Meade Telescope ETX 80AT BB User Manual

Instruction Manual  
ETX-80AT-BB Backpack Observatory  
MEADE.COM  
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CONTENTS  
Quick-Start Guide .......................................................... 4  
Telescope Features ...................................................... 6  
AutoStar® Features ........................................................10  
Getting Started ..............................................................13  
Parts Listing ..............................................................13  
Telescope/Tripod Assembly ......................................13  
Stowing Your Gear in the Backpack..........................14  
Safety Precautions....................................................14  
Choosing an Eyepiece..............................................15  
Manual Operation of the Telescope w/out AutoStar..15  
Manual Operation of the Telescope with AutoStar....16  
Slew Speeds ............................................................16  
Observe the Moon ....................................................17  
To Track an Object Automatically ..............................17  
Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus ..........................17  
Initializing AutoStar ..................................................17  
Easy Alignment ........................................................19  
Go To Saturn ............................................................19  
Using the Guided Tour ..............................................20  
AutoStar Menus ............................................................21  
Menu Tree ................................................................21  
AutoStar Operation ........................................................22  
AutoStar Navigation Exercise ..................................22  
Entering Data, Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus ..23  
Objects Menu............................................................24  
Event Menu, Glossary Menu ....................................25  
Utilities Menu ............................................................25  
Setup Menu ..............................................................26  
Advanced AutoStar Operation........................................29  
Terrestrial Observing, Astronomical Observing ......29  
Sidereal Rate ............................................................29  
Advanced Alt/Az Alignment Methods........................29  
Observing Satellites..................................................30  
Digital Photography with the ETX® ............................31  
Optional Accessories......................................................33  
Maintenance ..................................................................34  
Troubleshooting ........................................................35  
Specifications ................................................................36  
Appendix A: Using AutoStar to Enter Coordinates ........38  
Appendix B: Latitude Chart ............................................39  
Appendix C: Training the Drive ......................................40  
Appendix D: Basic Astronomy........................................41  
WARNING!  
®
Never use a Meade 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.  
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.  
If you are anxious to use your telescope  
for the first time, read the QUICK-START  
GUIDE on page 4.  
® The name “Meade,the Meade logo, and “ETX” are trade-  
marks registered with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office  
and in principal countries throughout the world. All rights  
reserved.  
Patents: US 6,392,799 and other patents pending.  
© 2005 Meade Instruments Corporation.  
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QUICK-START GUIDE  
Setting up the Tripod  
Step 1: Remove the telescope and tripod from the giftbox.  
Step 2: Hold the tripod by its handle and turn the locking  
ring to loosen the tripod mechanism. Push down on the lock-  
ing ring as far as it will go to spread out the tripod legs. Turn  
the locking ring to tighten the tripod in place.  
Step 3: You can adjust the height of the tripod, by lifting a  
leg lock lever and sliding the inner leg in or out to the  
desired length. Then re-tighten the lock. Repeat for the other  
two legs.  
Step 2a: Loosen the locking ring....  
Step 4: Use the tripod on level and even ground. Pointing  
accuracy depends on the base of the tripod being level with  
the horizon. The bubble level on top of the tripod can help  
determine if the base is level: Move the base until the bubble  
is in the center of the circle.  
Attach the Telescope to the Base  
Step 5: Thread the supplied bolts about two or three turns  
through the underside of the telescope base.  
Step 6: Line up the bolts over the key-like holes on the base  
of the tripod and slide the bolts into the holes. Rotate the  
telescope clockwise until the bolts fit into the hole bays.  
Then, reach under the tripod base and tighten the bolts to a  
firm feel.  
Step 2b: ...and push down as far  
as it will go to open tripod.  
Step 7: Loosen the vertical lock and move the optical tube  
downward. Then, re-tighten the vertical lock.  
Step 8: Remove the inverted dewshield from the end of the  
telescope. Unthread the dust cover to remove from the  
scope. Thread the dewshield over the end of the telescope.  
Step 9: Remove the eyepiece caps from the 90 degree eye-  
piece holder and the rear cell port. Screw on the 45 degree  
prism to the rear cell port. You can put two eyepieces into  
this telescope at the same time.  
Step 6: Attach bolts and thread  
into key-like holes.  
Step 10 : Slip a lower power eyepiece, such as a 25mm or  
26 mm eyepiece into the 45 degree prism and another eye-  
piece into the 90 degree holder.  
You can switch between the two eyepieces by turning the flip  
mirror control to the up or down position.  
Step 7: Loosen vertical lock to  
move optical tube.  
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Step 11 :Secure the eyepieces in place with their  
respective thumbsrews. Always start observing using a low  
power eyepiece to get a nice widefield of view. Later on you  
can change to high power, if so desired. But high powered  
eyepieces have a much narrower field of view and it’s more  
difficult to locate objects using high powered eyepieces.  
Step 12 :You can focus the eyepieces by turning the focus  
knob. The focus knob has a very fine focus, so you may  
have to turn the knob 20 complete turns or more to focus  
on an object.  
Step 13: Focus insert batteries.  
Connect the AutoStar Handbox  
Step 13: Lift the battery cover. Gently remove the battery  
holder from the compartment so you don’t accidentally pull  
out the wires attached to the holder. Insert 6 user supplied  
“AA” batteries in the holder. Refer to the diagram on the  
holder to orient the batteries properly. Replace the holder  
back into the battery compartment and replace the lid.  
Step 14: Make sure that the computer control panel power  
switch is in the OFF position. Remove AutoStar from the  
packing materials and plug it into the HBX port.  
Step 14: Plug in handbox and turn  
on computer control panel.  
Flip the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the  
ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar’s  
LCD display.  
Step 15: Press the key prompted by AutoStar to accept the  
Sun warning.  
Observe  
Step 16: You can now use the AutoStar Arrow keys to move  
the telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the tele-  
scope’s slew speed, briefly press the Speed/? key. Each  
press decreases the slew speed down one level, and then  
Step 17: Sight along the top of the will cycle back to the fastest speed.  
optical tube.  
Step 17: Sight along the side of the telescope’s main tube  
to locate an object. At first, practice during the daytime  
using the AutoStar’s Arrow keys to center on objects in the  
telescope’s field of view. Observe trees, mountains, signs  
and so forth. Then when you’re comfortable locating objects  
in this manner, try at night on the Moon, planets and stars.  
Flip Barlow in  
down position.  
Note about the Flip Barlow: To use the built-in 2x Barlow,  
rotate the the Flip Barlow control so that it is in the down  
position (see diagram, left). The Flip Barlow doubles the  
magnification of your eyepiece.  
If you use the Flip Barlow, you will need to turn the focus  
knob in a counterclockwise direction. You may have to turn  
the focus knob 20 or more turns to focus with the Barlow  
engaged.  
Note: Flip Barlow control in the  
“down” position.  
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TELESCOPE FEATURES  
1!  
1@  
3)  
1)  
j
i
2)  
g
h
1#  
f
e
1%  
1. Eyepiece  
2. Eyepiece holder thumbscrew  
3. 45° Erecting Prism  
4. Rear Cell Port  
5. 90° Eyepiece holder  
6. Eyepiece  
b c  
7. Eyepiece holder thumbscrew  
8. Fork arms  
9. Optical tube  
10. Objective lens cell  
11. Dew shield  
d
1(  
12. Dust cap  
13. Vertical lock  
14. Horizontal lock  
15. Focus knob  
16. Computer control panel  
A. HBX port  
1$  
1^  
B. LED  
C. On/Off  
D. AUX port  
17. Base housing  
18. Base/Holes for tripod bolts  
19. Battery compartment  
20. Flip mirror control (inset)  
1*  
1&  
Fig. 1: The ETX-80AT-BB Telescope.  
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Ꭽ Ꭾ ൳  
1^  
Fig. 1b : The computer control panel:  
A - HBX port; B - LED; C - On/Off;  
D - AUX port.  
2!  
Fig. 2: The AutoStar  
Handbox (see page 10).  
1(  
2(  
Fig. 1c: The battery compartment.  
2@  
2#  
2$  
2%  
2^  
21. AutoStar  
22. Tripod bubble level  
23. Base  
24. Handle  
25. Adjustable legs  
26. Locking ring  
27. Leg braces/accessory holders  
28. Leg locks  
29. Bubble level/compass  
30. Flip Barlow  
2& 2*  
Fig. 3: The tripod.  
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ETX:Your Personal Window to the Universe  
The Meade ETX-80AT-BB is an extremely versatile, high-resolution telescope with features sim-  
ilar to those once available only with larger and more specialized imaging systems. With push-  
button controls, automatic tracking of celestial objects, and software downloading capability, an  
ETX telescope may be all the telescope ever required by many terrestrial and astronomical  
observers.  
Your ETX telescope reveals nature in an ever-expanding level of detail. Observe the feather  
structure of an eagle from 50 yards or study the rings of the planet Saturn from a distance of  
800 million miles. Focus beyond the Solar System and observe majestic nebulae, ancient star  
clusters, remote galaxies, and even stars recently discovered to have planets orbiting about  
them. Meade ETX telescopes are instruments fully capable of growing with your interest and  
are ideal for both the casual observer and serious astronomer alike.  
Caution:  
Using products other  
than standard Meade  
accessories may cause  
damage to the  
telescope’s internal  
electronics and may  
void the Meade  
b Eyepiece: Place the MA 25mm or other eyepiece into the 45° Eyepiece Holder (3, Fig. 1) and  
tighten in place with thumbscrew (2, Fig.1).  
warranty.  
c Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew: Secures the eyepiece. Tighten to a "firm feel" only.  
d 45° Erecting Prism: Holds the eyepiece at angle for convenient viewing and correctly  
orients images in the eyepiece.  
E Rear Cell Port: Attach any 35mm camera with a removable lens to this port using an  
optional #64ST T-Adapter or attach the 45° prism (3, Fig. 1) for correctly oriented images  
through the eyepiece.  
F 90° Eyepiece Holder: Holds the eyepiece upright for easy viewing.  
G Eyepiece: Place the MA 25mm or other eyepiece into the 90° Eyepiece Holder (5, Fig. 1) and  
tighten in place with thumbscrew (7, Fig.1).  
H Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew: Secures the eyepiece. Tighten to a "firm feel" only.  
I Fork Arms: Hold the optical tube in place.  
J Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and  
brings this light to a focus at the eyepiece.  
1) Movable Objective Lens Cell:This component contains the telescope’s lenses.The focus  
knob (15, Fig. 1) moves the cell for precise image focus.  
1! Dew Shield: Slows down the advance of dew, which distorts observing conditions.  
1@ Dust Cap: Unthread the dust cap counterclockwise from the front lens of the telescope  
before observing.  
Note: The dust cap should be replaced after each observing session and the  
power turned off to the telescope.Verify that any dew that might have collected dur-  
ing the observing session has evaporated before you replace the dust cap.  
1# Vertical Lock: Turning the vertical lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope, enabling  
it to be freely moved up and down. Turning the vertical lock clockwise (tighten to a "firm  
feel" only) prevents the telescope from being moved manually, but allows the vertical motor  
drive to operate for AutoStar operation.  
Caution: When loosening the vertical lock, be sure to hold onto the optical tube  
(9, Fig. 1). The weight of the objective lens could cause the tube to swing  
suddenly downward and damage the telescope.  
1$ Horizontal Lock: Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope. Turning the  
horizontal lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope, allowing it to be freely rotated by  
hand side-to-side about the horizontal axis. Turning the horizontal lock clockwise prevents  
the telescope from being rotated manually, but allows the horizontal motor drive to operate  
for AutoStar operation.  
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1% Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s objective lens (10, Fig. 1) in a finely-controlled motion  
to focus an image. The ETX-80AT-BB telescope can be focused on objects from a distance  
of about 17 ft. to infinity. Rotate the focus knob clockwise to focus on distant objects, and  
counterclockwise to focus on nearby objects.  
Note: The first time you focus the telescope, you may have to rotate the focus knob  
20 to 40 complete turns as this is a fine focus mechanism which allows you to focus  
an image very precisely.  
1^ Computer Control Panel:  
A. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar coil cord (8, Fig. 5) into this port.  
