Instruction Manual 6" LS-6 ACF and 6" LS-6 SC Telescopes with AutoStar III Hand Controller WARNING! Never use a Meade® LS-6™ 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. CONTENTS Introduction The most sophisticated and easiest Advanced LS-6 Features to use telescope ever ...... 3 Two Star Alt Az Alignment ...... 29 One Star Alt Az Alignment ...... 30 Getting Started Finding objects not in the database ...... 30 Landmarks ...... 30 Assembling the Telescope and using LightSwitch Observing Satellites ...... 31 Assembling the tripod ...... 5 Terrestrial Observing ...... 32 Mounting the tripod ...... 6 Installing the batteries ...... 6 Maintenance Using an AC Adapter or DC Power Cord ...... 6 Basic Maintenance ...... 33 Attaching Accessories ...... 7 Collimation ...... 33 Telescope is now Fully Assembled ...... 7 Inspecting the Optics ...... 35 Powering up the Telescope - LightSwitch Gauging the Movement of the Telescope ...... 35 Technology™ ...... 8 Updating Your LS-6 Firmware ...... 35 SD Card for Updates and Image Storage . . . .36 AutoStar III Handbox – Basic Usage Basics ...... 9 Meade Customer Service Navigating the Menus ...... 9 How to get in contact ...... 36 Changing Modes ...... 10 Menu Mode ...... 10 Appendix A: Scope Info Mode ...... 10 Training the Drive ...... 37 Sky Map Mode ...... 10 Shortcuts ...... 10 Appendix B: Creating User Objects ...... 38 LS-6 Key Features Telescope Appendix C: Key Features identified on the Telescope . . . . 11 Basic Astronomy ...... 39 Key Features Explained ...... 13 Using the Red-Dot Finder ...... 15 Specifications Adjusting the Red-Dot Finder ...... 15 LS-6 ACF 6”: ...... 41 LS-6 SC 6”: ...... 42 Optional MEADE® Accessories Choosing Eyepieces ...... 16 Meade Warranty Meade Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces . . . . . 16 One Year Limited Warranty . . . . . Back Cover Meade Series 5000 Premium Eyepieces ...... 17 Power Supplies ...... 18 BATTERY SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS: Imagers and related Accessories ...... 18 • Always purchase the correct size and grade of battery: AutoStar III Handbox 8 x “C-type” Alkaline batteries (ANSI 14A, 14AC/ Buttons, Display and their functions ...... 19 IEC LR14). Menu Tree ...... 23 • Always replace the whole set of batteries at one time, Guided Tour Menu ...... 24 taking care not to mix old and new ones, or batteries of different types. Object Menu ...... 24 • Clean the battery contacts and also those of the device Event Menu ...... 25 prior to battery installation. Take Picture Menu ...... 25 • Ensure the batteries are installed correctly with regard to Utilities Menu ...... 26 polarity (+ and -). Setup Menu ...... 27 • Remove batteries from equipment which is not to be used for an extended period of time. ® The name “Meade,” “AutoStar”, “LightSwitch” and the Meade • Remove used batteries promptly. logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark • Never attempt to recharge primary batteries as this may Office and in principal countries throughout the world. cause leakage, fire, or explosion. “SmartFinder”, “Deep Sky Imager”, “LS-6”, and “Tonight’s Best” are • Never short-circuit batteries as this may lead to high trademarks of Meade Instruments Corporation. temperatures, leakage, or explosion. • Never heat batteries in order to revive them. Patents: • Remember to switch off devices after use. US 7,277,223, US 7,079,317, US 7,092,156 • Keep batteries out of the reach of children; small batteries may be ingested. US 6,304,376, US 7,221,527, US 6,922,283 • Seek medical advice immediately if a battery has US 6,392,799 been swallowed. © 2009 Meade Instruments Corporation. Caution: If batteries or parts are swallowed, see a doctor immediately. INTRODUCTION The LS-6 LightSwitch® 6" ACF and LS-6 LightSwitch® 6" SC Telescope The most sophisticated and easiest to use telescopes ever

Congratulations on receiving your new LS-6 6” telescope. You’ll find 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 most advanced and complete list of features of any telescope, 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 LS-6 telescope system apart from all others.

Ease of Use: LightSwitch Technology is the ultimate in easy setup. Using a combination of optical, mechanical and electronic sensors, LightSwitch delivers a telescope ready to start observations without any input from the user. 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 flatter, coma-free field of view with pinpoint images all the way to the edge of the field, 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 III handbox gives you complete control of your LS-6 system from the palm of your hand. With a database of nearly 100,000 objects, you will never run out of things to explore. Multimedia: The Astronomer Inside™ provides audio and video descriptions of the objects you are viewing with a wealth of information along with guided tours of the best objects in your sky. Imaging: The built-in ECLIPS™ CCD Module enables you to take wide-field digital images of the sky, view them real time with an attached video monitor and save them to an SD card without using and external computer.

If you are like us, you can’t wait to get outside under a dark sky to try out your new LS-6 telescope. We have provided a Getting Started Guide that will get you up and running in the shortest amount of time possible. After your first 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 confident that the LS-6 will keep you fascinated with the Universe and entertained for many years to come.

Clear Skies,

The people at Meade GETTING STARTED You may want to perform the LS-6 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 first 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.

1 It is best to set up the telescope in twilight or before sunset the first time you use it. Take the telescope and tripod outside. Set the telescope in a large open area Lock-Knob where you can see lots of sky. Don’t setup right next to a building or a wall. Also try to stay away from large GETTING STARTED metal objects like a car or a metal fence. 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. Additionally, it will take the telescope longer to align itself if there are too many bright lights around.

Assembling the Tripod 3 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 firm feel only; do not overtighten.

Spreader Shaft

End Nut

Spreader Bar

2 Remove the field tripod from the shipping carton. Stand the tripod vertically with the tripod feet down 4 Remove the end nut from the spreader shaft and with the tripod still fully collapsed. Grasp two of and slide the spreader in between the telescope the tripod legs and, with the full weight of the tripod legs. Attach the end nut and hand tighten until the on the third leg, gently pull the legs apart to a fully telescope legs are held snuggly in the most spread open position. position. Position the tripod where you want the telescope to be and check that the top of the tripod is approximately level.  Mounting the Telescope

Center Hub

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

Thumb-Screw CAUTION: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the battery compartment. Follow battery manufacturer’s 5 Take the LS-6 from its packaging and place precautions. Do not install batteries backwards or mix the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head. new and used batteries. Do not mix battery types. If Rotate the telescope head slowly until you feel the these precautions are not followed, batteries may scope register on the center hub of the tripod head. explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed Carefully screw the three attachment thumb-screws batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove on the bottom of the plate to the base of the tripod. the batteries if they will not be used for a long period Hand tighten the screws so the telescope cannot spin of time. or wobble on the tripod head. Using an AC Adapter or Installing the Batteries DC Power Cord

Power Port

7 Use only the optional Meade Universal AC Remove the end cover from the battery 6 Power Adapter (part number 07584 for North America compartment exposing the battery tray. Carefully slide or 07584F for 220v foreign) with your LS-6 telescope the battery tray out until it reaches its end stop. Insert when connecting to AC power. It is specifically selected 8 (user supplied) Alkaline “C” batteries into the battery to provide the quality voltage and current required to compartment. Take care that the batteries + and - ends power and protect the electronics in the telescope. are as indicated in the battery holder. Power adapters from other manufactures may cause Slide the battery compartment back into the telescope damage and void your warranty. and re-attach the battery compartment cover. Plug the AC plug into a household AC socket and the DC plug into the 12v DC jack 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 GETTING STARTED

 Now remove the dust cover from the front of the telescope tube. Be careful not to touch the glass lens.

8 Be sure the telescope master power switch is in the off position. Remove the LS-6 handbox and the coiled interface cable from the packing materials. Plug one end into the HNDBX port of the control panel and plug the other end into the Handbox port on the LS-6 handbox.  Next remove the dust cap from the ECLIPS CCD Module and put it in a safe place.

Rear Cell Thread Eyepiece Holder

Dust Cap Diagonal Prism Powering Up The Telescope 9 Remove the dust cap from the rear cell of the When night has fallen, approximately 1 hour after telescope. Thread the 1.25" eyepiece holder onto  sunset, turn on your telescope. Flip the LightSwitch the rear cell thread. Slide the diagonal prism into on the telescope fork arm to the ON (1) position. The the eyepiece holder and lock in place by turning the copyright message lights on LS-6’s LCD display. thumbscrew to a firm feel. Place the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece into the diagonal prism and tighten the diagonal prism thumbscrew to a firm feel only.   After the telescope powers on, you will hear a brief Focus Knob introductory message. You can press the “MEDIA” key to bypass the introduction if you like. If you have attached a video cable from the Video Out connection on the telescope to the composite video input of a NTSC TV monitor, you will also see graphics accompanying the telescope introduction.

Slew Speeds: GETTING STARTED Speed 9: Fast ' Arrow Keys '  At this point look through the eyepiece of the Speed 5: Medium telescope. You should see some light from the final ' alignment star but it is probably out of focus. Adjust the ' focus using the knob on the back of the telescope until Speed 1: Slow Number you get a sharply focused star image. Keys  Press the “Tours/8” key on the AutoStar and select the “Tonight’s Best” tour by pressing the Scroll Down arrow key at the bottom of the AutoStar. Press “ENTER”  At the end of this message, the telescope will to start the tour of the best objects visible in your sky immediately start its LightSwitch Automatic Alignment right now. You will hear a brief introduction to the tour procedure. It will take about five to ten minutes for and then the first object will be shown on the second line the telescope to orient and align itself. Once it has of the AutoStar display. If you press “ENTER” to select completed the alignment the handbox screen will this object, you will hear a description of the object. If display “Alignment Successful”. you press the GoTo key, the telescope will move (slew) to put the object in the eyepiece so you can view it directly. To move to the next object, press the “BACK” key and then the Scroll Down key to move through the available objects in the tour. Press “ENTER” to select the displayed object. To exit the tour, press the “Mode” key.

