Step 6: Attach bolts and thread into key-like holes.
Step 7: Loosen vertical lock to move optical tube.
Step 11 :Secure the eyepieces in place with their respective thumbsrews. Always start observing using a low power eyepiece to get a nice widefield of view. Later on you can change to high power, if so desired. But high powered eyepieces have a much narrower field of view and its more difficult to locate objects using high powered eyepieces. Step 12 :You can focus the eyepieces by turning the focus knob. The focus knob has a very fine focus, so you may have to turn the knob 20 complete turns or more to focus on an object. Connect the AutoStar Handbox Step 13: Lift the battery cover. Gently remove the battery holder from the compartment so you dont accidentally pull out the wires attached to the holder. Insert 6 user supplied AA batteries in the holder. Refer to the diagram on the holder to orient the batteries properly. Replace the holder back into the battery compartment and replace the lid. Step 14: Make sure that the computer control panel power switch is in the OFF position. Remove AutoStar from the packing materials and plug it into the HBX port.
Step 13: Focus insert batteries.
Step 14: Plug in handbox and turn on computer control panel.
Flip the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStars LCD display. Step 15: Press the key prompted by AutoStar to accept the Sun warning. Observe Step 16: You can now use the AutoStar Arrow keys to move the telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the telescopes slew speed, briefly press the Speed/? key. Each press decreases the slew speed down one level, and then will cycle back to the fastest speed. Step 17: Sight along the side of the telescopes main tube to locate an object. At first, practice during the daytime using the AutoStars Arrow keys to center on objects in the telescopes field of view. Observe trees, mountains, signs and so forth. Then when youre comfortable locating objects in this manner, try at night on the Moon, planets and stars. Note about the Flip Barlow: To use the built-in 2x Barlow, rotate the the Flip Barlow control so that it is in the down position (see diagram, left). The Flip Barlow doubles the magnification of your eyepiece.

Step 17: Sight along the top of the optical tube.
Flip Barlow in down position.
Note: Flip Barlow control in the down position.
If you use the Flip Barlow, you will need to turn the focus knob in a counterclockwise direction. You may have to turn the focus knob 20 or more turns to focus with the Barlow engaged.

TELESCOPE FEATURES

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Fig. 1: The ETX-80AT-BB Telescope.
1. Eyepiece 2. Eyepiece holder thumbscrew 3. 45 Erecting Prism 4. Rear Cell Port 5. 90 Eyepiece holder 6. Eyepiece 7. Eyepiece holder thumbscrew 8. Fork arms 9. Optical tube 10. Objective lens cell 11. Dew shield 12. Dust cap 13. Vertical lock 14. Horizontal lock 15. Focus knob 16. Computer control panel A. HBX port B. LED C. On/Off D. AUX port 17. Base housing 18. Base/Holes for tripod bolts 19. Battery compartment 20. Flip mirror control (inset)

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Fig. 1b : The computer control panel: A - HBX port; B - LED; C - On/Off; D - AUX port.
Fig. 2: The AutoStar Handbox (see page 10).
Fig. 1c: The battery compartment.

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21. AutoStar 22. Tripod bubble level 23. Base 24. Handle 25. Adjustable legs 26. Locking ring 27. Leg braces/accessory holders 28. Leg locks 29. Bubble level/compass 30. Flip Barlow

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Fig. 3: The tripod.
ETX: Your Personal Window to the Universe
The Meade ETX-80AT-BB is an extremely versatile, high-resolution telescope with features similar to those once available only with larger and more specialized imaging systems. With pushbutton controls, automatic tracking of celestial objects, and software downloading capability, an ETX telescope may be all the telescope ever required by many terrestrial and astronomical observers.

Caution:

Using products other than standard Meade accessories may cause damage to the telescopes internal electronics and may void the Meade warranty.
Your ETX telescope reveals nature in an ever-expanding level of detail. Observe the feather structure of an eagle from 50 yards or study the rings of the planet Saturn from a distance of 800 million miles. Focus beyond the Solar System and observe majestic nebulae, ancient star clusters, remote galaxies, and even stars recently discovered to have planets orbiting about them. Meade ETX telescopes are instruments fully capable of growing with your interest and are ideal for both the casual observer and serious astronomer alike.

NOTE: Throughout this manual, you will notice the term "Alt/Az." Alt/Az stands for altitude-azimuth, which is just a fancy way of saying the telescope moves up and down, and from side to side. Not all telescopes move like this. Alt/Az alignment is just one of many methods used by amateur astronomers to help locate stars in the night sky.
GO TO Key: Moves the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected object. While the telescope is moving (or slewing), the operation may be stopped at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object. Arrow Keys: Move the telescope up, down, left and right, at one of nine different speeds. Speed selection is explained in SLEW SPEEDS, page 16. The following functions are available with the Arrow keys: Alt/Az Alignment - Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move the telescope vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key rotates the telescope (horizontally) counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise. Data Entry - Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. The Down Arrow key starts with the letter "A" and the Up Arrow key starts with the digit "9." The Left and Right Arrow keys are used to move the blinking cursor left and right across the LCD display.
Scroll Keys: Accesses menu 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 a list of options. Press and hold a Scroll key to move quickly through the options. The Scroll keys, like the Arrow keys, also scroll through the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits. NOTE: The Scroll Down key and 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 A, 9 to 0). Common symbols are also available in the list.
Speed/? Key: Pressing the Speed/? key cycles through the nine slew speeds that move the telescope. Each time the Speed/? key is pressed briefly, the current slew speed is shown for about two seconds on the display. See SLEW SPEEDS, page 16. The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active. NOTE: Pressing the Speed/? key very briefly changes the slew speed. Holding down the Speed/? key longer (one to two seconds) accesses the Help function. Hold down the Speed/? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details of AutoStar functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an on-screen instruction manual. If you have a question about an AutoStar operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT, etc., hold down the Speed/? key and follow the directions that scroll on the second line of the LCD screen. When a word appears in [brackets], press ENTER to access the AutoStar Glossary. A definition or more detailed information is displayed. Press MODE to return to the scrolling AutoStar Help display. When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to the original screen and continue with the chosen procedure.

{ { { { { { { { {

Speed 1 Speed 2 Speed 3 Speed 4 Speed 5 Speed 6 Speed 7 Speed 8 Speed 9

= = = = = = = = =

2x = 8x = 16x = 32x = 64x =
2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008/sec) 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033/sec) 16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067/sec) 32 x sidereal (8 arc-min/sec or 0.13/sec) 64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27/sec)
0.5 = 120 x sidereal (30 arc-min/sec or 0.5/sec) 1/s = 240 x sidereal (60 arc-min/sec or 1/sec) 2/s = 480 x sidereal (120 arc-min/sec or 2/sec) Max = (Maximum speed possible, dependent on battery power)
Speeds 1, 2, or 3: Best used for fine centering of an object in the field of view of a higher power eyepiece, such as a 12mm or a 9mm eyepiece. Speeds 4, 5, or 6: Enables centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as a standard 25mm eyepiece. Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the eyepiece. Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another.

