Meade LX200GPS-SMT User Manual
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 as a courtesy to our customers by Company Seven
Showroom: 14300 Cherry Lane Court
Laurel, Maryland 20707 U.S.A.
301-953-2000
http://www.company7.com
Correspondence: Box 2587
Montpelier, Maryland 20709-2587 U.S.A.
Email: info@company7.com
Instruction Manual
8", 10", 12", 14", 16" LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes
7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
with Autostar II Hand Controller
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 the effective focal length of the primary mirror
and results in a focus at the focal plane, with light passing through a central perforation in the primary mirror.
The Meade 8", 10" and 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain models include an oversize primary mirror, yielding a fully illuminated fieldof-view significantly wider than is possible with a standard-size primary mirror. Note that light ray (2) in the figure would be
lost entirely, except for the oversize primary. It is this phenomenon which results in Meade Schmidt-Cassegrains having
off-axis field illuminations about 10% greater, aperture-for-aperture, than other Schmidt-Cassegrains utilizing standard-size
primary mirrors. Field stops machined into the inside-diameter surface of the primary mirror baffle tube significantly
increase lunar, planetary, and deep-space image contrast. These field stops effectively block off-axis stray light rays.
The Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical System
The Meade 7" Maksutov-Cassegrain design optimizes imaging performance by utilizing a combination of a two-sided
spherical meniscus lens (right), a strongly aspheric f/2.5 primary mirror, and a spherical secondary mirror . The convex secondary mirror multiplies the effective focal length of the primary by a factor of six, resulting in an overall a focal length of
2670mm and a focal ratio of f/15 system at the Cassegrain focus.
The oversize 8.25" primary mirror results in a fully-illuminated (unvignetted) field of view significantly wider than can be
obtained with Maksutov optics incorporating primary mirrors of the same aperture as their meniscus correcting lenses.
Computer-optimized primary and secondary mirror baffles, as well as a sequence of field stops internal to the primary mirror baffle, yield lunar, planetary, stellar, and deep-space images of uncommonly high contrast and resolution.
The Meade Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical System
(8" model depicted in diagram. Not to scale.)
(Diagram not to scale)
8.218"
8.016"
8.0"
(2)
(1)
Focal
Plane
Ray (1)
Primary Baffle Tube
Field Stops
Primary Mirror
(1)
(2)
Ray (2)
Secondary
Mirror
Correcting
Plate
(1)
(2)
1/2°
8.0"
Secondary
Baffle
The Meade 7" (178mm) Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical System
Field Stops
8.25"
Focal
Plane
Primary Baffle Tube
Primary Mirror (f/2.5)
Secondary Baffle
Meniscus
Lens
7"
Quick-Start Guide .......................................................... 4
Telescope Features ...................................................... 6
Autostar II Features........................................................ 9
Getting Started ..............................................................12
Parts Listing ..............................................................12
How to Attach the Tripod to the Telescope ..............12
How to Assemble Your Telescope ............................13
Choosing an Eyepiece..............................................14
Mounting and Adjusting the Viewfinder ....................15
Observing ......................................................................16
Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually ........16
Terrestrial Observing ................................................16
Observing Using Autostar II's Arrow Keys ................16
Focusing the Eyepiece with the Microfocuser ..........17
Slew Speeds ............................................................17
Observe the Moon, Astronomical Observing ..........18
To Track an Object Automatically..............................18
Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus ..................18
Automatic Alignment............................................18
Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking ..........20
Go To Saturn ............................................................20
Using the Guided Tour ..............................................20
Basic Autostar II Operation ............................................22
Autostar II Navigation Exercise ................................22
Navigating Autostar II................................................23
Autostar II Menus ........................................................24
Menu Tree ................................................................24
Objects Menu............................................................25
Event Menu ..............................................................26
Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu..................................27
Setup Menu ..............................................................28
Hot Button Menus ....................................................31
Advanced Autostar II Features ......................................32
Adding Observing Sites ............................................32
Creating User Objects ..............................................33
Observing Satellites, Landmarks..............................34
Identify ......................................................................35
Browse......................................................................36
Alternate Alt/Az Alignment Methods..........................37
Initialize Autostar II (for Alternate Alignments)..........37
Easy (Two-Star) Alignment ......................................37
Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment ........................................37
To Set the Home Position Manually ....................38
One-Star Alt/Az Alignment ........................................38
Periodic Error Correction ..........................................39
Photography ..................................................................40
Optional Accessories......................................................41
Maintenance ..................................................................44
Specifications ................................................................47
Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment......................50
Appendix B: Latitude Chart ............................................55
Appendix C: How to Create Your Own Guided Tour ......56
Appendix D: Training the Drive ......................................60
Appendix E: The Moon Menu ........................................61
Appendix F: 16" LX200GPS Features............................62
Appendix G: 14" LX200GPS Features ..........................66
Appendix H: De-rotater and Microfocuser Assembly ....67
Appendix I: Smart Mount ................................................68
Basic Astronomy ............................................................70
CONTENTS
WARNING!
Never use a Meade
®
LX200GPS Telescope
to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the
Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer
that damage has occurred until it is too late.
Do not point the telescope or its viewfinder at
or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or its viewfinder as it is moving.
Children should always have adult supervision while observing.
Caution: Use care to install batteries in the
orientation indicated by illustration in the battery slots of the battery holder. 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 fire, or leak. Improperly
installed batteries void your Meade warranty .
If you are anxious to use your telescope
for the first time, read the QUICK-START
GUIDE on pages 4 and 5.
® The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks
registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal countries throughout the world. "LX200GPS" and "Autostar II" are
trademarks of Meade Instruments Corporation.
"Easy Align" U.S. patent 6,392,799 and other patents pending.
Intelligent Network Architecture to Facilitate Parallel Task
Management U.S. patent 6,304,376
© 2003 Meade Instruments Corporation.
16" LX200GPS Users: See APPENDIX F,
page 62, for features unique to the 16"
model.
14" LX200GPS Users: See APPENDIX G,
page 66, for features unique to the 14"
model.
4
QUICK-START 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 telescope outside into the dark for observing. The setup is the same for the standard field tripod and the giant field tripod.
1. Remove the field 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.
3. Remove the threaded rod from the tripod head. A
small piece of plastic holds the threaded rod in
place. Remove the small plastic bag that is stapled
to the threaded rod. This bag contains the "C" clip
retainer and an extra clip.
2. Thread in two lock-knobs on each leg (six total)
near the foot of each tripod leg. Use the lockknobs to vary the height of the inner, extendible
tripod leg sections. Tighten the locks to a firm feel
only; do not overtighten.
Remove the spreader bar (see above figure) from
the shipping carton. Slide the spreader bar onto
the threaded rod. Slide the rod through the tripod
base. Position the spreader bar so that its three
arms line up with the three tripod legs.
5. Take the LX200GPS from its packaging and place
the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod
head, inserting the threaded rod into the central
hole in the bottom of the drive base of the telescope. Tighten the tension knob (see above figure) to a firm feel only; firm tightening of the tension knob is sufficient to result in rigid positioning
of the tripod legs.
