Meade 8" LS-8 ACF - Manual

INDEX GETTING STARTED You may want to perform the LS assembly indoors in the light so that you become familiar with the parts and operation before moving the telescope outside into the dark for observing. This Getting Started Guide assumes you are too impatient to read the entire manual fi rst and w...

INDEX Mounting the Telescope Take the LS Telescope from its packaging and place the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head. Rotate the telescope head slowly until you feel the scope register on the center hub of the tripod head. Carefully screw the three attachment thumb-screws on the bott...

INDEX Attaching Accessories Be sure the telescope master power switch is in the off position. Remove the AutoStar III 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 AutoStar ...

INDEX After the telescope powers on, you will hear a brief 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 se...

INDEX Key Functions “BACK” - return to previous menu. “ENTER” - select or confi rm entry. “GO TO” - Slew to currently selected object. “SPEED” - Adjust Slew Speed. “FOCUS” - Optional Electronic focuser. Motion pad controls focuser. Up/Down scrolls focus speed. “VOL” . - Up/Dn adjusts media volume. “...

INDEX The “ENTER” and “BACK” buttons on the top of the display let you move up and down the menu tree. When you press “ENTER” you will select the current active menu choice. Pressing “BACK” will move you up the menu tree. To get us to the top of the menu tree, press “BACK” until “Select Item” is dis...

INDEX LS KEY FEATURES LS KEY FEA TURES Figure 1: LS Telescope Telescope Input/Output Panel ON/OFF LightSwitch ECLIPS CCD Module Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws Handbox Storage Cradle Diagonal Eyepiece Holder Diagonal Prism 1.25” Eyepiece Holder Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw Eyepiece Single Fork Arm Mo...

INDEX Using the Red-Dot Finder Because your telescope has so much magnifi cation, its fi eld of view is very small. This can make it hard to know exactly where your telescope is pointing by simply looking at it. To help you point the telescope quickly and accurately, for terrestrial targets or when ...

INDEX Meade makes a complete line of accessories to enable you to get the most fun and performance from your LS telescope. No matter what you want to accomplish, we have the equipment to help you get there. Choosing Eyepieces A telescope’s eyepiece magnifi es the image formed by the telescope’s main...

INDEX 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 system. Power Supplies While the LS telescope will operate wi...

INDEX AUTOSTAR III HANDBOX Figure 5: The AutoStar III Handbox Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button The AutoStar III hand controller operates the LS telescope with just a few pushes of AutoStar’s buttons. Some of the major features of AutoStar III are: • Automatically move the telescope to ...

INDEX Solar System Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto Asteroids CometsConstellation Andromeda VolumeHBX BrightnessHBX ContrastNight DisplaySleep ScopeParking Scope Align Automatic Alt/Az 2 Star Alt/Az 1 Star TerrestrialPreferences Restore Defaults Hi Prec. Slews Default Alig...

INDEX Guided Tour Menu When Guided Tours is selected, AutoStar III shows you a list of theme tours that will help you explore the night sky. These tours are pre programmed presentations of objects that are visible for the user’s particular location, time and date. The most popular tour is “Tonight’s...

INDEX when the landmark was added to the database. • Select – To select a Landmark already in the database (see ADD below), choose the “Select” option and scroll through the list. Press “ENTER” to select a Landmark, then press “GO TO” and the telescope slews to the object. • Add – To add a Landmark,...

INDEX Stars”, and “Cont. Deep1” thru “Cont. Deep9”. The setting after “Cont. Deep9” is Cust.Cont. (Custom Contrast). This setting allows you adjust the Contrast AND Brightness to create your own setting. Contrast is controlled using the LEFT/ RIGHT Arrow Keys. Brightness is controlled using the UP/D...

INDEX Sleep Scope is a power and time saving option that shuts down the LS telescope without forgetting its alignment. With “Sleep Scope” selected, press “ENTER” to activate the Sleep function. LS goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key, except “ENTER” , to re-activate LS. Par...

INDEX e. “Automatic Alignment: Selecting Star” and “Slewing” display. When it is close to the alignment star “Center Brightest Star: Press “ENTER” ” displays. When the telescope slews to the fi rst star, it may not appear in the fi eld of view in the eyepiece. Use the Red Dot Finder ( Pg. 12, Fig. 2...

INDEX Landmarks This menu option allows you to defi ne and store terrestrial objects in the Landmark database. First, a landmark needs to be stored in memory using the “Landmark: Add” option. To view a landmark, use the “Landmark: Select” option. To add a landmark to the database In this procedure, ...

INDEX 7. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until the desired satellite is on the top line of the display. 8. Press “GO TO” , LS slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear. The motor drive stops and a countdown is displayed. NOTE: If the schedu...

INDEX Terrestrial Observing The LS 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 e...

INDEX 7. If the LS is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one month or more, it is advisable to remove the batteries from the telescope. Batteries left in the telescope for prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescope’s electronic circuitry. 8. Do not leave the LS insid...

INDEX Inspecting the Optics A Note About the “Flashlight Test”: If a fl ashlight or other high-intensity light source is pointed down the main telescope tube, the view (depending upon the observer’s line of sight and the angle of the light) may reveal what appears to be scratches, dark or bright spo...

INDEX If you have a question concerning your LS telescope, call the Meade Instruments Customer Service Department at (800) 626-3233. Customer Service hours are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacifi c Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that the LS requires factory servicing or repairs, before re...

INDEX Calibrate Calibrate Azimuth Drive Slo-Mo Setup Media exits A/V Center referenceobject. Press the scrolldown key twice Press the ENTERkey Audio Instructions. automatically play twice. Guided Tour BACK Center Targetusing ArrowKeys. Press ENTER. 10 11 CalibrateAzmiuth Drive Press the scrolldown k...

INDEX CREATING USER OBJECTS and TOURS APPENDIX B: CREA TING USER OBJECTS User Object are catalogs of deep sky objects you can create or import that are not in the LS telescope. You can defi ne your own objects and create your own titles. Tours, similar to the three preloaded guided tours (Tonight’s ...

INDEX In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably smaller than the LS, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and mountains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind thought of the universe....

INDEX SPECIFIC A TIONS SPECIFICATIONS Model and Product Number 6"LS-6 ACF # 0610-03-10 Optical System Optical Design Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) Primary Mirror Diameter 6” (152mm) Primary Mirror Material Pyrex® Glass Focal Length, Focal Ratio 1524mm, f/10 Optical Coatings Ultra-High Transmission Co...

INDEX DOC: FCC 45 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (DoC) FOR THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT: PRODUCT NAME : MEADE LS SERIES TELESCOPE MODEL NO : ETX-LS TRADE NAME : MEADE INSTRUMENTS CORP. IS HERE WITH CONFIRMED AND FOUND TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CFR47 PART 15 REGULATIO...

INDEX RECYCLING 46 RECYCLING INFORMATION (EU Countries only) Correct Disposal of this Product (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment) This marking shown on the product or its literature indicates that it must not be disposed of in unsorted municipal waste at the end of its working life To prev...

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 ...