Note: Autostar only prompts you to enter Country (or State) and City as described in steps 3, 4, and 5, the first time it is activated. These prompts do not appear again, unless you reset Autostar (see RESET, page 31).
However, if you need to
supplied with your telescope. When the object is centered and focused in the eye- piece, switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practi- cal for prevailing viewing conditions. For information about other eyepieces avail- able for your telescope, see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 37.
■Once centered, an object can be focused by turning one of the knobs of the focusing mechanism (8, Fig. 1b). Notice that when observing astronomical objects, the field of view begins to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis. Objects appear to move through the field more rapidly at higher powers. See TRACKING OBJECTS, page 17, for detailed information on how you can counteract the drift in the field of view.
Activate the Arrow Keys (Autostar Models Only)
Autostar's Arrow keys allow you to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. The following procedure describes how to activate Autostar's Arrow keys:
1.After the batteries are installed and Autostar's cord is plugged into the HBX port of computer control panel (A, Fig 1e), a copyright message lights on the Autostar LCD display (1, Fig. 2).
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 ENTER (2, Fig. 2) repeatedly until "Country/State" appears on the display. (Ignore the prompts requesting Date and Time. See INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 19, for more information).
4.Use the Scroll keys (7, Fig. 2) to cycle through the database of countries, states, and provinces. Press ENTER when the correct location displays.
5.Autostar then prompts you to enter the nearest city (listed alphabetically) to the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the database of cities. Press ENTER when the correct city appears on the display.
6.Autostar then prompts you to enter the model number of your telescope. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of telescope models. Press ENTER when the correct model appears on the display.
7.The display then reads "Align: Easy." You now can use Autostar's Arrow keys to move the telescope to observe.
Note: If you go past the "Align: Easy" (or any other menu display you wish to select), press MODE to return to the previous display(s).
8.Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to move the telescope up, down, right, or left. You can move the telescope at different speeds.
Slew Speeds (Autostar Models Only)
Autostar has nine slew speeds that move the optical tube at rates that are directly pro- portional to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accomplish specific func- tions. Press a Number key (6, Fig. 2) to change the slew speed, which is shown for about two seconds on Autostar’s display.
The nine available speeds are:
Number Key 1 | = | 1x | = | 1 | x sidereal (0.25 |
Number Key 2 | = | 2x | = | 2 | x sidereal (0.5 |
Number Key 3 | = | 8x | = | 8 | x sidereal (2 |
Number Key 4 | = | 16x | = | 16 | x sidereal (4 |
Number Key 5 | = | 64x | = | 64 | x sidereal (16 |
Number Key 6 | = | 128x | = | 30 | |
Number Key 7 | = | 1.5° | = | 90 | |
Number Key 8 | = | 3° | = | 180 | |
Number Key 9 | = | Max | = | 270 | |
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