Battery
Compartment
6. Remove the covers of the battery compartments
located on the fork arms (one on each fork arm) and
carefully lift the battery holders from their compartments, being mindful of the connector wires. Insert
four (user-supplied) C-cell batteries into each battery holder, oriented as shown on the diagram on
the battery holder. Return the battery holders to
their respective compartments. Replace the covers
when you are done.
Spreader Bar
Slide rod
through
Tripod base
Line up
with leg
Tension
Knob
4. Place the "C" clip into the slot in the threaded rod
above the tripod head—this clip holds the threaded rod in place.
“C” Clip
in slot
Threaded
Rod
Tripod
Base
5
11. Tighten, 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 mirror lock knob
(9, Fig. 1) towards the “Unlock” position, until it
feels loose—the telescope is shipped with the
mirror locked. Use the telescope’s coarse focus
knob (6, Fig. 1) to bring the object into focus.
Practice using the Autostar II Arrow keys to center an object in the telescope’s field of view.
10.
Press the key prompted by Autostar II to accept
the Sun warning. Autostar II now displays
"Automatic Alignment." You can then use the
Arrow keys to slew (move) the telescope up,
down, right, or left. To change the telescope’s slew
speed, press the Speed key and then the Number
keys. "9" is the fastest speed and "1" is the slowest speed. See page 17 for more details.
7. Press the computer control panel power switch to
OFF, if necessary. Remove the Autostar II handbox and the Autostar II coil cord from the packing
materials. Plug one end into the HBX port of the
telescope's computer control panel and plug the
other end into the coil cord port on the Autostar II
handbox.
9. Press the Power Switch on the computer control
panel to the ON position. The copyright message
lights on Autostar II's LCD display.
Slew Speeds:
Speed 9: Fast
.
.
Speed 5: Medium
.
.
Speed 1: Slow
Arrow
Keys
Number
Keys
R.A.
Lock
Dec.
Lock
Display
8. Attach microfocuser: Remove the dust cap from
the rear cell port (A) of the telescope (Note:
Telescope not shown for clarity). Thread the microfocuser adapter (B) into the rear cell port thread.
Slide the microfocuser (C) over the microfocuser
adapter and tighten the three hex screws on the
microfocuser (K) using the provided hex keys.
Important Note:
The Microfocuser is shipped with the microfocuser
adapter (B) threaded to the SC accessory adapter (L).
Unthread the adapters from each other before attaching the microfocuser.Set aside the SC accessory
adapter.For more information about the SC accessory
adapter, see SC OPTIONAL ACCESSORY USERS, page
14.
1.25" Diagonal Prism Users: If using the 1.25"
diagonal prism (G), slide the 1.25" adapter (D) into
the microfocuser. Line up the thumbscrew into the
groove in the microfocuser (I, also see Fig. 7a and
7b, page 14). Slide the 1.25" diagonal prism into
the adapter (D). Tighten the adapter thumbscrew
(H) to a firm feel only. Tighten the microfocuser
thumbscrews (I) to a firm feel only.
2.0" Diagonal Mirror Users:If using the 2.0" diagonal mirror, slide the mirror directly into the microfocuser (C). Tighten the microfocuser thumbscrews (I) to a firm feel only.
Speed
Key
ON/OFF
HBX Port
OR
TELESCOPE FEATURES
Autostar II
Hand Controller.
See page 9.
(not shown,
on left fork
arm)
6
Fig. 1: The LX200GPS Telescope; Computer Control Panel (inset); Autostar 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, periodic error correction for both axes, and a library of 145,000+objects in the Autostar II
database, the
LX200GPS models offer unmatched state-of-the-art performance.
Observe the feather structure of an eagle from 50 yards or study the rings of the planet Saturn from a distance of 800 million miles. Focus beyond the Solar System on
ancient star clusters, remote galaxies, and stars recently discovered to have planets
orbiting about them. Meade
LX200GPS telescopes are capable of growing with your
interest and can meet the requirements of the most demanding advanced observer.
B Eyepiece: Place the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece into the 90° diagonal prism (3,
Fig. 1) and tighten in place with the eyepiece thumbscrew (2, Fig. 1). The eyepiece magnifies the image collected in the optical tube.
C Eyepiece Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece (1, Fig. 1) in place. Tighten to a
firm feel only.
D 1.25" Diagonal Prism (or 2" Mirror): Provides a more comfortable right angle view-
ing position. A2" diagonal mirror with a 1.25" adapter is standard with the 12" model.
See page 14 for information about attaching the prism or mirror to the microfocuser.
E Diagonal Prism Thumbscrew: Tightens the diagonal prism in place. Tighten to
a firm feel only.
F Rear Cell Port: The microfocuser assembly threads onto this port.
G Coarse Manual Focus Knob:
Moves the telescope’s primary mirror in a finely-
controlled motion
to achieve coarse image focus. The LX200GPS telescopes can
be focused on objects from a distance of about 25 ft. to infinity. Rotate the focus
knob counterclockwise to focus on distant objects, and clockwise to focus on
nearby objects.
H Fork Arms: This heavy-duty mount holds the optical tube securely in place.
I Battery Compartments: Insert four user-supplied C-cell batteries into each com-
partment (one compartment on each fork arm; eight batteries total).
J Primary Mirror Lock: Rotate this knob towards the "Lock" position and adjust the
tension to a firm feel; this action serves to lock in the coarse focus and also to prevent mirror flop. Use in conjunction with the Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser (see
2$).
1) Right Ascension (R.A.) Slow-Motion Control: Make fine adjustments in the
Right Ascension, i.e., the horizontal axis, by turning this control with the R.A. Lock
(see below) in the unlocked position. Set the R.A. Lock to a "partially locked"
position to create a comfortable drag for the R.A. Slow Motion Control.
Caution: Do not operate the R.A. Slow Motion Control with the R.A. Lock
in the fully locked position, as such operation may result in damage to the
internal gear system and also cause you to lose alignment.
1! Right Ascension (R.A.) Setting Circle: See APPENDIX A, page 50, for detailed
information.
1@ Right Ascension (R.A.) Lock: Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the tel-
escope. Turning the R.A. lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope, enabling
it to be freely rotated by hand about the horizontal axis. Turning the R.A. lock
clockwise locks the telescope, prevents the telescope from being rotated manually, and engages the horizontal motor drive for Autostar II operation.
1# Computer Control Panel (see Fig. 1 inset):
A. ON/OFF Switch: Turns the computer control panel and Autostar II ON
or OFF. The red power indicator LED next to the switch illuminates
when power is supplied to the Autostar II handbox, the microfocuser,
and to the telescope’s motor drives (the LED can be turned off in the
Panel Light menu; see page 27).
Caution:
Using products other than
standard Meade accessories
may cause damage to the
telescope’s internal electronics and may void the Meade
warranty.
7
B Want to learn more
about the eyepieces
available for your
LX200GPS telescope?
See OPTIONAL
ACCESSORIES, pages
41, 42, and 43.
1! Want to learn more
about the Right
Ascension and
Declination setting
circles? See page 50.
G Want to learn more
about focusing your
telescope? See pages
17 and 31.
j Want to learn more
about the primary
mirror lock? See
MIRROR MIRROR,
page 38.
