Meade 494 Autostar User manual

Meade Instruments Corporation
Instruction Manual
Autostar®#494 Computer Controller

QUICK START GUIDE
To connect Autostar to your telescope:
Remove the telescope from its packaging. Attach the
viewfinder (if necessary) and insert an eyepiece into the
telescope focuser. See your telescope instruction man-
ual for detailed assembly information.
Tighten the telescope’s vertical and horizontal locks.
PlugAutostar’s coil cord into the computer control panel
Handbox (HBX) port (Fig. 1). Make sure the telescope's
motor assemblies are plugged into the proper ports.
Plug the power cord into the 12V connector (Fig. 1).
A warning not to look at the Sun then scrolls across the
Autostar display. Press the key prompted byAutostar to
indicate you have read and understood the message.
Press the ENTER key (2, Fig. 3) repeatedly until
"Country/State" appears on the Autostar display. (Ignore
the prompts for the time, date, and daylight saving.
These functions will be covered later in this manual.)
Use the Scroll keys (6and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle through
the list of countries, states, and provinces. Press
ENTER (2, Fig. 3) when the desired location appears
on the Autostar display.
Autostar then prompts you to enter the city nearest to
the observing site. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3)
to cycle through the list of cities. Press ENTER (2, Fig.
3) when the desired city appears on the display.
Autostar then prompts you to enter your telescope
model. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle
through the list of models. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3)
when your telescope model appears on the display.
The display then reads "Align: Easy." You now can use
Autostar's Arrow keys (5, Fig. 3) to move the telescope
to observe. Practice using the Arrow keys to slew
(move) the telescope up, down, left, and right.
 Sight along the side of the telescope’s main tube or use
the viewfinder to locate objects. Practice using the
Autostar Arrow keys to center objects in the telescope’s
field of view and also practice using the telescope’s
focus knob to bring objects into
focus.
WARNING: Never use Autostar to move a tel-
escope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near
the Sun will cause instant and irreversible dam-
age to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there
is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred
until it is too late. Do not point a telescope or its viewfind-
er at or near the Sun. Do not look through a telescope or
its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always
have adult supervision while observing.
COMPUTER CONTROL
12v
HBX AZ ALT AUX
12v HBX
Fig. 1: DS computer control panel 12v
and HBX connector ports. Fig. 2: Sun Warning on the
Autostar LCD display.
-2-
WARNING
LOOKING AT OR NEAR

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Quick Start Guide 2
Autostar Features 5
Getting Started 7
Assembly Instructions 7
Manual Observation Using Arrow Keys 7
Using Autostar's GO TO Capability 8
Moving through Autostar's Menus 8
Initializing Autostar 8
Autostar Navigation 11
Training the Drive 13
Alignment 14
Easy Two-Star Alignment 14
Which One's the Alignment Star 16
Two-Star ALT/AZ Alignment 16
One-Star ALT/AZ Alignment 16
Go To Saturn 16
Using the Guided Tour 17
Slew Speeds 18
Autostar Menus 19
Object Menu 20
To Observe a Satellite 20
Event Menu 22
Glossary Menu 23
Utilities Menu 23
Setup Menu 24
To Track an Object Automatically 26
General Maintenance 27
Meade Customer Service 28
Specifications: Autostar 28
Optional Accessories 28
Appendix A: Entering R.A. and Dec Coordinates 29
The Autostar #494 Handbox is compatible with the Meade®DS (Digital
Electronic Telescope) series. Please refer to your telescope’s instruction
manual for information specific to your telescope model.
® The name “Meade,” the Meade logo, and “Autostar” are trademarks reg-
istered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal countries throughout the
world. All rights reserved.
© 2000 Meade Instruments Corporation.
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Key to Fig. 3
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Screen
(2-lines, 16 characters each line)
ENTER Key
MODE Key
GO TO Key
Arrow Keys (Up, Down, Left, and Right)
Scroll Up Key
Scroll Down Key
Speed/? (Speed/Help) Key
Coil Cord
Fig. 3: Autostar #494 Features.
1
2
5
4
3
6
8
7
9
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AUTOSTAR FEATURES
Control of nearly every telescope function is accomplished
with just a few pushes of Autostar's keys. Autostar has soft-
touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with a red LED (Light
Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in the dark. The backlit dis-
play, key arrangement, and sequential database make
Autostar extremely user-friendly.
Refer to Fig. 3 for the positions of the following keys.
2-Line LCD Display: Provides a visual interface
between Autostar and the telescope.
Top line: Lists the primary category or menu item.
Bottom line: Contains a menu option, or information about
an object or subject, depending on which function is being
performed.
