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• Meade Lx200 Gps Telescope Manual
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• Meade Lx200 Gps Telescope

May 27, 2015  LX200 Classic repair help (Ron Sampson) - posted in Meade Computerized Telescopes: Hello:I am neck deep in a repair of my LX 200 classic. I have been GREATLY assisted by Ron Sampson up to this point. However, it has been a couple weeks and he has not responded to my latest update and request for next steps (or if its time to punt a hire a professional).Does anyone know where Ron may be? In the Schmidt-Cassegrain design of the Meade 8', 10' and 12' 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. Download Meade LX200-GPS Instruction Manual to your computer. Download free PDF user manuals for Meade LX200-GPS. Meade Instruments: A world leader in the manufacturing of Telescopes, Solar Telescopes, Microscopes, Optics, Binoculars, for amateur astronomers and hobbyists. Click to Download LX200-GPS Manual (Size: 1.5 MB). Curtis on LX200 Classic Manual (Size: 1.2 MB) Meade's DSI-IV Astrophotography Camera. DEEP SKY IMAGER (DSI) IV. Optical cleaning and alignment, Celestron, MEADE, Refractor, Reflectors Maks, and SCT. PLEASE READ WARRANTY INFO BELOW! NEW. Meade LX200 Classic and GPS Parts Please note ONLY LIMITED Classic hand controllers OR Motors or are available. We specialize in the component level repair of Meade LX 200 Series Electronics. Read and download Meade Telescope LX200-GPS Instruction Manual online. Download free Meade user manuals, owners manuals, instructions, warranties and installation guides, etc. Important Note:If you are anxious to use your Meade LX200 Telescope for the first time, at the very least be sure to read TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY (page 7), and QUICK START (page9) sections of this manual. Thereafter, we urge you to read the balance of this manual thoroughly at your leisure, in order that you may fully enjoy the many features offered.

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  04.08.20152.3 Mb4User Manual 2.pdf

Note: If you wish to try out other Guided Tours, press the Scroll Down key to scroll through other tour choices. When the tour you wish to select displays, press ENTER.

4.“Tonight’s Best: Searching..” displays. After calculating, “Tonight’s Best: Jupiter” displays.

Note: Different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night.

Press ENTER to display information about the object. Press GO TO to move the telescope to the object.

5.Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll keys to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe.

6.Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to leave the Guided Tour menu.

Other Guided Tours are available, such as 'How Far is Far' and 'A Star's Life.' If you have programming skills, you may wish to create a custom Guided Tour. See CREATE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR, page 56.

The 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. The system provides highly accurate, worldwide positioning and navigation information for any number of applications.

GPS receivers on the Earth acquire signals from three to twelve satellites to determine the precise latitude, longitude, and time of the receiver. (Accuracy of the receiver's position may be within 10 to 15 feet.) As Autostar II uses latitude, longitude, and time information to calculate the positions of celestial objects, GPS is an ideal tool for aligning your LX200GPS telescope.

Detecting True Level

To detect level of the base of the telescope, Autostar II must calculate the tip and tilt of the telescope at three compass points and then compensate for it. Finding level involves the geometric calculations of a 'plane.' In order to define a plane, three positions are necessary. This is not unlike building a table: For a table to stand level 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 important ingredients in the alignment of a telescope. True North is the axis—thepole—whichthe Earth spins about and is a key reference for the motion of the Earth.

As you look at the night sky, the stars seem to move; in fact, if you watched long enough or took a long time-exposurephotograph, you'd realize that the stars seem to revolve around onepoint—thepole or True North. When Autostar II knows where True North is and also knows the time, it can calculate the location of all the other objects in the sky.

One traditional way to find True North is to locate the North Star, Polaris, which lies very close to True North. Another way to calculate True North is to use gyroscopes or accelerometers.

The LX200GPS determines True North by using a magnetic North sensor. The sensor locates magnetic North. Magnetic North is not True North, but a measurement of the magnetic lines of the Earth. Magnetic North may deviate several degrees from True North. But Autostar II, using the observation site location determined by the GPS and magnetic North information, can calculate the position of True North.

Some areas are subject to magnetic disturbances, and the magnetic field of the Earth changes slightly from year to year. Autostar II allows you to adjust for discrepancies in the local magnetic field using the 'Calibrate Sensors' option in the Telescope menu. See page 29 for more information.

Object

Event

Guided Tours

Glossary

Utilities

Setup

Fig. 16: Menus set in a loop.

Setup

Align

Date

Time

Daylight Saving Telescope Targets

etc.

Fig. 17: Menu options display on the second line. Use the Scroll keys to move up or down through the list of options. Press ENTER to select the desired option.

BASIC AUTOSTAR II

Fig. 15: The Autostar II Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select Item menu of

Autostar II.

to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 16). This means the Scroll Down key (7, Fig. 2) cycles down through all the available within a given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key (7, up through the options in the opposite order. Note that this capability is a to get to an option that is near the bottom of the list. The following example

this capability.

to the “Select Item: Setup” menu option when the “Select Item: Object” menu is displayed:

1.Press the Scroll Down key five times or the Scroll Up key once.

The screen in Fig. 17 displays two lines of information. The top line shows the current menu level. The second line displays an option which may be selected within that menu level. Some options are choices that select the next menu level down. The Scroll keys move up and down within the list of available options, showing one 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 menu option is chosen.

Important Note: No matter how many levels into Autostar II are traveled, each press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level, 'Select Item,' is reached. Once in the Select Item level, press MODE to return to the topmost level, 'Select Item: Object.'

Autostar II Navigation Exercise

To demonstrate how the Autostar II menu structure works, the following exercise calculates Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned.

