Meade Telescope manual

Instruction Manual LXD 75 -Series T elescopes ™[...]

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T elescope Features ...................................................... 4 Autostar Features .......................................................... 9 Getting Started ..............................................................1 1 Unpacking and Assembly ..........................................1 1 How to Assemble Y our T elescope ..........[...]

TELESCOPE FEA TURES 4 Fig. 1a : The LXD75-Series T elescope Optical Assembly (Schmidt-Ne wtonian model with Autostar handbo x shown; Electronic Controller model users, see Appendix D , page 58). B C g d f I 1) 1# 1$ e H J 1! 1@ 3% 3* 3( 3& 3^ Fig. 1b : Close up of Focuser and Viewfinder Assembly , Schmidt-Newtonian sho wn. (See Fig. 1a f or ov [...]

5 A B C D E Fig. 1e : The LXD75-Series Computer Control Panel (see 2$ abo ve). Fig. 1d: The LXD75-Series Mount; insert shows opposite side of Mount. 2! 2@ T 1& 1* 1( 2# 2$ 2% 2^ 2^ 2* 2( 2& 3) 3! 3$ F 3@ 3# Legend 1. Eyepiece Thumbscrew 2. Eyepiece Holder 3. Eyepiece 4. Viewfinder (VF) 5. VF Collimation Screws 6. VF Front Cell 7. VF Bracket[...]

LXD75-Series:Y our Personal Window to the Universe The Meade LXD75- Series models are versatile, high-resolution telescopes. Supplied with either an Electronic Controller or an Autostar handbox, the LXD75- Series models offer unmatched mechanical and electronic performance. The LXD75- Series telescopes reveal nature in an ever-expanding level of de[...]

7 1% Viewfinder Brac ket Screws: Tighten to a firm feel to hold viewfinder securely in place ( see E and h ). See page 12 for more information. 1^ Focus Lock Knob : Designed to prevent the focuser drawtube from moving when a heavy accessory , such as a camera, is attached to the focuser assembly . For normal observing with an eyepiece and diagonal,[...]

8 sure to turn off the LED when finished with the polar viewfinder . Powered by (fac- tory-supplied) batteries contained within. 3! R.A. Setting Circ le: See APPENDIX A, page 50 , for more information. 3@ R.A. Setting Circle Loc k Knob: Rotate the knob to lock the R.A. Setting Circle (see 3! ) in place. 3# R.A. Lock : Controls the manual movement o[...]

9 Fig. 2: The Autostar Handbo x. T our the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of most LXD75-Series telescope models (excluding the EC models; see mar- gin note) is through the operation of Autostar . Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar ’s buttons. Some of the major fea- tures of Aut[...]

10 Note: If ENTER is pressed f or two seconds or more and then released, A utostar emits a beep and “ENTER to Sync” is display ed. "ENTER to Sync" ma y be used only after your telescope has been aligned and is pointing at an object. See page 30 for more details . 3 MODE Ke y : Press to return to the previous menu level. The top menu l[...]

11 As you unpack your telescope, carefully note the following parts. The assembly is shipped in separate boxes. T elescope Assembly ■ Equatorial mount with polar alignment finder ■ Heavy duty , adjustable aluminum tripod with leg braces, three tripod leg lock knobs, and a captive mount locking knob ■ Complete optical tube assembly including p[...]

12 knob to a firm feel. Replace the safety cap. Note: If the counterweight e ver slips , the saf ety cap ( 23 , Fig. 1d ) pre vents the counterweight from sliding entirely off the shaft. Always lea ve the safety cap in place when the counterweight is on the shaft. 6. Set the latitude: Setting the latitude is easier if it is set before you attach th[...]

13 finished observing to protect the eyepiece assembly . Back off the eyepiece thumbscrews ( 1, Fig. 1b ) and slide the diagonal into the holder and tighten the thumbscrews to a firm feel only . Insert the supplied SP 26mm eyepiece ( 3 , Fig. 1b ) into the the diagonal. T ighten the diagonal's thumbscrews to a firm feel to secure the eyepiece.[...]

