Related Manuals for Meade LX200-ACF
Summary of Contents for Meade LX200-ACF
- Page 1 Instruction Manual ® 8", 10", 12", 14", 16" LX200 -ACF Advanced Coma-Free Telescopes ® with GPS and AutoStar II Hand Controller...
- Page 2 WARNING! Never use a Meade LX200 -ACF ® ® 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
US 7,079,317 Appendix D: Training the Drive ........63 US 6,304,376 Appendix E: The Moon Menu ........64 US 6,392,799 Appendix F: 16" LX200-ACF Features ......65 US 6,563,636 Appendix G: 14" LX200-ACF Features ......69 D 422,610 Appendix H: De-rotator and Microfocuser Assembly ..70 Patent Pending. -
Page 4: Quick-Start Guide
The setup is the same for the standard and giant field tripods. NOTE: The LX200-ACF 8", 10", 12" and 14" models are equipped with Series 4000 26mm Super Plössl eyepiece (1) Tripod Head and a 1.25"... - Page 5 Move the spreader bar so that the 3 arms of the spreader bar are lined up with the 3 tripod legs. Place the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head, and thread the rod into the central threaded hole in the bottom of the drive base of the telescope.
- Page 6 Display Press the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar II’s LCD display. Attach the Microfocuser (Optional Accessory – standard on 16" model only): Remove the dust cap from Arrow Slew Speeds: the rear cell port (A) of the telescope (Note: Telescope not Keys...
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Page 7: Telescope Features
TELESCOPE FEATURES (not shown, on left fork arm) (not shown) (not shown) 1& AutoStar II Hand Controller. See page 10. Fig. 1: The Telescope; Computer Control Panel (inset); AutoStar II Handbox (inset). LX200-ACF - 7 -... - Page 8 LX200-ACF: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE Caution: The Meade models are extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes. LX200-ACF Using products other than With pushbutton controls, precision GPS alignment, true-level and North electronic standard Meade accessories sensors, automatic tracking of celestial objects, periodic error correction for both axes,...
- Page 9 GPS Receiver (see page 22 for photo): Receives information transmitted from Global Positioning System satellites. See pages 19, 20, and 22 for more information. Tube Adapters: The optical and mechanical axes of the LX200-ACF 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.
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Page 10: Autostar Ii Features
Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of the telescope models is through the operation of the standard LX200-ACF AutoStar II system. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of AutoStar II’s buttons. - Page 11 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 viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential menu structure make AutoStar II extremely user friendly.
- Page 12 Press “0” to turn the light on and off. LX200-ACF 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 13: Getting Started
Follow battery manufacturer’s Telescope with fork mount system LX200-ACF precautions. Do not install AutoStar II handbox and interface coil cord; handbox holder batteries backwards or mix 8 x 50mm viewfinder assembly new and used batteries. - Page 14 SC Optional Accessory Users: If using any of the optional accessories (such as the Off-Axis Guider, T-Adapter, etc.; see page 44) with the LX200-ACF SC models, slide the supplied SC accessory adapter (Fig. 8, L) into the microfocuser. Line up the groove on the side of the adapter with either of the microfocuser thumbscrews (Fig.
