User manual MEADE 1697 COMPUTER DRIVE SYSTEM PART 2

[. . . ] Alignment Stars 20 - APPENDIX B: ALIGNMENT STAR LIBRARY AND STAR CHARTS: The CDS utilizes 33 bright and well-known stars to calibrate the telescope's Object Library during the computerized alignment process. These stars were selected to allow observers from anywhere in the world on any given night, to be able to easily and quickly make precision alignments. The CDS Alignment Star Library and Star Charts are listed below for your reference: CDS ALIGNMENT STAR LIBRARY STAR NAME ACHERNAR ACRUX A ALBIREO ALKAID ALDEBARAN ALNILAM ALPHARD ALPHEKKA ALTAIR ANTARES ARCTURUS BETELGUESE BOGARDUS CANOPUS CAPELLA CASTOR A DENEB DENEBOLA DIPHDA ENIF FOMALHAUT HADAR HAMAL MARKAB MIRA POLARIS POLLUX PROCYON REGULUS RIGEL SIRIUS SPICA VEGA STAR # 13 121 223 140 33 50 95 165 226 177 147 56 58 63 42 78 232 114 8 238 247 144 17 249 20 19 81 80 100 41 67 138 214 MAGNITUDE 0. 5 1. 3 3. 1 1. 9 0. 9 1. 7 2. 0 2. 2 0. 8 0. 9 0. 0 0. 4 2. 6 -0. 7 0. 1 1. 9 1. 3 2. 1 2. 0 2. 4 1. 2 0. 6 2. 0 2. 5 2. 1 2. 0 1. 1 0. 4 1. 4 0. 1 -1. 5 1. 0 0. 0 CONSTELL ERIDANUS CRUX CYGNUS URSA MAJOR TAURUS ORION HYDRA CORONA BOR. AQUILA SCORPIUS BOOTES ORION AURIGA CARINA AURIGA GEMINI CYGNUS LEO CETUS PEGASUS PISCES AUST. [. . . ] 410 B$ = "#:Qe#": PRINT #1, B$ 420 B$ = "#:Qw#": PRINT #1, B$ 430 B$ = "#:Qn#": PRINT #1, B$ 440 B$ = "#:Qs#": PRINT #1, B$ 450 RETURN 460 END west east north south To use the above program, connect the completed cable to your PC serial port and to the CDS RS-232 Port. Load BASIC (or GWBASIC), if not already loaded, and run "CDSTST. BAS. " Nothing will appear on the computer screen. Press any one of the N, S, E, or W (lower case) keys on your PC keyboard, this will move the LXD mount North, South, East, or West respectively. If the LXD mount does not respond to the N, S, E, or W keys, be sure the CAPSLOCK is OFF. If it still does not work, check the PC serial port pinouts for your computer to be sure they are wired correctly to the CDS 6 line connector. With a successful check-out of the PC link with the CDS using "TEST", you are now ready to write your own software program using the CDS Command Set, or to use the sample program called "DEMO" that is written in Quick Basic software language. 3. CDS Command Set 38 - Intended for professional programmers, the CDS Command Set is used to write custom software for remote operation of the telescope with a PC. Each entry in the command list includes the command name, any parameters, any return values, and a description. The parameters and the return data are shown in a manner that indicates their format. These formats are listed below along with examples of how the data might really appear, the legal range of values, and a short description. Command Set Formats HH:MM. T Example: 05:47. 4 Range: 00:00. 0 - 23:59. 9 Hours, minutes, and tenths of minutes. sDD*MM Example: +45*59 Range: -90*00 - +90*00 Signed degrees and minutes (the '*' represents degree symbol). DDD*MM Example: 254*09 Range: 000*00 - 359*59 Unsigned degrees and minutes. HH:MM:SS Example: 13:15:36 Range: 00:00:00 - 23:59:59 Hours, minutes, and seconds. MM/DD/YY Example: 02/06/92 Range: 01/01/00 - 12/31/99 (see description) Month, day, and year. The two digit year indicates the following: 92 through 99 = 1992 through 1999 00 through 91 = 2000 through 2091 sHH Example: -5 Range: -24 - +24 Signed hour offset. info ASCII 223 which appears on the handbox as a - 39 - Example: CNGC1976 SU DNEB MAG 3. 9 SZ 66. 0' Range: n/a Object information. Ok Example: 1 Range: 0 or 1 Status value returned after setting values. General Telescope Information Command ACK (ASCII 6) Returns A, L, P, or G Gets alignment status, A for alt-az, L for land, P for polar, G for German mount polar. Command :GL# :Ga# Returns HH:MM:SS# Gets the local time either in 24 hour (GL) or 12 hour (Ga) format. Command :SC MM/DD/YY# Returns Ok (see description) Sets the calendar date. The first will contain the message "Updating planetary data, " the second (sent after the planetary calculations) will contain only blanks. [. . . ] SPACE BAR stops. "; key to enter Messier object. "; key to enter sTar. "; key to enter Planet (900 + orbit #). "; key to enter Cngc object. "; key to enter Planet (900 + orbit #). "; to End program. "; RETURN END 1. Keeping Your Components Clean 50 - APPENDIX E: CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CDS Prevention is the best recommendation that a telescope owner can follow in keeping astronomical equipment in top working order. Proper measures taken during observations and when storing the equipment between observation runs can ensure many years of trouble free use. Dust and moisture are the two main enemies to your telescope and electronics. [. . . ]