Meade LX200GPS-SMT manual

1 Meade Instruments 8", 10", 12", 14", 16" LX200GPS-SMT Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes, & 7" LX200GPS-SMT Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope with Autostar II Hand Controller TECHNICAL MANUAL FOR TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY AND OPERATING PROCEDURES Copyright Meade Instruments, 2003 All Rights Reserved / 73 Pages Provided on line a[...]

Instruction Manual 8", 10", 12", 14", 16" LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain T elescopes 7" LX200GPS Maksuto v-Cassegrain T elescope with A utostar II Hand Contr oller Meade Instruments Corporation[...]

In the Schmidt-Cassegrain design of the Meade 8", 10", 12", 14", and 16" LX200GPS models, light enters from the right, passes through a thin lens with 2-sided aspheric correction (“correcting plate”), proceeds to a spherical primary mirror , and then to a convex secondary mirror . The convex secondary mirror multiplies [...]

Quick-Start Guide .......................................................... 4 T elescope Features ...................................................... 6 Autostar II Features ........................................................ 9 Getting Started ..............................................................12 Parts Listing ...................[...]

4 QUICK-ST ART GUIDE It is recommended that you attach the supplied tripod to the LX200GPS for observing. Perform the telescope and Autostar II setup indoors in the light so that you become familiar with the parts and operation before moving the tele- scope outside into the dark for observing. The setup is the same for the standard field tripod and[...]

5 1 1. T ighten, to a firm feel only , the R.A. and Dec. locks. Remove the dust cover from the end of the telescope tube. Place the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece ( F ) into the diagonal prism ( G ) and tighten the attachment thumbscrew ( E ) to a firm feel only . Sight along the side of the telescope’s main tube to locate an object. Rotate the mirr[...]

TELESCOPE FEA TURES Autostar II Hand Controller . See page 9. (not shown, on left fork arm) 6 Fig. 1 : The LX200GPS T elescope; Computer Control P anel (inset); A utostar 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$ 2# (not shown) 2%[...]

LX200GPS: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE The Meade LX200GPS models are extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes. With pushbutton controls, precision GPS alignment, zero image-shift microfocusing, true-level and North electronic sensors, automatic tracking of celestial objects, peri- odic error correction for both axes, and a library of[...]

8 B. 12vDC Po wer Connector : Provides a connection so that the telescope assembly may be powered from a standard 1 15v AC home outlet using the optional #547 Power Adapter with Cable o r the optional 12v DC #607 Cigarette Lighter Adapter . See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES , page 43. C. Focus Port : Plug the microfocuser into this port. Control the microfo[...]

9 Fig. 2: The Autostar II Handbo x. T our the Cosmos with J ust the Push of a Button Control of the LX200GPS telescope models is through the operation of the standard Autostar II system. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar II’s buttons. Because the Autostar II system uses flash (rewritable) me[...]

10 The Autostar II system provides control of virtually every telescope function. The Autostar II handbox has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with red LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for easy view- ing in the dark. The backlit display , key arrangement, and sequential menu structure make Au[...]

11 5 SS : Press to display the Solar System library . 6 ST AR: Press to display the Star library . 7 RET (Reticle): Press to display the Reticle Control menu. 8 IC : Press to display the Index Catalog library . 9 NGC (New General Catalog): Press to display the NGC catalog library . 0 LIGHT : Press to turn on and off the red utility light on the top[...]

12 P ar ts Listing Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the packing box, note carefully the following parts: ■ LX200GPS T elescope with fork mount system ■ Autostar II handbox and interface coil cord; handbox holder ■ Microfocuser assembly ■ 8 x 50mm viewfinder assembly ■ Eyepi[...]

13 Notes Concerning the T ripod: If the tripod does not seem to extend or collapse easily , do not force the tripod legs in or out. By follo wing the instructions above , the tripod will func- tion properly , but if you are unclear on the proper procedure , f orcing the tri- pod into an incorrect position ma y damage the extension strut system. Do [...]

14 5. Attach Diagonal (or accessories) 1.25" Diagonal Prism Users: If using the 1.25" diagonal prism ( G, Fig. 6 ), slide the 1.25" adapter ( D , Fig. 6 ) into the microfocuser . Line up the thumbscrew into the groove in the microfocuser ( Fig. 7a and 7b ). T ighten the microfocuser thumbscrews ( I, Fig. 6 ) to a firm feel only . Sli[...]

15 Fig. 11: Viewfinder Assemb ly . Collimation Screws Mounting Slot Viewfinder Eyepiece T rack Fig. 12: Viewfinder collimation scre ws and ey epiece. Fig. 13a & 13b: Jupiter; examples of the right amount of magnification and too much magnification. Thumb- screws The power , or magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of th[...]