To Calculate Sunset time:

1.Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed.

2.Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item” menu.

3.Press the ENTER key to choose the 'Event' option and move down a level. 'Event: Sunrise' is displayed.

Tip:

When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the current option is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing arrow (>).

4.Press the Scroll Down key once to display the 'Sunset' option in the Event menu.

5.Press the ENTER key to choose the 'Sunset' option and move down another level.

6.Autostar II calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time, and location. Autostar II then displays the results of the calculation.

7.Press MODE once to start moving back up through the Autostar II levels. The first level up is the Event menu.

8.Press MODE again to move up another level. This is the top level, 'Select Item.'

9.Press MODE again to return to the starting point of 'Select Item: Object.'

Navigating Autostar II

Autostar II's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation:

menu levels.

level.

mode, and then press Number keys

menu.

menu.

through the options or lists.

the

■Press the Help (?) key to access on-linehelp.

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; with it you can look far into the future or learn about past events. Autostar II can calculate the date and times of future events and, except for eclipses, past events as well (based on the current calendar system). E.g., a Sunrise on March 6, 2043 A.D. or the Vernal Equinox in 1776 A.D. To use this feature, enter the desired date in the Setup menu or select an option in the Event menu.

Autostar II, using the Event menu, can calculate dates and times for Sunrises, Sunsets, Moonrises, Moonsets, Moonphases, Solar and Lunar Eclipses (for the next 100 years), meteor showers, equinoxes and solstices, and the minimums of Algol.

One very practical use of the Event menu is to check the Sunset option to determine when you can begin your astronomical observing session.

Select Item:

Object

Solar System

Mercury

Etc.

Moon

Asteroids

Comets

Constellations

Andromeda

Etc.

Deep Sky

Named Object

Galaxies

Nebulae

Planetary Neb.

Etc.

Star

Named

SAO Catalog

Etc.

Satellite

Select

Add

Delete

Edit

User Objects

Select

Add

Delete

Edit

Landmarks

Select

Add

Delete

Identify

Browse

Start Search

Edit Parameters

Select Item:

Event

Sunrise

Sunset Moonrise Moonset Moon Phases

Next Full Moon Next New Moon Next 1st Qtr Next 3rd Qtr

Meteor Showers Quadrantids Lyrids

Etc.

Solar Eclipses

Lunar Eclipses Min. of Algol Autumn Equinox Vernal Equinox Winter Solstice Summer Solstice

Moon

Overview

Landing Sites

Apollo 11

Etc.

Craters

Abbot

Etc.

Mountains

Mons Bradley

Etc.

Mare, Lakes

Lacus Aestatis

Etc.

Valley, Rills

Rima Agatharchid

Etc.

Select Item:

Setup

Align

Automatic

Easy

One Star

Two Star

Date

Time

Daylight Saving

Telescope

Model

Focal Length

Az/Alt Ratio

Mount

Max Slew Rate

Mount Upper Limit

Mount Lower Limit

Train Drive

Calibrate Sensors

Tracking Rate

Guiding Rate

Reverse L/R

Reverse Up/Dn

Home Sensors

R.A. PEC

Dec. PEC

High Precision

Targets

Astronomical

Terrestrial

Site

Select

Add

Delete

Edit

Owner Info

Clone

Download

Statistics

Reset

Figure 18: The Complete Autostar II Menu Tree Structure.

Want to learn more about

Observing Satellites? See page 34.

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 GUIDED TOUR, page 20.

Autostar II contains many libraries of viewable objects, such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae and so forth. When one of these objects is selected from a library, Autostar II moves your telescope (if properly aligned) and points it at the selected object. Six of the most popular libraries can be accessed directly using the hot buttons.

The Object Menu options include:

Solar System: A library of the eight planets (Earth is not included) in order out from the Sun, followed by the Moon, asteroids, and comets.

Constellation: A library of all 88 Northern and Southern Hemisphere constellations. When this menu option is chosen and a constellation name appears on the first line of the screen, press GO TO once to change the second line to the name of the brightest star in the constellation. Press GO TO a second time to slew the telescope to that star. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of stars in the constellation, from brightest to dimmest.

Deep Sky: A library of objects outside our Solar System such as nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and quasars.

Star: A catalog of stars listed in different categories such as named, double, variable, or nearby. Also included are the Hipparcos, SAO, HD, and HR catalogs. The Star catalog may also be accessed directly by pressing the Number key '6.'

Satellite: A library ofEarth-orbitingobjects such as the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, and geosynchronous orbit satellites.

Other Catalogs are accessed directly using 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 then press ENTER. For example: To slew to NGC 6720, press Number Key '9,' then using the Number keys, enter the digits'6-7-2-0.'Then press ENTER.

Autostar II displays the common name and alternate names of the object, if available. Press one of the Scroll keys to display some or all of the following information about that object: Type of object (galaxy, nebula, etc.), Dec. and R.A. coordinates, constellation it is located within, magnitude, size, distance, and star-typeclassification, if the object is a star. If further information is available, it displays as scrolling text.

Press GO TO. The telescope, if aligned (see AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 18), will slew to that chosen object. Press MODE repeatedly to return to previous menu levels.

User Objects: Allows the user to define and store in memorydeep-skyobjects of specific interest that are not currently in the Autostar II libraries. SeeCREATING USER

information.

location of terrestrial points of interest in the permanent function works with a telescope that remains in one fixed

spot or can be setup in the exact same spot each time it is used.

