It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 14). This means that pressing the Scroll Down key (pg. 10, Fig. 2, 7) cycles down through all the available options within a given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key (Fig. 2, 7) cycles up through the options in the opposite order. Note that this capability is a quick way to get to an option that is near the bottom of the list. The following example demonstrates this capability.
Fig. 14: Menus set in a loop.
Example: To navigate to the Select Item: Setup menu option when the Select Item: Object menu is displayed:
1. Press the Scroll Down key five times or the Scroll Up key once. The screen in Fig. 15 displays two lines of information. The top line shows the current menu level. The second line displays an option which may be selected within that menu level. Some options are choices that select the next menu level down. The Scroll keys move up and down within the list of available options, showing one option at a time. When the desired option is displayed on the second line, press the ENTER key to choose that option and move down one menu level. Press the MODE key to leave a level; e.g., the wrong menu option is chosen.
Fig. 15: Menu options display on the second line. Use the Scroll keys to move up or down through the list of options. Press ENTER to select the desired option.
Important Note: No matter how many levels into AutoStar II are traveled, each press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level, Select Item, is reached. Once in the Select Item level, press MODE to return to the topmost level, Select Item: Object.
AutoStar II Navigation Exercise
To demonstrate how the AutoStar II menu structure works, the following exercise calculates Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned. 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.

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3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Press the ENTER key to choose the Event option and move down a level. Event: Sunrise is displayed. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the Sunset option in the Event menu. Press the ENTER key to choose the Sunset option and move down another level. AutoStar II calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time, and location. AutoStar II then displays the results of the calculation. Press MODE once to start moving back up through the AutoStar II levels. The first level up is the Event menu. Press MODE again to move up another level. This is the top level, Select Item. Press MODE again to return to the starting point of Select Item: Object.

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Glossary Menu
The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common astronomical terms and AutoStar II functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in AutoStar II. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the AutoStar II Help function or when reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star. Press ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen and AutoStar II goes to the glossary entry for that word. To access directly from within the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry and then press ENTER to read the description.

Utilities Menu

The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features within AutoStar II, including a countdown timer and an alarm. The Utilities functions include: Timer: Selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astrophotography and tracking satellites. To use the Timer, press ENTER, then choose Set or Start/Stop. W Set: Enter time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds. Press ENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle W between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer. When the timer runs out, four beeps sound and the timer is deactivated. Alarm: Selects a time for an alarm signal to sound as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then choose Set or Start/Stop. Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. W 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 time arrives, AutoStar II beeps. Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm. Eyepiece Calc: Calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope to which AutoStar II is connected.
Tip: The Contrast Adjustment feature is usually only required in very cold weather. If you adjust the contrast so that you can no longer read the display, turn off the power and turn it on again. When Version appears on the display (the initial display screens are not affected by the Contrast control), press MODE.
Field of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the field of view is calculated. W Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the magnification is calculated. W Suggest: AutoStar II calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the telescope and the object being viewed. Brightest Star: If turned on, displays the phrase Center Brightest Star instead of the name of the alignment star during the alignment procedure. If turned off, will display the actual name of the alignment star (e.g., Sirius). Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

10. After entering the shift, press ENTER. Edit Time Zone displays.

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11. Press MODE. Site: Edit displays. 12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to Site: Select. The site you have just edited displays. Press ENTER to select the site.