B. LED: The red power indicator light illuminates when power is supplied to  
the AutoStar handbox and to the telescope’s motor drive.  
C. ON/OFF Switch: Turns the Computer Control Panel and AutoStar ON or OFF.  
D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port: Provides connection for current and future Meade acces-  
sories, such as the Meade “AstroFinder Software with Cable Connector Kit,which  
allows you to control your ETX from a PC. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.  
1& Base Housing: Contains mechanical and electrical assemblies that operate the telescope.  
1* Base/Bolt Hole for Tripod Bolts: Thread the tripod bolts up through the tripod  
and into the two holes in the base.  
1( Battery Compartment: Install batteries in this compartment. See Step #12, page 14 for  
more information.  
Fig. 4a: Flip mirror  
control in the “up”  
position.  
2) Flip Mirror Control: ETX telescopes include an internal mirror. With the flip mirror control  
in the “Up” position, light is diverted to the eyepiece in the 90° eyepiece holder  
(5, Fig. 1). With the flip mirror control in the down position, light is diverted through the rear  
cell port (4, Fig. 1) for use with the the 45° prism and eyepiece or to a camera for  
photography. See Figs. 4a and 4b.  
2! AutoStar with attached cord: See pages 10 to 12 for a description of AutoStar’s  
features.  
The Tripod  
2@ Bubble Level: Use when aligning your telescope. When the bubble is in the center  
circle, the base is level.  
Fig. 4b: Flip mirror  
control in the “down”  
position.  
2# Base: Attach the telescope to the base.  
2$ Handle: Conveniently placed for lifting and moving the tripod.  
2% Adjustable Tripod legs: Support the telescope. The height of the legs can be adjusted.  
See 2* below.  
2^ Locking Ring: To open the tripod, loosen the ring and push it down as far as it will go.  
Tighten the ring to lock the tripod in an open position. To close tripod, loosen the ring and  
begin to pull upward. Close the legs against the center post (be careful not to close on your  
fingers). Tighten ring to fasten legs in the closed position.  
2& Leg Braces/Accessory holders: Strengthens the legs when the tripod is in the open posi-  
tion. Also, you can place eyepieces and other accessories in the holes on the tray.  
2* Leg Locks: Lift the lever to move the inner tripod leg segment in or out when adjusting the  
height of the tripod.  
2( Bubble Level: Helps you level the tripod and to find North during the alignment procedure.  
3) Flip Barlow: Flip the switch to engage the Barlow. The Barlow doubles the magnification  
of your eyepiece.You may have to turn the focus knob several times to refocus. See page  
15 for more information.  
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AUTOSTAR FEATURES  
b
c
d
e
f
g
i
h
Fig. 5: #494 AutoStar Handbox.  
Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button  
Control of the ETX-80AT-BB is through the operation of the standard-equipment #494 AutoStar.  
Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of AutoStar’s but-  
tons. Some of the major features of AutoStar are:  
Automatically move the telescope to any of the 1400 objects stored in the database or  
manually enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial object.  
Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the year.  
Download the latest satellite data and software revisions directly from the Meade website  
(www.meade.com) and share software with other AutoStar enthusiasts. (Requires option-  
al #506 AstroFinder™ Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES  
page 33.)  
Access a glossary of astronomical terms.  
Calculate which eyepiece to use for optimum viewing of a celestial object.  
Mount the telescope in the “Alt/Az” mode (Altitude - Azimuth, or vertical - horizontal) for  
fully automatic tracking of celestial objects.  
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The AutoStar Computer Controller provides control of virtually every telescope function within  
a compact handbox. AutoStar has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD  
(Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in the  
dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential database make AutoStar extremely  
user friendly.  
Note: AutoStar does not require batteries; the telescope’s batteries supply power  
to AutoStar.  
b 2-Line LCD Display: Provides a visual interface between AutoStar and the telescope.  
Top line: Displays a menu item, or a menu option.  
Bottom line: Displays a menu option or information about a subject.  
c ENTER Key: Accesses the AutoStar menus. See MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR'S MENUS,  
page 17 and AUTOSTAR’S MENUS, page 21. The ENTER key is similar to the Return key  
on a computer.  
Note: If ENTER is pressed for two seconds or more and then released, AutoStar  
emits a beep and “ENTER to Sync” is displayed. "ENTER to Sync" is relevant only  
after the telescope has been aligned and is pointing at an object. If the "ENTER to  
Sync" feature is accessed by mistake, press MODE to return to the previous  
screen. See HIGH PRECISION, page 28, for more details about this feature.  
d MODE Key: Returns to the previous menu. If you keep pressing Mode, it will continue to  
access previous menus until the top level, “Select Item," is reached. The MODE key is  
similar to the ESCAPE key on a computer.  
NOTE: If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, the following infor-  
mation is then available using the Scroll keys (6 , Fig. 5):  
• Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical) coordinates (see APPENDIX A)  
• Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates  
• Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST)  
• Timer and Alarm Status  
Press MODE again to return to the previous menu.  
NOTE:  
Throughout this man-  
ual, you will notice  
the term "Alt/Az."  
Alt/Az stands for alti-  
tude-azimuth, which  
is just a fancy way of  
saying the telescope  
moves up and down,  
and from side to side.  
Not all telescopes  
move like this. Alt/Az  
alignment is just one  
of many methods  
used by amateur  
astronomers to help  
locate stars in the  
night sky.  
e GOTO Key: Moves the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected object.While  
the telescope is moving (or “slewing”), the operation may be stopped at any time by press-  
ing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object.  
f Arrow Keys: Move the telescope up, down, left and right, at one of nine different speeds.  
Speed selection is explained in SLEW SPEEDS, page 16. The following functions are avail-  
able with the Arrow keys:  
Alt/Az Alignment - Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move the telescope ver-  
tically up and down.The Left Arrow key rotates the telescope (horizontally) coun-  
terclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise.  
Data Entry - Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through the letters of the  
alphabet and numerical digits. The Down Arrow key starts with the letter "A" and  
the Up Arrow key starts with the digit "9." The Left and Right Arrow keys are used  
to move the blinking cursor left and right across the LCD display.  
g Scroll Keys: Accesses menu options within a selected menu. The menu is displayed on  
the first line of the screen. Options within the menu are displayed, one at a time, on the  
second line. Press the Scroll keys to move through a list of options. Press and hold a Scroll  
key to move quickly through the options.  
The Scroll keys, like the Arrow keys, also scroll through the letters of the alphabet and  
numerical digits.  
NOTE: The Scroll Down key and the Down Arrow key move forward through the  
alphabet & digits (A to Z, 0 to 9). The Scroll Up key and the Up Arrow key move  
backward (Z to A, 9 to 0). Common symbols are also available in the list.  
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H Speed/? Key: Pressing the Speed/? key cycles through the nine slew speeds that move  
the telescope. Each time the Speed/? key is pressed briefly, the current slew speed is  
shown for about two seconds on the display. See SLEW SPEEDS, page 16.  
The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on  
how to accomplish whatever task is currently active.  
NOTE: Pressing the Speed/? key very briefly changes the slew speed. Holding  
down the Speed/? key longer (one to two seconds) accesses the Help function.  
Hold down the Speed/? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details  
of AutoStar functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an on-screen  
instruction manual.  
If you have a question about an AutoStar operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT,  
etc., hold down the Speed/? key and follow the directions that scroll on the second line of  
the LCD screen. When a word appears in [brackets], press ENTER to access the AutoStar  
Glossary. A definition or more detailed information is displayed. Press MODE to return to  
the scrolling AutoStar Help display.  
When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to the original screen and  
continue with the chosen procedure.  
I Coil Cord (not visible in diagram): Plug the AutoStar coil cord into the HBX port  
(A, Fig. 1) of the computer control panel of the telescope.  
FOR BEGINNERS  
TIPS  
Join an Astronomy Club  
Attend a Star Party  
One of the fun ways to learn about astronomy is to  
join an astronomy club. Check your local newspa-  
per, school, library, or telescope dealer/store to find  
out if there’s a club in your area.  
At club meetings, you will meet other astronomy  
enthusiasts with whom you will be able 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 telescopes, eyepieces, filters, tripods,  
and so forth.  
Often, club members are excellent astrophotogra-  
phers. 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 on your ETX tele-  
scope. See page 31 for more information about  
photography with the ETX.  
Many groups also hold regularly scheduled Star  
Parties at which you can check out and observe  
with many different telescopes and other pieces of  
astronomical equipment. Magazines such as Sky &  
Telescope and Astronomy print schedules for many  
popular Star Parties around the United States and  
Canada.  
12  
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GETTING STARTED  
Parts Listing  
Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first open-  
ing the packing box, note carefully the following parts:  
The ETX Astro Telescope with fork mount system, photographic type tripod.  
Water-resistant backpack.  
#494 AutoStar handbox with attached coil cord.  
Meade premium eyepieces; 45° erecting prism.  
Fig. 6a: Loosen the tripod’s  
locking ring...  
Hex-wrench, packed with the instruction manual. See GENERAL MAINTENANCE  
page 34.  
Telescope Assembly  
Setup The Tripod  
Your backpack observatory does not ship with the parts stowed in the backpack. Before stow-  
ing the gear in the backpack and taking it out into the field, assemble the telescope in a famil-  
iar environment to practice the setup.  
1. Hold the tripod by its handle and turn the locking ring to loosen the tripod mechanism  
(Fig. 6a). Push down on the locking ring as far as it will go to spread out the tripod legs  
(Fig. 6b). Turn the locking ring to tighten the tripod in place.  
Fig. 6b: ...push down as far  
as it will go.  
2. Adjust the height of the tripod, by lifting one of the tripod leg lock levers and sliding the  
inner leg in or out to the desired length. Then press down on the lever to re-lock. Repeat  
for the other two legs.  
3. Use the tripod on a level and even ground. Pointing accuracy depends on the base of the  
tripod being level with the horizon. The bubble level on top of the tripod can help deter-  
mine if the base is level: Move the base until the bubble is in the center of the circle.  
Attach the Telescope to the Base  
4. Thread the supplied bolts about two or three turns through the underside of the tele-  
scope base (Fig. 7).  
Fig. 7: Thread bolts into  
telescope base.  
5. Line up the bolts over the key-like holes on the base of the tripod and slide the bolts into  
the holes (Fig. 8). Rotate the telescope clockwise until the bolts fit into the hole bays.  
Then, reach under the tripod base and tighten the bolts to a firm feel.  
6. The optical tube is shipped with the tube upright between the forks. Loosen the vertical  
lock (Fig. 9) and move the optical tube down between the fork arms. Then, re-tighten the  
vertical lock.  
7. Remove the inverted dewshield from the end of the telescope. Remove the dust cap from  
the end of the telescope by rotating it counterclockwise. Then thread the dewshield over  
the end of the telescope.  
8: Remove the eyepiece cap from the 90 degree eyepiece holder and also the cap from the  
rear cell port. Screw on the 45 degree prism to the rear cell port.  
Fig. 8: Line up bolts over  
keylike holes.  
9. You can put two eyepieces into this telescope at the same time: Slip a lower power eye-  
piece, such as a 25mm or 26 mm eyepiece into the 45 degree prism and another eye-  
piece into the 90 degree holder. You can switch between the two eyepieces by turning  
the flip mirror control to the up or down position.  
Note: It is strongly recommended that you remove the 45 degree prism from the  
telescope during the alignment procedure. The prism can correct the orientation of  
land objects during the daytime, but is not necessarily needed for astronomical  
viewing. You may use it, but during alignment the prism might strike the telescope  
base and obstruct the align process.  
Fig. 9: Loosen vertical lock  
to move optical tube.  
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10. Secure the eyepieces in place with their respective thumbsrews.  
Tip: Always start observing using a low power eyepiece to get a nice wide field of view.  
Later on you can change to high power, if so desired. But high powered eyepieces have  
a much narrower field of view and it’s more difficult to locate objects using high powered  
eyepieces.  
11. You can focus the eyepieces by turning the focus knob.  
Tip: The focus knob has a very fine focus, so you may have to turn the knob 20 com-  
plete turns or more to focus on an object.  
Fig 10. Focus knob.  