ENTER Key:Accesses, in a sequential manner, the next
menu or data level in the Autostar database (see
“AUTOSTAR NAVIGATION,”page 11). The ENTER key is
similar to the RETURN key on a computer.
NOTE: If ENTER is pressed for two seconds or
more and then released, Autostar emits a beep
and “ENTER to Sync” is displayed. "ENTER to
Sync" is relevant only after the telescope has
been aligned and is pointing at an object. If the
"ENTER to Sync" feature is accessed by mistake,
press MODE to return to the previous screen.See
"HIGH PRECISION," page 25.
MODE Key: Returns to the previous menu or data level
in the Autostar database until the top level (“Select Item”) is
reached. The MODE key is similar to the EXIT key on a
computer.
NOTE: Pressing MODE while in the Select Item
level moves Autostar to the topmost screen:
"Select Item: Object."
NOTE: If MODE is pressed and held for two sec-
onds or more, the following information is then
available using the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3):
• Azimuth (horizontal) and Altitude (vertical)
coordinates
• Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST)
• Timer and Alarm Status
 GO TO Key: Slews (moves) the telescope to the coordi-
nates of the currently selected object. While the telescope is
slewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by press-
ing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes
the slew to the object.
Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specific direction
(up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine different
speeds (see “SLEW SPEEDS,”page 18). The following
functions are also available with the Arrow keys:
Data Entry: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to Scroll
through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits.
The Down Arrow key starts with the letter "A" and the
UpArrow key starts with the digit "9." The Left and Right
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Arrow keys are used to move the blinking cursor left
and right across the LCD display.
Alt/Az alignment: Use the Up and DownArrow keys to
move the telescope vertically up and down. The Left
Arrow key rotates the telescope horizontally counter-
clockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clock-
wise.
NOTE: Throughout this manual, you will notice
the term "Alt/Az." Alt/Az is frequently used to
refer to Altitude or vertical and Azimuth or hori-
zontal. Alt/Az is just one of many methods used
by amateur astronomers to help locate stars in
the night sky.
  Scroll Keys: Access database options within a
selected menu. The menu is displayed on the first line of
the screen. Options within the menu are displayed, one at
a time, on the second line. Press the Scroll keys to move
through the options. Press and hold one of the Scroll keys
to move quickly through the options.
The Scroll keys also scroll through the letters of the alpha-
bet and numerical digits.
NOTE: The Scroll Down key and the Down Arrow
key move forward through the alphabet & digits (A
to Z, 0-9) and the Scroll Up key and the Up Arrow
key move backward (9-0, Z to A).
Speed/? Key: Pressing the Speed/? key cycles through
the nine slew speeds that move the telescope. Each time
the Speed/? key is pressed briefly, the current slew speed
displays. See “SLEW SPEEDS,”page 18.
The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help" file. "Help"
provides on-screen information on how to accomplish
whatever task is currently active.
TIP: Pressing the Speed/? key very briefly
changes the slew speed. Holding down the
Speed/? key longer (one to two seconds)
accesses the Help function.
Hold down the Speed/? key and then follow the
prompts on the display to access details of Autostar
functions in the Help feature. The Help system is
essentially an on-screen instruction manual.
If you have a question about an Autostar operation,
e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT, etc., hold down
the Speed/? key and follow the directions that scroll on
the second line of the LCD screen. When a word
appears in [brackets], press ENTER to access the
Autostar Glossary. A definition or more detailed infor-
mation is displayed. Press MODE to return to the scroll-
ing Autostar Help display.
When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to
return to the original screen and continue with the cho-
sen procedure.
 Coil Cord: Plug into the Handbox (HBX) port of the
computer control panel of the telescope.
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GETTING STARTED
Control of your DS telescope is through the operation of the
standard-equipment #494 Autostar. Nearly all functions of
the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of
Autostar’s buttons. Some of the major features of Autostar
are:
Automatically move the telescope to any of the more
than 1400 objects stored in the database or manually
enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial
object.
Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view
on any given night of the year.
Download the latest satellite data and software revi-
sions directly from the Meade website
(www.meade.com). (Requires optional #506
AstroFinder™Software and Cable Connector Kit. See
“OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,”page 30.)
Access a glossary of astronomical terms.
Calculate which eyepiece to use for optimum viewing
of a celestial object.
Mount the telescope in the “Alt/Az”mode (Altitude -
Azimuth, or vertical - horizontal) for fully automatic
tracking of celestial objects
PARTS LISTING
Autostar comes completely assembled. When first opening
the packing box, note the following parts:
Autostar #494 handbox
Instruction manual
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
Power for Autostar is supplied through the telescope. No
internal batteries are required. See the telescope instruc-
tion manual for details.
