Unpacking And Inspection; What You Should Have; Please Look Everything Over; Inspecting The Optics - Meade LX200 Instruction Manual

celestial software library; 25 ft. power cord and adapter for
telescope operation from 115v.AC; 8 x 50mm viewfinder;
eyepiece-holder and diagonal prism (1.25"); Series 4000
SP26mm eyepiece; variable-height field tripod; operating
instructions.
d. 12" Model LX200
lncludes 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube assembly with
EMC super multi-coatings (D = 305mm, F = 3048mm-f/10);
heavy-duty fork mount, with 4"-dia. sealed polar ball bearing,
quartz-microprocessor-controlled 5.75" worm gears on both
axes, and multi-function power panel display on the drive base;
manual and electric slow-motion controls on both axes; setting
circles in RA and Dec; handheld keypad Electronic Command
Center with digital readout display, PPEC Smart Drive, 7-speed
drive control on both axes, GO TO controller, High-Precision
Pointing, and 64,340-object onboard celestial software library;
25 ft. power cord and adapter for telescope operation from
115v.AC; 8 x 50mm viewfinder; 2" diagonal mirror with 1.25"
adapter; Series 4000 SP26mm eyepiece; giant field tripod;
foam-fitted carrying case; operating instructions.

UNPACKING AND INSPECTION

As you begin to unpack your telescope from its cartons, you will
probably be interested in setting it up right away; we certainly
understand your excitement but please take a few minutes to
read this page before doing so. You should verify that you have
all the proper equipment, and that it has arrived to you
undamaged.
We strongly recommend that you keep your original packing
materials. If it should ever become necessary for you to return
your telescope to the Meade factory for servicing, these will
help ensure that no shipping damage will occur.
Meade LX200 telescopes supplied to countries outside the
U.S.A. are identical to those offered domestically, with the
exception of the AC wall adapter.

1. What You Should Have

Carefully unpack and remove all the telescope parts from their
packing material. Compare each part to the Standard
Equipment. You may wish to place a check next to each item
as you identify it. These Packing Programs represent the
original specifications for this instrument. Each telescope has
been inspected twice at the factory to confirm the inclusion of
every item.

2. Please Look Everything Over

Meade Instruments and your shipper have taken precautions to
ensure that no shipping damage will occur, but if your shipment
has suffered severe vibration or impact damage (whether or not
the shipping cartons show damage) then it is important that you
retain all the original packing and contact the shipper to
arrange a formal inspection of the package or packages. This
procedure is required prior to any warranty servicing by Meade
Instruments.

3. Inspecting the Optics

Note on the "Flashlight" Test: If a flashlight or other high-
intensity light source is pointed down the main telescope tube,
you may at first be shocked at the appearance of the optics. To
the uninitiated, the view (depending on your line of sight and
the angle the light is coming from) may reveal what would
appear to be scratches, dark or bright spots, or just generally
uneven coatings, giving the appearance of poor surface quality.
These effects are only seen when a high intensity light is
transmitted through lenses or reflected off the mirrors, and can
be seen on any high quality optical system, including the giant
research telescopes in use today. It should be pointed out,
however, that optical quality cannot be judged by this grossly
misleading "test", but through careful star testing. The
Flashlight Test causes even the very best optics to look
"terrible".
- 6 -
As the high intensity light passes through the Schmidt corrector
plate, most of it is transmitted through (about 98%+) while the
rest of the light scatters through the glass. As the light hits the
mirrored surfaces, most of it is reflected back (about 94%) while
the rest of it scatters across the coatings. The total amount of
scattered light will be significant, and its effects allow you to see
microscopic details that are normally invisible to the unaided
eye. These anomalous details are real, but their combined
effects will in no way impose limits on the optical performance,
even under the most demanding observing or imaging criteria.

4. Caution: All LX200 Owners

CAUTION: Serious damage to the drive gears may
result from shock in handling, while transporting or
commercially shipping the LX200, should the R.A.
lock (7, Fig. 1), and/or the Dec. lock (2, Fig. 4) be left
engaged. Always release the locks when storing in the
case, or when crating for commercial shipment to
allow the telescope to give, if the case or crate is
sharply jarred or dropped.
Also, the optical and mechanical axes of all LX200
telescopes have been carefully aligned at the factory
to ensure accurate object pointing. Do not loosen or
remove the fork arms or optical tube assembly from
the drive base; the resulting misalignment of the axes
will result in inaccurate slewing of the telescope in the
GO TO mode.

5. Caution: 10" and 12" LX200 Owners

CAUTION: Do not attempt to turn the focuser knob of
the optical tube until you have read this note!
NOTE: Next to the base of the focuser you will see a red-
colored slotted head bolt. This bolt is used only for safety in
shipment. Remove this bolt before attempting to turn the
focuser knob. In its place, insert the rubber plug provided as a
dust protector (this rubber plug is included with your hardware
package).
Your focuser is now operational.
WARNING: The 10" and 12" LX200 should never be
commercially shipped without this red-colored bolt in
place. This is essential during commercial transport
where rough handling may occur. For your personal
transport and storage, you will never have to use this
bolt again.
a. Commercial Reshipment
To commercially re-ship the telescope, be sure to follow this
procedure:
1. Turn the focuser knob clockwise until it stops. This will
bring the primary mirror all the way back in the tube.
2. Remove the rubber plug and insert the red-headed bolt.
Thread it in to a firm snug feel. Do not overtighten. (If you
have misplaced the red-headed bolt, you may use any
other bolt that is 1/4-20x1" long.
3. When packaging the 10" or 12" LX200, be sure to release
the R.A. lock (7, Fig. 1), and Dec. lock (2, Fig. 4), to
prevent shock to the gears in the motor assemblies should
the package suffer severe handling.
Please note that commercial shipment of the 10" and 12"
LX200 Telescope without the safety bolt in place and packed in
the original factory supplied shipping containers as described
above is done at the owner's risk and your warranty may be
voided if shipping damage results.

6. Keypad Version Number

The current keypad version is 3.20 (see sticker on back of
keypad). This does not indicate the telescope software
version—which is displayed on the keypad LED at power-up.