 When you are finished observing for the night, replace the dust cover over the end of the telescope and the dust cap on the lens of the ECLIPS Module. LS-6 TIPS Select “Shutdown” from the main top level menu. After the telescope has moved to its storage position and “MODE” Key the AutoStar displays “Turn Off Telescope”, flip the The “MODE” Key cycles the telescope through LightSwitch to the OFF (0) position. its three different modes; Menu Mode, Info Mode and Skymap Mode. During most telescope operations, pressing the “MODE” key will stop the current operation.  AUTOSTAR III HANDBOX – BASIC USAGE Now that you have successfully setup and used your LS-6, it’s time for more information about all the capabilities of this amazing telescope system. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the AutoStar III handbox operation. The largest keys on the keypad are the motion control keys. Most of the time, these keys allow you to move, or slew, your telescope both up and down and right and left. Press them now and see how the telescope moves in response to the keys. When the telescope initially starts up the scope is set to move at its fastest speed. While this is great for getting close to the area you want to see, it is really too fast to get anything positioned into the eyepiece. For that reason, the LS-6 has 9 distinct speeds. AUTOSTAR III BASIC USAGE AUTOSTAR

To change the telescope’s speed, press the 1/SPEED key. You can now select a speed with the scroll up and down small arrow keys on the bottom of the hand control. When you have the desired speed selected, press the “ENTER” key. Alternatively, when the speed selection screen is showing, you can just press a number 1-9 to select a speed quickly, where 1 is the slowest and 9 is the fastest. Take a moment and try move the scope around at some different speeds. Navigating the Menus

Key Functions Now that you are starting to get comfortable with the “BACK” - return to previous menu. basics, lets learn some new keys. The most important “ENTER” - select or confirm entry. keys for navigating the menus on you telescope are the “GO TO” - Slew to currently selected object. “SPEED” - Adjust Slew Speed. keys along the top and bottom rows of your AutoStar. “FOCUS” - Optional Electronic focuser. Motion The two small arrows on the bottom of the key pad, pad controls focuser. Up/Down scrolls focus speed. allow you to scroll through the possible menu selections. “VOL”. - Up/Dn adjusts media The menu line is at the top of the handbox display and volume. the top of the video monitor if connected. The second “DISP” - Control Display contrast, brightness. line of the hand control display has the current active “MODE” - Cycles thru Menu -> Scope info -> menu item. If you are looking at a connected video SkyMap -> Menu and aborts current operation. display, you will see more menu choices and the active “MEDIA” - Toggles media on and off. selection will be highlighted. “CALD” - Lookup Caldwell Objects “MES” - Look up Messier Objects “PLANETS” - Look up planets in our solar system “STAR” - Look up bright stars  The “ENTER” and “BACK” buttons on the top of Shortcuts! the display let you move up and down the menu tree. Now lets look at the numeric keypad. Each of the When you press “ENTER” you will select the current number keys does two things. If the telescope is active menu choice. Pressing “BACK” will move you requesting input, the number keys allow you to enter up the menu tree. To get us to the top of the menu digits into the telescope. When you are navigating the tree, press “BACK” until “Select Item” is displayed on menus they act as shortcuts. Their assignments are line 1 of the display. This is the top level menu. Use as follows: the scroll keys to navigate through the choices until you find “Objects”. Press “ENTER”. Now you should 1. “SPEED”: We have already used this key. It be able to navigate to “Constellations”. Once you are allows you to change the slew speed of there press “ENTER” again. Now press “ENTER” to the telescope. select “Andromeda”. 2. “CALDWELL”: Let’s you look up members The telescope will now start to tell you the story of of a popular group of bright deep sky objects Andromeda. You can listen to the whole story, or press that make up the Caldwell Catalog. the “MEDIA” key to skip the story and more menu 3. “MESSIER”: Let’s you look up some of the choices will appear. If you want to go from the menu, most famous bright deep sky objects that make “BACK” to the story, just press the “MEDIA” key again up the Messier Catalog III BASIC USAGE AUTOSTAR to restart the story. 4. “FOCUS”: If you have the optional electric A complete tree of the available menu choice is focuser on you your telescope you can press contained in figure 6 on page 23 of the manual. this key to go to focus mode. Now the arrow keys will move the focus in or out. CHANGING MODES 5. “PLANETS”: Lets you directly lookup Menu Mode a planet. Up till now we have been exploring the Menu Mode. 6. “STARS”: Lets you directly lookup a The handbox has several other modes in addition to bright stars. simple menu navigation. You will notice the “0” key is 7. “VOLUME”: Gives you quick access to the also labelled “MODE”. Pressing “MODE” allows you telescope audio volume control to cycle through the telescopes three modes. 8. “TOURS”: Lets you directly select a guided tour. Scope Info Mode (note: to exit a tour at any time hit the “MODE” Key.) Press “MODE” now. In Scope Info Mode the scroll keys allow you to look at the current time, date, and location Now spend a little quality time with the telescope to where the telescope is pointing along with other key get comfortable navigating its features. When you values about the status of your telescope. a comfortable, it is time to go out and explore the Sky Map Mode night sky. Press “MODE” again. The hand control display will show “Sky Map FOV=45”. In sky map mode an attached video monitor shows a planetarium-like map of the sky in the area where your telescope is pointed. Use the motion keys to move the scope and notice how the sky display changes as you move the scope. You can zoom the display in or out by pressing the scroll up and scroll down buttons.

10 LS-6 KEY FEATURES

 5 LS- 6 KEY FEATURES 

1 

3 2    

2&

1 Diagonal Eyepiece Holder 2 Diagonal Prism  Telescope Input/Output Panel 3 1.25” Eyepiece Holder  ON/OFF LightSwitch 4 Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw  ECLIPS CCD Module 5 Eyepiece  Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws 8 Single Fork Arm Mount  Handbox Storage Cradle

Figure 1: LS-6 Telescope 11   6 Diagonal Thumbscrew 7 Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) 9 Focus Knob  Integrated Sensor Module  Dust Cover  Battery Compartment  Red Dot Finder  Mini SD Card Slot  USB-A for Future Expansion

2! USB-B connector to PC LS- 6 KEY FEATURES 2@ Video Output 6  2# Audio Output  2$ Electronic Focuser Jack 2% Handbox (HNDBX) Port  2^ 12v Power Input



Figure 2: LS-6 Right Side 2! 2@  2#

 2$ 2% 2^ Figure 3: LS-6 Front

Figure 4: LS-6 Connectors 12 1 Diagonal Holder: Holds the eyepiece in place.  ECLIPS CCD Module: The integrated camera is part of the system that allows the telescope 2 Diagonal Prism: provides a more comfortable to align itself, and provides you with a wide field right angle viewing position. Slide the diagonal imager when a video monitor is attached to prism directly into the eyepiece holder (Fig. 1, 3). your telescope. 3 1.25" Eyepiece Holder  Red Dot Finder: Provides an easy way to sight 4 Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw on objects and put them in the telescope’s 5 Eyepiece: Place the Super Plössl 26mm eyepiece eyepiece. into the 90° diagonal prism (Fig. 1, 4) and tighten  Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws: Adjust in place with the thumbscrews. The eyepiece these screws to align the Red Dot Finder with magnifies the image collected in the optical tube. the telescope’s main optics. See page 15 for more information. 6 Diagonal Eyepiece Holder Thumbscrew: LS- 6 KEY FEATURES Tightens the eyepiece in place. Tighten to a firm  Handbox Storage Cradle: Holds the AutoStar feel only. handbox in a convenient position on the 7 Optical Tube Assembly (OTA): The main telescope. optical component that gathers the light from  Mini SD Card Slot: Allows standard Mini-SD™ distant objects and brings this light to a focus for cards to be used to store images taken with examination through the eyepiece. the telescope. Can also be used to update the 8 Single Fork Arm Mount: Holds the optical tube application firmware in the telescope. in place and moves it to find and track objects.  USB-A Connector for future expansion 9 Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s primary 2! USB-B Connector to PC: Connects your mirror in a finely-controlled motion to achieve telescope to a PC computer, so that the telescope precise image focus. The LS-6 telescope can be can be remotely controlled from AutoStar Suite focused on objects from a distance of about 25 ft. software, or other computer planetarium programs. to infinity. Rotate the focus knob counterclockwise This port can also be used to update the software to focus on distant objects, and clockwise to focus in your telescope, manage custom catalogs, keep on nearby objects. data on satellites, comets and asteroids current,  Integrated Sensor Module: Receives location and to download new tours to your telescope. and time information transmitted from Global 2@ Video Output: This connector allows you to Positioning System (GPS) satellites. Determines connect the telescope to a NTSC television north and level positions. monitor (not supplied). This monitor will display:  Telescope Input/Output Panel a. Multiple line menus.  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.  ON/OFF LightSwitch: Turns the LS-6 system ON or OFF. The red LED power indicator light illuminates when power is on.  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. 13 b. Images from the ECLIPS camera. LS- 6 KEY FEATURES

e. Astronomer Inside videos and images of the moon, planets, and deep sky objects

2# Audio Output: This connection will allow you to pass the telescope’s stereo sound to external speakers, headphones or and external television monitor. 2$ Electronic Focuser Jack: Plug in the optional Meade Zero Image Shift Micro-Focuser (P/N 07080) for precision focusing control. 2% Handbox (HNDBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar III coil cord (Page 12, Fig. 4, 23) into this port. d. Sky maps of the region where your telescope is 2^ 12v Power Connector: Provides connection so pointed that the telescope system may be powered from either a 12v DC auto cigarette light plug or from a standard 115v AC home outlet using the optional Meade Universal Power Adaptor. It is important that only the Meade Universal Power Adaptor be used to power the telescope. 2& AutoStar Suite Software: Contains the LS- 6 Instruction Manual and a collection of useful software including a planetarium program, the AutoStar Updater for downloading and upgrading the firmware in the telescope, software to control the telescope from a computer and other programs all designed to enhance your use of the LS-6 system.

