Meade Telescope DSX Series User Manual

Instruction Manual

DSX Series

Altazimuth Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes

Meade Instruments Corporation

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CONTENTS

Quick-Start Guide .......................................................... 4

Telescope Features ...................................................... 7

Autostar Features .......................................................... 9

Getting Started ..............................................................11

Packing List ..............................................................11

How to Assemble Your Telescope ............................11

The Viewfinder ..........................................................12

Focusing the Viewfinder ......................................12

Aligning the Viewfinder ........................................13

Choosing an Eyepiece ............................................13

Observing ......................................................................15

Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually ........15

Terrestrial Observing ................................................15

Observing Using Autostar's Arrow Keys ..................15

Slew Speeds ............................................................16

Observe the Moon ....................................................16

Astronomical Observing............................................16

To Track an Object Automatically..............................16

Alt/Az Home Position ..........................................17

Moving Through Autostar’s Menus......................17

Initializing Autostar ..............................................17

Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking ..........18

Easy (Two-Star) Align ..............................................18

Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment ........................................20

One-Star Alt/Az Alignment ........................................20

Go To Saturn ............................................................20

Take a Guided Tour ..................................................20

Basic Autostar Operation................................................21

Autostar Navigation Exercise....................................21

Entering Numbers and Text into Autostar ................22

Navigating Autostar ..................................................22

Adjusting the Speed of a Scrolling Message ............22

Menus and Menu Options ..............................................23

Complete Autostar Menu Structure ..........................23

Object Menu..............................................................23

Event Menu ..............................................................24

Glossary Menu..........................................................25

Utilities Menu ............................................................25

Setup Menu ..............................................................26

Advanced Autostar Features ........................................30

Advanced Autostar Features..........................................29

Adding Observing Sites ............................................29

How to Create Your Own Guided Tour ....................31

Landmarks ................................................................34

Identify ......................................................................35

Browse ......................................................................36

Optional Accessories......................................................37

Caring for Your Telescope ............................................38

Meade Customer Service ........................................38

Specifications ................................................................39

Appendix A: Celestial Coordinates ................................40

Locating the Celestial Pole ......................................40

Appendix B: To Find Objects Not in the Database ........41

Appendix C: Observing Satellites ..................................42

Appendix D: Training the Drive ......................................43

WARNING!

Never use a Meade DSX™ Telescope to

look at the Sun! 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. Do not point the telescope or its

viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look

through the telescope or its viewfinder as it

is moving. Children should always have

adult supervision while observing.

CAUTION:

Use care to install batteries as indicated by

the battery compartment. Follow battery

manufacturer's precautions. Do not install

batteries backward 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.

If you are anxious to use your DSX

Telescope for the first time, before a

thorough reading of this instruction

manual, see the QUICK-START GUIDE on

page 4.

® The name “Meade,” the Meade logo and

“Autostar” are trademarks registered with the U.S.

Patent Office and in principal countries through-

"Easy Align" U.S. patent 6,392,799 and other

patents pending.

Intelligent Network Architecture to Facilitate

Parallel Task Management U.S. patent 6,304,376

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QUICK-START GUIDE

Mounting

Arm Shaft

Mounting

Plate

1. Open the tripod: Remove the tripod from the

giftbox and stand vertically. Gently pull the legs

apart to a fully open position. Turn the center

tripod lock knob to secure and stabilize the tripod.

Tighten to a firm feel. Caution: Make sure you

loosen the tripod lock knob before collapsing

the tripod at the end of your viewing session.

3a. Remove 4 screws from the mounting arm

shaft: Locate the four screws on the mounting

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 around

the horizontal axis.

4. 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.

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7. Connect Autostar: Be certain that the power

switch (I) on the computer control panel is in the

OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the Autostar

Controller into the HBX port (J). Turn on the

computer panel; the red LED lights when power is

supplied to the panel.

5. Insert the eyepiece: Remove the supplied

26mm eyepiece (D) from its container and place

it in the eyepiece holder (E) Tighten the

thumbscrew (F) to a firm feel only. Remove the

dust cover from the end of optical tube assembly.

Use the focus knob (G) to bring objects into

focus.

Slew Speed:

Fast

Medium

Slow

8. Change Speeds: Press the key prompted by

Autostar to accept the Sun warning. You can now

use the Arrow keys (K) to slew (move) the

telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the

telescope’s slew speed, press the Number keys

(L). "9" is the fastest speed and "1" is slowest

speed. See page 16 for more details.

6. Insert batteries: Open the battery compartment

by lifting the cover and pulling it away from the

drive base.

Remove the battery holder from the compart-

ment and carefully lift the 9v connector out from

the compartment. Whenever you replace the

batteries, to safeguard the wires, disconnect the

9v connector (H) from the battery holder before

removing the batteries.

9. Sight along the tube: Sight along the side of the

telescope's main tube to locate an object. Practice

using the Autostar Arrow keys to center an object

in the telescope's field of view.

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.

If you wish to attach the viewfinder, see page 11.

If you wish to initialize Autostar, see page 17.

If you wish to align the telescope, go to page 18.

If you wish to use Autostar to automatically view

objects, go to page 20 for some examples.

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Fig. 1b (Inset): (A) Altitude

Setting Circle; (B) Altitude Lock

Fig. 1c (Inset): Computer Control Panel. (A)

Handbox port; (B) Power indicator light, (C)

ON switch; (D) Auxiliary port.

(not visible)

(on opposite side)

Fig. 1d (Inset): Back view of optical tube.

(on bottom

of base,

not visible)

Fig. 1a: DSX Series Telescope.

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TELESCOPE FEATURES

An important array of features and manual controls facilitates operation of a DSX telescope. Be

sure to become acquainted with all of these controls before attempting observations through

the telescope.

Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s focus drawtube in a finely-controlled motion to achieve

precise image focus. Rotate the focus knob clockwise to focus on distant objects, and

counterclockwise to focus on nearby objects.

Eyepiece Holder: Holds the eyepiece in place.

Eyepiece HolderThumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece in place. Tighten to a firm feel only.

Eyepiece: Place the supplied eyepiece into the eyepiece holder and tighten in place with

thumbscrew (4, Fig.1d).

Viewfinder Alignment Screws: Adjust these screws to align the viewfinder. See pages 12

and 13 for more information.

Viewfinder: Provides an easier way to initially sight objects than the main telescope eyepiece

which has a narrower field of view. See page 11 for more information.

Viewfinder Alignment Bracket: Attaches the viewfinder to the telescope.

Flip-Mirror Control Knobs: DSX telescopes include an internal mirror. With the flip-mirror

control in the “up” position, as shown in Fig. 1d, light is diverted to the eyepiece. With the

flip-mirror control in the “down” position, light proceeds straight out the photo port for

photography.

Altitude Setting Circle and Lock

A) Altitude Setting Circle: Displays Altitude (vertical) coordinates (A, Fig. Ib).

B) Altitude Lock: Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope. Turning

the Altitude lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope enabling it to be freely

tilted by hand on the vertical axis. Turning the Altitude lock clockwise (to a firm

feel only) prevents the telescope from being moved manually and engages the

vertical motor drive clutch for Autostar operation (B, Fig. Ib).

Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and

brings this light to a focus for observation with the eyepiece.

Dust Cap (not visible in photo): Pull to remove the dust cap from the front lens of the

telescope.

Note: The dust cap should be replaced and the power turned off to the telescope

after each observing session. Verify that any dew that might have collected during

the observing session has evaporated prior to replacing the dust cap.

Mount, Mounting Arm and Shaft: Holds the optical tube assembly. Attaches to the tripod

base (15, Fig. 1a).

Computer Control Panel (Fig. 1c)

A. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the Autostar handbox into this port.

B. LED: The red power indicator light illuminates when power is supplied to the con-

nected handbox and to the telescope’s motor drive.

C. ON Switch: Turns the Computer Control Panel and Autostar ON or OFF.

Note: Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of

time.

D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port: Provides connection for current and future Meade

accessories. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 37.

Autostar Handbox: See AUTOSTAR FEATURES, pages 8 - 10 for more information.

Tripod Base: Holds the mounting arm assembly (12, Fig. 1a) in place.

Base Lock Knob (not visible in photo): Attaches mounting arm assembly to tripod base.

Loosen before moving the optical tube on the horizontal axis. See page 16 for more

information.

Battery Compartment: Install eight user-supplied AA batteries in this compartment. See

page 11 for more information.

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Azimuth Setting Circle: Displays Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates.

Tripod Legs: Spread the legs out as far as they will open for a secure viewing platform.

Inner Support Struts (3): Make the tripod more secure and stable.

Tripod Lock Knob: Tighten to a firm feel to secure tripod legs.

Caution: Loosen the tripod lock knob before collapsing tripod at the end of a

viewing session.

Accessory Tray: Conveniently holds extra eyepieces, Autostar handbox, and other

accessories when not in use.

Accessory Tray Attachment Bolts: Attach to wing nuts (not shown) to fasten tray to the

tripod. See page 11 for more information.

Note: It is not necessary to remove the tray each time you collapse the tripod. The

tray is designed to be collapsed with the legs.

Tripod Legs Locks (3): Lift the lock up to loosen inner section of a tripod leg and

extend the inner leg to desired height. Press the lock down to lock in place again.

Mounting Plate (3): Attaches to optical tube (10, Fig. 1a) and mounting arm (12, Fig.

1a).

Fig. 2: The DSX Autostar Handbox.

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AUTOSTAR FEATURES

Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button

Control your DSX system with the standard-equipment Autostar. Nearly all functions of the

telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar’s buttons. Some of the major

features of Autostar are:

•

Automatically move the telescope to any of over 30,000 objects stored in the database or

manually enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial object.

Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the year.

Download the latest satellite data and software revisions directly from the Meade website

(www.meade.com) and share software with other Autostar enthusiasts. (Requires

optional #505 AstroFinder™ Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL

ACCESSORIES, page 16.)

•

Control your DSX with your PC using an RS-232 interface.

Access a glossary of astronomical terms.

Calculate which eyepiece to use for optimum viewing of a celestial object.

NOTE: Autostar does not require batteries; the telescope’s batteries supply power

to Autostar.

Autostar has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in the dark. The backlit display,

key arrangement, and sequential database make Autostar extremely user friendly.

2-Line LCD Display: Provides an interface between Autostar and the telescope.

•

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.

ENTER Key: Accesses, in a sequential manner, the next menu or data level in the Autostar

database. See MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR'S MENUS, page 17 and AUTOSTAR’S MENU

AND MENU OPTION DESCRIPTIONS, page 16.

NOTE: If ENTER is pressed for two seconds or more and then released, Autostar

emits a beep and “ENTER to Sync” is displayed. "ENTER to Sync" is relevant only

after the telescope has been aligned and is pointing at an object. If the "ENTER to

Sync" feature is accessed by mistake, press MODE to return to the previous screen.

See HIGH PRECISION, page 16, for more details about this feature.

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.

GO TO Key: Slews (moves) the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected

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.

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.

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•

Alt/Az Alignment:Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move the telescope

vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key rotates the telescope horizontally

counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise.

DEFINITION:

Throughout this manu-

al, you will notice the

term "Alt/Az." Alt/Az is

frequently used to refer

to Altitude (vertical)

and Azimuth (horizon-

tal). Alt/Az is just one of

many methods used by

amateur astronomers

to help locate stars in

the night sky.

Number Keys: Input digits 0 - 9 and changes the slew speeds (see SLEW SPEEDS, page

16). The "0" key also turns on and off the red utility light on the top of the handbox.

Scroll Keys: Accesses database options within a selected menu. The menu is displayed

on the first line of the screen. Options within the menu are displayed, one at a time, on the

second line. Press the Scroll keys to move through the options. 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.

? 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.

If you have a question about an Autostar operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT,

etc., hold down the ? 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.

Coil Cord Port: Plug one end of the Autostar coil cord into this port (11, Fig. 2) located at

the bottom of the Autostar handbox.

Coil Cord: Plug one end of the Autostar coil cord into the HBX port (13A, Fig. 1) of the

computer control panel of the telescope.

RS-232 Port: Plug an RS-232 cable into Autostar for downloading functions such as

"Download" or "Clone." See page 16 for more details.

Utility Light: Use this built-in red light to illuminate star charts and accessories without

disturbing your eye's adaptation to darkness.

Fasten

wingnuts

Fig. 3 Attach Tray to the tri-

pod: Thread the wingnuts to

the bolts (bottom view). See

facing page.

DSX TIPS

Join an Astronomy Club

Attend a Star Party

A fun way to learn more about astronomy is to join an astronomy club. Check your local

newspaper, school, library, or telescope dealer to find out if there’s a club in your area.

At club meetings, you will meet other astronomy enthusiasts with whom you will be able to

share your discoveries. Clubs are an excellent way to learn more about observing the sky, to

find out where the best observing sites are, and to compare notes about telescopes,

eyepieces, filters, tripods, and so forth.

Often, club members are excellent astrophotographers. Not only will you be able to see

examples of their art, but you may even be able to pick up some “tricks of the trade” to try out

on your DSX telescope.

Many groups also hold regularly scheduled Star Parties at which you can check out and

observe with many different telescopes and other pieces of astronomical equipment.

Magazines such as Sky & Telescope and Astronomy print schedules for many popular Star

Parties around the United States and Canada.

Fig. 4: Secure the tripod:

turn the tripod lock knob.

See facing page.

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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. Open the tripod: After removing the field tripod from its shipping carton, stand the tripod

vertically, with the tripod feet down and with the tripod still fully collapsed. Gently pull the

legs apart to a fully open position.

Fig. 5: Attach the mount

to the tripod base.

2. Attach the tray to the tripod: Place the tray (22, Fig. 1) over the inner support strut that

contains two bolt holes. Line up the bolts holes on the tray with the bolt holes on the strut.

Slide the two included bolts through the top of bolt holes (23, Fig. 1) and tighten the bolts

with the included wing nuts on the bottom side of the tray (Fig. 3). Tighten to a firm feel

only.

Note: The tray does not have to be removed when you collapse the tripod at the

end of a viewing session.

3. Secure the tripod: Turn the center tripod lock knob (Fig. 4) to help stabilize and secure

the tripod.

Caution: Make sure that you loosen the tripod lock knob before collapsing the

tripod.

4. Attach the mounting arm assembly to the tripod base: First note the three pads in the

tripod base (15, Fig. 1) and three pads on the mounting arm assembly (12, Fig. 1). These

pads allow the mounting arm assembly to move more easily inside the base.

Fig. 6: Attach mounting

plate (A) to mounting arm

shaft (B).

Place the mounting arm assembly into the tripod base and continue to hold onto the arm

assembly. With your other hand, reach underneath the base and thread the mounting lock

knob (16, Fig. 1) through the tripod base and into the mounting arm assembly. See Fig. 5.

Tighten to a firm feel only; do not overtighten. While observing, you may wish to loosen this

knob and rotate the mounting arm assembly and optical tube on the horizontal axis.

5. Remove 4 screws from the mounting arm shaft: Locate the four screws on the

mounting shaft. Remove the screws using a "+" (Phillips head) screwdriver. Loosen the

Altitude Lock (B, Fig. 1a) and rotate the mounting arm shaft (A, Fig. 6) counter-clockwise

until it stops. Retighten the Altitude lock.

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 into the mating threads. See

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7: Attach the optical

tube to the mounting

plate.

6. Attach the optical tube: Place the base of the optical tube (A, Fig. 7) over the slot on the

mounting plate (B, Fig. 7). Thread the two lock knobs (C, Fig. 7) 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.

7. Insert the eyepiece: Remove the supplied 26mm eyepiece from its container and place it

in the eyepiece holder (2, Fig. 1d). Tighten the thumbscrew (3, Fig. 1d) to a firm feel only.

Use the focus knob (1, Fig. 1d) to bring objects into focus.

8. Attach the viewfinder: Slide the viewfinder into the viewfinder bracket (see Fig. 8).

Tighten the four alignment thumbscrews (5, Fig. 1d) to a firm feel to hold the viewfinder in

the bracket. The DSX-125 telescope is shipped with an 8 x 25 right angle viewfinder. The

DSX-90 is shipped with a straight through 8 x 21 viewfinder.

Fig. 8: Attach the

viewfinder to the

viewfinder bracket.

9. Insert batteries: The telescope’s battery compartment (17, Fig. 1a) is located on top of the

drive base. Also, see Fig. 9. Open the battery compartment by lifting the cover and pulling

it away from the drive base.

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Remove the battery holder (2, Fig. 9) from the compartment and carefully lift the 9v

connector (3, Fig. 9) 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.

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.

Fig. 9: Insert eight AA-size

batteries inside the battery

compartment:

(1) Battery compartment

(2) Battery holder

(3) 9v connector

14. Connect Autostar: Be certain that the power switch on the computer control panel (C, Fig.

1b) is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the Autostar Controller into the HBX port

(A, Fig. 1b). Turn on the power switch; the red LED lights when power is supplied to the

panel. Also see Fig. 10.

NOTE: Autostar does not require batteries; the telescope’s batteries supply power

to Autostar.

15. Remove the dust cover: Pull out the dust cover (11, Fig. 1a) from the optical tube

assembly (10, Fig. 1a).

Assembly of the basic telescope is now complete.

The Viewfinder

Because the main telescope has a fairly narrow field of view, locating objects directly in the

main telescope can sometimes be difficult. The viewfinder (6, Fig. 1a) is a small, wide-field

telescope with crosshairs that permits you to more easily locate objects. When the 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 also positioned within the field of the main telescope.

Before aligning the viewfinder to the optical tube, focus the viewfinder.

Fig. 10: Connect Autostar to

the HBX port.

DSX-90 8 x 21mm Erect-Image Viewfinder:

The 8 x 21mm Erect-Image Viewfinder has 8-power magnification and an aperture of 21mm.

This viewfinder presents a correctly oriented image both up-and-down and left-to-right.

DSX-125EC 8 x 25mm Right-Angle Viewfinder:

The 8 x 25mm Right-Angle Viewfinder has 8-power magnification and an aperture of 25mm.

This viewfinder presents a correctly oriented image up-and-down, but is reversed left-

for-right.

Focusing the Viewfinder

The DSX model viewfinders are pre-

focused at the factory. Individual eye

variations may require that the

DSX-90 Viewfinder

viewfinder be re-focused. To check

the focus, point the viewfinder at a

distant terrestrial (land) object such

as a telephone pole or light pole and

look through the viewfinder. If the

viewfinder image is not in sharp

focus, follow the procedure below

that applies to your telescope

model.

DSX-125 Right-Angle Viewfinder

Fig. 11: Viewfinder Installation.

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DSX-90 Viewfinder

1. Remove the viewfinder by slightly

unthreading the four alignment

screws (4 and 6, Fig. 12) and

slipping it out of the bracket.

2. Loosen the knurled lock-ring (2,

Fig. 12) located near the

viewfinder’s front lens cell (1, Fig.

DSX-125

12).

(counterclockwise, as seen from

the eyepiece-end of the

viewfinder) by several turns.

