Meade LT, LT ACF, LT SC User Manual

Instruction Manual

LT ACF and LT SC Series Telescopes with AutoStar #497 Hand Controller

INDEX

WARNING!

Never use a Meade® LT Series 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 at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or Red Dot Finder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

BATTERY SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:

• Always purchase the correct size and grade of battery: 8 x “C-type” Alkaline batteries (ANSI 14A, 14AC/ IEC LR14).

• Always replace the whole set of batteries at one time, taking care not to mix old and new ones, or batteries of different types.

• Clean the battery contacts and also those of the device prior to battery installation.

• Ensure the batteries are installed correctly with regard to polarity (+ and -).

• Remove batteries from equipment which is not to be used for an extended period of time.

• Remove used batteries promptly.

• Never attempt to recharge primary batteries as this may cause leakage, ﬁ re, or explosion.

• Never short-circuit batteries as this may lead to high temperatures, leakage, or explosion.

• Never heat batteries in order to revive them.

• Remember to switch off devices after use.

• Keep batteries out of the reach of children; small batteries may be ingested.

• Seek medical advice immediately if a battery has been swallowed.

Caution: If batteries or parts are swallowed, see a doctor immediately.

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CONTENTS

Introduction

A solid telescope built for a lifetime of service. . . . . .4

Getting Started

Assembling the and Using the LT Telescope

Assembling the Tripod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Mounting the Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Installing the Batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Using an AC Adapter or DC Power Cord . . . . . . . . .6

Attaching Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Telescope is now Fully Assembled . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Using the Red Dot Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Adjusting the Red Dot Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Aligning the LT Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

The LT Series Home Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Magnetic North Home Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

True North Home Position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus. . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Initializing AutoStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Easy (Two-Star) Align . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

How to Perform the Easy Align Procedure . . . . . . .11

Go To Saturn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Using the Guided Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

LT Series Key Features

Telescope

Key Features Identiﬁ ed on the Telescope. . . . . . . .13

Key Features Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Optional MEADE® Accessories

Choosing Eyepieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Meade Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces . . . . .16

Meade Series 5000 Premium Eyepieces . . . . . . . .15

Power Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Imagers and related Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

AutoStar #497 Handbox – Basic Usage

Buttons, Display and their functions . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Observing Using AutoStars’ Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Observe the Moon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Terrestrial Observing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

LT Series Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

AutoStar Operation

AutoStar Navigation Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Entering Data into AutoStar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Guided Tour Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Object Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

#497 AutoStar Menu Tree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Event Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Glossary Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Utilities Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Setup Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Advanced AutoStar Features

Adding Observing Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Finding Objects Not In the Database . . . . . . . . . . .32

GoTo a User-entered Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Observing Satellites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

How to Create Your Own Guided Tour . . . . . . . . . .33

Writing a Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Identify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Browse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Maintenance

Basic Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Inspecting the Optics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Gauging the Movement of the Telescope . . . . . . . .43

Updating Your LT Series Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Meade Customer Service

How to get in contact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Appendix A:

Training the Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Appendix B:

Basic Astronomy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Appendix C:

Speciﬁ cations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Appendix D:

Optical Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Appendix E:

Meade DoC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Meade Warranty

One Year Limited Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

® The name “Meade,” “AutoStar” and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Ofﬁ ce and in principal countries throughout the world. “Deep Sky Imager”, “LT Series”, and “Tonight’s Best” are trademarks of Meade Instruments Corp. Patents:

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INTRODUCTION

The LT Series ACF and LT Series SC Telescope

A solid telescope built for a lifetime of service

Congratulations on receiving your new L T Series telescope. You’ll ﬁ nd that this telescope system has all you need to explore the Universe we live in. Meade’s concept was to create a telescope that would be simple enough for anyone to use, yet capable enough for the experienced amateur to stretch their knowledge and skills. With the L Ts’ advanced set of features, you will have plenty of room to learn and expand your interest in astronomy and not out grow your telescope. Here are a few of the features that set the Meade L T Series telescope system apart from all others.