To attach Autostar to a telescope:
1. If necessary, remove the power cord from the 12v port
of the computer control panel (Fig. 1, page 2).
2. PlugAutostar into the HBX port of the computer control
panel (Fig. 1 page 2). Make sure the telescope's motor
assemblies are plugged into the proper ports. See your
telescope instruction manual for detailed assembly
information.
3. Plug the power cord back into the 12v port of the com-
puter control panel.
MANUAL OBSERVATION USING THE ARROW KEYS
1. AfterAutostar's cord is plugged into the HBX port and the
power cord is plugged into the 12v port, a copyright mes-
sage lights on the Autostar LCD display (1, Fig. 3).
2. A message warning not to look at the Sun scrolls
across the display. Press the key prompted byAutostar
to acknowledge that the Sun warning has been read
and understood.
3. Press the ENTER key (2, Fig. 3) repeatedly until
"Country/State" appears on the display. (Ignore the
prompts requesting Date, Time, and Daylight Saving –
these functions will be explained later in the manual.)
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4. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to cycle through the
list of countries, states, and provinces (listed alphabeti-
cally). Press ENTER when the desired location dis-
plays.
5. Autostar then prompts you to enter the nearest city to
the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through
the list of cities. Press ENTER when the desired city dis-
plays.
6. Autostar then prompts you to enter the telescope model
you are using. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the
list of models. Press ENTER when your telescope
model displays. "Align: Easy" displays. You now can
use Autostar's Arrow keys to move the telescope to
observe.
TIP: If you go past the "Align:Easy" (or any other
menu display you wish to select), press MODE
(3, Fig. 3) to return to the previous display(s).
7. Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 3) to slew (move) the tel-
escope up, down, right, or left. You can slew (move) the
telescope at different speeds.
USING AUTOSTAR'S GOTO CAPABILITY
This section describes how to make observations using var-
ious Autostar features and menus. But before you can use
Autostar's GO TO capabilities, you must first:
Learn how Autostar's keys move through the menus
Initialize Autostar
Train the drive
Align the telescope
Select "Align: Easy" from Autostar's menus
MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR’S MENUS
Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy naviga-
tion:
Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) to go deeper into Autostar's
menu levels.
Press MODE (3, Fig. 3) to move back toward the top
menu level.
Press the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig. 3) to move up and
down through the options available for each level.
Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 3) to enter characters and
digits.
INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR
This section describes how to initialize Autostar.
Initialization is a procedure that enables Autostar to operate
correctly. When you first use Autostar, it doesn't yet "know"
the location of the observing site or the time or date of the
observation session. During the Initialization procedure, you
will enter this information. Autostar then uses the informa-
tion to calculate the location of celestial objects and to move
your telescope correctly for various operations.
NOTE: You will enter the Time and Date at the
beginning of each observing session, but you will
only enter your location andTelescope Model the
-8-

first time you use Autostar or after performing a
Reset. Fig. 4 depicts an example of an Autostar
Initialization procedure.
1. Plug Autostar's cord into the HBX port and plug the
power cord into the 12v port as previously described.
Make sure the motor assemblies are plugged into the
proper ports (see your telescope's instruction manual
for details). Also make sure that the telescope's horizon-
tal and vertical locks are tight (see the telescope instruc-
tion manual).
2. The Autostar handbox is now activated and a copyright
message displays briefly.
3. Autostar takes a few moments to prepare the system
and then "beeps."
4. A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun.
Press the key prompted by Autostar to signify that you
have read and understood the message.
5. The Getting Started menu displays a scrolling message
with two choices:
a. Hold down the Speed/? key (8, Fig. 3) for informa-
tion on Autostar functions and controls. When fin-
ished, press MODE (3, Fig. 3) to exit Help and to
return to the Getting Started procedure, or,
b. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) to bypass the Help tutori-
al and continue with initialization.
6. The telescope tests the motors by slewing a short dis-
tance vertically and horizontally (this test only occurs
the first time you use Autostar).
NOTE: If the telescope does not move, or
moves in only one axis, check that the vertical
and horizontal locks are tight (see your tele-
scope instruction manual for details).
-9-
Enter Time:
08:00:00PM (default)
1 (1X)
(1X)
1 (3X)
(1X)
4 (4X)
7 (7X)
PM
Enter Time:
11:47:00PM
ENTER
Daylight Savings
>NO
(00) Meade (1.0)
A U T O ST A R
Initializing. . .
WARNING
LOOKING AT . . .
ENTER
Getting Started
For a Detailed...
