Meade ETX-125AT manual

Instruction Manual ETX-90A T Astr o T elescope ETX-105A T Astr o T elescope ETX-125A T Astr o T elescope[...]

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

QUICK-ST ART GUIDE 2 Make sure that the computer control panel power switch ( F ) is in the OFF position. Remove the Autostar ® handbox and the coiled cord from the packing materials. Plug one end of the cord into the HBX port ( G ). T ighten (to a "firm feel" only , do not overtighten) the vertical lock ( I ) and the horizontal lock ( J[...]

5 Keep pressing the ENTER key until "Country/State" appears on the display . (Ignore the prompts requesting "Date" and "T ime" for now – these functions will be explained later). When “Country/States” displays, pre ss eit he r on e o f th e SCROLL KEYS to cycle through the choices on the list. When your state or [...]

TELESCOPE FEA TURES 6 1 2 9 5 11 10 6 (on left fork arm) 16 4 19 13 15 7 3 Features of the ETX-90A T , ETX-105A T , and ETX-125A T are identical, with the exception of the size of optical tube and the type of viewfinder . Fig. 2 (Inset): Computer Control Panel. (A) On/Off switch; (B) Auxiliary por ts; (C) Handbox port; (D) 12v connector; (E) P ower[...]

MEADE ETX: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE The Meade ETX-90A T , ETX-105A T and the ETX-125A T are extremely versatile, high- resolution telescopes. With pushbutton controls, automatic tracking of celestial objects and diffraction-limited imaging, an ETX telescope may be all the telescope ever required by many terrestrial and astronomical obse[...]

8 j Horizontal Lock : Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope. Loosen the horizontal lock counterclockwise to unlock the telescope, enabling it to be freely rotated by hand about the horizontal axis. T ightening the horizontal lock clockwise prevents the telescope from being rotated manually , but engages the horizontal motor drive[...]

9 Fig. 4: The Autostar Handbo x. AUTOST AR FEA TURES 1 2 4 7 9 J 8 3 5 6 L K W ant to lear n more about downloading the latest updates of Autostar software from the Meade website ? See pages 29 and 43. T our the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of ETX T elescopes is through the operation of the standard-equipment #497 Autostar . Nearly[...]

10 B 2-Line LCD Display: This screen displays Autostar's menus and information about the telescope. • T op line: Lists the primary menu. • Bottom line: Displays other menus that may be chosen, menu options, telescope status or information about a function that is being performed. c ENTER Ke y : Press to go to the next menu level or to choo[...]

11 i ? Key : Press to access the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active. Press the ? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details of Autostar functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an on-screen instruction manual. If you[...]

12 GETTING ST ARTED Fig. 5: Batter y installation. Fig. 6: Spread tripod legs. Fig. 7: Slide spreader on rod. 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: • The ETX Astro T elescope with fork mount system. • #497 Autostar h[...]

13 4. Place the 26mm eyepiece ( 12, Fig. 15 ) into the eyepiece holder on the telescope and tighten the attachment thumbscrew ( 13, Fig. 15 ) to a "firm feel" only . Make sure that the flip-mirror control ( 14, Fig. 15 ) is in the “up” position, as shown in the above photo. See page 8, for more information. Remove the dust cover ( 15,[...]

14 Focusing the Viewfinder The ETX model viewfinders are pre-focused at the factory . Individual eye variations may require that the viewfinder be re-focused. T o check the focus, point the viewfinder at a distant terrestrial (land) object such as a telephone pole or light pole and look through the viewfinder . If the viewfinder image is not in sha[...]

15 Fig. 23a & 23b : Jupiter : Examples of the right amount of magnification and too much magnification. Fig. 22 : Meade Super Plössl ey epieces. T oo Much Power? Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you’re referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes, you can! The most common mistake of the beginning observer is to “overpo[...]

16 OBSERVING Observing by Mo ving the T elescope Manuall y 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 horizontal lock ( 9, Fig. 1 ) and vertical lock ( 6, Fig. 1 ). 2. Move your telescope to observe dis[...]

17 Slew Speeds Autostar has nine slew speeds that move the optical tube at rates that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accomplish specific functions. Press the Number key to change the slew speed. The nine available speeds are: Number Key 1 = 1x = 1 x sidereal (0.25 arc-min/sec or 0.004°/sec) Number Key 2 [...]

18 Definition: Initialization is a procedure that makes sure that Autostar oper ates correctly . When you first use Autostar , it doesn't yet know where the observa- tion location site is or the time or date of the observation session. During the alignment procedure, y ou will enter time, date and observing location Autostar Uses this informat[...]