14 Using the Red-Dot Finder Adjusting the Red-Dot Finder

On/Off & Brightness Adjustment

Because your telescope has so much magnification, The Red-Dot Finder has been aligned at the factory, LS- 6 KEY FEATURES its field of view is very small. This can make it hard to but you may need to touch-up the alignment from time know exactly where your telescope is pointing by simply to time. To do this, look through the eyepiece of your looking at it. To help you point the telescope quickly scope and using the hand controller center a distant and accurately, for terrestrial targets or when not using object. Now turn on the Red-Dot Viewfinder and adjust Auto Alignment and GO TO pointing, the LS-6 has a 1X the brightness so you can see the red dot. Look through Red-Dot Viewfinder. the sight as pictured above. The Red-Dot Finder will aid you in pointing your A d j u s t m e n t telescope easily. It works much like a fighter pilot’s Screws 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 finder’s glass window. You will see a red dot superimposed on your view. Using the direction keys on the handbox, move the Now, without moving the telescope, adjust the indicated telescope until the red dot is on the target you want to thumb screws until you have put the red dot on the view in the eyepiece. As you get close to your target, object at which you were looking. It’s that simple. select a moderately low speed, like speed 5, and move the scope to center your target as you look through the Now use the hand controller to put the laser dot on a eyepiece. This a great way to get used to finding the new target. Check to see that the desired target is in movement keys without removing your eye from the the eyepiece. eyepiece..

15 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES 26mm eyepiece, which gives a wide 53 ARC Minute (just a little less than 1 degree) field of view with 59x Meade makes a complete line of accessories to enable magnification. This is a very good all purpose eyepiece you to get the most fun and performance from your LS- for your telescope, but you should consider buying 6 telescope. No matter what you want to accomplish, additional eyepieces in longer and shorter focal lengths we have the equipment to help you get there. to fully realize the potential of the excellent 6" optical Choosing Eyepieces system in your LS-6 telescope. 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. Experienced users know that higher ACCESSORIES OPTIONAL 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 magnifications. 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. To calculate magnification, divide the telescope’s focal length by the eyepiece’s focal length. For example, a 26mm eyepiece is supplied with the LS-6. The focal length of the 6" LS-6 is 1524mm (see SPECIFICATIONS, page 40). Telescope Focal Length 1524mm The Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces are excellent well corrected 4 element optics at popular prices. They Eyepiece Focal Length 26mm come in a wide range of focal lengths to give you the 1524 ÷ 26 = 58.6x right magnification for any type of celestial object you The magnification is therefore 58.6x. are viewing. You can also use one of the Series 4000 Barlows to double or triple the magnification of a Super Low power eyepieces offer a wider field of view, bright, Plössl eyepiece. These eyepieces have been the high-contrast images, and long eye relief. To find an standard for over 30 years. 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 Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces in the eyepiece, you may wish to switch to a higher Focal Apparent Actual power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as Length Type Field Power Field practical for prevailing seeing conditions or, for many 56.0mm SP 2" 52º 27x 1º 55' objects, the view is best with a high quality low-power 40.0mm SP 44º 38x 1º 9' wide-field eyepiece. 32.0mm SP 52º 48x 1º 6' NOTE: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-to- 26.0mm SP 52º 59x 53' night and site-to-site. Turbulence in the air, even on 20.0mm SP 52º 76x 41' an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an 15.0mm SP 52º 102x 31' image appears fuzzy and ill-defined, reduce to a lower 12.4mm SP 52º 123x 25' power eyepiece. 9.7mm SP 52º 157x 20' 6.4mm SP 52º 238x 13' Your telescope comes supplied with a Super Plössl 16 The Series 5000 Premium Eyepieces represent the highest level of eyepiece technology. Featuring advanced lens designs with 5, 6 and 7 elements, super fully multi-coated lenses and some of the widest fields of view available, they provide the user with the highest-contrast, pinpoint-sharp images and spectacular wide field views of the heavens. They are made to the same high quality standards as the primary optics in your LS-6 6" telescope and allow you to get all the performance that the Advanced Coma- Series 5000 Ultra Wide Angle Free and Schmidt-Cassegrain optical systems were designed to deliver. Use a Series 5000 Telextender for 2, 3 or 5 times the magnification of the eyepiece alone. There is even a 2x 2 inch Telextender for the large 2 inch eyepieces. OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES OPTIONAL NOTE: 2 inch eyepieces require the optional Series 5000 2” Enhanced Diagonal with 99% Reflectivity (product number 07677) and the SC Thread to 2" Accessory Adapter (product number 07085).

Series 5000 Super Plössl Series 5000 Eyepieces Focal Apparent Actual Length Type Field Power Field

40.0mm 5 EP 2" 60º 38x 1º 34' 32.0mm 5 EP 2" 60º 48x 1º 16' 26.0mm 5 EP 60º 59x 1º 1' 20.0mm 5 EP 60º 76x 47' 14.0mm 5 EP 60º 109x 33' 9.0mm 5 EP 60º 169x 21' 5.5mm 5 EP 60º 277x 13' Series 5000 Super Wide Angle

40.0mm SWA 2" 68º 38x 1º 47' 32.0mm SWA 2" 68º 45x 1º 31' 26.0mm SWA 2" 68º 54x 1º 15' 20.0mm SP 68º 64x 4' 15.0mm SP 68º 76x 54' 12.4mm SP 68º 95x 43'

30.0mm UWA 2" 82º 51x 1º 37' 24.0mm UWA 2" 82º 64x 1º 17' 18.0mm UWA 82º 85x 58' 14.0mm UWA 82º 109x 45' Series 5000 2” Enhanced Diagonal 8.8mm UWA 82º 173x 28' 6.7mm UWA 82º 227x 22' 4.7mm UWA 82º 324x 15' 17 Power Supplies Imagers and Accessories While the LS-6 will operate with 8 “C” cell batteries, you should consider several other power options that might work better for your situation and save you money.

Deep Sky Imagers (DSI) OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES OPTIONAL

Universal AC Adapter (07584): This adapter supplies a constant regulated 12 volt DC at up to 5 Amps from either a standard 115 volt AC or 220 volt AC household supply. It is the only tested and recommended AC power supply for the LS-6 system.

Camera Adapters

#607 DC Power Cord w/ Cigarette Lighter Adapter (07043): This adapter allows you to plug into a standard automobile 12v DC power socket. It comes with a 25 foot cord so you can setup far from the car. Off Axis Guiders

Accessories at Meade.com. Now you can order all these and more accessories or any Meade products right from the Meade Web Site www.meade.com and it will be shipped right to your door. Focal Reducers 18 AUTOSTAR III HANDBOX

 4 1 “ENTER” Key 2 “BACK” Key 2 3 MODE Key 5 4 “GO TO” Key 5 Arrow Keys III HANDBOX AUTOSTAR 6 Number / 6 Shortcut Keys 7 Scroll Keys 8 8 “MEDIA” Key 3 9 Coil Cord Port  Coil Cord 7  9 Figure 5: The AutoStar III Handbox

Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button The AutoStar III hand controller operates the The AutoStar Computer handbox provides control of LS-6 telescope with just a few pushes of AutoStar’s virtually every telescope function. AutoStar III has buttons. Some of the major features of AutoStar soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The III are: LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in the dark. • Automatically move the telescope to any of over The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential 90,000 objects stored in the database or manually database make AutoStar extremely user friendly. enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial object. 2-Line LCD Display: Provides an interface between LS-6 and the user. • Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the year. • Top line: Lists the primary category or menu item. • Download the latest satellite data and software revisions directly from the Meade website • Bottom line: Contains a menu option or (www.meade.com) and share software with other additional information about an object or LS-6 enthusiasts. subject, depending on which function is being performed. 19 1 “ENTER” Key: Selects the option on the second • Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) line of the display. When you are looking at coordinates . descriptive object text, “ENTER” will synchronize • Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST) the telescope’s coordinates with the object. • Timer and Alarm Status This is most useful when synching on bright • Date stars to achieve better pointing in the vicinity • Site coordinates of the star. See NAVIGATING THE MENUS, • Battery status page 9 and AUTOSTAR III MENU TREE, • Telescope Serial Number page 23. • Free Memory remaining in the telescope Sky Map: Press “MODE” again and the scope 2 “BACK” Key: Returns to the previous menu or changes to SkyMap Mode. In this mode, an data level in the AutoStar database until the top attached video monitor will display a tracking sky level, “Select Item,” is reached. map, showing the stars and constellations in the NOTE: Pressing “BACK” while in the “Select area to which the telescope is pointed. Pressing the AUTOSTAR III HANDBOX AUTOSTAR Item” level moves LS-6 to the topmost screen: scroll-up and scroll-down keys will zoom the map in “Select Item: Object.” and out.