Enter Date:
01-Jan-2000
2 (2X)
(1X)
6 (5X)
(1X)
Mar (2X)
2000 (4X)
2001 (1X)
Enter Date:
26-Mar-2001
Country/State
AFGHANISTAN
Country/State
CALIFORNIA
Nearest City
ALAMEDA NAS
Nearest City
IRVINE
Setup
Align
Multiple
Presses
ENTER
ENTER
Multiple
Presses
(default)
Press the
appropriate
key
ENTER
Telescope Model
(Model Number)
Multiple
Presses
Telescope Model
(Your Model Number)
ENTER ENTER
Fig. 4: Example of Initialization Procedure.
Parameters in this example:
Date: March 26, 2001
Time: 11:47 PM
Location: Irvine, California

7. Autostar then prompts you to enter the current date.
a. To enter numbers, press either the Up or Down
Arrow key (5, Fig. 3) to scroll through numbers 0
through 9. After the desired number is displayed,
use the RightArrow key (5, Fig. 3) to move the cur-
sor from one number to the next in the day display
(or use to LeftArrow key to move in the other direc-
tion across the display, if necessary).
b. Use the RightArrow key (5, Fig. 3) to move the cur-
sor to the month. Use the Scroll keys (6 and 7, Fig.
3) to cycle through the list of months. When the
current month is displayed, use the Right Arrow (5,
Fig. 3) to move the cursor to the year.
c. Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter all four
digits of the current year. Use the Right Arrow key
(5, Fig. 3) to move the cursor from one number to
the next.
d. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 3) when the entire date has
been entered.
8. Autostar then prompts you to enter the current time.
Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter digits and
the Right and Left Arrow keys move the cursor across
the screen as described in the previous step. Enter the
current time (use a "0" for the first digit if less than 10).
Use the Up Arrow key to scroll through "AM," "PM," or
"blank." The "blank" option selects the 24-hour (i.e.,
military time) clock. Then press ENTER to start the
clock.
TIP: When multiple choices are available within
a menu option, the option that is currently select-
ed is usually displayed first and highlighted by a
right pointing arrow (>).
9. Autostar then prompts you to enter the status of
Daylight Savings Time. Press one of the Scroll keys to
switch between the YES/NO settings. Select the
desired setting by pressing ENTER.
NOTE: Daylight SavingsTime may be referred to
by different names in various areas of the world.
10. Autostar then prompts you to enter the Country or State
(listed alphabetically) of the observing site. If you have
previously entered the Country/State and City of your
observing site and your Telescope Model Number (as
described in "MANUAL OBSERVATION USING THE
ARROW KEYS," page 7), go to step 11. If you have not
yet entered this information, perform the following
steps:
a. Autostar prompts you to enter the Country or State
(listed alphabetically) of your observing site. Use
the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of countries,
states, and provinces. Press ENTER when the
desired location displays.
b. Autostar then prompts you to enter the city nearest
to your observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle
through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the
correct city displays.
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c. Autostar then prompts you to choose your tele-
scope model number. Use the Scroll keys to cycle
through the list of telescope models. Press ENTER
when your telescope model number displays.
NOTE: Autostar only prompts you to enter
Country/State, City, and Telescope Model
Number the first time it is activated. These
prompts do not appear again, unless you reset
Autostar (see "RESET," page 26).
However, if you change your geographic loca-
tion, you can change the location information by
using the Site option of the Setup menu. See
"SITE," page 26, for detailed information.
If you use Autostar with another DS model tele-
scope, you can change the model number infor-
mation using the "Telescope Model" option of the
Setup menu. See page 25. Also see
"CALIBRATE MOTOR," page 25.
11. System initialization is complete
and the display reads "Align:
Easy." Proceed to "AUTOSTAR
NAVIGATION" for general infor-
mation about Autostar before
training the drive and aligning the
telescope.
AUTOSTAR NAVIGATION
Figs. 5 and 6depict the six primary categories listed in the
"Select Item" menu of Autostar. See “MOVING WITHIN
AUTOSTAR”to learn how to access these categories.
It is important to understand that menu selections are set in
a loop (Fig. 5). This means that pressing the Scroll Down
key (7, Fig. 1) cycles down through all the available options
within a given category, then returns to the first option. The
Scroll Up key (6, Fig. 1) cycles up through the options in the
opposite order. Note that this capability is a quick way to get
to an option that is near the bottom of the list. The following
example demonstrates this capability.
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The Universe of
Autostar
Select Item:
Setup
Select Item:
Utilities
Select Item:
Glossary
Select Item:
Guided Tour
Select Item:
Event
Select Item:
Object
SETUP
Quick, easy alignment
permits all telescope
operations with only
a 2-minute setup.
