QUICK-START GUIDE

Mounting Arm Shaft

Mounting Plate

Fasten wingnuts
Open the tripod: Remove the tripod from the giftbox and stand vertically. Gently pull the legs apart to a fully open position. Attach the tray to the tripod: Slide the bolts through the tray and struts. Thread the wingnuts onto the bolts.
3a. Attach the Mounting Plate: If your telescope did not come with the mounting plate already attached, remove 4 screws from the mounting arm shaft. Remove the screws using a "+" (Phillips head) screwdriver. Loosen the Altitude Lock (see Fig. 1a, page 6) and rotate the mounting arm shaft counter-clockwise until it stops. Retighten the Altitude lock. 3b. Next, attach the mounting plate to the mounting arm. Line up the mounting plate with the mounting arm shaft. Replace the four screws you removed in step #3a into the mating threads as depicted in the diagram #3.
2. Attach the mounting arm assembly: Place the mounting arm assembly into the tripod base. Reach underneath and thread the mounting knob through the tripod base and into the mounting arm assembly. Tighten to a firm feel only, do not overtighten. While observing, you may wish to slightly loosen this knob and rotate the mounting arm assembly with attached optical tube (see step #6 below) around the horizontal axis.
Attach the optical tube: Place the base of the optical tube (A) over the slot on the mounting plate (B). Thread the two lock knobs (C) through the slot on the mounting plate and into the screw holes in the base of the optical tube, so that they hold the optical tube loosely; do not tighten the lock knobs at this point. Slide the tube back and forth until you find a position where the tube remains horizontal (i.e., without tipping up and down). Then tighten the lock knobs to a firm feel.
Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

H D F E G

7. Connect Autostar: Be certain that the power switch (J) on the computer control panel is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the Autostar Controller into the HBX port (K). Turn on the computer panel; the red LED lights when power is supplied to the panel.

NOTE: Pressing MODE while in the Select Item level moves Autostar to the topmost screen: Select Item: Object. NOTE: If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, the following information displays :
Azimuth and Altitude (astronomical) coordinates Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST) Timer and Alarm Status Press MODE again to return to the previous menu.
GO TO Key - Slews (moves) the telescope to a selected object. While the
DEFINITION: Throughout this manual, you will notice the term "Alt/Az." Alt/Az (short for altazimuth) just means that your telescope moves up and down and from side to side. Alt/Az is one of many methods used by amateur astronomers to locate celestial objects.
telescope is slewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object. The GO TO key also allows you to perform a "spiral search." A spiral search is useful during alignment after the telescope slews to an alignment star, but the star is not visible in the eyepiece when the telescope finishes its search. 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.
Arrow Keys - Move the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine different speeds. Speed selection is explained in SLEW SPEEDS, page 15. The following operations are also available with the Arrow keys: Data Entry - Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. The Down Arrow key starts with the letter "A" and the Up Arrow key starts with the digit "9." The Left and Right Arrow keys are used to move the cursor left and right across the LCD display. Alt/Az Alignment - Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move the telescope vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key moves the telescope horizontally counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key moves it clockwise.
, Scroll Keys - Allows you to scroll through menu options. The menu is displayed on the
top line of the screen and the options within the menu are displayed, one at a time, on the second line. Press and hold a Scroll key to move quickly through the options. The Scroll keys also scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits.

NOTE: The Scroll Down key and the Down Arrow key move forward through the alphabet & digits (A to Z, 0 to 9). The Scroll Up key and the Up Arrow key move backward (Z to A, 9 to 0). Common symbols are also available in the list.
Fig. 3 Attach Tray to the tripod: Thread the wingnuts to the bolts (bottom view).
Tip: When a message is scrolling across the display, press and hold the Up Scroll key to increase the scrolling speed or press and hold the Down Scroll key to decrease the scrolling speed.
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 SLEW SPEEDS, page 15. The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active.
NOTE: Pressing the Speed/? key very briefly changes the slew speed. Holding down the Speed/? key longer (one to two seconds) accesses the Help function.
If you have a question about an Autostar operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT, etc., hold down the Speed/? key and follow the directions that scroll on the second line of the LCD screen. When a word appears in [brackets], press ENTER to access the Autostar Glossary. A definition or more detailed information is displayed. Press MODE to return to the scrolling Autostar Help display. When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to the original screen and continue with the chosen procedure.
Fig. 4: Pads allow the mount to move smoothly.
Coil Cord (not shown) - Plug the Autostar coil cord into the HBX port (A, Fig. 1c) of the telescope computer control panel.
Fig. 5: Attach the mounting arm to the tripod base.

GETTING STARTED

Packing List
Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the packing box, note carefully the parts listed on your giftbox.
How to Assemble Your Telescope
The telescope attaches directly to the tripod. The telescope in this way is mounted in an Altazimuth (Altitude-Azimuth, or vertical-horizontal) format. The telescope in this configuration moves along the vertical and horizontal axes, corresponding respectively to the Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) axes in the astronomical observing mode. 1.
Fig. 6: Attach the mounting plate.

Fig. 9: Tighten the thumbscrew to secure the viewfinder in the bracket.
9. Insert batteries: The telescopes battery compartment (1, Fig. 11) is located on top of the drive base. Open the battery compartment by lifting the cover and pulling it away from the drive base.
Remove the battery holder from the compartment and carefully lift the 9v connector out from the compartment. Take care not to accidentally detach the wires of the battery connector from the base. Whenever you replace the batteries, to safeguard the wires, disconnect the 9v connector from the battery holder before removing the batteries. Insert eight AA-size batteries into the battery holder, oriented as shown on the diagram on the battery slots of the battery holder. Connect the 9v connector plug to the battery holder. Carefully replace the battery holder back into the battery compartment. Replace the cover.
Fig. 10: Insert the eyepiece (1) into the eyepiece holder (2), tighten eyepiece thumbscrew (3) (Reflector models).
CAUTION: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the battery compartment. Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. Do not install batteries backwards or mix new and used batteries. Do not mix battery types. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time.
14. Connect Autostar: Be certain that the power switch on the computer control panel is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the Autostar Controller into the HBX port. Turn on the power switch; the red LED lights when power is supplied to the panel. See Fig. 12.
NOTE: The Autostar handbox does not require batteries; the telescopes batteries supply power to Autostar.
15. Remove the dust cover: Pull out the dust cover (12, Fig. 1) from the optical tube assembly (13, Fig. 1). Assembly of the basic telescope is now complete.
Fig. 11: Insert eight AA-size batteries inside the battery compartment: (1) Battery compartment (2) Battery holder (3) 9v connector

