Related Manuals for Meade LX90-ACF Advanced Coma-Free
Summary of Contents for Meade LX90-ACF Advanced Coma-Free
- Page 1 Instruction Manual ® 8", 10", 12" LX90 Advanced Coma-Free Telescopes ® 8", 10", 12" LX90 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes AutoStar ® — GPS...
- Page 2 WARNING! Never Meade LX90 ® ® Telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Optional Accessories ..........42 Maintenance ..............44 ® The name “Meade”, “AutoStar” and the Meade logo are Collimation ............44 trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Inspecting the Optics ........46 Office and in principal countries throughout the world. -
Page 4: Quick-Start Guide
QUICK-START GUIDE It is recommended that you attach the supplied tripod to the LX90 for observing. Perform the telescope and AutoStar setup indoors in the light so that you become familiar with the parts and operation before moving the telescope outside into the dark for observing. - Page 5 (1) Tripod Head (2) Threaded Rod (3) Tension Knob (4) Spreader Bar (5) Leg Lock Knobs (6) Extension Strut (7) Tension Hub (8) Attachment Nuts and Spring (not visible) Fig. A: Field Tripod with legs extended. Fig. B: Field Tripod (collapsed). Fig.
- Page 6 Flip the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar’s LCD display. Remove covers from both battery compartments located on top of the drive base and Slew Speeds: carefully lift the battery holders from their Speed 9: Fast Arrow compartments, being mindful of the connector...
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Page 7: Telescope Features
TELESCOPE FEATURES Side View A. Handbox Port B. LED C. ON/OFF Switch D. Auxiliary Ports (2) E. 12v Power Connector µ Computer Control Panel Some models of the LX90 have the computer control panel on the left fork arm, others on the right fork arm. -
Page 8: Parts Listing
LX90: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE The Meade LX90 is an extremely versatile, high-resolution telescope with features similar to those available only with larger and more specialized imaging systems. With pushbutton controls, automatic tracking of celestial objects and software downloading capability, the LX90 telescope may be all the telescope ever required by many terrestrial and astronomical observers. -
Page 9: To Attach The Handbox Holder
D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port (2): Provides connection for Meade accessories. See , page 42. OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES E. 12v Power Connector: Provides connection so that the telescope assembly may be powered from either a 12v DC auto cigarette light plug or from a standard 115v AC home outlet using optionally available 25' power cords. -
Page 10: Autostar Features
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 AutoStar enthusiasts. - Page 11 The AutoStar Computer Controller provides control of virtually every telescope function within NOTE: a compact handbox. AutoStar has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD AutoStar does not require batteries; the (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in the telescope’s batteries dark.
- Page 12 Scroll Keys: Accesses options within a selected menu. The menu is displayed on the first line of the screen. Options within the menu are displayed, one at a time, on the second line. Press the Scroll keys to move through the options. Press and hold a Scroll key to move quickly through the options. The Scroll keys also scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits.
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Page 13: Getting Started
Assembly of the LX90 telescope requires eight C-cell (user-supplied) batteries or optional Meade #541 AC adapter to a standard 115v home outlet or to a 12v DC automobile cigarette lighter plug. See the Instruction Sheets supplied with the Meade #541 AC adapter for installation information. -
Page 14: Choosing An Eyepiece
Remove the dust cap from the rear cell of the telescope. Thread the eyepiece holder into the rear cell thread. Slide the diagonal prism into the eyepiece holder and lock in place by turning the thumbscrew to a firm feel. NEVER point the Remove the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece (Pg. -
Page 15: Aligning The Viewfinder
Aligning the Viewfinder The viewfinder helps you locate objects and must also be aligned to the main telescope. To align the viewfinder, perform steps 1 through 5 during the daytime; perform step 6 at night. Slide the track on the bottom of the viewfinder bracket into the slot in the viewfinder mounting assembly. -
Page 16: Observing
OBSERVING IMPORTANT NOTE: Observing By Moving the Telescope Manually Objects appear If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can upside-down and observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. reversed left-for-right when observed in the Loosen the telescope’s R.A. -
Page 17: Slew Speeds
Verify that AutoStar is properly connected to your telescope. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR , page 14. TELESCOPE Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position. The AutoStar screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short beep. -
Page 18: To Track An Object Automatically
To Track an Object Automatically As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks the stars and other objects in the night sky. -
Page 19: Easy (Two-Star) Alignment
to start up the system. Important Tip: “Press 0 to Align or Mode for Menu” displays. Press 0 to align your telescope using the It is recommended “Easy Align” method, see “Easy (Two-Star) Align” on page 19. To skip the alignment that you train your process and access the AutoStar menus, press the Mode key. - Page 20 observing sites location, date and time. Note: Press any key to abort the GPS fix. You will then be prompted to enter the time, date and location. Star Alignment - The Autostar then chooses two stars to align upon. When the telescope slews to the first star for alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece.