16 OBSERVING Observing by Mo ving the T elescope Manually If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. 1. Loosen the telescope’s R.A. lock ( 12, Fig. 1 ) and Dec. lock ( 17, Fig. 1 ). 2. Move your telescope to observe distant stre[...]

17 9. Bring the object into focus (see below). Focusing the Eyepiece Using the Micr ofocuser The LX200GPS zero image-shift microfocuser ( 24, Fig. 1 ) allows you to obtain the most precise image focus possible during visual, photographic, and CCD applications, main- taining precise and "jiggle-free" image centering on even the smallest CC[...]

18 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. The best time to view the Moon is during its cresce[...]

19 5. A message 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. 6. "Automatic Alignment" displays. Press ENTER. The system now performs the fol- lowing routines (press any Autostar II key to abort Automatic Alignment; se[...]

20 When the procedure is performed correctly , "Alignment Successful" displays. If Autostar II does not display this message, perform this procedure again. Note: Alignment stars ma y change from night to night. All that is required is f or the obser v er to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when prompted. Observe a Star using the [...]

5. Press MODE to return to the T our 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 T our menu. Other Guided T ours are available, such as "How Far is Far" and "A Star's Life." If you have [...]

It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop ( Fig. 16 ). This means that pressing the Scroll Down key ( 7, Fig. 2 ) cycles down through all the available options within a given category , then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key ( 7, Fig. 2 ) cycles up through the options in the opposite order . Note that this ca[...]

23 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 loca- tion. Autostar II then displays the results of the calculation. 7. Press MOD[...]

24 Sunrise Sun T ransit Sunset Moonrise Moon T ransit Moonset Moon Phases Next Full Moon Next Ne w Moon Next 1st Qtr Next 3rd Qtr Meteor Showers Quadrantids Lyr id s Etc. Solar Eclipses Lunar Eclipses Min. of Algol Autumn Equino x V ernal Equinox Winter Solstice Summer Solstice T our Objects A... Accretion Disk Etc. B... C... Etc. Timer Set Star t [...]

25 Object Menu Almost all observing with Autostar II is performed using the Object menu category . ( Note: Exceptions include Guided T our and Landmark Sur v ey . ) See GO TO SA TURN , page 20, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE GUIDED T OUR , page 20. Autostar II contains many libraries of viewable objects, such [...]

26 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 k eys to mov e the telescope during the Identify procedure. Do not loosen the te[...]

27 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 hyper te xt w ord is any word in [ brackets ], usually found when using the Autostar II Help func[...]

28 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 acti- vate the Sleep function. Autostar II goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key , except ENTER, to re-activate Autostar II and the telescope. P ark Scop[...]

29 (Note that it does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a camera or other peripheral attached to the tele- scope — you can prevent it from striking the telescope base. 90 (straight up) is the maximum value that can be entered. ■ Mount Lower Limit: Allows you enter a number from 0 to 90 [...]

30 ■ Rever se L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys for con- trolling the telescope's motion ( i.e. , the Right key moves the telescope to the left ). ■ Rever se U/D: Reverses the functions of the Up and Down Arrow keys for con- trolling the telescope's motion ( i.e. , the Up key moves the telescope down ). ■ [...]

31 ■ Software: Sends 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-defined information and Autostar II software — is sent to another Autostar II. Downloa[...]

32 ADV ANCED AUTOST AR II FEA TURES Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic oper- ations of Autostar II described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of Autostar II and understand how to scroll to a desired menu or menu option, and how to enter numbers and[...]

33 1 1. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays. 12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited dis- plays. Press ENTER to select the site. Creating User Objects In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the Autostar II libraries. Y ou will enter [...]

34 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 "T ra[...]

35 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[...]

36 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[...]

37 Alternate Alt/Az Alignments If you would rather set up your telescope without using automatic alignment, Autostar II offers alternative alignment methods for both alt/az and equatorial mounting. During the One-Star and T wo-Star alt/az alignment procedures, you will (unlike the Automatic and Easy alignment procedures) manually place the telescop[...]

38 3. Set Home P osition . Place the telescope in the home position. T o Set the Home Position Manuall y: a. See Figs. 19 and 20, page 37. Loosen the telescope ’ s Dec. lock ( 17, Fig. 1 ). Set the optical tube to 0 ° on the Dec. setting circle ( Fig. 20 ). b. T ighten the Dec. lock ( 17, Fig. 1 ) to a firm feel only . c. Level the tripod base. [...]