The Red Dot Viewfinder

Because the main telescope has a fairly narrow field of view, locating objects directly in the main telescope can sometimes be difficult. The red dot viewfinder (Fig. 13) projects a small red dot that permits you to more easily locate objects. When the red dot viewfinder and optical tube are aligned to each other, both point to the same position in the sky. An object located in the viewfinder is therefore in the eyepiece of the main telescope. Aligning the Red Dot Viewfinder: It is recommended that you perform steps 1 through 4 of this procedure during the daytime and step 5 at night. 1. Loosen the tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1) and the Altitude lock (10, Fig. 1), so that the telescope can move freely. If you have not already done so, place a low-power (e.g., 25mm) eyepiece in the diagonal prism of the main telescope (3, Fig. 1) and point the telescope at an easy-to-find land object (e.g., the top of a telephone pole or sign). Turn the focuser knob (1, Fig. 1) to focus the image in the eyepiece. Center the object precisely. Re-tighten the tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1) and the Altitude lock (10, Fig. 1) so that the telescope does not move during the procedure. Rotate the intensity knob to turn the red dot viewfinder On (rotate the knob to change the intensity of the red dot; see Fig. 13). Looking through the viewfinder. Turn the viewfinders two alignment screws (8, Fig. 1) until the viewfinders red dot points precisely at the same object as centered in the eyepiece. The red dot viewfinder is now aligned to the main telescope. Check this alignment on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and make any necessary refinements.

Fig. 12: Connect Autostar to the HBX port.

Intensity Slider

Choosing an Eyepiece
A telescopes eyepiece magnifies the light gathered by the optical tube. Each eyepiece has a focal length, expressed in millimeters, or mm. The smaller the focal length, the higher the magnification. For example, an eyepiece with a focal length of 9mm has a higher magnification than an eyepiece with a focal length of 25mm. Your telescope comes supplied with a low-powered 25mm or 26mm eyepiece which gives a wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution. Always begin your observations with this eyepiece. Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and eye relief during long observing sessions. After an object is located and centered in the eyepiece, try switching to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image.
NOTE: Viewing conditions vary from night-to-night and from site-to-site. Turbulence in
Fig. 13: To change the red dot's brightness intensity, rotate the intensity knob.
the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an image appears fuzzy and ill-defined, return to a lower power eyepiece for a more well-resolved image.
The power, or magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used. To calculate eyepiece power, divide the telescope's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length. For example, you may wish to use a 25mm eyepiece with the DS-2000 model DS-2114S. Look up the focal length of the DS-2114S under SPECIFICATIONS: DS-2114S, page 32. The focal length is listed as 1000mm. Telescope focal length divided by Eyepiece focal length = Eyepiece power = 40 The eyepiece power, or magnification is therefore 40X (approximately).
NEVER point the telescope directly at or near the Sun at any time! Observing the Sun, even for the smallest fraction of a second, will result in instant and irreversible eye damage, as well as physical damage to the telescope itself.

DS-2000 TIPS

Too Much Power?
Can you ever have too much power? If youre referring to eyepiece power (magnification), yes, you can! The most common beginners mistake is to overpower a telescope by using too high of a magnification, which the telescopes aperture and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support. Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and wellresolved image is far superior to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved (see below). Powers above 200X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions. Autostar can calculate the best eyepiece for you to use. Try out the Eyepiece Calc feature in the Utilities menu. Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the full range of reasonable magnifications possible with the DS-2000 telescopes. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 28.

Initializing Autostar

This section describes how to initialize Autostar. Perform this procedure the first time you use Autostar or after performing a RESET (see RESET, page 27). 1. 2.
Fig. 17: Altitude lock and setting circle.
Tighten Locks: Tighten the Altitude lock (10, Fig. 1) and tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1). Plug in Autostar: Make sure the telescope power switch is in the OFF position. Plug Autostar into the HBX port of the Control Panel. Turn on Autostar: Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position. Sun Warning: A message displays that warns you not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message, press the key prompted by Autostar to signify that the message has been read and understood. Bypass Getting Started: The Getting Started menu displays a scrolling message. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 2) to bypass the Help tutorial. Daylight Savings Time: The next screen requests the status of Daylight Savings Time. Press one of the Scroll keys to toggle between the YES/NO settings. When the desired setting displays, press ENTER.
NOTE: When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the current option
DEFINITION: Initialization is a procedure that ensures that Autostar operates correctly. When you first use Autostar, it doesn't yet know where the observation location site is. During the procedure, you will enter the observation location. Autostar uses this information to precisely calculate the location of celestial objects (such as stars and planets) and to move your telescope correctly for various operations.
is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing Arrow (>).
7. Set Your Location or Zip Code: The Location screen displays. This screen asks you if you wish to choose either the zip code of your observing location or the location (i.e.,entering the city and state or country of your observing location). Press Up to select the zip code option or down to enter the city and state. Note: The location settings (country/state/province and city, or zip code) are only asked for the first time you turn on the control panel. If you wish to change this setting later on, use the Site menu. See SITE, pages 26 and 27, for more information. If you chose the zip code option, the leftmost 0 is highlighted. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the digits. When you reach the desired number, use the Right Arrow key to move to the next digit position. Repeat this process until all 5 digits of your zip code are entered. Press ENTER. If you chose the location option, the next screen asks for the country or state/province (listed alphabetically) of the observing site.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Autostar requests the Zip Code or Country/State, City, and Telescope Model information only the first time Autostar is activated. If you wish to change this information, use the "Site" and "Telescope Model" options in the Setup menu. See pages 27 and 26 for more information.

2. Secondary mirror-vane adjustments: If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 27) is left or right of center within the drawtube (2, Fig. 27), slightly loosen the 3-vane adjustment/lock knobs (1, Fig. 24) located on the outside surface of the main tube and slide the entire secondary mirror-holder system up or down in the slotted holes of the main tube until the secondary mirror is centered in the drawtube. If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 27) is above- or below-center within the drawtube, Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

Fig. 23.

Fig. 25.

Fig. 24.

Fig. 26.

Fig. 27.

Fig. 28.

