Meade Instruments 497 Autostar Computer Controller - Manual (Page 6)

Figure 1 shows the complete Autostar menu structure showing the
paths that can be followed. From any point in the menu, pressing
ENTER moves along a menu line to the right. Pressing MODE
moves to the left along a menu line. Pressing the down SCROLL key
moves down menu lists and pressing the up SCROLL key moves up.
Menu Example: Finding the sunset time is a good example of how
to use Autostar menus. Begin by pressing MODE several times until
the screen reads “Select Item:” on the top line and “Object” on the
bottom line. Pressing MODE multiple times causes Autostar to move
back to the “Object” menu. The main menu has six choices; Object,
Event, Guided Tour, Glossary, Utilities, and Setup. Pressing a
SCROLL keys makes each of these visible on the bottom line of the
screen. Press a SCROLL key until the bottom line reads, “Event,”
then press ENTER to select that menu. The top line now reads
“Event:” and the bottom line reads, “Sunrise” (the first item in the
“Event” menu). Use a SCROLL key to view the other items, finishing
with “Sunset” on the bottom line. Press ENTER to start the sunset
calculation which then displays the sunset time for the current day.
To leave the “Sunset” function and return to the “Event” menu, press
MODE. Press MODE again to return to the main menu with the top
line reading, “Select Item:” and the bottom line “Event.” Use similar
sequences of the ENTER, MODE and SCROLL keys to explore
other functions in the Autostar menu. Try other events or look up
words in the Glossary. Do not change any settings in the “Utilities” or
“Setup” menus until they have been explained later in this manual.
*Hint* To avoid changing any value, press MODE which returns to
the previous menu without making a change to any Autostar
settings. Also use the Help (“?”) key for an explanation of any menu.
Telescope Training
Autostar is not able to accurately point at objects unless it is aligned
and trained. Training Autostar allows it to collect data about the
gears in the telescope motor system. Once training is complete,
Autostar saves the data for later operations. Use great care in
training the Autostar system to achieve maximum accuracy.
To train Autostar, prepare the telescope for optical viewing by
removing dust covers and inserting an eyepiece. The viewfinder
should also be aligned and ready for use. Select a fixed land object
as a reference for the training process. Point the telescope at the
selected object and center it in the eyepiece. Press MODE until the
main menu is displayed (“Select Item:”). Press a SCROLL key until
“Setup” is on the bottom line, then press ENTER. With “Setup:” now
on the top line, press a SCROLL key until the bottom line reads
“Telescope,” then press ENTER. In the “Telescope” menu, press a
SCROLL key until “Train Drive” appears on the bottom line, then
press ENTER. The top line of the screen should read, “Train Drive:”
and the bottom line should read “Az. Train.”
Both telescope motors need to be trained separately. Start with “Az.
Train” by pressing ENTER and following the instructions given.
Autostar moves the telescope away from the centered object and
asks that it be centered using only one ARROW key (all other
ARROW keys are disabled). After the object is centered, press
ENTER. Autostar now moves the telescope in the other direction
and ask for the object to be centered again. Center the object and
press ENTER. The training for the Azimuth axis is complete.
Autostar has returned to the “Train Drive:” menu. Select the second
motor using a SCROLL key until the bottom line reads, “Alt. Train.”
Press ENTER and follow instructions as before. This time, the
telescope moves up and down otherwise the training sequence is
the same as “Az. Train.” After completing “Alt. Train,” Autostar is
ready for alignment and operation. Remember the accuracy of this
training determines how well Autostar finds objects.
Telescope Alignment
Alignment is the method used to relate objects in the sky to the
position of the telescope. Autostar has six methods of alignment,
three for Polar alignment and three for Alt/Az Alignment. The
simplest method to align is “Easy Align” in the Alt/Az mode.
Easy Align requires the telescope to be placed level on a table or
on a tripod such as the Meade Deluxe Field Tripod. Select an
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