Meade LX90 instruction manual Using AutoStar to Find Objects Not in the Database

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Time Zone

Shift

Atlantic

-4 Hours

Eastern

-5 Hours

Central

-6 Hours

Mountain

-7 Hours

Pacific

-8 Hours

Hawaii

-10 Hours

 

 

Table 1: Time Zone Shift.

TIP:

Entering R.A. and Dec Coordinates of an object without using the menus:

If you do not wish to navigate through the menus, a more direct way to enter coordinates is to press and hold MODE for two seconds or more. R.A. and Dec coordinates display. Press GO TO. "Object Position" and a set of coordinates displays. Enter the R.A. and Dec coordinates of any celestial object using Number keys, overwriting the coordinates currently displayed. As soon as the coordinates are entered, AutoStar slews the telescope to the coordinates. Note that the telescope must be initialized (see page 18) for this procedure to operate properly.

However, if you wish to store the coordinates of an object in memory, use the method described at the right.

4.Using the Arrow keys, change the name of the site so that it now reads the name of your observing location. Press ENTER. "Edit: Name" displays again.

5.Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Latitude" displays. Press ENTER.

6.Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. "Edit: Latitude" displays again.

7.Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Longitude" displays. Press ENTER.

8.Using the Number Keys, enter the longitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. "Edit: Longitude" displays again.

9.Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Time Zone" displays. Press ENTER. (If the site you chose from the list in step 1 has the same Time Zone as the site you are editing, just press ENTER again to go on to the next step.) "Time Zone" refers to the Greenwich Time Zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, use "-" hours (one hour per time zone) and users East of Greenwich use "+" hours. For the United States, look up the shift in Table 1, at the left.

10.After entering the shift, press ENTER. "Edit Time Zone" displays.

11.Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays.

12.Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited displays. Press ENTER to select the site or press MODE to exit.

Using AutoStar to Find Objects Not in the Database

In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the AutoStar database lists. You will enter the object's name and RA and Dec coordinates (required information). You may also enter the object's magnitude and size (optional information).

Although AutoStar contains an extensive database of celestial objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of the

database. AutoStar provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec coordinates in the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to the user-entered coordinates.

In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec coordinates of the object or objects you wish to observe. Check out your local library, computer store, or bookstore for astronomy books, CD Roms, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates of celestial objects. The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent database, called "User Objects."

To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu:

1.Make sure AutoStar has been initialized and the telescope has been aligned.

2.After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. (If necessary, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find this option.) Press

ENTER.

3."Object: Solar System" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until "Object: User Object" displays and press ENTER.

4."User Object: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "User Object: Add" displays. Press ENTER.

5."Name" displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use the Arrow keys, as previously described, to enter the name of the object you wish to add to the database. When you are finished, press ENTER.

6."Right Asc.: 00.00.0" displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Right Ascension coordinate of your object. When you are finished, press ENTER.

7."Declination: +00°.00'" displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Declination coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change "+" to "-." When you are finished, press ENTER.

8.AutoStar then prompts you to enter the size of the object. This step is optional. Use the Number keys to enter the size (in arc-minutes), if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the next display. If you do not wish to enter this information, simply press ENTER.

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Contents LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical System Contents QUICK-START Guide ON/OFF E D Telescope FeaturesPage To Attach the Handbox Holder Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Autostar FeaturesTopmost screen Select Item Object Page Getting Started How to Attach the Tripod to the Telescope AssemblyPrecautionary notes for the tripod How to Assemble Your TelescopeChoosing an Eyepiece Using SmartFinderAligning the Viewfinder Aligning SmartFinderTerrestrial Observing Observing Using AutoStars Arrow KeysObserving Observing By Moving the Telescope ManuallyObserve the Moon Slew SpeedsInitializing AutoStar for the First Time Astronomical ObservingTo Track an Object Automatically Moving Through AutoStar’s MenusWhile it does so Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking FeatureHow to perform the Automatic Alignment procedure Automatic AlignmentGo To Saturn Using the Guided TourAutoStar Navigation Exercise Basic Autostar OperationNavigating AutoStar Entering Data into AutoStarTo Calculate Sunset time Select Item Object AUTOSTAR’S MenusObject Menu Menus and Menu OptionsGlossary Menu Event MenuUtilities Menu Observing Considerations Setup Menu Time Zone Shift Menu Daylight SAVING, To Edit a Site Advanced Autostar FeaturesAdding Observing Sites To Add a Site to the user-defined site listUsing AutoStar to Find Objects Not in the Database To GO to a user-entered object Observing SatellitesTour Modes How to Create Your Own Guided TourCommand Line What you will needTitle Writing a TourPick END To Select a landmark from the database LandmarksDownloading Tours To Add a landmark to the databaseTo check on the available amount of memory in AutoStar IdentifyAdvanced Alt/Az Alignment To perform a Landmark SurveyTwo-Star Alt/Az Alignment BrowseOne-Star Alt/Az Alignment Few tips on photography with the LX90 Photography with the LX90Photography with a Digital Camera Meade Deep Sky Imager Photography with Meade’s AutoStar SuiteUltra Wide Angle 8-elements Optional AccessoriesEyepiece Power 2x Barlow Super Plössl 4-elements Super Wide Angle 6-elements#62 T-Adapter Collimation MaintenancePage Inspecting the Optics Meade Customer ServiceGauging the Movement of the Telescope AutoStar Specifications LX90 SpecificationsAutoStar Dimensions Celestial Coordinates Polar AlignmentEasy Polar Alignment Setting CirclesLocating the Celestial Pole AutoStar Polar AlignmentEquatorial Wedge Lining Up with the Celestial PolePrecise Polar Alignment Star Charts City State/Country Latitude Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the WorldCity State/Prov./Country Latitude City Country LatitudeAppendix C Training the Drive To replace the battery Appendix D Changing the LNT Module BatteryObjects in Space AutoStar GlossaryMoon Deep-Sky Objects PlanetsPage Page Page Meade Limited Warranty
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