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Page 15: Choosing An Eyepiece
Note: For a list of magnification ratings of the eyepieces available for the telescopes, see , page 44. LX200-ACF OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES Series 5000 26mm Plössl Eyepiece (Standard on 16” LX200-ACF) Note: The microfocuser is shipped with the microfocuser adapter (B) threaded to the SC accessory adapter (L). -
Page 16: Mounting And Adjusting The Viewfinder
However, if you determine you need to adjust the front thumbscrew, choose an alignment object that allows LX200-ACF TIPS you to slightly elevate or rotate the telescope to a Too Much Power? convenient position for Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you’re referring to is... -
Page 17: Observing
Terrestrial Observing Note: Viewing conditions vary widely models are excellent high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescopes. LX200-ACF from night-to-night and site-to- Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth’s surface through heat site. Turbulence in the air, waves. These heat waves often cause degradation of image quality. Lower power even on an apparently clear eyepieces, like the Series 4000 26mm Super Plössl eyepiece, magnify these heat... -
Page 18: Focusing The Eyepiece With The Microfocuser
Bring the object into focus (see below). Focusing the Eyepiece Using the Microfocuser (16" Model) zero image-shift microfocuser (Pg. 7 Fig. 1, 24) allows you to obtain the L X 2 0 0 - A C F most precise image focus possible during visual, photographic, and CCD applications, maintaining precise and “jiggle-free”... -
Page 19: 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 20 Just press the Scroll Down key and AutoStar will find another star to align upon. LX200-ACF TIPS Which One’s the Alignment Star? If AutoStar II has chosen an alignment star with which you are unfamiliar, how...
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Page 21: Observe A Star Using Automatic Tracking
The telescope now slews to the second alignment star. AutoStar displays “Center Brightest Star: Press ENTER” displays. Use the Arrow keys to center the alignment Tip: star in the eyepiece. When the second alignment star is centered, press “ENTER”. The GO TO key also “Alignment successful”... -
Page 22: Finding True North
Guided Tour. See CREATE , page 59. YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR LX200-ACF 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. -
Page 23: Basic Autostar Ii Operation
BASIC AUTOSTAR II OPERATION Fig. 13: The AutoStar II Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select Item menu of AutoStar II. It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 14) . 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 24: Navigating Autostar Ii
Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display. Press the Help (?) key to access on-line help. LX200-ACF 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 25: Autostar Ii Menus
AUTOSTAR II’s MENUS - 25 -... -
Page 26: Object 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 GoTo SATURN page 21, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE , page 21. -
Page 27: Event Menu
Date menu? The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The See the LX200-ACF TIPS Event database includes: box page 24. Sunrise, Sun Transit, and Sunset: Calculate the time of Sun rise, Sun transit, or Sun set on the current date. -
Page 28: 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 29: Setup Menu
Date menu? the past or future. For example : Set the Date menu for a day three months in the future. See the LX200-ACF TIPS Then check the “Select Item: Event” menu for the Sunset time on that date. See EVENT box, page 24. - Page 30 (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 telescope—you can prevent it from striking the telescope base. 90 (straight up) is the maximum value that can be entered.
- Page 31 Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys for controlling 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 controlling the telescope’s motion ( i.e.
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Page 32: "Hot Button" Menus
Software: Sends only the basic AutoStar II software. This is useful if one user Note: has downloaded a new version of AutoStar II software from the Meade website The Download function (www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends. requires the optional L X 2 0 0 All: Everything—user-defined information and AutoStar II software—is sent to... -
Page 33: Advanced Autostar Ii Features
A D VANCED AUTOSTAR II FEAT U R E S Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic operations 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 34: Creating User Objects
11. Press MODE. “Site: Edit” displays. 12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to “Site: Select”. The site you have just edited displays. 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 35: Observing Satellites, Landmarks
Observing Satellites In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass. 1. Navigate to the “Object: Satellite” menu option and press ENTER. 2. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites. 3. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER. 4. -
Page 36: Identify
as 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 37: 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 38: Alternate Alt/Az Alignment Methods
LX200-ACF TIPS Mirror, Mirror... The LX200-ACF telescopes provide features that allow you to control the primary optical mirror and focus functions for more precise viewing capability. One control feature is the primary mirror lock (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 9). The primary mirror lock prevents the primary mirror from moving during long photographic exposures and locks in the focus. -
Page 39: Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment
Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar II provides a library of bright stars and two stars from this library are chosen by the observer for alignment. In this procedure, AutoStar II does not automatically find home, level, or North. -
Page 40: Periodic Error Correction
Periodic Error Correction (PEC Training) 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 41: Photography
The image appears with a slight darkening (vignetting) at the corners of the 35mm frame (Fig. 20 ). Imaging through a long lens such as the requires special technique for LX200-ACF Fig. 19: with #62 LX200-ACF good results, and the photographer should probably expect to take many shots in T-Adapter: (1) camera adapter, (2) T- acquiring this technique. - Page 42 Fig. 21: The Lunar Planetary Imager. The AutoStar Suite with Meade LPI™ (Lunar Planetary Imager) or Meade Deep Sky Imager™ turns your Meade LX200-ACF telescope, AutoStar and PC into even more powerful and easy-to-use astronomical instrument. LPI (Fig. 21) and Deep Sky Imager (Fig. 22) combine the power of an electronic astronomical imager with the simplicity of a web cam.
