Meade LX200-ACF 12 inch User Manual - Page 27

Want to learn more about using the Browse menu? See page 37. Want to learn more about using the Date menu? See the LX200-ACF TIPS box page 24. Definition: Transit is the time when the Sun, Moon, or other celestial object crosses an observer's meridian, i.e., the time when an object is at its highest point in the sky on any given date. WARNING! Never use your Meade® LX200ACF Telescope to 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. Identify: An exciting feature for an observer who wants to scan the night sky and start exploring. After the telescope has been properly aligned, use the AutoStar II Arrow keys to move about in the sky. Then follow this procedure: Important Note: Only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope during the Identify procedure. Do not loosen the telescope locks or move the base or alignment is lost. 1. When a desired object is visible in the eyepiece, keep pressing MODE until the "Select Item: Object" menu is displayed. Press ENTER to select this menu. 2. Scroll through the Object menu options until the "Object: Identify" screen appears. 3. Press ENTER. AutoStar II searches the libraries for the identity of the object being observed. 4. If the telescope is not directly on an AutoStar II library object, the nearest library object is located and displayed on the screen. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to that object. Browse: Allows you to search the library for objects with certain parameters, much like a search engine. "Edit Parameters" lets you set various parameters for the search, such as: Object Type, Minimum Elevation, Largest, etc. Once you have set the parameters of the search, select "Start Search" and press ENTER. AutoStar II will display the results of the search. Event Menu The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The Event database includes: Sunrise, Sun Transit, and Sunset: Calculate the time of Sun rise, Sun transit, or Sun set on the current date. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the "Setup: Date" menu. Moonrise, Moon Transit, and Moonset: Calculate the time of Moon rise, Moon transit, or Moon set on the current date. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the "Setup: Date" menu. 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: Meteors are fast moving objects that 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. 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. Min. (Minimum) of Algol: Displays the minimum brightness of the dramatic eclipsing binary star system, Algol. It is relatively close at a distance of 100 light years. Every 2.8 days during a 10-hour period, Algol undergoes a major change in apparent magnitude as one of the two stars passes behind the other. The combined magnitude of the two stars thus dips from +2.1 to a minimum of +3.4 halfway through the eclipse as the second star is hidden. AutoStar II calculates minimum magnitude time at mid-eclipse. Autumn and Vernal Equinox: Calculate the time and date of the fall or spring equinox of the current year. Winter and Summer Solstice: Calculate the time and date of the winter or summer solstice of the current year. - 27 -