Connect the AutoStar Handbox  
12. Lift the battery cover. Now gently remove the battery holder from the compartment so  
you don’t accidentally pull out the wires attached to the holder. Insert 6 user supplied  
“AA” batteries in the holder. Refer to the diagram on the holder to orient the batteries  
properly. Replace the holder back into the battery compartment and replace the lid.  
13. Make sure that the computer control panel power switch is in the OFF position. Remove  
AutoStar from the packing materials and plug it into the HBX port.  
Fig 11. Insert batteries.  
14. Flip the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the ON position. The copyright  
message lights on AutoStar’s LCD display.  
15. Press the key prompted by AutoStar to accept the Sun warning.  
Stowing your Gear in the Backpack  
First disassemble the telescope assembly.  
1. Loosen the vertical lock. Now move the tube to an upright position so that it is pointing  
straight up through the fork arms and re-tighten the vertical lock.  
2. Loosen the bolts on the underside of the tripod base, rotate the telescope counterclock-  
wise, and lift the telescope off of the tripod. Now remove the bolts from the base.  
3. Unscrew the dew shield. Thread the dust cover over the end of the telescope. Then flip  
the dewshield over and place it over the end of the tube.  
Fig 12. Plug AutoStar into the  
HBX port of the computer  
control panel.  
4. Next, close and lock the tripod: Hold the tripod by its handle and turn the locking ring to  
loosen the tripod mechanism.  
5. Lift the locking ring as far as it will go. Turn the locking ring to tighten the tripod in place.  
Caution: Be careful not to close the tripod legs on your fingers.  
Fig 13. Thread the dust cover  
onto the tube.  
Now, place the accessories and telescope into the backpack.  
6. Put the eyepiece container into the provided pouches in the accessory compartment with  
the “lip” at the top.  
7. Place the bolts, prism into their respective pouches. Zip up the accessory compartment.  
8
Stow the ETX telescope in your backpack. Use the velcro tape inside of the backpack to  
further secure it in place. Place the AutoStar handbox into the lower section of the pack.  
9. Zip up the pack.  
10. Slide the tripod under the loops on the pack so that the feet will face downward when  
you carry the pack. Secure the tripod using the loop lock: Hold the knot with one hand  
Fig 14. The dewshield.  
and move the lock down toward the tripod with your other hand.  
Safety Precautions  
Take care not to allow the telescope to be jolted severely while hiking.  
Try not to run for any significant distance. Don’t toss the telescope in the pack on the  
ground. Excessive vibrations may damage the telescope.  
The backpack is made of water-resistant material, but isn’t waterproof. Some areas, such  
as the zipper seam might allow rain to penetrate and cause damage to the  
telescope.  
Fig 15. Secure the telescope  
in the backpack using the  
velcro strap.  
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Choosing an Eyepiece  
A telescope’s eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescope’s main optics. Each eye-  
piece 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 25mm.  
Your telescope comes supplied with two standard eyepieces.  
Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and excellent eye  
relief during long observing sessions. To find an object with a telescope, always start with a low  
power eyepiece. 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 see-  
ing conditions.  
Note: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-to-site. Turbulence  
in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an image  
appears fuzzy and ill-defined, back off to a lower power eyepiece for a more well-  
resolved image (Fig. 18a and 18b, page 18).  
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. To calculate eyepiece power, divide the tele-  
scope's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length. E.g., Assume you are using a 25mm eye-  
piece. The focal length of the ETX-80AT-BB is 400mm (see SPECIFICATIONS, page 36).  
Telescope Focal Length ÷ Eyepiece Focal Length = Magnification  
400mm ÷ 25mm = 16  
The eyepiece power, or magnification is therefore 14x. However, your telescope also contains  
a built-in 2 times Barlow. This means you also have to multiply magnification figure by two.  
16 x 2 = 32  
So your telescope has a 32 times magnification.  
Manual Operation of the Telescope without AutoStar  
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. Assemble the telescope,  
loosen the horizontal and vertical locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1), and turn the telescope towards the  
object you wish to observe. Sight along the top of the tube until you find the object. When the  
object appears in the eyepiece, focus the image using the by turning the focus knob (15, Fig.  
1). Rotate the knob clockwise to focus on distant objects and counterclockwise to focus on  
nearby objects.  
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 AutoStar operation, you can counteract the drift using the auto-  
matic tracking feature in the Setup menu (see TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page  
17), or by using AutoStar's GO TO capabilities (see GO TO SATURN, page 19).  
Fig. 16: Sight along the top of the optical  
tube.  
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Manual Operation of the Telescope Using AutoStar's Arrow Keys  
You may also observe land and astronomical objects using AutoStar's Arrow keys.  
If you have not already done so, prepare your telescope following the steps described in  
TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY, page 13. Next, flip the On/Off Switch (16C, Fig. 1b) on the computer  
control panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar’s display. Press the  
Speed/? key (7, Fig. 5) to accept the Sun warning. The "Getting Started" message displays.  
Keep pressing the ENTER key until "Country/State" appears on the display. (Ignore the prompts  
requesting "Date" and "Time" for now – these functions will be explained later in the manual).  
Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the database of countries/states. Press ENTER when your  
location displays. Next, use the Scroll keys to scroll to the nearest city to your observing site  
and press ENTER. Next, use the Scroll keys to scroll to your telescope model and press  
ENTER. The display then reads "Setup: Align."  
You can now use the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 5) to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left.  
To change the telescope’s slew speed, briefly press the Speed/? key (7, Fig. 5). Each press  
decreases the slew speed down one level, and then cycles back to the fastest speed. See page  
16 for more information.  
Fig. 17: AutoStar's Arrow  
keys.  
Tighten (to a "firm feel" only, do not overtighten) the vertical and horizontal locks (13 and 14,  
Fig. 1). Sight along the side of the telescope’s main tube to locate an object and practice using  
the AutoStar’s Arrow keys to center the object in the telescope’s field of view. Use the tele-  
scope’s focus knob (15, Fig. 1) to bring the object into focus.  
This procedure demonstrates just a very small part of AutoStar's capabilities. In the next section  
of this manual, you will begin to learn how to make use of AutoStar's extensive and powerful fea-  
tures.  
Slew Speeds  
AutoStar has nine slew speeds that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate (this is the  
speed at which stars move) and have been calculated to accomplish specific functions.  
Pressing the SPEED/? key changes the slew speed, which is then shown for about two  
seconds on AutoStar’s display.  
The nine available speeds are:  
{
{
{
{
{
{
{
{
{
Speed 1  
Speed 2  
Speed 3  
Speed 4  
Speed 5  
Speed 6  
Speed 7  
Speed 8  
Speed 9  
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
2x =  
8x =  
2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008°/sec)  
8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033°/sec)  
16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067°/sec)  
32 x sidereal (8 arc-min/sec or 0.13°/sec)  
64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27°/sec)  
16x =  
32x =  
64x =  
0.5° = 120 x sidereal (30 arc-min/sec or 0.5°/sec)  
1°/s = 240 x sidereal (60 arc-min/sec or 1°/sec)  
2°/s = 480 x sidereal (120 arc-min/sec or 2°/sec)  
Max = (Maximum speed possible, dependent on battery power)  
Speeds 1, 2, or 3: Best used for fine centering of an object in the field of view of a higher power  
eyepiece, such as a 12mm or a 9mm eyepiece.  
Speeds 4, 5, or 6: Enables centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eye-  
piece, such as a standard 25mm eyepiece.  
Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the eyepiece.  
Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another.  
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Observe the Moon  
Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and practice  
using the Arrow keys 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 view. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the  
overly bright surface to appear flat and rather uninteresting.  
Consider the use of a neutral density Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it cut  
down the Moon's bright glare, but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.  
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" the stars and other objects in the night sky.  
In other words, 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 more or less cen-  
tered in the telescope’s eyepiece.  
To track objects, you must first initialize AutoStar and then select "Targets: Astronomical" from  
the AutoStar Setup menu. You must also learn how the AutoStar keypad operates in order to  
move through the AutoStar menus.  
Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus  
The AutoStar database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation.  
Press ENTER to go deeper into AutoStar's menu levels.  
Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level.  
Use the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options available for each  
level.  
Use the Scroll keys to enter characters and digits.  
The Arrow keys are used to move the telescope, and can also enter numbers and letters.  
Initializing AutoStar  
This section describes how to initialize AutoStar. Perform this procedure the first time you use  
AutoStar or after performing a RESET.  
1. Secure the locks: Make sure that the vertical and horizontal locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1) are  
secured.  
2. Plug in AutoStar: Connect AutoStar to the HBX port of the computer control panel (16a,  
Fig. 1B).  
3. Turn on the control panel: Flip the telescope power switch of the computer control panel  
to the ON position.  
The AutoStar screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a  
short beep. Then AutoStar takes a few moments to start up the system.  
NOTE:  
AutoStar requests the  
Country/State, City,  
and Telescope Model  
information only the  
first time AutoStar is  
activated. If you wish  
to change this informa-  
tion, use the "Site" and  
"Telescope Model"  
options in the Setup  
menu.  
4. Sun Warning: A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this  
message, press the Speed/? key to signify that the message has been read and |  
understood.  
5. Getting Started: The Getting Started menu displays a scrolling message. Press ENTER  
(2, Fig. 5) to bypass the Help tutorial and continue with initialization.  
6. Daylight Savings Time: The next screen requests the status of Daylight Savings Time.  
Press one of the Scroll keys to toggle between the YES/NO settings. When the desired set-  
ting displays, press ENTER.  
Note: When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the option that is  
currently enabled is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing Arrow  
(>).  
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7. SetYour Location or Zip Code: The Location screen displays.This screen asks you if you  
wish to choose either the zip code of your observing location or the location (i.e., entering  
the city and state or country of your observing location). Press Up to select the zip code  
option or down to enter the city and state.  
Initialization is a pro-  
cedure that ensures  
that AutoStar oper-  
ates correctly. When  
you first use AutoStar,  
it doesn't yet know  
where the observa-  
tion location site is,  
what your model  
number is (AutoStar  
operates with several  
different models of  
Meade telescopes) or  
if you are in a day-  
light savings time  
period.  
Note: The location settings (country/state/province and city, or zip code) are only  
asked for the first time you turn on the control panel. If you wish to change this set-  
ting later on, use the Site menu. See SITE, page 28, for more information.  
a. If you chose the zip code option, the leftmost “0” is highlighted. Use the Scroll keys to scroll  
through the digits. When you reach the desired number, use the Right Arrow key to move  
to the next digit position. Repeat this process until all 5 digits of your zip code are entered.  
Press ENTER.  
b. If you chose the location option, the next screen asks for the country or state/province (list-  
ed alphabetically) of the observing site.  
Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of countries, states, and provinces. Press  
ENTER when the correct location displays.  
The next screen asks for the city (listed alphabetically) closest to the observing site. Use  
the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the correct city  
appears on screen.  
During the procedure,  
you are requested to  
enter this information.  
AutoStar uses this  
information , plus  
8. Select model number. As AutoStar operates with several different models of telescopes,  
it next requests your telescope model number. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the  
models. Press ENTER when your model number displays.  
9. System initialization is complete. The Easy Alignment feature begins automatically after  
time and date infor-  
mation it receives for  
a high-precision inter-  
nal clock to precisely  
calculate the location  
of celestial objects,  
such as stars and  
planets, and how to  
move your telescope  
correctly for various  
operations.  
the control panel is initialized.  
FOR BEGINNERS  
TIPS  
Too Much Power?  
Can you ever have too much power? If the type of  
power you’re referring to is eyepiece magnification,  
yes, you can! The most common mistake of the  
beginning observer is to “overpower” his or her tele-  
scope by using high magnifications which the tele-  
scope’s aperture and atmospheric conditions can  
not reasonably support. Keep in mind that a small-  
er, but bright and well-resolved image is far superi-  
or to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved  
(see below). Powers above 110X should be  
employed only under the steadiest atmospheric  
conditions.  
You will only be  
asked for the location  
and model number  
information the first  
time you initialize  
AutoStar or after a  
reset. You can  
change this  
information (for  
AutoStar can calculate the best eyepiece for you to  
use. Try out the “Eyepiece Calc” feature in the  
Utilities menu.  
example, you may  
move more than 50  
miles away) by going  
to the Site and  
Telescope model  
options in the Setup  
menu.  
