Table of Contents
Advertisement
Advanced AutoStar Features
Before trying out the examples in this section,
familiarize yourself with the basic operations of
Autostar II described earlier in this manual. The
following examples assume that you have a basic
knowledge of Autostar II and understand how to scroll
to a desired menu or menu option, and how to enter
numbers and text. It also assumes that you have
initialized and aligned your telescope.
Adding Observing Sites
If you plan to observe using Autostar II at different
geographic locations, you can store observation sites
in Autostar II's memory to help simplify your telescope
setup. Perform these procedures using the Site options
(Add, Select, Delete, Edit) of the Setup menu.
To Add a Site to the user-defined site list:
In this example, you will choose a city and add it to the
database list. You will then select the site to enable it.
1. Navigate
to
the
Press ENTER.
2. Scroll through the options until "Site: Add"
displays. Press ENTER.
3. Scroll through the list of countries/states. Press
ENTER when the country/state you wish to add
displays.
4. Scroll through the list of cities. Press ENTER
when the city you wish to add displays. The Site
is now added to the database. You may add sites
using this method.
5. To choose a site, navigate to "Setup: Select."
Press ENTER. Scroll through the list of sites.
When the desired site displays, press ENTER.
To Edit a Site:
In this procedure, you will enter a location that is not
available in the Autostar II database by editing data of
a nearby site. You will edit the location's name, latitude,
longitude, and the time zone shift. You will then select
the site to enable it.
You will need to know the latitude and longitude of your
location to perform this procedure.
1.
Using the Add option, choose a site on the
list that is closest to your observing site and
press ENTER so that the site is added to your
observing sites list. Choosing a site already
on the list (as opposed to using the "Custom"
feature) makes it easier to edit, as the "Time
"Setup:
Site"
menu.
Zone" value may not need to be changed.
2.
Scroll to "Site: Edit" and press ENTER. "Edit:
Name" displays. Press ENTER.
3.
The name of the site you have just entered
to your list displays; if it does not, scroll to
the site.
4.
Using the Arrow keys, change the name of
the site so that it now reads the name of your
observing location. Press Enter. "Edit: Name"
displays again.
5.
Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Latitude"
displays. Press ENTER.
6.
Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of
your observing site and then press ENTER.
"Edit: Latitude" displays again.
7.
Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Longitude"
displays. Press ENTER.
8.
Using the Number Keys, enter the longitude
of your observing site and then press ENTER.
"Edit: Longitude" displays again.
9.
Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Time Zone"
displays. Press ENTER. (If the site you chose
from the list in step 1 has the same Time Zone
as the site you are editing, just press ENTER
again to go on to the next step.) "Time Zone"
refers to the Greenwich Time Zone shift. Users
West of Greenwich, use "-" hours (one hour per
time zone) and users East of Greenwich use
"+" hours.
10. After entering the shift, press ENTER. "Edit
Time Zone" displays.
11. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays.
12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select."
The site you have just edited displays. Press
ENTER to select the site.
Creating User Objects
In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of
celestial objects that do not appear in any of the
Autostar II libraries. You will enter the object's name
and RA and DEC coordinates (required information).
You may also enter the object's magnitude and size
(optional information).
Although Autostar II contains an extensive database of
37
Advertisement
Table of Contents
