Meade RCX400TM User Manual

Instruction Manual

10", 12", 14” RCX400™Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien Telescopes

with AutoStar II

Hand Controller and Digital Front Focus

MEADE.COM

Focusing the Telescope

As you look over your new RCX telescope, one of the first things you will notice is that it has no Focus Knob!

Because this design is of key importance, we are presenting this information on how to focus your telescope on the inside front cover so that it is immediately accessible.

The Focus Key

All focusing of the RCX400 is performed digitally, using AutoStar II’s Focus key (number key 4).

The Focus ke

J Press the Focus key the first time to focus the telescope and to control

the speed at which you focus.

J Press the Focus key again to set and adjust up to nine focus presets.

To change the focus speed:

1. Press the Focus key once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays for two seconds. Use one of the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of 4 a desire displays. Choose a focus speed with which you feel comfortable.

To focus the telescope:

1. Press the Focus key once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays. After two seconds, “Focuser: Position = XX” displays. “XX” stands for a number value in decimal millimeters.

2. Point the telescope at a distant object. Look in the eyepiece and use the Arrow keys until the image in the eyepiece is in focus.

To exit the focus operation at any time:

1. Press MODE.

If you wish learn how to set focus presets, see page 19.

y functions as a toggle key:

vailable focus speeds: Fast, Medium, Slow, Fine. Scroll through the list until the speed you

How to Hot Swap the Autostar II Handbox

You may move the Autostar II handbox from one computer control panel to another, without turning off the RCX control panel. This is called “hot swapping.”

o hot swap the handbox:

1. Unplug the handbox connector and plug Autostar II into the HBX port of the other computer control panel.

2. Press and hold the “?” key for two seconds to refresh the display.

WARNING!

Never use a Meade 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 in the orientation indicated by illustration in the battery slots of the battery holder. 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.

® The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal countries throughout the world. "RCX400 " and "AutoStar II" are

ks of Meade Instruments Corporation.

ademar

atents:

US 6,304,376 US 6,392,799 US 6,563,636 D 422,610 Patent Pending.

RCX400 Telescope to

CONTENTS

Focusing your Telescope.........................Inside front cover

k-Start Guide .......................................................... 4

Quic

Telescope Features ...................................................... 8

Autostar II Features........................................................13

Getting Started ..............................................................16

arts Listing, How to Attach the Tripod ....................16

How to Assemble the Tripod ....................................16

How to Assemble Your Telescope ............................16

To Attach the Mount..............................................16

To Install the Batteries ..........................................16

To Connect Autostar II and Attach the Holder......17

To Attach the Diagonal and Eyepiece ..................17

Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder ....................18

Observing ......................................................................16

Choosing an Eyepiece ..............................................19

ocusing the Telescope ............................................19

Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually..........20

Terrestrial Observing ................................................21

Observing Using Arrow Keys....................................21

Slew Speeds ............................................................21

Observe the Moon, Astronomical Observing ..........22

To Track an Object Automatically ..............................22

Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus ........................22

Automatic Alignment ................................................22

Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking ................24

Go To Saturn, Using the Guided Tour ......................24

Basic Autostar II Operation ............................................26

Autostar II Menu Exercises ......................................26

Navigating Autostar II................................................27

Autostar II Menus ........................................................28

Menu Tree ................................................................28

Objects Menu............................................................29

Event Menu ..............................................................30

Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu ..................................31

Setup Menu ..............................................................32

Hot Button Menus ....................................................36

Advanced Autostar II Features ......................................37

Adding Observing Sites ............................................37

Creating User Objects

Observing Satellites, Landmarks ..............................39

Identify ......................................................................40

Browse ......................................................................41

Alternate Alt/Az Alignment Methods ........................42

To Download the Latest Autostar II Software............43

eriodic Error Correction ..........................................44

Photography ..................................................................45

Optional Accessories......................................................48

Maintenance

Collimation ....................................................................51

Specifications ................................................................54

Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment ......................57

Appendix B:

Appendix C: How to Create Your Own Guided Tour ......63

Appendix D: Training the Drive ......................................67

Appendix E: The Moon Menu ........................................68

Appendix F: Smart Mount ..............................................69

Appendix G:

..................................................................

Latitude Char

Basic Astronom

..............................................

t ............................................62

........................................

QUICK-START GUIDE

Assemble Your Tripod

STEP 1: Attach the legs of the tripod to the base:

Slide each leg (1) into a leg receptacle (2) .

STEP 2: Rotate the leg:

Rotate the leg until the trigger release pin (3) is next to the thruster bar latch (4).

STEP 3: “Hook” the Release Pin:

Slide thruster bar hook into the slot in the trigger release pin.1

Take note of the trigger release lever (5) on the base; you will use the release lever in Step 5 below. The trigger release consists of a lever on one side and a pin that runs through to the other side of the base.

STEP 4: Tighten the adjustment lock:

Rotate the leg attachment lock (6) and tighten to a firm feel.

STEP 5: Set the height of your tripod:

Press and hold down (A) the trigger release lever (5) slide the tripod leg to the desired length (thereb pod).

Important Step: Let go of the trigger (B) when the tripod leg is at the desired length. Unhook the trigger release pin to lock the leg in place. This step prevents your tripod accidentally slipping out of the position you set .

Perform this procedure for each of the tripod’s legs. The tripod should now be stable.

y setting the height of the tr

Attach the Mount to the Tripod

STEP 6: P

Take note of the T-handle/rod (8) that goes through the tripod base. The T-handle/rod is spring-mounted into position. Note also that there is a hole (7) on the bottom side of the mount base

Lift the mount and position the mount base over the tripod base. Line up the hole on the mount base over the T-handle rod. When they are lined up, the rod will “pop up” into the hole.

Caution for 12” and 14” model users: Due to the weight and size of these products, please use extreme caution whenever assembling, disassembling, lifting, transporting or storing these products. Two or more persons should always be used whenever performing any of these tasks. Disregard for the above warning could result in serious injury or death.

STEP 7: Secure the mount with the T-handle:

Rotate the T-handle (9) until the rod is tightened to a firm feel.

osition the mount over the tripod:

Move the Optical Tube and Install the Batteries

STEP 8: Move the optical tube from its shipping position:

Turn the Dec. lock (10) counterclockwise to unlock the the optical tube (11) and move it perpendicular the fork arms, to the position depicted in the image at the left. Turn the Dec. lock clockwise to a firm feel to relock the position of the optical tube.