Creating User Objects

In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the AutoStar II libraries. You will enter the objects name and R.A. and Dec. coordinates (required information). You may also enter the objects magnitude and size (optional information). Although AutoStar II contains an extensive database of celestial objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of a library. AutoStar II provides a feature that allows you to enter an objects R.A and Dec. coordinates in the User: Objects option of the Object menu and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to the user-entered coordinates. In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec. coordinates of the object or objects you wish to observe. Check your local library, computer store, or bookstore for astronomy books, CD Roms, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates of celestial objects. The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent database, called User Objects. To enter coordinates of an object into the User: Objects option of the Object menu: 1. 2. Make sure AutoStar II has been initialized and the telescope has been aligned. After the telescope is aligned, Select Item: Object displays. (If necessary, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find this option). Press ENTER. Object: Solar System displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until Object: User Object displays and press ENTER. User Object: Select displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. User Object: Add displays. Press ENTER. Name displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use the Arrow keys, as previously described, to enter the name of the object you wish to add to the database. When you are finished, press ENTER. Right Asc.: 00.00.0 displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the Right Ascension coordinate of your object. When you are finished, press ENTER. 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. AutoStar II then prompts you to enter the size of the object. This step is optional. Use the Number keys to enter the size (in arc-minutes), if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the next display. If you do not wish to enter this information, simply press ENTER. AutoStar II 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 the next display. User Object: Add displays again.

Tips: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the database. To add objects to the Landmark database, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the original objects were added to the database.
Note: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low orbit, travelling at approximately 17,500 mph. When visible, they move quickly across the sky and are only in the field of view for a few minutes, requiring AutoStar II to slew the telescope rapidly. Best viewing is near Sunrise or Sunset when the sky is still dark. Viewing in the middle of the night can be problematic because a satellite may pass overhead, but not be visible as it is in the Earths shadow.

Landmarks

This menu option allows you to define 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. Landmarks may also be viewed using the Landmark Survey option in the Utilities menu. To Add a landmark to the database: In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial landmarks in AutoStar IIs memory. 1. Note for future reference where the telescope is located and if you have aligned the telescope, which alignment method is used. 2. Display the Setup: Targets menu option. Chose Terrestrial and press ENTER. Setup: Targets displays again. Choosing this option turns off tracking for astronomical objects which is not useful for the viewing of terrestrial objects such

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as those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to Astronomical when you wish to view celestial objects again. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Press MODE once. Select Item: Setup displays. Press the Scroll Down key once and Select Item: Object displays. Press ENTER. Object: Solar System displays. Press the Scroll Up key twice and Object: Landmarks displays. Press ENTER. Landmark: Select displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. Landmark: Add displays. Press ENTER. Landmark Name displays. Using Arrow keys, enter a name for the landmark you wish to add to the database. When finished, press ENTER. Center Landmark. Press Enter displays. Using only the Arrow keys (do not manually move the telescope), move the telescope to the desired landmark and center the object in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. The object is now stored in memory. Landmark: Add displays. If you wish to add more landmarks, repeat steps 5 through 8.
To Select a landmark from the database: 1. Make sure the telescope is located and aligned exactly as when the desired landmark was entered into memory. 2. 3. Display the Landmark: Select menu option. Press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of objects you have previously entered. When the desired object displays, press ENTER to select the object. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through location information about the object, if desired. Press GO TO to slew the telescope to the landmark. 4. Press MODE to exit.

