Observing Satellites - Meade DS-2090AT-TC Instruction Manual

and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to the user-entered coordinates. R.A (Right
Ascension) and Dec. (Declination) are similar to latitude and longitude, except that they are
used to find objects in sky.
In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec. coordinates of the
object or objects you wish to observe. Check out your local library, computer store, bookstore,
CD Roms, Internet, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates
of celestial objects. The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent
database, called "User Objects."
To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu:
1. Make sure AutoStar has been initialized and the telescope has been aligned.
2. After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. (If necessary, use the Scroll
keys to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find this option.) Press
ENTER.
3. "Object: Solar System" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until "Object: User
Object" displays and press ENTER.
4. "User Object: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "User Object: Add" dis-
plays. Press ENTER.
5. "Name" displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use the Arrow
keys, as previously described, to enter the name of the object you wish to add to the data-
base. When you are finished, press ENTER.
6. "Right Asc.: 00.00.0" displays. Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter the digits for the
Right Ascension coordinate of your object. When you are finished, press ENTER.
7. "Declination: +00°.00'" displays. Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter the digits for the
Declination coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change "+" to
"-." When you are finished, press ENTER.
8. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the size of the object. This step is optional. Use the Up
and Down Arrow keys to enter the size (in arc-minutes), if so desired, and press ENTER
to go to the next display. If you do not wish to enter this information, simply press ENTER.
9. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the magnitude of the object. This step is also optional.
Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER
to go to the next display. "User Object: Add" displays again.
To GO TO a user-entered object:
In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO the object.
1. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object: Select"
displays. Press ENTER.
2. Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER.
3. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display.
4. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

Observing Satellites

In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass.
1. Go to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER.
2. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites.
3. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER.
4. "Calculating...." and then "Tracking..." displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass,
"Located" displays.
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