UTILITIES
Calculate eyepiece
magnifications; set the
timer for an observing
session; or survey user
landmarks in 30-second
intervals.
GLOSSARY
Discover the world of astronomy
by alphabetically accessing
astronomical terms.
OBJECT
Select from over 1400 database objects and
press GO TO to move the telescope automatically to the
object and place it in the telescopic field of view.
EVENT
Access the time of
an astronomical
event, such as the
rising or setting
times of the Moon.
GUIDED TOUR
Journey through the
universe as Autostar
escorts you to the
best celestial objects
at your location.
Fig. 6: Autostar Universe.
Object
Event
Guided Tours
Glossary
Utilities
Setup
Fig. 5: Menus are set
in a loop.

Example:
To navigate to the "Select Item: Setup" menu option when
the "Select Item: Object" menu is displayed:
1. Press the Scroll Down key four times or the Scroll Up
key once.
Autostar's LCD display presents two lines of information.
The top line shows the current menu level. The second line
displays an option which may be selected within that menu
level. Some options are choices that select the next menu
level down. The Scroll keys move up and down within the
list of available options, showing one option at a time.
When the desired option is displayed on the second line,
press the ENTER key to choose that option and move
down one menu level.
Press the MODE key to leave a level.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No matter how many levels into
Autostar are traveled, each press of the MODE key moves
up a level, until "Select Item," is reached. Once in the
"Select Item" level, press MODE to return to the topmost
level, "Select Item: Object."
AUTOSTAR NAVIGATION EXERCISE
To demonstrate how theAutostar menu structure works, the
following exercise calculates the Sunset time so an evening
observing session can be planned.
NOTE: To perform an accurate calculation,
Autostar must be properly initialized with the cur-
rent date, time, and location of the observing site.
If you have not yet entered the current date, time
and/or location information of your observing site,
see “INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR,” page 8, before
proceeding with this exercise.
1. Press MODE repeatedly until the "Select Item: Object"
displays.
2. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Select Item: Event"
displays.
3. Press ENTER to select "Event" and to move down a
menu level. "Event: Sunrise" displays.
4. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Event: Sunset" displays.
5. Press ENTER to select the "Sunset" option.
6. Autostar calculates the Sunset time based on the cur-
rent date, time, and location.Autostar then displays the
the time of Sunset.
7. Press MODE once to move back up through the
Autostar levels. The first level up is "Event."
8. Press MODE again to move up another level. This is
the top menu level, "Select Item."
9. Press MODE again to return to the starting point of
"Select Item: Object."
10. Proceed with “TRAINING THE DRIVE.”
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TRAINING THE DRIVE
Perform this procedure the f
irst time power is applied or after
performing a Reset.
-13-
NOTE: Use a terrestrial object, such as a tele-
phone pole or lamp post, to train the drive.
Repeat this exercise once every 3 to 6 months to
maintain the highest level of telescope pointing
accuracy.
Select Item
Object
Select Item
Setup
Setup
Align
Setup
Telescope
3
4
6
1Press > until it
is centered
Press < until it
is centered
Train Drive
Az.Train
Train Drive
Alt.Train
Drive Setup
For this op. . .
Center reference
object.
Telescope
Telescope Model
Telescope
Train Drive
Train Drive
Az.Train
Drive Setup
For this op. . .
Center reference
object.
Train Drive
Az.Train
Select Item
Object
Press until it
is centered
Press v until it
is centered
ENTER ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
MODE
Press the Scroll
Up key once.
Access the Setup
menu.
Multiple presses.
Scope slews left.
Bring target back
to center using
the Right Arrow key.
Access the
Telescope menu.
Multiple presses.
5
Choose the Train
Drive option.
Azimuth
(horizontal)
training.
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Reminder to
use terrestrial
target.
Center target
using Arrow
keys.
Scope slews right.
Bring target back
to center using
the Left Arrow key.
Menu returns to
Az. training.
Altitude
(vertical)
training.
Reminder to
use terrestrial
target.
Center target
using Arrow
keys.
Scope slews down.
Bring target back
to center using
the Up Arrow key.
Scope slews up.
Bring target back
to center using
the Down Arrow
key.
Multiple presses.
ENTER ENTER
ENTER
Verify that AUTOSTAR
INITIALIZATION is
complete.
Press MODE until
Select Item is displayed.
1
2
v

ALIGNMENT
As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear
to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars
move is called the sidereal rate.