14 Important Note: Objects appear upside-down and rev ersed left-for-right when observed in the viewfinder . With refracting telescope models, objects vie wed through the main telescope with the diagonal mirror in place are seen right-side-up, but re v ersed left-for-right. This image inv ersion is of no consequence when observ- ing astronomical ob[...]

15 Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view , bright, high-contrast images, and eye relief during long observing sessions. T o find an object with a telescope, always start with a lower power eyepiece such as the Super Plössl 26mm. When the object is located and centered in the eyepiece, you may wish to switch to a higher power eye- piece to[...]

16 supplied with your telescope. When the object is centered and focused in the eye- piece, switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practi- cal for prevailing viewing conditions. For information about other eyepieces avail- able for your telescope, see OPTIONAL A CCESSORIES , page 37. ■ Once centered, an object can be fo[...]

17 Speeds 1, 2, or 3: Best used for fine centering of an object in the field of view of a higher power eyepiece, such as a 12mm or a 9mm eyepiece. Speeds 4, 5, or 6: Enables centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as the standard Super Plössl 26mm. Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the [...]

18 Observe a Star using the Automatic T racking Feature In this example, Autostar's Arrow keys are used to find a star , and then Autostar's tracking capability automatically keeps the star centered in your telescope's eyepiece. EC handbox users, see APPENDIX D , page 58, for information about tracking with the EC handbox. 1. If you [...]

19 Moving Through A utostar’ s Menus (A utostar Models Only) Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation. ■ Press ENTER ( 2, Fig. 2 ) to go deeper into Autostar menu levels. ■ Press MODE ( 3, Fig. 2 ) to move back toward the top menu level. ■ Press the Scroll keys ( 7, Fig. 2 ) to move up and down through the options a[...]

20 a. Autostar prompts you to enter the Country or State (listed alphabetically) of the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the database of countries, states, and provinces. Press ENTER when the correct location displays. b. Autostar then prompts you to enter the nearest city (listed alphabetically) to the observing site. Use the S[...]

21 15. "Drive Setup: For this...." begins to scroll across the display . This is another reminder to point your telescope at a terrestrial object. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. locks ( 17 and 33, Fig. 1d ) and point the telescope at an object. Then re-tighten the locks. Press ENTER when the telescope is pointing at the desired terrestrial obje[...]

22 5. Press GO T O. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays and the telescope slews until it finds Saturn. Y ou may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece. Autostar then automatically slews (moves) the telescope so that it tracks Saturn (or whatever other object you may have chosen). Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece.[...]

It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop ( Fig. 19 ). 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[...]

24 3. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event: Sunrise" is displayed. 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 calculates the Sunset t[...]

25 Solar System Mercury Etc. Moon Asteroids Comets Constellations Andromeda Etc. Deep Sky Named Object Galaxies Nebulae Planetary Neb. Etc. Star Named SAO Catalog Double V ar iable Etc. Satellite Select Add Delete Edit User Objects Select Add Delete Edit Landmarks Select Add Delete Identify Browse Star t Search Edit P arameters Sunrise Sunset Moonr[...]

26 MENUS Object Menu Almost all observing with Autostar is performed using the Object menu category . ( Note: Exceptions include Guided T our and Landmark Sur ve y . ) See GO T O SA TURN , page 21, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE GUIDED T OUR , page 22. Autostar contains many libraries of viewable objects, such[...]

27 Bro wse 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 T ype, Minimum Elevation, Largest, etc . Once you have set the param- eters of the search, select "Start Search" and press ENTER. Autostar w[...]

28 ■ 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 t[...]

29 Date changes the date used by Autostar . This function is useful to check events in the past or future. For example, set the Date menu for a day three months in the future. Then check the "Select Item: Event" menu for the Sunset time on that date. See EVENT MENU , page 27. Time changes the time entered into Autostar . Setting the corre[...]

30 a. Sidereal: The default tracking setting for Autostar; sidereal rate is the stan- dard 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 of user-defined tracking rates. ■ Rever se L/R: Revers[...]

31 ■ 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. Download transfers information from another Autostar . During the operation, the warning “Downloading Do Not T urn Off” appears. Clone uploads information from one Autostar handbox to another . Three [...]

32 USEFUL AUTOST AR PROCEDURES Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic oper- ations 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 a[...]