A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LX200-ACF telescope models. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. Meade Series 4000 Eyepieces:
7" f/15 Power/Actual Field 8" f/6.3 Power/Actual Field 10" f/6.3 Power/Actual Field
Super Plssl Eyepieces (4-elements; 1.25" O.D., except as noted)
6.4mm 9.7mm 12.4mm 15mm 20mm 26mm 32mm 40mm 56mm (2" O.D.) 13.8mm 18mm 24.5mm 32mm (2" O.D.) 40mm (2" O.D.) 4.7mm 6.7mm 8.8mm (1.25" - 2" O.D.) 14mm (1.25" - 2" O.D.)
417/0.12 275/0.19 215/0.24 178/0.29 134/0.39 103/0.50 83/0.63 67/0.66 48/1.08 193/0.35 148/0.45 109/0.61 83/0.81 67/1.00 568/0.15 399/0.21 303/0.28 199/0.44
200/0.26 132/0.39 103/0.50 85/0.61 64/0.81 49/1.06 40/1.30 32/1.69 23/2.27 93/0.72 71/0.94 52/1.28 40/1.67 32/2.09 272/0.31 191/0.44 145/0.58 91/0.92
250/0.21 165/0.32 129/0.40 107/0.49 80/0.65 62/0.84 50/1.04 40/1.35 29/1.82 116/0.58 89/0.75 65/103 50/1.34 40/1.67 340/0.25 239/0.35 182/0.46 114/0.73
Super Wide Angle Eyepieces (6-elements; 1.25" O.D., except as noted)
Fig. 25: Series 4000 Eyepieces.
Ultra Wide Angle Eyepieces (8-elements; 1.25" O.D., except as noted)
8" f/10 Power/Actual Field
10" f/10 Power/Actual Field
12" f/10 Power/Actual Field
313/0.17 206/0.25 161/0.32 133/0.39 100/0.52 77/0.68 63/0.83 50/0.88 36/1.46 145/0.46 111/0.60 82/0.82 63/1.07 50/1.34 426/0.20 299/0.28 227/0.37 143/0.59
391/0.13 258/0.20 202/0.26 167/0.31 125/0.42 96/0.54 78/0.67 63/0.70 45/1.16 181/0.37 139/0.48 102/0.66 78/0.86 63/1.07 532/0.16 373/0.23 284/0.30 179/0.47
476/0.11 314/0.17 246/0.21 203/0.26 152/0.34 117/0.44 95/0.55 76/0.53 54/1.04 221/0.30 169/0.40 124/0.54 95/0.71 76/0.88 649/0.13 455/0.18 346/0.24 218/0.39

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Series - 24mm Zoom Eyepiece: The internal zoom optics of this eyepiece move on smooth, precisely machined surfaces which maintain optical collimation at all zoom settings. A scale graduated in 1mm units indicates the zoom focal length in operation. An excellent addition to any eyepiece set. #140 2x Barlow Lens: A 3-element design, doubles each eyepiece power while maintaining uncompromised image resolution, color correction, and contrast. Insert the #140 into the telescopes eyepiece-holder first, followed by the diagonal prism and eyepiece. The #126 2x Barlow Lens, a compact 2-element alternative to the #140, may also be employed with any LX200-ACF Series telescope. Series 4000 Photo-Visual Color Filters: Color filters significantly enhance visual and photographic image contrast of the Moon and planets. Each filter threads into the barrel of any Meade 1.25" eyepiece, and into the barrels of virtually all other eyepiece brands as well. Meade filters are available in 12 colors for lunar and planetary applications, and in Neutral Density as a lunar glare-reduction filter. Series 4000 Nebular Filters: A modern boon to the city-dwelling deep-space observer, the interference nebular filter effectively cancels out the effects of most urban light pollution, while leaving the light of deep-space nebular emissions virtually unattenuated. Meade Series 4000 Nebular Filters utilize the very latest in coating technology, and are available with threaded cells for eyepieces or for attachment to the rear cells of Meade Advanced Coma-Free Telescopes models. Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser: Now you can obtain extremely precise image focus - truly to a microscopic level - during visual and astrophotographic applications, and, during CCD applications, simultaneously maintain precise image centration on even the smallest CCD chips. Optional equipment on 8", 10", 12" and 14" LX200-ACF Advanced Coma-Free models, the Meade Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser operates at 4 speeds from extremely slow to fast; the entire microfocusing operation is actuated through the Autostar II handbox and powered from the telescopes control panel. Coarse manual focusing is effected through the telescopes manual focus knob. Variable Tele-Extender: For eyepiece-projection photography of the Moon and the planets, a Tele-Extender is required. The variable Tele-Extender threads onto the telescopes eyepiece-holder, into which is inserted an eyepiece of typically about 26mm focal length; the 35mm camera body couples to the tele-extender by means of a T-Mount. The Meade Variable Tele-Extender permits a range of projection images. Series 5000 2" Diagonal with Enhanced 99% Reflecting Coatings: The Series 5000 2" diagonal (provided as standard equipment on LX200 16" telescopes and as an option on other sizes) delivers premium performance with 99% of the light reflected to the eyepiece. This diagonal allows you to use the advanced 2" eyepieces like Meades Series 5000 UWA and SWA for wider, sharper fields. The Series 5000 2" Diagonal comes with a 1.25" adapter for using standard sized eyepieces. Series 4000 Plssl 9mm Illuminated Reticle Eyepiece: The most advanced commercially-available illuminated reticle eyepiece, this Series 4000 Plssl 9mm model, powered by an internal battery, includes micrometric x-y positioning controls which greatly facilitate locking onto the guide star: Turn the finely-threaded controls and place the reticles crossline pattern precisely at the desired position in the field. The sharp, high-power imaging of the 4-element, multi-coated Plssl optical system is complemented by a rubber eyecup (foldable for eyeglass wearers) that shuts out distracting stray light from the observers eye. The upper (lens) section of the eyepiece rotates on a fine thread for precise diopter adjustment to the users eye. Reticle pattern is a double crossline with two concentric circles. #62 T-Adapter: The T-Adapter is the basic means of prime-focus photography through all Meade Advanced Coma-Free 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.

