Meade DS-2000 Series AutoStar-LNT-SmartFinder Instruction Manual
Reflecting and refracting telescopes autostar— lnt—smartfinder
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Summary of Contents for Meade DS-2000 Series AutoStar-LNT-SmartFinder
- Page 1 Instruction Manual DS-2000 Series Reflecting and Refracting Telescopes AutoStar ® — LNT ™ — SmartFinder ™ ™ MEADE.COM...
- Page 2 WARNING! Never use a Meade DS2000 ® ™ Telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage 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.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Specifications ............33 Appendix A: Celestial Coordinates ........35 Locating the Celestial Pole ........35 ® The name “Meade,” “AutoStar,” and the Meade logo are Appendix B: To Find Objects Not in the Database ..36 trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in Appendix C: Observing Satellites ........37... -
Page 4: Quick-Start Guide
QUICK-START GUIDE & Fasten wingnuts Remove 4 screws from the mounting arm shaft: Locate the four screws on the mounting Open the tripod: Remove the tripod from the shaft. Remove the screws using a "+" (Phillips head) screwdriver. giftbox and stand vertically. Gently pull the legs apart to a fully open position. - Page 5 Connect Autostar: Be certain that the power switch (H) on the computer control panel is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the Autostar 7a. Attach the 90° diagonal prism ( refractor models Controller into the HBX port (I) . Turn on the com- only, see inside front cover ): Pull out to remove puter panel;...
- Page 6 other side Fig. 1b (Inset): (E) Altitude Setting Circle; (F) Altitude Lock other side (not visible) 1. Focus Knob 2. Eyepiece Holder 3. 90° Diagonal Prism ( refractors only ) 4. Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew 5. Eyepiece 6. Focus Lock Knob 7.
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Page 7: Telescope Features
C. ON Switch: Press to turn the Computer Control Panel and Autostar ON or OFF. Note: Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time. D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port:Provides connection for current and future Meade acces- sories. See , page 29. - Page 8 Accessory Tray Attachment Bolts - Attach to wing nuts to fasten tray to the tripod. See page 11 for more information. Note: It is not necessary to remove the tray each time you collapse the tripod. The tray is designed to be collapsed with the legs. Accessory Tray - Conveniently holds extra eyepieces, Autostar handbox, and other acces- sories.
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Page 9: Autostar Features
AUTOSTAR FEATURES The #494 Autostar controls the DS-2000AT Series Telescopes. Nearly all telescope operations NOTE: are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar’s buttons. Some of the major DS-2000EC users, features of Autostar are: APPENDIX E ■ Automatically move the telescope to any of the 1400 objects stored in the database or page 39, for informa- manually enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial object. - Page 10 GO TO Key - Slews (moves) the telescope to a selected object. While the telescope is DEFINITION: slewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Throughout this Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object. manual, you will notice the term "Alt/Az."...
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Page 11: Getting Started
GETTING STARTED Packing List Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first open- ing the packing box, note carefully the parts listed on your giftbox. How to Assemble Your Telescope The telescope attaches directly to the tripod. The telescope in this way is mounted in an “Altazimuth”... -
Page 12: Using Smartfinder
Do not mix battery types. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time. -
Page 13: Aligning Smartfinder
menu, and “00.2” in the Blink On menu, the red dot will blink on for .2 seconds and then blink off for .1 second, and then repeat the cycle until you change the values again. 9. Press and hold MODE to exit this function. Aligning Smartfinder Because the main telescope has a fairly narrow field of view, locating objects directly in the main telescope can sometimes be difficult. -
Page 14: Choosing An Eyepiece
If you have a refracting telescope, objects will Some Meade telescopes include a power multiplier called a Barlow lens. Consisting of a lens appear right-side-up, but mounted in a 4"-long (10cm) tube, the Barlow doubles or triples the power obtained when an reversed left-for-right. -
Page 15: Terrestrial Observing
Terrestrial Observing NOTE: Do not look through DS-2000 refracting telescopes are excellent high-resolution, terrestrial (land) telescopes the telescope's eye- (reflecting telescopes are designed primarily for astronomical observations). Viewing terrestrial piece while it is objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. These heat waves often rapidly moving. -
