Meade Magellan II - User Manual

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Meade Magellan II User Manual

I Introduction

The Magellan Telescope Computer System offers an electronic package that

permits the location and observation of thousands of deep-sky objects as well as all

of the major planets. Features include:

A. Features

 Celestial Navigation: Steer your telescope to any selected object using the distance display window. As you

move the telescope, the distance to the object is continually updated. When within 1°, bars replace the

distance meter, and shrink until the telescope is centered on the selected object.

 Two Star Alignment: Point your telescope at two bright stars selected from the named common star

database, and Magellan calculates an alignment solution that directs all subsequent movements of your

telescope for fast, accurate object location. No need to level the telescope or input time, latitude, and

longitude!

 12,218 - Object built-in Library: Select an object from either the Messier catalog, the complete NGC

catalog, or the complete IC catalog. Use the STAR catalog to find bright stars, multiple stars, named common

stars, and planets from Mercury to Pluto.

 Large Membrane Keypad: Simplify Magellan operation by using the large back lighted keypad for data entry

and object selection.

 Dual Axis Drive Correction: Control the movement of your telescope from the direction keys on the

Magellan II switch panel.

 Liquid Crystal Display: Show information on a large, two-line, 32 character, red back lighted screen.

Illumination is variable from bright to none in 16 levels.

 Digital readouts on both axes: Read the coordinates (RA and DEC) where your telescope is pointing,

displayed to a precision of 5.3 arc-minutes (0.09°).

 RS-232 Communications: Connect Magellan to Epoch 2000 (or other compatible programs) and display

your telescope's position in the sky directly on the computer star map.

B. Principles of Operation

The Magellan system is quite simple in its basic operation. All telescopes have two axes rotation that are

perpendicular to each other. By rotating the telescope on these axis the user can point to any object in the sky.

Telescopes with clock drives, like the Meade Starfinder Equatorial, have the axis of rotation such that rotation about

the celestial pole is possible. This is called a "Polar" configuration.

Magellan is a sophisticated microprocessor system that is programmed to understand the relationship between the

moving sky and Polar configurations of a telescope. For the Magellan to operate properly, it must have information

about where the telescope is pointing. This is done by installing encoders on both telescope axes of rotation. These

encoders tell Magellan which direction an axis is moved and how far. The encoders divide the rotation into 4,096

reference points or more for a complete revolution. These encoders are installed according to the installation

procedures supplied with the Magellan unit, and are designed specifically for your telescope.

Now that Magellan has the capability to determine various positions of your telescope, it needs to know how these

positions relate to the sky. This is where alignment of the telescope is very important. Alignment is the process of

telling Magellan how to relate telescope positions with actual sky locations. Once alignment is complete, Magellan

knows where in the sky you are pointing and can direct you to new objects or identify objects you find. Alignment is

basically accomplished by showing Magellan the location of two objects in the sky. The alignment objects (stars) are

the brightest and most easily identifiable in the sky. Once you become familiar with the location of these objects,

alignment will become simple. This process is described in detail later.

Magellan will allow you to find objects too faint to be seen with the naked eye. One additional technique offered by

Magellan is called "synchronizing." This is a method used to improve the accuracy of your telescope after it has been

aligned. Alignment will not always be perfect and can have small variations that will be multiplied as you sweep long

IMPORTANT NOTICE! Never

use a telescope or spotting

scope to look at the Sun!

Observing the Sun, even for

the shortest fraction of a

second, will cause irreversible damage

to your eye as well as physical damage

to the telescope or spotting scope itself.

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Summary

Meade Magellan II User Manual: Introduction

Meade Magellan II Features Overview

Overview of key features like Celestial Navigation, Two Star Alignment, Object Library, Keypad, Drives, Display, RS-232.

Meade Magellan II Principles of Operation

Explains telescope axes, polar configuration, encoders, and the importance of alignment for accurate pointing.

Meade Magellan II Installation Guide

Meade Magellan II Hand Controller Details

Magellan II Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

Details the two-line, 32-character, red backlit LCD with 16 brightness levels.

Magellan II Keypad Functions

Describes the 19-key backlit membrane keypad for navigation, data entry, and object selection.