LX200 Interface Cable: With Meade AutoStar Suite disk loaded into your PC, AutoStar II-equipped telescopes, such as the LX200-ACF, may be remotely controlled from the
PC display. Used to download the latest satellite data, star and object catalogs, tours, serial commands list, and software revisions, directly from the Meade website (www.meade.com). 07584 Universal Power Adapter with Cable (all models except 16" LX200-ACF): Includes a 25 ft. cord and permits powering from a standard home (115v AC) outlet. #607 Cigarette Lighter Adapter: Powering the LX200-ACF telescope by means of an automobile cigarette lighter plug. The LX200-ACF may be powered for a full nights observing without risk of car-battery drain. Deep Sky Imager Series: This high-performance, easy-to-use and affordable color CCD cameras (Fig. 31) suppresses electronic noise and does not compress 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. They are USB compatible for easy interface with most Windows-based laptop computers. Includes AutoStar Suite which automatically sorts, aligns and combines the best images, resulting in a highly detailed color image. The following Deep Sky Imagers models and accessories are available: Deep Sky Imager III (DSI III) Deep Sky Imager Pro III (DSI III) Deep Sky Imager II (DSI II) w/AutoStar Suite Deep Sky Imager Pro II (DSI PRO II), w/AutoStar Suite Deep Sky Imager Pro II (DSI PRO II), w/RGB Color Filter Set & AutoStar Suite Lunar Planetary Imager (LPI) w/AutoStar Suite
Fig. 31: Meade Deep Sky Imager
Deep Sky Imager Fan Accessory, for DSI & DSI II cameras Deep Sky Imager RGB Color Filter Set, for DSI PRO II and DSI PRO III
To find out more about these and other accessories available for your telescope, check out the Meade General Catalog or contact your local Meade dealer.

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LX200-ACF telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of

MAINTENANCE

rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your
LX200-ACF will rarely, if ever, require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include :
Avoid cleaning the telescopes optics: A little dust on the front surface of the telescopes correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with gentle strokes of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy). DO NOT use a commercial photographic lens cleaner. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You may also add 1 drop of biodegradable dishwashing soap per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often.

