Meade MAX-ACF Aligning for the First Time, To prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment

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Important Note:

First time you align the telescope, perform the following procedures to insure precision pointing:

1.Automatic Align

2.Drift Align

3.Collimation

4.OTA Align

(if non -MAX-ACF model)

5. Calibrate home.

Aligning for the First Time

If you wish to have precise pointing accuracy, the first time you align your telescope you will need to align it to using Automatic Alignment and Drift Alignment. You will then electronically collimate the telescope, square the OTA and finally calibrate home. Once you do this. you will need only to park your scope and you will keep this alignment. When you turn the telescope back on after parking, it will be very nearly perfectly aligned from this point on.

To prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment:

1.Connect Autostar II to the HBX port of the RA Control Panel (or Dec Control Panel).

2.Flip the power switch of the RA Control Panel to the ON position.

The Autostar II screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly.

3."Press 0 to Align or Mode for Menu" displays. Press 0.

4.The telescope will seek the home position. Autostar II initializes the Smart Drive. The R.A. and Dec. motors operate briefly and "Initializing: Smart Drive" displays.

5."Automatic Alignment" displays. Press ENTER. The system now performs the fol- lowing routines (press any Autostar II key to abort Automatic Alignment) :

Attempts a "GPS Fix." The MAX-ACF's GPS receiver attempts to acquire and sync up with signals from GPS satellites.

After performing these operations, Autostar II now knows:

￿The telescope's limiting positions

￿The observing site's location

￿The date and time

6."CTR Polaris: Slewing" displays. When the telescope stops slewing, center

Polaris in the eyepiece using only the latitude and azimuth adjust knobs (see Fig. 41a). DO NOT USE THE HANDBOX TO CENTER POLARIS. When Polaris is centered, press ENTER.

9.Autostar II then chooses another star to align upon. "Searching...." displays. The telescope then slews to a bright star for alignment. If it does not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece, look through the viewfinder—in most cases, the star will be visible. 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. Press ENTER. "Align Successful" displays. If "Align Unsuccessful displays," repeat the procedure.

Next, you will drift align the telescope.

Azimuth

Latitude

Adjust

Adjust

Knob

Knob

 

Fig. 41a: The latitude and azimuth adjust knobs.

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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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Contents MEADE.COM Page Contents Telescope Features Components of MAXPedestal Wedge Assembly Pedestal AssemblyRA Assembly Right Ascension Housing AssemblyDEC Assembly Declination Housing AssemblyCOUNTER- Weights CounterweightsTripod MAX TripodOptical Tube Assembly MaleTHE OTARA Assembly Control Panel Saddle Control Panel Control Panels and PortsTour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Autostar II FeaturesLibrary # of Objects Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Tripod Assembly Pedestal Assembly and Adjusting Latitude PositionLatitude Adjustment If you need to set for low range or high rangeRA Assembly Assembly Requires TWO People to LiftDEC Saddle Assembly Attach Counterweight Assembly 21 B Attach LOW Latitude Counterweights Attach Optical Tube to the DEC SaddleWhen end Electrical Connections Align the Viewfinder with the OTATo Balance the RA Assembly Home Position and Balancing the OTAThis Procedure Balance the DEC AxisGetting Started Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder for the First TimeAlign the Viewfinder Focusing the Telescope To select a previously defined focus preset To sync on a focus presetSlew Speeds To exit the focus operation at any timeAligning for the First Time To prepare your telescope for Automatic AlignmentCollimation How to Drift Align Max Northern HemisphereTest your Collimation Follow these steps for collimation of the optical system OTA align bolt. Misaligned 1, 2, AlignedCalibrate Home Parking the ScopeAutostar II Navigation Exercise Basic AutostarTo Calculate Sunset time Example of Locating a menu Navigating AutostarAutostar IIs Menus Object Menu To slew the telescope to catalog objectsGlossary Menu Event MenuUtilities Menu Enter Setup Menu Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Setup Menu Daylight SAVING, above Hot Button Menus To Add a Site to the user-defined site list Adding Observing SitesTo Edit a Site Creating User Objects To GO to a user-entered objectObserving Satellites IdentifyBrowse Displayed information ExampleAlternate Polar Alignments Initialize AutostarTwo-Star Polar Alignment Easy Polar AlignmentPeriodic Error Correction Update Menu OptionTrain Menu Option Erase Menu OptionOptional Accessories Meade Series 4000 EyepiecesRear cells of Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain models Deep Sky Imager Maintenance Telescope Specifications Autostar II Handbox Specifications Advanced Autostar II System SpecificationsMeade Consumer Solutions Appendix a Latitude Chart Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the WorldCity State/Prov./Country Latitude City Country LatitudeTo observe the Apollo 15 landing site using the Moon option Appendix B the MoonOperation IntroductionTraining Update Permanently Mounted ScopesOther Menus Options Save As and Load OffAppendix D How to Read the Latitude Scale Page Meade Limited Warranty
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