Owner manual

55
Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig.
53 depicts the complete Dr
ive 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.
Fig. 53: Training the Drive Procedure.
Press > until it
is centered
Press < until it
i
s centered
Train Drive
Az. Train
Train Drive
Alt. Train
Drive Setup
For this op. . .
Center reference
object
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
S
cope slews left.
B
ring target back
to center using
the Right Arrow key.
12
13
14
15
16
17
Scope slews right.
Bring target back
to center using
t
he Left Arrow key.
Menu returns to
A
z. training.
Altitude
(vertical)
training.
Reminder to 
use terrestrial
target.
Train Drive
Az. Train
Select Item
Object
Press until it
is centered
Press until it
is centered
ENTER
ENTER
MODE
18
19
20
21
Center target
using Arrow
keys.
Scope slews down.
Bring target back
to center using
the Up Arrow key.
Scope slews up.
Bring target back
to center using
the Down Arrow key.
Multiple presses.
ENTER
Select Item
Object
Select Item
Setup
Setup
Align
Setup
Telescope
3
4
6
ENTER
P
ress the scroll 
up key once.
Access the Setup
menu.
M
ultiple presses.
Access the 
Telescope menu.
5
ENTER
1
Telescope
Telescope Model
Telescope
Train Drive
Train Drive
Az. Train
Drive Setup
For this op. . .
Center reference
object.
ENTER
ENTER
ENTER
Multiple presses.
Choose the Train
Drive option.
Azimuth 
(horizontal)
training.
7
8
9
10
11
Reminder to 
use terrestrial
target.
Center target
using Arrow
keys.
ENTER
V
erify that AUTOSTAR 
INITIALIZATION is 
complete.

P
ress MODE until 
S
elect Item is displayed.
1
2
>
>
APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE
Further Study....
This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If
you are interested in pursuing further studies in astronomy, a few
topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on (some
of the topics are easy and some are quite challenging). Try look-
ing up some of these in the AutoStar glossary.
Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazines
and organizations that you might find helpful.
Topics
1. How is a star born? How does a solar system form?
2. How is the distance to a star measured? What is a light
year? What is red shift and blue shift?
3. How are the craters on our Moon formed? Is there water
under the surface of the Moon?
4.
What is a black hole? A neutron star? A quark star? A
gamma burster? An Einstein lens?
5. What are stars made of? Why are stars different colors?
How is the elemental composition of a star determined?
What is an Lyman Alpha forest?
6. What is the difference between a Type 1 and a Type II
supernova?
7. What is the importance of studying the composition of
comets? Where do comets come from?
8. How old is our Sun? Will our Sun evolve into a planetary
nebula or go supernova?
9. What is the Inflationary Big Bang? What is dark matter?
What are MACHO's?
10. How are extrasolar planets discovered? What is an accre-
tion (or protoplanetary) disk?
11. What are the differences between elliptical, spiral and irreg-
ular galaxies? Can globular clusters be older than the uni-
verse itself?
Books
1. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton and
Philip Teece
2. The Sky: A User’s Guide by David Levy
3.
Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davis
4. Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael Covington
Ma
gazines
1. Sky & Telescope
Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178
2.
Astronom
y
Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
Or
ganizations:
1.
Astronomical League
Executive Secretary
5675 Real del Nor
te
, Las Cr
uces
, NM 88012
2. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
390 Ashton Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112
3.
The Planetar
y Society
65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
And watch Jack Horkheimer,
Star Gazer, on your local PBS
station.
Visit J
ac
k’
s website at: www.jackstargazer.com
ETX TIPS