If the telescope is aligned, the motor drive is designed to
move the telescope at the sidereal rate so that it automati-
cally tracks the stars. Tracking keeps an object centered in
the telescope’s eyepiece and makes it easier to locate
other objects.
Autostar offers three methods of alignment: Easy Two-Star,
One-Star Alt/AZ, and Two-Star Alt/AZ. In Easy Two-Star
alignment, Autostar automatically picks two alignment stars
to align upon from its database. This method is recom-
mended for first-time observers. One-Star Alt/AZ Alignment
and Two-Star Alt/AZ Alignment allow the observer to
choose the alignment stars fromAutostar’s database during
the alignment procedure.
The term "Alt/Az" is frequently used to refer to the Altitude
or vertical and Azimuth or horizontal movements of your
telescope. Other terms to describe a telescope's movement
may be used with telescopes that have different types of
mounts.
EASY TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT
The fastest and easiest way to start observing with
Autostar's GO TO capabilities is to perform an Easy Two-
Star Alignment.
Autostar automatically picks two stars from its database for
the Easy Two-Star Alignment procedure. During the Easy
Alignment procedure, Autostar slews the telescope to the
first alignment star. The user is asked to verify that the tel-
escope 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.
NOTE: Before aligning the telescope, first verify
that “INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR,” page 8, has
been performed. See “MOVING THROUGH
AUTOSTAR’S MENUS,”page 8, for a description
of how Autostar’s keys operate.
Easy Two-Star Alignment Procedure:
1. Sun Warning: Press the key prompted by Autostar to
acknowledge that the warning was read and under-
stood.
2. Getting Started: Press ENTER to continue, or the
Speed/? key to access theAutostar Help tutorial. Press
MODE to leave the tutorial at any time.
3. Enter Date: If you have not already done so, enter the
current date, then press ENTER.
4. EnterTime: If you have not already done so, enter the
current time. Select "AM," "PM," or 24-hour clock
(blank). Then press ENTER.
5. Daylight Savings: If you have not already done so,
select “Yes”or “No,”then press ENTER.
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6. Select Alignment: “Align: Easy”displays. Press
ENTER.
7. Set Home Position: Autostar then prompts you to set
the telescope in the "Alt/Az" Alignment home position
(Altitude-Azimuth or vertical-horizontal).
To set your telescope in the "Alt/Az" home position:
Level the optical tube and the tripod base so that
they are parallel (horizontal) to the ground. See Fig. 8a.
Tighten the horizontal and vertical locks to a "firm feel" only.
Physically move the telescope so that it points North.
Learn the position of Polaris (Fig. 8b), the North star, or
use a small pocket compass, to determine which direc-
tion is North.
Press ENTER.
8. Star Alignment: Autostar then chooses two stars to
align upon. When the telescope slews to the first star
for alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in
the eyepiece. 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 tele-
scope is pointing. Press ENTER. Repeat procedure for
the second alignment star.
NOTE: Autostar locates alignment stars based
on the date, time, and location entered during
Initialization. Alignment stars may change from
night to night, and hour to hour. All that is
required from the observer is to center the
selected stars in the eyepiece using the Arrow
keys when prompted.
TIP: Another method to find the alignment star if
it does not appear in the eyepiece is to perform
a "spiral search." If the alignment star is not
visible in the eyepiece when the telescope fin-
ishes its search, press GOTO 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 becomes visible,
press MODE to stop the spiral search. Use the
Arrow keys to center the object.
-15-
N
Fig. 8a: DS Home Position.
Polaris
Little Dipper
Big Dipper Cassiopeia
Fig. 8b: Locating Polaris.

WHICH ONE’S THE ALIGNMENT STAR?
If Autostar has chosen an alignment star that you are unfa-
miliar with, how can you be sure if the star in your eyepiece
is really the alignment star?
The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the
brightest star in that area of the sky. When you view an
alignment star in an eyepiece, it will standout dramatically
from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky.
If you have an obstruction, such as a tree or a building
blocking your view of the alignment star, or if you have any
doubts at all about the star that has been chosen, no prob-
lem. Just press the Scroll Down key and Autostar finds
another star to align upon.
TWO-STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT
Another method of alignment, Two-Star Alignment,
requires some knowledge of the night sky. Autostar pro-
vides a database of bright stars and allows the observer to
choose two stars from the database for alignment.
1. Perform steps 1 through 8 as described in the "EASY
TWO-STAR ALIGNMENT," page 14.
2 . Autostar displays a database of stars for the observer
to choose from. Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star
that you wish to align upon. Select a star that you can
easily locate in the night sky.
3. Press ENTER. The telescope slews to the star for
alignment. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope
until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece.