STEP 9: Install the batteries:

ly of the

ies. Remove the battery compartment (13) covers

e compar

RCX400 telescope requires eight C-cell (user

Retur

y holder

tments and replace the co

Assemb supplied) batter and carefully remove the battery holders (12), being mindful of the connector wires.

Insert four user-supplied C-cell batteries into each battery holder, oriented as shown on the diagram on the battery slots inside the batter respectiv

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

ve the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period

remo of time.

n the batter

y holders to their

vers.

QUICK-START GUIDE {CONTINUED}

Insert the Telescope Diagonal Mirror and Eyepiece

STEP 10: Attach the visual back and diagonal mirror:

1. Thread the ring of the visual back (16) over the rear cell (15) and rotate the r onal (18) into the visual back and secure it in place using the visual back thumbscrew (17).

STEP 11: Insert the eyepiece and remove dust cover:

Remove the UltraWide 24mm eyepiece (19) from its container and place it in the diagonal mirror. Tighten the thumbscrew (20) located on the diagonal mirror to a firm feel only. Remove the dust cover ( tube assembly (

ing, tightening to a firm feel. Slide the diag-

18, Fig. 1a) from the front of the optical

19, Fig. 1a) by gently prying it off.

STEP 12: Plug in the AutoStar II handbox

Check that the power switch on the computer control panel (21) is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the AutoStar II handbox into the HBX port of the base control panel (22).

Note: The AutoStar II handbox does not require batteries; the batteries in the telescope supply the power.

Note: You can only plug one handbox into the telescope at a time; you cannot plug two handboxes into the two control panels at the same time.

STEP 13: T

Press the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar II's LCD display (23).

Press the key prompted by AutoStar II to accept the Sun warning. AutoStar II now displays "Automatic Alignment." You can then use the Arrow keys (24) to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left.To change the telescope’s slew speed, press the Speed key (25) and then the Number keys (26). "9" is the f

urn on AutoStar:

astest speed and "1" is the slo

est speed.

Point, Focus and Observe

STEP 14: Tighten the R.A. and Dec. Locks:

Move the R.A. lock (27) and tighten to a firm feel. Rotate the Dec. Lock (28) and tighten to a firm feel, also.

STEP 15: Focus:

To change the focus speed:

Press the Focus key (2() once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays. Use one of the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of 4 available focus speeds: Fast, Medium, Slow, Fine. Scroll through the list until the speed you desire displays (choose a focus speed with which you feel comfortable).

To focus the telescope:

1. Press the Focus key once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays. After two seconds, “Focuser: Position = XX” displays. “XX” stands for a number value in decimal millimeters.

2. Point the telescope at a distant object. Look in the eyepiece and press the Arrow keys until the image in the eyepiece is in focus.

To exit the focus operation:

1. Press MODE.

STEP 16: Point and Observe:

Sight along the side of the telescope tube to locate an object (if you wish to attach the viewfinder, see page 18 for more information).

Look through the eyepiece and use AutoStar’s arrow keys to center the object in your eyepiece.

WHERE

See pages 8 to 12 to learn about your tripod and telescope’s features. See pages 13 to 15 to learn about AutoStar II’s features. See pages 16 to 17 to learn more about your telescope’s assemb See page 18 to lear See pages 19 to 21 to learn more about observing and

ocusing with your scope.

f See pages 22 to 24 to lear to” with your telescope. See pages 28 to 44 to learn about AutoStar’s menus. See pages 45 to 47 to lear telescope See pages 48 to 50 to learn about optional accessories

vailable for your scope.

TO GO FROM HERE...

n about y

n ho

n about photog

our telescope’

w to initializ

wfinder

s vie

, align and

y and your

aph

“go

TELESCOPE FEATURES

eyepiece

diagonal mirror

rear cell and 2” visual back

OTA control panel

viewfinder

fan

optical tube

dust cover

Dec. lock

Dec. slow motion control

right fork arm

handles

left fork arm

battery

compartments

R.A. slow motion control

Base control panel

GPS

Receiv

Dec Setting Circle

AutoStar II handbox and tiltable holder

R.A. lock

mounting base

on the left fork arm

Fig. 1a: The RCX400 Telescope; Dec. Setting Circle (inset).

viewfinder objective lens

Fig. 1b: The Viewfinder close up.

locking ring

adjustment screws

viewfinder eyepiece/focuser

viewfinder bracket

and dovetail mount

A

Off/On

12vDC Out

tripod base with

leg receptacles

leg attachment

lock

sliding leg trigger

release

tripod legs

Fig. 1c: The Tripod.

locking latch and thruster bar

mechanism

USB Ports

Ser

ial por

T-handle

utoguider port

12vDC In

Fig. 1d: The Base Computer Control Panel.

USB P

AUX port

HBX por

Serial port

t accessor

Reticle port

Fig. 1e: The Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) Computer Control Panel.

HBX port

Smar

y por

Caution:

Using products other than standard Meade accessories may cause damage to the telescope’s internal electronics and may void the Meade warranty.

B Want to learn more

about the eyepieces available for your

RCX400 telescope?

See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

48, 49, and 50.

, pages

b Want to learn more

focusing your

about telescope? See page

19.

h Want to learn how to

install the batteries? See page 16.

i Want to lear

about the

Ascension and Declination setting circles

n more

Right

? See page 57.

RCX400: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE

The Meade RCX400 models are extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes. With high-precision optics, pushbutton controls, precise GPS alignment, true-level and North electronic sensors, automatic tracking of celestial objects, periodic error correction f the

Obser Focus beyond the Solar System on ancient star clusters, remote galaxies, and stars recently disco are capable of meeting the requirements of the most demanding advanced observer.

or both axes, and a library of 145,000+ objects in the AutoStar II data base,

RCX400 models offer observatory-level performance.

ve the feather structure of an eagle from 50 yards or split a difficult double star.

vered to have planets orbiting about them. Meade

RCX400 telescopes

B Eyepiece: Place the 2”, 6-element UltraWide 24mm eyepiece into the diagonal

mirror (

3, Fig. 1a) and tighten in place with the diagonal mirror’s thumbscrew (2,

Fig. 1a

). The eyepiece determines the magnification of the image collected in the

optical tube.

C 2" Diagonal Mirror and Eyepiece Thumbscrew: Provides a more comfortable

right angle viewing position. The eyepiece thumbscrew tightens the eyepiece (

) in place. Tighten to a firm feel only.

Fig. 1a

D Rear Cell P

The diagonal mirror slides into the visual back and is secured by the visual back thumbscrew.

ort and 2” Visual Back:

The visual bac

k threads onto the rear cell.