Fig. 29.

thread inward one of the adjustment/lock knobs (1, Fig. 24) while unthreading another of these knobs. Only make adjustments to two knobs at a time until the secondary mirror appears as in Fig. 28. 3. Secondary mirror-holder adjustments: If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 28) is centered in the focuser drawtube (2, Fig. 28), but the primary mirror is only partially visible in the reflection (3, Fig. 28), the three + (Phillips head) secondary mirror-tilt screws (2, Fig. 24) should be slightly unthreaded to the point where the secondary mirror-holder (3, Fig. 24) can rotate about its axis parallel to the main tube. Grasp the secondary mirror-holder (avoid touching the mirror surface!) with your hand and rotate it until, looking through the drawtube, you can see the primary mirror centered as well as possible in the reflection of the secondary mirror. With the rotation of the secondary mirror-holder at this best-possible position, thread in the three Phillips head screws (2, Fig. 24) to lock the rotational position. Then, if necessary, make adjustments to these three Phillips head screws to refine the tilt-angle of the secondary mirror, until the entire primary mirror can be seen centered within the secondary mirrors reflection. With the secondary mirror thus aligned the image through the drawtube appears as in Fig. 29. 4. Primary mirror adjustments: If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 29) and the reflection of the primary mirror (2, Fig. 29) appear centered within the drawtube (3, Fig. 29), but the reflection of your eye and the reflection of the secondary mirror (4, Fig. 29) appear off-center, then the primary mirror tilt requires adjusting, using the Phillips head screws of the primary mirror cell (3, Fig. 25). These primary mirror-tilt screws are located behind the primary mirror, at the lower end of the main tube. See Fig. 25. Before adjusting the primary mirror-tilt screws, first unscrew by several turns (use either a hex wrench or pliers) the three hex-head primary mirror lock screws (2, Fig. 25) which are also located on the rear surface of the primary mirror cell and which alternate around the cells circumference with the three Phillips head screws. Then by trial and error turn the primary mirror Phillips head tilt screws (3, Fig. 25) until you develop a feel for which way to turn each screw to center the reflection of your eye in the drawtube. (An assistant is helpful in this operation.) With your eye centered as shown in Fig. 26, turn the three hex head primary mirror lock screws (2, Fig. 25) to re-lock the tilt-angle of the primary mirror. The telescopes optical system is now aligned, or collimated. This collimation should be rechecked from time to time, with small adjustments (per steps 1, 2, and/or 3, above) effected as required to keep the optics well-aligned.

North Celestial Pole (Vicinity of Polaris) +90 Dec. Star

ation clin De

Earths Rotation
Right Ascension South Celestial Pole

Celestial Equator 0 Dec.

-90 Dec.
Fig. 30: Celestial Sphere.
The celestial map also contains two poles and an equator just like a map of the Earth. The poles of this coordinate system are defined as those two points where the Earths north and south poles (i.e., the Earth's axis), if extended to infinity, would cross the celestial sphere. Thus, the North Celestial Pole (1, Fig. 30) is that point in the sky where an extension of the North Pole intersects the celestial sphere. This point in the sky is located very near the North Star, Polaris. The celestial equator (2, Fig. 30) is a projection of the Earths equator onto the celestial sphere. So just as an object's position on the Earths surface can be located by its latitude and longitude, celestial objects may also be located using Right Ascension and Declination. For example, you could locate Los Angeles, California, by its latitude (+34) and longitude (118). Similarly, you could locate the constellation Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) by its Right Ascension (11hr) and its Declination (+50). Right Ascension (R.A.): This celestial version of longitude is measured in units of hours (hr), minutes (min) and seconds (sec) on a 24-hour "clock" (similar to how Earth's time zones are determined by longitude lines). The "zero" line was arbitrarily chosen to pass through the constellation Pegasus a sort of cosmic Greenwich meridian. R.A. coordinates range from 0hr 0min 0sec to 23hr 59min 59sec. There are 24 primary lines of R.A., located at 15-degree intervals along the celestial equator. Objects located further and further East of the zero R.A. grid line (0hr 0min 0sec) carry higher R.A. coordinates. Declination (Altitude): This celestial version of latitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds (e.g., 15 27' 33"). Dec. locations north of the celestial equator are indicated with a plus (+) sign (e.g., the Dec. of the North celestial pole is +90). Dec. locations south of the celestial equator are indicated with a minus () sign (e.g., the Dec. of the South celestial pole is 90). Any point on the celestial equator (such as the the constellations of Orion, Virgo, and Aquarius) is said to have a Declination of zero, shown as 0 0' 0."
Locating the Celestial Pole
To get basic bearings at an observing location, take note of where the Sun rises (East) and sets (West) each day. After the site is dark, face North by pointing your left shoulder toward where the Sun set. To precisely point at the pole, find the North Star (Polaris) by using the Big Dipper as a guide (Fig. 31).

3. 4. 5.

To GO TO a user-entered object: In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO the object. 1. 2. 3. 4. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object: Select" displays. Press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

APPENDIX C

Observing Satellites
In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Go to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER. "Calculating." and then "Tracking." displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass, "Located" displays. Use the Scroll keys to display data about the pass: aos acquisition of signal and los loss of signal. If you subtract the aos from the los, you can calculate how long the satellite will be visible. Location information also displays. "Alarm" displays after the location information. Press ENTER and Autostar automatically sets the alarm to sound a minute before the satellite's scheduled appearance. You may return to regular observations until the alarm goes off. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until the desired satellite is on the top line of the display. Press GO TO. Autostar slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear. The motor drive stops and a countdown is displayed.
NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a building, tree, or hill), press ENTER and Autostar starts to move the telescope along the expected satellite track. When the track clears the obstruction, press ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue with this procedure.
9. With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through the telescope viewfinder for the satellite to enter the field of view.
10. When the satellite enters the viewfinder field of view, press ENTER. The telescope starts to track with the satellite. 11. Use the Autostar Arrow keys to center the object in the viewfinder, then look through the eyepiece to view the object. Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade website (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to download this data to Autostar. If orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by Autostar. Downloading requires the optional #506 AstroFinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 28.

NOTE: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low orbit, travelling at approximately 17,500 mph. When visible, they move quickly across the sky and are only in the field of view for a few minutes, requiring Autostar to slew the telescope rapidly. Best viewing is near Sunrise or Sunset when the sky is still dark. Viewing in the middle of the night can be problematic because the satellite may pass overhead, but not be visible as it is in the Earth's shadow.