Fig. 40: Locating Polaris.
Tip: You can check if the declination is set at true 90 in step 2c. Look through the eyepiece and rapidly slew the optical tube on the R.A. axis. If all the stars rotate around the center of the field of view, the Declination is set at 90. If the stars arc out of the field of view, slew the optical tube on the Declination axis until you achieve the centering effect.
Using the bubble level of the wedge, adjust the tripod legs so that the bubble is level. b. Set the wedge to your observing latitude. c. Using the Up and Down Arrow keys, rotate the telescope tube in Declination so that the telescopes Declination reads 90. See SETTING CIRCLES, page 53. d. Loosen the R.A. lock, and rotate the fork arms to the 00 position H. A. : Move the forks arms so that center tick mark on fork arm base (Fig. 41, A) aligns with the tick mark on the base (Fig. 41, B). e. Press ENTER. The telescope slews to Polaris. f. Use the azimuth and latitude controls on the wedge to center Polaris in the field of view. Do not use the AutoStar II handbox during this process. When Polaris is centered, press ENTER. The telescope is now polar aligned. See AUTOSTAR II POLAR ALIGNMENT, page 57, for more information. At this point, your polar alignment is good enough for casual observations. There are times, however, when you will need to have precise polar alignment, such as when making fine astrophotographs. Once the latitude angle of the wedge has been fixed and locked-in according to the above procedure, it is not necessary to repeat this operation each time the telescope is used, unless you move a considerable distance North or South from your original observing position. (Approximately 70 miles movement in North-South observing position is equivalent to 1 in latitude change.) The wedge may be detached from the field tripod and, as long as the latitude angle setting is not altered and the field tripod is leveled, it will retain the correct latitude setting when replaced on the tripod. The first time you polar align the telescope, check the calibration of the Declination setting circle (Fig. 37). After performing the polar alignment procedure, center the star Polaris in the telescope field. Remove the knurled central hub of the Declination
Fig. 41: Align tick marks to set the fork arms to 00 H.A. position.

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setting circle and slightly loosen the two bolts located under the knob. Now turn the circle unit until it reads 89.2, the Declination of Polaris. Then tighten down the two bolts and replace the knurled knob. Should you wish to use the manual setting circles, the R.A. setting circle (Fig. 38) must be calibrated manually on the Right Ascension of a star every time the telescope is set up. (The R.A. setting circle has two sets of numbers, the inner set is for Southern hemisphere use, while the other is for Northern hemisphere use.) Locate a star with which youre familiar. Look up the R.A. for the star in a star chart or other aid. With the star centered in the telescopes eyepiece, move the R.A. setting circle, using one of knobs (Fig. 41, C), so that the R.A. of the star lines up with the tick mark on the base of the telescope (Fig. 41, B).

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APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART
Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World
To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 53), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, add one degree for every 70 miles. If the site is over 70 miles South of the listed city, subtract one degree per 70 miles. Southern Hemisphere observers (S): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, subtract one degree for every 70 miles. If the site is over 70 miles South of the listed city, add one degree per 70 miles. NORTH AMERICA SOUTH AMERICA
Albuquerque Anchorage Atlanta Boston Calgary Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit Honolulu Jackson Kansas City Kenosha Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Mexico City Miami Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York Oklahoma City Ottawa Philadelphia Phoenix Portland Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Seattle Washington EUROPE
State/Prov./Country Latitude
New Mexico Alaska Georgia Massachusetts Alberta Illinois Ohio Texas Colorado Michigan Hawaii Mississippi Missouri Wisconsin Nevada Arkansas California Mexico Florida Minnesota Tennessee Louisiana New York Oklahoma Ontario Pennsylvania Arizona Oregon Utah Texas California California Washington District of Columbia N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
Bogot So Paulo Buenos Aires Montevideo Santiago Caracas ASIA

Country

Colombia Brazil Argentina Uruguay Chile Venezuela

Latitude

4 N 23 S 35 S 35 S 34 S 10 N
Beijing Hong Kong Seoul Taipei Tokyo Sapporo Bombay Calcutta Hanoi Jedda AFRICA
China China South Korea Taiwan Japan Japan India India Vietnam Saudi Arabia

N N N N N N N N N N

Cairo Cape Town Rabat Tunis Windhoek
Egypt South Africa Morocco Tunisia Namibia

23 N S N N S

AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
Adelaide Brisbane Canberra Alice Springs Hobart Perth Sydney Melbourne Auckland

State/Country

South Australia Queensland New South Wales Northern Territory Tasmania Western Australia New South Wales Victoria New Zealand

37 S S S S S S S S S

Amsterdam Athens Bern Copenhagen Dublin Frankfurt Glasgow Helsinki Lisbon London Madrid Oslo Paris Rome Stockholm Vienna Warsaw
Netherlands Greece Switzerland Denmark Ireland Germany Scotland Finland Portugal England Spain Norway France Italy Sweden Austria Poland
52 N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

