Software/Hardware Requirements for
Telescopes From the Ground Up

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Overview
Science Background
Lesson Plan
National Standards
Grab Bag
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Utilizing the activity online

• Web Browser: Internet Explorer 5.5 and later on Windows, Mozilla, Firefox, Safari on Macintosh
• Plug-ins: Flash
• Computers: Any system that can run the necessary web browser
• Operating Systems: Any system that can run the necessary web browser
• Hints and Tips: How to configure the browser
• Troubleshooting: It's not working. What should I do?

Saving the activity to disk

• Not applicable (yet)

Web Browser

This activity was designed for use with standard compliant browsers. This includes

• Internet Explorer 5.5 and later on Windows
• Mozilla
• Firefox
• Safari on Macintosh

Though this activity may not format properly on non-compliant browsers (including Internet Explorer 5.01 and earlier versions, Internet Explorer for the Macintosh, and Netscape 4.0 and earlier), all its content should be available.

This activity has not been tested with any other browsers.

Plug-ins

If you wish to use all of the interactive graphics, you will need the Macromedia Flash plug-in. However, the majority of the activity does not require plug-ins.

• To download Macromedia's Flash player, go to: http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

Computers

You will need a computer capable of running one of the following Web browsers: Mozilla, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later.

IBM-compatible PC hardware requirements

CPU	486 or higher, any speed
Main Memory	Minimum: 8MB Recommended: 16MB
Operating System	Windows 95/98/NT
Display	Color required: Minimum 256 colors Recommended: 16K colors or better Configured for 640x480 or larger
Printer	None required
Disk Space	Only that required for installation of a browser

Macintosh hardware requirements

CPU	Any
Main Memory	Minimum: 8MB Recommended: 16MB
Display	Color required: Minimum 256 colors Recommended: 16K colors or better Configured for 640x480 or larger
Printer	None required
Disk Space	Only that required for installation of a browser

Operating Systems

• Any operating system that can support Mozilla, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later. This includes Windows 95/98, WindowsNT, and Macintosh System 7 or later.
• Most Unix systems.

Hints and Tips

• Set your display to 640 x 480 pixels or better.
• Maximize the browser window to fill the screen.
• Configure the browser to hide the Location Toolbar and Personal Toolbar. This can be done from the View menu item.
• Make sure JavaScript is enabled. To check in Netscape, do the following:
  1. Go to the Edit menu item.
  2. Select Preferences.
  3. Click on Advanced.
  4. Check Enable JavaScript.
     If JavaScript is not enabled, you will still be able to view the site, but it will not be as interactive.

Troubleshooting

• Clear the cache.
  To clear the cache in Netscape 3.0+:
  1. Go to the Edit menu item.
  2. Select Preferences.
  3. Click on plus sign next to Advanced.
  4. Click on Cache.
  5. Click on Clear Memory Cache.
  6. Click on Clear Disk Cache.
  7. Click on OK.
  8. Try the activity again.

   

• The animations are not displaying properly.

When viewing an animation, make sure the page has stopped loading before you click on anything. Wait for the status message "Document Done."

• Internet Explorer says "An ActiveX object is unsafe" and nothing runs.

This activity makes use of Macromedia's Flash ActiveX component. If this is not installed, or an old version exists, the above message will appear.

Your browser may attempt to automatically download an updated version. If it doesn't do this automatically, or the activity still will not run after your browser has attempted to download the update, go directly to Macromedia and download from their site. See Plug-ins for more information.

• Error Messages

If you receive either of the following messages while using Microsoft Internet Explorer to view this activity, click YES or OK when prompted.

1. "An ActiveX object on this page may be unsafe. Do you want to allow it to initialize and be accessed by scripts?"
2. "Script error, continue running scripts on this page?"

Downloading Instructions

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