Meade ETX Astro Telescope/ETX Spotting Scope Instruction Manual download pdf (Page 18)

Easy Alignment

After you initialize the system, AutoStar displays “Easy Align.” The fastest and easiest way to

start observing with AutoStar is with Easy Alignment.

During Easy Alignment, AutoStar automatically picks two alignment stars from its database of

celestial objects. It will then slew the telescope to a first alignment star. The user is asked to

verify that the telescope is pointed at the chosen star and then to center the star in the eye-

piece

. The process is repeated with a second star to complete the alignment.

Select Alignment:

“Align Easy” displays. Press ENTER.

2. Set Home Position: AutoStar then prompts you to set the telescope in the Alt/Az

Alignment home position (see margin note and Figs. 15 and 16). To set your telescope in

the "Alt/Az" home position:

• Loosen the telescope’s vertical lock (

13, Fig. 1).

• Level the optical tube with the horizon. Move the optical tube until the pointer points at

approximately “0” on the setting circle (Fig. 15).

• Tighten the vertical lock to a "firm feel" only.

• Unlock the horizontal lock (14, Fig. 1) and turn the telescope horizontally until it points

North. Re-lock the horizontal lock.

• Remove the 45° prism and eyepiece from the rear cell port. It may interfere with the

alignment procedure. After alignment, you may replace the prism and eyepiece.

• Press ENTER.

3. Center Alignment Stars: The AutoStar then slews to the first star for alignment. It may

not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. The alignment star should be easily recog-

nized and be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. Use

the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece.

Press ENTER. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star.

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." A spiral search is useful

when the telescope slews to an object, but that object is not visible in the eyepiece after the tele-

scope finishes it search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO

when the slew is finished and the telescope starts slewing in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed

around the search area. Look through the eyepiece and when the object does become visible,

press MODE to stop the spiral search. Then use the Arrow keys to center the object.

Go To Saturn

After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the motor drive begins operating and the tele-

scope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position

even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Once aligned, only use the GO TO or Arrow keys to move the

telescope. Do not loosen the telescope locks (

13 and 14, Fig. 1), or move the base

manually, or alignment will be lost.

This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for viewing from AutoStar’s database. This

example demonstrates how to select Saturn.

TE:

Satur

n is not visib

le the entire y

ear and y

ou ma

y 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” displays. Press ENTER.

“Object:

Solar System”

displa

Press ENTER.

3. “Solar System: Mercury” displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until “Solar System:

Saturn” displays.

North

Declination 

at 0˚

Pointer

Fig. 15: Alt/Az Alignment

Home Position

Note:

The "Telescope: Mount"

option of the Setup

menu is set to "Alt/Az"

as the def

ault alignment

by the factory. The

xample presented in

this section assumes

that you are performing

an alignment procedure

or the first time with

your telescope and

therefore, the

"Telescope: Mount"

option does not need to

be selected.

Fig. 16: The ETX-80 is

supplied with a bubble

level. When setting the

home position, use the

le le

el to help level

the telescope and to find

Nor

th.

Remove the eyepiece from

the 90° holder and drop in

the b

ble level. Adjust the

telescope tube the bubble

enters the center circle of

the bubble level.

Line up the Nor

th - South

line of the compass with

you telescope tube.

the tube until the tube

points North.

1 2 ... 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ... 43 44

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Meade ETX Astro Telescope/ETX Spotting Scope Instruction Manual Page 18

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