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APPENDIX C: CREATE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR
Creating your own Guided Tour can be an extremely useful tool. You can preprogram a script of objects you wish to view and study on any given night. You can also create a viewing script for students or for a friend. More commands will be added from time-to-time to the list below. Periodically visit Meades website (www.meade.com) for future additions. When a Guided Tour is selected, AutoStar II slews your telescope to a predetermined list of objects and displays information about each object, such as type of object, constellation location, R.A. and Dec. coordinates, and so forth. AutoStar II contains a few Guided Tours which are programmed at the factory. But it is also possible for an observer to create a custom Guided Tour. A tour is basically an ASCII text file that contains a list of directions and descriptions. Each line of a tour is either a comment line, a command line, or a description. What you will need: A PC with text editor or word processing software installed (the tour must be saved as a text only or as a MS-DOS text file). W The optional Meade LX200 Interface Cable to download tour information to the AutoStar II handbox. Tour Modes The objects chosen for a tour list are selected from AutoStar IIs database or by entering the objects R.A. and Dec. coordinates. The tour is presented in one of two modes:
Automatic Mode: The title of an object appears on first line and descriptive text scrolls on line 2. Interactive Mode: Tour name appears on the first line of the AutoStar II display and the name of the object displays on line 2. To display descriptive text in this mode, the user must press ENTER.
Comment Line Information in the Tour program that is not displayed, such as authorship, revision history, copyrights, etc. All comments begin with a / character in column 1 of the line. For example: / Extreme Objects / (c) 2002 Meade Instruments Corporation Command Line This line contains programming commands, including: R.A. and Dec. coordinates, a title string, a description string, and a keyword. R.A.: Enter the Right Ascension of an object in the following format: HH:MM:SS. Eg., 18:51:05 Dec.: Enter the Declination of an object in the following format: DDdMMmSSs. Eg., 06d16m00s Title String: Text within a title string is displayed as the title of the object. A title string can contain up to 16 characters and must be surrounded by quotation marks. For example: M64 or My Favorite Star. In Interactive Mode, the title string appears on line 2 until it is selected with the ENTER key. In Automatic Mode, or after Interactive Mode selection, the title string appears on line 1 while the description scrolls across line 2. Keywords: Action to be performed during a tour. AutoStar II recognizes the following keywords:

Magazines 1. 2.

Sky & Telescope 49 Bay St., Cambridge, MA 02138 Astronomy Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
Astronomical League Executive Secretary 5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012 The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112 The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Organizations: 1.

Figure 43: Training the Drive Procedure.
And watch Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer, on your local PBS station.

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APPENDIX E: THE MOON MENU
The Moon option of the Object menu allows you to observe the moon in a way never possible before. You will be able locate many specific features of the lunar surface, including hundreds of craters, mare, valleys, and mountains. One special feature allows you to view all six Apollo landing sites. While you wont be able to see details such as any of the lunar landers or lunar excursion modules left behind by the astronauts (the best earth-based telescopes can only resolve features of about a halfmile across), youll be able pinpoint the landing sites and study the terrain surrounding these sites. When AutoStar II syncs to a lunar feature, the telescope switches to Selenographic coordinates, i.e., lunar latitude and longitude. To observe the Apollo 15 landing site using the Moon option: 1. Initialize and align the telescope system as previously described. 2. Press 5 on the AutoStar II keypad. Solar System: Mercury displays. 3. Press a Scroll key until Solar System: Moon displays. Press ENTER. 4. Moon: Overview displays. Press GO TO. The telescope slews to the Moon. 5. With Moon: Overview on AutoStar IIs display, use the Scroll keys to browse through the menus options. Five categories of features are available: Landing Sites, Craters, Mountains, Mare and Lakes, and Valleys and Rills. 6. Select a distinct lunar crater with which you are familiar, such as Copernicus or Kepler, from the Craters option and press ENTER. 7. Then press GO TO to slew to that feature. Center the feature in the eyepiece and hold down ENTER for more than two seconds to ENTER TO SYNC. The telescope is now synced to Selenographic coordinates. 8. Press MODE twice to return to the features list. Press a Scroll key until Moon: Landing Sites displays. 9. Press ENTER. Landing Sites: Apollo 11 displays. 10. Press a Scroll key until Landing Sites: Apollo 15 displays. 11. Press GO TO. The telescope slews to the Apollo 15 site. 12. Press MODE to return to the previous menu option. Continue to press MODE to exit this menu. Use this method to find other lunar features and points of interest. When you have selected a feature, press the ? key or use the Scroll keys to display detailed information about the feature. Press MODE to return to the menu options.