4. Press ENTER. Repeat procedure for the second align-
ment star. The telescope is aligned and you are now
ready to use Autostar's GO TO capabilities for a night
of observing.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not use Polaris as an
alignment star. Choose stars for alignment that
are as far apart as possible.
ONE-STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT
One-Star Alignment also requires some knowledge of the
night sky. Autostar provides a database of bright stars.
One-Star Alignment is identical to Two-Star Alt/Az:
Alignment (see “TWO-STARALT/AZALIGNMENT,”above),
except only one star from this database is chosen by the
observer for alignment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The accuracy of One-Star
Alt/Az Alignment, unlike the Two-Star Alignment
procedures, depends on how well the observer
levels the telescope and how close to North the
telescope is pointed when setting the Home
Position (Fig. 12). Because the Two-Star
Alignments use two stars to align upon, they are
more precise than One-Star Alignment.
GO TO SATURN
After alignment, the motor drive begins operating and the
telescope is ready for a night of viewing. Objects in the eye-
piece should maintain their position (i.e., the telescope
tracks the object) even though the Earth is rotating beneath
the stars.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Once aligned, only use the
GO TO or Arrow keys to move the telescope. Do
not loosen the horizontal and vertical locks of the
telescope, or move the tripod manually, or align-
ment will be lost.
This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for
viewing from Autostar’s database. This example demon-
strates how to select Saturn.
NOTE: Saturn is not visible the entire year and
you may need to choose another object from
Autostar's database; however, the procedure, as
described below, remains the same.
1 After the telescope is aligned, “Select Item: Object”dis-
plays. (If “Select Item: Object”is not currently displayed,
press MODE repeatedly until it displays.) Press
ENTER.
2. “Object: Solar System”displays. Press ENTER.
3. “Solar System: Mercury”displays. Keep pressing the
Scroll Down key until “Solar System: Saturn”displays.
4. Press ENTER. “Calculating”displays. Then “Saturn”
and a set of coordinates displays. Saturn’s (and other
planets’) coordinates change throughout the year.
5. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...”displays and the tele-
scope slews until it finds Saturn. You may need to use the
Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece.
Autostar then automatically slews (moves) the telescope
so that it "tracks" Saturn (or whatever other object you
may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the
eyepiece. If an object is observed in the telescope without
using Autostar's GO TO or automatic tracking capabilities
(see "TO TRACK AN OBJECTAUTOMATICALLY," page
25), the object gradually drifts out of the field of view due
to the Earth's rotation.
USING THE GUIDED TOUR
This example demonstrates using “Tonight’s Best”Guided
Tour.
1. After observing Saturn, press MODE twice so that
“Select Item: Object”displays again.
2. Press the Scroll Down key twice. “Select Item: Guided
Tour”displays.
3. Press ENTER. “Guided Tour: Tonight’s Best”displays.
Press ENTER.
NOTE: If you wish to try other Guided Tours,
press the Scroll Down key to scroll through other
tour choices. When the tour you wish to select
displays, press ENTER.
4. “Tonight’s Best: Searching...”displays. After calculating,
“Tonight’s Best: Jupiter”displays.
NOTE: Different objects may be displayed on a
tour list on any given night.
Press ENTER and then use the Scroll keys to display
information about the object. Press Mode to exit the
information display. Press GO TO to move the tele-
scope to the object.
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5. Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll
keys to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you
find the next object you wish to observe.
6. Press MODE and hold for two seconds to leave the
Guided Tour menu.
SLEW SPEEDS
Autostar has nine slew speeds that are directly proportion-
al to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accom-
plish specific functions. Pressing the Speed/? key briefly
changes the slew speed, which is shown for about two sec-
onds on Autostar’s display.
NOTE: Pressing the Speed/? key very briefly changes
the slew speed. Holding down the Speed/? key longer
(one to two seconds) accesses the Help function.
The nine available speeds are:
Speed 1 = Max = 1200 x sidereal
(300 arc-min/sec or 5°/sec)
Speed 2 = 2°= 480 x sidereal
(120 arc-min/sec or 2°/sec)
Speed 3 = 1°= 240 x sidereal
(60 arc-min/sec or 1°/sec)
Speed 4 = 0.5°= 120 x sidereal
(30 arc-min/sec or 0.5°/sec)
Speed 5 = 64x = 64 x sidereal
(16 arc-min/sec or 0.27°/sec)
Speed 6 = 32x = 32 x sidereal
(8 arc-min/sec or 0.13°/sec)
Speed 7 = 16x = 16 x sidereal
(4 arc-min/sec or 0.067°/sec)
Speed 8 = 8x = 8 x sidereal
(2 arc-min/sec or 0.033°/sec)
Speed 9 = 2x = 2 x sidereal
(0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008°/sec)
Speed 1: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the
sky to another
Speeds 2 or 3: Best used for rough centering of an object
in the eyepiece.