39 P eriodic Error Correction If you wish to perform high-precision astrophotography , you may wish to "train" your telescope in order to keep objects that you are imaging dead center in the telescope's mirror during the photographic exposure. Periodic error correction (PEC) helps to remove the slight perturbations from center that o[...]

40 Y ou may perform through-the-telescope photography with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens. Y ou may connect a camera to a #62 T -Adapter which is then con- nected to the microfocuser assembly . See Fig. 21 . Using this method, the telescope effectively becomes the lens of the camera. The #62 T -Adapter ( 1, Fig. 21 ) connects to the mic[...]

41 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LX200GPS telescope models. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the qual- ity of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. Meade Series 4000 Eyepieces: Fig. 23: Se[...]

42 Series 4000 8 - 24mm Zoom Eyepiece: The internal zoom optics of this eyepiece move on smooth, precisely machined surfaces which maintain optical collimation at all zoom settings. A scale graduated in 1mm units indicates the zoom focal length in operation. An excellent addition to any eyepiece set. #140 2x Barlow Lens: A 3-element design, doubles[...]

43 Fig. 28: Illuminated Reticle Eyepiece. Fig. 29: #62 T -Adapter . Piggybac k Brac kets: Piggyback photography is one of the most popular and easiest ways to get started in astrophotography . Attach your 35mm camera, with its own 35mm-to-250mm lens, atop your LX200GPS in equatorial mode, and guiding the cam- era through the main telescope, wide-fi[...]

44 MAINTENANCE LX200GPS telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your LX200GPS will rarely , if ever , require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: a. Avoid cleaning the telescope ’ s optics: A little dust on the fron[...]

With the star or hot spot centered, de-focus the image. Y ou will notice that the out of focus star image looks like a ring of light surrounding a dark central spot; the dark cen- tral spot is in fact the shadow of the secondary mirror . T urn the focus knob until the ring of light fills about 10% of the eyepiece field-diameter . If the dark centra[...]

46 i. As a final check of alignment, examine the star image in focus with the higher power eyepiece as suggested (j), under good viewing conditions. The star point should appear as a small central dot (commonly referred to as an “ Airy disc ” ) with a diffraction ring surrounding it. T o give a final precision collimation, make extremely slight[...]

47 7" f/15 LX200GPS Specifications Optical design ..............................................Maksutov-Cassegrain Clear aperture ..............................................178mm (7") Focal length ................................................2670mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ................f/15 Resolving power ..............[...]

48 10" f/10 LX200GPS Specifications Optical design ..............................................Schmidt-Cassegrain Clear aperture ..............................................254mm (10") Focal length ................................................2500mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ................f/10 Resolving power .............[...]

49 Alignment .................................................... Altazimuth Pointing Precision ......................................2 arc-minutes in GO TO mode Slew Speeds ................................................1x sidereal to 8 ° /sec in 9 increments Power ..........................................................8 C-cell (user-supplied[...]

50 Equatorial Alignment In equatorial (or "polar") Alignment, the telescope is oriented so that the horizontal and vertical axes of the telescope are lined up with the celestial coordinate system. In order to equatorial align your telescope, it is essential to have an understanding of how and where to locate celestial objects as they move[...]

51 Using setting circles requires a developed technique. When using the circles for the first time, try hopping from one bright star (the calibration star) to another bright star of known coordinates. Practice moving the telescope from one easy-to-find object to another . In this way , the precision required for accurate object location becomes evi[...]

52 Lining Up with the Celestial P ole Objects in the sky appear to revolve around the celestial pole. (Actually , celestial objects are essentially “ fixed. ” Their apparent motion is caused by the Earth ’ s rota- tion). During any 24 hour period, stars make one complete revolution about the pole, making concentric circles with the pole at th[...]

53 ting circle and slightly loosen the two bolts located under the knob. Now turn the cir- cle unit until it reads 89.2 ° , the Declination of Polaris. Then tighten down the two bolts and replace the knurled knob. Should you wish to use the manual setting circles, the R.A. setting circle ( Fig. 36 ) must be calibrated manually on the Right Ascensi[...]

54 A utostar II Polar Alignment Autostar II provides three different (manual) methods for polar alignment: Easy , One- Star and T wo-Star . Easy P olar Alignment T wo alignment stars are chosen by Autostar II based on the date, time, and location. First, choose "Polar" from the "Setup: T elescope: Mount" menu. The rest of the pr[...]

55 APPENDIX B: LA TITUDE CHART Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the W orld T o aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 52), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below . T o determin e the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern h[...]