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Page 43: Star Charts
Deep Sky Imager. through PC speaker. • Includes a cable to connect your LX200-ACF model to your PC. See the CD Rom that is included with AutoStar Suite for more information and instruction manual. Fig. 24: Image of M51 captured with the Deep Sky Imager. -
Page 44: Optional Accessories
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LX200-ACF telescope models. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. - Page 45 - truly to a microscopic level - during visual and astrophotographic applications, and, during CCD applications, simultaneously maintain precise image centration on even the smallest CCD chips. Optional equipment on 8", 10", 12" and 14" LX200-ACF Fig. 27: #140 2x Barlow Lens.
- Page 46 Meade website (www.meade.com). 07584 Universal Power Adapter with Cable (all models except 16" LX200-ACF): 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 47: Maintenance, Collimation
MAINTENANCE telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of LX200-ACF rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your will rarely, if ever, require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include LX200-ACF Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: A little dust on the front surface of the telescope’s correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and... - Page 48 The only adjustments possible, or necessary, on the Advanced Coma-Free It is recommended that Telescopes models are from the three screws ( Fig. 33b ) located at the LX200-ACF you begin collimating by edge of the outer surface of the secondary mirror housing. first tightening the Caution: Do not force the three collimation screws past their normal travel collimation screws.
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Page 49: Contacting Customer Support
If factory service is required, you will be assigned a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number prior to return. LX200-ACF TIPS What is Smart Drive? Smart Drive is a feature that allows you to train almost all of the periodic error from the R.A. -
Page 50: Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS 8" f/10 LX200-ACF Specifications Optical design ..........Advanced Coma-Free Clear aperture..........203mm (8") Focal length ..........2000mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ....f/10 Resolving power ..........0.56 arc sec Coatings ............Meade Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) Mounting ............Cast-aluminum, double-tine forks Gears ............5.75"-dia. worm gears, both axes Periodic Error Correction ......Both axes... - Page 51 12" f/10 LX200-ACF Specifications Optical design ..........Advanced Coma-Free Clear aperture..........305mm (12") Focal length ..........3048mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ....f/10 Resolving power ..........0.375 arc sec Coatings ............Meade Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) Mounting ............Cast-aluminum, double-tine forks Gears ............5.75"-dia. worm gears, both axes Periodic Error Correction ......Both axes...
- Page 52 16" f/10 LX200-ACF Specifications Optical design ..........Advanced Coma-Free Clear aperture..........406.4mm (16") Focal length ..........4064mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ....f/10 Resolving power ..........0.28 arc sec Coatings ............Meade Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) Mounting ............Heavy-duty double-tine forks Gears ............11"-dia. worm gears, both axes Periodic Error Correction ......Both axes...
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Page 53: Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment
Setting circles included with the models permit the location of faint LX200-ACF celestial objects not easily found by direct visual observation. The R.A. circle (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 11 and Fig. 38) is located on the top surface of the telescope’s drive base. The Declination circle (Fig. - Page 54 Attachment of the wedge to the tripod by means of only one manual knob. Quick azimuth adjustment by loosening the manual knob. Bubble level for rapid tripod/wedge leveling. Etched latitude scale for fast adjustment of the latitude angle. Fig. 39b: The Ultrawedge is available for larger LX200-ACF models. - 54 -...