APPENDIX D

Training the Drive
Train the telescope motors using Autostar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 32 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
exercise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy.
Verify that AUTOSTAR INITIALIZATION is complete. Press MODE until Select Item is displayed.
Press > until it is centered
This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If you are interested in pursuing further studies, a few topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on. Try looking up some of these topics in the Autostar glossary. Also below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organizations that you might find helpful. Topics 1. 2. How is a star born? How does a solar system form? How is the distance to a star measured? What is a light year? What is red shift and blue shift? 3. How are the craters on our Moon formed? How old is the Moon and Earth? How old is the Sun? 4. What is a black hole? A neutron star? 5. What are stars made of? Why are stars different colors? What is a white dwarf? A red giant? Have we ever seen the surface of a star besides our own Sun? 6. What is a nova? A supernova? 7. What are comets? Minor planets? Meteors? Meteor showers? Where do they come from? 8. What is a planetary nebula? A globular cluster? 9. What is the Big Bang? Is the universe expanding or contracting, or does it always remain the same? What is dark matter? 10. What is an extrasolar planet? What is an accretion (or protoplanetary) disk? 11. What is the difference between an elliptical, a spiral, and an irregular galaxy? Books 1. 2. 3. 4. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton and Philip Teece The Sky: A Users Guide by David Levy Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davis Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael Covington

Select Item Object

Scope slews left. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Right Arrow key.
3 Press < until it is centered 13
Press the scroll up key once.

Select Item Setup

ENTER menu.
Scope slews right. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Left Arrow key.

Access the Setup

Telescope Mounting A mount allows a telescope to move on its axes. All DS-2000 telescopes use an Altazimuth mounting. The Electronic Controller is factory pre-set to the Alt/Az mode. Altazimuth (Alt/Az) mounting permits movement of the telescope tube in vertical (altitude) and horizontal (azimuth) directions, and is ideal for terrestrial applications and for casual astronomical observation. The Electronic Controller Arrow keys permit pushbutton movements (slewing) of the telescope. To manually track objects with the telescope in the Altazimuth configuration, press the Arrow
Slew Speeds The Electronic Controller has four slew speeds that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate (see page 15 for more information). Press the Speed key to change the slew speed. Note each slew speed corresponds to one of the four LED's of the Electronic Controller. Light 1 (top LED): The fastest speed. Use to move the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another. Light 2: Best for centering an object in the viewfinder. Light 3: Best for centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate-power eyepiece, such as the standard SP 26mm. Light 4: The slowest speed. Use to center an object in the field of view of high-power eyepieces, such as a 9mm eyepiece. The four available speeds are: Light 1 = 1200 x sidereal (300 arc-min/sec or 5/sec) Light 2 = 180 x sidereal (45 arc-min/sec or 0.75/sec) Light 3 = 32 x sidereal (8 arc-min/sec or 0.13/sec) Light 4 = 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.034/sec) The two slowest speeds (8x and 32x sidereal) can be used for pushbutton (manual) tracking of astronomical objects while observing through the eyepiece. To move the telescope using the Electronic Controller: 1. Set the telescope on a level surface. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Insert a low-power eyepiece (e.g., 25mm) into the eyepiece holder (2, Fig. 1) or diagonal prism (3, Fig. 1) and tighten the eyepiece thumbscrew. Tighten the Altitude lock (10, Fig. 1) and the tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1), if necessary. Verify that the power switch (C, Fig. 1c) on the telescopes Computer Control panel is OFF. Plug in the Electronic Controller coil cord (4, Fig. 33) to the HBX port (A, Fig. 1c) on the Computer Control panel. Flip the power switch to ON. The power indicator (B, Fig. 1c) on the Computer Control panel lights and all four speed indicators (2, Fig. 33) blink rapidly. Press any key on the Electronic Controller and the telescope slews momentarily in the vertical and horizontal directions to test the motors. When the test is complete, light 1 remains on; lights 2, 3, and 4 turn off. Use the four Arrow keys (1, Fig. 33) to slew the telescope to the desired object. To change the slew speed, press the SPEED key.

10. Fine-adjust the position of the object with the Electronic Controller Arrow keys so that it is centered in the viewfinder. The object is now ready to be viewed through the telescopes eyepiece.
Optional #494 Autostar Computer Controller for DS-2000EC Users
One of the most important advances in telescope control in the past 25 years, the Meade #494 Autostar Computer Controller turns your DS-2000EC model into an automatic celestial object locating system. Just plug Autostar into the telescopes HBX port in place of the standard-equipment Electronic Controller, do a quick telescope alignment, and you are ready to observe any object in the Autostars 1400-object database. Best of all, the Meade Autostar is easy to use. Even the most novice observer will locate dozens of fascinating celestial objects the very first night out. Study Saturn and its ring system; the primary cloud belts of Jupiter as well as its four major satellites; the moon-like phases of Mercury and Venus; prominent features on Mars. The Moon stands out in stark, almost three-dimensional detail craters, mountain ranges, and fault lines. In our galaxy, the telescope displays hundreds of nebulae, star clusters, double and multiple stars, and variable stars plus dozens of external galaxies in all their variation of form and structure. Any of Autostars database objects can be called up and entered on the hand controller display in seconds. The observer then simply presses the GO TO pushbutton and watches as the telescope automatically slews to the object and places it in the field of view. Autostar moves the telescope to automatically track (follow) the object across the sky. Autostar brings into easy access objects that were previously unreachable for all but the most dedicated of amateur astronomers.