I Want to learn how to
install the batteries?
See page 13.
F Want to learn how to
attach the microfocuser
assembly to the rear
cell port of your
LX200GPS telescope?
See HOW TO ASSEM-
BLE YOUR TELESCOPE
,
pages 13 and 14.
8
B. 12vDC Power Connector: Provides a connection so that the telescope
assembly may be powered from a standard 115v AC home outlet using
the optional #547 Power Adapter with Cableor 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-
cuser through the Autostar II menus. See
HOT BUTTON MENUS, page
31, and
2$ below.
D. Reticle Port: Plug the optional reticle eyepiece into this port. Control
the reticle through the Autostar II menus. See
HOT BUTTON MENUS
page 31. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.
Note: See the instruction sheets that are included with the focuser, the
reticle, and the autoguider for more details.
E. 12vDC Output: Use the 12vDC output to power telescope accessories
and the Maksutov fan on the 7"
LX200GPS model..
F. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the Autostar II coil cord into this port.
G. RS232 Ports (2): Provides connection with a PC and for current and
future Meade accessories. Your PC can control your
LX200GPS tele-
scope using serial commands. Go to the Meade website
(www.meade.com) to download the latest serial commands and
device pinouts.
H. Autoguider Port: Plug the optional autoguider into this port. See the
instruction sheet that came with your autoguider for more information.
1$ Tiltable Autostar II Holder: Attach to fork handles (see 1% below). Holds your
handbox in a convenient location.
1% Fork Handles: Use to lift optical tube assembly or to rotate the telescope when
attached to the tripod.
1^ Declination (Dec.) Slow-Motion Control: Make fine adjustments in Declination
(altitude) by turning this control with the Dec. Lock (see
1& below) in the locked
position. In order for this control to operate properly, power must be off.
1& Dec. Lock: Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope. Turning the
Dec. lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope enabling it to be freely rotated
by hand about the vertical axis. Turning the Dec. lock clockwise (to a firm feel
only) prevents the telescope from being moved manually, but engages the vertical motor drive for Autostar II operation.
1* Dust Cover: Gently pry the dust cover from the front lens of the telescope.
Note: 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.
1( Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant
objects and brings this light to a focus for examination through the eyepiece.
2) Declination (Dec.) Setting Circle (on left fork arm): See APPENDIX A, page 50,
for detailed information.
2! Viewfinder Collimation Screws: Use these six screws to adjust the alignment
of the viewfinder.
2@ 8 x 50mm Viewfinder: A low-power, wide-field sighting scope with crosshairs
that enables easy centering of objects in the telescope eyepiece.
2# GPS Receiver (see page 21 for photo): Receives information transmitted from
Global Positioning System satellites. See pages 18, 19, and 21 for more information.
2$ 4-Speed Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser: Allows precise image focus during
visual, CCD, and astrophotographic applications. Maintains precise image centering on even the smallest CCD chips. Operates at four speeds: Fine to fast
using the Arrow keys of the Autostar II hand controller. Plug microfocuser into the
Focus port (13C,Fig.1).
2% Tube Adapters: The optical and mechanical axes of the LX200GPS telescope
have been carefully aligned at the factory to ensure accurate object pointing. Do
not loosen or remove the optical tube assembly from the tube adapters. The
resulting misalignment of the axes will result in inaccurate slewing of the telescope in the GO TO mode.
2! Want to learn more about
attaching and aligning
the viewfinder? See
page 15.
Definitions
Throughout this manual,
you will notice the terms
"Alt/Az," "Right
Ascension," and
"Declination." Alt/Az or
more properly, altazimuth,
is frequently used to refer
to altitude or Declination
(the up-and-down vertical
movement of the telescope)
and azimuth or Right
Ascension (the side-to-side
horizontal movement of the
telescope). Right
Ascension is abbreviated
as "R.A." and Declination
as "Dec."
2$ Want to learn more
about the Zero Image
Shift Microfocuser?
See pages 13, 14, and
31.
Caution:
When loosening the Dec.
lock, be sure to support the
optical tube (19, Fig. 1).
The weight of the tube
could cause the tube to
swing through the fork arms
suddenly.
Important Note:
After the telescope is
aligned (see page 18), the
Dec. slow motion control 1^
may be used and the telescope will remain in alignment. However, if the R.A.
slow motion control 1) is
used after the telescope
has been aligned, alignment will be lost and the
telescope will need to be
realigned.
9
Fig. 2:The Autostar II Handbox.
Tour the Cosmos with Just 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) memory, your system will be
able to grow when new features and enhancements become available. Download the
latest satellite data, star and object catalogs, tours, serial commands list, and software revisions, directly from the Meade website (www.meade.com). (Requires the
optional
LX200 Interface Cable. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 43.)
Some of the major features of the Autostar II system are:
■ Automatically move the telescope to any of the more than 145,000 objects stored
in the object library, including:
Library # of Objects
New General Catalog (NGC): 7,840
Index Catalog (IC): 5,386
Messier Catalog (M): 110
Caldwell Catalog: 109
Named Objects: 227
Herschel Catalog: 400
Abell Catalog of Galaxy Clusters: 2,712
Arp Catalog of Irregular Galaxies: 645
Uppsala Galaxy Catalog: 12,940
Morphological Catalog of Galaxies: 12,939
General Catalog of Variable Stars: 28,484
SAO: 17,191
Hipparcos Star Catalog: 17,325
■ T ake a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the year .
■ Control your LX200GPS with your PC using an RS232 interface.
■ Align your telescope automatically using GPS (Global Positioning System).
■ Access a glossary of astronomical terms.
■ Mount the telescope in the “Alt/Az” mode (altitude—azimuth, or vertical—hori-
zontal) for fully automatic tracking of celestial objects.
AUTOSTAR II FEATURES
Want to learn more about
downloading the latest
updates of Autostar II
software from the
Meade website? See
page 31.
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 viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential menu structure
make Autostar II extremely user friendly.
B 2-Line LCD Display: This screen displays Autostar II's menus and information
about the telescope.
• Top 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 Key: Press to go to the next menu level or to choose an option in a
menu. The ENTER key is similar to the RETURN or ENTER key on a computer.
See
MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR II'S MENUS, page 18 and AUTOST AR II MENUS,
page 24.
d MODE Key: Press to return to the previous menu or data level. The top menu
level is “Select Item." The MODE key is similar to the ESCAPE key on a computer.
Note: Pressing MODE repeatedly while in the “Select Item” level moves
Autostar II to the topmost screen:“Select Item: Object.”
Note: If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, information
about the telescope's status displays.When the status displays, press the
Scroll keys (7, Fig. 2) to display the following information:
• Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical) coordinates
• Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates
• Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST)
• Timer and Alarm Status
• Date
• Site coordinates
• Battery status
Press MODE again to return to the previous menu.
e GO TO Key: Press to slew (move) the telescope to the coordinates of the cur-
rently selected object. While the telescope is slewing, the operation may be
aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again
resumes the slew to the object. Also, press during the alignment or GO TO procedures to activate a "spiral search."
f Arrow Keys: The Arrow keys have several functions. Press an Arrow key to slew
the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine
different speeds. See
SLEW SPEEDS, page 17. Use the Up and Down Arrow keys
to move the telescope vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key rotates the telescope horizontally counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise
(unless reversed for Southern Hemisphere use).
