User manual MEADE ETX-60AT

[. . . ] Instruction Manual ETX-60AT Astro Telescope with Autostar Hand Controller ETX-70AT Astro Telescope with Autostar Hand Controller Meade Instruments Corporation CONTENTS Quick-Start Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late. Meade® ETX® Telescope Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] · Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including: · Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined object memory. Autostar requires initialization again after a Reset before proceeding with observations. You also need to perform "TRAINING THE DRIVE, " page 35. 20 Autostar Menus ADVANCED FEATURES Terrestrial Observing The ETX-60AT and ETX-70AT make excellent high-resolution, terrestrial (land) telescopes. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. Low power eyepieces, like the MA 25mm eyepiece, magnify these heat waves less than higher power eyepieces. Therefore, low power eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image is fuzzy or illdefined, 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. Astronomical Observing Used as an astronomical instrument, your telescope has many optical and electromechanical capabilities. It is in astronomical applications where the high level of optical performance is readily visible. The range of observable astronomical objects is, with minor qualification, limited only by the observer's motivation. Sidereal Rate As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. If the telescope is aligned, the motor drive is designed to rotate the telescope at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks the stars. This tracking makes it easy to locate objects and keep them centered in the telescope's eyepiece. Alignment (Mount) The telescope's mount permits the movement of the telescope in both Altitude (vertically) and Azimuth (horizontally). In order to automatically track a celestial object, the mount must be properly aligned. Easy Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment is described on page 14. Alt/Az Alignment Fig. 12: Tripod set in Alt/Az Configuration on optional #882 tripod. One-Star Alt/AZ Alignment or Two-Star Alt/AZ Alignment allows you to choose the alignment stars during the alignment procedure. The stars are chosen from Autostar's database of alignment stars. The database displays after One-Star Alt/Az or Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment is selected. The term "Alt/Az. " is frequently used to refer to the Altitude or horizontal and Azimuth or vertical movements of the ETX-60AT and ETX-70AT telescopes. Other terms to describe a telescope's movement may be used with telescopes that have mounts different from the ETX-60AT and ETX-70AT. Alt/Az Home Position To set your telescope in the "Alt/Az" home position: North · Declination at 0° Set the telescope on a flat level surface, such as a tabletop, or by mount it on the optional #882 tripod Loosen the telescope's vertical lock (6, Fig. Level the optical tube by lining up 0° on the Dec setting circle (17, Fig. Learn the position of Polaris, the North Star, which lies due North (Fig. A small pocket compass may be useful Re-lock the horizontal lock (9, Fig. [. . . ] Extending directly out from the far side of the Big Dipper's cup is the constellation Orion. One of the most exquisite areas of the winter sky, Orion is distinguished by Orion's belt, which is marked by three stars in a row. The Orion Nebula is located South of the belt and is one of the most observed deep-sky objects by amateur astronomers. Extending from the "pointer stars" of the Big Dipper's cup is Polaris, the North Star. [. . . ]