Unthread

this

ring

DSX-90

3. Look through the viewfinder and

focus on a distant object. Slowly

rotate the front lens cell in one

direction or the other, until the

object appears sharp. One or two

rotations of the lens may have a

significant effect on image focus.

Fig. 12: The Viewfinder assembly. (1) Front lens cell; (2)

Knurled lock-ring (DSX-90) or focus ring (DSX-125); (3)

Viewfinder eyepiece; (4) Front alignment screws (one not

visible in photo); (5) Viewfinder bracket; (6) Rear alignment

screws.

4. Lock the focus in place by

threading the knurled lock-ring clockwise up against the viewfinder’s lens cell.

5. Replace the viewfinder into the viewfinder bracket. Gently tighten the six alignment screws.

Proceed with Aligning the Viewfinder.

DSX-125EC Viewfinder

Turn the focus ring (2, Fig. 12) at the base of the viewfinder eyepiece (3, Fig. 12) in either

direction until a sharp focus is reached.

Telescope

Eyepiece

Viewfinder

Aligning the Viewfinder:

It is recommended that you perform steps 1 through 4 of this procedure during the daytime and

step 5 at night.

A. Not aligned

1. Loosen the tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) and the Altitude lock (B, Fig. 1b), by

turning the lock about one turn counterclockwise, permitting the telescope to move freely

on its axes.

2. If you have not already done so, place a low-power (e.g., 26mm) eyepiece in the eyepiece

holder of the main telescope (2, Fig. 1d) and point the telescope at an easy-to-find land

object (e.g., the top of a telephone pole). Turn the focuser knob (1, Fig. 1d) so that the

image is sharply focused. Center the object precisely in the main telescope’s field of view.

B. Aligned

Fig. 13: Aligning the

viewfinder.

3. Re-tighten the tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) and the Altitude lock (B, Fig. 1b).

4. Then, looking through the viewfinder, turn some or all of the viewfinder’s alignment screws

(5, Fig. 1d, also see 4 and 6, Fig 12) until the viewfinder’s crosshairs point precisely at

the same object as centered in the main telescope. The viewfinder is now aligned to the

main telescope. The right-hand image in Fig. 13A shows an object centered in the main

telescope before the viewfinder (the left-hand image) has been aligned to the main

telescope. Fig. 13B shows these same images after the viewfinder and main telescope are

aligned.

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 irre-

versible eye damage,

as well as physical

damage to the tele-

scope itself.

5. Check this alignment on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and make

any necessary refinements.

Choosing an Eyepiece

A telescope’s eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescope’s main optics. 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 high-

er magnification than an eyepiece with a focal length of 26mm.

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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

1900 Ö 26 = 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 you’re 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 telescope’s 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.

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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. Loosen the telescope’s tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) and Altitude lock (B, Fig. 1b).

2. Move your telescope to observe distant street signs, mountains, trees, and other

structures. Use your viewfinder to help site-in on an object.

3. Center the object in the viewfinder’s crosshairs and then in the telescope eyepiece. When

the object is centered in your eyepiece, remember to re-tighten the base and Altitude locks.

4. Practice focusing objects with the focus knob (1, Fig. 1d).

5. 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 ter-

restrial 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. Make sure that the Altitude locks (B, Fig. 1b) and tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) are

secured as described on page 11.

2. Verify that Autostar is properly connected to your telescope. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR

TELESCOPE page 11.

3. 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. 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.

5. The Arrow keys are now activated. Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to slew (move) the

telescope up, down, right, or left.

6. Press the SPEED/? key (8, Fig. 2) to change the telescope’s slew speed. See SLEW

SPEEDS, page 16, for more information.

7. Use the viewfinder (6, Fig. 1d) to locate an object and practice using the Autostar’s Arrow

keys to center the object in the telescope eyepiece's field of view.

8. Use the telescope’s focus knob (1, Fig. 1a) to bring the object into focus.

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Slew Speeds

NOTE:

Do not look through

the telescope's eye-

piece or viewfinder

while it is rapidly

moving. Children

should always have

adult supervision

while observing.

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 Autostar’s display.

The nine available speeds are:

Speed 1

Speed 2

Speed 3

Speed 4

Speed 5

Speed 6

Speed 7

Speed 8

Speed 9

2x =

8x =

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)

16x =

32x =

64x =

TIP: When a mes-

sage 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.

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)

Speeds 1, 2, or 3: Best used for fine centering of an object in the field of view of a higher power

eyepiece, such as a 12mm or a 9mm eyepiece.

Speeds 4, 5, or 6: Enables centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power

eyepiece, such as a standard 26mm eyepiece.

Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the eyepiece.

Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another.

Observe the Moon

Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and practice

using the Arrow keys and the slew speeds to view different features. The Moon contains many

interesting features, including craters, mountain ranges, and fault lines. The best time to view

the Moon is during its crescent or half phase. Sunlight strikes the Moon at an angle during these

periods and adds a depth to the view. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the

overly bright surface to appear flat and rather uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral

density Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it cut down the Moon's bright glare,

but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.

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.

To Track an Object Automatically

As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The

speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move

at the sidereal rate so that it automatically "tracks" the stars and other objects in the night sky.

If the telescope is not tracking an astronomical object, the object will drift out of the eyepiece

field of view. The tracking function automatically keeps an object more or less centered in the

telescope’s eyepiece.

To automatically track objects, you must first set the telescope in the home position, then

initialize Autostar, and finally select "Targets: Astronomical" from the Autostar Setup menu. You

must also learn how the Autostar keypad operates in order to move through the Autostar

menus.

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Pointer to

0° on the

Altitude

The "Alt/Az" Home Position

1. Loosen the telescope’s Altitude lock (see Figs. 16 and 17, also see Fig 1b).

2. Make sure the tripod base (15, Fig. 1a) is level. Level the optical tube by lining up 0° on

Setting Circle

the Altitude setting circle (Fig. 17) with the triangular pointer.

North

3. Tighten the Altitude lock (B, Fig. 1b) to a firm feel only.

4. Loosen the tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) and turn the telescope horizontally until it

points North. See LOCATING THE CELESTIAL POLE, page 40 for more information.

5. Tighten the tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a). Press ENTER.

Moving Through Autostar’s Menus

Level

Base.

The Autostar database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation.

Press ENTER to go deeper into Autostar's menu levels.

Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level.

Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options available for each level.

Press the Arrow keys to enter characters and digits.

The Arrow keys are also used to move the telescope.

Fig. 16: Alt/Az Home Position.

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 29).

1. Secure Locks - Make sure that the Altitude Lock (B, Fig. 1a) and tripod base lock knob (16,

Fig. 1a) are secured.

2. Connect Autostar - Verify that Autostar is properly connected to your telescope. See HOW

TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE page 11.

3. Turn on Power - Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.

The Autostar screen activates and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short

beep. Then Autostar takes a few moments to start up the system.

Fig. 17: Altitude lock and set-

ting circle.

4. 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.

5. Getting Started - The Getting Started menu displays a scrolling message. Press ENTER

DEFINITION:

Initialization is a

(2, Fig. 2) to bypass the Help tutorial and continue with initialization.

6. Enter Date - Autostar then requests the current date. Use the Number keys (6, Fig. 2) to

enter the digits for the date. Use the Right Arrow key (5, Fig. 2) to move from one number

to the next in the day display, and also to move to the month. Then, use the Scroll keys (7,

Fig. 2) to cycle through the list of months.

procedure that ensures

that Autostar operates

correctly. When you first

use Autostar, it doesn't

yet know where the

observation location site

is or the time or date of

the observation session.

When the current month is displayed, use the Right Arrow (5, Fig. 2) to move to the year.

Use the Number keys to enter all four digits of the current year. Press ENTER when the

date has been entered.

7. Enter Time - Autostar then requests the current time. Use the Number keys to enter the

digits for the time. (Use a "0" for the first digit if less than 10.) Use the Right (or Left) Arrow

key to move from one number to the next. Press either the Up or Down Arrow keys (5, Fig.

2) to scroll to "AM" or "PM." Press ENTER to start the clock.

During the procedure,

you will enter infor-

mation, such as the

current time and date,

and observation loca-

tion. Autostar uses this

information to precisely

calculate the location of

celestial objects (such

as stars and planets)

and to move your tele-

scope correctly for

Note: If you press ENTER with neither AM or PM displayed, the clock displays the

time in a 24-hour (military time) format.

8. Daylight Savings Time - The next screen requests the status of Daylight Savings Time.

Pressing a Scroll key toggles between the YES/NO settings. Select the desired setting by

pressing ENTER.

NOTE: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by a different name in various

areas of the world.

NOTE: When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the current option

is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing Arrow (>).

various operations.

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10. Select City - The next screen asks for the city (listed alphabetically) closest to the

observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the database of cities. Press ENTER

when the correct city appears on screen.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Autostar requests the

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

11. Select Model Number - The next screen asks for the telescope model. Use the scroll keys

to locate your telescope model number. Press ENTER when your model number displays.

12. Initialization Complete - System initialization is complete and the screen reads "Align:

Easy."

Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking Feature

In this example, the Autostar Arrow keys are used to find a star, and then Autostar's tracking

capability automatically keeps the star centered in your telescope's eyepiece.

"Telescope Model"

options in the Setup

menu. See pages 26 -

28 for more information.

1. Set in Home Position - Level the optical tube and point it North. Make sure that the Altitude

Lock (9, Fig. 1a) and tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1a) are secured as described previously.

2. Connect Autostar - Verify that Autostar is properly connected to your telescope. See HOW

TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE page 11.