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Page 55: Lining Up With The Celestial Pole
This tracking may be accomplished automatically with the electric motor drive. LX200-ACF If the telescope is reasonably well aligned with the pole, very little use of the telescope’s Declination slow motion control is necessary. Virtually all of the required telescope tracking will be in Right Ascension. -
Page 56: Precise Polar Alignment
Even though the telescopes offers a very precise and sophisticated drive LX200-ACF system, the fewer tracking corrections required during the course of a long-exposure photograph, the better. (“Long-exposure” means any photograph of a celestial object Fig. - Page 57 The rest of the procedure is almost identical to the (Alt/Az) TWO STAR ALT/AZ , page 39. ALIGNMENT LX200-ACF TIPS Surf the Web One of the most exciting resources for astronomy is the internet. The internet is full of websites with new images, discoveries, and the latest astronomical information.
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Page 58: 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 53), 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 59: Appendix C: How To Create Your Own Guided Tour
APPENDIX C: CREATE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR Creating your own Guided Tour can be an extremely useful tool. You can preprogram a script of objects you wish to view and study on any given night. You can also create a viewing script for students or for a friend. - Page 60 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 61 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 62 “They contain 50,000 to 100,000 stars and are located on the fringes of our “galaxy”.” 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”...
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Page 63: Appendix D: Training The Drive
Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this Note: exercise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy. LX200-ACF TIPS Further Study... This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. -
Page 64: 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 65: Appendix F: 16" Lx200-Acf Features
APPENDIX F: 16" LX200-ACF FEATURES Figure 45: 16" Computer Control Panel. LX200-ACF 16" LX200-ACF Unique Features The 16" contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in LX200-ACF Caution: this manual) as all other telescope models. The following features are... - Page 66 (these rubber plugs are included with your hardware package). The 16" should never be commercially shipped without the red LX200-ACF bolts in place. This is essential during commercial transport, where rough handling may occur. Your transport and storage of the telescope never requires these bolts.
- Page 67 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 position, so that one spreader bar arm is located between each adjacent pair of tripod legs.
- Page 68 OTA back so that the shoulder bolts lock into the slots. Fig. 55: Tighten the fork arm assembly using the provided hex key. LX200-ACF TIPS Observing Considerations • Try to pick an observing site away from street and house lights and car headlights.
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Page 69: Appendix G: 14" Lx200-Acf Features
APPENDIX G: 14" LX200-ACF FEATURES 14" LX200-ACF Unique Features The 14" contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in LX200-ACF this manual) as all other telescope models. LX200-ACF The following features are unique to the 14" model:... -
Page 70: Appendix H: De-Rotator And Microfocuser Assembly
DE-ROTATOR AND MICROFOCUSER ASSEMBLY For LX200-ACF Telescopes Equiped with a Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser When using a de-rotator, it is important to attach the microfocuser so that it is backed off slightly from the de-rotator. If the microfocuser is flush against the de-rotator, the assembly will not work properly. -
Page 71: Appendix I: Smart Mount
Smart Mount Introduction Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200-ACF 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 72 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 73: Appendix J: Previous Tripod Model Setup
APPENDIX J: Previous Model Standard Tripod Setup Remove the field tripod from the shipping carton. Stand the tripod vertically with the tripod feet Remove the spreader bar (see above figure) from down and with the tripod still fully collapsed. the shipping carton. Slide the spreader bar onto Grasp two of the tripod legs and, with the full the threaded rod and position the rod back weight of the tripod on the third leg, gently pull the... -
Page 74: Basic Astronomy
In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your , turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains. LX200-ACF What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind thinks about the universe. - Page 75 The major division in Saturn’s rings, called the Cassini Division, is occasionally visible through the . Titan, the largest of Saturn’s moons can also be seen as a LX200-ACF bright, star-like object near the planet. Deep-Sky Objects Star charts can be used to locate constellations, individual stars and deep-sky objects.
- Page 76 MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments 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.