Observe the Moon

Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and practice using the Arrow keys and the slew speeds to view different features. The Moon contains many interesting features, including craters, mountain ranges, and fault lines. The best time to view the Moon is during its crescent or half phase. Sunlight strikes the Moon at an angle during these periods and adds a depth to the view. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the overly bright surface to appear flat and rather uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral density Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it cut down the Moon's bright glare, but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.
To Track an Object Automatically
As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically "tracks" the stars and other objects in the night sky. In other words, if the telescope is not tracking an astronomical object, the object will drift out of the eyepiece field of view. The tracking function automatically keeps an object more or less centered in the telescopes eyepiece. To track objects, you must first initialize AutoStar and then select "Targets: Astronomical" from the AutoStar Setup menu. You must also learn how the AutoStar keypad operates in order to move through the AutoStar menus.

Moving Through AutoStars Menus
The AutoStar database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation. Press ENTER to go deeper into AutoStar's menu levels. Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level. Use the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options available for each level. Use the Scroll keys to enter characters and digits. The Arrow keys are used to move the telescope, and can also enter numbers and letters.

Initializing AutoStar

This section describes how to initialize AutoStar. Perform this procedure the first time you use AutoStar or after performing a RESET. 1. 2. 3. Secure the locks: Make sure that the vertical and horizontal locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1) are secured. Plug in AutoStar: Connect AutoStar to the HBX port of the computer control panel (16a, Fig. 1B). Turn on the control panel: Flip the telescope power switch of the computer control panel to the ON position. The AutoStar screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short beep. Then AutoStar takes a few moments to start up the system. 4. Sun Warning: A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message, press the Speed/? key to signify that the message has been read and | understood. Getting Started: The Getting Started menu displays a scrolling message. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 5) to bypass the Help tutorial and continue with initialization. Daylight Savings Time: The next screen requests the status of Daylight Savings Time. Press one of the Scroll keys to toggle between the YES/NO settings. When the desired setting displays, press ENTER.
Note: When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the option that is
NOTE: AutoStar requests the Country/State, City, and Telescope Model information only the first time AutoStar is activated. If you wish to change this information, use the "Site" and "Telescope Model" options in the Setup menu.
currently enabled is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing Arrow (>).
Initialization is a procedure that ensures that AutoStar operates correctly. When you first use AutoStar, it doesn't yet know where the observation location site is, what your model number is (AutoStar operates with several different models of Meade telescopes) or if you are in a daylight savings time period. During the procedure, you are requested to enter this information. AutoStar uses this information , plus time and date information it receives for a high-precision internal clock to precisely calculate the location of celestial objects, such as stars and planets, and how to move your telescope correctly for various operations. You will only be asked for the location and model number information the first time you initialize AutoStar or after a reset. You can change this information (for example, you may move more than 50 miles away) by going to the Site and Telescope model options in the Setup menu.

Set Your Location or Zip Code: The Location screen displays. This screen asks you if you wish to choose either the zip code of your observing location or the location (i.e., entering the city and state or country of your observing location). Press Up to select the zip code option or down to enter the city and state. Note: The location settings (country/state/province and city, or zip code) are only asked for the first time you turn on the control panel. If you wish to change this setting later on, use the Site menu. See SITE, page 28, for more information. If you chose the zip code option, the leftmost 0 is highlighted. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the digits. When you reach the desired number, use the Right Arrow key to move to the next digit position. Repeat this process until all 5 digits of your zip code are entered. Press ENTER. If you chose the location option, the next screen asks for the country or state/province (listed alphabetically) of the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of countries, states, and provinces. Press ENTER when the correct location displays. The next screen asks for the city (listed alphabetically) closest to the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the correct city appears on screen. Select model number. As AutoStar operates with several different models of telescopes, it next requests your telescope model number. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the models. Press ENTER when your model number displays. System initialization is complete. The Easy Alignment feature begins automatically after the control panel is initialized.

Too Much Power?

Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power youre referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes, you can! The most common mistake of the beginning observer is to overpower his or her telescope by using high magnifications which the telescopes aperture and atmospheric conditions can not reasonably support. Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and well-resolved image is far superior to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved (see below). Powers above 110X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions. AutoStar can calculate the best eyepiece for you to use. Try out the Eyepiece Calc feature in the Utilities menu. Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the full range of reasonable magnifications possible with the ETX telescopes. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.
Fig. 18a & b: Jupiter; example of too much magnification.
Note: The "Telescope: Mount" option of the Setup menu is set to "Alt/Az" as the default alignment by the factory.The example presented in this section assumes that you are performing an alignment procedure for the first time with your telescope and therefore, the "Telescope: Mount" option does not need to be selected.

Fig. 19: Alt/Az Alignment Home Position.

Go To Saturn

Fig. 20: The ETX-80 is supplied with a bubble level. When setting the home position, use the bubble level to help level the telescope and to find North. Remove the eyepiece from the 90 holder and drop in the bubble level. Adjust the telescope tube the bubble enters the center circle of the bubble level. Line up the North - South line of the compass with you telescope tube. Move the tube until the tube points North.
After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the motor drive begins operating and the telescope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars. IMPORTANT NOTE: Once aligned, only use the GO TO or Arrow keys to move the telescope. Do not loosen the telescope locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1), or move the base manually, or alignment will be lost. This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for viewing from AutoStars database. This example demonstrates how to select Saturn. NOTE: Saturn is not visible the entire year and you may need to choose another object from AutoStar's database; however, the procedure, as described below, remains the same. 1 2. 3. After the telescope is aligned, Select Item: Object displays. Press ENTER. Object: Solar System displays. Press ENTER. Solar System: Mercury displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until Solar System: Saturn displays.
4. 5. NOTE: Keep in mind that when viewing through an eyepiece in the 90eyepiece holder, images of terrestrial objects are right-side-up, but reversed left-forright. Normally, such an image orientation is not bothersome, unless trying to read a distant sign, for example. If you wish to use the telescope for terrestrial observation, use the eyepiece in the 45 prism. The image in this eyepiece will be correctly oriented.
Press ENTER. Calculating displays. Then Saturn and a set of coordinates displays. Saturns (and other planets) coordinates change throughout the year. Press GO TO. Saturn: Slewing. displays and the telescope slews until it finds Saturn. You may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in the eyepiece. AutoStar then automatically slews (moves) the telescope so that it "tracks" Saturn (or whatever other object you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece. If an object is observed in the telescope without using AutoStar's GO TO or automatic tracking capabilities, objects in the eyepiece gradually drift out of the field of view due to the Earth's rotation.