Most observers should have three or four additional  
eyepieces to achieve the full range of reasonable  
magnifications possible with the ETX telescopes.  
See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.  
Fig. 18a & b: Jupiter; example of too much magnification.  
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Easy Alignment  
Note:  
After you initialize the system, AutoStar displays “Easy Align.The fastest and easiest way to  
start observing with AutoStar is with Easy Alignment.  
The "Telescope: Mount"  
option of the Setup  
menu is set to "Alt/Az"  
as the default alignment  
by the factory.The  
example presented in  
this section assumes  
that you are performing  
an alignment procedure  
for the first time with  
your telescope and  
therefore, the  
During Easy Alignment, AutoStar automatically picks two alignment stars from its database of  
celestial objects. It will then slew the telescope to a first alignment star. The user is asked to  
verify that the telescope is pointed at the chosen star and then to center the star in the eye-  
piece. The process is repeated with a second star to complete the alignment.  
1. Select Alignment: “Align Easy” displays. Press ENTER.  
2. Set Home Position: AutoStar then prompts you to set the telescope in the Alt/Az  
Alignment home position (see margin note and Figs. 19 and 20). To set your telescope in  
the "Alt/Az" home position:  
Loosen the telescope’s vertical lock (13, Fig. 1).  
Level the optical tube with the horizon. Move the optical tube until the pointer points at  
“0” on the setting circle (Fig. 19).  
"Telescope: Mount"  
option does not need to  
be selected.  
Tighten the vertical lock to a "firm feel" only.  
Unlock the horizontal lock (14, Fig. 1) and turn the telescope horizontally until it points  
North. Re-lock the horizontal lock.  
Remove the 45° prism and eyepiece from the rear cell port. It may interfere with the  
alignment procedure. After alignment, you may replace the prism and eyepiece.  
Press ENTER.  
3. Center Alignment Stars: The AutoStar then slews to the first star for alignment. It may  
not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. The alignment star should be easily recog-  
nized and be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. Use  
the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece.  
Press ENTER. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star.  
North  
Declination  
at 0˚  
Pointer  
NOTE: AutoStar 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.  
Fig. 19: Alt/Az Alignment  
Home Position.  
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 tele-  
scope finishes it search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO  
when the slew is finished 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.  
Go To Saturn  
After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the motor drive begins operating and the tele-  
scope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position  
even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars.  
Fig. 20: The ETX-80 is  
supplied with a bubble  
level. When setting the  
home position, use the  
bubble level to help level  
the telescope and to find  
North.  
IMPORTANT NOTE: Once aligned, only use the GO TO or Arrow keys to move the  
telescope. Do not loosen the telescope locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1), or move the base  
manually, or alignment will be lost.  
This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for viewing from AutoStar’s database. This  
example demonstrates how to select Saturn.  
Remove the eyepiece from  
the 90° holder and drop in  
the bubble level. Adjust the  
telescope tube the bubble  
enters the center circle of  
the bubble level.  
NOTE: Saturn is not visible the entire year and you may need to choose another  
object from AutoStar's database; however, the procedure, as described below,  
remains the same.  
Line up the North - South  
line of the compass with  
you telescope tube. Move  
the tube until the tube  
points North.  
1
After the telescope is aligned, “Select Item: Object” displays. Press ENTER.  
2. “Object: Solar System” displays. Press ENTER.  
3. “Solar System: Mercury” displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until “Solar System:  
Saturn” displays.  
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4. Press ENTER. “Calculating” displays. Then “Saturn” and a set of coordinates displays.  
Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout the year.  
5. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...displays and the telescope slews until it finds Saturn.You  
may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece. AutoStar then  
automatically slews (moves) the telescope so that it "tracks" Saturn (or whatever other  
object you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece. If an object is  
observed in the telescope without using AutoStar's GO TO or automatic tracking capabili-  
ties, objects in the eyepiece gradually drift out of the field of view due to the Earth's rota-  
tion.  
NOTE:  
Keep in mind that  
when viewing  
through an eyepiece  
in the 90°eyepiece  
holder, images of  
terrestrial objects  
are right-side-up,  
but reversed left-for-  
right. Normally, such  
an image orienta-  
tion is not bother-  
some, unless trying  
to read a distant  
sign, for example.  
Using the Guided Tour  
You’ve been hiking all day and night falls after you’ve set up camp. The only light is from the  
stars, which seem so close that you feel you can reach out and touch them. You’ve gotten  
your friends all excited about looking through your scope during the hike.  
You initialize Autostar, set the home position and get aligned. You find Jupiter in the Solar  
System menu and you show off Jupiter’s four moons and you talk about the detail you can  
see in the bands circling the giant planet.  
Next, you choose Saturn from the Solar system menu and — Autostar displays “Below hori-  
zon.So you quickly pick out Mars from the menu. It’s also below the horizon. Your friends are  
losing interest.  
If you wish to use  
the telescope for  
terrestrial observa-  
tion, use the eye-  
piece in the 45°  
prism. The image in  
this eyepiece will be  
correctly  
This is the perfect time to use Autostar’s “Guided Tour.”  
Guided Tour is one of Autostar’s more fun features. For example, check out the tour called  
Tonight’s Best.Tonight’s Best” will take you on a tour of the best objects in the sky. Objects  
that are in the sky right now—the tour changes all the time depending on the time, date and  
place.  
oriented.  
1. To find the Guided Tour menu, keep pressing MODE until “Select Item: Object” displays.  
2. Press one of the Scroll keys to page through the menus. Keep pressing until “Select  
Item: Guided Tour” displays.  
3. Press ENTER. “Guided Tour: Tonight’s Best” displays. Press ENTER.  
4. “Tonight’s Best: Searching...displays. After calculating, “Tonight’s Best: Jupiter” might  
displays—different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night.  
5. Press ENTER to display information about an object. Even though you may have just  
looked at Jupiter, read the information screens (use the scroll keys to page through these  
screens). You may discover some  
cool information you didn’t know  
about Jupiter.  
FOR BEGINNERS  
TIPS  
6. Press MODE to return to the Tour  
Which One’s the Alignment  
list of objects. Press one of the  
Star?  
Scroll keys to scroll through the list.  
Press ENTER when you find the  
next object you wish to observe;  
press ENTER to select the object.  
Then press GO TO to move the tel-  
escope to that object. Repeat this  
procedure to find other objects.  
If AutoStar has chosen an alignment star with which  
you are unfamiliar, 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 usual-  
ly the brightest star in that area of the sky.When you  
view an alignment star in an eyepiece, it stands out  
dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion  
of the sky.  
7. Press and hold down MODE for two  
seconds to leave the Guided Tour  
menu.  
If you have an obstruction, such as a tree or a build-  
ing blocking your view of the alignment star, or if you  
have any doubts at all about the star that has been  
chosen, no problem. Just press the Scroll Down key  
and AutoStar will find another star to align upon.  
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AUTOSTAR MENUS  
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AUTOSTAR OPERATION  
OBJECT  
Select from over 1400 database objects and  
press GO TO to move the telescope automatically to the  
object and place it in the telescopic field of view.  
SETUP  
Select Item:  
Object  
Quick, easy alignment  
permits all telescope  
operations with only  
a 2-minute setup.  
Select Item:  
Setup  
Select Item:  
Event  
EVENT  
UTILITIES  
Access the time of  
Calculate eyepiece  
an astronomical  
event, such as the  
rising or setting  
magnifications; set the  
timer for an observing  
session; or survey user  
landmarks in 30-second  
The Universe of  
Autostar  
times of the Moon.  
intervals.  
Select Item:  
Select Item:  
Utilities  
Guided Tour  
GUIDED TOUR  
Journey through the  
universe as Autostar  
escorts you to the  
best celestial objects  
at your location.  
GLOSSARY  
Discover the world of astronomy  
by alphabetically accessing  
astronomical terms.  
Select Item:  
Glossary  
Fig. 22: The AutoStar Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select Item menu of AutoStar.  
It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 23). This means that  
pressing the Scroll Down key (6, Fig. 5) cycles down through all the available options within a  
given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key (6, Fig. 5) cycles up through the  
options in the opposite order. Note that this capability is a quick way to get to an option that is  
near the bottom of the list. The following example demonstrates this capability.  
Object  
Event  
Guided Tours  
Glossary  
Utilities  
Setup  
Example:  
To navigate to the “Select Item: Setup” menu option when the “Select Item: Object” menu is displayed:  
Fig. 23: Menus set in a  
loop.  
1. Press the Scroll Down key four times or the Scroll Up key once.  
The screen in Fig. 24 displays two lines of information. The top line shows the current menu  
level. The second line displays an option which may be selected within that menu level. Some  
options are choices that select the next menu level down. The Scroll keys move up and down  
within the list of available options, showing one option at a time.  
Select Item  
Object  
c
Solar System  
When the desired option is displayed on the second line, press the ENTER key to choose that  
option and move down one menu level.  
Fig. 24: AutoStar menu  
levels.  
Press the MODE key to leave a level; e.g., the wrong menu option is chosen.  
IMPORTANT NOTE: No matter how many levels into AutoStar are traveled, each  
press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level, "Select Item," is  
reached. Once in the Select Item level, press MODE to return to the topmost level,  
"Select Item: Object."  
AutoStar Navigation Exercise  
To demonstrate how the AutoStar menu structure works, the following exercise calculates  
Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned.  
NOTE: To perform an accurate calculation, AutoStar must be properly initialized  
with the current date, time, and location of the observing site. To enter the current  
date, time, and location information of your observing site, see INITIALIZING  
AUTOSTAR, page 17, before proceeding with this exercise.  
22  
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To Calculate Sunset time:  
1. Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed.  
2. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item” menu.  
3. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event:  
Sunrise" is displayed.  
4. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the "Sunset" option in the Event menu.  
5. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Sunset" option and move down another level.  
6. Autostar calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time, and location. Autostar  
then displays the results of the calculation.  
7. Press MODE once to start moving back up through the Autostar levels. The first level up is  
the Event menu.  
8. Press MODE again to move up another level. This is the top level, "Select Item."  
9. Press MODE again to return to the starting point of "Select Item: Object."  
Entering Numbers and Text into Autostar  
To enter numbers and text:  
TIP: When multiple  
choices are avail-  
able within a menu  
option, the option  
that is currently  
selected is usually  
displayed first and  
highlighted by a  
right pointing arrow  
(>).  
{
Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 - 9 and the alphabet. The  
Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit "9."  
To move the cursor across the display:  
{
Use the Right or Left Arrow key (5, Fig. 5) to move the cursor from one number to the next  
in the display  
{
Press ENTER when the desired information has been entered.  
Navigating Autostar  
Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation:  
{
{
{
{
Press ENTER to go deeper into Autostar's menu levels.  
Press MODE (3, Fig. 5) to move back toward the top menu level.  
Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options or lists  
Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display.  
{
Press the Help (?) key to access on-line help.  
Adjusting the Speed of a Scrolling Message  
{
Press and hold the Scroll Up key to increase the scrolling speed when a message is scroll-  
ing across the display.  
{
Press and hold the Scroll Down key to decrease the scrolling speed when a message is  
scrolling across the display.  
23  
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Object Menu  
Almost all observing with Autostar is performed using the Object menu category. (NOTE:  
Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey. See GO TO SATURN, page 19, for an  
)
example of observing using the Object menu. Also see TAKE A GUIDED TOUR, page 20.  
Many Autostar menu categories contain databases. An Autostar database is a list of viewable  
objects, such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae, and so forth. When one of these objects is  
selected from a database, Autostar moves your telescope (if properly aligned) and points it at  
the selected object.  
The Object Menu options include:  
Solar System is a database of the eight planets (Earth is not included) in order out from the  
Sun, followed by the Moon, asteroids, and comets.  
Constellation is a database of all 88 Northern and Southern Hemisphere constellations. When  
this menu option is chosen and a constellation name appears on the first line of the screen,  
press GO TO once to change the second line to the name of the brightest star in the constel-  
lation. Press GO TO a second time to slew the telescope to that star. Use the Scroll keys to  
cycle through the list of stars in the constellation, from brightest to dimmest.  