E Base Computer Control Panel (see j):

ON/OFF Switch: Turns both computer control panels and AutoStar II

ON or OFF. The red power indicator LED next to the switch illuminates when power is supplied to the panel and the AutoStar II handbox.

12vDC In: Provides a connection so that the telescope assembly may

be powered from a standard 115v AC home outlet using the optional RCX AC Wall Adapter with Cable or the optional 12v DC #607 Cigarette Lighter Adapter. See

12vDC Out: Use the 12vDC output to power telescope accessories. This port may be turned on or off with the Aux Port Power option in the Utilities menu. On is the default value.

USB 2.0 High Speed Port: Provides a connection for a USB 2.0

device. This port is typically used to connect to a PC.

AUX Port: Provides connection for current Meade accessories. See

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.

Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar II coil cord into this port.

tant Note:

Impor

the OTA Computer Control Panel include an HBX port, only one hand-

ybe be plugged in at a time;

x ma

bo both ports at the same time.

G. Serial Port: Provides connection with a PC and for current and future

Meade accessories. Your PC can control your serial commands. Go to the Meade website (www.meade.com) to download the latest serial commands and device pinouts.

Important Note: Although both the Base Computer Control Panel and

TA Computer Control Panel include a serial port, only one may be

the O used at a time; you cannot plug into both ports at the same time.

F Handles: Use to lift optical tube assemb

attached to the tripod. Attach the AutoStar II handbox holder to one of the handles (

5, Fig. 1a).

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.

Although both the Base Computer Control P

you cannot plug handboxes into

RCX400 telescope using

ly or to rotate the telescope when

anel and

G Left Fork Arm: The left side of the heavy-duty mount that holds the optical tube

securely in place (see

1%).

H Battery Compartments: Insert four user-supplied C-cell batteries into each com-

tment (one compar

par

I Right Ascension (R.A.) Slo

Ascension, i.e., the horizontal axis, by turning this control with the R.A. Lock (see

tment on each f

w-Motion Control:

e fine adjustments in the Right

Mak

eight batter

k ar

ies total).

Definitions

Throughout this manual, you will notice the terms

Alt/Az," "Right

Ascension

Declination." Alt/Az or

" more properly, altitudeazimuth (or altazimuth), is frequently used to refer to altitude or Declination (the up-and-down vertical movement of the telescope) and azimuth or Right Ascension (the side-to-side horizontal movement of the telescope). Right Ascension is abbreviated as "R.A." and Declination as "

Caution:

When loosening the Dec. lock, be sure to support the optical tube (19, The weight of the tube could cause the tube to swing suddenly.

," and

Dec."

Fig.

1#) in the unlocked position. Set the R.A. Lock to a "partially locked" position to create

ortable drag for the R.A. Slow Motion Control.

a comf

Caution: Do not oper in the fully locked position, as such operation may result in damage to the

internal gear system and also cause you to lose alignment.

ate the R.A. Slow Motion Control with the R.A. Lock

j Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) Computer Control Panel (also see e):

H. USB Port: Provides 3 connections for USB 2.0 devices. This port is

typically used to connect to CCD cameras, such as Meade’s LPI or Deep Sky Imager PC can control your the Meade website (www.meade.com) to download the latest serial commands and de

J. Serial Port: Provides connection with a PC and for current and future

Meade accessories. Your PC can control your serial commands. Go to the Meade website (www.meade.com) to

wnload the latest serial commands and device pinouts.

Important Note: Although both the Base Computer Control Panel and the OTA Computer Control Panel include a serial port, only one may be used at a time; you cannot plug into both ports at the same time.

K. Autoguider Port: Plug the optional autoguider into this port. See the

instruction sheet that came with your autoguider for more information. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.

L. Reticle Port: Plug the optional reticle eyepiece into this port. Control

the reticle through the AutoStar II menus. See page 36. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.

Note: See the instruction sheets that are included with the reticle and the autoguider for more details.

M. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar II coil cord into this port.

Important Note: Although both the Base Computer Control Panel and the OTA Computer Control Panel include an HBX port, only one handbox maybe be plugged in at a time; you cannot plug handboxes into both ports at the same time.

N. Smart Accessory Port: Provides connection for future Meade acces-

sories.

. See

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.Y

RCX400 telescope using serial commands. Go to

vice pinouts.

RCX400 telescope using

HOT BUTTON MENUS

our

1) GPS Receiver: Receives information transmitted from Global Positioning System

satellites. See page 25 for more information.

1! Declination (Dec.) Setting Circle (on left fork arm): See APPENDIX A, page 57,

for detailed information.

1@ Mounting Base: Attach to the tripod base (see 2&). See page 16 for mounting

instructions.

1# Right Ascension (R.A.) Lock: Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the

telescope.Turning the R.A. lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope, enabling it to be freely rotated b

kwise loc

cloc ally, and engages the horizontal motor drive for AutoStar II operation.

utoStar II Handbo

1$ A

of the telescope. See pages 13 - 15 for detailed information. You may have noticed that there is no manual focus knob; all focus is achieved by

utoStar handbo

A handbox in a convenient location.

ks the telescope

1% Right Fork Arm: The r

tube securely in place (see

1^ Dec

lination (Dec.) Slo

Declination(altitude) by turning this control with the Dec. Lock (see

ed position. In order for this control to operate properly, power must be off.

the loc

y hand about the horizontal axis. Turning the R.A. lock

, prevents the telescope from being rotated manu-

le Holder:

Tiltab

x and

Attach the holder to one of the handles (see

ight side of the hea

g).

w-Motion Contr

Controls all the electronic functions

vy-duty mount that holds the optical

ol:

e fine adjustments in

Mak

using the

Holds y

f).

1& below) in

our

1& Dec. Lock: Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope. Turning the

k countercloc

loc

Dec. by hand about the vertical axis. Turning the Dec. lock clockwise (to a firm feel

kwise unloc

ks the telescope enabling it to be freely rotated

2! Want to learn more

about attaching and aligning the viewfinder

18.

? See page

only) pre cal motor drive for AutoStar II operation.

1* Dust Co

Note: The dust cover should be replaced after each observing session and the power turned off to the telescope.

vents the telescope from being moved manually, but engages the verti-

ver:

Gently pr

y the dust cover from the front lens of the telescope.

1( Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant

objects and brings this light to a focus for examination through the eyepiece.The tube contains the primary mirror which floats on a layer of adhesive that results in zero-stress to the glass and no distortion to the optics.