19 Which One’s the Alignment Star? If you’re not familiar with objects in the night sky , how can you be sure if the star in your eyepiece is really the alignment star? The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the brightest star in that area of the sky . If you perform a GO TO to an alignment star and you're not sure if you h[...]

20 Important Note: While performing the automatic tracking procedure, only use the Arrow k eys to mov e the telescope. Once the telescope has been aligned, do not loosen the telescope’ s vertical or horizontal locks ( 6 and 9, Fig. 1 ) or mov e the base manually or alignment will be lost. When the procedure is performed correctly , "Alignmen[...]

21 Using the Guided T our This example demonstrates using “T onight’s Best” Guided T our . 1. After observing Saturn, press MODE twice so that “Select Item: Object” displays again. 2. Press the Scroll Down key twice. “Select Item: Guided T our” displays. 3. Press ENTER. “Guided T our: T onight’s Best” displays. Press ENTER. NO T[...]

AUTOST AR OPERA TION Object Event  Guided T ours Glossary Utilities Setup  22 Date Time Daylight Sa ving T elescope T argets etc. Setup Align  Fig. 26: Menu options displa y on the second line. Use the Scroll keys to mov e up or down through the list of options. Press ENTER to select the desired option. Fig[...]

23 Tip: When multiple choices are av ailable within a menu option, the current option is usually displa yed first and highlighted by a right pointing arrow (>). Look into the Future The 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[...]

24 T onight's Best How F ar is F ar A Star's Life Downloaded T ours User-created T ours Solar System Mercury Etc . Moon Asteroids Comets Constellations Andromeda Etc . Deep Sky Named Object Galaxies Nebulae Messier Etc . Star Named SAO Catalog Double V ar iable Etc. Satellite Select Add Delete Edit User Objects Select Add Delete Edit Land[...]

25 W ant to lear n more about Observing Satellites? See page 32. Use the OBJECT menu to select an object from the database. When your telescope is aligned and you select an object from any of these lists, y ou just need to press the GO T O ke y to move the telescope so that it is pointed at the selected object. Over 30,000 objects are av ailable f [...]

26 W ARNING! Never use your ETX T elescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversib le damage to your e ye. Ey e 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 [...]

27 Tip: The Contrast Adjustment feature is usually only required in very cold weather . If you adjust the contrast so that you can no longer read the display , turn off the power and turn it on again. When V ersion appears on the display (the initial display screens are not affected b y the Contrast control), press MODE. Glossary menu or through hy[...]

28 Sleep Scope is a power saving option that shuts down Autostar and the telescope without forgetting its alignment. With "Sleep Scope" selected, press ENTER to activate the Sleep function. Autostar goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key , except ENTER, to re-activate Autostar and the telescope. P ark Scope is desi[...]

29 ■ T racking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky . a. Sidereal: The default setting for Autostar; 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. [...]

30 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[...]

31 Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic operations of Autostar described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of Autostar 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 initi[...]

32 Using A utostar to Find Objects Not in the Database In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the Autostar database lists. Y ou will enter the object's name and R.A. and Dec. coordinates (required information). Y ou may also enter the object's magnitude and size (optional informatio[...]

33 3. Select a satellite from list and press ENTER. 4. "Calculating...." and then "T racking..." 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, [...]

34 Interactiv e Mode: T our name appears on the first line of the Autostar display and the name of the object displays on line 2. T o display descriptive text in this mode, the user must press ENTER. Comment Line Information in the T our program that is not displayed, such as authorship, revision history , copyrights, etc. All comments begin with a[...]

35 The following commands specify objects that are already in the Autostar database. If these commands follow the command AUTO SELECT , the object's title displays on line 1 and its description scrolls across line 2. Do not add a description string after the following command lines; these commands access objects with existing description in th[...]

36 ST AR "name" Enter ST AR followed by the name of the desired star in quotes. For example: ST AR "V ega" LANDMARK az alt "title" "description" Enter the azimuth (az) for the desired object in the following format: xxxdxxmxxs. For example: 123d27m00s. Then enter the altitude of the desired object in the foll[...]

37 T o Add a landmark to the database: In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial landmarks in Autostar's memory . 1. Set the telescope in the home position, if necessary . Note for future reference where the telescope is located and if you have aligned the telescope, which alignment method is used. Important Note: T o use t[...]

38 plays information about an object in its database that is closest to the one you queried about. IMPORT ANT NO TE: F or this function to operate properly , you m ust first set the telescope in the home position and initialize A utostar . If you ph ysically move the telescope after initialization, this function will f ail to operate properly . In [...]