3. Turn On Power - Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.

The Autostar display activates and a copyright message appears briefly, followed by a

short beep. Then Autostar takes a few moments to start up the system.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

While performing the

automatic tracking

procedure, only use the

Arrow keys to move the

telescope. Once the

telescope has been set

in the Alt/Az home

4. Sun Warning - 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.

5. Enter Date and Time - Enter these values as previously described.

6. Select Setup: Align Option - Press MODE (3, Fig. 2). "Setup: Align" displays.

position, do not loosen

the telescope locks (9

and 16, Fig. 1a), or

move the base

7. Select Setup: Targets Option - Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Setup:

Targets" displays. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 2).

8. Select Targets: Astronomical Option - "Targets: Terrestrial" displays. Press either of the

Scroll keys once (7, Fig. 2). "Targets: Astronomical" now displays.

manually, or alignment

9. Locate a Bright Star - Use the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to locate a bright star in the night

sky. Use the viewfinder (15, Fig. 1) to help line up on the star. You may choose any

unobstructed, bright star for the purposes of this example. Use Autostar's Arrow keys to

center the star in the eyepiece.

10. To Start Tracking - Once the star is centered, press ENTER to select "Astronomical." The

telescope's tracking motors then engage. It may take the tracking motors several seconds

to begin tracking. When they do, it may be necessary to once again center the star in the

eyepiece. The tracking motors will then keep the star you have chosen in the center of the

eyepiece.

If you wish to track another star, use the Arrow keys to slew the telescope to the star.

Center the star. The tracking motors will then keep that star in the center of the eyepiece.

11. To Stop Tracking - Press ENTER. "Setup: Targets" displays. Press ENTER. "Targets:

Astronomical" now displays. Press either of the Scroll keys once. "Targets: Terrestrial" dis-

plays. Press ENTER. Tracking is now turned off.

Easy (Two-Star) Align

The fastest and easiest way to locate objects with Autostar's GO TO capabilities is to use Easy

Align.

Autostar automatically picks two stars from its database for the Easy Align procedure. During

this procedure, Autostar slews the telescope to a first alignment star. The user is asked to

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

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

NOTE: Before aligning the telescope, first verify that INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page

17, has been performed. See MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR’S MENUS, page 17, if

you wish to learn how to operate Autostar’s keys.

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How to Easy Align Your Telescope

If you have just applied power to Autostar, perform steps 1 through 5. If you have already

performed the initialization procedure, go to step 6.

1. Sun Warning - Press the key prompted by Autostar to accept.

2. Getting Started - Press ENTER to continue.

3. Enter Date - Enter the current date as previously described, then press ENTER.

4. EnterTime - Enter the current time, as previously described. Select "AM," "PM," or 24-hour

clock (blank). Then press ENTER.

5. Daylight Savings - Select “Yes” or “No,” then press ENTER.

6. Alignment Option Screen - “Setup: Align” displays. Press ENTER.

7. Select Alignment - “Align: Easy” displays. Press ENTER.

8. Set Alt/Az Home Position - Autostar then prompts you to set the telescope in the Alt/Az

Alignment home position. To set your telescope in the "Alt/Az" home position (Fig. 16):

•

Loosen the telescope’s Altitude lock (9, Fig. 1a).

Level the tripod base (15, Fig.1a). Level the optical tube by lining up 0° on the Altitude

setting circle (Fig. 17) with the triangular pointer.

•

Tighten the Altitude lock (9, Fig. 1a) to a firm feel only.

Loosen the tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1) and turn the telescope horizontally until

it points North. See LOCATING THE CELESTIAL POLE, page 40 for more information.

Tighten the tripod base lock knob (16, Fig. 1). Press ENTER.

•

9 . Star Alignment - Autostar then chooses two stars to align upon. When the telescope

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 recognized 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.

When the procedure is performed correctly, "Alignment Successful" displays. If Autostar

does not display this message, perform this procedure again.

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 (4, Fig. 2) 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 telescope finishes its 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.

DSX TIPS

Which One’s the

Alignment Star?

If Autostar has chosen an alignment star with which you are unfamiliar, how can you be

sure if the star in your eyepiece is really the alignment star?

The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the brightest star in that area of the

sky. When you view an alignment star in an eyepiece, it stands out dramatically from the

rest of the stars in that portion of the sky.

If you have an obstruction, such as a tree or a building blocking your view of the alignment

star, or if you have any doubts at all about the star that has been chosen, no problem. Just

press the Scroll Down key and Autostar will find another star to align upon.

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Two other methods of alignment are available to the observer: Two-Star and One-Star. These

methods are included in case the observer prefers to pick out his or her own alignment stars.

Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment

Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. Two-Star Alignment is identical

to Easy: Align (see EASY (TWO-STAR) ALIGN, page 18), except Autostar displays a database of

bright stars and two stars are chosen by the observer from this database for alignment. It is

recommended that you choose stars with which you are familiar from this database when first

trying out this method or the One-Star Alignment method.

One-Star Alt/Az Alignment

One-Star Alignment also requires some knowledge of the night sky. One-Star Alignment is

identical to Easy: Align (see EASY (TWO-STAR) ALIGN, page 18), except Autostar displays a

database of bright stars and one star is chosen by the observer from this database for

alignment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The accuracy of One-Star Alt/Az Alignment, unlike the Two-

Star Alignment procedures, depends on how well the observer levels the telescope

and how close to North the telescope is pointed when setting the Home Position

(Fig. 16). Because the Two-Star Alignment methods use two stars to align upon,

they are more precise than One-Star Alignment.

Go To Saturn

After performing the Easy Align procedure, the motor drive begins operating and the telescope

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 GO TO or the Arrow keys to move the

telescope. Do not loosen the telescope locks (9 and 16, Fig. 1a), or move the base

manually, or alignment will be lost.

This exercise shows how to select a celestial object (Saturn) for viewing from Autostar’s database.

Fig. 18: One of the

most beautiful

celestial sights,

Saturn.

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.

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.

Note that Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout the year.

5. 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.

Take a 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 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. “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 to display information about the object. Press GO TO to move the telescope

to the object.

5. 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.

6. Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to exit the Guided Tour menu.

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BASIC AUTOSTAR OPERATION

OBJECT

Select from over 30, 220 database objects and

press GO TO to move the telescope automatically to the

object and place it in the telescopic field of view.

SETUP

Quick, easy alignment

permits all telescope

operations with only

a 2-minute setup.

Select Item:

Object

Select Item:

Setup

Select Item:

Event

EVENT

UTILITIES

Access the time of

Calculate eyepiece

magnifications; set the

timer for an observing

session; or change the

display brightnes.

an astronomical

event, such as the

rising or setting

The Universe of

Autostar

times of the Moon.

Select Item:

Utilities

Select Item:

Guided Tour

GUIDED TOUR

Journey through the

universe as Autostar

escorts you to the

best celestial objects

at your location.

GLOSSARY

Discover the world of astronomy

by alphabetically accessing

astronomical terms.

Select Item:

Glossary

Fig. 19: The Autostar Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select Item menu of Autostar.

It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 20). This means that

pressing the Scroll Down key (7, Fig. 2) cycles down through all the available options within a

given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key cycles up through the options

in the opposite order. Note that this capability is a quick way to get to an option that is near the

bottom of the list. The following example demonstrates this capability.

Example:

Object

To navigate to the “Select Item: Setup” menu option when the “Select Item: Object” menu is

displayed:

Event

Guided Tours

Glossary

Utilities

Setup

1. Press the Scroll Down key four times or the Scroll Up key once.

Autostar displays two lines of information. The top line shows the current menu level. The

second line displays an option which may be selected within that menu level. Some options are

choices that select the next menu level down. The Scroll keys move up and down within the list

of available options, showing one option at a time.

Fig. 20: Menus set in a

loop.

When the desired option is displayed on the second line, press the ENTER key to choose that

option and move down one menu level.

Select Item

Press the MODE key to leave a level (e.g., the wrong menu option is chosen).

Object

Select Item

Solar System

IMPORTANT NOTE: No matter how many levels into Autostar are traveled, each

press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level, "Select Item," is

reached. Once in the Select Item level, press MODE to return to the topmost level,

"Select Item: Object."

Fig. 21: Autostar levels.

Autostar Navigation Exercise

To demonstrate how the Autostar menu structure works, the following exercise calculates

Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned.

NOTE: To perform an accurate calculation, Autostar must be properly initialized

with the current date, time, and location of the observing site. To enter the current

date, time, and location information of your observing site, see INITIALIZING

AUTOSTAR, page 17, before proceeding with this exercise.

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To Calculate Sunset time:

1. Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed.

2. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item” menu.

3. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event:

Sunrise" is displayed.

4. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the "Sunset" option in the Event menu.

5. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Sunset" option and move down another level.

6. Autostar calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time, and location. Autostar

then displays the results of the calculation.

7. Press MODE once to start moving back up through the Autostar levels. The first level up

is the Event menu.

8. Press MODE again to move up another level. This is the top level, "Select Item."

9. Press MODE again to return to the starting point of "Select Item: Object."

Entering data into Autostar

To enter numbers and text:

a) Use the Number keys, if available with your model, or

b) Use the Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 - 9 and the alphabet. The Down Arrow

key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit "9."

To move the cursor across the display:

Use the Right or Left Arrow key (5, Fig. 2) to move the cursor from one number to the next

in the display

Press ENTER when the desired information has been entered.

TIP: When multiple

choices are

available within a

menu option, the

option that is

currently selected

is usually displayed

first and

highlighted by a

right pointing arrow

(>).

Navigating Autostar

Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation:

Press ENTER to go deeper into Autostar's menu levels.

Press MODE (3, Fig. 2) to move back toward the top menu level.

Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options or lists

Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display.

Press the Help (?) key to access on-line help.