Optics: Your choice of optical systems to meet your needs. Meade’s Schmidt-Cassegrain (SC) optics

give you high performance for the best possible price. Water-white glass, Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) and oversized, thermally-stable Pyrex® primary mirrors provide spectacular viewing experience not available on comparable competitors’ telescopes. Advanced Coma-Free takes all of the features of our SC models and then ups the ante. ACF gives a ﬂ atter, coma-free ﬁ eld of view with pinpoint images all the way to the edge of the ﬁ eld, equaling Ritchey-Crétien performance. ACF is the perfect solution for the serious astroimager or visual astronomer looking for observatory-class optics.

Mechanics: Strong and stable aluminum castings with large precision worm-gear drives in both axes for smooth

tracking with low periodic error.

Computer: AutoStar #497 handbox gives you complete control of your L T Series system from the palm of your

hand. With a database of over 30,000 objects, you will never run out of things to explore.

INTRODUCTION

If you are like us, you can’t wait to get outside under a dark sky to try out your new L T Series telescope. We have provided a Getting Started Guide that will get you up and running in the shortest amount of time possible. After your ﬁ rst experience, please sit down with this manual and read about all the advanced features that are available to you with this telescope system. We are conﬁ dent that the LT Series will keep you fascinated with the Universe and entertained for many years to come.

Clear Skies,

The people at Meade

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GETTING STARTED

You may want to perform the LT telescope assembly indoors in the light so that you become familiar with the parts and operation before moving the telescope outside into the dark for observing. This Getting Started Guide assumes you are too impatient to read the entire manual ﬁ rst and want to use your new telescope as quickly as possible. Just follow the simple steps below and you will be up and running before you know it.

 It is best to set up the telescope in twilight or before

sunset the ﬁ rst time you use it. Take the telescope and tripod outside. Set the telescope in a large open area where you can see lots of sky. Don’t setup right next to a building or a wall. Make sure the ground is stable and is approximately level. It is best to set up the scope away from bright nighttime lighting. Bright lights will spoil your night vision and impede your ability to see the sky.

Lock-Knob

Assembling the Tripod

 Thread in two lock-knobs on each leg (six total)

near the foot of each tripod leg. Use the lock-knobs to vary the height of the inner, extendible tripod leg sections. Tighten the locks to a ﬁ rm feel only; do not overtighten.

GETTING STARTED

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

 Remove the ﬁ eld tripod from the shipping carton.

Stand the tripod vertically with the tripod feet down and with the tripod still fully collapsed. Grasp two of the tripod legs and, with the full weight of the tripod on the third leg, gently pull the legs apart to a fully open position.

Spreader Shaft

End Nut

Spreader Bar

 Remove the end nut from the spreader shaft

and slide the spreader in between the telescope legs. Attach the end nut and hand tighten until the telescope legs are held snuggly in the most spread position. Position the tripod where you want the telescope to be and check that the top of the tripod is approximately level.

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Mounting the Telescope

Center Hub

Follow the battery polarity (orientation) as indicated by molded icons

GETTING STARTED

Thumb-Screw

 Take the LT Series from its packaging and place

the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head. Rotate the telescope head slowly until you feel the scope register on the center hub of the tripod head. Carefully screw the three attachment thumb-screws on the bottom of the plate to the base of the tripod. Hand tighten the screws so the telescope cannot spin or wobble on the tripod head.

Installing the Batteries

CAUTION: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the battery compartment. Follow battery manufacturer’s precautions. Do not install batteries backwards or mix new and used batteries. Do not mix battery types. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch ﬁ re, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they will not be used for a long period of time.

Using an AC Adapter or DC Power Cord

Power Port

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

 Remove the end cover from the battery

compartment exposing the battery tray. Carefully slide the battery tray out until it reaches its end stop. Insert 8 (user supplied) Alkaline “C” batteries into the battery compartment. Take care that the batteries + and - ends are as indicated in the battery holder.

Slide the battery compartment back into the telescope and re-attach the battery compartment cover.

