Related Manuals for Meade LX200GPS
Summary of Contents for Meade LX200GPS
- Page 1 Instruction Manual 8", 10", 12", 14", 16" LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope with Autostar II Hand Controller Meade Instruments Corporation...
- Page 2 (8" model depicted in diagram. Not to scale.) In the Schmidt-Cassegrain design of the Meade 8", 10", 12", 14", and 16" LX200GPS models, light enters from the right, passes through a thin lens with 2-sided aspheric correction (“correcting plate”), proceeds to a spherical primary mirror, and then to a convex secondary mirror.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Photography ..............40 Optional Accessories ............41 Maintenance ..............44 Specifications ..............47 ® The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment ......50 registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal coun- Appendix B: Latitude Chart ..........55 tries throughout the world. -
Page 4: Quick-Start Guide
It is recommended that you attach the supplied tripod to the for observing. Perform the telescope and LX200GPS Autostar II setup indoors in the light so that you become familiar with the parts and operation before moving the tele- scope outside into the dark for observing. The setup is the same for the standard field tripod and the giant field tripod. - Page 5 Display ON/OFF HBX Port Press the Power Switch on the computer control Press the computer control panel power switch to panel to the ON position. The copyright message OFF, if necessary. Remove the Autostar II hand- lights on Autostar II's LCD display. box and the Autostar II coil cord from the packing materials.
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Page 6: Telescope Features
TELESCOPE FEATURES (not shown, on left fork arm) (not shown) 1& Autostar II Hand Controller. See page 9. Fig. 1: The Telescope; Computer Control Panel (inset); Autostar II Handbox (inset). LX200GPS... - Page 7 North electronic sensors, automatic tracking of celestial objects, peri- odic error correction for both axes, and a library of 145,000 + objects in the Autostar II telescope’s internal electron- ics and may void the Meade database, the models offer unmatched state-of-the-art performance.
- Page 8 See pages 13, 14, and Focus port (13C, Fig. 1). Tube Adapters: The optical and mechanical axes of the LX200GPS telescope have been carefully aligned at the factory to ensure accurate object pointing. Do not loosen or remove the optical tube assembly from the tube adapters. The resulting misalignment of the axes will result in inaccurate slewing of the tele- scope in the GO TO mode.
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Page 9: Autostar Ii Features
Download the Want to learn more about latest satellite data, star and object catalogs, tours, serial commands list, and soft- downloading the latest ware revisions, directly from the Meade website (www.meade.com). (Requires the updates of Autostar II software from the optional Interface Cable. - Page 10 The Autostar II system provides control of virtually every telescope function. The Autostar II handbox has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with red LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for easy view- ing in the dark.
- Page 11 Press "0" to turn the light on and off. LX200GPS TIPS Join an Astronomy Club, Attend a Star Party One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of astronomy is to join an astronomy club.
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Page 12: Getting Started
Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the packing box, note carefully the following parts: Telescope with fork mount system LX200GPS Autostar II handbox and interface coil cord; handbox holder Microfocuser assembly 8 x 50mm viewfinder assembly Eyepiece holder and 1.25"... -
Page 13: How To Assemble Your Telescope
#607 Cigarette Lighter Adapter (see , page OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES ies void your Meade war- 43). Plug an adapter into the 12vDC In port of the computer control panel (13B, Fig. 1). ranty. Always remove the To install batteries:... -
Page 14: Choosing An Eyepiece
Off-Axis Guider, T-Adapter, etc.; see page 42) with the models, LX200GPS SC slide the supplied SC accessory adapter (L, Fig. 6) into the microfocuser. Line up the groove on the side of the adapter with either of the microfocuser thumbscrews Fig. -
Page 15: Mounting And Adjusting The Viewfinder
LX200GPS TIPS telescope to a convenient position for adjustment of Too Much Power? this thumbscrew. Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you’re referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes, you can! The most common mistake of the begin- ning observer is to “overpower”... -
Page 16: Observing
Terrestrial Observing Viewing conditions vary wide- ly from night-to-night and site- models are excellent high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescopes. LX200GPS to-site. Turbulence in the air, Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat even on an apparently clear waves. -
Page 17: Focusing The Eyepiece With The Microfocuser
Bring the object into focus (see below). Focusing the Eyepiece Using the Microfocuser zero image-shift microfocuser (24, Fig. 1) allows you to obtain the most LX200GPS , page MIRROR MIRROR precise image focus possible during visual, photographic, and CCD applications, main- 38, for more information taining precise and "jiggle-free"... -
Page 18: Observe The Moon, Astronomical Observing
Observe the Moon Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and practice using the Arrow keys, the microfocuser and the slew speeds to view different features. The Moon contains many interesting features, including craters, mountain ranges, and fault lines. - Page 19 FINDING in the box on page 21. TRUE LEVEL LX200GPS INFO Autostar II also determines the positioning (i.e., tilt and tip) of the optical tube. Finds North. Locates magnetic North, then calculates true North. See page 21. FINDING TRUE NORTH, Important Notes: Attempts a "GPS Fix."...