3 “MODE” KEY: Cycles the telescope through its Menu: Press “MODE” again to return to the different modes. Menu Mode. NOTE: During any telescope operation, pressing and holding the “MODE” key will stop the current 4 “GO TO” Key: Slews (moves) the telescope to operation the coordinates of the last selected object. While From a mode other than the Menu Mode, the telescope is slewing, the operation may be pressing the “BACK” key will return the aborted at any time by pressing any key except telescope to Menu Mode. “GO TO”. Pressing “GO TO” again resumes the slew to the object. Scope Info: When in Menu Mode, pressing “MODE” changes the telescope into Scope Information Mode. Information about the telescope’s status displays on the handbox and any attached video monitor. When the status displays, press one of the Scroll keys (Pg. 19, Fig. 5, 7) to display the following information: • Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical) coordinates.

20 5 Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specific Number Key “1” = 1x direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one Number Key “2” = 2x of nine different speeds. Speed selection is Number Key “3” = 8x explained in “SLEW SPEEDS”, below. The Number Key “4” = 16x following functions are also available with the Arrow keys: Number Key “5” = 0.25°/sec • Moves the telescope – Use the Up and Number Key “6” = 0.50°/sec Down Arrow keys to move the telescope Number Key “7” = 1.0°/sec vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key Number Key “8” = 2.0°/sec rotates the telescope horizontally counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key Number Key “9” = 4.0°/sec rotates it clockwise. Speeds “1”,“3”, or “3” Best used for fine • Data entry – When the scope is prompting centering of an object in the field of view of for user entered data, use the Up and Down a higher power eyepiece, such as a 12mm or Arrow keys to scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. The Down a 9mm eyepiece. III HANDBOX AUTOSTAR Arrow key starts with the letter “A” and the Speeds “4”, “5”, or “6”: Enables centering Up Arrow key starts with the digit “9.” The an object in the field of a low-to-moderate Left and Right Arrow keys are used to move the blinking cursor left and right across power eyepiece, such as the standard Super the LCD display. Plössl 26mm. • Catalog Paging – When the scope is Speeds “7” or “8”: Best used for rough presenting long catalogs of information, centering of an object in the Red-Dot cities, celestial objects, stars, etc…, you can Viewfinder. move through the list a page (8 items) at a time using the up and down arrow keys. Speed “9”: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another. 6 Number Keys: Each number key on the handbox “2/Caldwell” – instantly brings up the Caldwell serves a dual function. When you prompted to catalog entry menu, so you can access any enter numerical information, the keys allow you Caldwell object by its catalog number. to directly enter digits into the handbox. At all other times, the numeric keys act as shortcuts to “3/Messier” – instantly brings up the Messier frequently accessed places in the menu tree. The catalog entry menus, so you can access any keys have the follow effect Messier object by its catalog number. “1/Speed” – instantly brings up the scope slew “4/Focus” – If you have a optional electric speed menu so you can change the slew rate of focuser attached to your telescope, this key will the telescope change the function of the Arrow keys, to move the focuser in and out, rather than to move the Slew Speeds telescope. LS-6 has nine slew speeds that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate (the rate at “5/Planet” – instantly brings up the solar system which stars appear to drift across the sky) object selection menu. So you can quickly locate and have been calculated to accomplish the moon, planets, comets and asteroids. specific functions. Pressing a Number key “6/Stars” – instantly brings up the star catalog changes the slew speed, which is shown for selection menu, so you can quickly locate bright about two seconds on AutoStar’s display. stars by name, or select stars by their catalog To change the speed, press the 1/Speed. index numbers. Nine available speeds are: “7/Volume” – brings up the volume control for the built in speaker in your telescope. “8/Tours” – instantly brings up the guided tours 21 “9/Display” – instantly brings up the handbox brightness controls so you can adjust your handbox display. “0/Mode” – This key lets you cycle through the telescope’s modes, (See the entry above).

7 Scroll Keys: Accesses options within a selected menu. The menu is displayed on the first line of the screen. Options within 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.

When entering data, the Scroll Down key and Orion Nebula (M42) III HANDBOX AUTOSTAR the Down Arrow key move forward through the alphabet & digits (A to Z, 0 to 9). The Scroll Up key and the Up Arrow key move backward (Z to LS-6 TIPS A, 9 to 0). Common symbols are also available in the list. Observing Considerations

8 “MEDIA” Key: The media key lets you toggle help • Try to pick an observing site away from street and audio/video descriptions on and off. At any and house lights and car headlights. While time you are navigating the menus, pressing the this is not always possible, the darker the site, Media Key will start an explanation of the menu’s the better. function. If you have selected an object, pressing • Try not to use a standard flashlight. the media key, will tell you more about the object. Experienced observers use red LED If a media clip is playing, pressing “MEDIA” stops flashlights, the red utility light on the AutoStar the media clip and moves you back to the menu III handbox, or tape red cellophane over their or object display. flashlights to use for setup and map reading so they don’t have to continually readjust 9 Coil Cord Port: Plug one end of the AutoStar coil their eyes to the darkness. Be careful not to cord into this port (Pg. 19. Fig. 5, 9) located at the shine bright lights if there are other observers bottom of the AutoStar handbox. in the area. Do not shine a flashlight into the  Coil Cord: Plug one end of the AutoStar coil cord telescope while someone is observing! into the HNDBX port (Pg. 12, Fig. 4, 23) of the • Dress warmly. It gets chilly when you’re sitting input/output panel of the telescope and the other for prolonged periods. end into the coil cord port (Fig. 5, 9). • Practice setting up your equipment during the day or in a lighted area to become familiar with it before going to a dark site. • Use your 26mm eyepiece to view terrestrial objects and wider areas of space, such as open star clusters. Use optional higher power eyepieces, such as a 9mm eyepiece, when you wish to view something up close, such as craters on the Moon or the rings of Saturn. 22 AUTOSTAR III MENU TREE

Menu Scope Info Sky Map Mode Mode Mode

Select Item: Select Item: Scope Info Sky Map (FOV=xx) RA up/down zooms DEC FOV = 22 AZ FOV = 31 EL FOV = 45 Date FOV = 63 Local Time FOV = 90 LST Battery Near LaT Lon Free Mem Ser. Version AUTOSTAR III MENU TREE III MENU AUTOSTAR

Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Select Item: Guided Tour Objects Event Take Picture Utilities Setup Shutdown Scope A Star's Life Solar System Sunrise ET=1.000 Up/Dn Volume Align How Far is Far Moon Sun’s Transit ET=... Up/Dn Brightness Adj. Automatic Tonight's Best Mercury Sunset Preview Exposure Contrast Adj. Alt/Az 2 Star Venus Moonrise Set Contrast Night Display Alt/Az 1 Star Mars Moon’s Transit Shoot + Store Sleep Scope Terrestrial Jupiter Moonset Dark Calibration Parking Scope Preferences Saturn Moon Phases Restore Defaults Uranus Meteor Showers Hi Prec. Slews Neptune Solar Eclipses Default Alignment Pluto Lunar Eclipses Mount Type Asteroids Min. of Algol Equatorial* Comets Autumn Equinox Alt. Az Constellation Vernal Equinox Play Intro Video Andromeda Winter Solstice Play Media 1st Summer Solstice ... Animated Media Vulpecula Time Zone Deep Sky Auto Night Vision Named Objects Use GPS Messier Objects Rev. N/S Caldwell Objects Rev. E/W NGC Objects Parking Place IC Objects Max Slew Rate Galaxies Custom Rate Nebulas Calibrate Planetary Neb. Azimuth Drive Star Clusters Elevation Drive Quasars Finder Center Black Holes Star Named Objects * Future Enhancement Hipparcos Cat. SAO Catalog HD Catalog HR Catalog Landolt Stds. Gliese Catalogs Wash. Dbl. Star Multiple GCVS (Variables) Nearby With Planets User Catalogs Arp Galaxies Hickson Clusters Satellite ISS (Zarya) ... Idefix / Ariane 42P Landmarks Select Add Delete

Figure 6: The AutoStar III Menu Tree

23 Guided Tour Menu followed by the Moon, asteroids, and comets. When Guided Tours is selected, LS-6 shows you a Constellation is a database of all 88 Northern and list of theme tours that will help you explore the night Southern Hemisphere constellations. When this menu sky. These tours are pre programmed presentations of option is chosen and a constellation name appears on objects that are visible for the user’s particular location, the first line of the screen, the multimedia description time and date. of the constellation is played. When the media presentation completes, or you press the “MEDIA” The most popular tour is “Tonight’s Best” that guides key to halt the presentation, a menu gives you three the user to the best objects that are currently up in the choices: night sky. This tour is the easiest way to get started exploring the cosmos with your new LS-6 telescope. • Show Summary – ­presents the key data about the constellation. Each tour will select the objects, present multi-media clips about the object and, if you press “GoTo”, put that • Walk the Stars – presents a catalog of the object in the eyepiece of the telescope for you to view. brightest stars in the constellation so that you can walk the constellation figure. To exit a tour, press “Mode”. • Show Objects – presents a list of the best deep The telescope comes pre-loaded with: sky objects in this constellation for you