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Page 21: Go To Saturn
Go To Saturn After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the motor drive begins operating and the telescope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars. IMPORTANT NOTE Once aligned, only use the GO TO or Arrow keys to move the telescope. -
Page 22: Basic Autostar Operation
BASIC AUTOSTAR OPERATION Fig. 9: The AutoStar Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select Item menu of AutoStar. It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 10 ). This means that pressing the Scroll Down key (Pg. 10, Fig. 2, 7) cycles down through all the available options within a given category, then returns to the first option. -
Page 23: Entering Data Into Autostar
To Calculate Sunset time: Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item” menu. Press the ENTER key to choose the “Event” option and move down a level. “Event: Sunrise”... -
Page 24: Menus And Menu Options
MENU AND MENU OPTIONS... -
Page 25: Objects Menu
Object Menu Use the OBJECT menu to select an Almost all observing with AutoStar is performed using the Object menu category. ( NOTE: object from the Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey. ) See , page 21, for an GO TO SATURN database. -
Page 26: Event Menu
Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then choose “Set” or “Start/Stop”. WARNING! Never use a Meade LX90 Telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and ®... - Page 27 Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the alarm set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the alarm. When the alarm time arrives, AutoStar beeps.
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Page 28: Setup Menu
Park Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next time it is powered up, enter the correct date and time – no alignment is required. Pressing ENTER causes the telescope to move to its pre-determined Park position. - Page 29 Must be performed with a high powered reticle ( eg. Meade Plössel 9mm illuminated reticle eyepiece P/N 07068 ). PEC Training for the the LX90 telescopes will take about 8 minutes. See PERIODIC ERROR , page 53 for more information.
- Page 30 AutoStar handbox. Software: Sends only the basic AutoStar software. This is useful if one user has downloaded a new version of AutoStar software from the Meade website (www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends.
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Page 31: Advanced Autostar Features
ADVANCED AUTOSTAR FEATURES Adding Observing Sites If you plan to observe using AutoStar at different geographic locations, you can store up to six observation sites in AutoStar’s memory to help simplify your telescope setup. Perform these procedures using the Site options (Add, Select, Delete, Edit) of the Setup menu. To Add a Site to the user-defined site list: In this example, you will choose a city and add it to the database list. -
Page 32: Finding Objects Not In The Database
Using the Arrow keys, change the name of the site so that it now reads the name of your Time Zone Shift observing location. Press ENTER. “Edit: Name” displays again. Atlantic -4 Hours Eastern -5 Hours Press the Scroll Down key and “Edit: Latitude” displays. Press ENTER. Central -6 Hours Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. -
Page 33: Observing Satellites
Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade web site (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to download this data to AutoStar. If orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by AutoStar. -
Page 34: Creating Your Own Guided Tour
“text only” or as a “MS-DOS text” file). • The Meade #505 Cable Connector Kit to download tour information to the AutoStar handbox. Tour Modes The objects chosen for a tour list are selected from AutoStar's database or by entering the object's R.A. - Page 35 Writing a Tour Using the list of commands listed above, a custom tour can be created. Placing the word AUTO SELECT before any of the command lines activates Automatic Mode and, when selected, AutoStar automatically searches and finds the designated object. The following is a list of command lines, complete with keywords and necessary strings: TITLE Title must be the first keyword in your tour after any comment lines and must be 15 characters...
- Page 36 ASTEROID “name” Enter ASTEROID and then the name of the desired asteroid in quotes. AutoStar displays information about the asteroid from its database. For example: ASTEROID: “Ceres” COMET “name” Enter COMET and then the name of the desired comet in quotes. AutoStar displays information about the comet from its database.
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Page 37: Landmarks
With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, AutoStar automatically slews the telescope to objects first before displaying the text description. This feature is useful when designing tours in which observing certain objects is required. For example, an astronomy professor may require his students to observe six objects, four of which AutoStar automatically slews to in a tour. -
Page 38: Identify
Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of objects you have previously entered. When the desired object displays, press ENTER to select the object. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through location information about the object, if desired. Press GO TO to slew the telescope to the landmark. -
Page 39: Browse
Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a database of bright stars and two stars from this database are chosen by the observer for alignment. Turn the telescope on: Turn the telescope power switch to the ON position. The AutoStar beeps and the display screen is activated. -
Page 40: Photography With The Lx90
PHOTOGRAPHY WITH THE LX90 Photography through the LX90 requires the addition of the optional #62 T–Adapter. See page 42. With the #62 T-Adapter and a T-mount attached to the OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, telescope (Fig. 14), through-the-telescope photography is possible with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens. - Page 41 • Magic Eye software-assisted focusing. • Automatic and manual exposure control from .001 seconds to one hour. • Automatically takes multiple exposures. AutoStar Suite Software includes powerful tools to help you get the most from your Meade LX90 telescope: Fig. 16: Meade Deep Sky Imager •...
