Meade LX90GPS instruction manual Easy Two-Star Alignment, Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment

North

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Fig. 14: Alt/Az Home Position.

Two-Star alt/az alignment procedures, you will (unlike the Automatic and Easy alignment pro- cedures) manually place the telescope in the home position.

The procedures for equatorial (polar) alignment are discussed in APPENDIX A, page 50; the three alternative alt/az alignment methods are discussed below.

Easy (Two-Star) Alignment

In this method, AutoStar automatically sets the home position, and also automatically picks two stars from its libraries for alignment. During the procedure, AutoStar slews the telescope to a first alignment star. The user is asked to verify that the telescope is pointed at the chosen star and then prompted to center the star in the eyepiece. The process is repeated with a second star to complete the alignment.

How to perform the Easy Align Procedure

1.Select Alignment. Select "Align: Easy" from the Setup menu. Press ENTER.

2.Home Position. The telescope automatically sets the following positions: home, level, North, and True North. If so desired, you may turn off the sensors and manually set these positions. See CALIBRATE SENSORS, page 29 for more information.

3 . Star Alignment. AutoStar chooses two stars to align upon. The telescope slews to the first star for alignment. Should the alignment star not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece, it should be easily recognized: It will be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. Repeat the procedure for the second alignment star.

Note: See WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGNMENT STAR, page 23, for some important tips concerning alignments stars and using your viewfinder.

When the procedure is performed correctly, "Alignment Successful" displays. If AutoStar does not display this message, perform this procedure again. (Keep pressing MODE until "Align: Easy" displays and repeat the procedure.)

Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment

Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a library of bright stars and two stars from this library are chosen by the observer for alignment. In this procedure, AutoStar does not automatically find home, level, or North.

1.Select Alignment. Select "Align: Two Star" from the Setup menu. Press ENTER.

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

To Set the Home Position Manually:

a.See Fig. 14. Loosen the telescope’s Dec. lock (6, Fig. 1). Set the optical tube to 0° on the Dec. setting circle (11, Fig. 1).

b.Tighten the Dec. lock (6, Fig. 1) to a firm feel only.

c.Level the tripod base.

d.Move the base of the telescope so that the computer control panel (13, Fig. 1) approximately faces South.

e.Unlock the R.A. lock (9, Fig. 1) and turn the telescope's optical tube horizontally until it points North.

f.Re-lock the R.A. lock (9, Fig. 1). Press ENTER.

g.Press ENTER.

4 . Star Alignment. "Select Star" displays. AutoStar 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 telescope until the star is centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER.

6.Center Star. Repeat procedure for a second alignment star. Once ENTER is pressed, the telescope is aligned and you are now ready to use AutoStar's GO TO capabilities for a night of observing.

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