2) Fan: AutoStar controls the fan operation. The amount of time required to stabi-

e the temperature will be dependent upon ambient conditions including the

liz observation site and preexisting condition of the telescope. The fan should be activated at the beginning of the observation session to accelerate the temperature stabilization. As soon as the optics have reached an equilibrium with the environment the fan should be turned off. Fan operation time should range between 5 and 25 minutes. While it is permissible to run the fan continuously it is not recommended because the very slight vibration of the fan may cause noticeable movement of the objects observed in the sensitive optics.

The Viewfinder

2! 8 x 50mm Viewfinder: A low-power, wide-field sighting scope with crosshairs

that enables easy centering of objects in the telescope eyepiece.

2@ Viewfinder Objective Lens: Gathers the light for the viewfinder. 2# Viewfinder Locking Ring: Locks the objective lens into place. Unlock to adjust

the focus of the objective lens. See page 18 for details.

2$ Viewfinder Adjustment Screws: Use these six screws to adjust the alignment

of the viewfinder.

2% Viewfinder Eyepiece/Focuser: The eyepiece magnifies the image collected by

the viewfinder’s objective lens. Rotate the eyepiece to focus.

2^ Viewfinder Bracket and Mounting: Holds the viewfinder in place.

The Tripod

2& Tripod Base with leg receptacles: Attach the mounting base (see 1@) to the tri-

pod base. See page 16 for mounting instructions. Slide the tripod legs into the leg receptacles.

2* Leg Attac

hment Lock (3):

Secures the tr

ipod legs into the leg receptacles.

2( Sliding Leg Trigger Release and pin: Press and hold down this lever to easily

change the length of the tripod legs. Let go of the trigger when the tripod leg is at the desired length. The Trigger has a pin that runs through the mounting base; this pin attaches to the thr

uster latch (see

3! belo

w).

3) Variable Height Tripod Legs: Supports the optical tube assembly.

See page

3! Thruster Latc

16 for mounting instructions. Also see

Attach to tr

igger release pin to secure tr

Fig. 8).

ipod in place

3@ T-Handle: Thread into the mounting base and tighten to a firm feel to keep the

tripod stable.

AUTOSTAR II FEATURES

Want to learn more about

downloading the latest updates of Autostar II software from the Meade website

www.meade.com/support/auto.html for complete instructions. Also see page 43.

? Go to

6 7

Fig. 2: The Autostar II Handbox.

Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button

Control of the RCX400 telescope models is through the operation of the standard Autostar II system. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar II’s buttons.

Because the Autostar II system uses flash (rewritable) memory, your system will be able to grow when new features and enhancements become available. Download the latest satellite data, star and object catalogs, tours, serial commands list, and software revisions, directly from the Meade website (

RCX400 Interface Cable. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.)

Some of the major features of the Autostar II system are:

J Automatically move the telescope to any of the more than 180,000 objects stored

in the object library, including:

Library # of Objects

New General Catalog (NGC): 7,840 Index Catalog (IC): 5,386 Messier Catalog (M): 110

ell Catalog:

Caldw Named Objects: Herschel Catalog: Abell Catalog of Galaxy Clusters: Arp Catalog of Irregular Galaxies: 645 Uppsala Galaxy Catalog:

phological Catalog of Galaxies:

Mor

al Catalog of

Gener SAO: 17,191 Hipparcos Star Catalog:

....plus the Lunar 100, the Washington Star Catalog, the Gliese Catalog, and more!

our telescope’

ocus y

J F

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

J T J Control your RCX400 with your PC using an RS232 or USB interface. J Align your telescope automatically using GPS (Global Positioning System). J Access a glossary of astronomical terms. J Mount the telescope in the

vertical—horizontal mode) for fully automatic tracking of celestial objects.

J Collimate your telescope using only AutoStar II’s Arrow keys.

Variable Stars: 28,484

s eyepiece.

www.meade.com). (Requires the option-

109 227 400

2,712

12,940 12,939

17,325

“Alt/Az”

mode (i.e, altitude—azimuth, or

e Want to learn more

about using the GO TO function? See page 24.

ant to learn how to

m a

perf search? See page 24.

SPEED

about c speeds? See page 21.

spiral

Want to learn more

hanging sle

utostar II system provides control of virtually every telescope function. The

The A Autostar II handbox has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with red LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for easy viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential menu structure

e Autostar II extremely user friendly.

mak

B 2-Line LCD Display: This screen displays Autostar II's menus and information

about the telescope.

•

Top line: Lists the primary menu.

• Bottom line: Displays other menus that may be chosen, menu options,

telescope status formed.

, or information about a function that is being per-

c ENTER Key: Press to go to the next menu level or to choose an option in a menu.

The ENTER key is similar to the RETURN or ENTER key on a computer. See

MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR II'S MENUS, page 22 and BASIC AUTOSTAR II OPERATION, pages 26 - 27

d MODE Key: Press to return to the previous menu or data level. The top menu

level is “Select Item." The MODE key is similar to the ESCAPE key on a computer.

Note: Pressing MODE repeatedly while in the “Select Item” level moves Autostar II 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 displays.When the status displays, press the Scroll keys (

• Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical) coordinates

• Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates

• Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST)

• Timer and Alarm Status

• Date

• Site coordinates

• Battery status Press MODE again to return to the previous menu.

7, Fig. 2) to display the following information:

e GO TO Key: Press to slew (move) the telescope to the coordinates of the cur-

rently 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. Also, press during the alignment or GO TO procedures to activate a "spiral search."

f Arrow Keys: The Arrow keys have several functions. Press an Arrow key to slew

the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine different speeds. See to move the telescope vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key rotates the tele-

ontally counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise

scope hor (unless reversed for Southern Hemisphere use). Also The Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit "9."

Additionally Right or Left Arrow key ( in the display.

g Number K

ic function, which is printed on each key (these are commonly known as "hot buttons"—see page 36):

, use the Arro

, use the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display: Use the

eys:

1 SPEED: Changes the slew speeds. To operate, press Speed and then a

Number key (1 is the slowest speed, 9 is highest speed).

2 CALD (Caldwell): Press to display the Caldwell catalog on the Autostar II

handbox.

3 M (Messier): Press to display the Messier catalog library.

SLEW SPEEDS, page 21. Use the Up and Down Arrow keys

eys to scroll through numbers 0 through 9 and the alphabet.

w k

5, Fig. 2) to move the cursor from one number to the next

Press to

input digits 0 to 9. Each Number key also has a specif-

FOCUS

Want to learn

more about the

? See page 19.

