Meade LXD55 Easy Alignment Autostar Models Only, Go To Saturn Autostar Models Only

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Note: Two other alignment methods, One-Star and Two-Star Polar alignment, are available as options in the "Setup: Align" menu. See page 49 for more information.

Tip:

The GO TO key also allows you to perform a "spiral search." A spiral search is useful when the telescope slews to an object, but that object is not visible in the eyepiece after the telescope finishes its search. (This some- times occurs during an alignment procedure.)

Press GO TO when the telescope stops slewing. The telescope begins to move in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed (you may change the slew speed if you wish—see SLEW SPEEDS, page 16) around the search area. Look through the eyepiece and when the object does become visible, press MODE to stop the spiral search. Then use the Arrow keys to center the object.

15."Drive Setup: For this...." begins to scroll across the display. This is another reminder to point your telescope at a terrestrial object. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. locks (17 and 33, Fig. 1d) and point the telescope at an object. Then re-tighten the locks. Press ENTER when the telescope is pointing at the desired terrestrial object.

16."Center reference object" displays. Center your target object using the Arrow keys. When centered, press ENTER.

17. The telescope slews and "Press V until it is centered" displays. Press the Up Arrow key until the target is centered again. Then press ENTER.

18.The telescope slews and "Press V until it is centered" displays. Press the Down Arrow key until the target is centered again. Then press ENTER. "Train Drive: Alt/Dec Train" displays again. You have now completed this procedure. Continue onto the next procedure, EASY ALIGNMENT.

Easy Alignment (Autostar Models Only)

After completing the "Train the Drive" procedure, align your telescope using Autostar. The fastest and easiest way to start observing with Autostar's Go To capabilities is to align your telescope using the Easy Alignment.

1.Keep pressing MODE until "Select Item: Setup" is displayed. Press ENTER.

2."Setup: Align" displays. Press ENTER. "Align: Easy" displays. Press ENTER.

3."German North" displays and a scrolling message prompts you to set your tele- scope in the polar home position. See SETTING THE POLAR HOME POSITION, page 17, for a description of this procedure. Press ENTER after you finish the proce- dure.

4.Autostar then chooses two stars from its database to align upon. When the tele- scope slews to the star for alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. The alignment star should be easily recognized and be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. See WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGNMENT STAR, page 18, for more information. When the star is cen- tered, press ENTER. Repeat the procedure for the second alignment star.

Note: Autostar locates alignment stars based on the date, time, and loca- tion entered. The alignment stars may change from night to night. All that is required is for the observer to center the selected star in the eyepiece when prompted.

Go To Saturn (Autostar Models Only)

After performing the Train the Drive and the Easy Alignment procedures, the motor drive begins operating and the telescope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain (i.e., track) their position even though the Earth is rotat- ing beneath the stars.

Important Note: Once aligned, only use the Autostar menus or Arrow keys to move the telescope. Do not loosen the telescope locks, or move the base manually, or alignment will be lost.

This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for viewing from Autostar’s data- base, i.e., Saturn. Note that Saturn is not visible all year long and it may be necessary for you to choose another object from Autostar's database. However, the procedure will be identical to the one used for observing Saturn.

1.After the telescope is aligned, “Select Item: Object” displays. Press ENTER. If

“Select Item: Object” is not currently displayed, press MODE repeatedly until it displays, then press ENTER.

2.“Object: Solar System” displays. Press ENTER.

3.“Solar System: Mercury” displays. Use the Scroll Down key until “Solar System: Saturn” displays.

4.Press ENTER. “Calculating” displays. Then “Saturn” and a set of coordinates dis-

plays. Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout the year.

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Contents Meade Instruments Corporation Page Contents 1 1% g f e Telescope Features$2% LXD55-SeriesYour Personal Window to the Universe Computer Control Panel see e LXD55 Tips Autostar Features FeaturesTour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Tip Telescope Assembly How to Assemble Your TelescopeAccessories Getting StartedViewfinder assembly Schmidt-Newtonian models Insert eyepiece into holder and tighten thumbscrews Balancing the TelescopeChoosing an Eyepiece Aligning the ViewfinderObserving by Moving the Telescope Manually Too Much Power?Slew Speeds Autostar Models Only Activate the Arrow Keys Autostar Models OnlyObserve the Moon Setting the Polar Home PositionTracking Objects 16bUsing Autostars GO to Capabilities Autostar Models Only Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking FeatureInitializing Autostar Autostar Models Only Moving Through Autostar’s Menus Autostar Models OnlyTraining the Drive Autostar Models Only Go To Saturn Autostar Models Only Easy Alignment Autostar Models OnlyPlanet Saturn is over 800 million miles from the Earth Using the Guided Tour Autostar Models OnlyTo Calculate Sunset time Autostar Navigation ExerciseNavigating Autostar Entering Data into AutostarSelect Item Object Autostars MenusObject Menu MenusGlossary Menu Event MenuUtilities Menu LXD55-SeriesEnter Setup MenuObserving Considerations Setup Menu Daylight SAVING, Surf the Web Adding Observing Sites To Add a Site to the user-defined site listTo Edit a Site To GO to a user-entered object Using Autostar to Find Objects Not in the LibrariesObserving Satellites LandmarksTo Add a landmark to the database To Check on the Available Memory To Select a landmark from the databaseTo perform a Landmark Survey Few tips on photography with the LXD55-Seriestelescopes Photography10 f/4 Optional AccessoriesSeries 4000 Photo-Visual Page General Maintenance MaintenanceD e f g Page Defocused star images. Misaligned 1, 2, Aligned Inspecting the Optics Meade Customer ServiceSpecifications 5 Model SN-6, SN-6EC Specifications4 Model SN-8, SN-8EC Specifications 10 f/4 Model SN-10 Specifications 9.3 Model AR-5, AR-5EC Specifications8 Model AR-6 Specifications 10 Model SC-8 Specifications Autostar SpecificationsAutostar Dimensions Appendix a Celestial Coordinates Setting CirclesOne- and Two-Star Polar Alignment Locating the Celestial PoleOne-Star Polar Alignment Two-Star Polar AlignmentProcedure #1 To correct for attitude misalignment Axis Alignment ProcedurePolar Alignment Viewfinder Method 1 Manual AlignmentPosition a Procedure #2 To correct for elevation misalignmentTips Star ChartsMethod 2 Axis Alignment Using Autostar Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World Appendix C Latitude ChartCity State/Prov./Country Latitude City Country LatitudeAppendix D EC Handbox To move the telescope using the Electronic Controller Modes of OperationSlew Speeds Tracking Rates Optional Autostar Computer Controller for LXD55 EC Users Changing the Polar ModeMounting the SC bracket and optical tube to the mount How to Attach the Optical Tube to the MountAutostar Glossary Appendix F Basic AstronomyObjects in Space MoonDeep-Sky Objects PlanetsFurther Study Page Meade Instruments Corporation
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