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Page 20: Observe A Star Using Automatic Tracking
When the procedure is performed correctly, "Alignment Successful" displays. If Autostar II does not display this message, perform this procedure again. Tip: The GO TO key also Note: Alignment stars may change from night to night. All that is required allows you to perform a is for the observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when "spiral search."... - Page 21 Guided Tour. See CREATE , page 56. YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR LX200GPS INFO Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS) is comprised of 24 satellites orbiting the Earth that are constantly transmitting their precise position and time.
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Page 22: Basic Autostar Ii Operation
BASIC AUTOSTAR II SETUP MENU OBJECT MENU Select Item: Automatic alignment Want to see Mars? The Orion nebula? Object permits all telescope The Andromeda galaxy? Select from operations with only over 145,000 objects and press minimal setup. GO TO to move the telescope automatically to an object. -
Page 23: Navigating Autostar Ii
Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display. Press the Help (?) key to access on-line help. LX200GPS TIPS Look into the Future The Autostar II Date option in the Setup menu is much more than just an entry of today's date;... -
Page 24: Autostar Ii Menus
Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Object Event Guided Tour Glossary Utilities Setup Solar System Sunrise Align Tour Objects A... Timer Mercury Sun Transit Automatic Accretion Disk Tonight's Best Etc. Sunset Start & Stop Easy Etc. -
Page 25: Objects Menu
Object Menu Almost all observing with Autostar II is performed using the Object menu category. (Note: Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey.) See GO TO SATURN page 20, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE , page 20. -
Page 26: Event Menu
Event database includes: using the Date menu? See the LX200GPS TIPS Sunrise, Sun Transit, and Sunset: Calculate the time of Sun rise, Sun transit, or Sun box page 23. set on the current date. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup: Date”... -
Page 27: Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu
Glossary Menu The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common astronomical terms and Autostar II functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in Autostar II. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the Autostar II Help function or when reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star. -
Page 28: Setup Menu
Date menu? See the the past or future. For example: Set the Date menu for a day three months in the LX200GPS TIPS box, page 23. future. Then check the "Select Item: Event" menu for the Sunset time on that date. - Page 29 (Note that it does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a camera or other peripheral attached to the tele- scope—you can prevent it from striking the telescope base. 90 (straight up) is the maximum value that can be entered.
- Page 30 Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys for con- trolling the telescope's motion (i.e., the Right key moves the telescope to the left). Reverse U/D: Reverses the functions of the Up and Down Arrow keys for con- trolling the telescope's motion (i.e., the Up key moves the telescope down).
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Page 31: "Hot Button" Menus
Software: Receives only the basic Autostar II software. This is useful if one user Important Note: has downloaded a new version of Autostar II software from the Meade website If your download fails in the (www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends. -
Page 32: Advanced Autostar Ii Features
ADVANCED AUTOSTAR II FEATURES Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic oper- ations of Autostar II described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of Autostar II and understand how to scroll to a desired menu or menu option, and how to enter numbers and text. -
Page 33: Creating User Objects
11. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays. 12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited dis- plays. Press ENTER to select the site. Creating User Objects In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the Autostar II libraries. -
Page 34: Observing Satellites, Landmarks
Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade website (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to download this data to Autostar II. If orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by Autostar II. -
Page 35: Identify
those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to "Astronomical" when you wish to view celestial objects again. Press MODE once. "Select Item: Setup" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once and "Select Item: Object" displays. Press ENTER. -
Page 36: Browse
In this procedure, you will center an object you wish to have identified by Autostar II in the telescope eyepiece and use the "Identify" menu to find out information about the object or the nearest object to it in the Autostar II database. Center the object you wish to have identified in the telescope's eyepiece. -
Page 37: Alternate Alt/Az Alignment Methods
Alternate Alt/Az Alignments If you would rather set up your telescope without using automatic alignment, Autostar II offers alternative alignment methods for both alt/az and equatorial mounting. During the One-Star and Two-Star alt/az alignment procedures, you will (unlike the Automatic and Easy alignment procedures) manually place the telescope in the home position. -
Page 38: To Set The Home Position Manually
Look through Mirror, Mirror... the eyepiece and when The LX200GPS telescopes provide features that allow you to control the primary opti- the object does become cal mirror and focus functions for more precise viewing capability. visible, press MODE to One control feature is the primary mirror lock (9, Fig. -
Page 39: Periodic Error Correction
Periodic Error Correction If you wish to perform high-precision astrophotography, you may wish to "train" your telescope in order to keep objects that you are imaging dead center in the telescope's mirror during the photographic exposure. Periodic error correction (PEC) helps to remove the slight perturbations from center that occur due to the mechanical nature of a telescope. -
Page 40: Photography
The photographic image appears on film with a slight dark- Fig. 21: with #62 ening (vignetting) at the corners of the 35mm frame (Fig. 22). LX200GPS T-Adapter: (1) camera adapter, (2) T- Photography through a long lens such as the requires special technique for LX200GPS mount, (3) camera body. -
Page 41: Optional Accessories
A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LX200GPS telescope models. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the qual- ity of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. Meade Series 4000 Eyepieces: 7”... - Page 42 Series 4000 Photo-Visual Color Filters: Color filters significantly enhance visual and photographic image contrast of the Moon and planets. Each filter threads into the barrel of any Meade 1.25" eyepiece, and into the barrels of virtually all other eye- Fig. 24: Series 4000 8 - 24mm Zoom piece brands as well.