Adjusting the Speed of a Scrolling Message

Press and hold the Scroll Up key to increase the scrolling speed when a message is

scrolling across the display.

Press and hold the Scroll Down key to decrease the scrolling speed when a message is

scrolling across the display.

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MENUS AND MENU OPTIONS

Object Menu

Almost all observing with Autostar is performed using the Object menu category. (NOTE:

Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey. See GO TO SATURN, page 20, for an

)

example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE GUIDED TOUR, page 20.

Many Autostar menu categories contain databases. An Autostar database is a list of viewable

objects, such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae and so forth. When one of these objects is

selected from a database, Autostar moves your telescope (if properly aligned) and points it at

the selected object.

The Object Menu options include:

Solar System is a database of the eight planets (Earth is not included) in order out from the

Sun, followed by the Moon, asteroids, and comets.

Constellation is a database of all 88 Northern and Southern Hemisphere constellations. When

this menu option is chosen and a constellation name appears on the first line of the screen,

press GO TO once to change the second line to the name of the brightest star in the

constellation. Press GO TO a second time to slew the telescope to that star. Use the Scroll keys

to cycle through the list of stars in the constellation, from brightest to dimmest.

Deep Sky is a database of objects outside our Solar System such as nebulae, star clusters,

galaxies, and quasars.

Star is a database of stars listed in different categories such as named, double, variable, or

nearby.

Satellite is a database of Earth-orbiting objects such as the International Space Station, the

Hubble Space Telescope, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, and geosynchronous

orbit satellites.

User Objects allows the user to define and store in memory deep-sky objects of specific

interest that are not currently in the Autostar database. See APPENDIX A for more information.

Fig. 22: The Complete Autostar Menu Structure.

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Landmarks stores the location of terrestrial points of interest in the permanent Autostar

database.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located

and aligned exactly as when the landmark was added to the database.

Select: To select a Landmark already in the database (see ADD below), choose the

"Select" option and scroll through the list. Press ENTER to select a Landmark, then press

GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

Add: To add a Landmark, choose the "Add" option. Enter a name for the Landmark. Locate

and center the Landmark in the eyepiece, then press ENTER.

Identify is an exciting feature for an observer who wants to scan the night sky and start

exploring. After the telescope has been properly aligned, use the Autostar Arrow keys to move

about in the sky. Then follow this procedure:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope during the

Identify procedure. Do not loosen the telescope locks or move the base or align-

ment is lost.

1. When a desired object is visible in the eyepiece, keep pressing MODE until the “Select

Item: Object” menu is displayed. Press ENTER to select this menu.

2. Scroll through the Object menu options until the “Object: Identify” screen appears.

3. Press ENTER. Autostar searches the database for the identity of the object being

observed.

4. If the telescope is not directly on an Autostar database object, the nearest database object

is located and displayed on the screen. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to that

object.

Browse allows you to search the database for objects with certain parameters, much like a

search engine. "Edit Parameters" lets you set various parameters for the search, such as:

Object Type, Minimum Elevation, Largest, etc. Once you have set the parameters of the

search, select "Start Search" and press ENTER. Autostar will display the results of the search.

See page 36 for more information.

WARNING!

Never use a

Meade DSX

Telescope to look at

the Sun! 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

Event Menu

The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The Event

database includes:

Sunrise and Sunset calculates the time that the Sun rises or sets on the current date. Find

rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup: Date” menu. See

DATE, page 26.

Moonrise and Moonset calculates the time that the Moon rises or sets on the current date.

Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup: Date” menu. See

DATE, page 26.

damage has

occurred until it is

too late. Do not point

the telescope or its

viewfinder at or near

the Sun. Do not look

through the tele-

scope or its

viewfinder as it is

moving. Children

should always have

adult supervision

while observing.

Moon Phases displays the date and time of the next Full, New, 1st Quarter, and 3rd Quarter

Moon.

Meteor Showers provides information on upcoming meteor showers, such as the Perseids, the

Leonids, etc. Also lists the dates of the showers and when they reach maximum.

NOTE: Meteors are fast moving objects that cover large areas of the sky and are

usually best observed with the naked eye.

Solar Eclipse lists upcoming Solar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, annular, or

partial) of eclipse, and the location and time of the first and last contacts of the Moon's

shadow. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display the available data. Remember, never use

a telescope to look at the Sun! See WARNING! to the left.

Lunar Eclipse lists upcoming Lunar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, partial,

penumbral) of eclipse. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display the available data.

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Min. (Minimum) of Algol is the minimum brightness of the dramatic eclipsing binary star

system, Algol. It is relatively close at a distance of 100 light years. Every 2.8 days during a 10-

hour period, Algol undergoes a major change in apparent magnitude as one of the two stars

passes behind the other. The combined magnitude of the two stars thus dips from +2.1 to a

minimum of +3.4 halfway through the eclipse as the second star is hidden. Autostar calculates

minimum magnitude time at mid-eclipse.

Autumn and Vernal Equinox calculates the time and date of the fall or spring equinox of the

current year.

Winter and Summer Solstice calculates the time and date of the winter or summer solstice of

the current year.

Glossary Menu

The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common

astronomical terms and Autostar functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or

through hypertext words embedded in Autostar. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets],

usually found when using the Autostar Help function or when reading a scrolling message such

as a description of a planet or star. Press ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen and

Autostar goes to the glossary entry for that word.

To access directly from the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet.

Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry and then press ENTER to read

the description.

Utilities Menu

The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features within Autostar, including a

countdown timer and an alarm. The Utilities functions include:

Timer selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astrophotography

and tracking satellites. See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 42. To use the Timer, press ENTER,

then choose “Set” or “Start/Stop."

Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER.

Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and

OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer. When the timer runs out,

four beeps sound and the timer is deactivated.

Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then

choose "Set" or "Start/Stop."

DSX TIPS

Observing Considerations

Try to pick an observing site away from street and house lights, and car headlights. While

this is not always possible, the darker the site, the better.

•

Give your eyes about ten minutes to adjust to the darkness before observing. Give your

eyes a rest from observing every ten or fifteen minutes to relieve eyestrain.

Try not to use a standard flashlight. Seasoned observers use red LED flashlights or tape red

cellophane over their flashlights for setup and map reading so they don’t have to

continually readjust their eyes to the darkness. Be careful not to shine bright lights if there

are other observers in the area. Never shine a flashlight into a telescope while someone is

observing!

•

Dress warmly. It gets chilly when you’re sitting for prolonged periods, even on some

summer nights.

Practice setting up your equipment during the day or in a lighted area to become familiar

with it before going to a dark site.

Use your 26mm eyepiece to view terrestrial objects and wider areas of space, such as open

star clusters. Use your higher power eyepieces when you wish to view something up close,

such as craters on the Moon or the rings of Saturn.

•

Know your observing site. If you’re going to try out an unfamiliar site, check it out in the

daylight for obstructions and pitfalls.

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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 Autostar’s 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.

Setup Menu

The Setup menu’s primary function is to align the telescope (see EASY ALIGN, page 18).

However, there are numerous other features available within the Setup menu, including:

Date changes the date used by Autostar. This function is useful to check events in the past or

future. For example, set the Date menu for a day three months in the future. Then check the

"Select Item: Event" menu for the Sunset time on that date. See EVENT MENU, page 24.

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Time changes the time entered into Autostar. Setting the correct time is critical for Autostar to

properly calculate locations and events. Time may be set to 24-hour mode (military time) by

selecting the "blank" option which follows the "AM" and "PM" options.

Daylight Saving is used to enable or disable Daylight Savings time.

NOTE: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by different names in various areas

of the world. Check local time to verify.

Telescope accesses the several options, including:

Model: Allows you to select the telescope model connected to Autostar.

Focal Length: Displays the focal length of the selected telescope.

Az Ratio and Alt Ratio: The Az (Azimuth) ratio and Alt (Altitude) ratio refers to the gears

of the telescope's motors. Do not alter these numbers.

Az Percent: The Az (Azimuth) Percent allows you to change the azimuth backlash, i.e., the

way the Arrow keys move the telescope along the azimuth (horizontal) axis. If you enter a

value near 100, the telescope tube responds more quickly (it responds immediately at

100%) as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews (moves) the tube more quickly. If

you enter a value near 0, it takes longer for the tube to respond as you hold down an Arrow

key and also slews the tube more slowly. Experiment with this option. Try changing the

percent value until you get a "feel" for the Arrow keys that is comfortable for you.

Alt Percent: The Alt (Altitude) Percent operates identical to the Az Percent option (see

above), but allows you to change the altitude backlash, i.e., the way the Arrow keys move

the telescope when moving along the altitude (vertical) axis.

Train Drive: Trains the Altitude and Azimuth motors to locate objects with more precision.

If you are experiencing any problems with pointing accuracy, follow the procedure

described in APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE, page 43, to insure accurate pointing and

tracking.

DSX TIPS

Surf the Web

One of the most exciting resources for astronomy is the internet. The internet is full of websites

with new images, discoveries, and the latest astronomical information. For example: When

comet Hale-Bopp made its approach to our Sun in 1998, astronomers around the world

posted new photos daily.

On the internet, you can find websites for almost any topic relating to astronomy. Try the fol-

lowing key word searches: NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy, Messier, satellite, nebula, black

hole, variable stars, etc.