■Select: To select a Landmark already in the database (seeADD below), choose the 'Select' option and scroll through the list. Press ENTER to select a Landmark, then press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

■Add: To add a Landmark, choose the 'Add' option. Enter a name for the Landmark. Locate and center the Landmark in the eyepiece, then press ENTER.

Important Note: To add objects to the Landmark database, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the original objects were added to the database.

Want to learn more about using the Browse menu?

Want to learn more about using the Date menu? See the LX200GPS TIPSbox page 23.

WARNING! Never use your Meade®

LX200GPS

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. Do not point the telescope or its viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

Identify: An exciting feature for an observer who wants to scan the night sky and start exploring. After the telescope has been properly aligned, use the Autostar II Arrow keys to move about in the sky. Then follow this procedure:

Important Note: Only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope during the Identify procedure. Do not loosen the telescope locks or move the base or alignment is lost.

1.When a desired object is visible in the eyepiece, keep pressing MODE until the “Select Item: Object” menu is displayed. Press ENTER to select this menu.

2.Scroll through the Object menu options until the “Object: Identify” screen appears.

3.Press ENTER. Autostar II searches the libraries for the identity of the object being observed.

4.If the telescope is not directly on an Autostar II library object, the nearest library object is located and displayed on the screen. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to that object.

Browse: Allows you to search the library for objects with certain parameters, much like a search engine. 'Edit Parameters' lets you set various parameters for the search, such as: Object Type, Minimum Elevation, Largest,etc. Once you have set the parameters of the search, select 'Start Search' and press ENTER. Autostar II will display the results of the search.

Event Menu

The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The Event database includes:

Sunrise andSunset: Calculate the time that the Sun rises or sets on the current date and location. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup: Date” menu.

Moonrise andMoonset: Calculate the time that the Moon rises or sets on the current date. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup:

date and time of the next Full, New, 1st Quarter, and 3rd

information on upcoming meteor showers, such as the Also lists the dates of the showers and when they reach

moving objects that cover large areas of the sky and with the naked eye.

Solar Eclipses, including the date and type (total,

. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display the availuse a telescope to look at the Sun! See WARNING! to the

Lunar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, par-

Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display the available

Displays the minimum brightness of the dramatic eclipsing is relatively close at a distance of 100 light years. Every 2.8 days during a 10-hourperiod, Algol undergoes a major change in apparent mag-

nitude as one of the two stars passes behind the other. The combined magnitude of the two stars thus dips from +2.1 to a minimum of +3.4 halfway through the eclipse as the second star is hidden. Autostar II calculates minimum magnitude time at mideclipse.

Autumn andVernal Equinox: Calculate the time and date of the fall or spring equinox of the current year.

Winter andSummer Solstice: Calculate the time and date of the winter or summer solstice of the current year.

Tip:

The Contrast Adjustment feature is usually only required in very cold weather.

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. Press ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen and Autostar II goes to the glossary entry for that word.

To access directly from within the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry and then press ENTER to read the description.

Utilities Menu

The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features within Autostar II, including a countdown timer and an alarm. The Utilities functions include:

Timer: Selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astrophotography and tracking satellites. To use the Timer, press ENTER, then choose “Set” or “Start/Stop.'

■Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER.

■Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer. When the timer runs out, four beeps sound and the timer is deactivated.

Alarm: Selects a time for an alarm signal to sound as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then choose 'Set' or 'Start/Stop.'

■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 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 a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the field of view is calculated.

■Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the magnification is calculated.

■Suggest: Autostar II calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the telescope and the object being viewed.

Sun Warning: Enables or disables Autostar II’s Sun warning display.

Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER.

Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER.

■Panel Light: Allows you to turn off LED panel light.

■Aux Port Power: Allows you turn off and on the 12vDC OUT power port.

Landmark Survey: Automatically slews the telescope to alluser-definedlandmarks a slew is the list. the object

to stop the survey. Press ENTER to restart the survey at the first object on the list.

Sleep Scope: A power saving option that shuts down Autostar II and the telescope without forgetting its alignment. With 'Sleep Scope' selected, press ENTER to activate the Sleep function. Autostar II goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key, except ENTER, tore-activateAutostar II and the telescope.

Want to learn more about using the Date menu? See the LX200GPS TIPSbox page 23.

Park Scope: Designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. The next time it is powered up, pressing ENTER causes the telescope to move to its predetermined Park position. Once parked, the screen prompts to turn off power.

Important Note: When the 'Park Scope' option is chosen and the display prompts you to turn off the telescope's power, Autostar II is unable to be returned to operation without turning the power off and then back on.

Setup Menu

The Setup menu’s primary function is used for manual telescope alignment (see MANUAL ALT/AZ ALIGNMENTS, pages 37 and 38). However, there are numerous other features available within the Setup menu, including:

Date: Changes the date used by Autostar II. This function is useful to check events in Set the Date menu for a day three months in the Event' menu for the Sunset time on that date.

into Autostar II. Setting the correct time is critical for locations and events. Time may be set to 'AM,' 'PM,' or 24-hourmode (military time). To select the24-hourmode, press ENTER when the

the 'blank' option displays (i.e., neither 'AM' nor 'PM' is displayed).

Daylight Saving: Enables or disables the Daylight Savings time setting.

Important Note: If you use Automatic Alignment, you must turn this setting on or off on the two days a year when Daylight Saving changes. See

TIMING IS EVERYTHING below.

Note: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by different names in various areas of the world. Check local time to verify.

Telescope: Accesses the several options, including:

■Model: Allows you to select the telescope model connected to Autostar II.

■Focal Length: Displays the focal length of the selected telescope.

■Az Ratio and Alt Ratio: The Az (Azimuth) ratio and Alt (Altitude) ratio refers to the gears of the telescope's motors. Do not alter these numbers.

