Meade MAX-ACF Alternate Polar Alignments, Initialize Autostar, Two-Star Polar Alignment

Page 46

Alternate Polar Alignments

If you would rather set up your telescope without using automatic alignment, Autostar

IIoffers alternative alignment methods for equatorial mounting. During the One-Star and Two-Star alt/az alignment procedures, you will (unlike the Automatic and Easy alignment procedures) manually place the telescope in the home position.

Important Note:

If you disable the automatic alignment/GPS function and then use the alternate align- ments described in this sec- tion, you will be prompted to enter the Time, Date, and Daylight Savings status.

Initialize Autostar II

First, you need to initialize Autostar II.

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.

You are now ready to align your telescope using one of the alternate polar alignment procedures.

Two-Star Polar Alignment

Note:

Autostar II locates align- ment stars based on the date, time, and location entered. The alignment stars may change from night to night. All that is required is for the observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when prompted.

Tip:

Try a Spiral Search

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 tele- scope finishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment proce- dure.) Press GO TO when the slew is finished and the telescope starts slewing in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed 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.

Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. Autostar II provides a library of bright stars and two stars from this library are chosen by the observer for alignment.

1.Alignment Option Screen. "Align: Automatic" displays.

2.Select Alignment. Press the Scroll keys until "Align: Two Star" displays. Press

ENTER.

3.Set Home Position. Place the telescope in the home position.

4 . Star Alignment. "Select Star" displays. Autostar II then displays a library of stars for the observer to choose from. Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star on the list that you wish to align upon. Select a star that you can easily locate in the night sky. Press ENTER.

5.Center Star. The telescope slews to the star. Use the Arrow keys to move the tel- escope until the star is centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER.

6.Center Star. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star. The telescope is aligned and you are now ready to use Autostar II's GO TO capabilities for a night of observing.

Easy Polar Alignment

Easy Alignment is similar to Two-Star Polar Alignment, except it requires no knowl- edge of the night sky. Autostar II, rather than the user, chooses two stars its library and merely asks the user to center them in the eyepiece.

One-Star Polar Alignment

One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. Autostar II provides a library of bright stars. One-Star Alignment is identical to Two-Star Polar: Alignment, except only one star from the database is chosen by the observer for alignment.

Align on Home

Allows recovery of alignment. Selecting this alignment slews telescope to sensor home position. It then performs an automatic alignment on the telescope based on a GPS fix and the home position sensor.

To Download the Latest Version of Autostar II Software

Included with your telescope is a CD ROM and a USB cable. You need to install the USB drivers, that are included on the CD ROM, BEFORE plugging in the cable:

1Select MAX-ACF Users (the fourth selection on the list) from the CD Rom.

2Follow on screen instructions (click “Next” and “Finish” buttons when asked to do so).

3Plug in the USB cable. Plug one end into one of the MAX-ACF USB ports on a

46

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.

Page 45 Page 47
Image 46
Page 45 Page 47
Contents MEADE.COM Page Contents Telescope Features Components of MAXPedestal Wedge Assembly Pedestal AssemblyRA Assembly Right Ascension Housing AssemblyDEC Assembly Declination Housing AssemblyTripod COUNTER- WeightsCounterweights 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 Slew Speeds To select a previously defined focus presetTo sync on a focus preset 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 ExampleTwo-Star Polar Alignment Alternate Polar AlignmentsInitialize Autostar Easy Polar AlignmentTrain Menu Option Periodic Error CorrectionUpdate 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 City State/Prov./Country Latitude Appendix a Latitude ChartLatitude Chart for Major Cities of the World City Country LatitudeTo observe the Apollo 15 landing site using the Moon option Appendix B the MoonOperation IntroductionTraining Other Menus Options Save As and Load UpdatePermanently Mounted Scopes OffAppendix D How to Read the Latitude Scale Page Meade Limited Warranty
Top Page Image Contents