INDEX

 Use only the optional Meade Universal AC Power

Adapter (part number 07584 for North America or 07584F for 220v foreign) with your L T Series telescope when connecting to AC power . It is speciﬁ cally selected to provide the quality voltage and current required to power and protect the electronics in the telescope. Power adapters from other manufactures may cause damage and void your warranty.

Plug the AC plug into a AC household socket and the DC plug into the 12v DC socket on the telescope panel.

For external DC power use the optional #607 DC Power Cord (part number 07043) to connect to an automotive 12v DC accessory socket.

Attaching Accessories

Your Telescope is now Fully Assembled

 Now remove the dust cover from the front

of the telescope tube. Be careful not to touch the glass lens.

GETTING STARTED

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

 Be sure the telescope master power switch is in

the off position. Remove the LT Series handbox and the coiled interface cable from the packing materials. Plug one end into the HBX port of the control panel and plug the other end into the Handbox port on the LT Series handbox.

Rear Cell Thread

Dust Cap Diagonal Prism

Eyepiece Holder

 Remove the dust cap from the rear cell of the

telescope. Thread the 1.25" eyepiece holder onto the rear cell thread. Slide the diagonal prism into the eyepiece holder and lock in place by turning the thumbscrew to a ﬁ rm feel. Place the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece into the diagonal prism and tighten the diagonal prism thumbscrew to a ﬁ rm feel only.

 Flip the Power Switch on the computer control

panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar’s LCD display.

Slew Speeds:

Speed 9: Fast . . . Speed 5: Medium . . . Speed 1: Slow

Arrow

Keys

Number

Keys

 “Press 0 to align or Mode for Menu” displays. Y ou

can use the Arrow keys to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the telescope’s slew speed, press a Number key. “9” is the fastest speed and “1” is the slowest speed. See page 20 for more details. Or you can Press “0” to begin Easy Alignment. See page 11 for more information.

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Using the Red Dot Finder

On/Off &

Brightness

Adjustment

Because your telescope has so much magniﬁ cation, its ﬁ eld of view is very small. This can make it hard to know exactly where your telescope is pointing by simply looking at it. To help you point the telescope quickly and accurately, for terrestrial targets or GO TO pointing, the LT Series has a 1X Red Dot Viewﬁ nder.

The Red Dot Finder will aid you in pointing your telescope easily. It works much like a ﬁ ghter pilot’s heads-up display. To turn on the Red Dot Finder, carefully rotate the power switch until you feel it click on. Turning further clockwise will increase the dot brightness. Adjust the dot to the minimum brightness where it can be easily seen. This will extend its battery life and make it easier to see faint stars in the background. Look through the ﬁ nder ’s glass window. You will see a red dot superimposed on your view. Using the direction keys on the handbox, move the telescope until the red dot is on the target you want to view in the eyepiece. As you get close to your target, select a moderately low speed, like speed 5, and move the scope to center your target as you look through the eyepiece. This a great way to get used to ﬁ nding the movement keys without removing your eye from the eyepiece.

Adjusting the Red Dot Finder

The Red Dot Finder has been aligned at the factory, but you may need to touch-up the alignment from time to time. To do this, look through the eyepiece of your scope and using the hand controller center a distant object. Now turn on the Red Dot Viewﬁ nder and adjust the brightness so you can see the red dot. Look through the sight as pictured above.

Adjustment

Screws

Now, without moving the telescope, adjust the indicated thumb screws until you have put the red dot on the object at which you were looking. It’s that simple.

Now use the hand controller to put the laser dot on a new target. Check to see that the desired target is in the eyepiece and adjust the focus knob until the object is in focus.

GETTING STARTED

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

INDEX

Focus Knob

Aligning the LT Series

As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks the stars and other objects in the night sky. If the telescope is not tracking an astronomical object, the object will drift out of the eyepiece ﬁ eld of view. The tracking function automatically keeps an object more or less centered in the telescope’s eyepiece.