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Page 42: Optional Accessories
Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. Some of the Meade Series 5000 Eyepieces are as follows. For a complete list, see your Meade Dealer:*... - Page 43 #62 T-Adapter: The T-Adapter (Fig. 21) is the basic means of prime-focus photography through all Meade LX90 models. Thread the T-Adapter on to the rear cell of your telescope, followed by a T-Mount for your 35mm camera, and the camera body is rigidly coupled to the telescope.
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Page 44: Maintenance
LX90 will give you the best optical performance. As part of final optical testing, every Meade Advanced Coma-Free is precisely collimated at the Meade factory before shipment. However, vibrations in shipping can cause the optical system to become misaligned. - Page 45 concentric with) the ring of light, your telescope’s optical system is misaligned and requires collimation. Follow these steps for collimation of the optical system: The only adjustments possible, or necessary, on the LX90 are from the three screws (Fig. 24b) located on the inside ring of the secondary mirror housing. CAUTION: Do not force the three collimation screws past their normal travel and do not loosen them more than two full turns in a counterclockwise direction or the secondary mirror may come loose from its support.
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Page 46: Inspecting The Optics
Also check if “Astronomical” is selected in the “Targets” option of the setup menu. Meade Consumer Solutions Service If you have a question concerning your LX90 telescope, call the Meade Instruments Customer Solutions Department at (800) 626-3233. Consumer Solutions hours are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. -
Page 47: Specifications
Clear aperture ............12" Focal length ..............3048mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ......f/10 Viewfinder..............8 x 50 finder Coatings ..............Meade Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC™) Mounting ..............Cast-aluminum, double-tine forks Gears ................4.9"-dia worm gears, both axes Alignment ..............Altazimuth or equatorial w/optional wedge ..................5 arc-minutes in GO TO mode ..................1x sidereal to 6.5°/sec in 9 increments... -
Page 48: Star Charts
™ internet and on CD Roms. Meade offers AutoStar Suite and other star locator software. Contact your Meade dealer or Meade’s Customer Service department for more information. Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines print star charts each month for up-to-the-minute maps of the heavens. -
Page 49: Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment
APPENDIX A: EQUATORIAL (POLAR) ALIGNMENT Polar Alignment In Polar Alignment, the telescope is oriented so that the horizontal and vertical axes of the telescope are lined up with the celestial coordinate system. In order to Polar align your telescope, it is essential to have an understanding of how and where to locate celestial objects as they move across the sky. -
Page 50: Locating The Celestial Pole
Locating the Celestial Pole To get basic bearings at an observing location, Little Dipper take note of where the Sun rises (East) and sets Polaris (West) each day. After the site is dark, face North by pointing your left shoulder toward where the Sun sets. -
Page 51: Equatorial Wedge
NOTE: The Meade equatorial wedge is designed solely for use in conjunction with the Meade field tripod. The wedge should never be used without the field tripod (e.g., by placing the wedge alone on a table top and then mounting the telescope on the wedge –... -
Page 52: Precise Polar Alignment
Precise polar alignment requires the use of a crosshair eyepiece. The Meade Illuminated Declination axis until you Reticle Eyepiece (see , page 42) is well-suited in this application, but... - Page 53 known as the “Drift” method: 1. Obtain a rough polar alignment as described earlier. Place the illuminated reticle eyepiece (or eyepiece/Barlow combination) into the eyepiece holder of the telescope. 2. Point the telescope, with the motor drive running, at a moderately bright star near where the meridian (the North-South line passing through your local zenith) and the celestial equator intersect.
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Page 54: Appendix B: Helpful Charts
APPENDIX B: HELPFUL CHARTS Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World To aid in the Polar Alignment procedure (see page 49), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern Hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, add one degree for every 70 miles. -
Page 55: Appendix C: Training The Drive
APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 33 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure. Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. NOTE: LX90 TIPS Complete this exercise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope... -
Page 56: Appendix D: Catadioptic Optical Systems
It is this phenomenon which results in Meade ACF having off-axis field illuminations about 10% greater, In the ACF design of the Meade LX90, light enters from the right, passes aperture-for-aperture, than other systems utilizing standard-size primary through a thin lens with 2-sided aspheric correction (“correcting plate”),... - Page 57 OBSERVATION LOG...
- Page 58 OBSERVATION LOG...
- Page 59 OBSERVATION LOG...
- Page 60 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.