Magellan II Communication Ports

Explains the Telescope Port and RS-232 Port for connecting to the telescope and computer.

Meade Magellan II Operations Modes

Magellan II Telescope Mode

Covers alignment, object libraries, date setting, encoder configuration, and direction reversal for telescope control.

Magellan II Coordinate Mode

Displays telescope pointing coordinates (RA/DEC) or raw encoder counts if not aligned.

Magellan II Timer Mode

Functions as a stopwatch for measuring time periods, like photographic exposures, and displays local time.

Magellan II Blank Mode

Used to adjust the brightness of the LCD backlighting.

Meade Magellan II Object Library Databases

Meade Magellan II NGC Catalog

Details the Computerized New General Catalog (CNGC) with 7,840 non-stellar objects and visual quality ratings.

Meade Magellan II IC Catalog

Covers the Index Catalog (IC) with 4,093 objects, an extension to the NGC catalog.

Meade Magellan II Messier Catalog

Highlights the benchmark Messier catalog, expanded to 110 objects, containing prime deep-sky objects.

Meade Magellan II STAR Catalog

Lists the 42 brightest stars for alignment and includes 8 major planets.

Meade Magellan II Serial Interface and Connectivity

Magellan II RS-232 Cable Configuration

Explains the RS-232 connection using a 6-line telephone jack and standard computer connectors.

Meade Magellan II Appendix A: Alignment Stars

Summary

Meade Magellan II User Manual: Introduction

Meade Magellan II Features Overview

Overview of key features like Celestial Navigation, Two Star Alignment, Object Library, Keypad, Drives, Display, RS-232.

Meade Magellan II Principles of Operation

Explains telescope axes, polar configuration, encoders, and the importance of alignment for accurate pointing.

Meade Magellan II Installation Guide

Meade Magellan II Hand Controller Details

Magellan II Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

Details the two-line, 32-character, red backlit LCD with 16 brightness levels.

Magellan II Keypad Functions

Describes the 19-key backlit membrane keypad for navigation, data entry, and object selection.

Magellan II Communication Ports

Explains the Telescope Port and RS-232 Port for connecting to the telescope and computer.

Meade Magellan II Operations Modes

Magellan II Telescope Mode

Covers alignment, object libraries, date setting, encoder configuration, and direction reversal for telescope control.

Magellan II Coordinate Mode

Displays telescope pointing coordinates (RA/DEC) or raw encoder counts if not aligned.

Magellan II Timer Mode

Functions as a stopwatch for measuring time periods, like photographic exposures, and displays local time.

Magellan II Blank Mode

Used to adjust the brightness of the LCD backlighting.

Meade Magellan II Object Library Databases

Meade Magellan II NGC Catalog

Details the Computerized New General Catalog (CNGC) with 7,840 non-stellar objects and visual quality ratings.

Meade Magellan II IC Catalog

Covers the Index Catalog (IC) with 4,093 objects, an extension to the NGC catalog.

Meade Magellan II Messier Catalog

Highlights the benchmark Messier catalog, expanded to 110 objects, containing prime deep-sky objects.

Meade Magellan II STAR Catalog

Lists the 42 brightest stars for alignment and includes 8 major planets.

Meade Magellan II Serial Interface and Connectivity

Magellan II RS-232 Cable Configuration

Explains the RS-232 connection using a 6-line telephone jack and standard computer connectors.

Meade Magellan II Appendix A: Alignment Stars

Overview

Meade Magellan II User Manual

Meade Magellan II User Manual

The Meade Magellan II is a sophisticated microprocessor-based computer system designed to enhance the experience of astronomical observation by providing advanced object location and tracking capabilities for telescopes. It offers an electronic package that enables users to locate and observe thousands of deep-sky objects, as well as all major planets, with precision and ease.

Function Description

The core function of the Magellan II is celestial navigation. It allows users to steer their telescope to any selected object using a distance display window. As the telescope moves, the distance to the target object is continually updated. When the telescope is within 1° of the object, bars replace the distance meter and shrink until the telescope is perfectly centered.