- Page 43 Meade website (www.meade.com). #547 Power Adapter with Cable (all models except 16” LX200GPS): Includes a 25 ft. cord and permits powering from a standard home (115v AC) outlet. #607 Cigarette Lighter Adapter: Powering the...
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Page 44: Maintenance
As part of final optical testing, every Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain is precisely collimat- ed at the Meade factory before shipment. However, vibrations in shipping can cause the optical system to become misaligned. Re-aligning the optics is, however, a straightforward process. - Page 45 The only adjustments possible, or necessary, on the Schmidt-Cassegrain It is recommended that models are from the three screws (Fig. 31b) located at the edge of the LX200GPS you begin collimating by outer surface of the secondary mirror housing. first tightening the colli- Caution: Do not force the three collimation screws past their normal trav- mation screws.
- Page 46 LX200GPS write or call the Meade Customer Service Department first, before returning the tele- scope to the factory, giving full particulars as to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address, and daytime telephone number. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to the factory.
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Page 47: Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS 7" f/15 LX200GPS Specifications Optical design ..........Maksutov-Cassegrain Clear aperture..........178mm (7") Focal length ..........2670mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ....f/15 Resolving power ..........0.64 arc sec Coatings ............Meade EMC Super Multi-Coatings Mounting ............Cast-aluminum, double-tine forks Gears ............5.75"-dia worm gears, both axes Alignment ............Altazimuth or equatorial w/optional wedge Pointing Precision ........2 arc-minutes in GO TO mode... - Page 48 10" f/10 LX200GPS Specifications Optical design ..........Schmidt-Cassegrain Clear aperture..........254mm (10") Focal length ..........2500mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ....f/10 Resolving power ..........0.45 arc sec Coatings ............Meade EMC Super Multi-Coatings Mounting ............Cast-aluminum, double-tine forks Gears ............5.75"-dia. worm gears, both axes Periodic Error Correction ......Both axes Alignment ............Altazimuth or equatorial w/optional wedge...
- Page 49 4-speed zero image-shift microfocuser 16-channel GPS receiver True-level electronic sensor Net telescope weight ........110 lbs. Net tripod weight..........50 lbs. 16" f/10 LX200GPS Specifications Optical design ..........Schmidt-Cassegrain Clear aperture..........406.4mm (16") Focal length ..........4064mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ....f/10 Resolving power ..........0.28 arc sec Coatings ............Meade EMC Super Multi-Coatings...
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Page 50: Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment
Setting circles included with the models permit the location of faint celestial LX200GPS objects not easily found by direct visual observation. The R.A. circle (11, Fig. 1 and Fig. 36) is located on the top surface of the telescope’s drive base. The Declination circle (Fig. - Page 51 Note: The Meade equatorial wedge is designed solely for use in conjunction with your Meade tripod. The wedge should never be used without the tripod (e.g., by placing the wedge alone on a table top and then mounting the tele- scope on the wedge—the wedge may become seriously unbalanced, to the...
- Page 52 This tracking may be accomplished automatically with the electric motor drive. LX200GPS If the telescope is reasonably well aligned with the pole, very little use of the tele- scope’s Declination slow motion control is necessary. Virtually all of the required tele- scope tracking will be in Right Ascension.
- Page 53 10 minutes or longer). In particular, the number of Declination corrections equatorial wedge. required is a direct function of the precision of polar alignment. Precise polar alignment requires the use of a crosshair eyepiece. The Meade Illuminated Reticle Eyepiece (see , page 42) is well-suited in...
- Page 54 NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy, Messier, satellite, nebula, black hole, variable stars, etc. Check Meade’s website for the latest product and technical information. You can download the latest software revisions, links to other astronomical sites, coordinates of celestial objects and the latest satellite tracking information for your Autostar II handset.