56 APPENDIX C: CREA TE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR Creating your own Guided T our can be an extremely useful tool. Y ou can preprogram a script of objects you wish to view and study on any given night. Y ou can also create a viewing script for students or for a friend. More commands will be added from time-to-time to the list below . Periodically visit Me[...]

57 TITLE TEXT USER NGC IC SAO MESSIER CALDWELL PLANET MOON SA TELLITE ASTEROID COMET LUNAR ECLIPSE METEOR SHOWER DEEP SKY CONSTELLA TION ST AR 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 wit[...]

58 PLANET "name" Enter PLANET and then the name of the desired planet in quotes. Autostar II provides the user with a description of the selected planet from its database. F or example: PLANET "Pluto" MOON This command accesses information about the Moon from the Autostar II database. SA TELLITE "name" Enter SA TELLITE[...]

59 PICK ONE AUTO SELECT MESSIER 13 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 15 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 92 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 4 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 68 AUTO SELECT NGC 1234 AUTO SELECT TEXT "None Available" "I'm sorry . There are no bright globular" "clusters visible at this time." PICK END AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF With AUTO SLEW ON en[...]

60 T rain the telescope motors using Autostar II. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 41 depicts the complete Drive T raining procedure. Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this e x er- cise once e very 3 to 6 months to maintain the highe[...]

61 APPENDIX E: THE MOON MENU The Moon option of the Object menu allows you to observe the moon in a way never possible before. Y ou 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. While you won't be[...]

62 APPENDIX F: 16" LX200GPS FEA TURES Figure 43: 16" LX200GPS Computer Control Panel. 16" LX200GPS Unique Features The 16" LX200GPS contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in this manual) as all other LX200GPS telescope models. The following features are unique to the 16" model. Control P anel Featur[...]

63 Caution: Ne xt to the focus assemb ly are two red slot-head bolts, used only f or safety reasons in shipment. Remov e these bolts before attempt- ing to turn the focus knob . In its place, inser t the rubber plugs provided as a dust protector (these rubber plugs are included with your hardw are package). The 16” LX200GPS should ne ver be comme[...]

64 T o collapse the tripod (after removing the telescope) for storage, follo w these steps: a. Loosen the tension knob and rotate the spreader bar 60 ° from its assembled posi- tion, so that one spreader bar arm is located between each adjacent pair of tripod legs. b. Move the spreader bar to the top of the threaded rod. T ighten the tension knob,[...]

65 c. Lock the OT A in place using the four 3/8 ” -16x3/4 ” bolts. Thread up the four bolts into the bottom of the Dec. castings, two on each side. Using the supplied hex key , tighten to a firm feel only ( Fig. 53 ). Attaching the P ower and Data Cords Several power and data cords are supplied with the 16 ” LX200GPS . These should all be att[...]

66 APPENDIX G: 14" LX200GPS FEA TURES 14" LX200GPS Unique Features The 14" LX200GPS contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in this manual) as all other LX200GPS telescope models. The following features are unique to the 14" model: Battery Compar tment The battery compartments for the 14" LX200GPS ar[...]

67 APPENDIX H: DE-ROT A TER AND MICROFOCUSER ASSEMBL Y When using a de-rotater , it is important to attach the microfocuser so that it is backed off slightly from the de-rotater . If the microfocuser is flush against the de-rotater , the assembly will not work properly . This is true also with other accessories that may attach up flush against the [...]

68 APPENDIX I: Smart Mount Introduction Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200GPS telescope's "Go to" system. Despite careful efforts to calibrate and align telescopes, they may fail to precisely center objects. Smart Mount allows your telescope to learn about, and then correct for , any systematic pointing errors, [...]

69 Permanently Mounted Scopes For permanently mounted telescopes, it is not necessary to have more than one model unless the weight and balance of auxiliary equipment introduces balance or flexure changes that significantly affect pointing. The best practice is to train the Smart Mount and then run a couple of sessions with Update enabled. Thereaft[...]

70 In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your LX200GPS , turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains. What he saw , and what he realized about what he saw , has forever changed the way mankind thinks about the universe. Imagine what it must have been like being the first huma[...]

71 Planets Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. T o locate the plan- ets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and T elescope or Astronomy . Y ou can also consult Autostar II for information about planets. Scroll to the "Object: Solar System" menu and scroll through the lis[...]

14-7200-01 10/03 F AD V ANCED PRODUCTS DIVISION Meade Instruments Corporation World’ s Leading Manufacturer of Astronomical T elescopes for the Serious Amateur 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618 ■ (949) 451-1450 F AX: (949) 451-1460 ■ www .meade.com © 2003 MEADE LIMITED W ARRANTY Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope ac[...]