to the observing site. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle through the list of cities. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) when the desired city appears on the display. Autostar then prompts you to enter your telescope model. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle through the list of models. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) when your telescope model appears on the display. The display then reads "Align: Easy." You now can use Autostar's Arrow keys (5, Fig. 3) to move the telescope to observe. Practice using the Arrow keys to slew (move) the telescope up, down, left, and right. Sight along the side of the telescope's main tube or use the viewfinder to locate objects. Practice using the Autostar Arrow keys to center objects in the telescope's field of view and also practice using the telescope's focus knob to bring objects into focus. TABLE OF CONTENTS Quick Start Guide Autostar Features Getting Started Assembly Instructions Manual Observation Using Arrow Keys Using Autostar's GO TO Capability Moving through Autostar's Menus Initializing Autostar Autostar Navigation Training the Drive Alignment Easy Two-Star Alignment Which One's the Alignment Star Two-Star ALT/AZ Alignment One-Star ALT/AZ Alignment Go To Saturn Using the Guided Tour Slew Speeds Autostar Menus Object Menu To Observe a Satellite Event Menu Glossary Menu Utilities Menu Setup Menu To Track an Object Automatically General Maintenance Meade Customer Service Specifications: Autostar Optional Accessories Appendix A: Entering R.A. and Dec Coordinates 2 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 11 13 14 14 16 16 16 16 17 18 19 20 20 22 23 23 24 26 27 28 28 28 29 -3- The Autostar #494 Handbox is compatible with the Meade® DS (Digital Electronic Telescope) series. Please refer to your telescope's instruction manual for information specific to your telescope model. ® The name "Meade," the Meade logo, and "Autostar" are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal countries throughout the world. All rights reserved. © 2000 Meade Instruments Corporation. Key to Fig. 3 1 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Screen (2-lines, 16 characters each line) ENTER Key MODE Key 2 4 GO TO Key Arrow Keys (Up, Down, Left, and Right) Scroll Up Key Scroll Down Key Speed/? (Speed/Help) Key Coil Cord 5 3 8 6 7 9 Fig. 3: Autostar #494 Features. -4- AUTOSTAR FEATURES Control of nearly every telescope function is accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar's keys. Autostar has softtouch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential database make Autostar extremely user-friendly. Refer to Fig. 3 for the positions of the following keys. 2-Line LCD Display: Provides a visual interface between Autostar and the telescope. Top line: Lists the primary category or menu item. Bottom line: Contains a menu option, or information about an object or subject, depending on which function is being performed. ENTER Key: Accesses, in a sequential manner, the next menu or data level in the Autostar database (see "AUTOSTAR NAVIGATION," page 11). The ENTER key is similar to the RETURN key on a computer. NOTE: If ENTER is pressed for two seconds or more and then released, Autostar emits a beep and "ENTER to Sync" is displayed. "ENTER to Sync" is relevant only after the telescope has been aligned and is pointing at an object. If the "ENTER to Sync" feature is accessed by mistake, press MODE to return to the previous screen. See "HIGH PRECISION," page 25. -5- MODE Key: Returns to the previous menu or data level in the Autostar database until the top level ("Select Item") is reached. The MODE key is similar to the EXIT key on a computer. NOTE: Pressing MODE while in the Select Item level moves Autostar to the topmost screen: "Select Item: Object." NOTE: If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, the following information is then available using the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3): · Azimuth (horizontal) and Altitude (vertical) coordinates · Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST) · Timer and Alarm Status GO TO Key: Slews (moves) the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected object. While the telescope is slewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object. Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine different speeds (see "SLEW SPEEDS," page 18). The following functions are also available with the Arrow keys: Data Entry: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to Scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. The Down Arrow key starts with the letter "A" and the Up Arrow key starts with the digit "9." The Left and Right Arrow keys are used to move the blinking cursor left and right across the LCD display. Alt/Az alignment: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move the telescope vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key rotates the telescope horizontally counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise. NOTE: Throughout this manual, you will notice the term "Alt/Az." Alt/Az is frequently used to refer to Altitude or vertical and Azimuth or horizontal. Alt/Az is just one of many methods used by amateur astronomers to help locate stars in the night sky. Scroll Keys: Access database options within a selected menu. The menu is displayed on the first line of the screen. Options within the menu are displayed, one at a time, on the