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Table of Contents
Related Manuals for Meade ETX-80AT-BB
Summary of Contents for Meade ETX-80AT-BB
- Page 1 Instruction Manual ETX-80AT-BB Backpack Observatory MEADE.COM...
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
QUICK-START GUIDE on page 4. ® The name “Meade,” the Meade logo, and “ETX” are trade- marks registered with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office and in principal countries throughout the world. All rights reserved. -
Page 4: Quick-Start Guide
Setting up the Tripod Step 1: Remove the telescope and tripod from the giftbox. Step 2: Hold the tripod by its handle and turn the locking ring to loosen the tripod mechanism. Push down on the lock- ing ring as far as it will go to spread out the tripod legs. - Page 5 Observe Step 16: You can now use the AutoStar Arrow keys to move the telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the tele- scope’s slew speed, briefly press the Speed/? key. Each press decreases the slew speed down one level, and then will cycle back to the fastest speed.
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Page 6: Telescope Features
TELESCOPE FEATURES Fig. 1: The ETX-80AT-BB Telescope. 1& 1. Eyepiece 2. Eyepiece holder thumbscrew 3. 45° Erecting Prism 4. Rear Cell Port 5. 90° Eyepiece holder 6. Eyepiece 7. Eyepiece holder thumbscrew 8. Fork arms 9. Optical tube 10. Objective lens cell 11. - Page 7 Fig. 1b : The computer control panel: A - HBX port; B - LED; C - On/Off; D - AUX port. Fig. 1c: The battery compartment. 2& 2* Fig. 3: The tripod. Fig. 2: The AutoStar Handbox (see page 10). 21.
- Page 8 Meade ETX telescopes are instruments fully capable of growing with your interest and damage to the are ideal for both the casual observer and serious astronomer alike.
- Page 9 Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s objective lens (10, Fig. 1) in a finely-controlled motion to focus an image. The ETX-80AT-BB telescope can be focused on objects from a distance of about 17 ft. to infinity. Rotate the focus knob clockwise to focus on distant objects, and counterclockwise to focus on nearby objects.
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Page 10: Autostar Features
Fig. 5: #494 AutoStar Handbox. Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of the ETX-80AT-BB is through the operation of the standard-equipment #494 AutoStar. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of AutoStar’s but- tons. - Page 11 “ENTER to Sync” is displayed. "ENTER to Sync" is relevant only after the telescope has been aligned and is pointing at an object. If the "ENTER to Sync" feature is accessed by mistake, press MODE to return to the previous screen.
- Page 12 Speed/? Key: Pressing the Speed/? key cycles through the nine slew speeds that move the telescope. Each time the Speed/? key is pressed briefly, the current slew speed is shown for about two seconds on the display. See The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active.
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Page 13: Getting Started
Your backpack observatory does not ship with the parts stowed in the backpack. Before stow- ing the gear in the backpack and taking it out into the field, assemble the telescope in a famil- iar environment to practice the setup. -
Page 14: Stowing Your Gear In The Backpack
• Take care not to allow the telescope to be jolted severely while hiking. • Try not to run for any significant distance. Don’t toss the telescope in the pack on the ground. Excessive vibrations may damage the telescope. •... -
Page 15: Choosing An Eyepiece
Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and excellent eye relief during long observing sessions. To find an object with a telescope, always start with a low power eyepiece. When the object is located and centered in the eyepiece, you may wish to switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practical for prevailing see- ing conditions. -
Page 16: Manual Operation Of The Telescope With Autostar
ENTER. Next, use the Scroll keys to scroll to your telescope model and press ENTER. The display then reads "Setup: Align." You can now use the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 5) to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. Fig. 17: AutoStar's Arrow To change the telescope’s slew speed, briefly press the Speed/? key (7, Fig. -
Page 17: Observe The Moon
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" the stars and other objects in the night sky. - Page 18 Select model number. As AutoStar operates with several different models of telescopes, enter this information. it next requests your telescope model number. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the models. Press ENTER when your model number displays. AutoStar uses this information , plus System initialization is complete.
