Powering up the system entails connecting the two computers, synchronizing the time (necessary for better alignment and mapping), turning on the dome so it works with the computer, booting up software, and turning on the cameras. Essentially everything you need before you align the telescope.

From the Hab:

1. Power up the observatory Hab computer (yellow).
2. Double click on VNC in the upper right corner. A box will appear. It should say "musk observatory". Click OK.
3. Type in "martian" for the session password. Click OK.
4. Click on the black screen and you will see the observatory computer. You can now control the observatory computer from inside the Hab.
5. Click on the Robofocus icon.
6. Click on Com 5 if it doesn't start automatically. Then click on the buttons for Light, Telescope, Efinder, and Camera.
7. IMPORTANT. Click on the "X" to close the program.
8. Clicking on/off the light is the only reason to open Robofocus from here on. It is controlled through the CCD Software. ALWAYS close the program or it won't work through CCD Soft.
9. Make certain you have internet capability in the Hab and click on the Precision Time icon in the lower corner. Choose SYNCH NOW, and then CHECK TIME. Choose SYNCH TIME if it isn't "Exactly Matched". Click on DONE and then CANCEL to close.

It's now time to go to the Musk Mars Desert Observatory.

From the Observatory:

1. To turn on the dome you need to flip the switch to the left of the Black Box hanging on the dome- it should glow red. Don't forget to turn it off when you are done observing- it will drain the battery!
2. On the observatory computer click on the Automadome icon.
3. Click on DOME, and then ESTABLISH a LINK and then SYNCH.
4. Click "X" to close.

Remove the dust caps from the telescope, finder and efinder.

Preparing the Camera:

1. Click on the CCDSoft Icon.
2. Click on CAMERA and SETUP.
3. The Camera Control Center should have the following: CAMERA: SBIG ST-2000XM, FILTER WHEEL: SBIG CFW-8, and FOCUSER: Robofocus. If it doesn't change them using the setting buttons. Click on CONNECT when ready.
4. Make certain the STATUS field says READY and then click on the TEMPERATURE button. Turn it on and press OK.
5. Click on the FOCUS TOOLS tab. Set the focus using the IN and OUT buttons according to the proper settings as outlined in the appendix. For the ST-2000XM Camera without focal reducer it would be 58330. This will give you a rough focus for alignment.

Preparing the Efinder:

1. Take a look at the efinder control box. You can use the same controls in the software - it looks just like the control box except it doesn't have the TV monitor. At the telescope you need to use the control box.
2. Press MONITOR.
3. Press VALUE and use the small buttons underneath it to set your exposure. For a bright star 0.500 second is fine.
4. Press MONITOR again and soon you'll see some crosshairs come up on the screen.