• “Tonight’s Best”, a selection of the most to explore. III MENU OPTIONS AUTOSTAR interesting objects visible on any night. Deep Sky is a database of objects outside our Solar • “A Star’s Life”, explains how stars are formed, System such as nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and created, changes through their lives and finally quasars grouped in various catalogs like Messier, die using examples that are visible tonight. Caldwell and NGC. • “How Far is Far”, an explanation of the Star is a database of stars listed in different categories phenomenal distances you can see with your such as named, double, variable, or nearby. LS-6. Important Note: When you are looking at descriptive AutoStar Suite also allows you to create your own object text, pressing “ENTER” will synchronize the guided tours of the skies, including your own objects, telescope’s coordinates with the object. This is most titles, images and sound files (for complete instructions useful when synching on bright stars to achieve better on how to use the authoring tools please refer to the pointing in the vicinity of the star. reference manual included on the AutoStar Suite User Catalogs allows the user to define and store in DVD). memory deep-sky objects of specific interest that are Object Menu not currently in the LS-6 database. See Appendix B, page 37 for more information (for complete instructions Almost all observing with LS-6 is performed using the on how to use the authoring tools please refer to the Object menu category. (NOTE: Exceptions include reference manual included on the AutoStar Suite Guided Tour and Landmarks). DVD). Many LS-6 menu categories contain databases. Satellite is a database of Earth-orbiting objects such An LS-6 database is a list of objects, such as stars, as the International Space Station (ISS), the Hubble planets, comets, nebulae and so forth. When one of Space Telescope (HST), Global Positioning System these objects is selected from a database by pressing (GPS) satellites, and geosynchronous orbit satellites. “ENTER” and then “GO TO”, LS-6 moves your In order to find and track satellites, you must download telescope (when properly aligned) and points it at the recent orbital data into the telescope. selected object. Landmarks stores the location of terrestrial points The Object Menu options include: of interest that you create in the permanent LS-6 Solar System is a database of the eight planets (Earth database. is not included) in ascending orbits from the Sun, 24 IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, stars passes behind the other. The combined magnitude the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as of the two stars thus dips from +2.1 to a minimum of when the landmark was added to the database. +3.4 halfway through the eclipse as the second star is hidden. LS-6 calculates minimum magnitude time at • Select – ­To select a Landmark already in the mid-eclipse. database (see ADD below), choose the “Select” option and scroll through the list. Press “ENTER” Autumn and Vernal Equinox calculates the time and to select a Landmark, then press “GO TO” and the date of the fall or spring equinox of the current year. telescope slews to the object. Winter and Summer Solstice calculates the time • Add – ­To add a Landmark, choose the “Add” and date of the winter or summer solstice of the option. Enter a name for the Landmark. Locate current year. and center the Landmark in the eyepiece, then press “ENTER”. Take Picture Menu You can take wide-field images of the night sky with Event Menu the ECLIPS CCD Module that is part of the LightSwitch The Event menu provides access to dates and times of alignment system. It’s great for constellation shots astronomical events. The Event database includes: and you can see some large bright deep sky objects as well.

Sunrise and Sunset calculates the time that the Sun III MENU OPTIONS AUTOSTAR rises or sets on the current date. Note that while you take and store images on to a user Moonrise and Moonset calculates the time that the Moon rises or sets on the current date. Moon Phases displays the date and time of the next New, 1st Quarter, Full and 3rd Quarter Moon. Meteor Showers provides information on upcoming meteor showers, such as the Perseids, the Leonids, etc. Also lists the dates of the showers and when they reach maximum. NOTE: Meteors are fast moving objects that cover large areas of the sky and are usually best observed with the naked eye. The Pleiades Star Cluster (M45 ) Solar Eclipse lists upcoming Solar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, annular, or partial) of eclipse, supplied Mini SD Card for download to your PC, to fully and the location and time of the first and last contacts use many of the options below and to preview your of the Moon’s shadow. Use the Scroll Up and Down image you need to connect the LS-6 to a user supplied keys to display the available data. Remember, never external video monitor. use a telescope to look at the Sun! Start by selecting “Take Picture” from the top menu: Lunar Eclipse lists upcoming Lunar Eclipses, “Take Picture” > “ENTER” including the date and type (total, partial, penumbral) of eclipse. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display Then you will see the following options: the available data. • Preview Exposure:­ Displays “Finder Image; Min. (Minimum) of Algol is the minimum brightness Exposing...”. UP/DOWN adjusts Exposure Time of the dramatic eclipsing binary star system, Algol. It is (ET). A longer exposure records fainter stars. A relatively close at a distance of 100 light years. Every shorter exposure records fainter stars. A shorter 2.8 days during a 10 hour period, Algol undergoes a exposure is better for very bright subjects. major change in apparent magnitude as one of the two • Set Contrast: UP/DOWN selects scrolls through 25 the thirteen pre-set Contrast curves available, includes AutoStar Suite which automatically sorts, “Cont. Day”, “Cont. Moon”, “Cont. Planet”, “Cont. aligns and combines the best images, resulting in a Stars”, and “Cont. Deep1” thru “Cont. Deep9”. highly detailed color image. The setting after “Cont. Deep9” is Cust.Cont. The following Deep Sky Imagers models and (Custom Contrast). This setting allows you adjust accessories are available: the Contrast AND Brightness to create your own Deep Sky Imager III (DSI III) setting. Contrast is controlled using the LEFT/ RIGHT Arrow Keys. Brightness is controlled Deep Sky Imager Pro III (DSI PRO III) using the UP/DOWN Arrow Keys. NOTE: to fully Deep Sky Imager II (DSI II) utilize these the Custom Contrast setting you will Deep Sky Imager Pro II (DSI PRO II) need the use of an external monitor. Otherwise chose one of the thirteen pre-set Contrast Deep Sky Imager Pro II (DSI PRO II), w/RGB Color curves. Filter Set • Shoot & Store: Allows you to take the image Utilities Menu and save it to the SD once you have adjusted the settings and are happy with the preview. You The Utilities menu provides access to several extra must have an Mini SD Card formatted with the features within LS-6: FAT32 file system inserted in the telescope to III MENU OPTIONS AUTOSTAR Volume: Adjusts audio volume of the telescope using use this function. Press the “BACK” key to save the Scroll keys. When complete, press “ENTER”. the image. Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the display using • Dark Calibration: Allows you to take a dark the Scroll keys. When complete, press “ENTER”. frame of the same exposure as your image but with the camera lens covered to combine and Contrast: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the subtract out noise from your image. You must Scroll keys. When complete, press “ENTER”. cover the camera lens with the lens cap before Night Vision: When you have an external video you take the dark calibration frame. monitor attached to your telescope, you will find the bright colorful displays may affect your night vision and make it difficult to see dim objects in the eyepiece of your telescope. The human eye’s sensitivity actually increases for about the first half hour you are in the dark. You have noticed this when you walk out of a dark theater into the daytime sun, how over bright the day seems. This dark adaptation of your eye can be reduced by white light. Red light does not have this effect on dark adapted vision. The night vision option on your telescope will change the display from color, to shades of red. There are three settings: �������������������������������������������� Deep Sky Imager (DSI) Series: these high- performance, easy-to-use and affordable color and black and white CCD camera suppresses electronic noise and by not compressing data from the sensor to increase picture quality. The Deep Sky Imager uses a full 16-bit analog-to-digital converter to enhance picture depth, contrast and dynamic range. The DSI series are USB compatible to easily interface Auto – ­The video will automatically switch to red with most Windows-based laptop computers. It at night. 26 On – ­Selects full-time red video. Preferences allows you to configure the telescope’s behaviors to suit your own viewing tastes. Configurable Off – ­Selects full-time color video. options include: Sleep Scope is a power and time saving option that • Restore Defaults sets all the settings back to shuts down the LS-6 telescope without forgetting the factory original values. its alignment. With “Sleep Scope” selected, press “ENTER” to activate the Sleep function. LS-6 goes • Hi Precision Slews allows you to turn high dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any precision slews on and off. When this feature is key, except “ENTER”, to re-activate LS-6. enabled and you command the telescope to GoTo and object, it will first slew to a nearby star Park Scope is designed for a telescope that has and ask you to center the star and then press not moved between observing sessions. Align the “ENTER” to proceed. This feature insures the telescope one time, then use this function to park the target will be in the precise center of the telescope. Next time it is powered up, no alignment is eyepiece. With faint objects at the limit of your required. Pressing “ENTER” causes the telescope to scope, or when making astro-images, enabling move to its pre-determined Park position. Once parked, Hi Precision assures you are right on target. the screen prompts to turn off power. • Default Alignment allows you to enable or IMPORTANT NOTE: When the “Park Scope” option disable LightSwitch alignment when the scope is chosen and the display prompts you to turn off III MENU OPTIONS AUTOSTAR powers up. When you disable default alignment, the telescope’s power, LS-6 is unable to be returned the telescope will require you to select and to operation without turning the power off and then perform one of the alignment procedures under back on. the Setup menu before your telescope will Setup Menu automatically locate and track objects. The Setup menu’s primary function is to align the • Play Intro Video allows you to disable the telescope. However, there are numerous other features introductory media message that plays when the available within the Setup menu, including: telescope is first powered up. Align prepares your telescope to automatically locate • Play Media 1st allows you to select when and track objects. There are four different alignment multimedia object descriptions are played. As methods available. Unless you specifically disable shipped from the factory, the telescope is LightSwitch as the default alignment, the scope will configured to play the descriptive media before use this method immediately upon powering up. If you showing you the object data. Disabling the Media desire to use an alternate method below, be sure to 1st option, will cause the object’s data to be disable automatic alignment in the preferences. displayed immediately upon object selection. If you wish to hear the descriptions, you must • Automatic Align will use the LightSwitch® explicitly press the “MEDIA” key. alignment method to align your telescope. • Animated Media allows you to bypass the • Alt. Az. 2 Star will begin the interactive two star animated portion of the media. As shipped from alignment process. Complete details are the factory, most objects have two media clips. described in the Advanced LS-6 features The first is an animated overview narrated by a section of this manual. male voice. This is followed by a second, • Alt. Az. 1 Star will begin the interactive one star more detailed description given by a female alignment process. Complete details are narrator. Disabling “Animated Media” will skip described in the Advanced LS-6 features playing the audio/video media clip and go to the section of this manual. audio only presentation. • Terrestrial will set up the telescope to use on • Time Zone allows you to select an international land objects. time zone, or to manually configure a time zone to any fraction of an hour you need. 27