Speeds 4, 5, or 6: Enables centering an object in the field
of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as the standard
MA 25mm.
Speeds 7, 8, or 9: Best used for fine centering of an object
in the field of view of a high power eyepiece, such as the
standard MA 9mm or higher powers.
-18-

-19-
AUTOSTAR MENUS
Fig. 9: The Autostar Menu Structure.
Solar System
Mercury
Etc.
Moon
Asteroids
Comets
Constellations
Andromeda
Etc.
Deep Sky
Named Object
Galaxies
Nebulae
Planetary Neb.
Etc.
StarNamed
SAO Catalog
Double
Etc.
Satellite
Select
Add
Delete
Edit
User Objects
Select
Add
Delete
Edit
Landmarks
Select
Add
Delete
Identify
Sunrise
Sunset
Moonrise
Moonset
Moon Phases
Next Full Moon
Next New Moon
Next 1st Qtr
Next 3rd Qtr
Meteor Showers
Quadrantids
Lyrids
Eta Aquarids
Delta Aquarids
Perseids
Orionids
Taurids
Leonids
Geminids
Ursids
Solar Eclipses
Lunar Eclipses
Min. of Algol
Autumn Equinox
Vernal Equinox
Winter Solstice
Summer Solstice
Tour Objects A...Accretion Disk
Etc.
B...
C...
D...
E...
F...
G...
H...
I...
J...
K...
L...
M...
N...
O...
P...
Q...
R...
S...
T...
U...
V...
W...
X...
Y...
Z...
Timer
Set
Start & Stop
Alarm
Set
On & Off
Eyepiece Calc.
Field of View
Magnification
Suggest
Display Options
Sun Warning
Getting Started
Brightness Adj.
Contrast Adj.
Battery Alarm
Landmark Survey
Sleep Scope
Park Scope
Align
Easy
One Star
Two Star
Date
Time
Daylight Saving
Telescope
Tele. Model
Focal Length
Az/Alt Ratio
Train Drive
Tracking Rate
Reverse L/R
Reverse Up/Dn
Calibrate Motor
High Precision
Targets
Astronomical
Terrestrial
SiteSelect
Add
Delete
Edit
Owner Info
Download
Statistics
Reset
Select Item:
Object Select Item: Event Select Item: Guided Tour Select Item: Glossary Select Item: Utilities Select Item:
Setup
Tonight's Best
How Far is Far
A Star's Life

OBJECT MENU
Almost all observing with Autostar is performed using the
Object menu category. (NOTE: Exceptions include Guided
Tour and Landmark Survey.
)
See “GO TO SATURN,”page
16, for an example of observing using the Object menu.Also
see “USING THE GUIDED TOUR,”page 17.
Many Autostar menu categories contain databases. An
Autostar database is a list of viewable objects, such as
stars, planets, comets, nebulae and so forth. When one of
these objects is selected, Autostar moves your telescope (if
properly aligned) and points it at the selected object.
The Object Menu options include:
Solar System is a database of the eight planets (Earth is
not included) in order out from the Sun, followed by the
Moon, asteroids, and comets.
Constellation is a database of all 88 Northern and
Southern Hemisphere constellations. When this menu
option is chosen and a constellation name appears on the
first line of the screen, press GO TO once to change the
second line to the name of the brightest star in the constel-
lation. Press GO TO a second time to slew the telescope to
that star. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of stars
in the constellation, from brightest to dimmest.
Deep Sky is a database of objects outside our Solar
System such as nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and
quasars.
Star is a database of stars listed in different categories such
as named, double, variable, or nearby.
Satellite is a database of Earth-orbiting objects such as the
International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope,
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, and geosyn-
chronous orbit satellites.
To Observe a Satellite:
1. Choose a satellite from the Select menu, then press
ENTER.Autostar scans its database to find if that satel-
lite is expected to pass overhead within the next 6
hours.
2. If a satellite is expected, use the Scroll keys to access
a list of data about the pass, including acquisition time,
location, etc.
3. At the end of the list is "Alarm." Press ENTER and
Autostar automatically sets the alarm to sound several
minutes before the scheduled appearance. You may
return to regular observations until the alarm goes off.
4. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu
and press a Scroll key until the desired satellite is on
the top line of the display.
5 Press GO TO. Autostar slews the telescope to where
the satellite should appear. The motor drive stops and a
countdown starts.
NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position
of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a building,
-20-