To automatically track and locate objects in the night sky, the LT Series must ﬁ rst be aligned on the sky. It is best to set up the telescope in twilight or before sunset the ﬁ rst time you use the LT Series. Setup the telescope in a large open area where you can see lots of the night sky. Make sure the ground is stable and approximately level. It is best to setup the scope away from bright nighttime lighting. Bright lights will spoil your night vision and impede you ability to see the sky.

2. Now use the up/down arrow keys on the AutoStar controller to level the optical tube using bubble level feature to precisely level the optical tube.

3. The telescope is now in the Magnetic North Home Position.

True North Home Position

1. Using the up/down arrow keys (pg. 19, Fig. 5, 5) on the AutoStar controller, move the telescope so that the optical tube is approximately level. Now use the left/right arrow keys (pg. 19, Fig. 5, 5) to move the telescope so the optical tube is pointing in the direction of True North (the north star Polaris).

2. Now use the up/down arrow keys on the AutoStar controller to level the optical tube. The included bubble level/compass can be place into the diagonal prism and has a built in bubble level feature that will aide in leveling the optical tube if needed.

3. The telescope is now in the True North Home Position.

ALIGNING THE LT SERIES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

The LT Series Home Position

Once the LT Series is fully assembled, you will ﬁ rst need to initialize AutoStar, set the telescope into the home position, and perform the Easy Alignment in order for the LT Series to successfully locate celestial objects. The home position for the L T Series is with the telescope optical tube level and pointed in the direction of either True North or Magnetic North. See Figure 6. Either North direction can be used and the LT Series will prompt you to which North direction the optical tube is pointing before beginning an alignment. Once the telescope is fully assembled and outside under the night sky, follow the steps below to correctly place the telescope into the home position.

Magnetic North Home Position

1. Using the up/down arrow keys (pg. 19, Fig. 5, 5) on the AutoStar controller, move the telescope so that the optical tube is approximately level. Place the included bubble level/compass into the diagonal prism and use the AutoStar left/right arrow keys (pg. 19, Fig. 5, 5) to move the telescope so the optical tube is lined up with the compass needle. The telescope will then be pointing in the direction of Magnetic North.

North

Telescope

Tube is level

Figure 6: Alt/Az Home Position

Compass needle is pointing to Magnetic North

Bubble is centered

Figure 7: Bubble Level/Compass

INDEX

Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus

The AutoStar database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation.

• Press ENTER to go deeper into AutoStar’s menu levels.

• Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level.

change this setting later on, use the Site menu. See SITE, page 34 for more information.

a. If you chose the zip code option, the left most

“0” is highlighted. Use the Number keys to enter the digits. As you enter a digit, the next digit to the right will be highlighted. Enter the next digit. Repeat this process until all 5 digits of your zip code are entered. Press ENTER.

• Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options available for each level.

• Press the Arrow keys to enter characters and digits.

The Arrow keys are also used to move the telescope.

Initializing AutoStar

This section describes how to initialize AutoStar. Perform this procedure the ﬁ rst time you use AutoStar or after performing a RESET (see “RESET” page 30).

1. Verify that AutoStar is properly connected to your telescope. See “Getting Started” page 5.

2. Turn the telescope power switch to the ON position.

The AutoStar beeps and the display screen is

activated. Then AutoStar takes a few moments to start up the system.

3. “Press 0 to Align or Mode for Menu” displays. Press 0 to align your telescope using the “Easy Align” method, see “Easy (Two-Star) Align” on page 11. To skip the alignment process and access the AutoStar menus, press the Mode key.

4. The telescope then tests the motor function of the telescope by moving in the horizontal and vertical directions.

5. Set Your Location or Zip Code: The Location screen displays. This screen asks you if you wish to choose either the zip code of your observing location or the location (i.e., entering the city and state or country of your observing location). Press “1” to select the zip code option or “2” to enter the city and state.

Note: The location settings (country/state/province

and city , or zip code) are only asked for the ﬁ rst time you turn on the control panel. If you wish to

b. If you chose the location option, the next screen

asks for the country or state/province (listed alphabetically) of the observing site.

c. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of

countries, states, and provinces. Press ENTER when the correct location displays.

d. The next screen asks for the city (listed

alphabetically) closest to the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the correct city appears on screen.