Deep Sky is a database of objects outside our Solar System such as nebulae, star clusters,  
galaxies, and quasars.  
Star is a database of stars listed in different categories such as named, double, variable, or  
nearby.  
Satellite is a database of Earth-orbiting objects such as the International Space Station, the  
Hubble Space Telescope, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, and geosynchronous  
orbit satellites.  
User Objects allows the user to define and store in memory deep-sky objects of specific inter-  
est that are not currently in the Autostar database. See "Appendix B" for more information.  
Landmarks stores the location of terrestrial points of interest in the permanent Autostar data-  
base.  
IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located  
and aligned exactly as when the landmark was added to the database.  
{
Select: To select a Landmark already in the database (see ADD below), choose the  
"Select" option and scroll through the list. Press ENTER to select a Landmark, then press  
GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.  
{
Add:To add a Landmark, choose the "Add" option. Enter a name for the Landmark. Locate  
and center the Landmark in the eyepiece, then press ENTER.  
Identify is an exciting feature for an observer who wants to scan the night sky and start explor-  
ing. After the telescope has been properly aligned, use the Autostar 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 align-  
ment 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 searches the database for the identity of the object being  
observed.  
4. If the telescope is not directly on an Autostar database object, the nearest database object  
is located and displayed on the screen. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to that  
object.  
24  
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Event Menu  
The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The Event data-  
base 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 27.  
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 27.  
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 par-  
tial) 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 tele-  
scope 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 calcu-  
lates the time and date of the winter or  
summer solstice of the current year.  
FOR BEGINNERS  
TIPS  
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.  
Glossary Menu  
The Glossary menu provides an alpha-  
betical listing of definitions and descrip-  
tions 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 [brack-  
ets], 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 when-  
ever a hypertext word is on screen and  
Autostar goes to the glossary entry for  
that word.  
Give your eyes about ten minutes to adjust to  
the darkness before observing. Give your eyes  
a rest from observing every ten or fifteen min-  
utes 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.  
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.  
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.  
Utilities Menu  
The Utilities menu provides access to  
several extra features within Autostar,  
including a countdown timer and an  
alarm. The Utilities functions include:  
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.  
25  
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Timer selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astrophotography  
and tracking satellites. See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 30. To use the Timer, press ENTER,  
then choose “Set” or “Start/Stop."  
{
{
Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER.  
Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and  
OFF.When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer.When the timer runs out, four  
beeps sound and the timer is deactivated.  
Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then  
choose "Set" or "Start/Stop."  
{
{
Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press  
ENTER.  
Start/Stop: Activates the alarm set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON  
and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the alarm. When the alarm time  
arrives, Autostar beeps. Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm.  
Eyepiece Calc calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope to which  
Autostar is connected.  
{
{
{
Field of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected,  
the field of view is calculated.  
Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the  
magnification is calculated.  
Suggest: Autostar calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the tel-  
escope and the object being viewed.  
Display Options enables or disables Autostar’s two initial displays. If both displays are dis-  
abled, Autostar begins with the Date display.  
{
Sun Warning: Turns the “Sun Warning” message on or off.  
{
Getting Started: Turns the “Getting Started” message on or off.  
Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press  
ENTER.  
Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press  
ENTER.  
NOTE: This feature is usually only required in very cold weather.  
Beep: Turns the beep on or off.  
Sleep Scope is a power saving option that shuts down Autostar and the telescope without for-  
getting its alignment. With "Sleep Scope" selected, press ENTER to activate the Sleep function.  
Autostar goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key, except ENTER, to re-  
activate Autostar and the telescope.  
Park Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align  
the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next time it is powered up,  
enter the correct date and time – no alignment is required. Pressing ENTER causes the tele-  
scope to move to its pre-determined Park position. Once parked, the screen prompts to turn off  
power.  
IMPORTANT NOTE: When the "Park Scope" option is chosen and the display  
prompts you to turn off the telescope's power, Autostar is unable to be returned to  
operation without turning the power off and then back on.  
Cord Wrap, when set to "On," moves the telescope in such a way as to prevent the cords and  
cables attached to your telescope assembly from getting wound around the assembly and tan-  
gled as the telescope slews to objects. "Off" is the default setting.  
Setup Menu  
The Setup menu’s primary function is to align the telescope (see EASY ALIGN, page 19).  
However, there are numerous other features available within the Setup menu, including:  
26  
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Date changes the date used by Autostar. This function is useful to check events in the past or  
future. For example, set the Date menu for a day three months in the future. Then check the  
"Select Item: Event" menu for the Sunset time on that date. See EVENT MENU, page 25.  
Time changes the time entered into Autostar. Setting the correct time is critical for Autostar to  
properly calculate locations and events. Time may be set to 24-hour mode (military time) by  
selecting the "blank" option which follows the "AM" and "PM" options.  
Daylight Saving is used to enable or disable Daylight Savings time.  
NOTE: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by different names in various areas  
of the world. Check local time to verify.  
Telescope accesses the several options, including:  
{
{
{
Model: Allows you to select the telescope model connected to Autostar.  
Focal Length: Displays the focal length of the selected telescope.  
Az Ratio and Alt Ratio: The Az (Azimuth) ratio and Alt (Altitude) ratio refers to the gears  
of the telescope's motors. Do not alter these numbers.  
{
Az Percent:The Az (Azimuth) Percent allows you to change the azimuth backlash, i.e., the  
way the Arrow keys move the telescope along the azimuth (horizontal) axis. If you enter a  
value near 100, the telescope tube responds more quickly (it responds immediately at  
100%) as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews (moves) the tube more quickly. If  
you enter a value near 0, it takes longer for the tube to respond as you hold down an Arrow  
key and also slews the tube more slowly. Experiment with this option.Try changing the per-  
cent value until you get a "feel" for the Arrow keys that is comfortable for you.  
Alt Percent: The Alt (Altitude) Percent operates identical to the AZ Percent option (see  
above), but allows you to change the altitude backlash, i.e., the way the Arrow keys move  
the telescope when moving along the altitude (vertical) axis.  
{
Train Drive: Trains the Altitude and  
Azimuth motors to locate objects  
FOR BEGINNERS  
TIPS  
with more precision.  
Surf the Web  
If you are experiencing any problems  
with pointing accuracy, follow the  
procedure described in APPENDIX C:  
TRAINING THE DRIVE, page 40, to  
insure accurate pointing and track-  
ing.  
One of the most exciting resources for astronomy is  
the internet.The internet is full of websites with new  
images, discoveries, and the latest astronomical  
information. For example, when comet Hale-Bopp  
made its approach to our Sun in 1998, astronomers  
around the world posted new photos daily.  
You can find websites for almost any topic relating  
to astronomy on the internet. Try the following key  
word searches: NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy,  
Messier, satellite, nebula, black hole, variable stars,  
etc.  
{
Tracking Rate: Changes the speed  
at which the telescope tracks targets  
in the sky.  
a. Sidereal: The default setting for  
Autostar; sidereal rate is the  
standard rate at which stars  
move from East to West across  
the sky due to the rotation of the  
Earth.  
b. Lunar: Choose this option to  
properly track the Moon over  
long observing sessions.  
Check out Meade’s website for the latest product  
and technical information. You can download the  
latest software revisions, links to other astronomical  
sites, coordinates of celestial objects and the latest  
satellite tracking information for your #494 AutoStar  
handbox. See page 30 for more information. You’ll  
find our website at:  
c. Custom: Allows entry of user-  
Here are some other sites you might find interesting:  
defined tracking rates.  
Sky & Telescope:  
{
{
Reverse L/R: Reverses the func-  
tions of the Left and Right Arrow  
keys (i.e., the Right key moves the  
telescope to the left).  
Astronomy:  
• The Starfield:  
• Astronomy Picture of the Day:  
• Heaven’s Above (satellite observing information):  
Reverse UP/DOWN: Reverses the  
functions of the Up and Down Arrow  
keys (i.e., the Up key moves the tele-  
scope down).  
27  
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{
{
Quiet Slew: Sets the maximum slew rate to 1.5° for quieter operation.  
Max Elevation: Allows you to enter a value in degrees that sets a limit as to how far the  
optical tube can swing upward during a programmed slew. (Note that it does not prevent  
you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a camera  
or other peripheral attached to the telescope—you can prevent it from striking the tele-  
scope base.  
{
Min AOS (Acquisition of Signal): Allows you enter a value in degrees. This value repre-  
sents the altitude at which your telescope begins to slew when acquiring a satellite track.  
This is useful when you are observing satellites, but a tall tree or building is obstructing the  
telescope. For example, you might begin to track the satellite at 15° altitude, instead of 5°.  
See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 30, for more information about satellites.  
{
{
Calibrate Motor: If the telescope motors appear to have a problem, use this option to  
retest the motors before performing a Reset. This option is also used if an Autostar unit is  
moved between telescopes, to match Autostar to the new telescope. To calibrate the  
motors, select this option and press ENTER.  
High Precision: If High Precision is turned on, when looking for a faint celestial object (i.e.,  
a nebula or galaxy), Autostar first slews to a nearby bright star and displays "ENTER to  
Sync." Center the star in the eyepiece, then press ENTER. At that point the telescope has  
a high precision alignment to that part of the sky and it then slews to the object that was  
originally requested.  
IMPORTANT NOTE:  
While performing the  
automatic tracking  
procedure, only use  
the Arrow keys to  
move the telescope.  
Once the telescope  
has been set in the  
Alt/Az home position,  
do not loosen the  
telescope locks (13  
and 14, Fig. 1), or  
move the base  
Targets switches between Astronomical targets and Terrestrial targets. If "Astronomical" is  
selected, the telescope tracking motor is activated and any object you observe will remain cen-  
tered in the eyepiece. If "Terrestrial" is selected, the tracking motor is turned off. To learn how  
to track an object automatically, see page 17.  
Site provides access to several options including:  
{
Select: Displays the currently selected observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through  
all available sites (see ADD below). Press ENTER when the site you wish to select displays.  
Use this option when you move to a different geographic location.  
{
Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database (up to six sites may be stored).  
Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to add dis-  
plays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner.  
manually, or alignment  
will be lost.  
{
{
Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database.  
Time Zone  
Atlantic  
Eastern  
Central  
Mountain  
Pacific  
Shift  
Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time  
Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users West of Greenwich,  
England use “-” hours, East of Greenwich use “+” hours. For the United States, look up the  
time zone shift in Table 1.  
-4 Hours  
-5 Hours  
-6 Hours  
-7 Hours  
-8 Hours  
-10 Hours  
NOTE: Autostar compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See SETUP  
MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, page 27.  
Hawaii  
{
Address: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter your street address, city, state, and  
zip code. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.  
Table 1: Time Zone Shift.  
Download transfers information from a personal computer or another Autostar. During the  
operation, the warning “Downloading Do Not Turn Off” appears.  
NOTE:  
NOTE: The Download function requires the optional #506 Astrofinder Software and  
Cable Connector Kit. See the instruction sheet included with the kit for more infor-  
mation on how to download. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.  
The Download function  
requires the optional  
#506 Astrofinder  
Software and Cable  
Connector Kit. See the  
instruction sheet  
included with the kit for  
more information on  
how to download.  
Also see OPTIONAL  
ACCESSORIES, page  
33.  
Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including:  
{
{
Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined object memory.  
Version: Shows the current version of the Autostar software.  
Reset completely resets Autostar. Most values entered into the menus revert to factory  
defaults. Autostar requires initialization again after a Reset before proceeding with observa-  
tions. See INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17.  
28  
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ADVANCED FEATURES  
Terrestrial Observing  
The ETX-80AT-BB makes an excellent high-resolution, terrestrial (land) telescope. Viewing ter-  
restrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. These heat  
waves often cause degradation of image quality. Low power eyepieces, like the MA 25mm eye-  
piece, magnify these heat waves less than higher power eyepieces. Therefore, low power eye-  
pieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image is fuzzy or ill-defined, reduce to a  
lower 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 bet-  
ter viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours.  
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, with minor qualification, limit-  
ed only by the observer’s motivation.  
Sidereal Rate  
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.  