Also, use the Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 through 9 and the alphabet. The Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with
digit "9."
Additionally, use the Arrow keys to to move the cursor across the display: Use the
Right or Left Arrow key (5,Fig. 2) to move the cursor from one number to the next
in the display.
g Number Keys: Press to input digits 0 to 9. Each Number key also has a specif-
ic function, which is printed on each key (these are commonly known as "hot buttons"—see page 31):
1 SPEED: Changes the slew speeds. To operate, press Speed and then a
Number key (1 is the slowest speed, 9 is highest speed).
2 CALD (Caldwell): Press to display the Caldwell catalog on the Autostar II
handbox.
3 M (Messier): Press to display the Messier catalog library.
4 FOCUS: Press to display the Focus Control menu.
e Want to learn more
about using the GO TO
function? See page 20.
Want to learn how to
perform a spiral
search? See page 20.
Want to learn
more about the Focus
menu? See page 31.
Want to learn more
about changing slew
speeds? See page 17.
SPEED
1
FOCUS
4
11
5 SS: Press to display the Solar System library.
6 STAR: 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 of the hand-
box.
h Scroll Keys: Press to access options within a selected menu. The menu is dis-
played on the first line of the screen. Options in the menu are displayed, one at
a time, on the second line. Press the Scroll keys to move through the options.
Press and hold a Scroll key to move quickly through the options.
The Scroll keys also control the speed of text scrolling on the Autostar II display.
When text is scrolling, press and hold the Up Scroll key for a faster display speed
and the Down Scroll key for a slower display speed.
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 II functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an onscreen instruction manual.
If you have a question about an Autostar II operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION,
ALIGNMENT, etc., press the ? key and follow the directions that scroll on the second line. When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to the original screen and continue with the chosen procedure.
j Coil Cord Port: Plug one end of the Autostar II coil cord (10,Fig. 2) into this port
located at the bottom of the Autostar II handbox.
1) Coil Cord: Plug one end of the Autostar II coil cord into the HBX port (13F, Fig. 1)
of the computer control panel of the telescope and the other end into the Autostar
II coil cord port. See
j above.
1! Utility Light: Use this built-in red light to illuminate star charts and accessories
without disturbing your eye's adaptation to darkness. Press "0" to turn the light on
and off.
Join an Astronomy Club, Attend a Star Party
One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of astronomy is to join an astronomy
club. Check your local newspaper, school, library, or telescope dealer/store to find out if
there’s a club in your area.
At club meetings, you will meet other astronomy enthusiasts with whom you will be able
to share your discoveries. Clubs are an excellent way to learn more about observing the
sky, to find out where the best observing sites are, and to compare notes about telescopes, eyepieces, filters, tripods, and so forth.
Often, club members are excellent astrophotographers. Not only will you be able to see
examples of their art, but you may even be able to pick up some “tricks of the trade” to
try out with your
LX200GPS telescope. See page 40 for more information about photog-
raphy with the
LX200GPS.
Many groups also hold regularly scheduled Star Parties at which you can check out and
observe with many different telescopes and other pieces of astronomical equipment.
Magazines such as Sky & Telescope and Astronomy print schedules for many popular
Star Parties around the United States and Canada.
LX200GPS TIPS
Want to learn more
about the Reticle
menu? See page 31.
RET
7
Tip:
When an astronomical
term appears in [brackets], press ENTER for a
definition or more detailed
information. Press MODE
to return to the scrolling
Autostar II Help display.
If a celestial object's
name appears in brackets
(and your telescope is
aligned), press ENTER
and then GO TO to slew
the telescope to the object.
12
Parts 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 Telescope with fork mount system
■ Autostar II handbox and interface coil cord; handbox holder
■ Microfocuser assembly
■ 8 x 50mm viewfinder assembly
■ Eyepiece holder and 1.25" diagonal prism (7", 8", and 10" models)
■ 1.25" Adapter and 2" diagonal mirror (12" model only)
■ Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece, packed in a plastic storage container
■ Variable height tripod and mounting base (12" model only: Giant variable tripod)
■ Set of hex keys
How to Attach the Tripod to the Telescope Assembly
The telescope’s fork mount base (also called a drive base) attaches directly to the field
tripod. The telescope in this way is mounted in an “altazimuth” (“altitude-azimuth,” or
“vertical-horizontal”) format.
The field tripod also can be used in conjunction with the optional equatorial wedge
(see
EQUATORIAL WEDGE, page 51) for long exposure astrophotography. The equa-
torial wedge permits alignment of the telescope’s polar axis with the Celestial Pole (or
North Star).
1. Remove the field 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.
2. Thread in the 6 lock-knobs (2 on each tripod leg) near the foot of each tripod leg
(5, Fig. 3). These lock-knobs are used to fix the height of the inner, extendible tripod leg sections.
Note: Tightening to a firm-feel is sufficient; over-tightening may result in
stripping of the knob threads or damage to the tripod legs, and results in
no additional strength.
3. The spreader bar has been removed for shipment. To install, first remove the
threaded rod (2, Fig. 3) from the tripod head (1, Fig. 3); a small piece of plastic
holds the threaded rod in place. Remove the small plastic bag that is stapled to
the threaded rod. This bag contains the “C” clip retainer and an extra clip.
4. Slide the spreader bar (4, Fig. 3) onto the threaded rod (note the correct orientation as shown in Fig. 4) and position the threaded rod back through the tripod
head. Place the clip retainer ( a “C” clip) into the slot in the threaded rod above the
tripod head. This clip holds the threaded rod in place.
5. Position the spreader bar so that the 3 arms of the spreader bar line up with the
3 tripod legs.
6. Place the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head, and insert the threaded rod into the central hole in the bottom of the drive base of the telescope.
Tighten the tension knob (Fig. 4); firm tightening of the tension knob is sufficient
to result in rigid positioning of the tripod legs.
7. To vary the tripod height, loosen the 6 leg lock-knobs, slide the 3 inner tripod leg
sections out to the desired height, and firmly re-tighten (but do not overtighten)
the 6 lock-knobs.
To collapse the tripod (after removing the telescope and equatorial wedge, if applicable) for storage, follow these steps:
1. Rotate the spreader bar 60° from its assembled position, so that one spreader
bar arm is located between each adjacent pair of tripod legs.
2. At the base of the tripod is a 3-vane extension strut system, with a circular hub at
its center (6, Fig. 3). Grasp the tripod head (1, Fig. 3) with one hand and, with the
other hand, pull directly “up” on the central hub of the extension strut system. This
operation will cause the tripod legs to move inward to a collapsed position.
GETTING STARTED
Fig. 3: Tripod components: (1) Tripod
Head; (2) Threaded Rod; (3) Tension
Knob; (4) Spreader Bar; (5) Lock
Knobs; (6) Strut Hub
Fig. 4: Attaching the telescope to the
tripod. Note the orientation of the
spreader bar.