• • • • •

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28 AUTOSTAR III MENU OPTIONS ADVANCED LS-6 FEATURES Two Star Alt Az Alignment 1. Select Alt. Az. 2 Star alignment from the Align e. “Automatic Alignment: Selecting Star” and menu to begin two star alignment. “Slewing” display. When it is close to the alignment star “Center Brightest Star: Press 2. “Automatic Alignment” displays. The system now “ENTER”” displays. When the telescope slews performs the following routines (press any ETX- to the first star, it may not appear in the field LS key to abort Automatic Alignment). of view in the eyepiece. Use the Red Dot Caution: As the telescope performs the Finder (Pg. 12, Fig. 2, 16) to locate the star. following operations, it will swing and rotate. Keep The alignment star will be easy to recognize a safe distance from the telescope. The telescope — it will be the brightest star in the area of now finds the level and tilt position of the the sky where the telescope is pointing. Use telescope, and also detects where true North is. the Arrow keys to center the alignment star in It may not actually level or tilt the telescope or the eyepiece. When the alignment star point to North — it is just detecting these positions. is centered, press “ENTER”. Repeat the This may take a minute or two. procedure for the second alignment. ADVANCED LS- 6 FEATURES ADVANCED a. Attempts a “GPS Fix”. The GPS receiver f. The telescope now slews to the second attempts to acquire and sync up with alignment star. LS-6 displays “Center signals from GPS satellite system. Brightest Star”. “Getting GPS Fix” displays Note: Press g. “Press “ENTER”” displays. Use the Arrow Mode key to abort the GPS fix. You keys to center the alignment star in the will then be prompted to enter the time, date eyepiece. When the second alignment star is and location. centered, press “ENTER”. b. Detects “level” of the base of the telescope; h. “Alignment successful” displays. If “Alignment finds tilt and tip. To detect level, LS-6 Unsuccessful” displays, perform the must calculate “level” at three compass procedure again. points. LS-6 also determines the positioning (i.e., tilt and tip) of the optical NOTE: If you have an obstruction, such as a tree or tube. a building blocking your view of the alignment star, or c. Finds North. Locates magnetic North, then if you have any doubts at all about the star that has calculates true North. been chosen, no problem. Just press the SCROLL DOWN key and LS-6 will find another star to NOTE: After performing these operations, LS-6 ...... align upon. now knows: NOTE: The selected alignment stars may vary • The telescope’s limiting positions by date and time. All that is required is for the • Where level is for the telescope observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when prompted. • The location of true North • The observing site’s location IMPORTANT NOTE: The “Telescope: Mount” option of the Setup menu is set to “Alt/Az” as the default • The date and time alignment by the factory. The example presented d. Once the level, tilt and North are detected, in this section assumes that you are performing the telescope will “GO TO” 2 alignment an alignment procedure for the first time with your stars. The telescope will go to these stars in telescope and therefore, the “Telescope: Mount” order to orient itself to the sky. Once it has option does not need to be selected. done this, it will be able to point to any one of nearly 100,00 objects in its database. 29 Alt/Az 1 Star Alignment This menu option allows you to define and store terrestrial objects in the Landmark database. First, One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the a landmark needs to be stored in memory using the night sky. LS-6 provides a library of bright stars. One- “Landmark: Add” option. To view a landmark, use the Star Alignment is identical to Two-Star Alt/Az: Alignment “Landmark: Select” option. (see TWO-STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT above), except only one star from the database is chosen by the To add a landmark to the database observer for alignment. In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial Finding Objects Not in the Database landmarks in LS-6’s memory. 1. Set the telescope in the home position, if Although LS-6 contains an extensive database of necessary. Note for future reference where celestial objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.) that you the telescope is located and if you have aligned can observe, you may eventually want to view objects the telescope, which alignment method is used. that are not part of the database. LS-6 provides a feature that allows you to enter an object’s R.A. and IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark Dec. and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to function, the telescope must be located and the user-entered coordinates. aligned exactly as when the landmark) was ADVANCED LS- 6 FEATURES ADVANCED added to the database. In order to use this option, you first need to look up the R.A. and Dec. coordinates of the object or objects you 2. Display the “Setup: Targets” menu option. Chose wish to observe. Check out the Internet, local library, “Terrestrial” and press “ENTER”. Choosing this or bookstore for astronomy books, CD ROMs, or option turns off tracking for astronomical objects. magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), Be sure to change this option back to to find coordinates of celestial objects. “Astronomical” when you wish to view celestial To enter coordinates of an object into the objects again. Telescope: 3. Press “BACK” once. “Select Item: Setup” 1. Make sure LS-6 has been initialized and the displays. telescope has been aligned. 4. Press the Scroll Down key once and “Select 2. From any menu press the “MODE” key to change Item: Object” displays. Press “ENTER”. “Object: to Scope Info mode. Solar System” displays. 3. Scroll the display until the telescopes Current 5. Press the Scroll Up key twice and “Object: RA is displayed. Landmarks” displays Press “ENTER”. “Landmark: Select” displays. 4. Press the “GO TO” key. The scope will now prompt you to enter the object’s coordinates. 6. Press the Scroll Down key once. “Landmark: Add” displays. Press “ENTER”. 5. “Right Asc.: 00.00.0” displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Right Ascension 7. “Landmark Name” displays. Using Arrow keys, coordinate of your object. When you are finished, enter a name for the landmark you wish to add to press “ENTER”. the database. When finished, press “ENTER”. 6. “Declination: +00°.00’” displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Declination coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change “+” to “-”. When you are finished, press “ENTER”. 7. The telescope will now slew to your object. Landmarks 30 8. “Center Landmark. Press “ENTER”” displays. 7. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite Using only the Arrow keys (do not manually move menu and press a Scroll key until the desired the telescope), move the telescope to the desired satellite is on the top line of the display. landmark and center the object in the eyepiece. 8. Press “GO TO”, LS-6 slews the telescope to Press “ENTER”. The object is now stored where the satellite should appear. The motor in memory. drive stops and a countdown is displayed. 9. “Landmark: Add” displays. If you wish to add NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the more landmarks, repeat steps 5 through 7. satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a building, tree, or hill), To view a landmark in the database press “ENTER” and LS-6 starts to move the telescope along the expected satellite track. 1. Make sure the telescope is located and aligned When the track clears the obstruction, press “ENTER” exactly as when the desired landmark was again to pause the telescope, then continue with entered into memory. this procedure. 2. Display the “Landmark: Select” menu option. 9. With about 20 seconds left on the countdown Press “ENTER”. timer, start watching through the telescope Red

3. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of Dot Finder (Pg. 12, Fig. 2, 16) for the satellite to LS- 6 FEATURES ADVANCED objects you have previously entered. When the enter the field of view. desired object displays, press “ENTER” to select 10. When the satellite enters the viewfinder field of the object. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through view, press “ENTER”. The telescope starts to track location information about the object, if desired. with the satellite. Press “GO TO” to slew the telescope to the landmark. 11. Use the LS-6 Arrow keys to center the object in the viewfinder, then look through the eyepiece 4. Press “BACK” to exit. to view the object.

Observing Satellites Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to Space Shuttle) are launched. You can use the AutoStar observe a satellite pass. Updater program approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to 1. Navigate to the “Object: Satellite” menu option download this data to LS-6. If orbital parameters are and press “ENTER”. more than one month old, the satellite pass may not 2. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list happen at the time predicted by LS-6. Downloading of satellites. requires you use a USB cable to connect the telescope 3. Select a satellite from list and press “ENTER”. to a PC to update the satellite elements. 4. “Calculating...” and then “Tracking...” displays. NOTE: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most If the satellite is going to make a pass, satellites are in low orbit, traveling at approximately “Located” displays. 17,500 mph. When visible, they move quickly across the sky and are only in the field of view for a few minutes, 5. Use the Scroll keys to display data about the requiring LS-6 to slew the telescope rapidly. Best viewing pass: aos — acquisition of signal and los — loss of is near sunrise or sunset when the sky is dark. Viewing signal. If you subtract the aos from the los, you in the middle of the night can be problematic because can calculate how long the satellite will be visible. the satellite may pass overhead, in the Earth’s shadow. Location information also displays. 6. “Alarm” displays after the location information. Press “ENTER” and LS-6 automatically sets the alarm to sound a minute before the satellite’s scheduled appearance. You may return to regular observations until the alarm goes off. 31 Terrestrial Observing The LS-6 is an 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 eyepiece, 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 Capitol Reef, Utah morning hours, before the ground has built up internal heat, produces better viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours.

If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a LS- 6 FEATURES ADVANCED mountain top or a bird, you want to use your telescope in its Terrestrial Observing mode. To start up the telescope in Terrestrial mode: 1. Turn on the telescope. 2. When you hear the introductory audio, press the “MODE” key. The telescope will move to the LS-6 TIPS home position, and when it has stopped “Select Too Much Power? Item” will show on the Handbox screen. Use the SCROLL keys to move through the menu Can you ever have too much power? If the to “Align”. Press the “ENTER” key again to set- type of power you’re referring to is eyepiece up the “Align” menu. Use the SCROLL keys to magnification, yes, you can! The most move to “Terrestrial” and hit “ENTER”. common mistake of the beginning observer is to “overpower” a telescope by using high 3. Move your telescope using the direction arrows magnifications which the telescope’s aperture on the handbox while looking through the Red- and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably Dot Finder to put your target in the eyepiece. support. Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright 4. Focus on the target with the focus knob (pg. 12, and well-resolved image is far superior to one Fig. 2, 9). that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved (see Figs. 7a and 7b to the left). Powers above 400X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions. Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the full range of reasonable magnifications possible with the LS- 6 telescopes. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 16.

Figs. 7a & 7b: Jupiter; examples of the right amount of magnification and too much magnification. 32 MAINTENANCE The LS-6 is a precision optical instrument designed to 7. If the LS-6 is not to be used for an extended yield a lifetime of rewarding viewing. period, perhaps for one month or more, it is Given the care and respect due any precision advisable to remove the batteries from the instrument, the LS-6 will rarely, if ever, require factory telescope. Batteries left in the telescope for servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescope’s electronic circuitry. 1. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: a little dust 8. Do not leave the LS-6 inside a sealed car on on the front surface of the telescope’s correcting MAINTENANCE lens causes virtually no degradation of image a warm summer day; excessive ambient quality and should not be considered reason to temperatures can damage the telescope’s clean the lens. internal lubrication and electronic circuitry. 2. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens Collimation should be removed with gentle strokes of a camel The optical collimation (alignment) of any astronomical hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe telescope used for serious purposes is important, but (available at any pharmacy). DO NOT use a in the case of the Schmidt-Cassegrain design of the commercial photographic lens cleaner. LS-6, such collimation is absolutely essential for good 3. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front performance. Take special care to read and understand lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts this section well so that your LS-6 will give you the best distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You optical performance. may also add 1 drop of biodegradable As part of final optical testing, every Meade Schmidt- dishwashing soap per pint of solution. Use soft, Cassegrain is precisely collimated at the Meade factory white facial tissues and make short, gentle before shipment. However, vibrations in shipping can strokes. Change tissues often. cause the optical system to become misaligned. Re- 4. CAUTION: Do not use scented or lotioned tissues aligning the optics is, however, a straightforward that can damage the optics. process. 5. Do not, for any reason, remove the correcting To check the collimation of your LS-6, center a bright plate from its machined housing for cleaning star that is overhead, or use a “hot spot” of reflected or other purposes. You will almost certainly Sunlight from a chrome car bumper, with the supplied not be able to replace the corrector in its proper 26mm eyepiece. Allow the telescope to adjust to the rotational orientation and serious degradation temperature of your observation site before proceeding; of optical performance will result. Meade temperature differences between the optics and the Instruments assumes no liability for damage outside air can cause distortion in the images. incurred to the telescope in this way. 6. If the LS-6 is used outdoors on a humid night, water condensation on the telescope surfaces will probably result. While such condensation does not normally cause any damage to the telescope, it is recommended that (1) (2) (3) the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth before the telescope is packed away. Do Figure 8: Collimation not, however, wipe any of the optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some With the star or hot spot centered, de-focus time in the warm indoor air, so that the wet optical the image. surfaces can dry unattended. You will notice that the out of focus star image looks like a ring of light surrounding a dark central spot; the 33 dark central spot is in fact the shadow of the secondary eyepiece field of view (Fig. 8, 2), in the same mirror. Turn the focus knob until the ring of light fills direction as the darker shadow is offset in the about 10% of the eyepiece field-diameter. If the dark ring of light. central spot is offset in (i.e., not concentric with) the ring 4. Turn the set screw that you found with the of light, your telescope’s optical system is misaligned pointing exercise while looking in the eyepiece. and requires collimation. You will notice that the star image will move Follow these steps for collimation of the across the field. If while turning the defocused optical system: star image flies out of the eyepiece field, then MAINTENANCE you are turning the screw the wrong way. Turn 1. The only adjustments possible, or necessary, on the opposite direction and bring the image back the LS-6 are from the three inner most screws to the center of the field. Collimation Screws 5. If the screw you are turning becomes very loose, tighten the other two screws by even amounts. If the screw you are turning gets too tight, un-thread the other two by even amounts. 6. When you bring the image to center (Fig. 8, 3), carefully examine the evenness of the ring of light (concentricity). If you find that the dark center is still off in the same direction, continue to make the adjustment in the original turning located at the inner surface of the secondary direction. If it is now off in the opposite direction, mirror housing. you have turned too far and you need to turn in CAUTION: Do not force the three collimation screws the opposite direction. Always double check the past their normal travel and do not loosen them image in the center of the field of the eyepiece. more than two full turns in a counterclockwise 7. You may find after your initial adjustment that the direction or the secondary mirror may come loose dark center is off in a new direction (e.g., instead from its support. You will find that the adjustments of being off side-to-side it is now off in an up-and- are very sensitive, usually requiring only one-half down direction). In this case repeat steps 2 turn or less to produce the desired result. through 6 to find the new adjustment screw. 2. While looking at the defocused star image, notice 8. Now try a higher power eyepiece (e.g., 9mm or which direction the darker shadow is offset in less) and repeat the above tests. Any lack of the ring of light or notice which part of the ring is collimation at this point will require only very the thinnest (Pg. 32 Fig. 8, 1). Place your index slight adjustments of the three set screws. You finger in front of the telescope so that it touches now have good collimation of the optics. one of the collimation set screws. You will see the shadow of your finger in the ring of light. Move 9. As a final check on alignment, examine the star your finger around the edge of the black plastic image in focus with the higher power eyepiece secondary mirror support until you see the as suggested above, under good viewing shadow of the finger crossing the thinnest part conditions. The star point should appear as a of the ring of light. At this point, look at the front of small central dot (commonly referred to as an the telescope where your finger is aiming. It will “Airy disc”) with a diffraction ring surrounding it. either be pointing directly at a set screw, or it will To give a final precision collimation, make be between two set screws aiming at the set extremely slight adjustments of the three set screw on the far side of the black plastic screws, if necessary, to center the Airy disc in the secondary mirror support. This is the set screw diffraction ring. You now have the best alignment that you will adjust. of the optics possible with this telescope. 3. Using the Arrow keys at the slowest slew speed, move the defocused image to the edge of the 34 Inspecting the Optics supplied with your telescope. The Updater goes online to the Meade web site and checks to see if there is a A Note About the “Flashlight Test”: If a flashlight or newer version available and can download it directly other high-intensity light source is pointed down the to the telescope through a user supplied USB cable main telescope tube, the view (depending upon the or it can create a bootable Mini SD Card that, when observer’s line of sight and the angle of the light) may inserted into the telescope’s Mini SD Card slot (Pg. 12, reveal what appears to be scratches, dark or bright Fig. 3, 10), will transfer the files to the telescope on spots, or just generally uneven coatings, giving the startup. Please see the AutoStar Suite documentation appearance of poor quality optics. These effects are for details on how to perform the update.

only seen when a high intensity light is transmitted MAINTENANCE through lenses or reflected off the mirrors, and can be Here are the steps to update your firmware: seen on any high quality optical system, including giant research telescopes. 1. Install AutoStar Suite software and the USB driver from the DVD included with the telescope. The optical quality of a telescope cannot be judged by the “flashlight test;” the true test of optical quality can 2. Attached telescope with user supplied USB only be conducted through careful star testing. cable or insert a mini SD card or micro SD in mini holder into a card reader to internet connected Gauging the Movement of computer. the Telescope 3. Turn on the LS-6 and press “MODE” to abort A common complaint of many first-time telescope from the alignment. owners is that they cannot see the telescope “move” 4. Run AutoStar Suite when the motor drive is engaged. If fact, when the 5. Select the “Telescope” menu from the menu bar batteries are installed, the power is on, the telescope near the top of the screen. is moving. However, the movement is at the same 6. Select “Product Updates” from the drop speed as the hour hand of a 24-hour clock; as such, down menu. the movement is difficult to discern visually. 7. Click “OK” or “Yes” in the message box to To check the movement of your telescope, look at an be sure you have the latest version of the astronomical object through the telescope’s eyepiece Updater software. with the telescope polar aligned and with the motor drive on. If the object remains stationary in the field 8. If you see “Error Box” about searching for COM of view, your telescope is operating properly. If not, Ports and you have your telescope connected check to ensure that “Astronomical” is selected in the with a USB cable, click “Yes”. If you are using an “Targets” option of the setup menu. SD Card, click “No”. 9. Click on “Upgrade AutoStar Software Now”. Updating Your LS-6 Firmware 10. Open the drop down menu called “Specify Type Meade is constantly refining and improving the operating of AutoStar...”. firmware that controls our computerized telescopes and 11. Select LS-6. we even add new features and capabilities from time 12. If you want to make an Mini SD Card, check the to time. Your new LS-6 shipped with the most current SD box. firmware at the time of manufacture, but there may well be a new version available through the AutoStar 13. Click “OK” and the firmware will download Updated program supplied on the AutoStar Suite DVD and install.

35 LS-6 Mini SD Card for Updates and CUSTOMER Image Storage SERVICE Your LS-6 telescope comes with a “Mini SD Card” slot If you have a question concerning your LS-6 located in the front edge of the fork arm. With a user telescope, call the Meade Instruments Customer supplied “Mini SD Card”, or a “Micro SD Card” in a Mini Service Department at (800) 626-3233. Customer Card Adapter, you can update your telescope firmware Service hours are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time, or save images made with the ECLIPS CCD. Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that the LS-6 requires factory servicing or repairs, before Only use SD Cards bearing the official SD logo. Each returning the telescope to the factory, write or call card must be properly formatted, using a PC utility or the Meade Customer Service Department to provide AutoStar Suite, before use in the LS-6. The card must an explanation of the problem, as well as your be formatted with the FAT32 File System.

name, address and daytime telephone number. The CUSTOMER SERVICE Your LS-6 will not power-up with an SD Card inserted great majority of servicing issues can be resolved in its slot unless you are updating the firmware from the by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to card. This includes an SD Card used to store images the factory. from the ECLIPS camera. To ensure the application software boots normally, remove the SD Card before switching on the LS-6 LightSwitch. If you observe that the LS-6 is taking a long time to power-up, please ensure the Mini SD Card slot is empty and cycle the LS-6 LightSwitch off and on.