If the telescope is aligned, the motor drive is designed to rotate the telescope at the sidereal  
rate so that it automatically tracks the stars. This tracking makes it easy to locate objects and  
keep them centered in the telescope’s eyepiece.  
Alignment (Mount)  
The telescope's mount permits the movement of the telescope in both Altitude (vertically) and  
Azimuth (horizontally). In order to automatically track a celestial object, the mount must be  
properly aligned. Easy Alignment is described on page 19.  
Alt/Az Alignment  
One-Star Alt/AZ Alignment or Two-Star Alt/AZ Alignment allows you to choose the alignment  
stars during the alignment procedure. The stars are chosen from AutoStar’s database of align-  
ment stars. The database displays after One-Star Alt/Az or Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment is select-  
ed. .  
The term "Alt/Az." is frequently used to refer to the Altitude or horizontal and Azimuth or verti-  
cal movements of the ETX-80AT-BB telescope. Other terms to describe a telescope's move-  
ment may be used with telescopes that have mounts different from the ETX-80AT-BB.  
Alt/Az Home Position  
To set your telescope in the "Alt/Az" home position (also see Fig. 20, page 19).:  
Loosen the telescope’s vertical lock (13, Fig. 1).  
North  
Level the optical tube with the horizon. Move the optical tube until the pointer points  
at “0” on the setting circle.  
Tighten the vertical lock to a "firm feel" only.  
Unlock the horizontal lock (14, Fig. 1) and turn the telescope horizontally until it points  
North. Re-lock the horizontal lock.  
Declination  
at 0˚  
Pointer  
Remove the 45° prism and eyepiece from the rear cell port. It may interfere with the  
alignment procedure. After alignment, you may replace the prism and eyepiece.  
Press ENTER.  
Fig. 25: Alt/Az Home Position.  
29  
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Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment  
Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a database of  
bright stars and two stars from this database are chosen by the observer for alignment.  
1. Perform steps 1 through 8 as described in the EASY ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE, page 19.  
2 . Align to the first star. AutoStar then displays a database of stars for the observer to  
choose from. Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star that you wish to align upon. Select a  
star that you can easily locate in the night sky.  
3. Press ENTER. The telescope slews to the star for alignment. Use the Arrow keys to move  
the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece.  
4. Press ENTER. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star. The telescope is aligned  
and you are now ready to use AutoStar's GO TO capabilities for a night of observing.  
One-Star Alt/Az Alignment  
One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a database  
of bright stars. One-Star Alignment is identical to Two-Star Alt/Az: Alignment (see TWO-STAR  
ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, above), except only one star from this database is chosen by the observ-  
er for alignment.  
IMPORTANT NOTE: The accuracy of One-Star Alt/Az Alignment, unlike the Two-  
Star Alt/Az Alignment procedure, depends on how well the observer levels the tel-  
escope and how close to North the telescope is pointed when setting the Home  
Position (Fig. 24). Because Two-Star Alignment uses two stars to align upon, it is  
more precise than One-Star Alignment.  
Observing a Satellite  
NOTE: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low orbit,  
traveling at approximately 17,500 mph. They move quickly across the sky and are  
visible only for a few minutes, requiring AutoStar to slew the telescope rapidly. Best  
viewing is near Sunrise or Sunset when the sky is still dark. Viewing in the middle  
of the night can be problematic because the satellite may pass overhead, but not  
be visible as it is in the Earth's shadow.  
1. Choose a satellite from the Select menu, then press ENTER. AutoStar scans its database  
to find if that satellite is expected to pass overhead within the next 6 hours.  
2. If a satellite is expected, use the Scroll keys to access a list of information about the pass,  
including acquisition time, location, etc.  
3. At the end of the list is “Alarm.Press ENTER and AutoStar automatically sets the alarm  
to sound several minutes before the scheduled appearance. You may return to regular  
observations until the alarm goes off.  
4. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until the  
desired satellite is on the top line of the display.  
5. Press GO TO. AutoStar slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear.The motor  
drive stops and a countdown starts.  
NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a  
building, tree, or hill), press ENTER and AutoStar starts to move the telescope  
along the expected satellite track. When the track clears the obstruction, press  
ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue with this procedure.  
6. With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through the eyepiece  
for the satellite to enter the field of view.  
7. When the satellite enters the field of view, press ENTER. The telescope starts to track with  
the satellite.  
30  
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8. Use the Arrow keys to center the object in the eyepiece to view the object. Satellite orbits  
change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade  
website (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and  
instructions on how to download this data to AutoStar. If orbital parameters are more than  
one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by AutoStar. To  
download new satellite data into AutoStar memory requires the optional Astrofinder  
Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.  
Digital Photography with the ETX  
Although digital cameras still cannot match the quality of images provided by  
traditional 35mm cameras, they provide some significant advantages to the casual astropho-  
tographer: You do not have to develop the images (instant images), lower costs, computer and  
internet readiness. And because unwanted photos are easily discarded, they provide the  
freedom to experiment.  
Digital cameras present some problems for the astrophotographer: Many models have lenses  
that cannot be removed, present difficulties in attaching to a telescope, often lack manual focus-  
ing and allow limited exposure times. Long exposures with digital cameras introduce undesir-  
able noise and artifacts into a digital image. This limits the range of astro images to the Moon,  
planets and bright stars.  
SLR digital cameras usually work the best for astrophotography, although they are still a bit  
pricey.  
Some tips for better photos:  
If you cannot remove the lens to your camera, look for a commercially available digital  
t-adapter. New solutions for attaching a digital camera to a telescope are becoming  
available as time goes by.  
If the camera is not directly coupled to the eyepiece, keep it as close to the  
eyepiece as possible and center the image to be photographed to minimize vignetting  
(darkening of the edges of the photo).  
Try to block ambient light (from street lights, house, etc.) from the eyepiece and the cam-  
era with a piece of cardboard, a screen, etc.  
Keep extra (charged) batteries on hand for your camera as digital cameras often drain bat-  
teries in a short period of time. Rechargeable Lithium batteries provide power for a longer  
period than non-rechargeable batteries. If practical, use an AC adapter.  
If using manual focus, set to infinity. Otherwise, using the camera's autofocus is OK.  
Experiment with your camera's exposure, brightness and /or contrast settings. Keep notes  
for future reference.  
Many digital cameras have a manual ISO setting. Short exposures times work the best.  
Use your camera's highest image quality and lowest compression settings. Although this  
fills up your camera's memory more quickly, it produces the best quality photos.  
Use the camera's timer or remote shutter release (if available for your camera) to minimize  
vibration.Wireless shutter releases may be available for some model digital cameras. If you  
do not have a shutter release, use the camera’s timer (sometimes called “self-timer”), which  
is available with most digital cameras. The timer also minimizes vibration.  
Photography with Meade’s AutoStar Suite™  
The AutoStar Suite with Meade LPI™ (Lunar Planetary Imager) or Meade Deep Sky Imager™  
turns your Meade ETX telescope, AutoStar and PC into even more powerful and easy-to-use  
astronomical 5. Press GO TO. AutoStar slews the telescope to where the satellite should  
appear. The motor drive stops and a countdown starts.  
NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a  
building, tree, or hill), press ENTER and AutoStar starts to move the telescope  
along the expected satellite track. When the track clears the obstruction, press  
ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue with this procedure.  
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6. With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through the eyepiece for the  
satellite to enter the field of view.  
7. When the satellite enters the field of view, press ENTER.The telescope starts to track with the satel-  
lite. instrument.  
LPI (Fig. 26) and Deep Sky Imager (Fig. 27) combine the power of an electronic  
astronomical imager with the simplicity of a web cam. Check out the following imager features:  
• LPI: Achieve great results the first time out on the Moon, planets, brighter deep-sky objects and ter-  
restrial targets.  
• Deep Sky Imager: Capture dim and faint objects that are often invisible to the eye, that once could only  
be captured by large observatories or expensive CCD equipment. For example, the Horsehead and  
Reflection nebulas in Orion.  
• Easy to use with real-time display of object on your PC screen. Just center, focus and shoot.  
• Magic Eye software-assisted focusing.  
• Automatic and manual exposure control from .001 to 15 seconds (up to 450x longer than web cams).  
• Automatically takes multiple exposures.  
The AutoStar Suite Software includes powerful tools to help you get the most from your Meade ETX  
telescope:  
• Sophisticated planetarium program with over 19 million objects.  
• Select objects from the planetarium display and the telescope slews to those objects.  
• Create time-lapse movies of objects, such as Jupiter  
• Create your own Guided Tours.  
• Advanced Image Processing Software including Unsharp Masking, Convolution Filtering and many  
other features.  
• Control all AutoStar functions from your PC.  
Talking Telescope software translates AutoStar text to synthesized speech through PC speaker.  
• Includes a cable to connect your ETX model to your PC.  
Fig. 27: The Deep Sky Imager.  
Fig. 26: The Lunar Planetary Imager.  
32  
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OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES  
A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories are available for the ETX-80AT-BB.  
Meade accessories greatly extend many important applications to the telescope, from low-  
power, wide-field terrestrial viewing to high-power lunar and planetary observing. The premium  
quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself.  
Meade telescopes and accessories, including optional accessories for ETX telescopes, are  
available at more than 3,000 dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada and through Meade inter-  
national distributors worldwide. Once you have identified the accessories you wish to order,  
contact your local Meade authorized dealer. To find a dealer near you call (800) 626-3233 or  
visit the Meade website at www.meade.com.  
#506 AstroFinder™ Software and Cable Connector Kit: Displays more than 10,000 celes-  
tial wonders – galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, stars, and planets – on your PC, enabling even  
the beginner to locate and identify objects to observe with the telescope or to print out star  
charts for use in observing sessions. Operates with any Windows™-based personal computer.  
The Cable Connector Kit permits connection of the ETX-80AT-BB, AutoStar, and PC, for down-  
loading of new software to AutoStar or for updating of Earth satellite or other celestial object  
positions. This kit is included with each AstroFinder Software package.  
Eyepieces (1.25" barrel diameter): For higher or lower magnifications, Meade 4-element  
Series 4000 eyepieces yield wider fields of view with excellent edge-of-field corrections and  
are available in a large range of focal lengths.  
Fig. 28: Meade Series 4000 Super Plossl Eyepieces.  
#126 2x Barlow Lens (1.25"): For telescopes that accommodate 1.25" eyepieces, the  
Barlow lens doubles each eyepiece power while maintaining excellent image corrections.  
#3200 Lunar & Planetary Color Filter Set: Meade optical glass color filters increase image  
contrast and resolution of the Moon and planets. The #3200 Set includes light yellow, very light  
red, very light blue, and neutral density filters. Each filter threads into the barrels of all Meade  
MA, PL, and WA eyepieces and is packed in a separate plastic case for secure storage.  
#827 8 x 25mm Right-Angle Viewfinder and Bracket: For easy sighting of terrestrial or astro-  
nomical objects prior to their observation in the main telescope, the #827 8 x 25mm Right-Angle  
Viewfinder (Fig. 30) displays a wide 7.5° field of view. Includes a crosshair eyepiece and precise  
helicoid focusing; the included viewfinder bracket attaches to the main telescope in seconds.  
64T-Adapter: The T-adapter allows you connect a 35mm camera to your ETX telescope. Obtain  
the T-mount that is correct for your individual brand of camera separately.  
Fig 29: #827 Right-Angle  
Viewfinder.  
33  
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MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING  
General Maintenance  
The ETX-80AT-BB telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of  
rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your tele-  
scope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Maintenance guidelines include:  
1. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics. A little dust on the front surface of the telescope’s  
correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be con-  
sidered reason to clean the lens.  
2. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with gentle strokes  
of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy). Do not  
use a commercial photographic lens cleaner.  
3. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed with a solution of  
3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. A single drop of biodegradable dish-  
washing soap may be added per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make  
short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often.  
CAUTION: Do not use scented, colored, or lotioned tissues as damage could result  
to the optics.  
4. If your telescope is used outdoors on a humid night, telescope surfaces may accumulate  
water condensation. While such condensation does not normally cause any damage to the  
telescope, it is recommended that the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth  
before being packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the optical surfaces. Rather, sim-  
ply allow the telescope to sit for some time in warm indoor air, so that the wet optical sur-  
faces can dry unattended. In addition, the dust cap should not be placed back on to the  
optical tube until the telescope is thoroughly dry.  
