Meade ETX-80AT-TC Instruction Manual - Page 24

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. 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: Meteor showers 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. 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. TIPS FOR BEGINNERS 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: • 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. A lot of observers use red LED flashlights or tape red cellophane over their flashlights to use 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. Do not shine a flashlight into the telescope while someone is observing! • Dress warmly. It gets chilly when you're sitting for prolonged periods. • 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 25mm eyepiece to view terrestrial objects and wider areas of space, such as open star clusters. Use your 9mm eyepiece 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 possible obstructions and pitfalls. 24