Check Meade’s website for the latest product and technical information. You can download the

latest software revisions, links to other astronomical sites, coordinates of celestial objects and

the latest satellite tracking information for your Autostar II handset. See page 28 for more

information. You’ll find our website at:

www.meade.com/

Here are some other sites you might find interesting:

• Sky & Telescope:

http://www.SkyandTelescope.com

• Astronomy:

http://www.astronomy.com

• The Starfield:

http://users.nac.net/gburke/

• Astronomy Picture of the Day:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.goc/apod

• Heavens Above (satellite observing information):

http://www.heavens-above.com

• Photographic Atlas of the Moon:

http://www.lpi.ursa.edu/research/lunar_orbiter

• Hubble Space Telescope Public Pictures:

http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html

• Jack Horkheimer, Stargazer:

http://www.jackstargazer.com/

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Tracking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky.

a. 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.

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:

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.

Time Zone

Atlantic

Eastern

Central

Mountain

Pacific

Shift

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.

-4 Hours

-5 Hours

-6 Hours

-7 Hours

-8 Hours

-10 Hours

NOTE: Autostar compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See SETUP

MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, page 27.

Hawaii

Owner Info accesses the owner information menu, including:

Table 1: Time Zone Shift.

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:

Catalogs: Sends only user-defined object information, such as new satellite orbits or

comet data to another Autostar handbox.

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Software: Sends only the basic Autostar software. This is useful if one user has

downloaded new version of Autostar software from the Meade website

(www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends.

All: Everything—user-defined information and Autostar software—is sent to another

Autostar.

Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including:

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.

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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).

Adding Observing Sites

If you plan to observe using Autostar at different geographic locations, you can store up to six

observation sites in Autostar'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 "Setup: Site" menu. 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 add to the database. You may add 5 sites using this method (the sixth site is

the site you added during the Initialization process)

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 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

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.

Time Zone

Atlantic

Eastern

Central

Mountain

Pacific

Shift

-4 Hours

-5 Hours

-6 Hours

-7 Hours

-8 Hours

-10 Hours

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. For the United States, look up the shift in Table 1.

Hawaii

Table 1: Time Zone Shift.

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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

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

TEXT

USER

NGC

PLANET

COMET

CONSTELLATION

PICK ONE/PICK END

SAO

MOON

LUNAR ECLIPSE

STAR

AUTO SLEW ON/OFF

MESSIER

CALDWELL

ASTEROID

DEEP SKY

DEFINE

SATELLITE

METEOR SHOWER

LANDMARK

#END

Description String: Description of an object. Must be surrounded by quotation marks. If the

description is longer than one line, each line must end with a quotation mark and a hard return.

Begin the next description line with a quotation mark.

If quotation marks are to be displayed in the on-screen description, use two quote marks at the

beginning and end of the desired phrase. For example: "The Orion Nebula is considered

""awesome"" by many who view it."

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Writing a Tour

Using the list of commands listed above, a custom tour can be created. Placing the word AUTO

SELECT before any of the command lines activates Automatic Mode and, when selected,

Autostar automatically searches and finds the designated object.

The following is a list of command lines, complete with keywords and necessary strings:

TITLE

Title must be the first keyword in your tour after any comment lines and must be 15 characters

or less. Autostar displays this title when "Guided Tour" is selected from the menus.

For example: TITLE "A Star's Life"

TEXT "title string" "description string"

This command allows you to display a text title and description.

USER ra dec "title string" "description string"

This command line allows you to access a specific object with your own description. Enter

USER, then the RA and DEC of a desired object, and its title and description. Use the format

described in the Command Line section.

The following commands specify objects that are already in the Autostar database. If these

commands follow the command AUTO SELECT, the object's title displays on line 1 and its

description scrolls across line 2.

Do not add a description string after the following command lines; these commands access

objects with existing description in the Autostar database.

NGC xxxx

Enter NGC followed by the desired New General Catalog number and Autostar provides the

user with a description of the object from its database. For example: NGC 4256

IC xxxx

Enter IC followed by the desired Index Catalog number and Autostar provides the user with a

description of the object from its database. For example: IC 1217

SAO xxxxxx

Enter SAO followed by the desired SAO number and Autostar provides the user with a

description of the object from its database. For example: SAO 30200

Messier xxx

Enter MESSIER followed by the desired Messier number and Autostar provides the user with

a description of the object from its database. For example: M 101

CALDWELL xxx

Enter CALDWELL followed by the Caldwell number and Autostar provides the user with a

description of the object from its database. For example: CALDWELL 17

PLANET "name"

Enter PLANET and then the name of the desired planet in quotes. Autostar provides the user

with a description of the selected planet from its database. For example: PLANET "Pluto"

MOON

This command accesses information about the Moon from the Autostar database.

SATELLITE "name"

Enter SATELLITE and then the name of the desired satellite in quotes. Autostar displays

information about the satellite from its database. For example: SATELLITE: "Intl Space Stn"

ASTEROID "name"

Enter ASTEROID and then the name of the desired asteroid in quotes. Autostar displays

information about the asteroid from its database. For example: ASTEROID: "Ceres"

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COMET "name"

Enter COMET and then the name of the desired comet in quotes. Autostar displays information

about the comet from its database. For example: COMET: "Halley"

LUNAR ECLIPSE

If LUNAR ECLIPSE is part of the tour, Autostar checks its database every time the tour is

activated to see if a lunar eclipse is visible that evening. If no eclipse is visible, this option is

skipped and the tour proceeds on the the next object.

METEOR SHOWER

If METEOR SHOWER is part of the tour, Autostar checks its database every time the tour is

activated to see if a meteor shower is visible that evening. If no meteor shower is visible, this

option is skipped and the tour proceeds on to the the next object.

DEEP SKY "name"

Enter DEEP SKY followed by the name of the desired object in quotes. For example:

DEEP SKY "Small Magellanic Cloud"

CONSTELLATION "name"

Enter CONSTELLATION followed by the name of the desired constellation in quotes. For

example: CONSTELLATION "Leo Major"

STAR "name"

Enter STAR followed by the name of the desired star in quotes. For example: STAR "Vega"

LANDMARK az alt "title" "description"

Enter the azimuth (az) for the desired object in the following format: xxxdxxmxxs. For example:

123d27m00s. Then enter the altitude of the desired object in the following format: xxdxxmxxs.

Then enter the title string and description string in quotes. For example:

LANDMARK 123d27m00s 57d20m20s "Landmark 1" "North corner of apartment building"

PICK ONE / PICK END

These two statements are used to surround a list of items that Autostar can choose from

during a tour. Autostar begins at the top of the PICK ONE list and displays the first object from

the list that is above the horizon and ignores the rest.

This statement is useful for developing tours that can be presented year round. For each object

type you wish to use to illustrate in your tour, pick 10 to 12 examples spaced across the range

of right ascension. Bracket them by the PICK ONE / PICK END statements. One current

example displays for the user. For example:

AUTO SELECT TEXT "Globular Cluster" "Globular clusters are huge balls of stars."

"They contain 50,000 to 100,000 stars and are located on the fringes of our"

"galaxy."

PICK ONE

AUTO SELECT MESSIER 13

AUTO SELECT MESSIER 15

AUTO SELECT MESSIER 92

AUTO SELECT MESSIER 4

AUTO SELECT MESSIER 68

AUTO SELECT NGC 1234

AUTO SELECT TEXT "None Available" "I'm sorry. There are no bright globular"

"clusters visible at this time."

PICK END

AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF

With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, Autostar automatically slews the telescope to objects

first before displaying the text description. This feature is useful when designing tours in which

observing certain objects is required. For example, an astronomy professor may require his

students to observe six objects, four of which Autostar automatically slews to in a tour. The

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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 win-

dow 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.

3. Press MODE once. "Select Item: Setup" displays.

4. Press the Scroll Down key once and "Select Item: Object" displays. Press ENTER. "Object:

Solar System" displays.

5. Press the Scroll Up key twice and "Object: Landmarks" displays. Press ENTER.

"Landmark: Select" displays.

6. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Landmark: Add" displays. Press ENTER.

7. "Landmark Name" displays. Using Arrow keys, enter a name for the landmark you wish to

add to the database. When finished, press ENTER.

8. "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.

9. "Landmark: Add" displays. If you wish to add more landmarks, repeat steps 5 through 7.

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.

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3. 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.

4. 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 option—note 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. "Landmark Survey: Slewing..." displays. The telescope moves to the first object on the

Survey list and displays the name of the object.

3. 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. Navigate to the "Setup: Statistics" menu option and press ENTER.

2. "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 tel-

escope 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. Center the object you wish to have identified in the telescope's eyepiece.

2. Navigate to the "Object: Identify" option and press ENTER.

3. "Searching..." displays. When Autostar finishes calculating, the name of the closest object

displays.

4. 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:

Displayed information:

Catalog or common name of object

Type of object

Example:

Messier 107, NGC6171, Orion Nebula, etc

Globular Cluster, Nebula, Black Hole, etc.

Right Ascension

Declination

16:32:4

13°03'

Constellation

Virgo, Orion, etc.

Magnitude

Size

Scrolling message

"This Globular Cluster is 10,000 light years

away...."

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Browse

This menu allows you to search the database for objects with certain parameters, much like

a search engine. "Edit Parameters" lets you set various parameters for the search, and "Start

Search" activates the search. A typical search might be performed as follows:

1. Select "Browse" from the Object menu. Press ENTER. "Browse: Start Search" displays.

2. Press one of the Scroll Keys and "Browse: Edit Parameters" displays. Press ENTER.

3. "Edit Parameters: Largest (mins)" displays. "Mins" stands for arc-minutes. Press ENTER.

4. "Largest (mins)" and a value displays. Using the Number keys, enter a size in arc-minutes.

Autostar will search for objects up to this size and no larger. Press ENTER.

5. "Edit Parameters: Largest (mins)" displays again. Press the Scroll Down key. "Edit

Parameters: Smallest (mins)" displays. Enter the value for the smallest size of an object

that Autostar will search for in the database. Continue with "Brightest," Faintest," and

"Minimum Elevation," using the procedure described in steps 3 and 4.