BASIC ASTRONOMY

In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your DS-2000 model, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind thinks about the universe. Imagine what it must have been like being the first human to see moons revolve around the planet Jupiter or to see the changing phases of Venus! Because of his observations, Galileo correctly realized Earth's movement and position around the Sun, and in doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy. Yet Galileo's telescope was so crude, he could not clearly make out the rings of Saturn. Galileo's discoveries laid the foundation for understanding the motion and nature of the planets, stars, and galaxies. Building on his foundation, Henrietta Leavitt determined how to measure the distance to stars, Edwin Hubble gave us a glimpse into the possible origin of the universe, Albert Einstein unraveled the crucial relationship of time and light, and 21st-century astronomers are currently discovering planets around stars outside our solar system. Almost daily, using sophisticated successors to Galileo's telescope, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Telescope, more and more mysteries of the universe are being probed and understood. We are living in the golden age of astronomy. Unlike other sciences, astronomy welcomes contributions from amateurs. Much of the knowledge we have on subjects such as comets, meteor showers, variable stars, the Moon, and our solar system comes from observations made by amateur astronomers. So as you look through your Meade DS-2000 telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far morea window through which the beating heart of the universe might be observed. Autostar Glossary Be sure to make use of Autostars Glossary feature. The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions of common astronomical terms. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in Autostar. See GLOSSARY MENU, page 24, for more information. Objects in Space Listed below are some of the many astronomical objects that can be seen with the DS-2000 Series Telescope: The Moon The Moon is, on average, a distance of 239,000 miles (380,000km) from Earth and is best observed during its crescent or half phase when Sunlight strikes the Moons surface at an angle. It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view (Fig. 34). No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the overly bright Moon to appear flat and rather uninteresting through the telescope. Be sure to use a neutral Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it protect your eyes from the bright glare of the Moon, but it also helps enhance contrast, providing a more dramatic image.

Fig. 36: Saturn has the most extensive ring structure in our Solar System.
Fig. 37: The Pleiades is one of the most beautiful open clusters.
Stars are large gaseous objects that are self-illuminated by nuclear fusion in their core. Because of their vast distances from our solar system, all stars appear as pinpoints of light, irrespective of the size of the telescope used. Nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust where stars are formed. Most impressive of these is the Great Nebula in Orion (M42), a diffuse nebula that appears as a faint wispy gray cloud. M42 is 1600 light years from Earth. Open Clusters are loose groupings of young stars, all recently formed from the same diffuse nebula. The Pleiades is an open cluster 410 light years away (Fig. 37). Constellations are large, imaginary patterns of stars believed by ancient civilizations to be the celestial equivalent of objects, animals, people, or gods. These patterns are too large to be seen through a telescope. To learn the constellations, start with an easy grouping of stars, such as the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Then, use a star chart to explore across the sky. Galaxies are large assemblies of stars, nebulae, and star clusters that are bound by gravity. The most common shape is spiral (such as our own Milky Way), but galaxies can also be elliptical, or even irregular blobs. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest spiral-type galaxy to our own. This galaxy appears fuzzy and cigar-shaped. It is 2.2 million light years away in the constellation Andromeda, located between the large W of Cassiopeia and the great square of Pegasus.

MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY

Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (Meade) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 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. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is non-transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors. RGA Number Required: Prior to the return of any product or part, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number must be obtained from Meade by writing, or calling (800) 626-3233. Each returned part or product must include a written statement detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owners name, address, and phone number. This warranty is not valid in cases where the product has been abused or mishandled, where unauthorized repairs have been attempted or performed, or where depreciation of the product is due to normal wear-and-tear. Meade specifically disclaims special, indirect, or consequential damages or lost profit which may result from a breach of this warranty. Any implied warranties which cannot be disclaimed are hereby limited to a term of one year from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state. Meade reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without notice. This warranty supercedes all previous Meade product warranties.

Top line: Lists the primary category or menu item. Bottom line: Contains a menu option or information about an object or subject, depending on which function is being performed.
d MODE Key: Returns to the previous menu or data level in the Autostar database until the
top level, Select Item," is reached. The MODE key is similar to the ESCAPE key on a computer. NOTE: Pressing MODE while in the Select Item level moves Autostar to the topmost screen: Select Item: Object. NOTE: If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, information about the telescope's status is then available using the Scroll keys (7, Fig. 2), such as: Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical) coordinates (see page 16) Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST), Timer and Alarm Status Press MODE again to return to the previous menu.
e GO TO Key: Slews (moves) the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected f Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left, and right), at any
one of nine different speeds. Speed selection is explained in SLEW SPEEDS, page 16. The following functions are also available with the Arrow keys: Data Entry: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. The Down Arrow key starts with the letter "A" and the Up Arrow key starts with the digit "9." The Left and Right Arrow keys are used to move the blinking cursor left and right across the LCD display. object. While the telescope is slewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object.
DEFINITION: Throughout this manual, you will notice the term "Alt/Az." Alt/Az is frequently used to refer to Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal). Alt/Az is just one of many methods used by amateur astronomers to help locate stars in the night sky.
g h Scroll Keys: Accesses database options within a selected menu. The menu is displayed
The Scroll keys also scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. NOTE: The Scroll Down key and the Down Arrow key move forward through the alphabet & digits (A to Z, 0 to 9). The Scroll Up key and the Up Arrow key move backward (Z to A, 9 to 0). Common symbols are also available in the list. ? Key: Accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active. Hold down the ? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details of Autostar functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an on-screen instruction manual.

Your telescope comes supplied with a low-powered 26mm eyepiece which gives a wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution. Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and eye relief during long observing sessions. To find an object with a telescope, always start with a lower power eyepiece such as a 26mm. 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 seeing conditions.
NOTE: Viewing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-to-site. Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an image appears fuzzy and ill-defined, back off to a lower power eyepiece for a more well-resolved image. Fig. 14: Location of telescope eyepiece.
The power, or magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used. To calculate eyepiece power, divide the telescope's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length. For example, you may wish to use a 26mm eyepiece with the DSX-125. Look up the focal length of the DSX-125 under "Specifications: DSX-125," page 39. The focal length is listed as 1900mm. Telescope focal length divided by Eyepiece focal length = Eyepiece power = 73 The eyepiece power, or magnification is therefore 73X (approximately).

DSX TIPS Too Much Power?

Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power youre referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes, you can! The most common mistake of the beginning observer is to overpower a telescope by using high magnifications which the telescopes aperture and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support. Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and well-resolved image is far superior to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved (see below). Powers above 200X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions. Autostar can calculate the best eyepiece for you to use. Try out the Eyepiece Calc feature in the Utilities menu. Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the full range of reasonable magnifications possible with the DSX telescopes. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 37.

Fig. 15a & 15b: Jupiter; example of too much magnification.

