Instruction Manual Meade Instruments Corporation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Instruction Manual 8", 10", 12", 14", 16" LX200GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope with Autostar II Hand Controller Meade Instruments Corporation The Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical System (2) (1) (1) (2) Ray (2) 1/2° Ray (1) 8.218" (2) 8.016" (1) 8.0" Secondary 8.0" Mirror Focal Plane Secondary Primary Baffle Tube Baffle Field Stops Correcting Primary Mirror Plate (8" model depicted in diagram. Not to scale.) 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 field- of-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 Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical System The Meade 7" (178mm) Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical System Field Stops 8.25" 7" Focal Meniscus Plane Lens Primary Baffle Tube Secondary Baffle Primary Mirror (f/2.5) (Diagram not to scale) 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 sec- ondary 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 mir- ror baffle, yield lunar, planetary, stellar, and deep-space images of uncommonly high contrast and resolution. CONTENTS Quick-Start Guide .......................................................... 4 Telescope Features ...................................................... 6 WARNING! Autostar II Features........................................................ 9 Getting Started ..............................................................12 ® Never use a Meade LX200GPS Telescope Parts Listing ..............................................................12 to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the How to Attach the Tripod to the Telescope ..............12 Sun will cause instant and irreversible dam- How to Assemble Your Telescope ............................13 age to your eye. Eye damage is often pain- Choosing an Eyepiece..............................................14 less, so there is no warning to the observer Mounting and Adjusting the Viewfinder ....................15 that damage has occurred until it is too late. Observing ......................................................................16 Do not point the telescope or its viewfinder at Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually ........16 or near the Sun. Do not look through the tel- Terrestrial Observing ................................................16 escope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Observing Using Autostar II's Arrow Keys ................16 Children should always have adult supervi- Focusing the Eyepiece with the Microfocuser ..........17 sion while observing. Slew Speeds ............................................................17 Observe the Moon, Astronomical Observing ..........18 To Track an Object Automatically..............................18 Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus ..................18 Caution: Use care to install batteries in the Automatic Alignment............................................18 orientation indicated by illustration in the bat- Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking ..........20 tery slots of the battery holder. Follow battery Go To Saturn ............................................................20 manufacturer's precautions. Do not install Using the Guided Tour..............................................20 batteries backwards or mix new and used Basic Autostar II Operation ............................................22 batteries. Do not mix battery types. If these Autostar II Navigation Exercise ................................22 precautions are not followed, batteries may Navigating Autostar II................................................23 explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly Autostar II Menus ........................................................24 installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Menu Tree ................................................................24 Objects Menu............................................................25 Event Menu ..............................................................26 Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu ..................................27 If you are anxious to use your telescope Setup Menu ..............................................................28 for the first time, read the QUICK-START Hot Button Menus ....................................................31 GUIDE on pages 4 and 5. Advanced Autostar II Features ......................................32 Adding Observing Sites ............................................32 Creating User Objects ..............................................33 Observing Satellites, Landmarks ..............................34 16" LX200GPS Users: See APPENDIX F, Identify ......................................................................35 page 62, for features unique to the 16" Browse ......................................................................36 model. Alternate Alt/Az Alignment Methods..........................37 Initialize Autostar II (for Alternate Alignments) ..........37 Easy (Two-Star) Alignment ......................................37 Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment ........................................37 APPENDIX G 14" LX200GPS Users: See , To Set the Home Position Manually ....................38 page 66, for features unique to the 14" One-Star Alt/Az Alignment ........................................38 model. Periodic Error Correction ..........................................39 Photography ..................................................................40 Optional Accessories ......................................................41 Maintenance ..................................................................44 Specifications ................................................................47 ® The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment ......................50 registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal coun- Appendix B: Latitude Chart ............................................55 tries throughout the world. "LX200GPS" and "Autostar II" are Appendix C: How to Create Your Own Guided Tour......56 trademarks of Meade Instruments Corporation. Appendix D: Training the Drive ......................................60 "Easy Align" U.S. patent 6,392,799 and other patents pend- Appendix E: The Moon Menu ........................................61 ing. Appendix F: 16" LX200GPS Features............................62 Intelligent Network Architecture to Facilitate Parallel Task Appendix G: 14" LX200GPS Features ..........................66 Management U.S. patent 6,304,376 Appendix H: De-rotater and Microfocuser Assembly ....67 © 2003 Meade Instruments Corporation. Appendix I: Smart Mount................................................68 Basic Astronomy ............................................................70 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 tele- scope outside into the dark for observing. The setup is the same for the standard field tripod and the giant field tripod. ᕡ 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. ᕤ Threaded Rod “C” Clip in slot Tripod Base 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. 4. Place the "C" clip into the slot in the threaded rod above the tripod head—this clip holds the thread- ed rod in place. ᕢ ᕥ Tension Knob 5. Take