Page 16: Observe The Moon
Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the eyepiece. Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another. Observe the Moon Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and practice using the Arrow keys and the slew speeds to view different features. -
Page 17: Initializing Autostar
Initializing Autostar This section describes how to initialize Autostar. Perform this procedure the first time you use Autostar or after performing a RESET (see , page 28). RESET Tighten Locks: Tighten the Altitude lock (10, Fig. 1) and tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1). Plug in Autostar: Make sure the telescope power switch is in the OFF position. -
Page 18: Observe A Star Using Automatic Tracking
Select Setup: Targets Option: Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Setup: IMPORTANT NOTE: Targets" displays. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 2). Autostar requests the Select Targets: Astronomical Option: "Targets: Terrestrial" displays. Press either of the Zip Code or Scroll keys once (6 or 7, Fig. 2). "Targets: Astronomical" now displays. Country/State, City, and Locate a Bright Star: Use the Arrow keys (5, Fig. -
Page 19: Go To Saturn
NOTE: Autostar locates alignment 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. NOTE: The GO TO key also allows you to perform a "spiral search."... -
Page 20: Basic Autostar Operation
1400 database objects and press operations with only a 2-minute setup. GO TO to move the telescope automatically to an object. Select Item: Select Item: Setup MEADE MEADE Event EVENT MENU UTILITIES MENU Calculate eyepiece Display the time of The Universe of magnifications;... -
Page 21: Entering Numbers And Text Into Autostar
■ Press ENTER to go deeper into right pointing arrow Check out Meade’s website for the latest prod- Autostar's menu levels. (>). uct and technical information. You can down- ■ Press MODE (3, Fig. 2) to move back... -
Page 22: Menus And Menu Options
MENUS AND MENU OPTIONS Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving. -
Page 23: Object Menu
Object Menu Almost all observing with Autostar is performed using the Object menu category. ( NOTE: Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey. ) See , page 19, for an example of GO TO SATURN observing using the Object menu. Also see , page 19. -
Page 24: Glossary Menu
The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common Never use a astronomical terms and Autostar functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or Meade DS- through hypertext words embedded in Autostar. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets], 2000 Telescope to... - Page 25 Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then choose "Set" or "Start/Stop." ■ Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER.
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Page 26: Setup Menu
100%) as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews (moves) the tube more quickly. available from Meade, If you enter a value near 0, it takes longer for the tube to respond as you hold down an photographic supply Arrow key and also slews the tube more slowly. - Page 27 ■ Train Drive: Trains the Altitude and Azimuth motors to locate objects with more precision. If you are experiencing any problems with pointing accuracy, follow the procedure described in APPENDIX D: TRAINING THE DRIVE, page 38, to insure accurate pointing and tracking.
- Page 28 ■ Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database. ■ Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, England use “-” hours, East of Greenwich use “+” hours. For the United States, look up the time zone shift in Table 1 NOTE: Autostar compensates for daylight savings time, if selected.
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Page 29: Optional Accessories
Consult the Meade General Catalog or www.meade.com for complete details on these and other accessories. Eyepieces: For higher and lower magnifications, Meade Series 4000 Super Plössl (SP) yield high- resolution imaging with all DS2000 telescope models. A useful selection includes the SP 9.7mm and SP 12.4mm eyepieces. -
Page 30: Caring For Your Telescope
Collimation DS-2000 refracting telescopes are optically aligned (collimated) at the factory prior to shipment, and it is never necessary to re-collimate the optics of these models. Meade DS-2114mm and DS-2130mm reflecting telescope models are also factory-aligned, but may occasionally require re-alignment, particularly if the telescope has received rough handling in shipment. - Page 31 Fig. 23. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. Fig. 26. Fig. 27. Fig. 29. Fig. 28. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.