OBSERVING

Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually
If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Loosen the telescopes tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) and Altitude lock (B, Fig. 1b). Move your telescope to observe distant street signs, mountains, trees, and other structures. Use your viewfinder to help site-in on an object. Center the object in the viewfinders crosshairs and then in the telescope eyepiece. When the object is centered in your eyepiece, remember to re-tighten the base and Altitude locks. Practice focusing objects with the focus knob (1, Fig. 1d). Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view something more challenging, like a bird or a distant moving train.
You can also observe stars and objects in the night sky using this method, but note that objects begin to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by the rotation of the Earth. As you become familiar with the Autostar handbox operation, you can counteract the drift using the automatic tracking feature in the Autostar Setup menu (see TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 16), or by using Autostar's GO TO capabilities (see GO TO SATURN, page 20).

Terrestrial Observing

DSX Series Telescopes are excellent high-resolution, terrestrial (land) telescopes. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. These heat waves often cause degradation of image quality. Lower power eyepieces, such as a 26mm eyepiece, magnify these heat waves less than higher power eyepieces. Therefore, lower power eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image is fuzzy or ill-defined, reduce to a lower power eyepiece, where the heat waves do not have such an effect on image quality. Observing in early morning hours, before the ground has built up internal heat, produces better viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours.
Observing Using Autostar's Arrow Keys
You may observe land and astronomical objects using Autostar's Arrow keys to move the telescope. 1. 2. 3. Make sure that the Altitude locks (B, Fig. 1b) and tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) are secured as described on page 11. Verify that Autostar is properly connected to your telescope. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR

TELESCOPE, page 11.

Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position. The Autostar screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short beep. Then Autostar takes a few moments to start up the system.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message, press the key prompted by Autostar to signify that the message has been read and understood. The Arrow keys are now activated. Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. Press the SPEED/? key (8, Fig. 2) to change the telescopes slew speed. See SLEW
SPEEDS, page 16, for more information.
Use the viewfinder (6, Fig. 1d) to locate an object and practice using the Autostars Arrow keys to center the object in the telescope eyepiece's field of view. Use the telescopes focus knob (1, Fig. 1a) to bring the object into focus.
NOTE: Do not look through the telescope's eyepiece or viewfinder while it is rapidly moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing. TIP: When a message is scrolling across the display, press and hold the Up Arrow key to increase the scrolling speed or press and hold the Down Arrow key to decrease the scrolling speed.

Slew Speeds

Autostar has nine slew speeds that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate (see TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY below for a definition of "sidereal rate") and have been calculated to accomplish specific functions. Pressing the SPEED/? key changes the slew speed, which is shown for about two seconds on Autostars display. The nine available speeds are:

s s s s s s s s s

Speed 1 Speed 2 Speed 3 Speed 4 Speed 5 Speed 6 Speed 7 Speed 8 Speed 9

= = = = = = = = =

2x = 8x = 16x = 32x = 64x =
2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008/sec) 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033/sec) 16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067/sec) 32 x sidereal (8 arc-min/sec or 0.13/sec) 64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27/sec)
0.5 = 120 x sidereal (30 arc-min/sec or 0.5/sec) 1/s = 240 x sidereal (60 arc-min/sec or 1/sec) 2/s = 480 x sidereal (120 arc-min/sec or 2/sec) Max = (Maximum speed possible, dependent on battery power)

This exercise shows how to select a celestial object (Saturn) for viewing from Autostars database. NOTE: Saturn is not visible all the time and you may need to choose another object from Autostar's Object database; however, the procedure, as described below, remains the same; just choose a different object in step #3. After the telescope is aligned, Select Item: Object displays. Press ENTER. Object: Solar System displays. Press ENTER. Solar System: Mercury displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until Solar System: Saturn displays. Press ENTER. Calculating displays. Then Saturn and a set of coordinates displays. Note that Saturns (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 automatically moves the telescope so that it "tracks" Saturn (or whatever other object you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece.

1 2. 3. 4. 5.

Take a Guided Tour
This example demonstrates using Tonights Best Guided Tour. 1. 2. 3. After observing Saturn, press MODE twice so that Select Item: Object displays again. Press the Scroll Down key twice. Select Item: Guided Tour displays. Press ENTER. Guided Tour: Tonights Best displays. Press ENTER. NOTE: If you wish to try out 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. Tonights Best: Searching. displays. After calculating, Tonights Best: Jupiter displays. NOTE: Different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night. Press ENTER to display information about the object. Press GO TO to move the telescope to the object. Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll keys to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe. Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to exit the Guided Tour menu.

BASIC AUTOSTAR OPERATION

Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the alarm set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the alarm. When the alarm time arrives, Autostar beeps. Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm.
Eyepiece Calc calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope to which Autostar is connected.
Field of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the field of view is calculated. Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the magnification is calculated. Suggest: Autostar calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the telescope and the object being viewed.
Display Options enables or disables Autostars two initial displays. If both displays are disabled, Autostar begins with the Date display.
Sun Warning: Turns the Sun Warning message on or off. Getting Started: Turns the Getting Started message on or off.
Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER. Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER. NOTE: This feature is usually only required in very cold weather. Landmark Survey automatically slews the telescope to all user-defined landmarks with a short pause at each location. Press ENTER to start the survey. While a slew is in progress, press any key to skip that object and go to the next landmark on the list. To observe a landmark for a longer period, press MODE when paused on the object to stop the survey. Press ENTER to restart the survey at the first object on the list. See LANDMARKS, page 34. Sleep Scope is a power saving option that shuts down Autostar and the telescope without forgetting its alignment. With "Sleep Scope" selected, press ENTER to activate the Sleep function. Autostar goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key, except ENTER, to re-activate Autostar and the telescope. Park Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next time it is powered up, enter the correct date and time no alignment is required. Pressing ENTER causes the telescope to move to its pre-determined Park position. Once parked, the screen prompts to turn off power. IMPORTANT NOTE: When the "Park Scope" option is chosen and the display prompts you to turn off the telescope's power, Autostar is unable to be returned to operation without turning the power off and then back on. 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 tangled as the telescope slews to objects. "Off" is the default setting.