6. After "Minimum Elevation," "Object Type" displays. Press ENTER." "+Black Hole"

displays.If you do not wish wish to have "Black Holes" in your search, press ENTER and

the "+" changes to a "–." Press the Scroll Down to scroll to the next item. "+Diffuse Nebula"

displays. Continue to scroll through the list and press ENTER if you wish to change the

"+" to a "–" or vice-versa.

7. After you have scrolled to the last item on the "Object Type" list, press MODE twice and

the Scroll Down key once. "Browse: Start Search" displays. Press ENTER. "Start Search:

Next" displays. Press ENTER. Autostar searches the database and displays the first

object that matches the search parameters you have entered. Use the scroll keys to

display information about the object. Press MODE and "Start Search: Next" displays

again. Press ENTER and the next item matching the parameters displays. Repeat this

procedure to display all the objects.

8. Press MODE repeatedly to leave this menu.

DSX TIPS

Look into the Future

The Autostar Date menu option in the Setup menu is much more than just an entry

of today's date; with it you can look far into the future or learn about past events.

Autostar can calculate the date and times of future events and, except for eclipses,

past events as well (based on the current calendar system). E.g., a Sunrise on

March 6, 2043 A.D. or the Vernal Equinox in 1776 A.D. To use this feature, enter

the desired date in the Setup menu and select an option in the Event menu.

Autostar can calculate dates and times for Sunrises, Sunsets, Moonrises,

Moonsets, Moonphases, Solar and Lunar Eclipses (for the next 100 years), mete-

or showers, equinoxes and solstices, and the minimums of Algol.

One very practical use of the date menu is to check the Sunset option to determine

when you can begin your astronomical observing.

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OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories are available for the for DSX telescopes.

Meade accessories greatly extend many important applications to the telescope, from low-

power, wide-field terrestrial viewing to high-power lunar and planetary observing. The premium

quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself.

Meade telescopes and accessories, including optional accessories for DSX telescopes, are

available at more than 3,000 dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada and through Meade

international distributors worldwide. Once you have identified the accessories you wish to order,

contact your local Meade authorized dealer. To find a dealer near you call (949) 451-1450 or

visit the Meade website at www.meade.com.

AstroFinder Software/#505 Cable Connector Kit: With Meade AstroFinder software (Fig. 22)

loaded into your PC, Autostar-equipped DSX–90 and DSX-125 telescopes may be

remotely controlled from the PC display. The #505 Cable Connector Set, permitting

connection of DSX, Autostar, and PC, is included with each AstroFinder package.

Eyepieces: For higher and lower magnifications, Meade Super Plössl (SP) and Super Wide

Angle (SWA) eyepieces (Fig. 23), as well as the Series 4000 8mm to 24mm Zoom eyepiece,

yield high-resolution imaging with all DSX telescope models. A useful selection includes the SP

9.7mm, SP 12.4mm, and SWA 18mm. Under good seeing conditions, Meade Ultra Wide Angle

4.7mm and 6.7mm eyepieces present the widest obtainable fields of view at high powers and

are well suited for observing the Moon and planets. Alternative optional eyepieces may be

chosen from the Meade Series 3000 Plössl eyepieces. Powers obtained with each eyepiece

are shown in the following table.

DSX-90EC

DSX-125EC

Eyepiece

Power 2x Barlow

SP 6.4mm

SP 9.7mm

SP 12.4mm

SP 15mm

SP 20mm

SP 26mm *

SP 32mm

SP 40mm

195X

129X

101X

83X

63X

48X

390X

258X

202X

166X

126X

96X

297X 594X**

Fig. 23: Optional

Eyepieces yield higher

and lower magnifying

powers.

196X

153X

127X

95X

392X

306X

253X

190X

146X

119X

96X

73X

39X

31X

78X

62X

59X

48X

SWA 13.8mm

SWA 18mm

SWA 24.5mm

91X

69X

51X

182X

138X

102X

138X

106X

78X

275X

211X

155X

UWA 4.7mm

UWA 6.7mm

266X

187X

N/A

374X **

404X

284X 567X**

N/A

Included as standard-equipment with the DSX models.

** Use these eyepieces only under extremely steady

atmospheric conditions.

#126 2x Barlow Lens: An amplifying lens, the multi-coated #126 2x Barlow (Fig. 24) doubles

the power of all eyepieces with which it is used. Insert the #126 into the telescope’s eyepiece

holder first, followed by an eyepiece. E.g.: By itself, the SP 26mm eyepiece yields a power of

73X with the DSX-125EC; when used with the #126 2x Barlow Lens, this eyepiece yields 146X.

#64 T-Adapter: The basic means of photography through any DSX Astro telescope, the #64

T-Adapter threads to the rear cell of the telescope, followed by a T-Mount appropriate to the

user’s brand of 35mm camera. In this way, the camera body is rigidly coupled to the telescope's

optical system, which in effect becomes the camera's lens.

Fig. 24: Use the

#126 2x Barlow Lens

to double the magni-

fication of the eye-

piece employed.

#932 45° Erecting Prism: All DSX models include an internal optically-flat mirror to reflect light

to the telescope’s 90° astronomical observing position. In this position the telescope’s image is

upright, but reversed. For terrestrial observing with an DSX model, the #932 Erecting Prism

(Fig. 26) results in a fully correctly oriented image and a convenient 45° observing angle.

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CARING FOR YOUR TELESCOPE

Your DSX telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding

observations. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your telescope will

rarely, if ever, require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include:

a. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: a little dust on the front surface of the telescope’s

correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be

considered reason to clean the lens.

b. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with gentle strokes

of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy). DO

NOT use a commercial photographic lens cleaner.

c. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed with a solution of

3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You may also add 1 drop of

biodegradable dishwashing soap per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and

make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often.

CAUTION: Do not use scented or lotioned tissues or damage could result to the

optics.

d. If used outdoors on a humid night, water condensation on the telescope surfaces will

probably result. While such condensation does not normally cause any damage to the

telescope, it is recommended that the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth

before the telescope is packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the optical surfaces.

Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in the warm indoor air, so that the

wet optical surfaces can dry unattended.

e. If your telescope is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one month or more,

it is advisable to remove the batteries from the telescope. Batteries left in the telescope for

prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescope’s electronic circuitry.

f. Do not leave the telescope inside a sealed car on a warm summer day; excessive

ambient temperatures can damage the telescope’s internal lubrication and electronic

circuitry.

Meade Customer Service

If you have a question concerning your DSX Telescope, contact the Meade Instruments

Customer Service Department at:

Telephone: (949) 451-1450

Fax: (949) 451-1460

Customer Service hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. In the

unlikely event that your DSX telescope requires factory servicing or repairs, write or call the

Meade Customer Service Department first, before returning the telescope to the factory, giving

full particulars as to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address, and daytime

telephone number. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone,

avoiding return of the telescope to the factory.

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SPECIFICATIONS

DSX-90AT

Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain

Diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90mm (3.5”)

Focal length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1250mm

Focal ratio (photographic speed). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f/13.8

Near focus (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.5 ft (3.5m)

Resolving power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 arc secs

Super multi-coatings (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . standard

Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.). . . . . . . . . . . . 11.7

Image scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.16°/inch

Maximum practical visual power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325X

Optical tube dimensions

(dia. x length) . . . . . . . . . . 10.4cm x 27.9cm (4.1” x 11”)

Eyepiece. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Super Plössl 26mm

Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 x 21mm

Secondary mirror obstruction (dia.; %) . . 27.9mm (1.1”); 9.6%

Telescope mounting. . . . . . . . . . Single-arm, motorized Alt-Az

Battery (user-supplied) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 x AA

DSX-125AT

Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain

Diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125mm (4.9”)

Focal length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1900mm (74.8”)

Focal ratio (photographic speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f/15

Near focus (approx). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6m (15 ft)

Resolving power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.9 arc secs

Super multi-coatings (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . standard

Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.). . . . . . . . . . . . 12.5

Image scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.76°/inch

Maximum practical visual power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500X

Optical tube dimensions

(dia. x length) . . . . . . . . . 14.6cm x 36cm (5.75” x 14.2”)

Eyepiece. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Super Plössl 26mm

Viewfinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 x 25mm right-angle

Secondary mirror obstruction (dia.; %) . . 39.4mm (1.6”); 9.6%

Telescope mounting. . . . . . . . . . Single-arm, motorized Alt-Az

Battery (user-supplied) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 x AA

Autostar Specifications

Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68HC11, 8MHz

Flash Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1MB, reloadable

Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 key alphanumeric

Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 line, 16 character LCD

Backlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red LED

Utility Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes

RS-232 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes

Coil Cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24"

Database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,223 objects

Autostar Dimensions

Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.56" (16.6cm)

Width (LCD end) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.19" (80cm)

Width (Connector end). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.25" (57cm)

Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.81" (21cm)

Autostar net weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.12 lbs (0.51kg)

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APPENDIX A

Celestial Coordinates

It is helpful to understand how to locate celestial

objects as they move across the sky.

North

Celestial

Pole

(Vicinity

of Polaris)

+90 Dec.

Star

A celestial coordinate system was created that

maps an imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth

upon which all stars appear to be placed. This

mapping system is similar to the system of latitude

and longitude on Earth surface maps.

Earth’s

Rotation

Celestial

Equator

Right Ascension

In mapping the surface of the Earth, lines of

longitude are drawn between the North and South

Poles, and lines of latitude are drawn in an East-

West direction, parallel to the Earth’s equator.

