STAR Atlas:PRO ASTRONOMY SOFTWARE A spectacular Planetarium and Star Atlas packed with features for astronomers and stargazers of all levels. Find the location of countless celestial objects in no time at all, display and print detailed star charts, point 'n click to control your telescope, plan observations, dozens more features. STAR Atlas:PRO™ USER MANUAL STAR Atlas:PRO™ User Manual. for STAR Atlas:PRO™ PRO-AM Edition STAR Atlas:PRO™ User Manual – Pg 1 STAR Atlas:PRO™ is a product of SKY:Lab® Astronomy Software Located in Newcastle, Australia. Web Site: www.StarAtlasPro.com E-Mail: [email protected] www.StarAtlasPro.com STAR Atlas:PRO™ User Manual This manual is suitable for STAR Atlas:PRO™ PRO-AM Edition or higher. SKY:Lab® is a registered trade mark of Paul Mayo of SKY:Lab Astronomy Software. This User Manual is © Copyright. No part of this Manual may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the publisher. 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STAR Atlas:PRO™ User Manual – Pg 2 Contents FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................................. 8 ABOUT THIS MANUAL ........................................................................................................................ 10 How to use this Manual ..................................................................................................................... 10 Sections in this Manual ...................................................................................................................... 10 Typographical Conventions used in this Manual. .............................................................................. 11 INSTALLING STAR ATLAS:PRO™ ................................................................................................... 12 INSTALLATION PRE-CHECKS ................................................................................................................... 12 Check 1. Minimum System Requirements ......................................................................................... 12 Check 2. Operating System Requirements ......................................................................................... 13 INSTALLING STAR ATLAS:PRO™ ......................................................................................................... 13 Step 1. Agree to the End User License Agreement ............................................................................ 13 Step 2. Check your current Graphics Adapter setting ........................................................................ 14 Step 3. Decide where to install STAR Atlas:PRO™ ......................................................................... 15 Step 4. Begin the STAR Atlas:PRO™ Install Wizard ....................................................................... 15 STAR ATLAS:PRO™ ADDITIONAL FEATURES........................................................................................ 15 Step 1. Optionally install the ASCOM Telescope Drivers add-on. .................................................... 16 Step 2. Optionally install the Internet Communications add-on. ....................................................... 16 Step 3. Optionally install the Guide Star Catalogue (GSC) ............................................................... 17 Step 4. Optionally install the Celestial Image Library ....................................................................... 18 INITIAL PROGRAM CONFIGURATION .......................................................................................... 20 SUMMARY OF CONFIGURATION STEPS .................................................................................................... 20 Configuration for STAR ATLAS:PRO™ .......................................................................................... 20 ESSENTIAL SETTINGS FOR STAR ATLAS:PRO™.................................................................................... 21 Step1. Begin STAR Atlas:PRO™ for the first time ........................................................................... 21 Step 2. Initiate STAR Atlas:PRO™ with your Personal CD Key Number ........................................ 21 Step 3. Begin Configuration............................................................................................................... 21 Step 4. Setting the Observer’s Location and Time Zone. .................................................................. 22 Step 5. Setting File Locations. ........................................................................................................... 22 Step 6. Setting the Location to store Images ...................................................................................... 23 Step 7. Setting the HTML Web Browser Program. ........................................................................... 23 Step 8. Setting the External Image Viewer Program.......................................................................... 23 Step 9. Setting the PDF File Viewer Program. .................................................................................. 24 Step 10. Setting the Pixel Graphics option. ........................................................................................ 24 Step 11. Configuring Telescope Control ............................................................................................ 25 Step 12. Fine tuning Telescope Drivers ............................................................................................. 26 Step 13. Enabling Internet Communications...................................................................................... 29 Step 14. Enabling the Guide Star Catalogue (GSC). .......................................................................... 29 Step 15. Enabling the Celestial Image Library. ................................................................................. 30 STAR ATLAS:PRO™ BASICS ............................................................................................................. 31 THE STAR ATLAS:PRO™ DESKTOP ...................................................................................................... 31 The Main Menu ................................................................................................................................. 33 The Popup Menu ................................................................................................................................ 35 The Status Display Panel ................................................................................................................... 37 CHART MODES ....................................................................................................................................... 38 Planetarium chart mode ..................................................................................................................... 38 Star Atlas chart mode ......................................................................................................................... 40 USING STAR ATLAS:PRO™ ............................................................................................................... 42 COMMON TASKS ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Displaying the main popup menu ...................................................................................................... 42 Changing the Chart’s Field of View – Zooming ................................................................................ 42 STAR Atlas:PRO™ User Manual – Pg 3 Panning and Center Chart .................................................................................................................. 43 Switching Chart Modes ...................................................................................................................... 44 Horizon Views ................................................................................................................................... 44 Printing Charts ................................................................................................................................... 44 Measuring the Angular Separation of Celestial Objects .................................................................... 46 Rotating and Flipping Charts ............................................................................................................. 46 Setting the chart Magnitude Limit ..................................................................................................... 47 Finding the Time of Astronomical Twilight ...................................................................................... 48 IDENTIFYING OBJECTS AND DISPLAYING THEIR ASTRO-PHYSICAL DATA ................................................ 49 Identifying objects on the STAR Atlas:PRO™ desktop chart ........................................................... 50 The Objects located at cursor window.