36 APPENDIX A: TRAINING THE DRIVE 11

Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any BACK pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 9 depicts the complete 15 Drive Training procedure. Guided Tour Calibrate NOTE: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone 12 twice. Azmiuth Drive pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Press the scroll down key once Complete this exercise once every 3 to 6 months.

Calibrate 13

Elevation Drive THE DRIVE TRAINING Press ENTER key once

Slo-Mo Setup Press the scroll Media exits A/V down key twice Audio Instructions. automatically play

Calibrate Center reference Press the ENTER object. key Center Target BACK using Arrow Calibrate Keys. Azimuth Drive Press ENTER.

14 Slo-Mo Setup Media exits A/V Audio Instructions. automatically play

Center reference object. 15 Center Target using Arrow Keys. 13 Press ENTER. Calibrate 16 Elevation Drive 10 Press the BACK BACK key to reach top menu

Press ENTER to begin

Figure 9: Training the Drive

37 13 APPENDIX B: CREATING USER OBJECTS and TOURS

User Object are catalogs of deep sky objects you can create or import that are not in the LS-6 telescope. You can define your own objects and create your own titles. Tours, similar to the three preloaded guided tours (Tonight’s Best”, “A Star’s Life” and “How Far Is Far”), can also created. You can chose your own theme and objects. For complete instructions on how to use the authoring tools to create tours, user objects and load your own files please refer to the reference manual included on the AutoStar Suite DVD. CREATING USER OBJECTS CREATING

38 APPENDIX C: BASIC ASTRONOMY

In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using The Moon is, on average, a crude telescope considerably smaller than the LS-6, a distance of 239,000 miles turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees (380,000km) from Earth and mountains. What he saw, and what he realized and is best observed during about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind its crescent or half phase thought of the universe. Imagine what it must have been when Sunlight strikes the like being the first human to see moons revolve around Moon’s surface at an angle. the planet Jupiter or to see the changing phases of It casts shadows and adds Venus! Because of his observations, Galileo correctly a sense of depth to the BASIC ASTRONOMY BASIC realized Earth’s movement and position around the view. No shadows are seen Sun, and in doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy. during a full Moon, causing Yet Galileo’s telescope was so crude, he could not the overly bright Moon clearly make out the rings of Saturn. to appear flat and rather uninteresting through the Galileo’s discoveries laid the foundation for telescope. Be sure to use a neutral Moon filter when understanding the motion and nature of the planets, observing the Moon. Not only does it protect your eyes stars, and galaxies. Building on his foundation, Henrietta from the bright glare of the Moon, but it also helps Leavitt determined how to measure the distance to stars; enhance contrast, providing a more dramatic image. Edwin Hubble proposed a glimpse into the origin of the universe; Albert Einstein unraveled the relationship Using the LS-6, brilliant detail can be observed on the of time and light. Almost daily, using sophisticated Moon, including hundreds of lunar craters and maria, successors to Galileo’s crude telescope, such as the described below. Hubble Space Telescope, more and more mysteries of the universe are being solved and understood. We are Craters are round meteor impact sites covering most living in a golden age of astronomy. of the Moon’s surface. With no atmosphere on the Moon, no weather conditions exist, so the only erosive Unlike other sciences, astronomy welcomes force is meteor strikes. Under these conditions, lunar contributions from amateurs. Much of the knowledge craters can last for millions of years. we have on subjects such as comets, meteor showers, variable stars, the Moon and our solar system comes Maria (plural for mare) are smooth, dark areas scattered from observations made by amateur astronomers. So across the lunar surface. These dark areas are large as you look through your Meade LS-6 telescope, keep ancient impact basins that were filled with lava from Galileo in mind. To him, a telescope was not merely a the interior of the Moon by the depth and force of a machine made of glass and metal, but something far meteor or comet impact. more - a window through which the beating heart of the universe might be observed. Twelve Apollo astronauts left their bootprints on the Moon in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. However, Objects in Space no telescope on Earth is able to see these footprints or Listed below are some of the many astronomical any other artifacts. In fact, the smallest lunar features objects that can be seen with the LS-6 that may be seen with the largest telescope on Earth are about one-half mile across.

39 Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit Saturn is nine times the around the Sun. To locate the planets on a given day diameter of Earth and or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, appears as a small, round such as Sky and Telescope or Astronomy. You can disk with rings extending also consult LS-6 for information about planets. Scroll out from either side. In to the “Object: Solar System” menu and scroll through 1610, Galileo, the first the lists of planets. When a planet you are interested person to observe Saturn in displays, press “ENTER”. Use the Scroll keys to through a telescope, did display information about the planet, such as the not understand that what planet’s coordinates, and the rise and set times (Tip: he was seeing were rings. enter a date in the Date menu and you can determine Instead, he believed that

if a planet) will be visible during the night of the entered Saturn had “ears.” Saturn’s ASTRONOMY BASIC date by checking its rise and set times). Listed below rings are composed of are the best planets for viewing through the LS-6. billions of ice particles ranging in size from a speck of dust to the size of a Mars is about half the diameter of Earth, and appears house. The major division in Saturn’s rings, called the through the telescope as a tiny reddish-orange disk. Cassini Division, is occasionally visible through the LS- It may be possible to see a hint of white at one of the 6. Titan, the largest of Saturn’s 18 moons can also be planet’s Polar ice caps. Approximately every two years, seen as a bright, star-like object near the planet. when Mars is closest to Earth in its orbit, additional detail and coloring on the planet’s surface may Deep-Sky Objects be visible. Star charts can be used to locate constellations, Jupiter is the largest planet individual stars and deep-sky objects. in our solar system and is 11 times the diameter of Earth. Examples of various deep-sky objects are The planet appears as a disk given below: with dark lines stretching Stars are large gaseous objects that are self- across the surface. These illuminated by nuclear fusion in their core. Because lines are cloud bands in of their vast distances from our solar system, all stars the atmosphere. Four of appear as pinpoints of light, irrespective of the size of Jupiter’s 16 moons (Io, the telescope used. Europa, Ganymede, and Nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust Callisto) can be seen as where stars are formed. Most impressive of these is “star-like” points of light the Great Nebula in Orion (M42), a diffuse nebula that when using even the lowest appears as a faint wispy gray cloud. M42 is 1600 light magnification. These moons orbit Jupiter so that the years from Earth. number of moons visible on any given night changes as they circle around the giant planet. Open Clusters are loose groupings of young stars, all recently formed from the same diffuse nebula. The Pleiades is an open cluster 410 light years away. Through the LS-6, numerous stars are visible.

40 Multimedia Electronics Mount Optical System Model andProductNumber

Input/Output Focal Length,Ratio

Primary MirrorDiameter Speaker Storage Memory Resolving Power(arcseconds) Optical Coatings Mount Type Tripod Limiting Visual StellarMagnitude Drives Content Processor Primary MirrorMaterial Power Battery Life Connections Optical Design Controller HandBox Audio

Video SPECIFICATIONS

6"LS-6 ACF #0610-03-10 USB 2.0 1524mm, f/10 Nebulae, GalaxiesandMore 6” (152mm) Built-in Mount Mini SDCard(usersupplied) 256 MegabytesofNANDFlash 0.76 Ultra-High Transmission Coatings(UHTC™) Aluminum Single-ArmFork Altazimuth New Adjustable-height SteelLeg Tripod 14 4.875 inchPrecisionWorm Drive Descriptions ofthePlanets,Moon,Stars,Clusters, 400 megahertzBlackfin Pyrex® Glass 8 “C”CellBatteriesor AC Adapter 3 to5Hours USB, AutoStar HandBox Advanced Coma-Free(ACF) AutoStar III Over 4HoursFeaturingtheVoice ofSandyWood from “StarDate” Hundreds ofStillImages 30 MinutesofMoviesand Animations Plus

41 SPECIFICATIONS Multimedia Electronics Mount Optical System Model andProductNumber

Input/Output Focal Length,Ratio

Speaker Storage Memory Resolving Power(arcseconds) Primary MirrorDiameter Optical Coatings Mount Type Tripod Limiting Visual StellarMagnitude Drives Content Processor Primary MirrorMaterial Power Battery Life Connections Optical Design Controller HandBox Audio

Video SPECIFICATIONS

6" LS-6SC#0610-03-12 USB 2.0 1524mm, f/10 Nebulae, GalaxiesandMore Built-in Mount Mini SDCard(usersupplied) 256 MegabytesofNANDFlash 0.76 6” (152mm) Ultra-High Transmission Coatings(UHTC™) Aluminum Single-ArmFork Altazimuth New Adjustable-height SteelLeg Tripod 14 4.875 inchPrecisionWorm Drive Descriptions ofthePlanets,Moon,Stars,Clusters, 400 megahertzBlackfin Pyrex® Glass 8 “C”CellBatteriesor AC Adapter 3 to5Hours USB, AutoStar HandBox Schmidt Cassegrain(SC) AutoStar III Over 4HoursFeaturingtheVoice ofSandyWood from “StarDate” Hundreds ofStillImages 30 MinutesofMoviesand Animations Plus

42 SPECIFICATIONS

MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY

Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is non- transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors.

RGA Number Required: Prior to the return of any product or part, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number must be obtained from Meade by writing, or calling (800) 626-3233. Each returned part or product must include a written statement detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owner’s name, address, and phone number.

This warranty is not valid in cases where the product has been abused or mishandled, where unauthorized repairs have been attempted or performed, or where depreciation of the product is due to normal wear- and-tear. Meade specifically disclaims special, indirect, or consequential damages or lost profit which may result from a breach of this warranty. Any implied warranties which cannot be disclaimed are hereby limited to a term of one year from the date of original retail purchase.

This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state.

Meade reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without notice.

27 Hubble, Irvine, California 92618 (800) 626-3233 www.meade.com 14-7302-06 REV1