5
If your telescope is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one month or more,  
it is advisable to remove the six AA-size batteries from inside the drive base. Batteries left  
installed for prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescope’s electronic cir-  
cuitry. See TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY, page 13.  
6. Do not leave your telescope outdoors on a warm day or inside a sealed car for an extend-  
ed period of time. Excessive ambient temperatures can damage the telescope’s internal  
lubrication and electronic circuitry.  
7. A (English-format) hex wrench is provided with the ETX-80AT-BB. Use the wrench to tight-  
en the set-screws of any knobs which may loosen, such as the horizontal lock knob or  
focus knob.  
Storage and Transport  
When not in use, store the telescope in a cool, dry place. Do not expose the instrument to  
excessive heat or moisture. It is best to store the telescope in its original box with the vertical  
and horizontal locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1) in the unlocked positions. If shipping the telescope, use  
the original box and packing material to protect the telescope during shipment.  
When transporting the telescope, take care not to bump or drop the instrument; this type of abuse  
can damage the optical tube and/or the objective lens. It is highly recommended to use the  
optional Hard Case to transport the telescope. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.  
Inspecting the Optics  
A Note About the “Flashlight Test": If a flashlight or other high-intensity light source is point-  
ed down the main telescope tube, the view (depending upon the observer’s line of sight and  
the angle of the light) may reveal what appears to be scratches, dark or bright spots, or uneven  
coatings, giving the appearance of poor quality optics.These effects are only seen when a high  
intensity light is transmitted through the lens or reflected off the mirror, and can be seen on any  
high quality optical system, including giant research telescopes.  
The optical quality of a telescope cannot be judged by the “flashlight test"; the true test of opti-  
cal quality can only be conducted through careful star testing.  
34  
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Troubleshooting  
The following suggestions may be helpful with operation of the ETX-80AT-BB.  
The power indicator light on the telescope does not come on or there is no response  
when pressing AutoStar Arrow keys:  
Verify that the Computer Control Panel power switch (10c, Fig. 1) is in the ON position.  
Verify that the AutoStar cord (8, Fig. 5) is firmly connected to the HBX port (10a, Fig. 1).  
Verify that the batteries are installed correctly and that they have sufficient charge. See  
TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY, page 13.  
Note: If the batteries are getting low on charge, there will be a marked difference  
in the slew speed. The speed indicator lights may also flash and the speed may  
change. If any of these symptoms occur, turn the power off and replace the batter-  
ies.  
If AutoStar does not respond to commands, set the Computer Control Panel power switch  
to OFF and then back to ON.  
If the telescope does not slew after power is applied or if the motor quits or stalls, verify  
that there are no physical obstructions that would impede telescope movement.  
If all physical obstacles are removed and the telescope still does not move properly, turn  
off the power and unplug AutoStar. Plug the AutoStar back in and turn the power back on.  
Cannot seem to focus (No image appears in the eyepiece):  
Keep turning the focus knob. Your ETX telescope has a fine focusing mechanism which  
allows you to focus an image very precisely. However, this means that you may have to  
rotate the focus knob 20 to 40 complete turns to achieve focus, particularly the first time  
you use your telescope. After that, fewer turns will be needed.  
Still unable to see an image through the eyepiece:  
Confirm that the dust cap has been removed from the telescope.  
Confirm that the flip-mirror control (20, Fig. 1) is in the “up” position (Fig. 4a) if using the  
eyepiece holder (3, Fig. 1) so that light is directed to the eyepiece (1, Fig. 1). Confirm that  
the flip-mirror control is in the “down” position (Fig. 4b) if using the #933 Erecting Prism.  
Slew speed does not change when the Speed/? key is pressed, or the telescope moves  
slowly even though the fast slew speed is chosen:  
The battery power may be low. See TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY, page 13.  
Images through the eyepiece appear unfocused or distorted:  
The magnification used may be too high for the seeing conditions. Back off to a lower  
power eyepiece. See TOO MUCH POWER?, page 18.  
If inside a warm house or building, move outside. Interior air conditions may distort terres-  
trial or celestial images, making it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a sharp focus. For  
optimal viewing, use the telescope outside in the open air instead of observing through an  
open or closed window or screen.  
If viewing a land object on a warm day, heat waves distort the image.  
The optics within the telescope need time to adjust to the outside ambient temperature to  
provide the sharpest image. To "cool down" the optics, set the telescope outside for 10 to  
15 minutes before observing begins.  
Telescope moves off a terrestrial object while observing:  
Verify that the vertical and horizontal locks have been tightened to a "firm feel" (13 and 14,  
Fig. 1).  
Telescope pauses when changing slew direction:  
This pause is normal.  
A terrestrial object appears reversed left-for-right:  
An eyepiece in the standard 90° observing position (5, Fig. 1) yields this image orienta-  
tion. To view a correctly oriented image, the Erecting Prism (3, Fig. 1) is required.  
35  
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Meade Customer Service  
If you have a question concerning your ETX-80AT-BB, contact the Meade Instruments Customer  
Service Department at:  
Telephone: (800) 626-3233  
Customer Service hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. In the  
unlikely event that the ETX requires factory servicing or repairs, write or call the Meade Customer  
Service Department first, before returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as to  
the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address, and daytime telephone number. The  
great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope  
to the factory.  
ETX-80AT-BB Specifications  
Optical design ................................................................Achromatic Refractor  
Clear aperture ..........................................................80mm (2.76”)  
Focal length....................................................................400mm  
Focal ratio (photographic speed)....................................f/4.4  
Near focus (approx.) ......................................................17 ft. (5.2m)  
Resolving power ............................................................1.6 arc secs  
Multi-coatings on objective lens ....................................Standard  
Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.) ....................11.5  
Image scale ....................................................................4.1°/inch  
Maximum practical visual power ....................................240X  
Optical tube dimensions  
(dia. x length) ..........................................................9.3cm x 30.4-37.1cm (3.6” x 12-14.6”)  
Eyepieces  
2x Flip Barlow ................................................................Built in  
Telescope mounting........................................................Fork type; double tine  
Setting circle diameters ..........................................Dec: 3.5”; RA: 7”  
Input voltage ..........................................................9-volts DC  
Motor Drive System ................................................DC servo motors with encoders, both axes  
Slow-Motion Controls ....................................................Electric, 9 speed, both axes  
Hemispheres of operation ..............................................North and South, switchable  
Bearings:  
Altitude....................................................................Acetal  
Azimuth ..................................................................Nylon  
Materials  
Tube body ..............................................................ABS  
Mounting ................................................................High-impact ABS  
Objective lens (crown, flint) ....................................BK7, F2  
Telescope dimensions ....................................................40.4cm x 18cm x 22cm (15.9” x 7” x 9”)  
Prism ..............................................................................45° roof  
Tripod..............................................................................Photo style  
Battery Life (approx.)  
with AutoStar ..........................................................20 hrs.  
Compass/Bubble Level included  
36  
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AutoStar Specifications  
Processor ................................................................................68HC11, 8MHz  
Flash Memory ................................................................512KB, reloadable  
Keypad............................................................................10 key alphanumeric  
Display ............................................................................2 line, 16 character LCD  
Backlight ........................................................................Red LED  
Coil Cord ........................................................................24"  
AutoStar Dimensions  
Length ............................................................................14.2cm (5.60")  
Width (LCD end) ............................................................78.0cm (3.08")  
Width (Connector end) ..................................................53.5cm (2.10")  
Depth..............................................................................23.5cm (0.93")  
AutoStar net weight ........................................................0.169kg (0.35 lbs.)  
37  
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APPENDIX A: USING AUTOSTAR TO ENTER R.A.  
AND DEC COORDINATES  
Although AutoStar's database contains more than 1400 objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.)  
that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of the database.  
AutoStar provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec coordinates in the  
"User: Objects" option of AutoStar's Object menu and then automatically slews the telescope to  
the user-entered coordinates.  
In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec coordinates of the  
object or objects you wish to observe. Check out your local library, computer store or bookstore  
for astronomy books, CD Roms, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find  
coordinates of celestial objects.  
The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent database, called "User  
Objects." You may use this menu to view these object as often as you like, but the objects' coor-  
dinates just need to be entered once.  
To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu:  
1. Make sure AutoStar has been initialized (see INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17) and the  
telescope has been aligned and set to the Alt/Az home alignment position (see EASY  
ALIGNMENT, page 19).  
2. After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. (If necessary, use the Scroll  
keys to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find this option.) Press  
ENTER.  
3. "Object: Solar System" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until "Object: User Object"  
displays and press ENTER.  
4. "User Object: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "User Object: Add" dis-  
plays. Press ENTER.  
5. "Name" displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use the Arrow  
keys (as previously described) to enter the name of the object you wish to add to the data-  
base. When you are finished, press ENTER.  
6.  
"Right Asc.: +00.00.0" displays. Use the Arrow keys to enter the digits for the Right  
Ascension coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change "+" to "-."  
When you are finished, press ENTER.  
7.  
"Declination: +00°.00'" displays. Use the Arrow keys to enter the digits for the Declination  
coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change "+" to "-." When you  
are finished, press ENTER.  
8. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the Size of the object. This step is optional. Use the  
Arrow keys to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the next dis-  
play. If you do not wish to enter this information, simply press ENTER.  
9. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the Magnitude of the object. This step is also optional.  
Use the Arrow keys to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the  
next display. "User Object: Add" displays again.  
To GO TO a user-entered object:  
1. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object: Select" dis-  
plays. Press ENTER.  
2. Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER.  
3. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display.  
4. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.  
38  
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APPENDIX B: HELPFUL CHARTS  
Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World  
Latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on  
the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below:  
Northern Hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, add one degree for  
every 70 miles. If the site is over 70 miles South of the listed city, subtract one degree per 70 miles.  
Southern Hemisphere observers (S): If the site is over 70 miles North of the listed city, subtract one degree for every  
70 miles. If the site is over 70 miles South of the listed city, add one degree per 70 miles.  
UNITED STATES  
City  
Albuquerque  
Anchorage  
Atlanta  
Boston  
Chicago  
Cleveland  
Dallas  
Denver  
SOUTH AMERICA  
City  
Asuncion  
State  
New Mexico  
Alaska  
Georgia  
Massachusetts  
Illinois  
Latitude  
35° N  
61° N  
34° N  
42° N  
42° N  
41° N  
33° N  
40° N  
42° N  
21° N  
32° N  
39° N  
36° N  
35° N  
34° N  
26° N  
46° N  
36° N  
30° N  
41° N  
35° N  
40° N  
33° N  
46° N  
37° N  
41° N  
29° N  
33° N  
38° N  
47° N  
39° N  
38° N  
Country  
Paraguay  
Brazil  
Latitude  
25° S  
24° S  
Brasilia  
Buenos Aires  
Montevideo  
Santiago  
Argentina  
Uruguay  
Chile  
35° S  
35° S  
34° S  
Ohio  
Texas  
ASIA  
City  
Beijing  
Seoul  
Taipei  
Tokyo  
Victoria  
Country  
China  
Latitude  
40° N  
Colorado  
Michigan  
Hawaii  
Mississippi  
Missouri  
Nevada  
Arkansas  
California  
Florida  
Wisconsin  
Tennessee  
Louisiana  
New York  
Oklahoma  
Pennsylvania  
Arizona  
Oregon  
Virginia  
Utah  
Texas  
California  
California  
Washington  
District of Columbia  
Kansas  
Detroit  
Honolulu  
Jackson  
South Korea  
Taiwan  
37° N  
25° N  
Kansas City  
Las Vegas  
Little Rock  
Los Angeles  
Miami  
Milwaukee  
Nashville  
New Orleans  
New York  
Oklahoma City  
Philadelphia  
Phoenix  
Japan  
36° N  
Hong Kong  
23° N  
AFRICA  
City  
Cairo  
Cape Town  
Rabat  
Country  
Egypt  
Latitude  
30° N  
South Africa  
Morocco  
Tunisia  
34° S  
34° N  
37° N  
Tunis  
Windhoek  
Namibia  
23° S  
AUSTRALIA  
City  
Adelaide  
Brisbane  
Canberra  
Alice Springs  
Hobart  
Perth  
Sydney  
Melbourne  
State  
South Australia  
Queensland  
New South Wales  
Northern Territory  
Tasmania  
Western Australia  
New South Wales  
Victoria  
Latitude  
35° S  
27° S  
35° S  
24° S  
43° S  
32° S  
34° S  
38° S  
Portland  
Richmond  
Salt Lake City  
San Antonio  
San Diego  
San Francisco  
Seattle  
Washington  
Wichita  
EUROPE  
City  
Country  
Netherlands  
Greece  
Switzerland  
Denmark  
Ireland  
Germany  
Scotland  
Finland  
Portugal  
England  
Spain  
Norway  
France  
Italy  
Sweden  
Austria  
Latitude  
52° N  
38° N  
47° N  
56° N  
53° N  
50° N  
56° N  
60° N  
39° N  
51° N  
40° N  
60° N  
49° N  
42° N  
59° N  
48° N  
Amsterdam  
Athens  
Bern  
Copenhagen  
Dublin  
Frankfurt  
Glasgow  
Helsinki  
Lisbon  
London  
Madrid  
Oslo  
Paris  
Rome  
Stockholm  
Vienna  
Warsaw  
Poland  
52° N  
39  
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APPENDIX C:TRAINING THE DRIVE  
Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure after RESET or if you are experiencing any point-  
ing accuracy problems. Figure 30 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure.  
Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exer-  
cise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy.  
Verify that AUTOSTAR  
Press > until it  
1
2
FOR BEGINNERS  
TIPS  
12  
INITIALIZATION is  
complete.  
is centered  
Scope slews left.  
Bring target back  
to center using  
Further Study....  
Press MODE until  
Select Item is displayed.  
This manual gives only the briefest introduction to  
astronomy. If you are interested in pursuing further  
studies in astronomy, a few topics are suggested  
below that are worth reading up on. Try looking up  
some of these topics in AutoStar’s glossary.  
the Right Arrow key.  
Select Item  
3
Object  
Press < until it  
is centered  
13  
Press the scroll  
up key once.  
Scope slews right.  
Bring target back  
to center using  
Also included below is a small sampling of books,  
magazines, and organizations that you might find  
helpful.  
Select Item  
Setup  
4
the Left Arrow key.  
Topics  
Access the Setup  
menu.  
Train Drive  
Az.Train  
14  
1. How is a star born? How does a solar system  
form?  
Menu returns to  
Az. training.  
Setup  
5
2. How is the distance to a star measured? What  
is a light year?  
Align  
Multiple presses.  
3. What is red shift and blue shift?  
Train Drive  
Alt.Train  
Altitude  
15  
16  
4. How are the craters on our Moon formed? How  
old is the Moon and Earth? How old is the Sun?  
Setup  
6
(vertical)  
training.  
Telescope  
5. What is a black hole? A quasar? A neutron star?  
Access the  
Telescope menu.  
6. What are stars made of? Why are stars differ-  
ent colors? What is a white dwarf? A red giant?  
Drive Setup  
For this op. . .  
7. What is a nova? A supernova?  
Reminder to  
use terrestrial  
target.  
Telescope  
Telescope Model  
7
8. What are comets? Asteroids? Meteors? Meteor  
showers? Where do they come from?  
Multiple presses.  
Center reference  
object  
9. What is a planetary nebula? A globular cluster?  
17  
10. What is the Big Bang? Is the universe expand-  
ing or contracting, or does it always remain the  
same?  
Center target  
using Arrow  
keys.  
Telescope  
Train Drive  
8
Choose the Train  
Drive option.  
Books  
Press until it  
is centered  
18  
1. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack  
Newton and Philip Teece  
Scope slews down.  
Bring target back  
to center using  
Train Drive  
Az.Train  
Azimuth  
9
2. The Sky: A User’s Guide by David Levy  
the Up Arrow key.  
3. Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan  
Davis  
(horizontal)  
training.  
Press until it  
is centered  
4. Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael  
Covington  
19  
Drive Setup  
For this op. . .  
10  
Scope slews up.  
Bring target back  
to center using  
Magazines  
Reminder to  
use terrestrial  
target.  
1. Sky & Telescope  
Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178  
2. Astronomy  
the Down Arrow key.  
Center reference  
object.  
Train Drive  
Az.Train  
Multiple presses.  
Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187  
11  
20  
Organizations:  
Center target  
using Arrow  
keys.  
MODE  
1. Astronomical League  
Executive Secretary  
5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012  
2. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific  
390 Ashton Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112  
3. The Planetary Society  
Select Item  
Object  
21  
65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106  
Figure 30: Training the Drive Procedure.  
40  
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APPENDIX D: BASIC ASTRONOMY  
In the early 17th century, Italian Scientist Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably small-  
er than the ETX-80AT-BB, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and moun-  
tains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind  
thought of the universe. Imagine what it must have been like being the first human to see moons  
revolve around the planet Jupiter or to see the changing phases of Venus! Because of his  
observations, Galileo correctly realized Earth's movement and position around the Sun, and in  
doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy. Yet Galileo's telescope was so crude, he could not  
clearly make out the rings of Saturn.  
Galileo's discoveries laid the foundation for understanding the motion and nature of the plan-  
ets, stars, and galaxies. Building on his foundation, Henrietta Leavitt determined how to meas-  
ure the distance to stars; Edwin Hubble proposed a glimpse into the origin of the universe;  
Albert Einstein unraveled the relationship of time and light. Almost daily, using sophisticated  
successors to Galileo's crude telescope, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, more and more  
mysteries of the universe are being solved and understood. We are living in a golden age of  
astronomy.  
Unlike other sciences, astronomy welcomes contributions from amateurs. Much of the knowl-  
edge we have on subjects such as comets, meteor showers, variable stars, the Moon, and our  
solar system comes from observations made by amateur astronomers. So as you look through  
your Meade ETX telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not a mere machine  
of glass and metal, but something far more - a window through which the beating heart of the  
universe might be glimpsed, a fuse to set fire to mind and imagination.  
AutoStar Glossary  
Be sure to make use of AutoStar’s Glossary feature. The Glossary menu provides an alpha-  
betical listing of definitions and descriptions of common astronomical terms. Access directly  
through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in AutoStar. See GLOSSARY  
MENU, page 25, for more information.  
Objects in Space  
Listed below are some of the many astronomical objects that can be seen with the ETX-80AT-  
BB:  
The Moon  
The Moon is, on average, a distance of 239,000 miles (380,000km) from Earth and is best  
observed during its crescent or half phase when Sunlight strikes the Moon’s surface at an  
angle. It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view (Fig. 31). No shadows are seen  
during a full Moon, causing the overly bright Moon to appear flat and rather uninteresting  
through the telescope. Be sure to use a neutral Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only  
does it protect your eyes from the bright glare of the Moon, but it also helps enhance contrast,  
providing a more dramatic image.  
Using the ETX-80AT-BB, brilliant detail can be observed on the Moon, including hundreds of  
lunar craters and maria, described below.  
Fig. 31: The Moon.  
Note the deep shad-  
ows in the craters.  
Craters are round meteor impact sites covering most of the Moon’s surface. With no atmos-  
phere on the Moon, no weather conditions exist, so the only erosive force is meteor strikes.  
Under these conditions, lunar craters can last for millions of years.  
Maria (plural for mare) are smooth, dark areas scattered across the lunar surface. These dark  
areas are large ancient impact basins that were filled with lava from the interior of the Moon by  
the depth and force of a meteor or comet impact.  
Twelve Apollo astronauts left their bootprints on the Moon in the late 1960's and early 1970's.  
However, no telescope on Earth is able to see these footprints or any other artifacts. In fact, the  
smallest lunar features that may be seen with the largest telescope on Earth are about one-half  
mile across.  
41  
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Planets  
Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. To locate the planets on a  
given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and Telescope or  
Astronomy. Listed below are the best planets for viewing through the ETX-80AT-BB.  
Venus is about nine-tenths the diameter of Earth. As Venus orbits the Sun, observers can see  
it go through phases (crescent, half, and full) much like those of the Moon. The disk of Venus  
appears white as Sunlight is reflected off the thick cloud cover that completely obscures any  
surface detail.  
Mars is about half the diameter of Earth, and appears through the telescope as a tiny reddish-  
orange disk. It may be possible to see a hint of white at one of the planet’s Polar ice caps.  
Approximately every two years, when Mars is closest to Earth in its orbit, additional detail and  
coloring on the planet's surface may be visible.  
Fig. 32: Jupiter and  
its four largest  
moons. The moons  
can be observed in  
a different position  
every night.  
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is 11 times the diameter of Earth.The plan-  
et appears as a disk with dark lines stretching across the surface. These lines are cloud bands  
in the atmosphere. Four of Jupiter’s 16 moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) can be  
seen as “star-like” points of light when using even the lowest magnification (Fig. 32). These  
moons orbit Jupiter so that the number of moons visible on any given night changes as they cir-  
cle around the giant planet.  
Saturn is nine times the diameter of Earth and appears as a small, round disk with rings  
extending out from either side (Fig. 33). In 1610, Galileo, the first person to observe Saturn  
through a telescope, did not understand that what he was seeing were rings. Instead, he  
believed that Saturn had “ears.Saturn’s rings are composed of billions of ice particles ranging  
in size from a speck of dust to the size of a house. The major division in Saturn's rings, called  
the Cassini Division, is occasionally visible through the ETX-80AT-BB. Titan, the largest of  
Saturn’s 18 moons can also be seen as a bright, star-like object near the planet.  
Fig. 33: Saturn has  
the most extensive  
ring structure in our  
Solar System.  
Deep-Sky Objects  
Star charts can be used to locate constellations, individual stars and deep-sky objects.  
Examples of various deep-sky objects are given below:  
Stars are large gaseous objects that are self-illuminated by nuclear fusion in their core.  
Because of their vast distances from our solar system, all stars appear as pinpoints of light, irre-  
spective of the size of the telescope used.  
Nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust where stars are formed. Most impressive  
of these is the Great Nebula in Orion (M42), a diffuse nebula that appears as a faint wispy gray  
cloud. M42 is 1600 light years from Earth.  
Fig. 34: The  
Open Clusters are loose groupings of young stars, all recently formed from the same diffuse  
nebula. The Pleiades is an open cluster 410 light years away (Fig. 34). Through the ETX-80AT-  
BB, numerous stars are visible.  
Pleiades is one of  
the most beautiful  
open clusters.  
Constellations are large, imaginary patterns of stars believed by ancient civilizations to be the  
celestial equivalent of objects, animals, people, or gods.These patterns are too large to be seen  
through a telescope. To learn the constellations, start with an easy grouping of stars, such as  
the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Then, use a star chart to explore across the sky.  
Galaxies are large assemblies of stars, nebulae, and star clusters that are bound by gravity.  
The most common shape is spiral (such as our own Milky Way), but galaxies can also be ellip-  
tical, or even irregular blobs. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest spiral-type galaxy to  
our own. This galaxy appears fuzzy and cigar-shaped. It is 2.2 million light years away in the  
constellation Andromeda, located between the large “W” of Cassiopeia and the great square of  
Pegasus.  
42  
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MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY  
Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”)  
to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A.  
and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective  
part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is  
non-transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under  
separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors.  
RGA Number Required: Prior to the return of any product or part, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number must be  
obtained from Meade by writing, or calling (949) 451-1450. Each returned part or product must include a written statement  
detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owner’s name, address, and phone number.  
This warranty is not valid in cases where the product has been abused or mishandled, where unauthorized repairs have been  
attempted or performed, or where depreciation of the product is due to normal wear-and-tear. Meade specifically disclaims  
special, indirect, or consequential damages or lost profit which may result from a breach of this warranty. Any implied warranties  
which cannot be disclaimed are hereby limited to a term of one year from the date of original retail purchase.  
This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state.  
Meade reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without notice.  
This warranty supercedes all previous Meade product warranties.  
Part no. 14-6881-00 06/00  
(800) 626-3233  
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