Kepler

Copernicus
Figure 44: Some easily recognized lunar craters.

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APPENDIX F: 16" LX200-ACF FEATURES

C D E F G H I

Figure 45: 16" LX200-ACF Computer Control Panel.
16" LX200-ACF Unique Features
Caution: Due to the weight and size of the 14" and the 16" LX200-ACF models, please use extreme caution whenever assembling, disassembling, lifting, transporting or storing this product. Two or more persons should always be used whenever performing any of the above tasks. Disregard for the above warning could result in serious injury or death.
The 16" LX200-ACF contains, for the most part, the same features (covered earlier in this manual) as all other LX200-ACF telescope models. The following features are unique to the 16" model. Control Panel Features: 18vDC Power Connector (Fig. 45, B): Provides a connection so that the telescope assembly may be powered from a standard 115v AC home outlet using the supplied Power Adapter. The De-rotator port (Fig. 45, G), for use in altazimuth alignment, allows you connect the optional #1222 Field De-rotator for long-exposure astrophotography by eliminating the image rotation inherent in altazimuth tracking. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 44. The De-rotator menu option in the Utilities menu allows you to turn the De-rotator on or off using the AutoStar II handbox. 12 vDC Output (Fan) Port (Fig. 45, E) is used to power the fans located on the optical tube assembly (OTA). The fans evacuate the warm air trapped inside the tube, allowing for faster cool-down. The fan takes warm air from the OTA so that cool air can enter the OTA through the filtered hole on the side of the OTA. The input filter prevents dust from entering the OTA. Periodically replace the filter by removing the four bolts holding the grill. The fan also has a filter, but this filter keeps dust out of the OTA while the fan is off; it should not need replacing. The AUX Power option in the Utilities menu allows you to turn the fan on or off. Select Yes to turn on.

Commercial Shipping

Caution: Serious damage to the drive gears may result from shock in handling. During transport or commercial shipping, the R.A. lock (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 12) and/or the Dec. lock (Fig. 1, 17) must not be engaged. Always release the locks when storing in the case or when crating for commercial shipment. This allows the telescope to give if the case or crate is sharply jarred or dropped. The optical and mechanical axes of the 16" LX200-ACF telescope have been carefully aligned at the factory to ensure accurate object pointing. Do not loosen or remove the optical tube assembly from the tube adapters (Fig 1, 25). The resulting misalignment of the axes will result in inaccurate slewing of the telescope in the GO TO mode. Do not attempt to turn the focus knob of the optical tube (Fig. 1, 6) until you have read the following note.