13
Notes Concerning the Tripod:
If the tripod does not seem to extend or collapse easily, do not force the
tripod legs in or out.By following the instructions above, the tripod will function properly , b ut if you are unclear on the proper procedure , f orcing the tripod into an incorrect position may damage the extension strut system.
Do not overtighten the 6 lock-knobs used to fix the inner tripod leg sections
at various heights.Tighten to a firm feel only.
Be sure the spreader bar (4, Fig. 3) is not upside-down on the threaded
rod.
How to Assemble Your Telescope
Assembly of the LX200GPS telescope requires eight C-cell (user-supplied) batteries or
the optional #547 Power Adapter with Cable connected to a standard 115v home outlet
or to an optional #607 Cigarette Lighter Adapter (see
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page
43). Plug an adapter into the 12vDC In port of the computer control panel (13B, Fig. 1).
To install batteries:
1. Position the optical tube: Turn the Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1) counterclockwise to
unlock the the optical tube (19, Fig. 1) and move it through the fork arms. Move
the optical tube to the position depicted in Fig. 1 and turn the Dec. lock clockwise
to a firm feel to relock the position of the optical tube.
2. Install batteries: Remove the battery compartment covers (8, Fig. 1) and carefully remove the battery holders, being mindful of the connector wires. Insert four
user-supplied C-cell batteries into each battery holder, oriented as shown on the
diagram on the battery slots inside the battery holder. Return the battery holders
to their respective compartments and replace the covers. (See Fig. 5.)
3. Plug in the Autostar II handbox: Be certain that the power switch on the computer control panel (13A,Fig.1) is in the OFF position. Plug the coil cord of the
Autostar II handbox into the HBX port (13F, Fig. 1).
Note: The Autostar II handbox and the microfocuser do not require batteries; the telescope supplies their power.
4. Attach microfocuser: Remove the dust cap from the rear cell port (5, Fig. 1) of
the telescope. Thread the microfocuser adapter (B, Fig. 6) onto the rear cell port
thread. Slide the microfocuser (C, Fig. 6) over the microfocuser adapter and
tighten the three hex screws (K, Fig. 6) using the provided hex key.
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 fire, or leak.
Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the
batteries if they are not to
be used for a long period
of time.
Fig. 5: Batter y installation.
Fig. 6: Microfocuser and eyepiece assembly.(A) Rear cell of telescope (shown separate
from the telescope assembly for the sake of clarity, see 5, Fig. 1); (B) Microfocuser
adapter; (C) Microfocuser; (D) 1.25" accessor y adapter. SC accessory adapter (L) may be
used in this position instead if Schmidt-Cassegrain accessories are being used. Do not use
either adapter if using a 2" diagonal diagonal mirror; (E) Eyepiece holder thumbscrew; (F)
Eyepiece; (G) 1.25 "Diagonal Prism. 2" diagonal mirror may also be used in this position
(12" models); (H) Adapter Thumbscrew;(I) Microfocuser Thumbscrews; (J) Microfocuser
bearings; (K) Hex screws; (L) Microfocuser SC Accessory Adapter (see margin note).
OR
Note:
The microfocuser is
shipped with the microfocuser adapter (B) threaded
to the SC accessory
adapter (L). Unthread the
adapters from each other
before attaching the microfocuser.
Tip:
Although you can set up
the telescope to face any
direction to perform
Automatic Alignment, you
will achieve optimal performance when the computer control panel faces
South.
Note:
14" LX200GPS model users,
see page 66 for information on battery installation.
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). Tighten the microfocuser
thumbscrews (I, Fig. 6) to a firm feel only. Slide the 1.25" diagonal prism into the
adapter (D, Fig. 6). Tighten the accessory adapter thumbscrew (H, Fig. 6) to a
firm feel only.
SC Optional Accessory Users: If using any of the optional accessories (such as
the Off-Axis Guider, T-Adapter, etc.; see page 42) with the
LX200GPS SC models,
slide the supplied SC accessory adapter (L, Fig. 6) into the microfocuser. Line up
the groove on the side of the adapter with either of the microfocuser thumbscrews
(Fig. 8a and 8b) and tighten that thumbscrew to a firm feel only. Slide the optional
accessory into the accessory adapter. Tighten the other microfocuser thumbscrew
to a firm feel only.
2.0" Diagonal Mirror Users: If using the 2.0" diagonal mirror, slide the mirror
directly into the microfocuser. The adapters (H and L, Fig. 6) are not required.
Tighten the thumbscrews (I, Fig. 6) to a firm feel only.
Plug in the microfocuser: Plug the microfocuser into the Focus port (13C, Fig.
1).
Note: If you wish to mount a camera directly to the microfocuser, y ou need
to attach an optional T-Adapter to the microfocuser .See
OPTIONAL ACCES-
SORIES, page 42.
Important Note: The microfocuser is carefully adjusted at the factory. If it
become necessary to adjust the microfocuser, it must be performed by factory trained technicians. If the microfocuser is improperly adjusted, performance will degrade and damage will result. Damage due to improper adjustments not authorized by the factory will not be covered under warranty.
6. Insert eyepiece: Remove the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece (1, Fig. 1) from its
container and place it in the diagonal prism (G, Fig. 6) or diagonal mirror. Tighten
the eyepiece holder thumbscrew (2, Fig. 1) to a firm feel only. Rotate the mirror
lock knob (9, Fig. 1) towards the “Unlock” position, until it feels loose—the telescope is shipped with the mirror locked.
7. Remove dust cover: Remove the dust cover (18, Fig. 1) from the optical tube
assembly (19, Fig. 1) by gently prying it off.
8. Attach the handbox holder: Remove the handbox holder from the plastic bag.
If necessary, loosen the lock knob ( A,Fig. 10a) and place the clamp (B, Fig. 10a)
about one of the fork arm handles (15, Fig.1). Tighten the lock knob to a firm feel.
Slide the Autostar II handbox into the holder (C,Fig. 10a). You may also snap the
handbox into the holder: Slide one side of the handbox into the holder and then
firmly press the other side of the handbox into the holder until it snaps in place.
Adjust the tilt of of the holder by loosening the lock knob and then moving the
holder clamp to the desired angle. Retighten the lock knob.
Choosing an Eyepiece
A telescope’s eyepiece magnifies 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 magnification. For example: An eyepiece with a focal
length of 9mm has a higher magnification than an eyepiece with a focal length of
26mm.
Your telescope comes supplied with a Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece which gives a
wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution.
Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and eye
relief during long observing sessions. To 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 eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practical for prevailing seeing conditions. For
information about optional eyepieces for the your telescope, see
OPTIONAL ACCES-
SORIES, page 41.
Fig. 9: Microfocuser and 1.25 diagonal prism with eyepiece completely
assembled.
Fig. 7a: Microfocuser groove.
Fig. 7b: Microfocuser adapter thumbscrew in groove.
Groove
Fig. 8a: SC adapter groove.
Fig. 8b: Line up SC adapter groove
with microfocuser thumbscrew.
Groove
Line up
Fig. 10a: Handbox holder: (A) Lock
knob; (B) Clamp; (C) Holder.
Fig. 10b: Handbox holder attached to
fork arm handle.