Tracking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky. Sidereal: The default setting for Autostar; sidereal rate is the standard rate at which stars move from East to West across the sky due to the rotation of the Earth. b. Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observing sessions. c. Custom: Allows entry of user-defined tracking rates. Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys (i.e., the Right key moves the telescope to the left). Reverse UP/DOWN: Reverses the functions of the Up and Down Arrow keys (i.e., the Up key moves the telescope down). Calibrate Motor: If the telescope motors appear to have a problem, use this option to retest the motors before performing a Reset. This option is also used if an Autostar unit is moved between telescopes, to match Autostar to the new telescope. To calibrate the motors, select this option and press ENTER. High Precision: If High Precision is turned on, when looking for a faint celestial object (i.e., a nebula or galaxy), Autostar first slews to a nearby bright star and displays "ENTER to Sync." Center the star in the eyepiece, then press ENTER. At that point the telescope has a high precision alignment to that part of the sky and it then slews to the object that was originally requested. a.
Targets switches between Astronomical targets and Terrestrial targets. If "Astronomical" is selected, the telescope tracking motor is activated and any object you observe will remain centered in the eyepiece. If "Terrestrial" is selected, the tracking motor is turned off. To learn how to track an object automatically, see page 18. Site provides access to several options including: s Select: Displays the currently selected observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through all available sites (see ADD below). Press ENTER when the site you wish to select displays. Use this option when you move to a different geographic location.
Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database (up to six sites may be stored). Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to add displays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner. Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database. Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, England use - hours, East of Greenwich use + hours. For the United States, look up the time zone shift in table above. NOTE: Autostar compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See SETUP

MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, page 27.
Time Zone Atlantic Eastern Central Mountain Pacific Hawaii
Shift -4 Hours -5 Hours -6 Hours -7 Hours -8 Hours -10 Hours
Table 1: Time Zone Shift.
Owner Info accesses the owner information menu, including: s Name: Users may enter both their first and last names using the Up and Down Arrow keys to cycle through the alphabet. Use the Right and Left Arrow keys to move through the text. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.
Address: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter your street address, city, state, and zip code. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.
Download transfers information from a personal computer or another Autostar. During the operation, the warning Downloading Do Not Turn Off appears. NOTE: The Download function requires the optional #505 Astrofinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See the instruction sheet included with the kit for more information on how to download. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 37. Clone uploads information from one Autostar handbox to another. Three options are available: s Catalogs: Sends only user-defined object information, such as new satellite orbits or comet data to another Autostar handbox.
Software: Sends only the basic Autostar software. This is useful if one user has downloaded a new version of Autostar software from the Meade website (www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends. All: Everythinguser-defined information and Autostar softwareis sent to another Autostar.
Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including: s Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined object memory.
Version: Shows the current version of the Autostar software.
Reset completely resets Autostar. Most values entered into the menus revert to factory defaults. Autostar requires initialization again after a Reset before proceeding with observations. See INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17.
ADVANCED AUTOSTAR FEATURES
Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic operations of Autostar described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of Autostar 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 Autostar and have placed the telescope in the "Home" position (when appropriate).

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Time Zone Atlantic Eastern Central Mountain Pacific Hawaii Shift -4 Hours -5 Hours -6 Hours -7 Hours -8 Hours -10 Hours

7. 8. 9.

How to Create Your Own Guided Tour
When a Guided Tour is selected, Autostar slews your telescope to a predetermined list of objects and displays information about each object, such as type of object, constellation location, R.A. and Dec coordinates, and so forth. Autostar contains a few Guided Tours which are programmed at the factory. But it is also possible for an observer to create a custom Guided Tour. A tour is basically an ASCII text file that contains a list of directions and descriptions. Each line of a tour is either a comment line, a command line, or a description. What you will need: A PC with text editor or word processing software installed (the tour must be saved as a "text only" or as a "MS-DOS text" file). The Meade #505 Cable Connector Kit to download tour information to the Autostar handbox.
Tour Modes The objects chosen for a tour list are selected from Autostar's database or by entering the object's RA and Dec coordinates. The tour is presented in one of two modes: Automatic Mode: The title of an object appears on first line and descriptive text scrolls on line 2. Interactive Mode: Tour name appears on the first line of the Autostar display and the name of the object displays on line 2. To display descriptive text in this mode, the user must press ENTER. Comment Line Information in the Tour program that is not displayed, such as authorship, revision history, copyrights, etc. All comments begin with a "/" character in column 1 of the line. For example: / Extreme Objects / (c) 2000 Meade Instruments Corporation Command Line This line contains programming commands, including: RA and DEC coordinates, a title string, a description string, and a keyword. RA: Enter the Right Ascension of an object in the following format: HH:MM:SS. Eg., 18:51:05 Dec: Enter the Declination of an object in the following format: DDdMMmSSs. Eg., 06d16m00s Title String: Text within a title string is displayed as the title of the object. A title string can contain up to 16 characters and must be surrounded by quotation marks. For example. "M64" or "My Favorite Star." In Interactive Mode, the title string appears on line 2 until it is selected with the ENTER key. In Automatic Mode, or after Interactive Mode selection, the title string appears on line 1 while the description scrolls across line 2. Keywords: Action to be performed during a tour. Autostar recognizes the following keywords: TITLE IC PLANET COMET CONSTELLATION PICK ONE/PICK END TEXT SAO MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE STAR AUTO SLEW ON/OFF USER MESSIER SATELLITE METEOR SHOWER LANDMARK #END NGC CALDWELL ASTEROID DEEP SKY DEFINE

students would have to manually slew to the last two objects. He would then place AUTO SLEW ON before his first required object and AUTO SLEW OFF after the fourth object. #END To end a tour, type the command #END on a separate line at the very end of the tour. Downloading Tours Once a tour is written and stored as an ASCII file (saved either as a "text only" or "MS DOS text" file), load it into Autostar using the Autostar Update Utility on your PC. As tours are downloaded into the handbox, Autostar examines the programming. If it doesn't understand the terminology used within a tour, it flags questionable areas and displays them in a pop-up window on your computer screen. Make the necessary corrections and try to download again. See the instruction sheet with your #505 Cable Connector Kit for more information about downloading data to and interfacing with Autostar.

