Related Manuals for Meade 6" LS-6 ACF
Summary of Contents for Meade 6" LS-6 ACF
- Page 1 Instruction Manual 6" LS-6 ACF / 6" LS-6 SC and 8" LS-8 ACF / 8" LS-8 SC Telescopes with AutoStar III Hand Controller Firmware version 1.3 and higher INDEX INDEX...
- Page 2 Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late. Do not point the telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or Red-Dot Finder as it is moving.
-
Page 3: Table Of Contents
Introduction The most sophisticated and easiest to use telescope ever ......3 Getting Started Assembling the Telescope and using LightSwitch Assembling the tripod . - Page 4 Here are a few of the features that set the Meade LS telescope system apart from all others.
-
Page 5: Getting Started
This Getting Started Guide assumes you are too impatient to read the entire manual fi rst and want to use your new telescope as quickly as possible. Just follow the simple steps below and you will be up and running before you know it. -
Page 6: Mounting The Tripod
DC Power Cord Power Port Use only the optional Meade Universal AC Power Adapter (part number 07584 for North America or 07584F for 220v foreign) with your LS telescope when connecting to AC power. It is specifi cally selected to provide the quality voltage and current required to power and protect the electronics in the telescope. -
Page 7: Attaching Accessories
Module and put it in a safe place. Powering Up The Telescope When night has fallen, approximately 1 hour after sunset, turn on your telescope. Flip the LightSwitch on the telescope fork arm to the ON (1) position. The copyright message lights on LS’s LCD display. INDEX... -
Page 8: Technology
You should see some light from the fi nal alignment star but it is probably out of focus. Adjust the focus using the knob on the back of the telescope until you get a sharply focused star image. Press the “Tours/8” key on the AutoStar and select the “Tonight’s Best”... -
Page 9: Autostar Iii Handbox - Basic Usage
Press them now and see how the telescope moves in response to the keys. When the telescope initially starts up the scope is set to move at its fastest speed. While this is great for getting close to the area you want to see, it is really too fast to get anything positioned into the eyepiece. -
Page 10: Changing Modes
“ENTER” again. Now press “ENTER” to select “Andromeda”. The telescope will now start to tell you the story of Andromeda. You can listen to the whole story, or press the “MEDIA” key to skip the story and more menu choices will appear. -
Page 11: Ls Key Features
LS KEY FEATURES Diagonal Eyepiece Holder Diagonal Prism 1.25” Eyepiece Holder Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw Eyepiece Single Fork Arm Mount Figure 1: LS Telescope Telescope Input/Output Panel ON/OFF LightSwitch ECLIPS CCD Module Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws Handbox Storage Cradle INDEX... - Page 12 Figure 2: LS Right Side Figure 3: LS Front Diagonal Thumbscrew Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) Focus Knob Integrated Sensor Module Dust Cover Battery Compartment Red Dot Finder Mini SD Card Slot USB-A for Future Expansion USB-B connector to PC Video Output Audio Output Electronic Focuser Jack Handbox (HNDBX) Port...
-
Page 13: Telescope
Telescope Input/Output Panel Dust Cover: Gently lift out the dust cover from the front lens of the telescope. The dust cover should be replaced after each observing session and the power turned off to the telescope. Verify... - Page 14 12v DC auto cigarette light plug or from a standard 115v AC home outlet using the optional Meade Universal Power Adaptor. It is important that only the Meade Universal Power Adaptor be used to power the telescope. 2&...
-
Page 15: Using The Red-Dot Finder
You will see a red dot superimposed on your view. Using the direction keys on the handbox, move the telescope until the red dot is on the target you want to view in the eyepiece. As you get close to your target,... -
Page 16: Choosing Eyepieces
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES Meade makes a complete line of accessories to enable you to get the most fun and performance from your LS telescope. No matter what you want to accomplish, we have the equipment to help you get there. Choosing Eyepieces A telescope’s eyepiece magnifi... -
Page 17: Meade Series 5000 Premium Eyepieces
fi eld views of the heavens. They are made to the same high quality standards as the primary optics in your LS 6" telescope and allow you to get all the performance that the Advanced Coma- Free and Schmidt-Cassegrain optical systems were designed to deliver. -
Page 18: Power Supplies
Imagers and Accessories Deep Sky Imagers (DSI) The Meade 3.5 inch LCD monitor integrates fully with the LS telescope. Includes all connectors, dedicated battery pack (up to 20 hours of usage) and integral mounting bracket. -
Page 19: Autostar Iii Handbox
Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the year. • Download the latest satellite data and software revisions directly from the Meade website (www.meade.com) and share software with other LS enthusiasts. Just The AutoStar Computer handbox provides control of virtually every telescope function. - Page 20 SkyMap Mode. In this mode, an attached video monitor will display a tracking sky map, showing the stars and constellations in the area to which the telescope is pointed. Pressing the scroll-up and scroll-down keys will zoom the map in and out.
- Page 21 Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specifi c direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine different speeds. Speed selection is explained in “SLEW SPEEDS”, below. The following functions are also available with the Arrow keys: •...