A key feature is the "Two Star Alignment" system. Users point the telescope at two bright stars selected from a common star database, and Magellan calculates an alignment solution. This solution then directs all subsequent telescope movements for fast and accurate object location, eliminating the need to manually level the telescope or input time, latitude, and longitude.

The Magellan II boasts a substantial built-in library of 12,218 objects, including the Messier catalog, the complete NGC catalog, and the complete IC catalog. It also includes a STAR catalog for finding bright stars, multiple stars, named common stars, and planets from Mercury to Pluto.

For control, the system features a large, backlit membrane keypad for data entry and object selection. It also provides dual-axis drive correction, allowing users to control telescope movement directly from the direction keys on the Magellan II switch panel. Information is displayed on a large, two-line, 32-character, red backlit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), with variable illumination across 16 levels.

Digital readouts on both axes display the telescope's Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (DEC) coordinates with a precision of 5.3 arc-minutes (0.09°). Furthermore, the Magellan II supports RS-232 communications, enabling connection to software like Epoch 2000 or other compatible programs to display the telescope's position directly on a computer star map.

The system's operation is based on the principle of two-axis rotation. By rotating the telescope on these perpendicular axes, users can point to any object in the sky. For telescopes with clock drives, like the Meade Starfinder Equatorial, the axis of rotation is configured for movement around the celestial pole (Polar configuration).

Magellan II understands the relationship between the moving sky and the telescope's Polar configuration. To operate correctly, it requires information about the telescope's pointing direction, which is provided by encoders installed on both telescope axes. These encoders track the direction and distance each axis moves, dividing rotation into 4,096 or more reference points per revolution.

Alignment is crucial for Magellan II to relate telescope positions to actual sky locations. Once aligned, Magellan knows where the telescope is pointing and can direct it to new objects or identify found objects. This is achieved by showing Magellan the location of two bright and easily identifiable alignment stars.

The system also offers a "synchronizing" technique to improve accuracy after initial alignment. By "synching" on a known object in the vicinity of a target, Magellan can refine its pointing accuracy for other objects in that local area, helping to find faint or hidden objects.

Important Technical Specifications

Object Library: 12,218 objects (Messier, NGC, IC, STAR catalogs, and major planets).
Alignment: Two-star alignment, Polar alignment.
Display: Large, two-line, 32-character, red backlit Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
Keypad: 19-key, backlit membrane switch panel.
Illumination: Variable, 16 levels (bright to none).
Coordinate Precision: 5.3 arc-minutes (0.09°) for RA and DEC readouts.
Encoder Resolution: 4,096 or more reference points per revolution.
Slew Speed: Up to 32x speed for object finding.
Communication Ports:
- Telescope Port: 4-pin plug for connection to the telescope control panel (coiled cable carries two signals and power).
- RS-232 Port: 6-pin connector for serial interface to personal computers (e.g., for Epoch 2000 software). Requires a standard 6-line telephone jack cable (up to 30 feet) and typically a 9-pin or 25-pin DB connector for the computer. Only 3 wires are required for RS-232 communication (PC Transmit Data, Ground, PC Receive Data).
Power: Supplied via the telescope control panel through the telescope port.

Usage Features

The Magellan II operates under four main modes, cycled by pressing the MODE key: Telescope Mode, Coordinate Mode, Timer Mode, and Blank Mode.

Telescope Mode (Default Start-up): This mode handles telescope-related functions, including:

