Instruction Manual Meade Instruments Corporation
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Instruction Manual 7" LX200 Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope 8", 10", and 12" LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes Meade Instruments Corporation NOTE: Instructions for the use of optional accessories are not included in this manual. For details in this regard, see the Meade General Catalog. (2) (1) (1) (2) Ray (2) 1/2° Ray (1) 8.218" (2) 8.016" (1) 8.0" Secondary 8.0" Mirror Focal Plane Secondary Primary Baffle Tube Baffle Field Stops Correcting Primary Mirror Plate The Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical System (Diagram not to scale) In the Schmidt-Cassegrain design of the Meade 8", 10", and 12" models, light enters from the right, passes through a thin lens with 2-sided aspheric correction (“correcting plate”), proceeds to a spherical primary mirror, and then to a convex aspheric secondary mirror. The convex secondary mirror multiplies the effective focal length of the primary mirror and results in a focus at the focal plane, with light passing through a central perforation in the primary mirror. The 8", 10", and 12" models include oversize 8.25", 10.375" and 12.375" primary mirrors, respectively, yielding fully illuminated fields- of-view significantly wider than is possible with standard-size primary mirrors. Note that light ray (2) in the figure would be lost entirely, except for the oversize primary. It is this phenomenon which results in Meade 8", 10", and 12" Schmidt-Cassegrains having off-axis field illuminations 10% greater, aperture-for-aperture, than other Schmidt-Cassegrains utilizing standard-size primary mirrors. The optical design of the 4" Model 2045D is almost identical but does not include an oversize primary, since the effect in this case is small. LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes now feature new baffle tube designs. These computer-optimized designs incorporate a series of 7 to 11 (depending on the focal ratio and size of the LX200) internal field-stops to eliminate almost all internal reflections, yielding the best image contrast available in any Schmidt-Cassegrain available today. Field Stops 8.25" 7" Focal Plane Primary Baffle Tube Secondary Baffle Primary Mirror (f/2.5) The Meade 7” Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical System (Diagram not to scale) The Meade 7" Maksutov-Cassegrain design optimizes imaging performance by utilizing a combination of two-sided spherical meniscus lens (right), a strongly aspheric f/2.5 primary mirror, and a spherical secondary mirror. The convex secondary mirror multiplies the effective focal length of the primary by a factor of six, resulting in an overall f/15 system at the Cassegrain focus. The oversize 8.25" primary mirror results in a fully-illuminated (unvignetted) field of view significantly wider than can be obtained with Maksutov optics incorporating primary mirrors of the same aperture as their meniscus correcting lenses. Computer-optimized primary and secondary mirror baffles, as well as a sequence of field stops internal to the primary mirror baffle, yield lunar, planetary, stellar, and deep-space images of uncommonly high contrast and resolution. - 3 - 0 WARNING! 0 Never use the LX200 telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late. Do not point the telescope or its viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing. 1 18 2 14 3 13 4 6 5 12 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 Fig. 1: 8” LX200 Telescope. Captions for Figure 1 1. Viewfinder Dew Shield 10. Right Ascension Setting Circle 2. Viewfinder Collimation Screws 11. Power Panel 3. Declination (Dec) Setting Circle 12. Keypad Hand Controller 4. Declination Pointer 13. Diagonal Mirror 5. Focus Knob 14. Eyepiece 6. Eyepiece Holder 15. Bubble Level 7. Right Ascension (R.A) Lock 16. Hour Angel (HA) Pointer 8. Right Ascension Slow-Motion Controls 17. Drive Base 9. Right Ascension Vernier Pointer 18. Viewfinder Focus Lock Ring - 4 - Contents 7" LX200 Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope 8”, 10”, & 12" LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope Introduction. 5 Mode Functions . 16 1. What is the LX200? An Overview . 5 1. Mode 1: Telescope/Object Library . 16 a. Heavy-Duty Mounts . 5 a. Telescope Menu File . 16 b. Built-In 64,359 Object Library. 5 b. Object Library Menu File . 20 c. Altazimuth Mode Operation . 5 2. Mode 2: Coordinates/GO TO . 22 d. Terrestrial Operation. 5 a. Coordinates Menu File . 22 e. Keypad and Power Panel Functions . 5 b. GO TO Menu Option . 22 2. Standard Equipment. 5 3. Mode 3: Clock/Calendar. 22 Unpacking and Inspection . 6 4. Mode 4: TIMER/FREQ . 22 1. What You Should Have . 6 a. TIMER = Menu Option . 23 2. Please Look Everything Over. 6 b. FREQ = Menu Option. 22 3. Inspecting the Optics . 6 5. Mode 5: Keypad Off/Brightness Adjust . 23 4. Caution: All LX200 Owners . 6 Magnification and Field of View . 24 5. Caution: 10” and 12” LX200 Owners . 6 1. Magnification . 24 6. Keypad Version Number . 6 2. Apparent Field and Actual Field . 24 Telescope Assembly . 7 Appendix A: Equatorial Wedge. 25 1. The Field Tripod . 7 1. 8” Equatorial Wedge. 25 2. Mounting the Viewfinder. 8 a. Azimuth Control . 25 a. Attaching the Viewfinder. 8 b. Deluxe Latitude Adjuster . 25 b. Focusing the Viewfinder . 8 2. Superwedge . 26 c. Collimating the Viewfinder . 8 3. Mounting the Telescope . 26 3. Attaching the Diagonal Mirror and Eyepiece . 8 4. Magnetic Compass. 27 4. Collimation . 8 a. Setting Magnetic Declination . 27 5. 12” Tube Swing-Through Limits . 8 b. Compass Installation . 27 6. 7” Tube Swing-Through Limit . 8 c. Finding True North . 28 7. Maksutov Fan. 8 Appendix B: Equatorial Use . 29 Quick Start . 9 1. Celestial Coordinates . 29 1. Using the LX200 Manually . 9 2. Lining Up with the Celestial Pole . 29 2. Using the LX200 in LAND . 9 3. Precise Polar Alignment . 30 3. Using the LX200 in ALTAZ . 10 Appendix C: Star Library and Star Charts . 31 a. Entering Basic Information . 10 1. Alignment Stars . 31 b. Location of the Observing Site. 10 2. Star Charts . 32 c. Local Time and Date . 11 d. Setting Up the Telescope . 11 Appendix D: Object Library . 34 e. Using the MODE key . 12 1. The LX200 64,359 Object Library . 34 f. Library Object Keys . 13 a. SAO Catalog. 34 4. Star Alignment . 13 b. UGC Catalog . 34 a. 1-Star with Known SITE . 13 c. CNGC Catalog . 34 b. 2-Star with Known SITE . 13 d. IC Catalog. 35 c. Unknown SITE . 13 e. GCVS Catalog . 35 d. Which Alignment Method to Use . 13 f. Star Catalog . 35 g. M (Messier) Catalog . 35 The LX200 Keypad Hand Controller . 14 h. Planet Catalog . 35 1. ENTER Key . 14 2. CNGC Catalog . 36 2. MODE Key . 14 3. STAR Catalog. 43 3. GO TO Key. 14 4. M (Messier) Catalog . 49 4. Direction Keys . 14 5. Speed Keys . 14 Appendix E: Maintaining Your LX200. 51 6. RET Key . 14 1. Keeping Your Telescope Clean . 51 7. FOCUS Key . 15 2. Collimation of the Optical System . 52 8. MAP Key. 15 3. Right Ascension Lock . 53 9. Object Keys . 15 4. Behind the Power Panel. 53 10.PREV and NEXT Keys . 15 5. Factory Servicing and Repairs ..