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Page 19: Easy Alignment
It will then slew the telescope to a first alignment star. The user is asked to by the factory.The verify that the telescope is pointed at the chosen star and then to center the star in the eye- example presented in piece. -
Page 20: Using The Guided Tour
Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout the year. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays and the telescope slews until it finds Saturn. You may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece. AutoStar then NOTE: automatically slews (moves) the telescope so that it "tracks"... -
Page 21: Autostar Menus
AUTOSTAR MENUS... -
Page 22: Autostar Operation
AUTOSTAR OBJECT Select from over 1400 database objects and press GO TO to move the telescope automatically to the object and place it in the telescopic field of view. SETUP Select Item:... -
Page 23: Entering Numbers And Text Into Autostar
To Calculate Sunset time: Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item” menu. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event: Sunrise"... -
Page 24: Objects Menu
GO TO once to change the second line to the name of the brightest star in the constel- lation. Press GO TO a second time to slew the telescope to that star. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of stars in the constellation, from brightest to dimmest. -
Page 25: Event Menu, Glossary Menu
Be careful not to shine bright lights if there are other observers in the area. Do not shine a flashlight into the telescope while someone is observing! • Dress warmly. It gets chilly when you’re sitting for prolonged periods. -
Page 26: Setup Menu
Cord Wrap, when set to "On," moves the telescope in such a way as to prevent the cords and cables attached to your telescope assembly from getting wound around the assembly and tan- gled as the telescope slews to objects. - Page 27 Az Percent: The Az (Azimuth) Percent allows you to change the azimuth backlash, i.e., the way the Arrow keys move the telescope along the azimuth (horizontal) axis. If you enter a value near 100, the telescope tube responds more quickly (it responds immediately at 100%) as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews (moves) the tube more quickly.
- Page 28 This is useful when you are observing satellites, but a tall tree or building is obstructing the telescope. For example, you might begin to track the satellite at 15° altitude, instead of 5°. Calibrate Motor: If the telescope motors appear to have a problem, use this option to retest the motors before performing a Reset.
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Page 29: Advanced Autostar Operation
The term "Alt/Az." is frequently used to refer to the Altitude or horizontal and Azimuth or verti- cal movements of the ETX-80AT-BB telescope. Other terms to describe a telescope's move- ment may be used with telescopes that have mounts different from the ETX-80AT-BB. -
Page 30: Observing A Satellite
Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star that you wish to align upon. Select a star that you can easily locate in the night sky. Press ENTER. The telescope slews to the star for alignment. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. -
Page 31: Digital Photography With The Etx
The timer also minimizes vibration. Photography with Meade’s AutoStar Suite™ The AutoStar Suite with Meade LPI™ (Lunar Planetary Imager) or Meade Deep Sky Imager™ turns your Meade ETX telescope, AutoStar and PC into even more powerful and easy-to-use astronomical 5. - Page 32 • Automatic and manual exposure control from .001 to 15 seconds (up to 450x longer than web cams). • Automatically takes multiple exposures. The AutoStar Suite Software includes powerful tools to help you get the most from your Meade ETX telescope: •...
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Page 33: Optional Accessories
Moon and planets. The #3200 Set includes light yellow, very light red, very light blue, and neutral density filters. Each filter threads into the barrels of all Meade MA, PL, and WA eyepieces and is packed in a separate plastic case for secure storage. -
Page 34: Maintenance
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING General Maintenance The ETX-80AT-BB telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your tele- scope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Maintenance guidelines include: Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics. -
Page 35: Troubleshooting
If AutoStar does not respond to commands, set the Computer Control Panel power switch to OFF and then back to ON. • If the telescope does not slew after power is applied or if the motor quits or stalls, verify that there are no physical obstructions that would impede telescope movement. •... -
Page 36: Specifications
Customer Service hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that the ETX requires factory servicing or repairs, write or call the Meade Customer Service Department first, before returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address, and daytime telephone number. - Page 37 AutoStar Specifications Processor 68HC11, 8MHz Flash Memory ...512KB, reloadable Keypad ...10 key alphanumeric Display ...2 line, 16 character LCD Backlight ...Red LED Coil Cord ...24" AutoStar Dimensions Length ...14.2cm (5.60") Width (LCD end) ...78.0cm (3.08") Width (Connector end) ...53.5cm (2.10") Depth ...23.5cm (0.93") AutoStar net weight ...0.169kg (0.35 lbs.)
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Page 38: Appendix A: Using Autostar To Enter Coordinates
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 or bookstore for astronomy books, CD Roms, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates of celestial objects. -
Page 39: Appendix B: Latitude Chart
APPENDIX B: HELPFUL CHARTS Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World Latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern Hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, add one degree for every 70 miles. -
Page 40: Appendix C: Training The Drive
APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure after RESET or if you are experiencing any point- ing accuracy problems. Figure 30 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure. Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exer- cise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy. -
Page 41: Appendix D: Basic Astronomy
In the early 17th century, Italian Scientist Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably small- er than the ETX-80AT-BB, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and moun- tains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind thought of the universe. - Page 42 Saturn had “ears.” Saturn’s rings are composed of billions of ice particles ranging in size from a speck of dust to the size of a house. The major division in Saturn's rings, called the Cassini Division, is occasionally visible through the ETX-80AT-BB. Titan, the largest of Fig. 33: Saturn has Saturn’s 18 moons can also be seen as a bright, star-like object near the planet.
- Page 44 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.