Meade StarNavigator instruction manual To Track an Object Automatically, Alt/Az Home Position

Pointer to 0° on the Altitude

True Setting Circle

North

Fig. 16: Alt/Az Home Position.

Fig. 17: Altitude lock and setting circle.

DEFINITION: Initialization is a procedure that ensures that Audiostar operates correctly. When you first use Audiostar, it doesn't yet know where the observation location site is.

During the procedure, you will enter the observation location. Audiostar uses this information to precisely calculate the location of celestial objects (such as stars and planets) and to move your telescope correctly for various operations.

To Track an Object Automatically

As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically "tracks" the stars and other objects in the night sky. In other words, if the telescope is not tracking an astronomical object, the object will drift out of the eyepiece field of view. The tracking function automatically keeps an object more or less centred in the telescope’s eyepiece.

To track objects, you must first set the telescope in the home position, then initialize Audiostar, and finally perform an alignment on the night sky. See below for more information.You must also learn how the Audiostar keypad operates in order to move through the Audiostar menus.

The "Alt/Az" Home Position

Correct telescope placement in the home position will ensure the successful location of the alignment stars.

1.Level the telescope’s tripod base (23, Fig 1). Extend or shorten the tripod legs as needed.

2.Loosen the Altitude lock (10F, Fig. 1).

3.Line up the 0° mark on the Altitude setting circle (10E, Fig. 1) with the triangular pointer.

4.Tighten the Altitude lock (10F, Fig. 1) to a firm feel.

5.Loosen the horizontal lock (26, Fig. 1) and move the tube until it points to True North.

Note: Irregularities in the earth’s magnetic field results in the direction of True North and Magnetic North differing and will vary from location to location.

To find True North, use the bubble level/compass and point the telescope tube towards Magnetic North. Then refer to figure 31 on page 38, which directs you to the North Star (Polaris). Looking towards Magnetic North locate the Big Dipper; follow the two stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper, as shown in Figure 31, to the North Star. With the tube still level, rotate it so that it points towards the North Star. The tube is now pointing True North.

6.Tighten the horizontal lock (26, Fig. 1) to a firm feel. The telescope is now in the Alt/Az home position.

Moving Through Audiostar’s Menus

Audiostar’s menus are organized for quick and easy navigation.

￿Press ENTER to go deeper into Audiostar's menu levels.

￿Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level.

￿Press the Scroll keys to move through the options available for each level.

￿Press the Arrow keys to enter characters and digits.

The Arrow keys are also used to move the telescope.

Initializing Audiostar

This section describes how to initialize Audiostar. Perform this procedure the first time you use Audiostar or after performing a RESET (see RESET, page 27).

1.Tighten Locks: Tighten the Altitude lock (10F, Fig. 1b) and tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1).

2.Plug in Audiostar: Make sure the telescope power switch is in the OFF position. Plug Audiostar into the HBX port of the Control Panel.

3.Turn on Audiostar: Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.

4.AudioStar displays "Press 0 to Align or MODE for Menu". Press MODE to initialize AudioStar. The motors will begin to move in both axes slightly while the telescope tests its motor function. This will only take several seconds to complete.

5.Set Your Location or Zip Code: The Location screen displays. This screen asks you if you wish to choose either the zip code of your observing location or the location (i.e.,entering

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

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