- Page 22 Coil Cord: Plug one end of the AutoStar coil cord into the HNDBX port (Pg. 12, Fig. 4, 23) of the input/output panel of the telescope and the other end into the coil cord port (Fig. 5, 9). Orion Nebula (M42)
-
Page 23: Menu Tree
AUTOSTAR III MENU TREE Menu Scope Info Mode Select Item: Scope Info Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Guided Tour Objects Event A Star's Life Solar System How Far is Far Moon Tonight's Best Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Asteroids... -
Page 24: Guided Tour Menu
Each tour will select the objects, present multi-media clips about the object and, if you press “GoTo”, put that object in the eyepiece of the telescope for you to view. To exit a tour, press “Mode”. The telescope comes pre-loaded with: •... -
Page 25: Event Menu
Moon’s shadow. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display the available data. Remember, never use a telescope to look at the Sun! Lunar Eclipse lists upcoming Lunar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, partial, penumbral) of eclipse. -
Page 26: Utilities Menu
Scroll keys. When complete, press “ENTER”. Night Vision: When you have an external video monitor attached to your telescope, you will fi nd the bright colorful displays may affect your night vision and make it diffi cult to see dim objects in the eyepiece of your telescope. -
Page 27: Setup Menu
Park Scope is designed for a telescope that has not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next time it is powered up, no alignment is required. Pressing “ENTER” causes the telescope to move to its pre-determined Park position. - Page 28 • Custom Rate allows you to make minor adjustments to the telescopes tracking rate. Tip: If you are having diffi culties with the telescope, the fi rst step to getting back on track is to use Preferences –...
-
Page 29: Advanced Ls Features
fi nds the level and tilt position of the telescope, and also detects where true North is. It may not actually level or tilt the telescope or point to North — it is just detecting these positions. This may take a minute or two. -
Page 30: One Star Alt Az Alignment
LS provides a feature that allows you to enter an object’s R.A. and Dec. and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to the user- entered coordinates. In order to use this option, you fi rst need to look up the R.A. -
Page 31: Observing Satellites
LS. Downloading requires you use a USB cable to connect the telescope to a PC to update the satellite elements. NOTE: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low orbit, traveling at approximately 17,500 mph. -
Page 32: Terrestrial Observing
If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you want to use your telescope in its Terrestrial Observing mode. To start up the telescope in Terrestrial mode: 1. -
Page 33: Maintenance
Take special care to read and understand this section well so that your LS will give you the best optical performance. As part of fi nal optical testing, every Meade Schmidt- Cassegrain is precisely collimated at the Meade factory before shipment. However, vibrations in shipping can cause the optical system to become misaligned. - Page 34 (Pg. 32 Fig. 8, 1). Place your index fi nger in front of the telescope so that it touches one of the collimation set screws. You will see the shadow of your fi...
-
Page 35: Inspecting The Optics
Updated program supplied on the AutoStar Suite DVD supplied with your telescope. The Updater goes online to the Meade web site and checks to see if there is a newer version available and can download it directly to the telescope through a user supplied USB cable or it can create a bootable Mini SD Card that, when inserted into the telescope’s Mini SD Card slot (Pg. -
Page 36: Sd Card For Updates And Image Storage
LS requires factory servicing or repairs, before returning the telescope to the factory, write or call the Meade Customer Service Department to provide an explanation of the problem, as well as your name, address and daytime telephone number. -
Page 37: Training The Drive
APPENDIX A: TRAINING THE DRIVE Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 9 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure. NOTE: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exercise once every 3 to 6 months. -
Page 38: Creating User Objects
APPENDIX B: CREATING USER OBJECTS and TOURS User Object are catalogs of deep sky objects you can create or import that are not in the LS telescope. You can defi ne your own objects and create your own titles. Tours, similar to the three preloaded guided tours (Tonight’s Best”, “A Star’s Life”... -
Page 39: Basic Astronomy
Moon and our solar system comes from observations made by amateur astronomers. So as you look through your Meade LS telescope, keep Galileo in mind. To him, a telescope was not merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far more - a window through which the beating heart of the universe might be observed. - Page 40 Sun. To locate the planets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and Telescope or Astronomy. You can also consult LS for information about planets. Scroll to the “Object: Solar System” menu and scroll through the lists of planets.
-
Page 41: Acf
SPECIFICATIONS Model and Product Number Optical System Optical Design Primary Mirror Diameter Primary Mirror Material Focal Length, Focal Ratio Optical Coatings Resolving Power (arc seconds) Mount Mount Type Drives Power Battery Life Tripod Electronics Controller Hand Box Processor Memory Storage Input/Output Speaker Connections... -
Page 42: Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS Model and Product Number Optical System Optical Design Primary Mirror Diameter Primary Mirror Material Focal Length, Focal Ratio Optical Coatings Resolving Power (arc seconds) Mount Mount Type Drives Power Battery Life Tripod Electronics Controller Hand Box Processor Memory Storage Input/Output Speaker Connections... -
Page 43: Acf
SPECIFICATIONS Model and Product Number Optical System Optical Design Primary Mirror Diameter Primary Mirror Material Focal Length, Focal Ratio Optical Coatings Resolving Power (arc seconds) Mount Mount Type Drives Power Battery Life Tripod Electronics Controller Hand Box Processor Memory Storage Input/Output Speaker Connections... - Page 44 SPECIFICATIONS Model and Product Number Optical System Optical Design Primary Mirror Diameter Primary Mirror Material Focal Length, Focal Ratio Optical Coatings Resolving Power (arc seconds) Mount Mount Type Drives Power Battery Life Tripod Electronics Controller Hand Box Processor Memory Storage Input/Output Speaker Connections...
-
Page 45: Declarations
REQUIREMENTS OF CFR47 PART 15 REGULATION. THE RESULTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC EMISSION EVALUATION ARE SHOWN IN THE REPORT NO.: MEADE-0811106, ISSUED ON DECEMBER 10, 2008. THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES. OPERATION IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING TWO CONDITIONS:... -
Page 46: Weee
RECYCLING INFORMATION (EU Countries only) Correct Disposal of this Product (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment) This marking shown on the product or its literature indicates that it must not be disposed of in unsorted municipal waste at the end of its working life To prevent possible harm to the environment or human health from uncontrolled waste disposal, please separate this from other types of wastes and recycle it as required... - Page 47 Corporation (“Meade”) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase.