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.
3.Set Home Position. Place the telescope in the home position.
To Set the Home Position Manually:
a.See Figs. 32 and 33, page 34. Loosen the telescope’s Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1a). Set the optical tube to 0° on the Dec. setting circle (Fig. 33).
b.Tighten the Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1a) to a firm feel only.
c.Level the tripod base.
d.Move the base of the telescope so that the computer control panel (12, Fig. 1a) approximately faces South.
e.Unlock the R.A. lock (13, Fig. 1a) and turn the telescope's optical tube hor- izontally until it points North.
f.
g.Press ENTER.
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.
One-Star Alt/Az Alignment
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 RCX 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 RCX400 USB ports on a computer control panel/ Plug the other end into a USB port of your PC.
Next, you will install the Autostar Suite software from the CD ROM. This software provides a menu that allows you to download the latest version of Autostar II software into the Autostar II handbox.
4.Select Autostar Suite on the CD ROM to install Autostar Suite onto your PC. Follow the
5.Once the Autostar Suite software installs,
6.Go to the Telescope menu and select “Update Autostar.” The “Autostar Update” screen displays. Click the “Upgrade Autostar Software Now” button.
7.The application detects your telescope type and the version of Autostar soft- ware on your handbox.
8.A window displays asking if you wish to download the latest version of Autostar from your hard drive (if you previously downloaded it separately from the Meade website) or from the internet. Select one of the choices and follow
9.The download will take several minutes (download time depends on your inter- net connection, speed of your computer and so forth). When the download is complete, the new version of the Autostar software displays.
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