15
Fig. 11:Viewfinder Assembly.
Collimation
Screws
Mounting
Slot
Viewfinder
Eyepiece
Track
Fig. 12:Viewfinder collimation screws
and eyepiece.
Fig. 13a & 13b: Jupiter; examples of
the right amount of magnification and
too much magnification.
Thumbscrews
The power, or magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used (an eyepiece's focal length is
printed on the side of the eyepiece). To calculate eyepiece power, divide the telescope's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length. For example: A 26mm eyepiece is
supplied with
LX200GPS models. The focal length of the 8" f/10 LX200GPS is 2000mm
(see
SPECIFICATIONS, pages 47 through 49).
Eyepiece Power = Telescope focal length ÷ Eyepiece focal length
Eyepiece Power = 2000mm ÷ 26mm
Eyepiece Power = 77
The eyepiece power, or magnification is therefore 77X (approximately).
Note: For a list of magnification ratings of the eyepieces available for the
LX200GPS telescopes, see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 41.
Mounting and Adjusting the Viewfinder
To align the viewfinder, perform steps 1 through 5 during the daytime; perform step 6
at night.
1. Slide the track on the bottom of the viewfinder into the slot in the viewfinder
mounting assembly. See Fig. 11. To secure the viewfinder to the mounting
assembly, tighten the two thumbscrews (Fig.11) to a firm feel only.
2. If you have not already done so, insert the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece into the
diagonal prism.
3. Unlock the R.A. (12, Fig. 1) and Dec. (17, Fig. 1) locks so that the telescope
moves freely on both axes.
4. Point the telescope at some well-defined and stationary land object at least 200
yards distant, such as the top of a telephone pole or street sign. Center the object
in the telescope eyepiece. Re-tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks.
5. Look through the viewfinder eyepiece (Fig. 12) and loosen or tighten, as appropriate, one or more of the viewfinder collimation screws (Fig. 12) until the
viewfinder crosshairs are precisely centered on the object you previously centered in the telescope eyepiece.
6. Check this alignment on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and
make any necessary refinements, using the method outlined in steps 3 through 5.
Note: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-to-site.
Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort
images. If an image appears fuzzy and ill-defined, back off to a lower
power eyepiece for a more well-resolved image (see Fig. 13a and 13b).
Too 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 “overpower” a telescope by using high magnifications which
the telescope’s aperture and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support.
Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and well-resolved image is far superior to
one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved (see Figs. 13a and 13b). Powers
above 400X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions.
Autostar II can calculate the best eyepiece for you to use. Try out the “Eyepiece
Calc” feature in the Utilities menu.
Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the full
range of reasonable magnifications possible with the LX200GPS telescopes. See
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
, page 41.
LX200GPS TIPS
Tip:
Because the space
between the GPS receiver
and the viewfinder is a bit
tight, it is helpful if you
tighten the front, bottom
viewfinder collimation
thumbscrew first and use
the other screws to set the
alignment. However, if you
determine you need to
adjust the front thumbscrew, choose an alignment
object that allows you to
slightly elevate or rotate the
telescope to a convenient
position for adjustment of
this thumbscrew.
GPS
Receiver
16
OBSERVING
Observing by Moving the Telescope 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 street signs, mountains, trees, and other
structures. Use your viewfinder to help site-in on an object.
3. Center the object in the viewfinder’s crosshairs and then in the telescope eye-
piece. When the object is centered in your eyepiece, remember to re-tighten the
R.A. and Dec. locks.
4. To move telescope in the R.A. and Dec. axes again, remember to loosen the R.A.
lock and tighten the Dec. lock. Then rotate the manual slow motion control knobs
(10, Fig. 1) and (16, Fig. 1) .
5. Practice focusing objects using the coarse focus knob (6, Fig. 1).
Important Note: The telescope is shipped with the mirror locked. Before
using the coarse focus knob , rotate the mirror lock knob (9, Fig. 1) towards
the "unlock" position, until it feels loose.
For more precise focusing, see
FOCUSING THE EYEPIECE, page 17.
6. Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view some-
thing more challenging, like a bird or a distant moving train.
You can also observe stars and objects in the night sky using this method, but note
that objects begin to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by
the rotation of the Earth. As you become familiar with the Autostar II handbox operation, you can counteract the drift using the automatic tracking feature in the Autostar
II Setup menu (see
TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 18), or by using
Autostar II's GO TO capabilities (see
GO TO SATURN, page 20).
Terrestrial Observing
The LX200GPS models are excellent high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescopes.
Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat
waves. These heat waves often cause degradation of image quality. Lower power
eyepieces, like the Super Plössl 26mm, magnify these heat waves less than higher
power eyepieces. Therefore, lower power eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image is fuzzy or ill-defined, reduce to a lower power eyepiece, where
the heat waves do not have such an effect on image quality. Observing in early morning hours, before the ground has built up internal heat, produces better viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours.
Observing Using Autostar II's Arrow Keys
You may observe land and astronomical objects using Autostar II's Arrow keys to
move the telescope.
1. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (12 and 17, Fig. 1).
2. Verify that Autostar II is properly connected to your telescope. See
HOW
TO
ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE,
page 13.
3. Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.
The Autostar II screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed
by a short beep. Then Autostar II takes a few moments to start up the system.
4. Amessage displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message,
press the key prompted by Autostar II to signify that the message has been read
and understood.
5. "Automatic Alignment" displays. Press any Autostar II key to abort automatic
alignment.
6. The Arrow keys are now activated. Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to slew
(move) the telescope up, down, right, or left.
7. Press the Speed key (Number key "1") and then a Number key (6, Fig. 2) to
change the telescope’s slew speed. ("1" is the slowest speed, "9" is highest
speed.)
8. Use the viewfinder (22, Fig. 1) to locate an object and practice using the Autostar
II’s Arrow keys to center the object in the telescope’s field of view.
Important Note:
Objects appear upsidedown and reversed left-forright when observed in the
viewfinder.Objects viewed
through the telescope eyepiece when inserted into
the diagonal prism and
microfocuser assembly
appear right-side-up, but
reversed left-for-right.
This image inversion is of
no consequence when
observing astronomical
objects and, in fact, all
astronomical telescopes
yield inverted images.
During terrestrial observing,
where a fully-correctly-oriented image (right-side-up
and correct left-for-right) is
desirable, an optional #928
45° Erecting Prism is available.See OPTIONAL
ACCESSORIES, page 42.
NEVER point
the telescope
directly at or
near the Sun at
any time! Observing the
Sun, even for the smallest
fraction of a second, will
result in instant and irreversible eye damage, as
well as physical damage to
the telescope itself.
Warning:
Do not look through the telescope's eyepiece or viewfinder while it is rapidly moving.
Children should always have
adult supervision while
observing.
Want to learn more about
Slew Speeds? See Slew
Speeds, this page.
Note:
Viewing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and siteto-site.Turbulence in the air,
even on an apparently clear
night, can distort images.
Low-power eyepieces, such
as the Super Plössl 26mm
supplied with your telescope,
are better suited to resolving
images in poor viewing conditions.
