Use the Utilities menu to perform many of AutoStar’s useful features, such as setting an alarm, adjust the display contrast, calculate the best eyepiece for viewing an object, set up your own landmark survey, and so forth.
Tip:
The Contrast Adjustment feature is usually only required in very cold weather.
If you adjust the contrast so that you can no longer read the display, turn off the power and turn it on again. When Version appears on the display (the initial display screens are not affected by the Contrast control), press MODE.
Tips:
To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the database.
To add objects to the Landmark database, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the original objects were added to the database.
is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the AutoStar Help function or when reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star. Press ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen and AutoStar goes to the glossary entry for that word.
To access directly from the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry and then press ENTER to read the description.
Utilities Menu
The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features within AutoStar, including a countdown timer and an alarm. The Utilities functions include:
Timer selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astropho- tography and tracking satellites. See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 30. To use the Timer, press ENTER, then choose “Set” or “Start/Stop."
JSet: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes and seconds, then press
ENTER.
JStart/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer. When the timer runs out, four beeps sound and the timer is deactivated.
Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then choose "Set" or "Start/Stop."
JSet: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes and seconds, then press ENTER.
JStart/Stop: Activates the alarm set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the alarm. When the alarm time arrives, AutoStar beeps. Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm.
Eyepiece Calc calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope to which AutoStar is connected.
JField of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the field of view is calculated.
JMagnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the magnification is calculated.
JSuggest: AutoStar calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the telescope and the object being viewed.
Display Options enables or disables AutoStar’s two initial displays. If both displays are disabled, AutoStar begins with the Date display.
JSun Warning: Turns the SUN WARNING message on or off.
JGetting Started: Turns the GETTING STARTED message on or off.
Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER.
Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER.
NOTE: This feature is usually only required in very cold weather.
Beep: Turns the beep on or off.
Landmark Survey automatically slews the telescope to all
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