Meade LX90 - Manual

7 LX90: Your Personal Window to the Universe The Meade LX90 is an extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes with features similar tothose available only with larger and more specialized imaging systems. With pushbutton controls,automatic tracking of celestial objects and software downloading c...

8 D. Auxiliary (AUX) Port (2) : Provides connection for the LNT module, and also current and future Meade accessories, such as the Meade Accessory Port Module. See“OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,” page 41. E. 12v Power Connector : Provides connection so that the telescope assembly may be powered from either a...

9 Fig. 2: The LX90 AutoStar Handbox. L 1 B D E H I J K C F G Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of the LX90 is through the operation of the standard-equipment AutoStar. Nearly allfunctions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of AutoStar’s buttons. Someof the ...

10 The AutoStar Computer Controller provides control of virtually every telescope function withina compact handbox. AutoStar has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for easy viewing in thedark. The backlit...

12 Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the packing box, note carefully the following parts: • LX90 Telescope with fork mount system and attached SmartFinder • AutoStar handbox and interface coil cord • Eyepiece holder and 1.25” diagonal ...

13 6. Place the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head, and insert the threaded rod intothe central hole in the bottom of the drive base of the telescope. Tighten the tension knob( 3, Fig. 3 ); firm tightening of the tension knob is sufficient to result in rigid positioning of the tripod l...

14 Choosing an Eyepiece A telescope’s eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescope’s main optics. Each eyepiece has a focal length, expressed in millimeters, or “mm.” The smaller the focal length, thehigher the magnification. For example, an eyepiece with a focal length of 9mm has a higherma...

16 OBSERVING Observing By Moving the Telescope Manually If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can observeby merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. 1. Loosen the telescope’s R.A. lock ( 9, Fig. 1 ) and Dec lock ( 6, Fig. 1 ). 2. M...

Initialization is a procedure thatensures that AutoStaroperates correctly.When you first useAutoStar, it doesn't yetknow where theobservation locationsite is.During the procedure,you will enter the observation location or zip code.AutoStar uses thisinformation, along withthe time and dateinformation...

20 However, when the telescope slews to the first star, it may not appear in the field of viewin the eyepiece. Use the SmartFinder ( 17, Fig. 1 ) and /or the viewfinder ( 1, Fig. 20 ) to locate the star. The alignment star will be easy to recognize—it will be the brightest star inthe area of the sky...

21 It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop ( Fig. 10 ). This means that pressing the Scroll Down key ( 7, Fig. 2 ) cycles down through all the available options within a given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key ( 7, Fig. 2 ) cycles up through t...

22 To Calculate Sunset time: 1. Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed. 2. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item” menu. 3. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event:Sunrise...

AUTOSTAR’S MENUS 23 T o night's Best H o w Far is Far A Star's Life D o wnloaded T ours U s er-created T ours Solar System M e rcury Etc . M o on A s teroids C omets C onstellations A n dromeda Etc . Dee p S k y N amed Obj ect G ala x ies N e b ulae M e ssier Etc . Star N amed S A O C atalog D o u b...

24 MENUS AND MENU OPTIONS Object Menu Almost all observing with AutoStar is performed using the Object menu category. ( NOTE: Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey.) See “GO TO SATURN,” page 20, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see “USING THE GUIDED TOUR,” page 20...

25 Event Menu The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The Event database includes: Sunrise and Sunset calculates the time that the Sun rises or sets on the current date. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup: Date” menu. See&...

26 J Set : Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. J Start/Stop : Activates the alarm set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the alarm. When the alarm timearrives, AutoSta...

27 Park Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next time it is powered up,enter the correct date and time – no alignment is required. Pressing ENTER causes thetelescope to move to its...

30 ADVANCED AUTOSTAR FEATURES Adding Observing Sites If you plan to observe using AutoStar at different geographic locations, you can store up to sixobservation sites in AutoStar's memory to help simplify your telescope setup. Perform theseprocedures using the Site options (Add, Select, Delete, Edit...

31 4. Using the Arrow keys, change the name of the site so that it now reads the name of yourobserving location. Press ENTER. "Edit: Name" displays again. 5. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Latitude" displays. Press ENTER. 6. Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of your obs...

32 9. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the magnitude of the object. This step is also optional.Use the Number keys to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER to go to thenext display. "User Object: Add" displays again. To GO TO a user-entered object: In this procedure, you w...

