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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. You are given a choice to enter a zip code (press “1”) or select a city from the list
(press “2”). If you choose “Zip,” enter the digits of your zip code and press ENTER.
4. If you choose “City,” scroll through the list of countries/states. Press ENTER when the
country/state you wish to add displays.
5. Scroll through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the city you wish to select displays.
The sites you choose will appear at the top of the Select list (all other available sites
will be listed after the sites you have chosen).
6. To choose a site, navigate to "Site: Select." Press ENTER. Scroll through the list of
sites. Both Zip Codes and Cities are displayed. When the desired zip code or 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. This information is available on most maps.
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" v
alue ma
y not need to be changed.
2. Scroll to "Site: Edit" and press ENTER. "Edit: Name" displays. Press ENTER.
3.
The name of the site y
ou ha
v
e 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 Do
wn k
ey 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.
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 Do
wn k
e
y 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
T
able 1,
at the left.
10. After entering the shift, press ENTER. "Edit Time Zone" displays.
11.
Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays.
12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited
displays. Press ENTER to select the site or press MODE to exit.
ADVANCED AUTOSTAR
OPERATION
Time Zone
Shift
Atlantic -4 Hours
Eastern -5 Hours
Central -6 Hours
Mountain -7 Hours
Pacific -8 Hours
Alaska
-9 Hours
Hawaii -10 Hours
T
ab
le 1:
Time Zone Shift.
Calculations are for standard
time.
Note: You may also add a
custom site to the list by
choosing “Site: Select” and
pressing Enter. Scroll down
the list until “Custom”
displays. Then add the
name of your site and press
ENTER. Enter the
latitude of the site and
press ENTER. Enter the
longitude of the site. Press
ENTER and you have
created a custom site entry
which you may select at
any time from the “Site:
Select” list.