6. The next screen requests the status of Daylight Savings Time. If Daylight Savings Time is active, press the “1” key. If Daylight Savings Time is not active, press the “2” key.

Note: Daylight Savings Time may be referred

to by a different name in various areas of the world.

7. AutoStar then asks for the Telescope Model. Using the scroll keys (Pg. 19, Fig. 5, 7) on the AutoStar locate the model of your telescope and press enter.

8. Now enter the current date, then press ENTER.

9. Enter the current time. Select “AM,” “PM,” or 24-hour clock (blank). Then press ENTER.

10. System initialization is now complete and Autostar enters into the Easy Alignment routine. The Autostar display now reads “North Method, 1=True 2= Compass”. See “Easy (Two-Star) Alignment” for performing an alignment on the night sky. If you do not wish to begin an alignment on the night sky, press the MODE key to exit to the main AutoStar menu.

ALIGNING THE LT SERIES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

INDEX

Easy (Two-Star) Align

The fastest and easiest way to locate objects with Autostar’s GO TO capabilities is to use Easy Align.

Autostar automatically picks two stars from its database for the Easy Align procedure. During this procedure, Autostar slews the telescope to a ﬁ rst 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 aligning the telescope, ﬁ rst verify

that “INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR”, page 10, has been performed. See “Moving through Autostar’s Menus”, page 10, for a description of how Autostar’s keys operate.

How to perform the Easy Align Procedure

If you have just powered on the telescope, follow the

procedures listed in “Initializing Autostar” on page

23. When completed, continue on to the steps below to perform the Easy Alignment procedure. If the telescope is already powered on and the correct site location, date, time and telescope model have already been entered, the Easy Alignment can be started by selecting in the menu Setup: Align: Easy and following the steps below.

1. When the Easy Alignment procedure is selected in the AutoStar’s setup menu, the display will read “North Method: 1=True 2=Compass”. AutoStar is asking which Home Position the telescope will be placed in. See page 9, “The LT Series Home Position” for a description on placing the LT Series telescope into the home position.

Note: The easiest way to set the telescope in

the home position is using the Magnetic North method. Follow the steps on page 9 “Magnetic North Home Position” and press the “2” key on Autostar to select the “Compass” (Magnetic North) method.

2. Star Alignment - The Autostar then chooses two stars to align upon. When the telescope slews to the ﬁ rst star for alignment, it may not appear in the ﬁ eld of view in the eyepiece. The alignment star should be easily recognized

and be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. While looking through the red dot ﬁ nder, use the Arrow Keys to move the telescope to place the red dot on the top of the star. Now look through the eyepiece and use the Arrow Keys to move the star to the center of the eyepiece ﬁ eld. Press ENTER. If that area of the sky is obscured by an object, you can prompt AutoStar to chose an alternate star by pressing either one of the two Scroll Keys. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star.

When the procedure is performed correctly , “Alignment Successful” displays. If Autostar does not display this message, perform this procedure again.

Note: Autostar 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.

NOTE: 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 ﬁ nishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO when the slew is ﬁ nished 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.

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 GoT o to an alignment star and you’re not sure if you have located the alignment star or it isn’t in the eyepiece, look through your viewﬁ nder. When you view an alignment star in the viewﬁ nder, it stands out dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky.

The viewﬁ nder will help you locate a star more quickly than the eyepiece. Using AutoStar, set the slew speed to 6 (press Number key 6) or higher and use the Arrow keys to center the alignment star in the viewﬁ nder. If your viewﬁ nder has been aligned with the telescope, the alignment star should now be in the eyepiece. Set the slew speed to 4 or less and center the star in the eyepiece. Also see the Spiral Search tip, page 11.

ALIGNING THE LT SERIES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

INDEX

Go To Saturn

Using the Guided Tour

After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the motor drive begins operating and the telescope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars.