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Page 32: Meade Customer Service
(per steps 1, 2, and/or 3, above) effected as required to keep the optics well-aligned. Meade Customer Service If you have a question concerning your DS-2000 Telescope, contact the Meade Instruments Customer Service Department at: Telephone: (800) 626-3233 Customer Service hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. -
Page 33: Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS DS-2060 Optical design..................Refractor Clear aperture ..................60mm Focal length ..................700mm Focal ratio ..................f/11.7 Resolving power..................1.9 arc secs Max power ..................200X Mounting....................Single-arm, motorized Alt-Az Alignment ..................Altazimuth Slew Speeds ..................1x sidereal to 5.5°/sec in 9 increments Tripod ....................Aluminum, full-length; adjustable w/accessory tray Optical Tube Dimensions ..............2.5"... - Page 34 DS-2114 Optical design..................Reflector Clear aperture ..................114mm Focal length ..................910mm Focal ratio ..................f/8 Resolving power..................1.0 arc secs Max power ..................325X Mounting....................Single-arm, motorized Alt-Az Alignment ..................Altazimuth Slew Speeds ..................1x sidereal to 5.5°/sec in 9 increments Tripod ....................Aluminum, full-length; adjustable w/accessory tray Optical Tube Dimensions ..............5.5" x 34" Batteries (user-supplied) ..............8 x AA DS-2114S Optical design..................Reflector...
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Page 35: Appendix A: Celestial Coordinates
APPENDIX A Celestial Coordinates North Celestial It is helpful to understand how to locate celestial +90 Dec. Pole Star objects as they move across the sky. (Vicinity of Polaris) A celestial coordinate system was created that maps an imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth upon which all stars appear to be placed. -
Page 36: Appendix B: To Find Objects Not In The Database
APPENDIX B Using Autostar to Find Objects Not in the Database Although Autostar contains a database of more than 1400 celestial objects (stars, nebulae, TIP: planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part Entering R.A. -
Page 37: Appendix C: Observing Satellites
Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade website (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to download this data to Autostar. If orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by Autostar. -
Page 38: Appendix D: Training The Drive
Multiple presses. using Arrow The Astronomical Society of the Pacific MODE keys. 390 Ashton Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112 The Meade 4M Community Select Item www.meade4M.org. Object And watch Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer, on your local PBS station. Fig. 32: Training the Drive Procedure. -
Page 39: Appendix E: Battery Replacement
LNT Module assembly. After you replace the battery, you port will need to recalibrate the telescope’s sensors and reset the time and date. You will need a new battery. Also, you may use Meade’s optional Atomic Time Update Module, although this is not necessary. To replace the battery: 1. - Page 40 APPENDIX F How to manually set the date to March 6, 2005: 1. Press ON/OFF to turn on the control panel. 2. Press the button prompted by the control panel to show that the Sun warning has been read and understood. Press ENTER to bypass Getting Started message. 3.
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Page 41: Appendix G: Electronic Controller (Ds-2000Ec Users Only)
APPENDIX G Fast Medium Moderate Slow Fig. 36: Electronic Controller. (1) Arrow Keys; (2) Indicator Lights; (3) SPEED Key; (4) Coil Cord; (5) MODE Key; (6) OUT Key; (7) IN Key. Electronic Controller (DS-2000EC Users Only) DS-2000 "EC" models come equipped with an Electronic Controller handbox, rather than the Autostar Handbox. -
Page 42: Optional #494 Autostar For Ds-2000Ec Users
Electronic Controller, do a quick telescope alignment, and you are ready to observe any object in the Autostar’s 1400-object database. Best of all, the Meade Autostar is easy to use. Even the most novice observer will locate dozens of fascinating celestial objects the very first night out. Study Saturn and its ring system; the primary cloud belts of Jupiter as well as its four major satellites;... -
Page 43: Basic Astronomy
So as you look through your Meade DS-2000 telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far more—a window through which the beat- ing heart of the universe might be observed. - Page 44 Planets Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. To locate the planets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and Telescope or Astronomy . You can also consult Autostar for information about planets. Scroll to the "Object: Solar System"...
- Page 45 Refracting Telescopes use a large objective lens as their primary light-collecting element. Meade refractors, in all models and apertures, include achromatic (2-element) objective lenses in order to reduce or virtually eliminate the false color (chromatic aberration) that results in the telescopic image when light passes through a lens.
- Page 48 ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase.