Meade LX200-ACF Instruction Manual Download Page 6

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Tighten, to a firm feel only, the R.A. and Dec. locks.

Remove the dust cover from the end of the 
telescope tube.

Sight along the side of the telescope’s main tube to locate
an object. Rotate the mirror lock knob (

Fig. 1, 9

) towards

the “Unlock” position, until it feels loose—the telescope is
shipped with the mirror locked. Use the telescope’s coarse
focus knob (

Fig. 1, 6

) to bring the object into focus. 

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“Press 0 to Align or Mode for Menu” displays.

You can  use the Arrow keys to slew (move) the
telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the
t e l e s c o p e ’s  slew  speed,  press  the  Speed  key  and  then
the Number keys. “9” is the fastest speed and “1” is the
slowest speed. See page 18 for more details. Or you
can 

Press “0”  to begin Automatic Alignment.

See page

19 for more information. 

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Press the Power Switch on the computer

control panel to the ON position.

The copyright

message lights on AutoStar II’s LCD display.

Slew Speeds:

Speed 9: Fast

.

.

Speed 5: Medium

.

.

Speed 1: Slow

Arrow 
Keys

Number
Keys

R.A.

Lock

Dec.
Lock

Display

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Attach the Microfocuser (Optional Accessory –

standard on 16" model only):

Remove the dust cap from

the rear cell port (

A

) of the telescope (Note: Telescope not

shown for clarity). Thread the microfocuser adapter (

B

)

into the rear cell port thread. Slide the microfocuser (

C

)

over the microfocuser adapter and tighten the three hex
screws on the microfocuser (

K

) using the provided 

hex keys.

1.25" Diagonal Prism Users: 

If using the 1.25" diagonal

prism (

G

), slide the 1.25" adapter (

D

) into the microfocuser.

Line up the thumbscrew into the groove in the
microfocuser (

I

, also see 

Fig. 4a and 4b, page 14

). Slide

the 1.25" diagonal prism into the adapter (

D

). Tighten the

adapter thumbscrew (

H

) to a firm feel only. Tighten the

microfocuser thumbscrews (

I

) to a firm feel only.

2.0" Diagonal Mirror Users:

If using the 2.0" diagonal

mirror, slide the mirror directly into the microfocuser (

C

).

Tighten the microfocuser thumbscrews (

I

) to a firm feel

only.

Speed 
Key

OR

- 6 -

4.1

Summary of Contents for 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: ...rreversible 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 Do not point the telescope at or near the Sun Do not lo...

Page 3: ...dix D Training the Drive 63 Appendix E The Moon Menu 64 Appendix F 16 LX200 ACF Features 65 Appendix G 14 LX200 ACF Features 69 Appendix H De rotator and Microfocuser Assembly 70 Appendix I Smart Moun...

Page 4: ...ent Nuts and Spring not visible How to Attach the Tripod to the Telescope Assembly After removing the field tripod from its shipping carton stand the tripod vertically with the tripod feet down and wi...

Page 5: ...and slide the 3 inner tripod leg sections out to the desired height Retighten the 3 lock lever to a firm feel Fig F To collapse the tripod after removing the telescope rotate the spreader bar 60 from...

Page 6: ...on AutoStar II s LCD display Slew Speeds Speed 9 Fast Speed 5 Medium Speed 1 Slow Arrow Keys Number Keys R A Lock Dec Lock Display Attach the Microfocuser Optional Accessory standard on 16 model only...

Page 7: ...utoStar II Hand Controller See page 10 not shown on left fork arm Fig 1 The LX200 ACF Telescope Computer Control Panel inset AutoStar II Handbox inset B c d f e g h i j 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 not...

Page 8: ...ise to focus on nearby objects H Fork Arms This heavy duty mount holds the optical tube securely in place I Battery Compartments Insert four user supplied C cell batteries into each compartment one co...

Page 9: ...cal axis Turning the Dec lock clockwise to a firm feel only prevents the telescope from being moved manually but engages the vertical motor drive for AutoStar II operation 1 Dust Cover Gently pry the...

Page 10: ...L ACCESSORIES page 44 Some of the major features of the AutoStar II system are Automatically move the telescope to any of the more than 145 000 objects stored in the object library including Library N...

Page 11: ...move the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected object While the telescope is slewing the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO Pressing GO TO again res...

Page 12: ...d into the HBX port Pg 7 Fig 1 13F of the computer control panel of the telescope and the other end into the AutoStar II coil cord port See 9 above 1 Utility Light Use this built in red light to illum...

Page 13: ...certain that the power switch on the computer control panel Fig 1 13A is in the OFF position Plug the coil cord of the AutoStar II handbox into the HBX port Fig 1 13F Note The AutoStar II handbox and...

Page 14: ...pped with the mirror locked 7 Remove dust cover Remove the dust cover Fig 1 18 from the optical tube assembly Fig 1 19 by gently prying it off 8 Attach the handbox holder Remove the handbox holder fro...

Page 15: ...out optional eyepieces for the your telescope see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES page 44 The power or magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the...

Page 16: ...s 3 through 5 Note Seeing conditions vary widely from night to night and site to site Turbulence in the air even on an apparently clear night can distort images If an image appears fuzzy and ill defin...

Page 17: ...it feels loose 6 Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses try to view something more challenging like a bird or a distant moving train You can also observe stars and objects in the...

Page 18: ...he desired speed Or press one of the following Number keys after pressing the Focus key to change the speed Key Speed Key Speed 1 or 2 Fine 6 or 7 Medium 3 4 or 5 Slow 8 or 9 Fastest 8 Use the Arrow k...

Page 19: ...ig 2 5 to enter characters and digits The Arrow keys are also used to move the telescope Use the Number keys to enter digits Automatic Alignment Auto Align Feature AutoStar II offers four methods of a...

Page 20: ...alignment star will be the brightest star in that area of the sky and hence brightest star When the alignment star is entered press ENTER Note If you press the key while Ctr Brightest Star displays th...

Page 21: ...he eyepiece AutoStar II then automatically moves the telescope so that it tracks Saturn or whatever other object you may have chosen i e Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece Using the Guided Tour T...

Page 22: ...el and solid it must have a minimum of three legs AutoStar II makes gravitational measurements to make a precise determination of true level Finding True North Locating True North is one of the most i...

Page 23: ...ne option at a time When the desired option is displayed on the second line press the ENTER key to choose that option and move down one menu level Press the MODE key to leave a level e g the wrong men...

Page 24: ...cess the Reticle menu Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options or lists Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display Press the Help key to access on line help Tip Wh...

Page 25: ...AUTOSTAR II s MENUS 25...

Page 26: ...sing the AutoStar II hot keys Caldwell key 2 Messier catalog 3 Solar System 5 IC 8 and NGC 9 To slew the telescope to catalog objects Enter the catalog number of the object using the Number keys and t...

Page 27: ...e Perseids the Leonids etc Also lists the dates of the showers and when they reach maximum Note Meteors are fast moving objects that cover large areas of the sky and are usually best observed with the...

Page 28: ...AutoStar II beeps Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm Eyepiece Calc Calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope to which AutoStar II is connected Field of View Scroll through...

Page 29: ...that date See EVENT MENU page 27 Time Changes the time entered into AutoStar II Setting the correct time is critical for AutoStar II to properly calculate locations and events Time may be set to AM P...

Page 30: ...ring a number from 0 to 199 This sets the backlash in the way the Arrow keys move the telescope along an axis If you enter a value near 199 telescope responds more quickly as you hold down an Arrow ke...

Page 31: ...displays Use this option when you move to a different geographic location Add Allows you to add new observing sites to the database Scroll through the list of Countries States Press ENTER when the sit...

Page 32: ...nge the speed see chart to the left Use the Up or Down Arrow keys to achieve fine focus of the object See page 18 for more information Reticle Control Menu Press Number key 7 to select this menu direc...

Page 33: ...the site is added to your observing sites list Choosing a site already on the list as opposed to using the Custom feature makes it easier to edit as the Time Zone value may not need to be changed 2 S...

Page 34: ...ly described to find this option Press ENTER 3 Object Solar System displays Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until Object User Object displays and press ENTER 4 User Object Select displays Press the Sc...

Page 35: ...tellite 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...

Page 36: ...to slew the telescope to the landmark 4 Press MODE to exit To perform a Landmark Survey This procedure allows you to perform a tour of the objects entered in the Object Landmark menu option note that...

Page 37: ...rs displays Press ENTER 3 Edit Parameters Largest mins displays Mins stands for arc minutes Press ENTER 4 Largest mins and a value displays Using the Number keys enter a size in arc minutes AutoStar I...

Page 38: ...edure again Keep pressing MODE until Align Easy displays and repeat the procedure Mirror Mirror The LX200 ACF telescopes provide features that allow you to control the primary optical mirror and focus...

Page 39: ...he home position 3 To Set the Home Position Manually a See Figs 19 and 20 Loosen the telescope s Dec lock Pg 7 Fig 1 17 Set the optical tube to 0 on the Dec setting circle Fig 1 20 b Tighten the Dec l...

Page 40: ...overwrites any previous PEC data 1 Select Train from the Dec PEC menu in the Setup Telescope menu and press ENTER 2 Look through the reticle Use the Arrow keys to keep the star centered in the reticl...

Page 41: ...wedge and One Star polar alignment is recommended See APPENDIX A pages 53 through 57 Caution With the 62 T Adapter and a camera body mounted to the LX200 ACF photo port the telescope can only be rota...

Page 42: ...f using manual focus set to infinity Otherwise using the camera s autofocus is OK Experiment with your camera s exposure brightness and or contrast settings Keep notes for future reference Clean eyepi...

Page 43: ...synthesized speech 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 23...

Page 44: ...83 0 81 40 1 67 50 1 34 40mm 2 O D 67 1 00 32 2 09 40 1 67 Ultra Wide Angle Eyepieces 8 elements 1 25 O D except as noted 4 7mm 568 0 15 272 0 31 340 0 25 6 7mm 399 0 21 191 0 44 239 0 35 8 8mm 1 25...

Page 45: ...d The variable Tele Extender threads onto the telescope s eyepiece holder into which is inserted an eyepiece of typically about 26mm focal length the 35mm camera body couples to the tele extender by m...

Page 46: ...r images throughout the field The effect is that even during the longest CCD or photographic exposures the telescope acts as if it were precisely equatorially mounted 1222 Field De rotator For use wit...

Page 47: ...r simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in the warm indoor air so that the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended f If your LX200 ACF is not to be used for an extended period perhaps for on...

Page 48: ...just c Using the AutoStar II s Arrow keys at the slowest slew speed move the defocused image to the edge of the eyepiece field of view Fig 33a 2 in the same direction as the darker shadow is offset in...

Page 49: ...l object through the telescope s eyepiece with the telescope aligned and with the motor drive on If the object remains stationary in the field of view your telescope is operating properly If not check...

Page 50: ...eceiver True level electronic sensor Net telescope weight 46 lbs Net tripod weight 20 lbs 10 f 10 LX200 ACF Specifications Optical design Advanced Coma Free Clear aperture 254mm 10 Focal length 2500mm...

Page 51: ...Pl ssl 16 channel GPS receiver True level electronic sensor Net telescope weight 73 lbs Net tripod weight 50 lbs 14 f 10 LX200 ACF Specifications Optical design Advanced Coma Free Clear aperture 356m...

Page 52: ...viewfinder 2 diagonal prism with 1 25 adapter Series 5000 26mm 5 element Pl ssl 4 speed zero image shift microfocuser 16 channel GPS receiver True level electronic sensor Net telescope weight 318 lbs...

Page 53: ...ion 18hr and its Declination 33 Right Ascension R A This celestial version of longitude is measured in units of hours hr minutes min and seconds sec on a 24 hour clock similar to how Earth s time zone...

Page 54: ...ld now be in the telescopic field of a low power eyepiece If you do not immediately see the object you are seeking try searching the adjacent sky area Keep in mind that with the 26mm eyepiece the fiel...

Page 55: ...n One Star and press ENTER AutoStar II now prompts you to set the telescope in the polar home position a Using the bubble level of the wedge adjust the tripod legs so that the bubble is level b Set th...

Page 56: ...ocedure particularly if the pole star is not visible sometimes better known as the Drift method 1 Obtain a rough polar alignment as described earlier Place the illuminated reticle eyepiece or eyepiece...

Page 57: ...to select any of AutoStar II s three polar alignment options you must first select Polar in the Mount option of the Setup Telescope menu Surf the Web One of the most exciting resources for astronomy i...

Page 58: ...rk New York 41 N Oklahoma City Oklahoma 35 N Ottawa Ontario 45 N Philadelphia Pennsylvania 40 N Phoenix Arizona 33 N Portland Oregon 46 N Salt Lake City Utah 41 N San Antonio Texas 29 N San Diego Cali...

Page 59: ...tering the object s R A and Dec coordinates The tour is presented in one of two modes Automatic Mode The title of an object appears on first line and descriptive text scrolls on line 2 Interactive Mod...

Page 60: ...description USER ra dec title string description string This command line allows you to access a specific object with your own description Enter USER then the R A and Dec of a desired object and its t...

Page 61: ...s visible this option is skipped and the tour proceeds on to the next object DEEP SKY name Enter DEEP SKY followed by the name of the desired object in quotes For example DEEP SKY Small Magellanic Clo...

Page 62: ...utomatically slews to in a tour The students would have to manually slew to the last two objects He would then place AUTO SLEW ON before his first required object and AUTO SLEW OFF after the fourth ob...

Page 63: ...r An Einstein lens 5 What are stars made of Why are stars different colors How is the elemental composition of a star determined What is an Lyman Alpha forest 6 What is the difference between a Type 1...

Page 64: ...TO The telescope slews to the Moon 5 With Moon Overview on AutoStar II s display use the Scroll keys to browse through the menus options Five categories of features are available Landing Sites Craters...

Page 65: ...e filter by removing the four bolts holding the grill The fan also has a filter but this filter keeps dust out of the OTA while the fan is off it should not need replacing The AUX Power option in the...

Page 66: ...e super giant field tripod in the altazimuth altitude azimuth or vertical horizontal format The telescope also can be mounted on a permanent pier in the equatorial format which is set for the latitude...

Page 67: ...he fork base Remove the plate Note the DB 15 plug under the fork base d Connect the DB 15 plug to the DB 15 connector underneath the plate Tighten the two thumbscrews onto the connector to a firm feel...

Page 68: ...s before observing Give your eyes a rest from observing every ten or fifteen minutes to relieve eyestrain Try not to use a standard flashlight Experienced observers use red LED flashlights the red uti...

Page 69: ...e is a red slot head bolt used only for safety reasons in shipment Remove this bolt before attempting to turn the focus knob In its place insert the rubber plug provided as a dust protector this rubbe...

Page 70: ...ator and microfocuser to the telescope 1 With the de rotator on a flat surface thread on the adapter ring Fig 8 B until it just touches the housing then back off the adapter ring i e turn it counter c...

Page 71: ...ining Smart Mount Once training has been completed you will save your model AutoStar II allows you to save several models under different names This allows you to for example save one model for a heav...

Page 72: ...further refine the pointing of your telescope Save your model after running in update mode otherwise the update will be lost when the telescope is powered off On Load a model from memory see SAVE AS A...

Page 73: ...extendible tripod leg sections Tighten the locks to a firm feel only do not overtighten C Clip Threaded Rod 4 Remove the spreader bar see above figure from the shipping carton Slide the spreader bar...

Page 74: ...ssary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions of common astronomical terms Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in AutoStar II Se...

Page 75: ...a house The major division in Saturn s rings called the Cassini Division is occasionally visible through the LX200 ACF Titan the largest of Saturn s moons can also be seen as a bright star like objec...

Page 76: ...thorization RGA number must be obtained from Meade by writing or calling 800 626 3233 Each returned part or product must include a written statement detailing the nature of the claimed defect as well...

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