Landmarks

This menu option allows you to define and store terrestrial objects in the Landmark database. First, a landmark needs to be stored in memory using the "Landmark: Add" option. To view a landmark, use the "Landmark: Select" option. Landmarks may also be viewed using the "Landmark Survey" option in the Utilities menu. To Add a landmark to the database: In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial landmarks in Autostar's memory. 1. Set the telescope in the home position, if necessary. Note for future reference where the telescope is located and if you have aligned the telescope, which alignment method is used. IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the database. 2. Display the "Setup: Targets" menu option. Chose "Terrestrial" and press ENTER. "Setup: Targets" displays again. Choosing this option turns off tracking for astronomical objects and is not useful for the viewing of terrestrial objects such as those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to "Astronomical" when you wish to view celestial objects again. Press MODE once. "Select Item: Setup" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once and "Select Item: Object" displays. Press ENTER. "Object: Solar System" displays. Press the Scroll Up key twice and "Object: Landmarks" displays. Press ENTER. "Landmark: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Landmark: Add" displays. Press ENTER. "Landmark Name" displays. Using Arrow keys, enter a name for the landmark you wish to add to the database. When finished, press ENTER. "Center Landmark. Press Enter" displays. Using only the Arrow keys (do not manually move the telescope), move the telescope to the desired landmark and center the object in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. The object is now stored in memory. "Landmark: Add" displays. If you wish to add more landmarks, repeat steps 5 through 7.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

To Select a landmark from the database: 1. Make sure the telescope is located and aligned exactly as when the desired landmark was entered into memory. 2. Display the "Landmark: Select" menu option. Press ENTER.
Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of objects you have previously entered. When the desired object displays, press ENTER to select the object. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through location information about the object, if desired. Press GO TO to slew the telescope to the landmark. Press MODE to exit.
To perform a Landmark Survey This procedure allows you to perform a tour of the objects entered in the "Object: Landmark" menu optionnote that the Landmark Survey will function only if you have previously entered objects in the Landmark menu. 1. Navigate to "Utilities: Landmark Survey" menu and press ENTER. 2. 3. "Landmark Survey: Slewing." displays. The telescope moves to the first object on the Survey list and displays the name of the object. Press MODE to pause the Survey. Press ENTER to restart the survey at the first object of the survey.
To check on the available amount of memory in Autostar. Autostar has a limited amount of memory. Once you begin to store Landmarks, User Objects and other bits of information in Autostar, you will begin to use up memory. This procedure allows you to check on how much memory is still available. 1. 2. Navigate to the "Setup: Statistics" menu option and press ENTER. "Statistics: 37.2K Char. Free" displays. This is the amount of memory that is still available to the user.

Identify

This procedure allows you to use Autostar to identify objects you have found in the night sky using the Arrow keys. If the object is not in Autostar's database, Autostar displays information about an object in its database that is closest to the one you queried about. IMPORTANT NOTE: For this function to operate properly, you must first set the telescope in the home position and initialize Autostar. If you physically move the telescope after initialization, this function will fail to operate properly. In this procedure, you will center an object you wish to have identified by Autostar in the telescope eyepiece and use the "Identify" menu to find out information about the object or the nearest object to it in the Autostar database. 1. 2. 3. 4. Center the object you wish to have identified in the telescope's eyepiece. Navigate to the "Object: Identify" option and press ENTER. "Searching." displays. When Autostar finishes calculating, the name of the closest object displays. Press a Scroll key to display information about this object. Autostar displays some or all the following information about the object with each press of a Scroll key: Example: Messier 107, NGC6171, Orion Nebula, etc Globular Cluster, Nebula, Black Hole, etc. 16:32:4 1303' Virgo, Orion, etc. 3 2' "This Globular Cluster is 10,000 light years away."

3. 4. 5.

To GO TO a user-entered object: In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO the object. 1. 2. 3. 4. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object: Select" displays. Press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

APPENDIX C

Observing Satellites
In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Go to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER. "Calculating." and then "Tracking." displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass, "Located" displays. Use the Scroll keys to display data about the pass: aosacquisition of signal and los loss of signal. If you subtract the aos from the los, you can calculate how long the satellite will be visible. Location information also displays. "Alarm" displays after the location information. Press ENTER and Autostar automatically sets the alarm to sound a minute before the satellite's scheduled appearance. You may return to regular observations until the alarm goes off. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until the desired satellite is on the top line of the display. Press GO TO. Autostar slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear. The motor drive stops and a countdown is displayed. NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a building, tree, or hill), press ENTER and Autostar starts to move the telescope along the expected satellite track. When the track clears the obstruction, press ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue with this procedure. 9. With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through the telescope viewfinder for the satellite to enter the field of view.

10. When the satellite enters the viewfinder field of view, press ENTER. The telescope starts to track with the satellite. 11. Use the Autostar Arrow keys to center the object in the viewfinder, then look through the eyepiece to view the object. Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade website (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to download this data to Autostar. If orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by Autostar. Downloading requires the optional #506 AstroFinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 37. NOTE: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low orbit, travelling at approximately 17,500 mph. When visible, they move quickly across the sky and are only in the field of view for a few minutes, requiring Autostar to slew the telescope rapidly. Best viewing is near Sunrise or Sunset when the sky is still dark. Viewing in the middle of the night can be problematic because the satellite may pass overhead, but not be visible as it is in the Earth's shadow.

APPENDIX D

Training the Drive
Train the telescope motors using Autostar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 27 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
exercise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy.
Verify that AUTOSTAR INITIALIZATION is complete. Press MODE until Select Item is displayed.
Press > until it is centered

DS-2000 TIPS

Select Item Object
Scope slews left. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Right Arrow key.
3 Press < until it is centered 13
This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If you are interested in pursuing further studies, a few topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on. Try looking up some of these topics in the Autostar glossary. Also below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organizations that you might find helpful. Topics 1. 2. How is a star born? How does a solar system form? How is the distance to a star measured? What is a light year? What is red shift and blue shift? 3. How are the craters on our Moon formed? How old is the Moon and Earth? How old is the Sun? 4. What is a black hole? A neutron star? 5. What are stars made of? Why are stars different colors? What is a white dwarf? A red giant? Have we ever seen the surface of a star besides our own Sun? 6. What is a nova? A supernova? 7. What are comets? Minor planets? Meteors? Meteor showers? Where do they come from? 8. What is a planetary nebula? A globular cluster? 9. What is the Big Bang? Is the universe expanding or contracting, or does it always remain the same? What is dark matter? 10. What is an extrasolar planet? What is an accretion (or protoplanetary) disk? 11. What is the difference between an elliptical, a spiral, and an irregular galaxy? Books 1. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton and Philip Teece The Sky: A Users Guide by David Levy Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davis Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael Covington Sky & Telescope Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178 Astronomy Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187 Astronomical League Executive Secretary 5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012 The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112 The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106