Observe the Moon
Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and
practice using the Arrow keys, the microfocuser and the slew speeds to view different
features. The Moon contains many interesting features, including craters, mountain
ranges, and fault lines. The best time to view the Moon is during its crescent or half
phase. Sunlight strikes the Moon at an angle during these periods and adds a depth
to the view. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, making the overly bright surface
to appear flat and rather uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral density Moon
filter when observing the Moon. See page 45. Not only does it cut down the Moon’s
bright glare, but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.
Astronomical Observing
Used as an astronomical instrument, your telescope has many optical and
electromechanical capabilities. It is in astronomical applications where the high level
of optical performance is readily visible. The range of observable astronomical objects
is limited only by the observer’s motivation.
To Track an Object Automatically
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. You can setup
your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks (follows) the
stars and other objects in the night sky. If the telescope is not tracking an astronomical
object, the object will drift out of the eyepiece field of view. The tracking function
automatically keeps an object centered in the telescope’s eyepiece.
To automatically track objects, you need to learn how the AutoStar II keypad operates
in order to move through its menus. You’ll need to initialize and align your telescope.
Moving Through AutoStar II’s Menus
The AutoStar II database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation.
Press ENTER (Pg. 10, Fig. 2, 2) to go deeper into AutoStar II’s menu levels.
Press MODE Fig. 2, 3) to move back toward the top menu level.
Press the Scroll keys (Fig. 2, 7) to move up and down through the options
available for each level.
Press the Arrow keys (Fig. 2, 5) to enter characters and digits. The Arrow keys are
also used to move the telescope.
Use the Number keys to enter digits.
Automatic Alignment (Auto Align
™
) Feature
AutoStar II offers four methods of altazimuth (alt/az) alignment; this section describes
how to initialize and align your telescope using Automatic Alignment. (For a
description of the other alt/az alignment methods, see pages 38 and 39. For
information about equatorial (polar) alignment, see
APPENDIX A, page 53).
To prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment:
1. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 12 and 17).
2. Verify that AutoStar II is properly connected to your telescope. See
HOW TO
ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE
,
page 13.
3. Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.
When you slide the On/Off switch to “On” on your telescope’s computer control panel,
a version screen briefly appears, followed by “Welcome to AutoStar”.
4. “Press 0 to align or Mode for Menu”. displays. Press “0” to begin Automatic Alignment.
(If you wish to choose a manual alignment method, keep pressing Mode to go through
the menus to find other alignments.)
Note: AutoStar II initializes the Smart Drive if “On” has been previously
performed PEC training and you have “parked” the telescope. If you have
parked it, AutoStar II will remember its position on the worm gear. If you do
not park the scope and turn it off, it will not remember its position. See
PARKING THE TELESCOPE
, page 29 and
PEC TRAINING
, page 40.
Definition:
Initialization is a
procedure that ensures that
AutoStar II operates
correctly. When you first
use AutoStar II, it doesn’t
yet know where the
observation location site is
or the time or date of the
observation session.
During the automatic
alignment procedure, the
system calculates these
parameters automatically.
AutoStar II uses this
information to precisely
calculate the location of
celestial objects (such as
stars and planets) and to
move your telescope
correctly for various
operations.
Tip:
When multiple choices are
available within an AutoStar
II menu option, the current
option is usually displayed
first and highlighted by a
right pointing arrow (>).
Important Note:
Press any key on the
AutoStar II handbox to abort
the GPS fix.
Press MODE repeatedly
until “Select Item” displays
and use the AutoStar menu
options to choose a manual
alignment or to find an
AutoStar option, such as
“Brightness”.
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