User Manual

11
Easy (Two-Star) Align
The fastest and easiest way to locate objects with
AudioStar’s GO TO capabilities is to use Easy Align.
AudioStar automatically picks two stars from its
database for the Easy Align procedure. During this
procedure,AudioStarslewsthetelescopetoarst
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, rst
verify that “INITIALIZING AudioStar”, page
10, has been performed. See “Moving
through AudioStar’s Menus”, page 10,
for a description of how AudioStar’s keys
operate.
How to perform the Easy Align
Procedure
If you have just powered on the telescope, follow
the procedures listed in “Initializing AudioStar” on
page 10. When completed, continue on to the steps
below to perform the Easy Alignment procedure. If
the telescope is already powered on and the correct
site location, date, time and telescope model have
already been entered, the Easy Alignment can be
started by selecting in the menu Setup: Align: Easy
and following the steps below.
1. When the Easy Alignment procedure is
selected in the AudioStar’s setup menu,
the display will read “North Method: 1=True
2=Compass”. AudioStar is asking which
Home Position the telescope will be placed
in. See page 9, “The LX65 Home Position”
for a description on placing the LX65
telescope into the home position.
Note: The easiest way to set the telescope
in the home position is using the Magnetic
North method. Follow the steps on page
9 “Magnetic North Home Position” and
press the “2” key on AudioStar to select the
“Compass” (Magnetic North) method.
2. Star Alignment - The AudioStar then chooses
two stars to align upon. When the telescope
slewstotherststarforalignment,itmaynot
appearintheeld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. While looking
throughthereddotnder,usetheArrowKeys
to move the telescope to place the red dot
on the top of the star. Now look through the
eyepiece and use the Arrow Keys to move the
startothecenteroftheeyepieceeld.Press
ENTER. If that area of the sky is obscured by
an object, you can prompt AudioStar to chose
an alternate star by pressing either one of the
two Scroll Keys. Repeat procedure for the
second alignment star.
When the procedure is performed correctly, “Alignment
Successful” displays. If AudioStar does not display
this message, perform this procedure again.
NOTE: AudioStar locates alignment stars based on the
date, time, and location entered. The alignment stars
may change from night to night. All that is required
is for the observer to center the selected stars in the
eyepiece when prompted.
NOTE: The GO TO key also allows you to perform
a “spiral search”. A spiral search is useful when the
telescope slews to an object, but that object is not
visibleintheeyepieceafterthetelescopenishesits
search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment
procedure.) Press GO TO when the slew is nished
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.
Which One’s the Alignment Star?
If you’re not familiar with objects in the night sky, 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. If you perform a
GoTo to an alignment star and you’re not sure if you have
located the alignment star or it isn’t in the eyepiece, look
throughyour viewnder. Whenyou viewan alignment
starintheviewnder,itstandsoutdramaticallyfromthe
rest of the stars in that portion of the sky.
Theviewnderwillhelpyoulocateastarmorequickly
than the eyepiece. Using AudioStar, set the slew speed
to 6 (press Number key 6) or higher and use the Arrow
keys to center the alignment star in the viewnder. If
your viewnder has been aligned with the telescope,
the alignment star should now be in the eyepiece. Set
the slew speed to 4 or less and center the star in the
eyepiece.