second line. Press the Scroll keys to move through the options. Press and hold one of the Scroll keys to move quickly through the options. The Scroll keys also scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. NOTE: The Scroll Down key and the Down Arrow key move forward through the alphabet & digits (A to Z, 0-9) and the Scroll Up key and the Up Arrow key move backward (9-0, Z to A). Speed/? Key: Pressing the Speed/? key cycles through the nine slew speeds that move the telescope. Each time the Speed/? key is pressed briefly, the current slew speed displays. See "SLEW SPEEDS," page 18. The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active. TIP: Pressing the Speed/? key very briefly changes the slew speed. Holding down the Speed/? key longer (one to two seconds) accesses the Help function. Hold down the Speed/? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details of Autostar functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an on-screen instruction manual. If you have a question about an Autostar operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT, etc., hold down the Speed/? key and follow the directions that scroll on the second line of the LCD screen. When a word appears in [brackets], press ENTER to access the Autostar Glossary. A definition or more detailed information is displayed. Press MODE to return to the scrolling Autostar Help display. When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to the original screen and continue with the chosen procedure. Coil Cord: Plug into the Handbox (HBX) port of the computer control panel of the telescope. -6- GETTING STARTED Control of your DS telescope is through the operation of the standard-equipment #494 Autostar. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar's buttons. Some of the major features of Autostar are: Automatically move the telescope to any of the more than 1400 objects stored in the database or manually enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial object. Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the year. Download the latest satellite data and software revisions directly from the Meade website (www.meade.com). (Requires optional #506 AstroFinderTM Software and Cable Connector Kit. See "OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES," page 30.) Access a glossary of astronomical terms. Calculate which eyepiece to use for optimum viewing of a celestial object. Mount the telescope in the "Alt/Az" mode (Altitude Azimuth, or vertical - horizontal) for fully automatic tracking of celestial objects PARTS LISTING Autostar comes completely assembled. When first opening the packing box, note the following parts: Autostar #494 handbox Instruction manual ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS Power for Autostar is supplied through the telescope. No internal batteries are required. See the telescope instruction manual for details. To attach Autostar to a telescope: 1. If necessary, remove the power cord from the 12v port of the computer control panel (Fig. 1, page 2). 2. Plug Autostar into the HBX port of the computer control panel (Fig. 1 page 2). Make sure the telescope's motor assemblies are plugged into the proper ports. See your telescope instruction manual for detailed assembly information. 3. Plug the power cord back into the 12v port of the computer control panel. MANUAL OBSERVATION USING THE ARROW KEYS 1. After Autostar's cord is plugged into the HBX port and the power cord is plugged into the 12v port, a copyright message lights on the Autostar LCD display (1, Fig. 3). 2. A message warning not to look at the Sun scrolls across the display. Press the key prompted by Autostar to acknowledge that the Sun warning has been read and understood. 3. Press the ENTER key (2, Fig. 3) repeatedly until "Country/State" appears on the display. (Ignore the prompts requesting Date, Time, and Daylight Saving ­ these functions will be explained later in the manual.) -7- 4. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle through the list of countries, states, and provinces (listed alphabetically). Press ENTER when the desired location displays. 5. Autostar then prompts you to enter the nearest city to the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the desired city displays. 6. Autostar then prompts you to enter the telescope model you are using. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of models. Press ENTER when your telescope model displays. "Align: Easy" displays. You now can use Autostar's Arrow keys to move the telescope to observe. TIP: If you go past the "Align: Easy" (or any other menu display you wish to select), press MODE (3, Fig. 3) to return to the previous display(s). 7. Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 3) to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. You can slew (move) the telescope at different speeds. USING AUTOSTAR'S GO TO CAPABILITY This section describes how to make observations using various Autostar features and menus. But before you can use Autostar's GO TO capabilities, you must first: Learn how Autostar's keys move through the menus Initialize Autostar -8- Train the drive Align the telescope Select "Align: Easy" from Autostar's menus MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR'S MENUS Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation: Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) to go deeper into Autostar's menu levels. Press MODE (3, Fig. 3) to move back toward t ...