Using The Guided Tour - Meade Autostar 494 Instruction Manual

Computer controller
Hide thumbs Also See for Autostar 494:
Table of Contents

Advertisement

IMPORTANT NOTE: Once aligned, only use the
GO TO or Arrow keys to move the telescope. Do
not loosen the horizontal and vertical locks of the
telescope, or move the tripod manually, or align-
ment will be lost.
This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for
viewing from Autostar's database. This example demon-
strates how to select Saturn.
NOTE: Saturn is not visible the entire year and
you may need to choose another object from
Autostar's database; however, the procedure, as
described below, remains the same.
1
After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" dis-
plays. (If "Select Item: Object" is not currently displayed,
press MODE repeatedly until it displays.) Press
ENTER.
2. "Object: Solar System" displays. Press ENTER.
3. "Solar System: Mercury" displays. Keep pressing the
Scroll Down key until "Solar System: Saturn" displays.
4. Press ENTER. "Calculating" displays. Then "Saturn"
and a set of coordinates displays. Saturn's (and other
planets') coordinates change throughout the year.
5. Press GO TO. "Saturn: Slewing..." displays and the tele-
scope slews until it finds Saturn. You may need to use the
Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece.
Autostar then automatically slews (moves) the telescope
so that it "tracks" Saturn (or whatever other object you
may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the
eyepiece. If an object is observed in the telescope without
using Autostar's GO TO or automatic tracking capabilities
(see "TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY," page
25), the object gradually drifts out of the field of view due
to the Earth's rotation.

USING THE GUIDED TOUR

This example demonstrates using "Tonight's Best" Guided
Tour.
1. After observing Saturn, press MODE twice so that
"Select Item: Object" displays again.
2. Press the Scroll Down key twice. "Select Item: Guided
Tour" displays.
3. Press ENTER. "Guided Tour: Tonight's Best" displays.
Press ENTER.
NOTE: If you wish to try other Guided Tours,
press the Scroll Down key to scroll through other
tour choices. When the tour you wish to select
displays, press ENTER.
4. "Tonight's Best: Searching..." displays. After calculating,
"Tonight's Best: Jupiter" displays.
NOTE: Different objects may be displayed on a
tour list on any given night.
Press ENTER and then use the Scroll keys to display
information about the object. Press Mode to exit the
information display. Press GO TO to move the tele-
scope to the object.
-17-

Hide quick links:

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Table of Contents