17
9. Bring the object into focus (see below).
Focusing the Eyepiece Using the Microfocuser
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, maintaining precise and "jiggle-free" image centering on even the smallest CCD chips.
To use the microfocuser:
1. Perform this part of the procedure during the daytime, without the eyepiece
assembly (eyepiece, diagonal, etc.) attached to the microfocuser. Press the
Autostar II Focus button and then the Up and Down Arrow keys. Observe the
microfocuser drawtube as it travels in and out. When the drawtube reaches the
furthest extension of its travel, listen for a change in the pitch of the motor. Notice
that the drawtube's maximum extension is about a half-inch out from the microfocuser. Set the drawtube so that it extends about a quarter-inch (about halfway).
2. When you begin your viewing session, attach the eyepiece assembly. See pages
13 and 14 for details.
3. Make sure that the microfocuser is plugged into the computer control panel focus
port (13C,Fig.1).
4. Point the telescope at a bright star.
5. Rotate the mirror lock knob (9, Fig. 1) towards the "unlock" position, until it feels
loose. Use the coarse focus control (6, Fig. 1) to achieve a rough focus of the star.
6. Rotate the mirror lock knob towards the "lock" position and adjust the tension to
a firm feel; this action serves to lock in the coarse focus.
Important Note: Do not use or bump the coarse focus knob once you have
set the coarse focus. If you do so, repeat steps 5 and 6 above to reset the
coarse focus.
7. Press the Focus key (Number key "4"). "Focus Control: Speed: Fast" displays.
Press the Up or Down Scroll keys to cycle through the four speed options. Press
ENTER to select the desired speed. Or press one of the following Number keys
after pressing the Focus key to change the speed:
Key # Speed Key # Speed
1 or 2 Fine 6 or 7 Medium
3, 4, or 5 Slow 8 or 9 Fastest
8. Use the Arrow keys to bring the star into fine focus.
9. You may need to repeat this procedure when you change eyepieces.
Slew Speeds
Autostar II 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 Speed key (Number key "1") and then press a Number key to change the
slew speed, which is shown for about two seconds on Autostar II’s display.
The nine available speeds are:
Number Key 1 = 1x = Guide Rate, programmable (see
Tip at left)
Number Key 2 = 2x = 2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008°/sec)
Number Key 3 = 8x = 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033°/sec)
Number Key 4 = 16x = 16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067°/sec)
Number Key 5 = 64x = 64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27°/sec)
Number Key 6 = 128x = 30 arc-min/sec or 0.5°/sec
Number Key 7 = 1.5° = 90 arc-min/sec or 1.5°/sec
Number Key 8 = 3° = 180 arc-min/sec or 3°/sec
Number Key 9 = Max = 480 arc-min/sec or 8°/sec)
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: Enable centering of 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 viewfinder.
Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another.
Tip:
The slowest speed, 1x,
may be changed using the
Guiding Rate menu.This
menu allows you to change
the speed by entering a
percentage of the speed
(either more or less than
100%).This function may
be useful in guiding the telescope during CCD and
long-exposure photography. See
GUIDING RATE,
page 29, for more information.
See MIRROR MIRROR, page
38, for more information
about the microfocuser and
the primary mirror lock.
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 crescent or half
phase. Sunlight strikes the Moon at an angle during these periods and adds a depth
to the view. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, making the overly bright surface
to appear flat and rather uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral density Moon filter when observing the Moon. See page 42. Not only does it cut down the Moon's
bright glare, but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.
Astronomical Observing
Used as an astronomical instrument, your telescope has many optical and electromechanical capabilities. It is in astronomical applications where the high level of optical performance is readily visible. The range of observable astronomical objects is
limited only by the observer’s motivation.
To Track an Object Automatically
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 (follows) 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 field of view. The tracking function
automatically keeps an object centered in the telescope’s eyepiece.
To automatically track objects, you need to learn how the Autostar II keypad operates
in order to move through its menus. You'll need to initialize and align your telescope.
Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus
The Autostar II database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation.
■ Press ENTER (2, Fig. 2) to go deeper into Autostar II's 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 avail-
able for each level.
■ Press the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to enter characters and digits. The Arrow keys
are also used to move the telescope.
■ Use the Number keys to enter digits.
Automatic Alignment Feature
Autostar II offers four methods of altazimuth (alt/az) alignment; this section describes
how to initialize and align your telescope using Automatic Alignment. (For a description of the other alt/az alignment methods, see pages 37 and 38. For information
about equatorial (polar) alignment, see
APPENDIX A, page 50.)
To prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment:
1. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (12 and 17, Fig. 1).
2. Verify that Autostar II is properly connected to your telescope. See
HOW TO
ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE
,
page 13.
3. Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position.
The Autostar II screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly , followed
by a short beep. Then Autostar II takes a few moments to start up the system.
4. Autostar II initializes the Smart Drive if "On" has been previously chosen from
both the R.A. and Dec. PEC menus in the "Setup: Telescope" menu (the very first
time the system is turned on, the Smart Drive feature will not be enabled). Once
"On" is chosen, Autostar remembers the setting until "Off" is chosen again. If "On"
has been selected, the R.A. and Dec. motors operate briefly and "Initializing:
Smart Drive" displays.
Definition:
Initialization is a proce-
dure that ensures that
Autostar II operates correctly. When you first use
Autostar II, it doesn't yet
know where the observation location site is or the
time or date of the observation session.
During the automatic
alignment procedure, the
system calculates these
parameters automatically.
Autostar II uses this information to precisely calculate the location of celestial
objects (such as stars and
planets) and to move your
telescope correctly for various operations.
Tip:
When multiple choices are
available within an Autostar
II menu option, the current
option is usually displayed
first and highlighted by a
right pointing arrow (>).
Note:
Press any key on the
Autostar II handbox to abort
the GPS fix. If aborted,
Autostar II then displays
"Enter Date." You may follow
prompts to perform a manual alt/az alignment (see
page 37) or press MODE
repeatedly until "Select
Item" displays to use the
Autostar II menu options.
19
5. Amessage 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 following routines (press any Autostar II key to abort Automatic Alignment; see
Important Note, at the bottom of page 18) :
Caution: As the telescope performs the following operations, it will swing
and rotate. Keep a safe distance from the telescope.
a. Finds the home position. Moves the telescope to find the "home" position.
When the home position is found, the system knows the limiting positions of
the telescope and can avoid tangling cables and over-rotating the telescope.
b. Detects “level” of the base of the telescope; finds tilt and tip. To detect
level, Autostar II must calculate "level" at three compass points. See
FINDING
TRUE LEVEL in the LX200GPS INFO box on page 21.
Autostar II also determines the positioning (i.e., tilt and tip) of the optical tube.
c. Finds North. Locates magnetic North, then calculates true North. See
FINDING TRUE NORTH, page 21.
d. Attempts a "GPS Fix." The
LX200's GPS receiver attempts to acquire and
sync up with signals from GPS satellites. "Getting GPS Fix" displays. See
THE
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM in the LX200GPS INFO box on page 21.
After performing these operations, Autostar II now knows:
■ The telescope's limiting positions
■ Where level is for the telescope
■ The location of true North
■ The observing site's location
■ The date and time
e. Star Alignment. Autostar II then chooses two stars to align upon.