39 Bro wse This menu allows you to search the database for objects with certain parameters, much like a search engine. The "Edit Parameters" option 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 m[...]

40 Photography with a 35mm Camera Photography through your ETX model requires the addition of the optional #64 T -Adapter (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES , page 43). With the #64 T -Adapter attached to the telescope ( Fig. 28 ), through-the-telescope photography is possible with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens. In this way the telescope effect[...]

41 Photography through a long lens, such as the ETX, requires special technique for good results. The photographer should expect to use several rolls film in acquiring this technique. Long-lens photography has its own rewards, however , which short-focus lenses cannot duplicate. A Few Tips on Photography 1. Use the standard tripod or the optional t[...]

42 • If the camera is not directly coupled to the eyepiece, keep it as close to the eyepiece as possible and center the image to be photographed to minimize vignetting (darkening of the edges of the photo). • T ry to block ambient light (from street lights, house, etc.) from the eyepiece and the camera with a piece of cardboard, a screen, etc. [...]

43 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories are available for the for ETX telescopes. Meade accessories greatly extend many important applications to the telescope, from low-power , wide-field terrestrial viewing to high-power lunar and planetary observing. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to t[...]

44 #64 T -Adapter: The basic means of photography through any ETX Astro telescope, the #64 T -Adapter threads to the rear cell of the telescope, followed by a T -Mount appropriate to the user ’s brand of 35mm camera. In this way , the camera body is rigidly coupled to the telescope's optical system, which in effect becomes the camera's [...]

45 MAINTENANCE Y our ETX model telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding observations. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, the telescope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Use the following guidelines: 1. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: a little dust on the[...]

46 Storage and T ranspor t When the telescope is not in use, store it in a cool, dry place. Do not expose the instrument to excessive heat or moisture. It is best to store the telescope in its original box with the vertical and horizontal locks ( 6 and 9, Fig. 1 ) in the unlocked positions. If shipping the telescope, use the original box and packin[...]

47 Object appears in the vie wfinder but not in the ey epiece: • The viewfinder is not properly aligned with the telescope (see ALIGNING THE VIEWFINDER , page 14). Slew speed does not change when y ou press the SPEED key or the telescope moves slo wly even though the fast sle w speed is chosen: • The battery power may be low (see HO W T O ASSEM[...]

48 SPECIFICA TIONS Specifications: ETX-90A T Astro T elescope Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain Primary mirror diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96mm (3.78”) Clear aperture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90mm (3.5”) Focal length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]

49 Bearings: Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ball bearings Azimuth . . . . PTFE thrust bearing and radial ball bearing Materials: T ube body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aluminum Mounting . . . . . . ABS, with internal aluminum structure Primary mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[...]

50 A utostar Specifications Processor ............................................................................ 68HC1 1, 8MHz Flash Memory ............................................................1MB, reloadable Keypad ........................................................................20 key alphanumeric Display .........................[...]

51 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[...]

52 However , owners who wish to perform astrophotography or use the Meade LPI (see PHO TOGRAPHY WITH MEADE’S AUT OST AR SUITE , page 42, for more information) will find equatorial mounting indispensible to their needs. Equatorial Mount Equatorial mounting lines up the telescope’s polar axis with the North Celestial Pole (or the South Celestial [...]

53 5. Press ENTER repeatedly until “Setup: Align” displays. 6. Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Setup: T elescope" displays. Press ENTER. “T elescope: T elescope Model” displays. 7. Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "T elescope: Mount" displays. Press ENTER. “Scope Mounting: Alt/az” displays. 8. P[...]

54 Setting Circ les The ETX models are equipped with R.A. and Dec. setting circles ( 13 and 16, Fig. 1 ) to aid in locating faint celestial objects when the telescope has been polar aligned . Setting circles emulate the celestial coordinates found on star charts or in sky catalogs. Any charted object is easily located by coordinates in R.A. (in hou[...]

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 determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern he[...]

56 T rain the telescope motors using Autostar . Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 52 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 ex ercise once e very 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest le[...]

57 APPENDIX D:BASIC ASTRONOMY Fig. 53: The Moon. Note the deep shadows in the craters. In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your ETX , 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[...]

58 Fig. 56: The Pleiades is one of the most beautiful open clusters. Tip: Enter a date in the Date menu and you can determine if a planet(s)— or any other object in the database—will be visible during the night of the entered date. After entering a new date, go to the Object menu and select the desired planet from the menu. Then keep pressing o[...]

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14-1010-28 5/04 MEADE LIMITED W ARRANTY Every Meade telescope, spotting scope and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product or part ther[...]