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Page 55: Appendix B: Latitude Chart
APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 52), 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 56: Appendix C: How To Create Your Own Guided Tour
More commands will be added from time-to-time to the list below. Periodically visit Meade's website (www.meade.com) for future additions. When a Guided Tour is selected, Autostar II slews your telescope to a predetermined list of objects and displays information about each object, such as type of object, con- stellation location, R.A. - Page 57 TITLE TEXT USER MESSIER CALDWELL PLANET MOON SATELLITE ASTEROID COMET LUNAR ECLIPSE METEOR SHOWER DEEP SKY CONSTELLATION STAR LANDMARK DEFINE PICK ONE/PICK END AUTO SLEW ON/OFF #END Description String: Description of an object. Must be surrounded by quotation marks. If the description is longer than one line, each line must end with a quotation mark and a hard return.
- Page 58 PLANET "name" Enter PLANET and then the name of the desired planet in quotes. Autostar II provides the user with a description of the selected planet from its database. For example: PLANET "Pluto" MOON This command accesses information about the Moon from the Autostar II database. SATELLITE "name"...
- Page 59 PICK ONE AUTO SELECT MESSIER 13 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 15 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 92 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 4 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 68 AUTO SELECT NGC 1234 AUTO SELECT TEXT "None Available" "I'm sorry. There are no bright globular" "clusters visible at this time." PICK END AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, Autostar II automatically slews the tele-...
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Page 60: Appendix D: Training The Drive
Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exer- Note: cise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy. LX200GPS TIPS Further Study..Verify that AUTOSTAR Press >... -
Page 61: Appendix E: The Moon Menu
APPENDIX E: THE MOON MENU The Moon option of the Object menu allows you to observe the moon in a way never possible before. You will be able locate many specific features of the lunar surface, including hundreds of craters, mare, valleys, and mountains. One special feature allows you to view all six Apollo landing sites. -
Page 62: Appendix F: 16" Lx200Gps Features
APPENDIX F: 16" LX200GPS FEATURES Figure 43: 16" Computer Control Panel. LX200GPS 16" LX200GPS Unique Features Caution: The 16" contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in LX200GPS Due to the weight and size this manual) as all other telescope models. - Page 63 16" TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY Use the following procedure to assemble your telescope: To Assemble the 16” Super Field Tripod The 16” Super Field Tripod (Figs. 44 and 45) for the Meade 16” telescope LX200GPS is supplied as a completely assembled unit, except for the spreader bar (4, Fig. 44) and the six lock-knobs (5, Fig.
- Page 64 To collapse the tripod (after removing the telescope) for storage, follow these steps: a. Loosen the tension knob and rotate the spreader bar 60° from its assembled posi- tion, so that one spreader bar arm is located between each adjacent pair of tripod legs.
- Page 65 OTA back so that the shoulder bolts lock into the slots. Fig. 53: Tighten the fork arm assem- bly using the provided hex key. LX200GPS TIPS Observing Considerations • Try to pick an observing site away from street and house lights and car head- lights.
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Page 66: Appendix G: 14" Lx200Gps Features
APPENDIX G: 14" LX200GPS FEATURES 14" LX200GPS Unique Features The 14" contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in LX200GPS this manual) as all other telescope models. LX200GPS The following features are unique to the 14" model: Battery Compartment Fig. -
Page 67: Appendix H: De-Rotater And Microfocuser Assembly
APPENDIX H: DE-ROTATER AND MICROFOCUSER ASSEMBLY When using a de-rotater, it is important to attach the microfocuser so that it is backed off slightly from the de-rotater. If the microfocuser is flush against the de-rotater, the assembly will not work properly. This is true also with other accessories that may attach up flush against the de-rotater housing. -
Page 68: Appendix I: Smart Mount
Smart Mount Introduction Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200GPS telescope's "Go to" system. Despite careful efforts to calibrate and align telescopes, they may fail to precisely center objects. Smart Mount allows your telescope to learn about, and then correct for, any systematic pointing errors, regardless of the cause. - Page 69 Permanently Mounted Scopes For permanently mounted telescopes, it is not necessary to have more than one model unless the weight and balance of auxiliary equipment introduces balance or flexure changes that significantly affect pointing. The best practice is to train the Smart Mount and then run a couple of sessions with Update enabled.
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Page 70: Basic Astronomy
Moon, and our solar system comes from observations made by ama- teur astronomers. So as you look through your Meade telescope, keep in LX200GPS mind Galileo. - Page 71 Listed below are the best planets for viewing through the LX200GPS ing its rise and set times. Venus is about nine-tenths the diameter of Earth. As Venus orbits the Sun, observers can see it go through phases (crescent, half, and full) much like those of the Moon.
- Page 72 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.