Similarly, imaginary lines have been drawn to form

a latitude and longitude grid on the celestial

sphere. These lines are known as Right

Ascension and Declination.

0 Dec.

South

Celestial

Pole

-90 Dec.

Fig. 25: 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 Earth’s 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. 25) 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. 25) is a projection of the Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere.

So just as an object's position on the Earth’s 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. 26).

IMPORTANT NOTE: For almost all

astronomical observing requirements,

approximate settings are acceptable. Do

not allow undue attention to precise

alignment of the telescope to interfere with

your basic enjoyment of the instrument.

Little Dipper

Polaris

Big Dipper

Cassiopeia

Fig. 26: Locating Polaris.

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APPENDIX B

Using Autostar to Find Objects Not in the Database

Although Autostar contains a database of more than 30,000 celestial objects (stars, nebulae,

planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part

of the database. Autostar provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec.

coordinates in the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu and allows automatic slewing of

the telescope to the user-entered coordinates.

TIP:

Entering R.A. and

Dec. Coordinates of

an object without

using the menus:

If you do not wish to

navigate through the

menus, a more direct

way to enter

In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec. coordinates of the

object or objects you wish to observe. Check out your local library, computer store, bookstore,

CD Roms, Internet, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates

of celestial objects. The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent

database, called "User Objects."

coordinates is to

press and hold MODE

for two seconds or

more. R.A. and Dec.

coordinates display.

Press GO TO. "Object

Position" and a set of

coordinates displays.

Enter the R.A. and

Dec. coordinates of

any celestial object

using the Up and

Down Arrow keys,

overwriting the

coordinates currently

displayed. As soon as

the coordinates are

entered, Autostar

slews the telescope to

the coordinates. Note

that the telescope

must be initialized

and placed in the

Alt/Az home position

(see page 17) for this

procedure to operate

properly.

To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu:

1. Make sure Autostar has been initialized and the telescope has been aligned.

2. After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. (If necessary, use the Scroll

keys to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find this option.) Press

ENTER.

3. "Object: Solar System" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until "Object: User

Object" displays and press ENTER.

4. "User Object: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "User Object: Add"

displays. Press ENTER.

5. "Name" displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use the Arrow

keys, as previously described, to enter the name of the object you wish to add to the

database. When you are finished, press ENTER.

6. "Right Asc.: 00.00.0" displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Right

Ascension coordinate of your object. When you are finished, press ENTER.

7. "Declination: +00°.00'" displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Declination

coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change "+" to "-." When you

are finished, press ENTER.

8. Autostar then prompts you to enter the size of the object. This step is optional. Use the

Number keys to enter the size (in arc-minutes), if so desired, and press ENTER to go to

the next display. If you do not wish to enter this information, simply press ENTER.

9. Autostar then prompts you to enter the magnitude of the object. This step is also optional.

Use the Number keys to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the

next display. "User Object: Add" displays again.

However, if you wish

to store the

To GO TO a user-entered object:

coordinates of an

object in memory, use

the method described

at the right.

In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO the object.

1. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object: Select"

displays. Press ENTER.

2. Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER.

3. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display.

4. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

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APPENDIX C

Observing Satellites

In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass.

1. Go to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER.

2. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites.

3. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER.

4. "Calculating...." and then "Tracking..." displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass,

"Located" displays.

5. 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.

6. "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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

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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.

DSX TIPS

Press > until it

is centered

DS-2000 TIPS

Scope slews left.

Bring target back

to center using

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.

Press MODE until

Select Item is displayed.

the Right Arrow key.

Select Item

Object

Press < until it

is centered

Press the scroll

up key once.

Also below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and

organizations that you might find helpful.

Scope slews right.

Bring target back

to center using

Topics

Select Item

Setup

1. How is a star born? How does a solar system form?

the Left Arrow key.

2. How is the distance to a star measured? What is a

light year? What is red shift and blue shift?

Access the Setup

menu.

Train Drive

Az. Train

3. How are the craters on our Moon formed? How old

is the Moon and Earth? How old is the Sun?

Menu returns to

Az. training.

Setup

4. What is a black hole? A neutron star?

Align

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?

Multiple presses.

Train Drive

Alt. Train

Altitude

6. What is a nova? A supernova?

Setup

7. What are comets? Minor planets? Meteors? Meteor

showers? Where do they come from?

(vertical)

training.

Telescope

Access the

Telescope menu.

8. What is a planetary nebula? A globular cluster?

Drive Setup

For this op. . .

9. What is the Big Bang? Is the universe expanding or

contracting, or does it always remain the same?

What is dark matter?

Reminder to

use terrestrial

target.

Telescope

Telescope Model

10. What is an extrasolar planet? What is an accretion

(or protoplanetary) disk?

Multiple presses.

Center reference

object

11. What is the difference between an elliptical, a spiral,

and an irregular galaxy?

Center target

using Arrow

keys.

Telescope

Train Drive

Books

1. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton

and Philip Teece

Choose the Train

Drive option.

Press until it

is centered

2. The Sky: A User’s Guide by David Levy

Scope slews down.

Bring target back

to center using

3. Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davis

Train Drive

Az. Train

Azimuth

4. Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael

Covington

the Up Arrow key.

(horizontal)

training.

Magazines

Press until it

is centered

1. Sky & Telescope

Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178

2. Astronomy

Drive Setup

For this op. . .

Reminder to

Scope slews up.

Bring target back

to center using

Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187

use terrestrial

target.

the Down Arrow key.

Organizations:

1. Astronomical League

Center reference

object.

Train Drive

Az. Train

Multiple presses.

Executive Secretary

5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012

2. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific

390 Ashton Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112

3. The Planetary Society

Center target

using Arrow

keys.

MODE

65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Select Item

Object

And watch Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer, on your local

PBS station.

Fig. 27: Training the Drive Procedure.

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BASIC ASTRONOMY

In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your DSX

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 DSX telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not

merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far more—a window to incredible

discovery.

Autostar Glossary

Be sure to make use of Autostar’s 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 25, for more information.

Objects in Space

Listed below are some of the many astronomical objects that can be seen with the DSX 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 Moon’s surface at an

angle. It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view (Fig. 28). 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.

Brilliant detail can be observed on the Moon, including hundreds of lunar craters and maria,

described below.

Fig. 28 The Moon.

Note the deep shad-

ows in the craters.

Craters are round meteor impact sites covering most of the Moon’s surface. With no

atmosphere on the Moon, no weather conditions exist, so the only erosive force is meteor

strikes. Under these conditions, lunar craters can last for millions of years.

Maria (plural for mare) are smooth, dark areas scattered across the lunar surface. These dark

areas are large ancient impact basins that were filled with lava from the interior of the Moon by

the depth and force of a meteor or comet impact.

Twelve Apollo astronauts left their bootprints on the Moon in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

However, no telescope on Earth is able to see these footprints or any other artifacts. In fact, the

smallest lunar features that may be seen with the largest telescope on Earth are about one-half

mile across.

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Planets

Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. To locate the planets on a

given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and Telescope or

Astronomy. You can also consult Autostar for information about planets. Scroll to the "Object:

Solar System" menu and scroll through the lists of planets. When a planet you are interested

in displays, press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys to display information about the planet, such as

the planet's coordinates, and the rise and set times (Tip: enter a date in the Date menu and

you can determine if a planet(s) will be visible during the night of the entered date by checking

its rise and set times). Listed below are the best planets for viewing through the DSX Series.

Venus is about nine-tenths the diameter of Earth. As Venus orbits the Sun, observers can see

it go through phases (crescent, half, and full) much like those of the Moon. The disk of Venus

appears white as Sunlight is reflected off the thick cloud cover that completely obscures any

surface detail.

Fig. 29: Jupiter and

its four largest

moons. The moons

can be observed in

a different position

every night.

Mars is about half the diameter of Earth, and appears through the telescope as a tiny reddish-

orange disk. It may be possible to see a hint of white at one of the planet’s Polar ice caps.

Approximately every two years, when Mars is closest to Earth in its orbit, additional detail and

coloring on the planet's surface may be visible.

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is 11 times the diameter of Earth. The

planet appears as a disk with dark lines stretching across the surface. These lines are cloud

bands in the atmosphere. Four of Jupiter’s 16 moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) can

be seen as “star-like” points of light when using even the lowest magnification (Fig. 29). These

moons orbit Jupiter so that the number of moons visible on any given night changes as they

circle around the giant planet.

Saturn is nine times the diameter of Earth and appears as a small, round disk with rings

extending out from either side (Fig. 30). In 1610, Galileo, the first person to observe Saturn

through a telescope, did not understand that what he was seeing were rings. Instead, he

believed that Saturn had “ears.” Saturn’s rings are composed of billions of ice particles

ranging in size from a speck of dust to the size of a house. The major division in Saturn's rings,

called the Cassini Division, is occasionally visible. Titan, the largest of Saturn’s 18 moons can

also be seen as a bright, star-like object near the planet.

Fig. 30: Saturn has

the most extensive

ring structure in our

Solar System.

Deep-Sky Objects

Star charts can be used to locate constellations, individual stars and deep-sky objects.

Examples of various deep-sky objects are given below:

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.

Fig. 31: The

Pleiades is one of

the most beautiful

open clusters.

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. 31).

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.

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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 (949) 451-1450. Each returned part or product must include a written statement

detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owner’s 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.

P R O D U C T S D I V I S I O N

^AM^De^Va^Ad^{N C}e^EI^Dnstruments Corporation

World’s Leading Manufacturer of Astronomical Telescopes for the Serious Amateur

6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618 I (949) 451-1450

FAX: (949) 451-1460 I www.meade.com

14-7190-00 07/03

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