Important Note: Once aligned, only use the GO TO or Arrow keys to move the telescope. Do not move the telescope manually, or alignment will be lost.

Once the telescope is aligned, you may choose and “Go To” any object listed in AutoStar’s Object menu. This exercise demonstrates how to select one such celestial object, the planet Saturn, for viewing from the Object menu.

Note: Saturn is not visible the entire year and you may need to choose another object from AutoStar’s database; however, the procedure, as described below , remains the same.

1 After the telescope is aligned, “Select Item:

Object” displays. Press ENTER.

2. “Object: Solar System” displays. Press ENTER.

3. “Solar System: Mercury” displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until “Solar System: Saturn” displays.

4. Press ENTER. “Calculating” displays. Then “Saturn” and a set of coordinates displays. Note that Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout the year.

This example demonstrates using “Tonight’s Best” Guided Tour.

1. After observing Saturn, press mode twice so that “Select Item: Object” displays again.

2. Press the Scroll Down key twice. “Select Item: Guided Tour” displays.

3. Press ENTER. “Guided Tour: Tonight’s Best” displays. Press ENTER.

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 ﬁ nd the next object you wish to observe.

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

ALIGNING THE LT SERIES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

5. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays and the telescope slews until it ﬁ nds Saturn. You may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece. AutoStar then automatically moves the telescope so that it “tracks” Saturn (or whatever other object you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece.

After you Go To Saturn, practice the Go To

feature with other objects in the Object menu lists. For example, during Winter, choose M42, the Orion nebula, from the Messier list. Or in the summer, choose the Dumbbell nebula from the Deep Sky, Named Objects list.

INDEX































LT SERIES KEY FEATURES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX



 Diagonal Eyepiece Holder  Diagonal Prism  1.25” Eyepiece Holder  Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw  Eyepiece  Single Fork Arm Mount









 Computer Control Panel  Red Dot Finder  Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws  Handbox Storage Cradle  AutoStar Suite Software Disc





Figure 1: LT Series Left Side

INDEX

















 Diagonal Thumbscrew  Optical Tube Assembly (OTA)  Focus Knob  Computer Control Panel

A. Handbox (HBX) Port B. LED C. ON/OFF Switch D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port E. 12v Power Connector

 Dust Cover  Battery Compartment



Figure 2: LT Series Right Side









D. A. B. C. D. E.

LT SERIES KEY FEATURES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

Figure 3: LT Series Front

INDEX

Figure 4: LT Series Computer Control Panel

 Diagonal Holder: Holds the eyepiece in place.  Diagonal Prism: provides a more comfortable

right angle viewing position. Slide the diagonal prism directly into the eyepiece holder (Pg. 13, Fig. 1, 3).

 1.25" Eyepiece Holder  Thumb Screw  Eyepiece: Place the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece

into the 90° diagonal prism (Pg. 13, Fig. 1, 2) and tighten in place with the thumbscrews. The eyepiece magniﬁ es the image collected in the optical tube.

 Diagonal Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece

in place. Tighten to a ﬁ rm feel only.

 Optical Tube Assembly (OTA): The main

optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination through the eyepiece.

 Single Fork Arm Mount: Holds the optical tube

in place and moves it to ﬁ nd and track objects.

 Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s primary

mirror in a ﬁ nely-controlled motion to achieve precise image focus. The LT Series telescope can be focused on objects from a distance of about 25 ft. to inﬁ nity. Rotate the focus knob counterclockwise to focus on distant objects, and clockwise to focus on nearby objects.

 Computer Control Panel

A. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar coil

cord (Pg 19, Fig. 5, 10) into this port.

 Dust Cover: Gently lift out the dust cover from

the front lens of the telescope. The dust cover should be replaced after each observing session and the power turned off to the telescope. Verify that any dew that might have collected during the observing session has evaporated prior to replacing the dust cover.

 Battery Compartment: Insert eight ANSI 14A

(IEC LR14) Alkaline “C-Cell” (user-supplied) batteries in compartment. Be sure batteries are aligned correctly as shown in the battery compartment.