RET

Want to learn

more about the

menu? See page 36.

Focus

Reticle

4 FOCUS: Toggles between two functions. The first press allows you to

change the focus and focus speed. The next press allows you to create presets that tell the telescope where to f

ocus.

5 SS: Press to display the Solar System library. 6 STAR: Press to display the Star library. 7 RET (Reticle):

Press to display the Reticle Control menu.

8 IC: Press to display the Index Catalog library. 9 NGC (New General Catalog): Press to display the NGC catalog library. 0 LIGHT: Press to turn on and off the red utility light on the top of the hand-

box.

h Scroll Keys: Press to access options within a selected menu. The menu is dis-

played on the first line of the screen. Options in 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 control the speed of text scrolling on the Autostar II display. When text is scrolling, press and hold the Up Scroll key for a faster display speed and the Down Scroll key for a slower display speed.

Tip:

When an astronomical

appears in [brack-

term

], press ENTER for a

ets

definition or more detailed information. Press MODE to return to the scrolling Autostar II Help display.

celestial object's

If a name appears in brackets (and your telescope is aligned), press ENTER and then GO TO to slew the telescope to the object.

i ? K

ey:Press to access the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on

how to accomplish whatever task is currently active.

Press the ? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details of Autostar II functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an onscreen instruction manual.

If you have a question about an Autostar II operation, ALIGNMENT,

etc., press the ? key and follow the directions that scroll on the sec-

e.g., INITIALIZATION,

ond line. When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to the original screen and continue with the chosen procedure.

j Coil Cord Port: Plug one end of the Autostar II coil cord (10, Fig. 2) into this port

located at the bottom of the Autostar II handbox.

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

of the computer control panel of the telescope and the other end into the Autostar II coil cord port. See

j above.

1! Utility Light: Use this built-in red light to illuminate star charts and accessories

without disturbing your eye's adaptation to darkness. Press "0" to turn the light on and off.

RCX400 TIPS

Join an Astr

One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of astronomy is to join an astronomy club. Check your local newspaper, school, library, or telescope dealer/store to find out if

s a club in y

there’

At club meetings 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 tele-

, eyepieces, filters, tripods, and so forth.

scopes

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 with your phy with the

y g

Man observe with many different telescopes and other pieces of astronomical equipment. Magazines such as Star Parties around the United States and Canada.

RCX400.

roups also hold regular

onomy Club, Attend a Star Party

our area.

ou will meet other astronom

, y

RCX400 telescope. See page 45 for more information about photogra-

ly scheduled Star P

Sky & Telescope and Astronomy print schedules for many popular

y enthusiasts with whom you will be able

arties at which you can check out and

GETTING STARTED

Fig. 7: Attach leg (1) to leg receptacle (2).

Fig. 8: Rotate the leg until the trigger release pin (4) is next to the thruster bar (3).

Fig. 9: Slide thruster hook (4) into the slot of the trigger release pin (3).

Fig. 10: Tighten the leg adjustment loc

Fig. 11: Press down the trigger lever (5) so that you can adjust the height of the tripod.

k (6).

Parts Listing

Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the pac

J RCX400 Telescope with fork mount system and GPS Receiver J AutoStar II handbox and interface coil cord; handbox holder J 8 x 50mm viewfinder assembly J 2" diagonal mirror and J Series 5000 UltraWide 24mm eyepiece

ariable height tripod

J V J USB cable and software CD ROM

king box, note carefully the following parts:

2” visual back barrel

How to Assemble the Tripod

Remove the parts of the tripod from the shipping carton. Assembly of the tripod will take just a few minutes.

To assemble the tripod:

1. Slide a tripod leg into a leg receptacle (Fig. 7). Rotate the leg until the trigger

release pin is next to the thruster bar latch (

2. Slide the thruster bar latch hook into the slot in the trigger release pin (

3. Rotate the leg attachment lock to tighten the leg in place (

4. To unlock the leg, press and hold down the trigger release lever ( holding the lever down, slide the leg extension in or out to the desired length. Let go of the lever to lock the leg extension into place. Unhook the trigger release pin to lock the leg in place.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the other two tripod legs.

Fig. 8).

Fig. 9).

Fig. 10).

Fig. 11). While

How to Assemble Your Telescope

The telescope’s fork mounting base attaches directly to the tripod. The telescope in this way is mounted in an “altazimuth” (“altitude-azimuth,” or “vertical-horizontal”) format. It is recommended that two people attach the mount to the tripod.

Note: The field tr equatorial wedge (see your wedge’s instruction sheet for more

mation) f

inf

ipod base comes with a tangent ar

The tr

To attach the mount:

1. Take note of the T-handle under the tripod base. The T-handle is spring-mounted into position. Note also that there is a hole on the bottom side of the mount base.

2. Lift the mount and position the mount base over the tripod base. Line up the hole on the mount base o mount do

3. Rotate the T-handle until the rod is tightened to a firm feel (

To install the batteries:

Assembly of the RCX400 telescope requires eight C-cell (user-supplied) batteries or the optional RCX A into the 12vDC In por

1. Turn the Dec. lock ( (

19, Fig. 1a). Move the optical tube to the position depicted in Fig. 1a and turn

the Dec. lock clockwise to a firm feel to relock the position of the optical tube.

2. Remove the battery compartment covers ( batter supplied C-cell batter gram on the battery slots inside the battery holder. Return the battery holders to their respectiv

wn onto the rod and the rod will “pop up” into the hole (

y holders, being mindful of the connector wires (

ipod also can be used in conjunction with the optional

or long exposure astrophotography.

m attached f

ver the T-handle rod. When they are lined up, place the

Wall Adapter to a standard 115v home outlet . Plug the adapter

t of the computer control panel (

17, Fig. 1a) counterclockwise to unlock the the optical tube

ies into each batter

e compar

tments and replace the co

y holder

or use with the superw

Fig. 13).

Fig. 1d

7, Fig. 1a) and carefully remove the

, or

ers.

Fig.15).

iented as sho

edge

Fig.12).

Insert four user-

wn on the dia

Caution: Use care to install batter compartment. Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. Do not install

ies backwards or mix new and used batteries. Do not mix battery

batter types. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch

, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty.

fire Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time.

To attach AutoStar II and connect the handbox holder

ies as indicated by the battery

Fig. 12: Line up the T-handle rod (8) with the hole on the base (7).

Fig. 13: Tighten the T-handle (9) to a “firm feel.”