■Mount: Set this option to 'Alt/Az' if using alt/az alignment and to 'Polar' if using polar alignment. 'Alt/Az' is the default value.

■Max Slew Rate: Sets the upper limit for the slew rate. 8 degrees per second is the fastest setting.

■Mount Upper Limit: Allows you enter a percentage that sets an upper limit as to how far the optical tube can swing upward during a programmed slew. (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.

LX200GPS TIPS

Timing is Everything

Your telescope receives the precise time when it synchs with the GPS. Precise time is very critical in aligning your telescope so that it can accurately locate celestial objects.

Autostar II receives time data in the Universal Time format. However, if you wish to display the correct time in your local time zone, use the Daylight Saving menu (see above) to turn the Daylight Saving option on or off. Keep in mind that the telescope is receiving the correct time whether or not you set this option to display your local time.

Do you want to learn how to perform the periodic error correction procedure?

See PERIODIC ERROR CORRECTION, page 39.

■Mount Lower Limit: Allows you enter a percentage that sets a lower limit as to how far the optical tube can swing downward during a programmed slew. (Note that it does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a large optical tube (12' model) or have a dewshield attached to the telescope— you can prevent it from striking the telescope base.-90%(straight down) is the maximum value that can be entered.

■Train Drive: All telescopes have a certain amount of 'backlash' (looseness in the interplay of gears). This menu allows you to compensate for the backlash in the the Altitude and Azimuth motors— which helps locate objects with more precision.

If you are experiencing any problems with pointing accuracy, follow the procedure described in APPENDIX D: TRAINING THE DRIVE, page 59, to insure accurate pointing and tracking. Also seeCALIBRATE SENSORS, below.

■Calibrate Sensors: This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing accuracy to alignment stars. It calibrates to correct slight mechanical misalignment due to transport, vibration, or aging. It is recommended that calibration be performed once on a new telescope after the user initially assembles it.

When this menu is selected, the telescope slews to Polaris. Autostar II then prompts you to center Polaris and to press ENTER. Autostar II uses the position of Polaris to fine tune the position of North and also detects level for the base of the telescope.

■Tracking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky.

a.Sidereal: The default setting for Autostar II; sidereal rate is the standard rate at which stars move from East to West across the sky due to the rotation of the Earth.

b.Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observing sessions.

c.Custom: Allows entry ofuser-definedtracking rates.

■Guiding Rate: Allows you to change the base slew speed, 1x. Enter a percentage of the speed (either more or less than 100%) and press ENTER. This function may be useful in guiding the telescope during CCD andlong-exposurephotography. SeeSLEW SPEEDS, page 17, for more information.

■Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys for controlling the telescope's motioni(.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 motioni(.e., the Up key moves the telescope down).

■Home Sensors: Turns off or on the True North and True Level sensors, if preferred, for Easy,One-Star,andTwo-Staralignment. User must then manually level the telescope and point the telescope to True North during alignment. Default setting is 'On.'

■Dec. PEC: Allows you to perform periodic error correction on the Dec. drive worm gear. Must be performed with ahigh-powerreticle (eg., 9mm).

■R.A. PEC: Allows you to perform periodic error correction on the R.A. drive worm gear. Must be performed with ahigh-powerreticle (eg., 9mm).

Site provides access to several options including:

■Select: Displays the currently selected observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through all available sites (seeADD below). Press ENTER when the site

Want to learn more about adding and editing sites?

Table 1: Time Zone Shift. Calculations are for standard time.

you wish to select displays. Use this option when you move to a different geographic location.

■Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database (up to six sites may be stored). Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to add displays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner.

However, when the GPS signal is received, the site is normally selected automatically and the site list is updated automatically. Use of this option is not necessary and is included for the convenience of those users who may wish to enter a site manually. You may edit the name of a site using the Edit option (see below).

■Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database.

■Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, England use“-”hours, East of Greenwich use “+” hours. For the United States, look up the time zone shift inTable 1.

Note: Autostar II compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See

SETUP MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, page 28.

Owner Info: Accesses the owner information menu, including:

■Name: Users may enter both their first and last names using the Up and Down Arrow keys to cycle through the alphabet. Use the Right and Left Arrow keys to move through the text. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.

■Address: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter your street address, city, state, and zip code. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.

Clone: Uploads information from one Autostar II handbox to another. Three options are available:

■Catalogs: Sends onlyuser-definedobject information, such as new satellite orbits or comet data to another Autostar II handbox.

■Software: Sends only the basic Autostar II software. This is useful if one user has

the Meade website to friends.

software— is sent to

another Autostar II. ” appears.

such as new satellite

■Software: Receives only the basic Autostar II software. This is useful if one user has downloaded a new version of Autostar II software from the Meade website (www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends.

■All: Everything—user-definedinformation and Autostar II software— is received by another Autostar II handbox.

Statistics: Provides basic statistical data about Autostar II, including:

■Characters Free: Displays how much room is available inuser-definedobject memory.

■Version: Displays the current version of the Autostar II software.

■Serial Number: Displays the unit's serial number.

Reset: Completely resets Autostar II. Most values entered into the menus revert to factory defaults. Autostar II requires initialization again after a Reset before proceeding with observations. SeeAUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 18.

Focus Speeds:

'Hot Button' Menus

Two menus, six object libraries and two functions can be accessed directly using the Number keys (commonly referred to as 'hot buttons'). The two functions, the Speed mode and the Utility light are described earlier in the manual.

select this menu directly from to cycle through the four focus

desired speed. Or press a Number (see chart to the left). Use the object. See page 17 for more

Reticle Control Menu: Press Number key '7' to select this menu directly from Autostar II's keypad. 'Reticle Control: Set Intensity' displays. Press ENTER. The Intensity menu allows you to change the intensity of the Reticle Eyepiece Illuminator. Use the Scroll keys to change the value. As you change the value, look through the reticle to note how the Intensity changes.

