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How to Use Meade Envisage

Whether you're a photographer looking to expand to a new field, or an astronomer looking to start digital photography, Meade Envisage can help you make the most of your evening using the Deep Sky Imager. Envisage connects your Deep Sky Imager to your computer, enabling you to save quality digital images from your telescope. Learning a few simple controls, you can begin using Envisage to take your first photographs in one evening.

Things You'll Need

USB 2.0 cable
Meade Deep Sky Imager (DSI)
Telescope

Instructions

Setting Up
- 1
  Check to see if the computer meets all software recommendations. Meade recommends a computer with Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP 32-bit, Vista 32-bit or Windows 7 64-bit with a processor speed of 400MHz or better, at least 98 megabytes of RAM, a USB 2.0 port and 200 megabytes of hard drive space
- 2
  Insert the disk into the CD drive and install Envisage, following the on-screen prompts. Envisage is also available at Meade Instruments' website.
- 3
  Connect the Deep Sky Imager (DSI) to the computer with the USB cable and wait for the "Hardware Wizard" window to pop up before clicking next. If it does not pop up, go to Windows Control Panel and open "Add Hardware."
- 4
  Follow the on-screen prompts to install the camera driver onto your computer. If you're using Windows Vista, wait for it to give up searching, then browse to C:\Program Files\Meade\Autostar Suite\Envisage\Driver\2k-xp.
- 5
  Set up the telescope in a clear area within reach of the computer and with a clear view of the sky. Follow any specific safety instructions from the manual for the telescope you will be using.
- 6
  Connect the DSI to the telescope by inserting it where the eyepiece goes. Make sure the USB cable is still connected to the computer.
Producing a Simple Image
- 7
  Run Meade Envisage by going to the "Start Menu", then "Programs," then "Meade," then "Autostar Envisage."
- 8
  Point the telescope at an object you wish to photograph.
- 9
  Find the "Auto Exp" button near the top left and click that.
- 10
  Open the drop-down box under "Image Process" near the top middle of the screen and select an object type.
- 11
  Fill in a name for your image under "Object Field" near the top, right of the screen. Meade uses this to prevent saving over old images by showing older names.
- 12
  Click the save button near the top, right of the screen and use the settings "JPEG" and "Normal Operation" under the two drop-down menus. Click "OK" when you are finished.
- 13
  Click "Live" under the main image box, which takes up most of the lower, right part of the screen.
- 14
  Focus the image displayed on the screen using your telescope.
- 15
  Click "Start" under the save button near the top, right of the screen.
- 16
  Click "Stop" when the counter to the right gets to 50. Your image is now saved.

Astronomy