16:

Fig.

Locations of the On/Off s HBX por ed on the base of the telescope

1. Plug in the AutoStar II handbox: Check that the power switch on the computer

2. Attach the handbox holder: Remove the handbox holder from the plastic bag. If

To attach the diagonal mirror and the eyepiece

t on the Computer Control Panel locat-

control panel ( II handbox into the HBX port of the base control panel ( port of the OTA control panel (

Note: The AutoStar II handbox does not require batteries; the batteries in the telescope supply the power.

Note: You can only plug one handbox into the telescope at a time; you cannot plug in two handboxes into the two control panels at the same time.

necessary, loosen the lock knob ( about one of the fork arm handles ( feel. Slide the AutoStar II handbox into the holder ( snap the handbox into the holder: Slide one side of the handbox into the holder and then firmly press the other side of the handbox into the holder until it snaps in place. Adjust the tilt of of the holder by loosening the lock knob and then moving the holder clamp to the desired angle. Retighten the lock knob.

12, Fig. 16) is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the AutoStar

witch and the

M, Fig. 1e).

14, Fig. 17a) and place the clamp (15, Fig. 17a)

Fig. 17a: Handbox holder: (14) Lock knob; (15) Clamp; (16) Holder. Fig. 17b: Handbox holder attached to fork arm handle.

15, Fig. 1a). Tighten the lock knob to a firm

16, Fig. 17a).You may also

13, Fig. 16) or the HBX

Fig. 14: Loosen the R.A. (11) and Dec. tube from its shipping position.

Fig. 15: Battery installation.

ks to Move the optical

(10) loc

18:

Fig.

Rear cell (17).

Visual bac

Attach

1. the rear cell and rotate the ring, tightening to a firm feel (see Slide the diagonal into the visual bac thumbscrew.

19:

Fig.

visual back (18) onto the rear cell (17). Slide diagonal into the visual bac thumbscrew (19).

k and Diagonal mirror

Thread the r

k and secure with

ing of the

Thread the ring of the visual back over

k and secure it in place using the visual bac

epiece (20)

Slide e

Fig.20:

into the diagonal mirror and tighten thumbscrew (21).

Figs. 18 and 19) .

Fig. 21: Viewfinder bracket assembly: Slide the track (23) into the mounting slot (22). Tighten the thumbscrews (24) to secure.

Fig.22: 8x50 Viewfinder tube: Objective lens (25), eyepiece/focuser (26) and locking ring (27).

2. Insert eyepiece: Remove the UltraWide 24mm eyepiece from its container and slide it in the diagonal mirror. Tighten the thumbscrew ( diagonal mirror to a firm feel only.

3. Remove dust cover: Remove the dust cover ( assembly by gently prying it off.

18, Fig. 1a) from the optical tube

Fig. 20) located on the

Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder for the First Time

The first time you mount and focus the viewfinder, follow the these steps:

1. Slide the track on the bottom of the viewfinder bracket into the slot in the viewfinder mounting assembly. See assembly, tighten the two thumbscrews to a firm feel only.

Slide the viewfinder tube (see

2. en the adjustment screws (see align the viewfinder (see the next section below).

2. Look through the viewfinder. Rotate the eyepiece/focuser until you sharply focus the crosshairs.

3. Loosen (rotate clockwise) the objective lens locking ring.

4. Rotate the objective lens until you sharply focus on an object located at infinity.

5. Tighten the locking ring.

6. You may now rotate the eyepiece to focus on objects.

Fig. 21. To secure the viewfinder to the mounting

Fig.22) into the vie

Fig. 23). You will use the adjustment screws to

wfinder bracket. Loosely tight-

Aligning the Viewfinder

To align the viewfinder, perform steps 1 through 4 during the daytime; perform step 5 at night.

1. If you have not already done so, insert the UltraWide 24mm eyepiece into the diagonal mirror.

2. Unlock the R.A. ( moves freely on both axes.

3. Point the telescope at some well-defined and stationary land object at least 200 yards distant, such as the top of a telephone pole or street sign. Center the object in the telescope eyepiece. Re-tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks.

4. Look through the viewfinder eyepiece and loosen or tighten, as appropriate, one or more of the viewfinder adjustment screws (see crosshairs are precisely centered on the object you previously centered in the telescope eyepiece.

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

y necessar

e an

mak

Note: Seeing conditions v

urbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort

T images. If an image appears fuzzy and ill-defined, back off to a lower

er e

13, Fig. 1a) and Dec. (17, Fig. 1a) locks so that the telescope

Fig. 23) until the viewfinder

, using the method outlined in steps 2 through 4.

y widely from night-to-night and site-to-site

ell-resolved image (see

24a and 24b

Fig.

epiece f

y refinements

or a more w

Fig. 23: Viewfinder adjustment screws (28).

Fig. 24a & 24b: Jupiter; examples of the right amount of magnification and too much magnification.

RCX400 TIPS

oo Much Power?

Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you’re referring to is

epiece magnification, y

e ning obser the telescope’ 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 abo tions.

utostar II can calculate the best e

A Calc” feature in the Utilities menu.

Most obser

ange of reasonab

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.

ver is to “overpower” a telescope by using high magnifications which

s aper

e 400X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric condi-

ers should ha

le magnifications possible with the

, you can! The most common mistake of the begin-

ture and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support.

Figs. 24a and 24b). Powers

epiece for you to use. Try out the “Eyepiece

e three or f

our additional eyepieces to achieve the full

RCX400 telescopes

See

Important Note:

Objects appear upside-down and reversed left-for-right when observed in the viewfinder. Objects viewed through the telescope eyepiece when inserted into the diagonal prism assembly appear right-side-up, but reversed left-for-right.

This image inversion is of no consequence when observing astronomical objects and, in fact, all astronomical telescopes yield inverted images.

During terrestrial observing, where a fully-correctly-oriented image (right-side-up and correct left-for-right) is desirable, an optional #928 45° Erecting Prism and optional

1.25” eyepiece holder are available. See ACCESSORIES, pages 48 -

50.

OPTIONAL

OBSERVING

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

Your telescope comes supplied with an UltraWide 24mm 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 the UltraWide 24mm. 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. For information about optional eyepieces for your telescope, see pages 48 - 50.

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 (an eyepiece's focal length is printed on the side of the eyepiece). To calculate eyepiece power, divide the telescope's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length. supplied with

SPECIFICATIONS, pages 54 - 56).