33 How to Create Your Own Guided Tour When a Guided Tour is selected, AutoStar slews your telescope to a predetermined list of objectsand displays information about each object, such as type of object, constellation location, R.A. andDec coordinates, and so forth. AutoStar contains a few Guided Tour...

34 Writing a Tour Using the list of commands listed above, a custom tour can be created. Placing the word AUTOSELECT before any of the command lines activates Automatic Mode and, when selected,AutoStar automatically searches and finds the designated object. The following is a list of command lines, ...

36 AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFFWith AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, AutoStar automatically slews the telescope toobjects first before displaying the text description. This feature is useful when designing tours inwhich observing certain objects is required. For example, an astronomy professor may ...

37 2. Display the "Landmark: Select" menu option. Press ENTER. 3. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of objects you have previously entered. Whenthe desired object displays, press ENTER to select the object. Use the Scroll keys to scrollthrough location information about the obje...

38 Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a databaseof bright stars and two stars from this database are chosen by the observer for alignment. Note: If you choose “Easy Align,” Autostar will choose the two alignment stars. 1. Initiali...

39 Photography through the LX90 requires the addition of the optional #62 T–Adapter. See “OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,” page 39. With the #62 T-Adapter and a T-mount attached to the telescope ( Fig. 14 ), through-the-telescope photography is possible with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens. In this...

40 Shorter exposure times is one of the biggest drawback. Long exposures with digital camerasintroduce undesirable noise and artifacts into a digital image. This limits the range of astroimages to the Moon, planets and bright stars. Some tips for better digital photos: • If you cannot remove the len...

42 #62 T-Adapter: The T-Adapter ( Fig. 22 ) is the basic means of prime-focus photography through all Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain models. Thread the T-Adapter on to the rear cell of your telescope, followed by a T-Mount for your 35mm camera, and the camera body is rigidly coupled to the telescope. Vari...

43 MAINTENANCE The LX90 is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications.Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, the LX90 will rarely, if ever, requirefactory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: a. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics:...

45 Inspecting the Optics A Note About the “Flashlight Test:" If a flashlight or other high-intensity light source is pointed down the main telescope tube, the view (depending upon the observer’s line of sightand the angle of the light) may reveal what appears to be scratches, dark or bright spot...

46 LX90 Specifications Optical design ............................................................Schmidt-CassegrainClear aperture ............................................................8"Focal length ................................................................2000mmFocal ratio (photogr...

47 Polar Alignment In Polar Alignment, the telescope is oriented so that the horizontal and vertical axes of the telescope are lined up with the celestial coordinate system. In order to Polar align your telescope, it is essential to have an understanding of how and whereto locate celestial objects a...

49 Note that the R.A. circle is double-indexed (i.e., there are two series of numbers running inopposite directions around the circumference of the R.A. circle). The upper series of numbers(increasing counterclockwise) applies to observers located in the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere;the lower series ...

50 Begin polar aligning the telescope by locating Polaris. Finding Polaris is simple. Most peoplerecognize the “Big Dipper.” The Big Dipper has two stars that point the way to Polaris ( Fig. 29 ) . Once Polaris is found, it is a straightforward procedure to obtain a rough polar alignment. To line up...

51 1. Obtain a rough polar alignment as described earlier. Place the illuminated reticle eyepiece (or eyepiece/Barlow combination) into the eyepiece holder of the telescope. 2. Point the telescope, with the motor drive running, at a moderately bright star near where the meridian (the North-South lin...

52 NORTH AMERICA City State/Prov./Country Latitude Albuquerque New Mexico 35° N Anchorage Alaska 61° N Atlanta Georgia 34° N Boston Massachusetts 42° N Calgary Alberta 51° N Chicago Illinois 42° N Cleveland Ohio 41° N Dallas Texas 33° N Denver Colorado 40° N Detroit Michigan 42° N Honolulu Hawaii 21...

53 Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 31 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure. NOTE: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exercise once e...

54 APPENDIX D: CHANGING THE LNT MODULEBATTERY The LNT Module uses a lithium coin CR2023 battery that will last about 5 yearsand is installed with the original LNT Module assembly. After you replace the battery, you will need to recalibrate the telescope’s sensors and reset the time anddate. You will...

55 In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably smallerthan the LX90, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and mountains. Whathe saw, and what he realized about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind thought ofthe universe. Ima...

14-0670-01 10/04 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 ...