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Caution: Next to the focus assembly are two red slot-head bolts, used only for safety reasons in shipment. Remove these bolts before attempting to turn the focus knob. In its place, insert the rubber plugs provided as a dust protector (these rubber plugs are included with your hardware package). The 16" LX200-ACF should never be commercially shipped without the red bolts in place. This is essential during commercial transport, where rough handling may occur. Your transport and storage of the telescope never requires these bolts.
To re-ship the 16" LX200-ACF commercially, be sure to follow this procedure: 1. Turn the focus knob clockwise until it stops so that it moves the primary mirror all the way back in the tube.
2. Remove the rubber plug and insert the red bolt. Thread it in to a firm feel (if you have misplaced the red bolt, you may use any bolt that is 1/4-20x1" long). 3. When packaging the 16" LX200-ACF, be sure to release the R.A. lock (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 12) and Dec. lock (Fig. 1, 17) to prevent shock to the gears in the motor assemblies should the package suffer rough handling. Commercial shipment of the 16" LX200-ACF telescope without the red safety bolt in place as described above is done at the owners risk and your warranty may be voided if shipping damage results.
Fig. 46: The Super Giant Field Tripod: (1) Tripod head; (2) Threaded rod; (3) Tension knob; (4) Spreader bar; (5) Lock knobs; (6) Extension strut; (7) Tension hub.
16" TELESCOPE ASSEMBLY
Use the following procedure to assemble your telescope: To Assemble the 16" Super Field Tripod The 16 Super Field Tripod (Figs. 46 and 47) for the Meade 16" LX200-ACF telescope is supplied as a completely assembled unit, except for the spreader bar (Fig. 46, 4) and the six lock-knobs (Fig. 46, 5). There are two knobs for each of the three tripod legs. They are used to adjust the level of the tripod. These knobs are packed separately for safety in shipment. For most observations, the drive base of the telescopes fork mount is attached directly to the super giant field tripod, in the altazimuth (altitude-azimuth or verticalhorizontal) format. The telescope also can be mounted on a permanent pier in the equatorial format, which is set for the latitude of the observing location (see APPENDIX A, pages 53 through 57, for instructions on using the telescope in equatorial mode). The equatorial mode permits alignment of the telescopes polar axis with the celestial pole. After removing the field tripod from its shipping carton, stand the tripod vertically, with the tripod feet down and with the tripod still fully collapsed (Fig. 47). Remove the lower knob (Fig. 47, 1), releasing the tension hub (Fig. 46, 7). This knob is used only when storing the field tripod. Moving one leg at a time, gently pull the legs apart. As the legs are opened, the tension hub will move down the threaded rod (Fig. 46, 2) until it is free from the threaded rod. Continue to move the legs apart to a fully open position. Thread in the two lock-knobs (Fig. 46, 5) for each tripod leg, near the foot of each leg. These lock-knobs are used to fix the position of the inner tripod leg sections. These sections are used to level the telescope (described below).

Fig. 61: Place the microfocuser over the adapter ring. Notice the orientation of the microfocuser.
Fig. 62: Tighten the three microfocuser hex screws to a firm feel.

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APPENDIX I: Smart Mount
Introduction Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200-ACF telescopes Go To system. Despite careful efforts to calibrate and align telescopes, they may fail to precisely center objects. Smart Mount allows your telescope to learn about, and then correct for, any systematic pointing errors, regardless of the cause. Because training your mount takes some time, we recommend that it be primarily used on permanently mounted instruments or when imaging requires very accurate pointing. Once Smart Mount training has been performed, the scope will benefit from it so long as you carefully park the telescope at the end of each session and do not modify the mounting. For portable instruments, we recommend training Smart Mount each time you set up your telescope to insure best results. We recommend that you use an illuminated reticle during the training procedure. An illuminated reticle allows you to precisely center celestial objects in a telescopes eyepiece. The more precisely you center objects during Smart Mount training, the more pointing precision your telescope will be able to achieve. If you do not have an illuminated reticle, see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 44 for more information. Operation The Smart Mount feature is located in the AutoStar II Setup menu. In order to use Smart Mount, create a model that allows Smart Mount to improve your telescopes accuracy. This is normally done by training Smart Mount. Once training has been completed, you will save your model. AutoStar II allows you to save several models under different names. This allows you to, for example, save one model for a heavy imaging camera configuration on a permanently aligned scope, and another when you have a lighter load on the mount. Training In order to obtain solid, repeatable results, perform the following procedures before you create a model: Setup and align your telescope. Perform both RA/Az and Dec/Alt drive training calibration.
Want to learn more about Alignment? See page 19. Want to learn more about training your drive? See page 63.
Once you have calibrated and aligned your telescope, if you wish to start a new model, go to the Smart Mount main menu. Locate and select Erase to clear the current model. Next, proceed with the steps below: