Basic Autostar Operation; Autostar Navigation Exercise - Meade DS-2000 Series AutoStar-LNT-SmartFinder Instruction Manual

BASIC AUTOSTAR OPERATION

Fig. 18: The Autostar Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select Item menu of Autostar.
It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 19 ). This means that
pressing the Scroll Down key (7, Fig. 2) cycles down through all the available options within a
given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key (6, Fig. 2) 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.
Example:
To navigate to the "Select Item: Setup" menu option when the "Select Item: Object" menu is
Object
Event displayed:
Guided Tours
1.
Glossary
Utilities
Autostar displays two lines of information. The top line shows the current menu level. The sec-
Setup
ond 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.
Fig. 19: Menus set in a
loop.
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 ( e.g ., the wrong menu option is chosen).
Select Item
Object
Select Item
Solar System
Fig. 20: Autostar levels.

Autostar Navigation Exercise

To demonstrate how the Autostar menu structure works, the following exercise calculates
Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned.
SETUP MENU
Quick, easy alignment
permits all telescope
operations with only
a 2-minute setup.
Select Item:
Setup
UTILITIES MENU
Calculate eyepiece
magnifications;
set timer alerts;
create your own
landmark survey.
Select Item:
Utilities
GLOSSARY
What is an elliptical galaxy?
How far away is the Sun?
Expand your knowledge of
astronomy by displaying terms
and definitions, and other information.
Press the Scroll Down key four times or the Scroll Up key once.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No matter how many levels into Autostar are traveled, each
press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level, "Select Item," is
reached. Once in the Select Item level, press MODE to return to the topmost level,
"Select Item: Object."
NOTE: To perform an accurate calculation, Autostar must be properly initialized
with the current date, time, and location of the observing site. To enter the current
date, time, and location information of your observing site, see
, page 17, before proceeding with this exercise.
AUTOSTAR
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.
OBJECT MENU
Select Item:
Want to see Mars? The Orion nebula?
Object
The Andromeda galaxy? Select from
MEADE MEADE
The Universe of
Autostar
best celestial objects
Select Item:
at your viewing location.
Glossary
20
over 1400 database objects and press
GO TO to move the telescope
automatically to an object.
Select Item:
Event
EVENT MENU
Display the time of
past, present, and future
astronomical events,
such as Moon phases
or meteor showers.
Select Item:
Guided Tour
GUIDED TOUR
Autostar escorts you
on a tour of tonight's
INITIALIZING