"Searching...." displays. When the telescope slews (moves) to the first star for
alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. If it is not,
look through the viewfinder—in most cases, the star will be visible. Use the
Arrow keys to move the telescope (you can change speed at which the telescope moves: see
SLEW SPEEDS, page 17 for more information) until the star
is visible and centered 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. Press ENTER. Repeat this procedure for the second star.
For more information about alignment stars, see
WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGN-
MENT STAR? page 19.
Which One’s the Alignment Star?
If Autostar has chosen an alignment star with which you are unfamiliar, 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 have located the alignment star or it isn't in the eyepiece, look through your
viewfinder. When you view an alignment star in the viewfinder, it stands out dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky. The viewfinder will
help you locate a star more quickly than the eyepiece, because it has a much
wider field of view than the eyepiece. Using Autostar, set the slew speed to 6 or
higher and use the Arrow keys to center the alignment star in the viewfinder. If
your viewfinder 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 20.
LX200GPS TIPS
Important Note:
The Daylight Saving
menu enables or disables
the Daylight Savings Time
setting: Remember to turn
this setting off or on the
two days a year when
Daylight Saving changes.
See TIMING IS
EVERYTHING
, page 28.
Important Note:
Once the telescope is
aligned, only use the Arrow
keys to move the telescope. Once the telescope
has been aligned, do not
loosen the telescope locks
(12 and 17, Fig. 1), or
move the base manually,
or alignment will be lost.
Important Notes:
It is recommended that you
do not attempt a GPS fix
indoors.
It is also recommended
that you
CALIBRATE SEN-
SORS
the first time your
telescope takes a GPS fix.
See page 29 for more
information.
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 may change from night to night.All that is required
is for the observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when
prompted.
Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking Feature
Now that your telescope has been aligned, you are able to track celestial objects. In
this example, the Autostar II Arrow keys are used to find a star, and then Autostar II's
tracking capability automatically keeps the star centered in your telescope's eyepiece.
1. When Automatic Alignment is completed (as described in the previous section),
"Select: Object" displays on Autostar II.
2. Select a bright star from one of the Object menus. You may choose any unobstructed, bright star for the purposes of this example. Use the viewfinder (22, Fig.
1) to help line up on the star. Use Autostar II's Arrow keys to center the star in the
eyepiece. The tracking motors will then keep the star you have chosen in the
center of the eyepiece.
Go T o Saturn
This exercise demonstrates how to select a celestial object, the planet Saturn, for
viewing from Autostar II’s Solar System library. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars. In other words,
the telescope tracks the chosen objects.
Note: Saturn is not visible the entire year; you may need to choose another object from any of Autostar II's many object libraries;however, the procedure, as described below, remains the same.
1 After the telescope is aligned, press Number key "5."
2. “Solar System: Mercury” displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until “Solar
System: Saturn” displays.
3. Press ENTER. “Calculating” displays. Then “Saturn” and a set of coordinates displays. Note that Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout the
year.
4. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays and the telescope slews until it finds
Saturn. You may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the
eyepiece. Autostar II 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.
Using the Guided Tour
The Guided Tour feature is an easy and fun method of exploring Autostar II's GO TO
capabilities. This example demonstrates using “Tonight’s Best” Guided Tour.
1. After observing Saturn, keep pressing MODE until “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.
Note: If you wish to try out other Guided Tours, press the Scroll Down key
to scroll through other tour choices.When the tour you wish to select displays, press ENTER.
4. “Tonight’s Best: Searching...” displays. After calculating, “Tonight’s Best: Jupiter”
displays.
Note: Different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night.
Press ENTER to display information about the object. Press GO TO to move the
telescope to the object.
Important Note:
While performing the
automatic tracking procedure, only use the Arrow
keys to move the telescope. Once the telescope has been aligned,
do not loosen the telescope locks (12 and 17,
Fig. 1), or move the base
manually, or alignment
will be lost.
Tip:
To manually enter the
R.A. and Dec. coordinates of an object:
Press and hold MODE for
two seconds or more.The
R.A. and Dec. coordinates
display. Press GO TO.
"Object Position" and a
set of coordinates displays.Then enter the R.A.
and Dec. coordinates of
any celestial object using
Number keys.As soon as
the coordinates are
entered, Autostar II slews
the telescope to the coordinates. Note that the telescope must be initialized
for this procedure to operate properly.
Tip:
The GO TO key also
allows you to perform a
"spiral search." A spiral
search is useful when the
telescope slews to an
object, but that object is
not visible in the eyepiece
after the telescope finishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an
alignment procedure.)
Press GO TO when the
telescope stops slewing.
The telescope begins to
move 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.
5. Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll keys to scroll through the
list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe.
6. Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to leave the Guided Tour menu.
Other Guided Tours are available, such as "How Far is Far" and "A Star's Life." If you
have programming skills, you may wish to create a custom Guided Tour. See
CREATE
YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR, page 56.
The Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is comprised of 24 satellites orbiting
the Earth that are constantly transmitting their precise position and time.
The system provides highly accurate, worldwide positioning and navigation
information for any number of applications.
GPS receivers on the Earth acquire signals from three to twelve satellites
to determine the precise latitude, longitude, and time of the receiver.
(Accuracy of the receiver's position may be within 10 to 15 feet.) As
Autostar II uses latitude, longitude, and time information to calculate the
positions of celestial objects, GPS is an ideal tool for aligning your
LX200GPS telescope.
Detecting True Level
To detect level of the base of the telescope, Autostar II must calculate the tip
and tilt of the telescope at three compass points and then compensate for it.
Finding level involves the geometric calculations of a "plane." In order to
define a plane, three positions are necessary. This is not unlike building a
table: For a table to stand level and solid, it must have a minimum of three
legs. Autostar II makes gravitational measurements to make a precise determination of true level.
Finding True North
Locating True North is one of the most important ingredients in the alignment
of a telescope. True North is the axis—the pole—which the Earth spins about
and is a key reference for the motion of the Earth.
As you look at the night sky, the stars seem to move; in fact, if you watched
long enough or took a long time-exposure photograph, you'd realize that the
stars seem to revolve around one point—the pole or True North. When
Autostar II knows where True North is and also knows the time, it can calculate the location of all the other objects in the sky.
One traditional way to find True North is to locate the North Star, Polaris,
which lies very close to True North. Another way to calculate True North is to
use gyroscopes or accelerometers.
The
LX200GPS determines True North by using a magnetic North sensor . The
sensor locates magnetic North. Magnetic North is not True North, but a
measurement of the magnetic lines of the Earth. Magnetic North may deviate several degrees from True North. But Autostar II, using the observation
site location determined by the GPS and magnetic North information, can
calculate the position of True North.
Some areas are subject to magnetic disturbances, and the magnetic field of
the Earth changes slightly from year to year. Autostar II allows you to adjust
for discrepancies in the local magnetic field using the "Calibrate Sensors"
option in the Telescope menu. See page 29 for more information.
21
LX200GPS INFO
Fig. 14: LX200GPS GPS Receiver.
GPS
Receiver
Loading...