Using the Guided Tour

Youve been hiking all day and night falls after youve set up camp. The only light is from the stars, which seem so close that you feel you can reach out and touch them. Youve gotten your friends all excited about looking through your scope during the hike. You initialize Autostar, set the home position and get aligned. You find Jupiter in the Solar System menu and you show off Jupiters four moons and you talk about the detail you can see in the bands circling the giant planet. Next, you choose Saturn from the Solar system menu and Autostar displays Below horizon. So you quickly pick out Mars from the menu. Its also below the horizon. Your friends are losing interest. This is the perfect time to use Autostars Guided Tour. Guided Tour is one of Autostars more fun features. For example, check out the tour called Tonights Best. Tonights Best will take you on a tour of the best objects in the sky. Objects that are in the sky right nowthe tour changes all the time depending on the time, date and place. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To find the Guided Tour menu, keep pressing MODE until Select Item: Object displays. Press one of the Scroll keys to page through the menus. Keep pressing until Select Item: Guided Tour displays. Press ENTER. Guided Tour: Tonights Best displays. Press ENTER. Tonights Best: Searching. displays. After calculating, Tonights Best: Jupiter might displaysdifferent objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night. Press ENTER to display information about an object. Even though you may have just looked at Jupiter, read the information screens (use the scroll keys to page through these screens). You may discover some cool information you didnt know TIPS FOR BEGINNERS about Jupiter. Press MODE to return to the Tour list of objects. Press one of the Scroll keys to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe; press ENTER to select the object. Then press GO TO to move the telescope to that object. Repeat this procedure to find other objects. Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to leave the Guided Tour menu.

Fig. 24: AutoStar menu levels.
AutoStar Navigation Exercise
To demonstrate how the AutoStar menu structure works, the following exercise calculates Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned. NOTE: To perform an accurate calculation, AutoStar must be properly initialized with the current date, time, and location of the observing site. To enter the current date, time, and location information of your observing site, see INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17, before proceeding with this exercise.
To Calculate Sunset time: 1. Press the MODE key several times, until Select Item: Object is displayed. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the Event option in the Select Item menu. 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 calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time, and location. Autostar then displays the results of the calculation. Press MODE once to start moving back up through the Autostar 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."
Entering Numbers and Text into Autostar
To enter numbers and text: TIP: When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the option that is currently selected is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing arrow (>).
Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 - 9 and the alphabet. The Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit "9." Use the Right or Left Arrow key (5, Fig. 5) to move the cursor from one number to the next in the display Press ENTER when the desired information has been entered.
To move the cursor across the display:

Navigating Autostar

Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation:

{ { { { {

Press ENTER to go deeper into Autostar's menu levels. Press MODE (3, Fig. 5) to move back toward the top menu level. Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options or lists Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display. Press the Help (?) key to access on-line help.
Adjusting the Speed of a Scrolling Message
Press and hold the Scroll Up key to increase the scrolling speed when a message is scrolling across the display. Press and hold the Scroll Down key to decrease the scrolling speed when a message is scrolling across the display.

Glossary Menu

The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common astronomical terms and Autostar functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in Autostar. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the Autostar 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 goes to the glossary entry for that word. To access directly from 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, 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. See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 30. To use the Timer, press ENTER, then choose Set or Start/Stop."
Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle 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 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. 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 beeps. Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm.
Eyepiece Calc calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope to which Autostar is connected.
Field of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the field of view is calculated. Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the magnification is calculated. Suggest: Autostar calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the telescope and the object being viewed.
Display Options enables or disables Autostars two initial displays. If both displays are disabled, Autostar begins with the Date display. { Sun Warning: Turns the Sun Warning message on or off.
Getting Started: Turns the Getting Started message on or off.
Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER. Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete, press ENTER. NOTE: This feature is usually only required in very cold weather. Beep: Turns the beep on or off. Sleep Scope is a power saving option that shuts down Autostar and the telescope without forgetting its alignment. With "Sleep Scope" selected, press ENTER to activate the Sleep function. Autostar goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key, except ENTER, to reactivate Autostar and the telescope. 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 the telescope to move to its pre-determined Park position. Once parked, the screen prompts to turn off power. IMPORTANT NOTE: When the "Park Scope" option is chosen and the display prompts you to turn off the telescope's power, Autostar is unable to be returned to operation without turning the power off and then back on. Cord Wrap, when set to "On," moves the telescope in such a way as to prevent the cords and cables attached to your telescope assembly from getting wound around the assembly and tangled as the telescope slews to objects. "Off" is the default setting.

Surf the Web

One of the most exciting resources for astronomy is the internet. The internet is full of websites with new images, discoveries, and the latest astronomical information. For example, when comet Hale-Bopp made its approach to our Sun in 1998, astronomers around the world posted new photos daily. You can find websites for almost any topic relating to astronomy on the internet. Try the following key word searches: NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy, Messier, satellite, nebula, black hole, variable stars, etc. Check out Meades website for the latest product and technical information. You can download the latest software revisions, links to other astronomical sites, coordinates of celestial objects and the latest satellite tracking information for your #494 AutoStar handbox. See page 30 for more information. Youll find our website at: http://www.meade.com/ Here are some other sites you might find interesting: Sky & Telescope: http://www.skypub.com/ Astronomy: http://www2.astronomy.com/astro/ The Starfield: http://users.nac.net/gburke/ Astronomy Picture of the Day: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.goc/apod/ Heavens Above (satellite observing information): http://www.heavens-above.com/
Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys (i.e., the Right key moves the telescope to the left). Reverse UP/DOWN: Reverses the functions of the Up and Down Arrow keys (i.e., the Up key moves the telescope down).
Quiet Slew: Sets the maximum slew rate to 1.5 for quieter operation. Max Elevation: Allows you to enter a value in degrees that sets a limit as to how far the optical tube can swing upward during a programmed slew. (Note that it does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a camera or other peripheral attached to the telescopeyou can prevent it from striking the telescope base. Min AOS (Acquisition of Signal): Allows you enter a value in degrees. This value represents the altitude at which your telescope begins to slew when acquiring a satellite track. This is useful when you are observing satellites, but a tall tree or building is obstructing the telescope. For example, you might begin to track the satellite at 15 altitude, instead of 5. See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 30, for more information about satellites.
IMPORTANT NOTE: While performing the automatic tracking procedure, only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope. Once the telescope has been set in the Alt/Az home position, do not loosen the telescope locks (13 and 14, Fig. 1), or move the base manually, or alignment will be lost.

Time Zone Atlantic Eastern Central Mountain Pacific Hawaii Shift -4 Hours -5 Hours -6 Hours -7 Hours -8 Hours -10 Hours
Table 1: Time Zone Shift.
NOTE: The Download function requires the optional #506 Astrofinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See the instruction sheet included with the kit for more information on how to download. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.
Calibrate Motor: If the telescope motors appear to have a problem, use this option to retest the motors before performing a Reset. This option is also used if an Autostar unit is moved between telescopes, to match Autostar to the new telescope. To calibrate the motors, select this option and press ENTER. { High Precision: If High Precision is turned on, when looking for a faint celestial object (i.e., a nebula or galaxy), Autostar first slews to a nearby bright star and displays "ENTER to Sync." Center the star in the eyepiece, then press ENTER. At that point the telescope has a high precision alignment to that part of the sky and it then slews to the object that was originally requested. Targets switches between Astronomical targets and Terrestrial targets. If "Astronomical" is selected, the telescope tracking motor is activated and any object you observe will remain centered in the eyepiece. If "Terrestrial" is selected, the tracking motor is turned off. To learn how to track an object automatically, see page 17. Site provides access to several options including: { Select: Displays the currently selected observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through all available sites (see ADD below). Press ENTER when the site you wish to select displays. Use this option when you move to a different geographic location. { Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database (up to six sites may be stored). Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to add displays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner. { Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database. { Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, England use - hours, East of Greenwich use + hours. For the United States, look up the time zone shift in Table 1. NOTE: Autostar compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See SETUP MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, page 27. { Address: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter your street address, city, state, and zip code. Press ENTER when the entry is complete. Download transfers information from a personal computer or another Autostar. During the operation, the warning Downloading Do Not Turn Off appears. NOTE: The Download function requires the optional #506 Astrofinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See the instruction sheet included with the kit for more information on how to download. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33. Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including: Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined object memory. Version: Shows the current version of the Autostar software. Reset completely resets Autostar. Most values entered into the menus revert to factory defaults. Autostar requires initialization again after a Reset before proceeding with observations. See INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17.

Use the Arrow keys to center the object in the eyepiece to view the object. Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched. Visit the Meade website (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get updated information and instructions on how to download this data to AutoStar. If orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at the time predicted by AutoStar. To download new satellite data into AutoStar memory requires the optional Astrofinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 33.
Digital Photography with the ETX
Although digital cameras still cannot match the quality of images provided by traditional 35mm cameras, they provide some significant advantages to the casual astrophotographer: You do not have to develop the images (instant images), lower costs, computer and internet readiness. And because unwanted photos are easily discarded, they provide the freedom to experiment. Digital cameras present some problems for the astrophotographer: Many models have lenses that cannot be removed, present difficulties in attaching to a telescope, often lack manual focusing and allow limited exposure times. Long exposures with digital cameras introduce undesirable noise and artifacts into a digital image. This limits the range of astro images to the Moon, planets and bright stars. SLR digital cameras usually work the best for astrophotography, although they are still a bit pricey. Some tips for better photos: If you cannot remove the lens to your camera, look for a commercially available digital t-adapter. New solutions for attaching a digital camera to a telescope are becoming available as time goes by. If the camera is not directly coupled to the eyepiece, keep it as close to the eyepiece as possible and center the image to be photographed to minimize vignetting (darkening of the edges of the photo). Try to block ambient light (from street lights, house, etc.) from the eyepiece and the camera with a piece of cardboard, a screen, etc. Keep extra (charged) batteries on hand for your camera as digital cameras often drain batteries in a short period of time. Rechargeable Lithium batteries provide power for a longer period than non-rechargeable batteries. If practical, use an AC adapter. If using manual focus, set to infinity. Otherwise, using the camera's autofocus is OK. Experiment with your camera's exposure, brightness and /or contrast settings. Keep notes for future reference. Many digital cameras have a manual ISO setting. Short exposures times work the best. Use your camera's highest image quality and lowest compression settings. Although this fills up your camera's memory more quickly, it produces the best quality photos. Use the camera's timer or remote shutter release (if available for your camera) to minimize vibration. Wireless shutter releases may be available for some model digital cameras. If you do not have a shutter release, use the cameras timer (sometimes called self-timer), which is available with most digital cameras. The timer also minimizes vibration.

ETX-80AT-BB Specifications
Optical design...Achromatic Refractor Clear aperture...80mm (2.76) Focal length...400mm Focal ratio (photographic speed).f/4.4 Near focus (approx.)..17 ft. (5.2m) Resolving power..1.6 arc secs Multi-coatings on objective lens.Standard Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.)..11.5 Image scale...4.1/inch Maximum practical visual power.240X Optical tube dimensions (dia. x length)...9.3cm x 30.4-37.1cm (3.6 x 12-14.6) Eyepieces 2x Flip Barlow...Built in Telescope mounting...Fork type; double tine Setting circle diameters..Dec: 3.5; RA: 7 Input voltage...9-volts DC Motor Drive System..DC servo motors with encoders, both axes Slow-Motion Controls..Electric, 9 speed, both axes Hemispheres of operation...North and South, switchable Bearings: Altitude...Acetal Azimuth...Nylon Materials Tube body..ABS Mounting...High-impact ABS Objective lens (crown, flint).BK7, F2 Telescope dimensions..40.4cm x 18cm x 22cm (15.9 x 7 x 9) Prism...45 roof Tripod...Photo style Battery Life (approx.) with AutoStar...20 hrs. Compass/Bubble Level included

AutoStar Specifications

Processor...68HC11, 8MHz Flash Memory...512KB, reloadable Keypad...10 key alphanumeric Display...2 line, 16 character LCD Backlight..Red LED Coil Cord..24"

AutoStar Dimensions

Length...14.2cm (5.60") Width (LCD end)..78.0cm (3.08") Width (Connector end)..53.5cm (2.10") Depth...23.5cm (0.93") AutoStar net weight...0.169kg (0.35 lbs.)
APPENDIX A: USING AUTOSTAR TO ENTER R.A. AND DEC COORDINATES
Although AutoStar's database contains more than 1400 objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of the database. AutoStar provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec coordinates in the "User: Objects" option of AutoStar's Object menu and then automatically slews 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 out 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." You may use this menu to view these object as often as you like, but the objects' coordinates just need to be entered once. To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu: 1. Make sure AutoStar has been initialized (see INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17) and the telescope has been aligned and set to the Alt/Az home alignment position (see EASY ALIGNMENT, page 19). 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 Arrow keys to enter the digits for the Right Ascension coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change "+" to "-." When you are finished, press ENTER. "Declination: +00.00'" displays. Use the Arrow 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 then prompts you to enter the Size of the object. This step is optional. Use the Arrow keys to enter this information, 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 then prompts you to enter the Magnitude of the object. This step is also optional. Use the Arrow keys to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the next display. "User Object: Add" displays again.

The larger the aperture, the brighter and higher resolution your image.
Aperture is about gathering light. Period. The human eye can only gather as much light as can squeeze through the pupil of your eye. Not much. So the real purpose of a telescope is not magnificationits gathering more light. The bigger the aperture, the brighter the image. You wont enjoy looking at a dim object, no matter how big you make it. Thats why any experienced astronomer will tell you aperture is everything. As a general rule, an 8-inch telescope has four times the light gathering power of a 4-inch telescope. The photo-illustrations on this page were created to simulate the view through telescopes of different apertures at the same magnification. Examine them and its easy to see why bigger is better. The main caveat to the bigger is better rule is portability. Telescopes above 10" become increasingly more difficult to transport to your favorite dark sky location (not an issue if you plan on a home observatory or roll-off shed). But the best scope for you is the one you will actually use. Most amateurs consider an 8" scope the perfect compromise between brightness and portability.
a st rophotogr a ph y : ja son wa r e / m4 2- gr e at or ion n e bu l a / l x0

10"

1 2"

1 4"

16"
I d e c i d e d to b u y t h e L X90 based on all of the online reviews prais ing it as an e x c e l l e n t te l es c o p e fo r t h e money. Im now taking photos with the Meade Deep Sky Image r a n d e x p l o r i n g w o n d e r s I never dreamed poss ible here in the glow of the Big Apple. N i g h t a f te r n i g h t , A u to S tar reliably starts, aligns, and locks onto objects with perfect p r e c i s i o n. Ive never experienced a s ingle glitch.
mike sabina astrophotography: kevin muenzler / moon / lx90

ed roach / saturn / lx90

eric madeleine / m57 - ring nebula / lx90
lee zagar / jupiter / lx90 / DSI

Steve Hamilton

is a former naval aviator and
astrophotographer who moderates seven different astronomy user groups and forums with over 6500 subscribers. He and his L X90 have produced an impressive galler y of astrophotographs. You can see some of them at w w w.meade.com.

7 6.7 76.7. 7. 79.6.7 76.5.7
88.46 89.9.88.7. 9 0.1 88.8. 8 7.7 9
15. % 16.17 % 15.7 % 15. 5 1% 16. % 13.% 15. % 15. % 15. %

The UHTC difference.

Over several years, Meade engineers pioneered the exotic series of multi-layered coatings known as UHTC. They are precisely designed to improve the performance of your telescopes optics. Unless you have a degree in optical engineering, all you need to know is that these advanced multi-coatings increase light transmission on average
(across the visual spectrum) by about 15%. For example, Meade UHTC coatings will increase the image brightness of a 10" LX200-ACF by the equivalent of about 0.75 inch of aperture. That means higher performance for observers and astrophotographers alike. Youll see brighter star clusters, more fine detail in nebulas, and more surface features on planets with UHTC than without. So go with a Meade telescope just for the UHTC. Its that good.
a s t ro p h o t o g r a p h y : m a r k d e r e g t / m - h e rc u l e s c l u s t e r / l x 0
UHTC mirror coatings include aluminum enhanced with a complex multiplelayer stack of titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide. UHTC lens coatings include multiple layers of aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide and magnesium fluoride. No, there will not be a test.

Faster slew speeds

At 3:00 a.m. in the60 middle of winter, an extra seconds feels like an eternity.
At a sleepy three degrees per second, it takes competing telescopes a full minute to move from horizon to horizon. Yawn. Thats why slew speeds on Meade LX90-ACF , LX200-ACF , and LX400-ACF telescopes are two to three times faster than the competition. When its cold and dark, or for that matter just late, those extra stargazing seconds really add up. Thanks to faster alignment and faster GoTo slewing, a Meade telescope will show you two to three times more objects over the course of an evening. Not that its a race. We just think youd rather watch the universe in motion than your telescope in motion. Do you want the trip to take 40 seconds or 14?

Betelgeuse arcturus

SLEW SPEED COMPARISONS
slew speed DE GR E E S P E R SE COND HORIZON-HORIZON (SECONDS)
No t o nly wa s i t a c c ur at e , i t wa s fa s t. T he L X 0 u s u a l ly t ook no l o nge r t h a n 10 t o 25 s e c o nd s t o s l e w t o a nd c e n t e r a n ob je c t.

A These Advanced Coma-Frees are really a major step up in consumer telescope optics. Until now, there was
of the f latness and clarity of that f ield of view.
Q What does that mean for the recreational astronomer?
1965 Sees shooting star at summer camp Names first scope Echo Begins comet search. Calls it CN3" 1972 Graduates Acadia University (BA English) Graduates Queens University (MA English) Gets 16" ref lector, names it Miranda 1990 Aids in discovery of four more Comets Discovers First Comet (Comet Levy-Rudenko) Discovers two more Comets Discovers another Comet Discovers spectacular Comet Levy 1990c, C/1990K1
Discovers 10 Comets with Shoemaker-Levy team
Discovers Periodic Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
Getting a new telescope is like starting a new relationship. Its not
just some bucket of bolts and glass. If youre willing, it can become your partner in exploring the universe. I named my first telescope Echo back in 1960. And I still have it. In fact, it has a Coronado PST solar telescope piggybacked on it now and I use it for looking at the Sun in H-alpha all the time. Years later, I got the first 12" Schmidt Camera Meade ever made. When we got it home, I noticed this massive thing would probably displace every other telescope in our observatory. When I was a teenager in Montreal, our astronomy club had this piggy bank called Obadiah. Whenever there was enough money, Obadiah, the observatory pig , would go shopping for
I give every telescope a name. Because part of the majesty of the sky is the majesty of the instrument you view it with.
accessories. So when I saw that massive new 12" in place, I thought, you are the observatory pig and I named it Obadiah. Now Obadiah has been converted to CCD and is involved in a serious search for comets. Im never happier than when Im outside, using one telescope to search for comets, while my other two scopes are doing their own searches automatically. I have music playing. Im moving from field-tofield. And I can hear the motors of Obadiah and Esther (my 10" LX200 classic) moving to their next positions to take pictures in the pre-dawn sky. I love the way the motors hum. I love the speed at which these huge telescopes can climb up to the zenith and find their next objects. And Im just amazed they do it all by themselves. They arent people. But they do a lot of things people do. Last spring , I went to New Orleans to help give away Meade scopes. On March 9th, 2006 we launched the National Sharing the Sky Foundation to help the next generation reach for the stars. Id like to see a telescope in every backyard. And a name on every telescope.

Easy-to-use planetarium software allows you to see whats in the sky tonight. Plan observing sessions, print star charts, take astrophotographs or control your telescope from your PC (windows only).
R e mot e C on t rol Ac c e s s.
The Enhanced LX400-ACF AutoStar Suite lets you come in from the cold and operate your telescope. You can set-up, control, and image like the pros from the comfort of your home office or even across country via the web.

LX400-ACF highlights

A. The remote control observatory. Control your telescope from the comfort of your home, office, or even out-of-town with Meades completely integrated AutoStar II and LX400-ACF software systems. Access the computer that controls your telescope via network or Web access. Work like the pros, imaging whenever the weather, your schedule, and the universe align. With an LX400ACF, you have your own remotely controlled observatory. Just set-up, connect, control, and image. AutoStar II makes it easy.

On axis

f/8 SchmidtCassegrain

f/8 LX400-ACF

This professional level of off-axis performance was previously unavailable without spending more than three times the cost of an LX400-ACF.
B. Perfect star images edge-to-edge.