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 or press MODE to exit. Using A utostar to Find Objects Not in the Libraries In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear [...]

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 Another setup method is to select an object from the Landmark database. See TO SELECT A LANDMARK FROM THE DA T ABASE below . Then manually move the tele- scope's optical tube and center this object in the telescope eyepiece. 2. Display the "Setup: T argets" menu option. Choose "T errestrial" and press ENTER. "Setup:[...]

36 Photography through an LXD75 Schmidt-Newtonian and Newtonian Reflector telescope requires an LXD75-Series T -Adapter ( supplied) attached to the telescope ( Fig. 22a ). Through-the-telescope photography is possible with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens. In this way , the telescope effectively becomes the lens of the camera. Unthread th[...]

37 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LXD75-Series 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. Fig. 24: Series 4000 Eyepieces. Fig.[...]

38 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[...]

39 Fig. 30: Optional Autostar handbox f or EC model users. #1205 Electric focuser: For use with LXD75 Schmidt-Cassegrain SC-8 model. Meade electric focusers are uniquely designed to yield smooth, precise microfocus- ing of the image, without disabling the manual focus knob, which may be used for rapid coarse focusing. Includes push-button hand cont[...]

40 MAINTENANCE General Maintenance LXD75-Series telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your LXD75 will rarely , if ever , require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: a. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: A litt[...]

41 shipment of your telescope. It is only necessary for you to confirm that the telescope has not been badly jarred out of collimation, and to perform the final fine-tuning of Step 4, below . Fig. 31a shows a correctly collimated Schmidt-Newtonian telescope, as it appears when viewed through the focuser with the eyepiece removed. T o check and, if [...]

42 4. Perform an actual star test to confirm the accuracy of steps 1 through 3. Using the SP 26mm eyepiece, point the telescope at a moderately bright (second or third mag- nitude) star , and center the image in the main telescope's field of view . 5. Bring the star's image slowly in and out of focus until you see several disks sur- round[...]

43 Caution: Do not f orce the three collimation screws past their normal trav el and do not loosen them more than two full turns in a counterclockwise direction or the secondar y mirror ma y come loose from its suppor t. Y ou will find that the adjustments are ver y sensitiv e, usually requiring only one-half tur n or less to produce the desired re[...]

44 Alignment (Collimation) of the Newtonian Reflector Optical System The optical systems of Newtonian Reflector telescopes include the following parts: pri- mary mirror ( 1, Fig. 34 ); secondary mirror ( 2, Fig. 34 ); secondary mirror-holder ( 3, Fig. 34 ); secondary mirror-vanes (4, Fig. 34) and (1, Fig. 35 ); primary mirror-tilt screws ( 5, Fig. [...]

45 2 1 3 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 3 4 3 6 2 5 1 4 Fig. 34 Fig. 35. Fig. 36. Fig. 37. Fig. 38. Fig. 39. Fig. 40.[...]

46 SPECIFICA TIONS 6" f/5 Model SN-6A T , SN-6EC Specifications Optical design ..............................................Schmidt-Newtonian Clear aperture ..............................................6" (152mm) Focal length ................................................762mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ................f/5 Resol[...]

47 10" f/4 Model SN-10A T Specifications Optical design ..............................................Schmidt-Newtonian Clear aperture ..............................................10" (254mm) Focal length ................................................1016mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ................f/4 Resolving power ..........[...]

48 Alignment ....................................................Ge rma n- ty pe eq uat or ia l m ou nt Slew Speeds ................................................1x sidereal to 4.5°/sec in 9 increments T ripod ..........................................................V ariable-height field tripod Accessories .....................................[...]

49 A utostar Specifications Processor ............................................................................ 68HC1 1, 8MHz Flash Memory ............................................................1.0MB, reloadable Keypad ........................................................................20 key alphanumeric Display .......................[...]

50 A celestial coordinate system was created that maps an imaginary sphere surround- ing the Earth upon which all stars appear to be placed. This mapping system is simi- lar to the system of latitude and longitude on Earth surface maps. In mapping the surface of the Earth, lines of longitude are drawn between the North and South Poles and lines of [...]