Note: You may continue to change the values using the Scroll keys (and thus changing the intensity) until you press ENTER again. This allows you to experiment with the intensity level until you decide which intensity level works best for you. This feature operates in the same manner in the Rate and Duty Cycle menus.

When you have finished adjusting the intensity, press ENTER. Press Number key '7' again and the Rate menu displays. Press ENTER again. Use the Scroll keys to change the value of the the rate at which the Reticle Eyepiece blinks. As you change the value, look through the reticle to note how the Blink Rate changes.

When you have finished adjusting the rate, press ENTER. Next, Press Number key '7' again and the Duty Cycle menu displays. Press ENTER again. The Duty Cycle menu controls how long the Reticle Eyepiece Illuminator is on during a blink cycle. Use the Scroll keys to change the value. As you change the value, look through the reticle to note how the Duty Cycle changes. When you have decided on a Duty Cycle value, press ENTER.

To exit the Reticle menu, press MODE once.

Object Catalogs: See page 25 for more information.

LX200GPS TIPS

Mirror, Mirror..

The LX200GPS 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 (9, Fig. 1). The primary mirror lock helps eliminate mirror flop. Mirror flop can sometimes occur when the optical tube slews to opposite sides of the sky and the primary mirror shifts out of position, causing the loss of focus and pointing precision. To prevent mirror flop: Rotate the primary mirror lock knob toward the 'lock' position and adjust the tension to a firm feel.

Another control feature is the zero-shiftmicrofocuser (24, Fig. 1). The microfocuser allows for'jiggle-free'focusing. It also allows you to achieve focus without causing a viewed object to move out of position in the eyepiece.

Some tips to help you make the most out of your microfocuser (see FOCUSING THE EYEPIECE USING THE MICROFOCUSER, page 17, for more detailed instructions):

1.Set the 'travel' (extension) of the drawtube of the microfocuser to about halfway.

2.Rotate the mirror lock knob towards the 'unlock' position, until it feels loose.

3.Use the coarse focus control (6, Fig. 1) to achieve a rough focus of a bright star.

4.Rotate the mirror lock knob towards the 'lock' position and adjust the tension to a firm feel; this action serves to lock in the coarse focus. But make sure that you don't adjust or bump the coarse focus knob once you have tightened tension on the mirror. If you do, reset the coarse focus as described above.

5.Press the Autostar II Focus key and then use the Up and Down keys to control the microfocuser. If desired, you may change the focus speed.

6.You may need to repeat this procedure when you change eyepieces.

Important Note:

Autostar II only prompts you to enter the Site information the first time you initialize the system. The next time you turn on the system, Autostar II skips the Site information prompts and proceeds to initialize the Smart Drive. You need not enter Site information again unless you use the Reset function.

The Site information is stored in the Site menu. If you move the telescope outside of a 5 miles area of your initial observing location, Autostar II automatically determines your location when it gets a GPS Fix, and adds the new location to the Site menu.

ADVANCED AUTOSTAR II FEATURES

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. It also assumes that you have initialized and aligned your telescope.

you can store your telescope

Delete, Edit) of

. You will then

.

country/state

wish to add dissites using this procedure).

through the

In this procedure, you will enter a location that is not available in the Autostar II database by editing data of a nearby site. You will edit the location's name, latitude, longitude, and the time zone shift. You will then select the site to enable it.

You will need to know the latitude and longitude of your location to perform this procedure.

1.Using the Add option, choose a site on the list that is closest to your observing site and press ENTER so that 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.Scroll to 'Site: Edit' and press ENTER. 'Edit: Name' displays. Press ENTER.

3.The name of the site you have just entered to your list displays; if it does not, scroll to the site.

4.Using the Arrow keys, change the name of the site so that it now reads the name of your observing location. Press ENTER. 'Edit: Name' displays again.

5.Press the Scroll Down key and 'Edit: Latitude' displays. Press ENTER.

6.Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. 'Edit: Latitude' displays again.

7.Press the Scroll Down key and 'Edit: Longitude' displays. Press ENTER.

8.Using the Number Keys, enter the longitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. 'Edit: Longitude' displays again.

9.Press the Scroll Down key and 'Edit: Time Zone' displays. Press ENTER. (If the site you chose from the list in step 1 has the same Time Zone as the site you are editing, just press ENTER again to go on to the next step.) 'Time Zone' refers to the Greenwich Time Zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, use '-'hours (one hour per time zone) and users East of Greenwich use '+' hours. For the United States, look up the shift inTABLE 1, page 30.

10.After entering the shift, press ENTER. 'Edit Time Zone' displays.

Tip:

Using Autostar II to find objects not in the libraries:

If you do not wish to navigate through the menus, a more direct way to enter coordinates is to press and hold MODE for two seconds or more. R.A. and Dec. coordinates display. Press GO TO.

'Object Position' and a set of coordinates displays. Enter the R.A. and Dec. coordinates of any celestial object using Number keys, overwriting the coordinates currently displayed. As soon as the coordinates are entered, Autostar

II slews the telescope to the coordinates. Note that the telescope must be aligned (see page 18).

However, if you wish to store the coordinates of an object in memory, use the method described at the right.

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. You will enter the object's name and R.A. and Dec. coordinates (required information). You may also enter the object's magnitude and size (optional information).