.175 off axis

. 25 off axis

LX400-acf

A success story fresh off the drawing board.
On March 26, 2002, Meade engineers set out to design a telescope with the most sophisticated optics, mechanics and electronics ever manufactured. If successful, the new scope would make observatory-level performance accessible to any serious astronomer or astrophotographer who desired it. Th e LX0 -ACF r e v i e w i n Sk y & Tele scope m aga zi n e sa i d, M ea de cl a i m ed t h at on e of i ts goa l s i n de v el opi ng t h e LX0 -ACF li n e was to a ddr e ss va r ious problems t h at h a d dogged Sch m i dt- Casse gr a i ns for mor e t h a n y ea rs. My f eeli ng is t h at t h e com pa n y r ea lly h as succeeded. Ev e n w h e n you j u dge i t by t h e dem a n di ng cr i t er i a i m posed by l ong-ex posu r e i m agi ng, t h e LX0 -ACF is a w i n n er.

+ C o mpu te r - a s s i s te d s q u a r i n g of y ou r o p t ic a l a x i s. + Photographic polar alignment eliminates the need for drift alignment. + No clutches or worm releases means no extra alignment, even if you switch instruments during an observing run.
O t h e r nota b l e p oi n t i ng a n d t r ac k i ng f e at u r e s.
Advanced Pointing and Tracking
OBSERVATORY-LEVEL PRECISION.
Smart Drive. Permanent Periodic Error Correction.
Meades SmartDrive technology allows Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PPEC) on both axes that offers an observatory standard of precision of 5 arc seconds or less. Because no worm gear is perfect, no matter how precisely it is manufactured, small inconsistencies will always occur in the drive system of any telescope. Meades Smart Drive allows you to train your telescopes software to automatically compensate for these tiny periodic errors in the worm/gear system. This will bring your telescopes tracking accuracy up to a level consistent with the worlds top observatories. The programming is stored forever, independent of any power source, yet may be erased, updated or averaged with future programming if you choose.
High-Precision Pointing (HPP). Finding objects too faint to see.
This feature is most helpful to astrophotographers interested in imaging objects too faint to be confirmed with the naked eye. Or those who want to place an item dead center on a very small CCD chip. When you turn this feature on and ask the scope to slew to an object, the scope will first slew to a star right next to the object and John Hoot, San Clemente, CA ask you to center that star perfectly. The star is likely to be perfectly centered already (thats how accurate Meade telescopes are). But once you have confirmed the stars precise location, the scope will slew to the nearby deep sky object and place it exactly in the center of your field of view. For normal observing, this level of precision isnt necessary (a Meade scope will center objects anyway). But HPP gives you the confidence to kick off a two-hour long imaging sequence without even visually confirming a faint objects existence!
Smart Mount. Added accuracy for permanent installations.
Meade telescopes are designed for everyone from the casual visual observer to the most demanding scientific researcher, with the dedicated astrophotographer in the middle. No comparably priced scope will point or track better.

ering my first supernova. Because at that moment, it hits you that youre going down in history with your name on an object. Since then, Ive discovered 16 more. That opens the door to just about any observatory in the world. They know who I am from all these discoveries and welcome me with open arms. So Im fulfilling my dream of contributing to science in a meaningful way. But my first love is still teaching. We just cant do enough. Ive always felt that someday many years from now, maybe some Senator will sign the check because Jack Newton showed him Saturn when he was a little boy. That would be payoff. Big time. We need that next generation of space telescopes up there. Sometimes I wish I could have a few minutes at the eyepiece with every person in the world. Because thats what astronomy really comes down to: People and pure joy.
Jack has shot thousands of images with his two Meade 16" LX200s and is cur
rrently expanding his horizons with a Meade 14" LX400-ACF.
THE FIRST TIME I SAW A GALAXY
(that wasnt a picture in National Geographic)
I GOT A LUMP IN MY THROAT.
Of course, then my wife looked in the telescope and said, Thats pretty cool. How long are we going to be out here? Thats typical for most people. Im drawn to astronomy for the appreciation of what youre looking at: A galaxy with a hundred billion stars, forty million light years away. But if youre drawn to it for the visual beauty, astrophotography is your key to the hobby. The total automation of the LX400-ACF makes astrophotography accessible to millions of regular
people like me. I mean, you can do these 6-hour long exposures and still have a life. Ill kick off a sequence and go do something else. The scopes in my backyard working away, and Im off playing in a hockey game. Or some nights I go to bed. I wake up and have a whole series of images to process the next day. Sometimes I check up on my scopes progress remotely by doing a VNC session on my cell phone. Its just phenomenal what amateurs are doing these days. I have these friends who are always saying , Someday, Im going to own a telescope. Well theres never been a better time.
jason ware , astrophotographer opposite page / jason ware / m31 - andromeda galaxy / Meade 12" Schmidt Camera
jason ware / moon / lx400-acf
jason ware / m8 - lagoon nebula / lx400-acf

S pecialist

Series 5000 ED APO
ED APO Refractors have produced some of the most beautiful images of the heavens ever taken from Earth.
John Kinkead: creative director, screenplay author, APO Refractor enthusiast.

Seeking perfection.

I enjoy observing the moon and planets in exquisite detail. I want to take gorgeous wide-field, high-contrast astrophotographs.

ENTHUSIAST

Meade 70AZ-AR #04043

A-Series:

Manual
70mm (2.8") aperture Achromatic Refractor Altazimuth mount f/10 focal ratio (700mm)

Meade 114EQ-ASTR #04066

114mm (4.5") aperture Newtonian Reflector Equatorial mount f/8.8 focal ratio (1000mm)

DS-2000 Series:

COMPUTER GUIDED
Meade DS-2080AT-LNT #20085
80mm (3.1") aperture Achromatic Refractor Altazimuth mount f/10 focal ratio (800mm)
Deluxe AutoStar #494 1,400 object database
Meade DS-2114ATS-LNT #20123
114mm (4.5") aperture Newtonian Reflector Altazimuth mount

focal ratio (1000mm)