51 Polaris Little Dipper Big Dipper Cassiopeia Fig. 42 Locating P olaris. star , and also of the object you wish to locate, in a star atlas. Point the object at the bright star . Then loosen the R.A. setting circle lock knob ( 32, Fig. 1d ) and turn the R.A. setting circle to read the correct R.A. coordinate of the bright star; lock the R.A. settin[...]

52 APPENDIX B: ENHANCING POINTING PRECISION The P olar Alignment Viewfinder T ypically Autostar's pointing capabilities are sufficient for most telescope observers, and the use of the polar alignment viewfinder is unnecessary for them. However , for those observers who need to meet the more demanding requirements of astropho- tography , the po[...]

53 4. Autostar then chooses three stars from its database to align upon. When the telescope slews to a star for alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. The alignment star should be easily recognized and be the brightest star i[...]

54 Important Note: The image will appear right-side-up , but re versed left-f or- right, in the eyepiece of a refractor telescope. The image will appear upside-down, b ut correct left-for-right, in the e yepiece of a Sc hmidt- Newtonian telescope , if the e yepiece e xtends hor izontally from the tube , as described in Step #3. 5. Loosen the R.A. L[...]

55 7. Rotate the telescope 180° in the R.A. axis ONL Y , to return the optical tube to position A. 8. Repeat steps 5 through 8, if necessary , alternating between position A and posi- tion B, and bringing the reference object halfway of the remaining distance to center . Stop the procedure once the distance between the object in position A and pos[...]

56 The telescope first moves 180° on the Dec. axis and then rotates 180° on the R.A. axis. Autostar displays "Slewing....". When the telescope has completed the 180° slew , the telescope will be under the mount instead of over it. The counterweight shaft is now pointed upwards and the cradle adjustment screws ( Fig. 47 ) are easily acc[...]

57 APPENDIX C: LA TITUDE CHART Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the W orld T o aid in the polar alignment procedure (see pages 17-21), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below . T o determine the lati- tude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: North[...]

58 APPENDIX D: EC HANDBOX Some LXD75 models (designated with an “EC,” for example, AR-5EC) come equipped with an Electronic Controller (EC) handbox, rather than the Autostar Handbox. The Electronic Controller provides you with the means to control the telescope motors from a compact handbox. The Electronic Controller ( Fig. 49 ) has soft-touch [...]

59 5 MODE Ke y : Press and hold MODE to place the Electronic Controller into the Mode function, i.e., to select operation for the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. See TRA CKING RA TES , page 60. 6 OUT Ke y : Use this key to decrease the tracking rate. See TRA CKING RA TES , page 60. 7 IN Ke y : Use this key to increase the tracking rate. See TRA CK[...]

60 7. When the test is complete, light 1 remains on; lights 2, 3, and 4 turn off. 8. Use the four Arrow keys ( 1, Fig. 49 ) to slew the telescope to the desired object. T o change the slew speed, press SPEED. 9. Fine-adjust the position of the object with the Electronic Controller Arrow keys so that it is centered in the viewfinder . The object is [...]

61 Note: The trac king rate can be increased by up to 65%. 4. T o use a rate slower than sidereal, press OUT ( 6, Fig. 49 ) until light 4 blinks again (sidereal rate). Press OUT key and light 4 goes out, signifying a tracking rate 0.5% slower than sidereal. Note that when the Mode function is active, the tracking motor stops. T o restar t the track[...]

62 APPENDIX E: MOUNTING THE MODEL SC-8 SCHMIDT - CASSEGRAIN OPTICAL TUBE How to Attach the Optical T ube to the Mount The LXD75 model SC-8 Schmidt-Cassegrain assembles and operates identically to all the other LXD75 models equipped with an Autostar handbox, with one exception: the optical tube is attached to the mount with a mounting bracket rather[...]

63 In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your LXD75 , 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 human t[...]

64 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 for information about planets. Scroll to the "Object: Solar System" menu and scroll through the lists [...]

65 Further Study .... This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy . If you are interested in pursuing further studies in astronomy , a few topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on. T ry looking up some of these in the optional Autostar glossary . Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organ[...]

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14-7500-01 9/04B 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 t[...]