 Red Dot Finder: Provides an easy way to sight

on objects and put them in the telescope’s eyepiece.

 Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws: Adjust

these screws to align the Red Dot Finder with the telescope’s main optics. See page 8 for more information.

 Handbox Storage Cradle: Holds the AutoStar

handbox in a convenient position on the telescope.

 AutoStar Suite Software: Contains the LT Series

Instruction Manual and a collection of useful software including a planetarium program, the AutoStar Updater for downloading and upgrading the ﬁ rmware in the telescope, software to control the telescope from a computer and other programs all designed to enhance your use of the L T Series system.

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

LT SERIES KEY FEATURES

B. LED: The red power indicator light illuminates

when power is applied to the telescope.

C. ON/OFF Switch: Turns the Computer Control

Panel and AutoStar ON or OFF

D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port (2): Provides connection

for Meade accessories. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 16.

E. 12v Power Connector: Provides connection so

that the telescope assembly may be powered from either a 12v DC auto cigarette light plug or from a standard 115v AC home outlet.

INDEX

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

Meade makes a complete line of accessories to enable you to get the most fun and performance from your LT Series telescope. No matter what you want to accomplish, we have the equipment to help you get there.

Choosing Eyepieces

A telescope’ s eyepiece magniﬁ es the image formed by the telescope’s main optics. Each eyepiece has a focal length, expressed in millimeters, or “mm.” The smaller the focal length, the higher the magniﬁ cation. For example, an eyepiece with a focal length of 9mm has a higher magniﬁ cation than an eyepiece with a focal length of 26mm. Experienced users know that higher powers are, in general, not as useful as lower powers. Many of the objects in the night sky are relatively large and faint and look best at low magniﬁ cations.

The power or magniﬁ cation of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used. To calculate magniﬁ cation, divide the telescope’s focal length by the eyepiece’s focal length. For example, a 26mm eyepiece is supplied with the L T Series. The focal length of the 6" LT Series is 1524mm (see SPECIFICATIONS, page 47).

26mm eyepiece, which gives a wide 53 ARC Minute (just a little less than 1 degree) ﬁ eld of view with 59x magniﬁ cation. This is a very good all purpose eyepiece for your telescope, but you should consider buying additional eyepieces in longer and shorter focal lengths to fully realize the potential of the excellent 6" optical system in your LT Series telescope.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

AutoStar #497 HANDBOX

Telescope Focal Length 1524mm Eyepiece Focal Length 26mm 1524 ÷ 26 = 58.6x The magniﬁ cation is therefore 58.6x. Low power eyepieces offer a wider ﬁ eld of view, bright,

high-contrast images, and long eye relief. To ﬁ nd an object with a telescope, always start with a lower power eyepiece such as the Super Plössl 26mm or longer focal length. When the object is located and centered in the eyepiece, you may wish to switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practical for prevailing seeing conditions or, for many objects, the view is best with a high quality low-power wide-ﬁ eld eyepiece.

NOTE: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-tonight and site-to-site. Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an image appears fuzzy and ill-deﬁ ned, reduce to a lower power eyepiece.

Your telescope comes supplied with a Super Plössl

The Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces are excellent well corrected 4 element optics at popular prices. They come in a wide range of focal lengths to give you the right magniﬁ cation for any type of celestial object you are viewing. You can also use one of the Series 4000 Barlows to double or triple the magniﬁ cation of a Super Plössl eyepiece. These eyepieces have been the standard for over 30 years.

Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces

Focal Apparent Actual Length Type Field Power Field

56.0mm SP 2" 52º 27x 1º 55'

40.0mm SP 44º 38x 1º 9'

32.0mm SP 52º 48x 1º 6'

26.0mm SP 52º 59x 53'

20.0mm SP 52º 76x 41'

15.0mm SP 52º 102x 31'

12.4mm SP 52º 123x 25'

9.7mm SP 52º 157x 20'

6.4mm SP 52º 238x 13'

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