RCX400 models. The focal length of the 12" f/8 RCX400 is 2438mm (see

Eyepiece Power = Telescope focal length ÷ Eyepiece focal length Eyepiece Power = 2438mm ÷ 24mm Eyepiece Power = 102

The eyepiece power, or magnification is therefore 102X (approximately).

Note: For a list of magnification ratings of the eyepieces available for the

RCX400 telescopes, see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, pages 48 - 50.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,

For example: A 24mm eyepiece is

FOCUS KEY

Fig. 25: Focus is all-digital, using the Focus key (the #4 Number key) of the AutoStar II handbox.

Focusing the Telescope

All focusing of the RCX400 is performed digitally, using AutoStar II’s Focus key (number key 4). The Focus key functions as a toggle key:

J Press the Focus key the first time to focus the telescope eyepiece and to control

the speed at which you focus.

J Press the Focus key again to set and adjust up to nine focus presets.

To change the focus speed:

1. Press the Focus key once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays for two seconds. Use one of the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of 4 available focus speeds: Fast, Medium, Slow, Fine. Scroll through the list until the speed

. Choose a focus speed with which you feel comfortable.

ou desire displa

To focus the telescope eyepiece:

1. Press the Focus key once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays. After two seconds, “Focuser: Position = XX” displays. “XX” stands for a number value in decimal millimeters

2. Point the telescope at a distant object. Look in the eyepiece and use the Arrow keys until the image in the eyepiece is in sharp focus.

Presets:

ou “Park” your telescope, you do not have to refocus the telescope each time you

If y use it. Nine preset focus positions are available, and they operate much like presets on a car radio—everyone can have their own favorite station, or in this case, their own personalized focus. You can set one preset to take into account your own eyesight,

or your observing partner (who may wear glasses), one for your camera’s focus,

one f and so forth.

Three preset menus are available. Use the Define Preset menu to assign a preset, use the GoTo Preset menu to select a preset you have previously assigned, and use

Note:

Viewing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and siteto-site. Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distor Low-power e as the UltraWide 24mm supplied with your telescope, are better suited to resolving images in poor viewing conditions.

t images.

yepieces, such

Sync On Preset men

focus presets after you turn off and turn on your scope again ).

To define a preset:

Point the telescope at a distant object, press FOCUS and use the Up and Down

1. Arrow keys to focus the telescope until the object is sharply focused as previously

xplained.

2. Press the Focus key again (FOCUS toggles between the Focus menu and the Preset menu). “Focuser Preset: Go To” displays. Use a Scroll key and scroll down the list of options until “Focuser Preset: Define Preset” displays. Press ENTER.

3. A list of presets displays. If no preset is currently assigned, “1- Unnamed” displays

ollowed by 2- Unnamed, up to 9 - Unnamed).

4. Use the up and down Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet and the right and left Arrow keys to move to cursor right or left across the display.

5. When you have finished typing in a name and focusing the telescope, press ENTER. That number preset is now defined. You can enter 9 names. For example, you may enter “Joe,” “Jill,” “Deep Sky Imager” and so forth.

6. To select one of these presets, you will use the “Focuser Preset: Go To” menu.

To select a previously defined focus preset

1. Press the Focus key twice. “Focuser Preset: Go To Preset” displays. Press ENTER to select this menu.

2. Use a Scroll key and scroll down the list of previously defined presets. When the desired preset displays (for example, “Deep Sky Imager”), press ENTER.

Important Note: If you do not park your telescope, you will need to select one of the presets and refocus your telescope using the Sync On menu.

TO SYNC ON A FOCUS PRESET below.

See

To sync on a focus preset

If you park your telescope, AutoStar II remembers all the focus positions you defined as presets and you will not need this menu.

If you do not park your telescope, you will need to select just one of the presets and refocus your telescope using the Sync On menu. Then AutoStar II will then reset all the other presets back to the focus preset positions you previously defined.

1. Press the Focus key twice. “Focuser Preset: Go To Preset” displays. Use a Scroll key and scroll until “Focuser Preset: Sync On Preset” displays and press ENTER to select this menu.

2. Use a scroll key to choose one of the previously entered presets from this list (the most likely preset you will choose will be one that accounts for your own eyesight).

Use the Up or Do

4. Press ENTER. AutoStar II now “remembers” the relative focus positions of the

yepiece.You can now choose any preset and it will be correctly focused.

To exit the focus operation at any time:

1. Press MODE.

u if you do not park your telescope (this menu will reset all your

wn Arrow keys to focus the eyepiece.

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 R.A. lock (

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 eye

When the object is

piece R.A. and Dec. locks.

4. To move telescope in the R.A. and Dec. axes again, remember to loosen the R.A. lock and tighten the Dec. lock. Then rotate the manual slow motion control knobs (

10, Fig. 1a) and (16, Fig. 1a) .

5. Practice digitally focusing on objects.

See FOCUSING THE TELESCOPE, page 19.

6. Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view some-

centered in your eyepiece, remember to re-tighten the

13, Fig. 1a) and Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1a).

NEVER point the telescope directly at or

any time! Observing the Sun, even for the smallest fraction of a second, will result in instant and irreversible eye damage, as well as physical damage to the telescope itself.

Warning:

Do not look through the telescope's eyepiece or viewfinder while it is rapidly moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

Tip:

The slowest speed, 1x, ma Guiding Rate menu. This men the speed by entering a percentage of the speed (either more or less than 100%). This function may be useful in guiding the tel escope during CCD and long-e See 34, f

near the Sun at

y be changed using the

ws you to change

u allo

aph

mation.

xposure photog

GUIDING RATE, page

or more inf

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 II handbox operation, you can counteract the drift using the automatic tracking feature in the Autostar II Setup menu (see Autostar II's GO TO capabilities (see

TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 22), or by using

GO TO SATURN, page 24).

Terrestrial Observing

The RCX400 models are excellent high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescopes. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat

aves.These heat waves often cause degradation of image quality. Lower power eye-

w pieces, like the UltraWide 24mm, 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 lo

wer 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 II's Arrow Keys

You may observe land and astronomical objects using Autostar II's Arrow keys to move the telescope.

1. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (

2. Verify that Autostar II is properly connected to your telescope. See

AUTOSTAR

II,

page 17.

13 and 17, Fig. 1a).

TO CONNECT

3. Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.

The Autostar II screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short beep. Then Autostar II 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 mes-

sage, press the key prompted by Autostar II to signify that the message has been read and understood.

5. "Automatic Alignment" displays.

6. The Arrow keys are now activated. Press the Arrow keys (

5, Fig. 2) to slew

(move) the telescope up, down, right, or left.