A AND DS -2000
Meade DS-2130ATS-LNT #20133
130mm (5.1") aperture Newtonian Reflector Altazimuth mount f/7.7 focal ratio (1000mm)
For a full list of specifications go to www.meade.com
The universe belongs to everyone.
Shou ld a person h av e $0 to spe n d befor e t h e y ca n see t h e r i ngs of Sat u r n? No. For mor e t h a n y ea rs, M ea de h as m a de t elescope s of a ll le v el s i n or der to sh a r e ou r passion w i t h as m a n y pe ople as possi ble. Ou r A a n d DS-0 ser i e s scope s m ay com pet e i n t h e $79-plus r a nge , bu t t h e y a r e M ea de-e ngi n eer ed t h rough a n d t h rough. Th e y a r e gr eat for fa m i li e s, k i ds a n d gi f ts. At t h is pr ice , t h e m a r k et is f i lled w i t h su bsta n da r d t ele scope s. Choose M ea de , a n d t h e qua li t y, custom er serv ice , a n d r epu tat ion of t h e wor lds n u m ber on e t ele scope m a n u fact u r er w i ll be t h er e to t u r n you r cu r iosi t y i n to a li f el ong passion.
What can you see? Most astronomers trace their love of the night sky to a first look at Saturn through a
telescope just like the ones in this section. Any entry-level scope will let you see craters on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, the cloud belts of Jupiter and its moons, plus countless star clusters, double stars, nebulas and more. Remember, low power is best, and the larger the aperture (scope diameter), the brighter those deep sky treasures will appear. The astrophotographs in this catalog do not represent actual views through a telescope. For an explanation, see pg. 57
Choosing your scope. For further information on selecting your scope, see the following sections: Optical
Systems, pgs. 45-49; AutoStar, pg. 13; AutoAlign with SmartFinder, pg. 15, and Aperture, pg. 57.

chuck reese / mars / lx200
mark sibole / moon / etx-90
edward roach / saturn / lx90

Manual

telescopes. Basic can be beautiful.
A-ser i e s scopes a r e ou r most basic. Th ese m a n ua l scope s le t you lea r n t h e n igh t sk y f rom sta r ch a rts a n d t h e i nclu ded DV D sof t wa r e. M a n y old-school hobby ists st i ll f eel t h is m e t hod of sta r-hoppi ng is t h e be st way to lea r n ast ronomy.
Meade 70AZ-AR Altazimuth Refractor.
Economical and perfect for viewing daytime or nighttime objects, this telescope will surprise you with crisp views of the rings of Saturn and much more. + 70mm (2.75") Aperture: Plenty of brightness to reveal planets, clusters, nebulas and more. + Sturdy Altazimuth Mount: Lightweight and solid aluminum mount and tripod for stable views. + Two Premium 1.25" Plssl Eyepieces: (25mm and 9mm) Enjoy low and high power viewing with crisp, wide fields of view. + Red Dot Viewfinder: Makes stars and other objects easier to find. + AutoStar Suite DVD: Amazing planetarium software and instructional video will help you learn about the night sky and how to use your telescope. Print out star charts. Plan observing sessions. Displays over 10,000 astronomy targets. Operates on any Windows -based PC.
Meade 114EQ-ASTR Equatorial Reflector
Reflectors always provide the most aperture for your dollar. With its full 4.5" of aperture, this affordable telescope will show you deep sky objects in amazing detail. Not for land viewing. + 114mm (4.5") Aperture: Amazing aperture offers brighter views of planets, clusters, nebulas and galaxies. + Sturdy Equatorial Mount: Lightweight and solid aluminum mount for a stable view. An Equatorial Mount, when properly polar aligned, makes tracking of astronomical objects easy. + 2 Premium 1.25" Plssl Eyepieces: (25mm and 9mm) Enjoy low and high power viewing with crisp, wide fields of view. + Red Dot Viewfinder: Makes stars and other objects easy to find. + AutoStar Suite DVD: Amazing planetarium software and instructional video will help you learn the night sky and how to use your telescope. Print out star charts. Plan observing sessions. Displays over 10,000 night sky objects. Operates on any Windows -based PC.

A-SERIES

a st rophotogr a ph y : ja son wa r e / m16-e agl e n e bu l a / l x0
DS-2000 series telescopes. GoTo capabilities take you there.
DS-2000 series scopes are fully computer-guided GoTo scopes. They include our AutoStar controller (#494) with its database of over 1400 objects. If you want an affordable telescope that will give you a guided tour of the night sky, the DS-2000 series is a great place to start.
DS-2080AT-LNT 80mm Refractor
The DS-2080 knows the night sky out of the box. Turn it on, and after a brief alignment procedure, your telescope will take you on a guided tour of more than 1400 treasures of the universe. See more objects in one night than Galileo saw in a lifetime. Perfect for land or sky viewing. + 80mm (3.1") Aperture: Plenty of brightness to reveal planets, clusters, nebulas and more. + Sturdy Fork Mount: Lightweight and solid aluminum mount and tripod for stable views. + #494 AutoStar Controller: Automatically locates more than 1400 objects and points the telescope toward them for you at the push of a button. + Series 4000 Super Plssl 1.25" Eyepieces: (26mm and 9.7mm) Enjoy low and high power viewing with crisp, wide fields of view. + Altazimuth Set-up: Easy-to-use mount moves up/down, left/right. + SmartFinder/Red Dot Viewfinder: Makes stars and other objects easy to find. Electronic level sensor, north sensor, and precision internal clock help get your scope aligned with the heavens quickly. + AutoStar Suite DVD: Amazing planetarium software and instructional video will help you learn about the night sky and how to use your telescope. Print out star charts. Plan observing sessions. Displays over 10,000 night sky objects. Operates on any Windows-based PC.

DS-2000 SERIES

DS-2114ATS-LNT 114mm Reflector
Like the DS-2080, the DS-2114 knows the night sky out of the box. It can take you on a guided tour of the universe at the push of a button. But with a full 4.5" of aperture, youll see more surface detail on planets, more cloud structure in nebulas, more stars in clusters, and more brightness everywhere you look. Not for land viewing. + 114mm (4.5") Aperture: Amazing aperture offers brighter views of planets, clusters, nebulas and galaxies. + Sturdy Fork Mount: Lightweight, solid aluminum mount for a stable view. + #494 AutoStar Controller: Automatically locates over 1400 objects and points the telescope toward them for you at the push of a button. + Series 4000 Super Plssl 1.25" Eyepieces: (25mm and 9mm) Enjoy low and high power viewing with crisp, wide fields of view. + Altazimuth Set-up: Easy-to-use mount moves up/down, left/right. + SmartFinder/Red Dot Viewfinder: Makes stars and other objects easy to find. Electronic level sensor, north sensor, and precision internal clock help get your scope aligned with the heavens quickly. + AutoStar Suite DVD: Amazing planetarium software and instructional video will help you learn about the night sky and how to use your telescope. Print out star charts. Plan observing sessions. Displays over 10,000 night sky objects. Operates on any Windows-based PC.

Series 5000 Eyepieces. The best view of the heavens on earth.
Th e r igh t e y epi e ce ca n m a k e or br ea k a n y t ele scope. A f t er a ll , w h y squ i n t t h rough a t i n y pi n hole w h e n you ca n li nger at a dr a m at ic w i n dow on t h e u n i v erse a n d ex a m i n e e v ery de ta i l? M e a de ser i e s 0 e y epi e ce s of f er r e volu t ion a ry n e w a dva nce s i n r e solu t ion, i m age cor r e ct ion a n d e y e r eli ef at i r r e sist i ble pr ices. You si m ply wont beli e v e how a pr em i u m e y epi e ce i m prov e s you r v i e w, no m at t er w h at scope you ow n. See pi n poi n t r e solu t ion edge-to-edge w i t h lu x u r iously l ong e y e r eli ef. I f you t h i n k ou r ser i e s 0 e y epi e ce s l ook good on t h e ou tsi de , wa i t u n t i l you see t h e h e av e ns t h rough on e. Series 5000 5-Element Plssls have the widest apparent field of view (60) of any Plssl on the market. The Super Wide Angle series ups the ante with an amazing-for-the-money 68 apparent field of view. Finally, our top-ofthe-line Ultra Wide Angle eyepieces deliver an astounding 82 apparent field of view. For uncompromising views that make any telescope better, order a set today. You have to see the universe through one to believe it.
Compare Series 5000 features to any eyepiece on the planet:
+ Several types of exotic premium grade optical glass + Individually tuned, multi-layered coatings for maximum light transmission + Blackened lens edges and internal surfaces maximize contrast + Parfocal - little or no focusing necessary when switching eyepieces + Extra long eye relief + Adjustable twist-up rubber eyeguards
Eyepieces may be purchased separately or in sets. Photo shows entire Ultra Wide Angle family (purchased separately) in aluminum carry case.
C o m p l e t e K i t s w i t h a l u m i n u m c a s e
Series 5000 5-Element Plssl
includes: 5.a n d a l u m i n u m c a r ry c a s e
Series 5000 S u p e r Wi d e A n g l e
includes: 34 a n d a l u m i n u m c a r ry c a s e
Series 5000 U lt r a W i d e A n g l e
includes: 6.30 a n d a l u m i n u m c a r ry c a s e
The Ultra Wide Angle Series 5000 is the most incredible eyepiece Ive ever tested. Perfectly flat to the edges. Outstanding light transmission. Absolutely breathtaking.

ETX-80 T-Adapter. #64ST Shoot through your ETX
80. Prime focus camera adapter converts your ETX into a telephoto lens. Threads onto the rear cell of the ETX 80. Requires camera-specific T-Mount.
ETX PE Back Cell Adapter. Accepts Schmidt
Schmidt-Cassegrain accessories like focal reducers, flip-mirrors, and off-axis guiders. Turns your ETX into a world-class astrophotography instrument.
Field De-Rotator. The equatorial wedge alternative.
accessories. The Back Cell Adapter allows your ETX to accept
If you want to do long exposures (over 5 minutes) in Alt/Az mode without a wedge, you can correct for field rotation (which results from the scope not rotating on the same axis that the earth does) with Meades Field De-Rotator. Attaches to the rear cell of your scope to precisely counter the effects of Alt/Az-induced field rotation.
1.25" Flip-Mirror System. #A must-have.
Vibration Isolation Pads. Stable platform. Sharper image.
Highly desirable for sensitive imaging applications, these pads reduce typical vibration damping times to less than one second. Place one pad under each tripod leg. Includes set of three.
A necessity for any serious astrophotographer, the flip-mirror system allows you to use both an eyepiece and a camera and flip between them to center, compose, and focus your image before shooting. UHTC coated. Includes adjustment screws and locks for precise image centering. Mirror clear aperture: 22mm.
1.25" and 2" Flip-Mirror System. #647 For larger
eyepieces and chips. Same as 1.25" Flip-Mirror but accepts
1.25 or 2" eyepieces. Larger 40mm mirror clear aperture prevents vignetting with large-chip CCD imagers.
flatter, better. A photographers dream. Improves edge-offield correction and reduces exposure times by close to 50%. Effectively reduces focal ratio by a factor of 0.63. Threads into rear cell of any LX90, LX200 or LX400 series scope (or competing Schmidt-Cassegrains). 1.25"
f6.3 Focal Reducer/Field Flattener. Faster,
Piggyback brackets. Take your camera for a ride.
f /3.3 CCD Focal Reducer/Field Flattener and T-Adapter. Ultra-fast. For ultra-fast CCD imaging with
increased edge-of-field resolution and color correction. Reduces exposure times by up to 80%. Threads into rear cell of any LX90, LX200 or LX400 series scope (or competing Schmidt-Cassegrains). Not for visual use or film photography. 1.25"

Astrophotographer Credits
p.12 (M81) Spiral Galaxy. Jack Newton.
Meade thanks the community of astrophotographers whose images fill this catalog. Your work inspires our work. Keep it up. p.104 Third Contact. Mike Reynolds.
Meade 80mm ED APO & Canon 10D.

Meade 16" LX200 & Finger Lakes Dream Machine. Exposure: LHaRGB; 10:10:10:12:15 minutes.
p.18 (M51) Whirlpool Galaxy. Mark Sibole.
p.105 (M100) Spiral Galaxy. Mark Sibole.
Deep Sky Imager PRO II & Meade ETX-125 piggy backed on 10" LX200. Exposure: LRGB; 136:40:40:40. Guiding: Deep Sky Imager PRO.
Meade Deep Sky Imager PRO II & Meade 80mm ED APO. Piggybacked on the 10" LX200. LRGB, 54:32:32:32 Minutes. Guiding: Meade Deep Sky Imager PRO. Meade Deep Sky Imager PRO II & Meade 80 mm APO with Meade f/6.3 reducer piggyback on 10" LX200. Exposure: HaRGB; 40:32:32:32 minutes. Meade 8" LX90 & ToUcam.
p.18 (NGC4565) Edge on Spiral Galaxy. Mark Sibole. p.19 The Moon. Mark Sibole.
Deep Sky Imager PRO II & Meade ETX-125 piggy backed on 10" LX200 Exposure: LRGB; 64:30:30:30. Guiding: Deep Sky Imager PRO. Meade Deep Sky Imager PRO II and 80mm Refractor piggy back on 10" LX200. Imaged with Ha filter (350 frames). Meade Deep Sky Imager PRO II & Meade 8" LXD75 Schmidt-Newtonian. Exposure: 4 panel mosaic, 1 hour per panel (LRGB 120 Frames x 30 Seconds each). Meade 8" LXD75 Schmidt-Newtonian & Olympus OM-1. Exposure: 30 minutes.
p.105 (NGC6992) The Veil Nebula. Mark Sibole. p.111 Saturn. Edward Roach. p.111 The Moon. Mark Sibole. p.111 Mars. Chuck Reese.
p.42 (M31) The Andromeda Galaxy. Steve Hamilton.
Meade Deep Sky Imager PRO & ETX-90 piggy back on 10" LX200. Exposure: 800 x.0025seconds. Meade Deep Sky Imager II & Meade 10"LX200GPS @ f/20. Exposure: 108 x.0442 seconds. Meade 12" LX400 & Yankee Robotics Trifid II CCD camera. Exposure: HA, OIII, SII, 100:60:60 minutes. Guiding: Meade Deep Sky Imager. Meade 16" LX200 & Finger Lakes Dream Machine. Exposure: LHaRGB; 10:10:10:12:15 mintues.
p.43 (M45) The Pleiades. Peter Kennet.