Although Autostar II contains an extensive database of celestial objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of a library. Autostar II provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec. coordinates in the 'User: Objects' option of the Object menu and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to the user-enteredcoordinates.

In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec. coordinates of the object or objects you wish to observe. Check your local library, computer store, or bookstore for astronomy books, CD Roms, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope orAstronomy), to find coordinates of celestial objects. The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent database, called 'User Objects.'

To enter coordinates of an object into the 'User: Objects' option of the Object menu:

telescope has been aligned.

displays. (If necessary, use previously described, to find this

Scroll Up key until 'Object:

key once. 'User Object:

on the second line. Use the of the object you wish to

ENTER.

to enter the digits for the are finished, press ENTER.

keys to enter the digits for the the Scroll Keys to change

object. This step is optional. if so desired, and press enter this information, sim-

the object. This step is also if so desired, and press

displays again.

To GO TO a user-enteredobject:

In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO the object.

1.With 'User Object: Add' displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. 'User Object: Select' displays. Press ENTER.

2.Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER.

3.The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display.

4.Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

Tips:

To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the database.

To add objects to the

Landmark database, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the original objects were added to the database.

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.'Calculating..' and then 'Tracking..' displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass, 'Located' displays.

5.Use the Scroll keys to display data about the pass: aos— acquisition of signal and los— loss of signal. If you subtract the aos from the los, you can calculate how long the satellite will be visible. Location information also displays.

6.'Alarm' displays after the location information. Press ENTER and Autostar II automatically sets the alarm to sound a minute before the satellite's scheduled appearance. You may return to regular observations until the alarm goes off.

7.When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until the desired satellite is on the top line of the display.

8.Press GO TO. Autostar II slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear. The motor drive stops and a countdown is displayed.

NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a building, tree, or hill), press ENTER and Autostar II starts to move the telescope along the expected satellite track. When the track clears the obstruction, press ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue with this procedure.

9.With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through the telescope viewfinder for the satellite to enter the field of view.

10.When the satellite enters the viewfinder field of view, press ENTER. The telescope starts to track with the satellite.

11.Use the Autostar II Arrow keys to center the object in the viewfinder, then look through the eyepiece to view the object.

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. Downloading requires the optionalLX200 Interface Cable. SeeOPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 43.

Note: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low orbit, travelling at approximately 17,500 mph. When visible, they move quickly across the sky and are only in the field of view for a few minutes, requiring Autostar II to slew the telescope rapidly. Best viewing is near Sunrise or Sunset when the sky is still dark. Viewing in the middle of the night can be problematic because a satellite may pass overhead, but not be visible as it is in the Earth's shadow.

those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to 'Astronomical' when you wish to view celestial objects again.

3.Press MODE once. 'Select Item: Setup' displays.

4.Press the Scroll Down key once and 'Select Item: Object' displays. Press ENTER. 'Object: Solar System' displays.

5.Press the Scroll Up key twice and 'Object: Landmarks' displays. Press ENTER. 'Landmark: Select' displays.

6.Press the Scroll Down key once. 'Landmark: Add' displays. Press ENTER.

7.'Landmark Name' displays. Using Arrow keys, enter a name for the landmark you wish to add to the database. When finished, press ENTER.

8.'Center Landmark. Press Enter' displays. Using only the Arrow keys (do not manually move the telescope), move the telescope to the desired landmark and center the object in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. The object is now stored in memory.

9.'Landmark: Add' displays. If you wish to add more landmarks, repeat steps 5 through 8.

To Select a landmark from the database:

18 rows  According to DIN ISO 2768-2. General tolerances for form and position are valid for form. GENERAL TOLERANCES FOR FORM AND POSITION (DIN ISO 2768 T2) STRAIGHTNESS AND FLATNESS Ranges in nominal Tolerance class lengths in mm. H K L up to 10 0.02 0.05 0.1 over 10 up to 30 0.05 0.1 0.2 over 30 up to 100 0.1 0.2 0.4 over 100 up to 300 0.2 0.4 0.8 over 300 up to 1000 0.3 0.6 1.2 over 1000 up to 3000 0.4 0.8 1.6.

1.Make sure the telescope is located and aligned exactly as when the desired landmark was entered into memory.

2.Display the 'Landmark: Select' menu option. Press ENTER.

3.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.

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 the Landmark Survey will function only if you have previously entered objects in the Landmark menu.

1.Navigate to 'Utilities: Landmark Survey' menu and press ENTER.

2.'Landmark Survey: Slewing..' displays. The telescope moves to the first object on the Survey list and displays the name of the object.

3.Press MODE to stop the Survey. Press ENTER to restart the survey at the first object of the survey.

To check on the available amount of memory in Autostar II:

Autostar II has a limited amount of memory. Once you begin to store Landmarks, user objects and other bits of information in Autostar II, you will begin to use up memory. This procedure allows you to check on how much memory is still available.

1.Navigate to the 'Setup: Statistics' menu option and press ENTER.

2.'Statistics: 37.2K Char. Free' displays. This is the amount of memory that is still available to the user.

Identify

This procedure allows you to use Autostar II to identify objects you have found in the night sky using the Arrow keys. If the object is not in Autostar II's database, Autostar II displays information about an object in its database that is closest to the one you queried about.

Important Note: For this function to operate properly, you must first initialize and align Autostar II. If you physically move the telescope after initialization, this function will fail to operate properly.

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.

1.Center the object you wish to have identified in the telescope's eyepiece.

2.Navigate to the 'Object: Identify' option and press ENTER.

3.'Searching..' displays. When Autostar II finishes calculating, the name of the closest object displays.

4.Press a Scroll key to display information about this object. Autostar II displays some or all of the following information about the object with each press of a Scroll key:

Browse

This menu allows you to search the libraries for objects with certain parameters, much like a search engine. 'Edit Parameters' lets you set various parameters for the search, and 'Start Search' activates the search. A typical search might be performed as follows:

1.Select 'Browse' from the Object menu. Press ENTER. 'Browse: Start Search' displays.

2.Press one of the Scroll Keys and 'Browse: Edit Parameters' 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 arcminutes. Autostar II will search for objects up to this size and no larger. Press ENTER.

5.'Edit Parameters: Largest (mins)' displays again. Press the Scroll Down key. 'Edit Parameters: Smallest (mins)' displays. Enter the value for the smallest size of an object that Autostar II will search for in the database. Continue with 'Brightest,' Faintest,' and 'Minimum Elevation,' using the procedure described in steps 3 and 4.

6.After 'Minimum Elevation,' 'Object Type' displays. Press ENTER.' '+Black Hole' displays. If you do not wish to have 'Black Holes' in your search, press ENTER and the '+' changes to a'–.'Press the Scroll Down key to scroll to the next item. '+Diffuse Nebula' displays. Continue to scroll through the list and press ENTER if you wish to change the '+' to a'–'orvice-versa.

7.After you have scrolled to the last item on the 'Object Type' list, press MODE twice and the Scroll Down key once. 'Browse: Start Search' displays. Press ENTER. 'Start Search: Next' displays. Press ENTER. Autostar II searches the database and displays the first object that matches the search parameters you have entered. Use the scroll keys to display information about the object. Press MODE and 'Start Search: Next' displays again. Press ENTER and the next item matching the parameters displays. Repeat this procedure to display all the objects. Press GO TO to slew telescope to a displayed object.

8.Press MODE repeatedly to leave this menu.

Important Note:

If you disable the GPS function and then use the alternate alignments described in this section, you will be prompted to enter the Time, Date, and Daylight Savings status.

North

Fig. 19: Alt/Az Home Position.

Fig. 20: Dec. Setting Circle at 0°.

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-StarandTwo-Staralt/az alignment procedures, you will (unlike the Automatic and Easy alignment procedures) manually place the telescope in the home position.

The procedures for equatorial (polar) alignment are discussed in APPENDIX A, page 50; the three alternative alt/az alignment methods are discussed below.

feel.

telescope. See HOW TO

displays briefly, followed up the system.

4.Autostar II initializes the Smart Drive. A message then displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message, press the key prompted by Autostar II to signify that the message has been read and understood.

5.Autostar attempts a GPS fix.

6.When the GPS signal is received, system initialization is complete and the screen reads 'Align: Automatic.'

You are now ready to align your telescope using one of the three alt/az alignment procedures.

Easy (Two-Star)Alignment

In this method, Autostar II automatically picks two stars from its libraries for alignment. During the procedure, Autostar II slews the telescope to a first alignment star. The user is asked to verify that the telescope is pointed at the chosen star and then prompted to center the star in the eyepiece. The process is repeated with a second star to complete the alignment.

Note: Before performing this procedure, first verify thatINITIALIZE AUTOSTAR II, above, has been performed.

How to perform the Easy Align Procedure

1.Alignment Option Screen. Following initialization, 'Align: Automatic' displays.

2.Select Alignment. Press the Scroll keys until 'Align: Easy' displays. Press ENTER.

3.Home Position. The telescope automatically sets the following positions: home, level, North, and True North.

4 . Star Alignment. Autostar II chooses two stars to align upon. The telescope slews to the first star for alignment. Should the alignment star not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece, it should be easily recognized: It will be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. Repeat the procedure for the second alignment star.

Note: See WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGNMENT STAR, page 19, for some important tips concerning alignments stars and using your viewfinder.

When the procedure is performed correctly, 'Alignment Successful' displays. If Autostar II does not display this message, perform this procedure again. (Keep pressing MODE until 'Align: Easy' displays and repeat the procedure.)

Two-StarAlt/Az Alignment

Two-StarAlignment 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.

1.Alignment Option Screen. 'Align: Automatic' displays.

Note:

Autostar II locates alignment stars based on the date, time, and location entered. The alignment stars may change from night to night. All that is required is for the observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when prompted.

Meade Lx200 Gps 10 Review

Tip:

Try a Spiral Search

The GO TO key also allows you to perform a

'spiral search.' A spiral search is useful when the telescope slews to an object, but that object is not visible in the eyepiece after the telescope finishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO when the slew is finished and the telescope starts slewing in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed around the search area. Look through the eyepiece and when the object does become visible, press MODE to stop the spiral search. Then use the Arrow keys to center the object.

2.Select Alignment. Press the Scroll keys until 'Align: Two Star' displays. Press ENTER.

3.Set Home Position. Place the telescope in the home position.

To Set the Home Position Manually:

a.See Figs. 19 and 20, page 37. Loosen the telescope’s Dec. lock (17, Fig.

setting circle (Fig. 20).

firm feel only.

the computer control panel (13, Fig.

turn the telescope's optical tube hori- ,page 52, for more information.

ENTER.

Autostar II then displays a library of stars for the observer to choose from. Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star on the list that you wish to align upon. Select a star that you can easily locate in the night sky. Press ENTER.

5.Center Star. The telescope slews to the star. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER.

6.Center Star. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star. The telescope is aligned and you are now ready to use Autostar II's GO TO capabilities for a night of observing.

One-StarAlt/Az Alignment

One-StarAlignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. Autostar II provides a library of bright stars.One-StarAlignment is identical toTwo-StarAlt/Az: Alignment (seeTWO-STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, page 37), except only one star from the database is chosen by the observer for alignment.

Periodic Error Correction

If you wish to perform high-precisionastrophotography, 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. To perform this procedure, you need to use ahigh-powerreticle, such as the 9mm reticle (seeOPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42). PEC training is available for both drives.

Train Menu Option

If you perform this procedure in alt/az alignment, you can train the telescope in both the R.A. and the Dec. axes; in polar alignment, you need only train the telescope's R.A. axis. If you train the telescope in polar alignment, make sure that 'Polar' is selected in the 'Telescope: Mount' menu. 'Alt/Az' is the default setting.

To perform the procedure on the R.A. axis, pick a bright star in the South that has minimal movement and is about 30° above the horizon (Note: If in the Southern hemisphere, pick a star in the North that is about 30° above the horizon).

To perform the procedure on the Dec. axis, pick a bright star in the East or West that is about about 20° above the horizon.

Important Note: The Train option overwrites any previous PEC data.

1.Select 'Train' from the Telescope menu and press ENTER.

2.Look through the reticle. Use the Arrow keys to keep the star centered in the reticle cross-hairs.Autostar II displays a count of the 200 positions of the worm gear. When the count reaches 200, one cycle is complete. A full cycle takes about 8 minutes.

3.Press MODE to exit.

Update Menu Option

Use the Update option to further refine your training; it is recommended that you update your original training two or three times when first using your telescope. Update does not overwrite the data, but updates the training using information gathered from both the last and the current training sessions. Unlike the Train option, it continues onto a new cycle after it reaches a count of 200. Press the MODE key to exit from this option.

Erase Menu Option

Select this option to erase all PEC training data.

On and Off Menu Options

Select 'On' when you want the telescope to use the training information. Select 'Off' when you do not want for the telescope to use the training information.

LX200GPS TIPS

Star Charts

Even with the Autostar II's massive 145,000 object library, star charts and planispheres are still useful for a variety of reasons. In particular, they are a great aid in planning a night of celestial viewing.

A wide variety of star charts are available in books, in magazines, on the internet and on CD Roms. Meade offers Epoch 2000sk™ and other star locator software. Contact your Meade dealer or Meade's Customer Service department for more information.

Astronomy andSky and Telescope magazines print star charts each month forup-to-the-minutemaps of the heavens.

The Norton Star Atlas and Reference Handbook by A. Norton and Sky Atlas 2000 by W. Tirion and R. Sinnot are two of the most popular star charts on the market.

2

3

Fig. 21: LX200GPS with #62

Fig. 22: Example of vignetting.

PHOTOGRAPHY

You may perform through-the-telescopephotography with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens. You may connect a camera to a #62T-Adapterwhich is then connected to the microfocuser assembly. SeeFig. 21. Using this method, the telescope effectively becomes the lens of the camera.

by a by

the camera body (3, Fig. 21).

To orient an object in the viewfinder of the 35mm camera body, use a small jeweler’s screwdriver to slightly loosen three adjustment screws around the outer knurled ring of the T-Mount.Rotate the camera body to achieve proper orientation of the object; thenre-tightenthe adjustment screws.

body to the telescope. In this format vignetting occurs: The photographic image appears on film with a slight darkening (vignetting) at the corners of the 35mm frame (Fig. 22).

Photography through a long lens such as the LX200GPS requires special technique for good results, and the photographer should probably expect to waste a roll or two of film in acquiring this technique.Long-lensphotography has its own rewards, however, rewards thatshort-focuslenses cannot duplicate.

A few tips on photography with the LX200GPS telescopes:

1.Use the Field Tripod for the telescope. At an effective focal length of 2000mm, even small external vibrations can easily ruin an otherwise good photo.

For best results in photographing celestial objects, a wedge and One-Starpolar alignment is recommended. SeeAPPENDIX A, pages 50 through 54.

Caution: With the #62T-Adapterand a camera body mounted to theLX200GPS photo port, the telescope can only be rotated vertically about 45°. Moving past this point may damage the telescope and camera.

Meade Lx50 Manual

2.Use a cable-operatedshutter release. Touching the camera body to initiate shutter operation almost certainly introduces undesirable vibrations.

Meade Lx200 Gps 12 Review

3.Focus the image with extreme care. While observing the subject through the camera’s reflex viewfinder, turn the telescope’s focus knob (6, Fig. 1) to achieve the sharpest possible focus. Note that some 35mm cameras may have an optional focusing screen (available from the manufacturer) for use with a long telephoto lens. This screen provides a brighter and clearer image to focus, and is highly recommended.

Meade Lx200 Classic

4.Correct shutter speeds vary widely, depending on lighting conditions and film used. Trial-and-erroris the best way to determine proper shutter speed in any given application.

Meade Lx200 Gps Telescope Manual

Note: The camera used with your telescope may have an exposure meter that is still active when the standard lens is removed and the body is connected to the telescope with theT-Mount.If used for terrestrial photography, the camera meter should be acceptable. If used for astrophotography, the meter probably will not provide good results since camera meters are not made to compensate for a dark sky.

5.Terrestrial photography through the LX200GPS is sensitive to heat waves rising from the Earth’s surface. Long distance photography is best accomplished in the early morning hours before the Earth has had time to build up heat.

Meade Lx200 10 Review

6.Photography of the Moon and planets through the LX200GPS can be especially gratifying, but points 1 through 4 should be particularly noted in this case. If you wish to take photographs using polar alignment, seeAPPENDIX A, page 50.

Meade Lx200 Gps Telescope