7. Press the Speed key (Number key "1") and then a Number key (

6, Fig. 2) to

change the telescope’s slew speed. ("1" is the slowest speed, "9" is highest speed.)

8. Use the viewfinder (

21, Fig. 1a) to locate an object and practice using the

Autostar II’s Arrow keys to center the object in the telescope’s field of view.

9. Bring the object into focus.

Slew Speeds

Autostar II has nine slew speeds that move the optical tube at rates that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accomplish specific functions. Press the Speed key (Number key "1") and then press a Number key to change the slew speed, which is shown for about two seconds on Autostar II’s display.

ailable speeds are:

The nine a

Number Key 1 = 1x = Guide Rate, programmable (see

2x = 2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008°/sec)

y 2

Number K Number K

x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033

8x =

y 3

Tip at left)

/sec)

° Number Key 4 = 16x = 16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067°/sec) Number K Number K

/sec

arc-min/sec or 0.5

128x =

y 6

64x = 64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27°/sec)

y 5

Number Key 7 = 1.5° = 90 arc-min/sec or 1.5°/sec

3° = 180 arc-min/sec or 3°/sec

y 8

Number K Number K

arc-min/sec or 8

Max =

y 9

480

°/sec)

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

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

higher po

Definition: Initialization

dure that ensures that Autostar II operates correctly. When you first use Autostar II, it doesn't yet know where the observation location site is or the time or date of the observation session.

During the alignment procedure, the system calculates these parameters automatically.

Autostar II uses this information to precisely calculate the location of celestial objects (such as stars and planets) and to move your telescope correctly for various operations.

is a proce-

automatic

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

wer eyepiece, such as the standard UltraWide 24mm.

Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the viewfinder. Speed 9: Mo

ves 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, the digital front focus 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 vie

w. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, making the overly bright surface to appear flat and rather uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral density Moon filter when observing the Moon. See

SERIES 4000 PHOTO-VISUAL FILTERS, page

48. 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 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 (follows) 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 centered in the telescope’s eyepiece.

To automatically track objects, you need to learn how the Autostar II keypad operates in order to move through its menus.You'll need to initialize and align your telescope.

Tip:

When multiple choices are

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A the GPS fix. Autostar II then displays "Enter Date prompts to perf al alt/az alignment (see page 42) or press MODE repeatedly until "Select Item" displays to use the Autostar II men

Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus

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

J Press ENTER (2, Fig. 2) to go deeper into Autostar II's menu levels.

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

J Press the Scroll k

eys (7,Fig. 2) to move up and down through the options avail-

able for each level.

J Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to enter characters and digits. The Arrow keys are

also used to move the telescope.

J Use the Number keys to enter digits.

Automatic Alignment Feature

Autostar II offers four methods of altazimuth (alt/az) alignment; this section describes

how to initialize and align your telescope using tion of the other alt/az alignment methods, see pages 42 and 43. For information about equatorial (polar) alignment, see

To prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment:

1. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (13 and 17, Fig. 1a).

2. Verify that Autostar II is properly connected to your telescope. See

AUTOSTAR II

page 17.

3. Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.

The Autostar II screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short beep. Then Autostar II takes a few moments to start up the system.

Automatic Alignment. (For a descrip-

APPENDIX A, page 57.)

TO CONNECT

Important Note:

Once the telescope is aligned, only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope. Once the telescope has been aligned, do not loosen the telescope locks

13 and 17, Fig. 1a), or

( move the base manually, or alignment will be lost.

Important Note:

If the objects you have chosen are not in the eyepiece after after alignment, it is also recommended that you

CALIBRA

This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing accuracy to alignment stars. It calibrates to correct slight mechanical misalignment due to transport, vibration, or aging. It is recommended that calibration be performed once on a new telescope after the user initially assembles it.

When this menu is selected, the telescope slews to P then prompts you to center P ENTER. Autostar II uses the position of Polaris to fine tune the position of North and also detects le telescope.

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Autostar II initializes the Smart Drive if "On" has been previously chosen from

both the R.A. and Dec. PEC menus in the "Setup: Telescope" menu (the very first time the system is tur

ned on, the Smart Drive feature will not be enabled). Once "On" is chosen, Autostar remembers the setting until "Off" is chosen again. If "On" has been selected, the R.A.

and Dec. motors operate briefly and "Initializing:

Smart Drive" displays.

A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message,

5. press the key prompted by Autostar II to signify that the message has been read and understood.

6. "Automatic Alignment" displays. Press ENTER.The system now performs the following routines (press any Autostar II key to abort Automatic Alignment) :

Caution: As the telescope performs the following operations, it will swing and rotate. Keep a safe distance from the telescope.

a. Finds the home position. Moves the telescope to find the "home" position.

When the home position is found, the system knows the limiting positions of the telescope and can avoid tangling cables and over-rotating the telescope.

b. Detects “level” of the base of the telescope; finds tilt and tip. To detect

level, Autostar II must calculate "level" at three compass points. See FINDING

TRUE LEVEL

Autostar II also determines the positioning (

in the RCX400 INFO box on page 25.

i.e., tilt and tip) of the optical tube.

c. Finds North. Locates magnetic North, then calculates true North. See

FINDING TRUE NORTH, page 25.

d. Attempts a "GPS Fix." The RCX400's GPS receiver attempts to acquire and

sync up with signals from GPS satellites. "Getting GPS Fix" displays. See

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM in the RCX400 INFO box on page 25.

THE

After performing these operations, Autostar II now knows:

J The telescope's limiting positions J Where level is for the telescope J The location of true North J The observing site's location J The date and time

e. Star Alignment. Autostar II then chooses two stars to align upon.

"Searching...." displays. When the telescope slews (moves) to the first star for

alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. If it is not, look through the viewfinder—in most cases, the star will be visible. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope (you can change speed at which the telescope moves: see

SLEW SPEEDS, page 21 for more information) until the star is vis-

ible and centered 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. Press ENTER. Repeat this procedure for the second star. For more information about alignment stars, see

belo

WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGNMENT STAR?

RCX400 TIPS

Which One’s the Alignment Star?

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area of the sky if you have located the alignment star or it isn't in the eyepiece, look through your viewfinder. When you view an alignment star in the viewfinder, it stands out dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky. The viewfinder will help you locate a star more quickly than the eyepiece, because it has a much wider field of view than the eyepiece. Using Autostar, set the slew speed to 6 or higher and use the Arro your viewfinder 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.

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