Contents 1 Introduction

Transcription

1 Contents 1 Introduction... 1 Computers and Astronomy... 1 Look Before You Leap!... 1 Advancing from Binoculars... 2 Telescope Types... 3 Small Refractors... 3 Refractor Accessories... 4 Reflectors... 6 Moving On Up... 6 Telescope Suppliers Web Sites... 7 Enter the Goto Handbox... 8 Star and Polar Alignment... 8 Mid-range Scopes... 9 Wedges for Imaging The Importance of a Balancing System Equatorial Head Autoguiding Accessories for Imaging Your Ideal Scope Time/Date Latitude/Longitude Entry Focusing Collimation Polar Alignment Drive Accuracy Periodic Error Correction Telescope Mounts The Final Telescope Upgrade! vii

2 viii Contents 2 Meade LX200GPS/LX400 Series Telescopes Getting Started What s in a Name? Meade LX200GPS and LX What You Get in the Box LX200GPS and LX400 Connector Panels The Equatorial Wedge Field Derotator Power Considerations Sun Warning! GPS Receivers First Visual Observing Sessions: Finder Adjustment, Focusing, Collimation Focusing Hartmann or Bahtinov Mask Changing Speed LX400 (and LX200GPS with Care) Handbox Removal Collimation LX400 Collimation AutoStar Suite Operations AutoStar Suite Updates Connection to AutoStar Suite Telescope Control Menu Tree Updating ASU and Firmware Upgrading Firmware Use the Latest Firmware Restoring a Corrupted Handbox Free User Software Telescope Alignment Goto Synchronization Training the Drive Smart Mount Testing SMT Caution, Static! Daytime Planetary Viewing Yahoo Telescope Groups Commercial Servicing Facilities Summary Accessories, Great and Small Replacement Screws An Equatorial Wedge? Astro-Engineering UK Telescope House Milburn Wedge... 50

3 Contents ix Balance Rails and Weights Dew Heaters Dew Shields Autoguiding Telescopes Focal Reducers Barlow (Extender) Units CCD Cameras: Main and Guide Filters Software Adaptive Optics Units Observatories Dehumidifiers Hartmann Mask Bahtinov Mask Balancing and Polar Alignment Equatorial Wedges Setting Up Your Scope Getting an Approximate Polar Alignment Balancing in Declination Declination Axis Balance Vertical Balance Horizontal Balance Right Ascension Axis Balance Precise Polar Alignment Visual and CCD Monitoring of Polar Alignment Adjustments Demonstrating East to West, North to South Misalignment Errors Manual Adjustment of the Polar Axis Azimuth Adjustment Reiterative Adjustments Adjusting the Elevation Software Aid in Polar Alignment Next Stage Essential Software for Basic Operations Supplied Control Software The ASCOM Initiative Initial Connection to your Hardware Using MaxIm DL Operations with MaxIm DL Camera Control Configuring the Scope: Taking Control Guide Camera Focusing MaxIm DL Telescope Header Settings Synchronizing the Telescope with the Sky... 91

4 x Contents Solving an Image Camera Orientation Synchronization Field Calibration Image Processing Camera Cooling Flat Images Bias Images Dark Images Try Some Gotos Software Adjustment of Periodic Error and Polar Alignment Measuring Periodic Error What Is PE and Why Do You Need to Fix It? Essential Previous Checks Out-of-the-Box Images How Long Can You Expose? Measuring and Correcting Your PE PEC Settings The Details Consequences of the PEC Table Adjustment Periodic Error Management by Software Finding a Suitable Star Using the Simulated Handbox Handbox Settings Collecting Raw Data: A Caution Analyzing Your PE Data Uploading the New PE Correction Curve Check the Result Refining Your Curve What a Good PEC Means Adjusting the Sidereal Drive Polar Alignment: The Importance of Being Accurate Software Polar Alignment Further References Autoguiding Principles of Autoguiding Backlash Autoguiding Error Magnitudes Getting Good Guide Stars: Choose Your Guide Scope Carefully Flexure Bright Guide Star Guide Camera Exposure

5 Contents xi Gusts and Mirror Flop Correction Commands MaxIm DL Guide Settings The Importance of the Aggressiveness Setting The Maximum Move Setting The Minimum Move Setting DEC Compensation Setting LX200GPS and LX400 Series PEC A Mini Review Guide Log Graphs Sample Guide Settings Configuring the Autoguider Focusing and Centering the Autoguider Guide Star Dark Calibration Calibration of Autoguider Autoguiding Test Mind Where You Walk! What Follows is a Cautionary Tale! References Using Advanced Software A Day (Night?) in the Life Astrometrica Asteroid, Comet, and Supernova Detection CCD-Inspector PoleAlignMax/FocusMax AstroArt MaxIm DL ACP Observatory Control Software Suite Multitasking! Summary CCDCommander MPO Connections CCDAutoPilot PHD Guiding Additional Software GPS Control SkyTools TheSky (v6) CCD-Navigator CCD-Stack Adaptive Optics Limitations of Guide Scope Use Active and Adaptive Optics: The Principles

6 xii Contents One Guide Camera Professional Application Amateur Equivalents Starlight Xpress Active Optics Unit (SX AO) Telescope Focal Ratio CCD Guide Camera Assembling the Unit Cable Configuration Software Connection Focusing the SX AO Guide Camera Dark Frame Calibration of the Autoguider Full Calibration of the Adaptive Optics Unit Bump Calibration Calibrate SX AO First Test Results and Summary Messier Ready for M Background SX AO Settings Conclusions A Guide to Weather Satellites A Brief History of Weather Satellites The Cold War Agreement Weather Satellite Orbits What Do the Images Show? Visible Light, Infrared, and Water Vapor Images Polar Orbiting Weather Satellites NOAA Polar Orbiters Receiving and Decoding NOAA Weather Satellite Images Hardware and Software Websites with Current a.p.t. Imagery Geostationary Weather Satellites: Image Formats GEONETCast: A Worldwide System Animating Geostationary Weather Satellite Images Some Features Seen in Satellite Imagery Some LX200 and LX400 Projects Lunar Impact Studies Searching for Extrasolar Planets Comet Imaging Astrometry Deep Sky Pictures Andrey Batchvarov George Hall

7 Contents xiii Hilary Jones Bill Norby Richard Robinson Stuart Thompson Charles Trump Merope and Its Nebulosity Twilight Flats Processing Author s Note Index

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