Object Library: Accesses all library data and object search filters. Users can select objects from catalogs (Messier, NGC, IC, Star, User) using dedicated function keys (2, 3, 5, 6, 9) or by scrolling through menus.
- Object Information: Displays object descriptions (name, type, magnitude, size/separation), coordinates (RA and DEC), and distance from the telescope's current position. The distance updates continuously as the telescope moves, guiding the user to the object.
- Synchronizing: Allows users to make minor corrections to alignment by centering a known object in the field of view and holding the ENTER key for 1-2 seconds. This improves accuracy for objects in the immediate vicinity.
- Start Find: Filters the library database based on user-defined parameters (Type, Quality, Size, Brightness) and displays the closest matching object. Users can scroll through results using PREV/NEXT.
- Field: Identifies objects in the telescope's current field of view, displaying their description, coordinates, and distance.
- Parameters: Allows users to define search criteria for "Start Find" based on:
  - Type: Selects categories of CNGC objects (Galaxies, Planetary Nebulae, Diffuse Nebulae, Globular Star Clusters, Open Star Clusters).
  - Better: Defines the visual object quality range (Super, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, Very Poor).
  - Larger: Sets the lower apparent size limit of objects in arc minutes (default 000').
  - Smaller: Sets the upper size object limit in arc minutes (default 200' or 3.33°).
  - Brighter: Sets the lower brightness limit based on stellar magnitude (default +20.0).
  - Fainter: Sets the upper brightness limit.
- User Library: Allows creation of a custom library of 125 selected objects from existing catalogs.
Align: The most critical procedure.
- Polar Alignment: Guides the user through aligning the telescope/mount system with the celestial pole. Involves selecting and centering a familiar star near the meridian, then optionally a second star for further accuracy. An alignment quality value (0-100%) is displayed, with 100% being perfect.
Date: Sets the current date (Month/Day/Year format), required for locating planets.
Encoders...: Configures encoder specifications, allowing changes to gear ratios if needed.
Reverse N/S & Reverse E/W: Reverses the direction of telescope movement for North/South and East/West axes, useful for guiding applications. A checkmark indicates when active.
North Hemi.: Overrides internal jumpers to toggle sidereal tracking direction between North and South hemispheres.
Help...: Provides brief descriptions of Magellan functions.

Coordinate Mode: Displays the telescope's pointing coordinates.

Encoder Display: Shows raw encoder counts, useful for diagnosing encoder system malfunctions.
Coordinate Display: Displays RA and DEC values if aligned, or raw encoder counts if not. Updates immediately as the telescope moves.

Timer Mode: Displays a stop-watch timer and current local time.

Timer: Measures precise time periods (Hours:Minutes:Seconds). Users can set a duration, start/stop the timer, and it continues counting even if the display is not visible.
Local Time: Displays local time, which can be set by the user.

Blank Mode: Used to adjust LCD backlighting.

Adjust Brightness: Allows adjustment of the LCD and keypad backlighting across 16 levels using PREV/NEXT keys.

Hand Controller:

ENTER Key: Activates menu functions, confirms selections, and initiates editing (hold down for blinking cursor).
MODE Key: Cycles through operating modes, terminates edits, and restores original values.
FIND Key: In object find mode, slews the telescope at 32x speed to the selected object (active only when within 2°).
Direction Keys (N, S, E, W): Slew the telescope in selected directions at indicated speeds. Also used to move the cursor during editing without changing characters.
Numeric and Function Keys (0-9): Dual purpose: numeric input during editing, and catalog/speed selection when not editing. Keys 0, 1, 4, 7 change slew rates (2x to 32x). Keys 2, 3, 5, 6, 9 select catalogs (IC, CNGC, User, STAR/Planets, Messier).
PREV and NEXT Keys: Move the LCD arrow up/down menu lists. In BRIGHTNESS mode, they adjust LCD/keypad backlighting intensity.

Maintenance Features

Installation Instructions: Specialized brackets and encoders are supplied with the Magellan unit, along with detailed installation instructions to ensure a durable and permanent result.
Cable Connection Safety: The Magellan handbox should only be connected or disconnected to the telescope control panel when the telescope power is off to prevent damage.
RS-232 Communication: The RS-232 port allows connection to a personal computer for advanced features and diagnostics, enabling software like Epoch 2000 to display star maps and perform other helpful functions.
Encoder Diagnostics: The "Encoder Display" in Coordinate Mode shows raw encoder counts, which can quickly indicate any malfunctions in the encoder system or cables.
Alignment Quality Feedback: The "Align" display provides a numerical value (0-100%) indicating the quality of the alignment procedure, helping users to identify and correct alignment issues. If alignment errors occur, the system displays "Alignment Error Check Stars," prompting the user to re-align.
Synchronization for Accuracy: The "synchronizing" feature allows users to fine-tune the telescope's pointing accuracy in specific sky regions, compensating for minor inaccuracies from initial alignment.