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OBSERVING
Important Note: Objects appear upsidedown and reversed left-forright when observed in the viewfinder. Objects viewed through the telescope eyepiece when inserted into the diagonal prism and microfocuser assembly appear right-side-up, but reversed left-for-right. This image inversion is of no consequence when observing astronomical objects and, in fact, all astronomical telescopes yield inverted images. During terrestrial observing, where a fully-correctlyoriented image (right-sideup and correct left-for-right) is desirable, an optional #Erecting Prism is available. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 44. Note: Viewing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-tosite. Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. Low-power eyepieces, such as the 26mm Plssl supplied with your telescope, are better suited to resolving images in poor viewing conditions. NEVER point the telescope directly at or near the Sun at any time! Observing the Sun, even for the smallest fraction of a second, will result in instant and irreversible eye damage, as well as physical damage to the telescope itself. Warning: Do not look through the telescopes eyepiece or viewfinder while it is rapidly moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing. Want to learn more about Slew Speeds? See Slew Speeds, page 18.
Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually
If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. 1. Loosen the telescopes R.A. lock (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 12) and Dec. lock (Fig. 1, 17). 2. Move your telescope to observe distant street signs, mountains, trees, and other structures. Use your viewfinder to help site-in on an object. 3. Center the object in the viewfinders crosshairs and then in the telescope eyepiece. When the object is centered in your eyepiece, remember to re-tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks. 4. To move telescope in the R.A. and Dec. axes again, remember to loosen the R.A. lock and tighten the Dec. lock. Then rotate the manual slow motion control knobs (Fig. 1, 10) and (Fig. 1, 16). 5. Practice focusing objects using the coarse focus knob (Fig. 1, 6). Important Note: The telescope is shipped with the mirror locked. Before using the coarse focus knob , rotate the mirror lock knob (Fig. 1, 9) towards the unlock position, until it feels loose. 6. Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view something more challenging, like a bird or a distant moving train.

You can also observe stars and objects in the night sky using this method, but note that objects begin to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by the rotation of the Earth. As you become familiar with the AutoStar II handbox operation, you can counteract the drift using the automatic tracking feature in the AutoStar II Setup menu (see TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 19), or by using AutoStar IIs GO TO capabilities (see GoTo SATURN, page 21).

Terrestrial Observing

The LX200-ACF models are excellent high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescopes. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earths surface through heat waves. These heat waves often cause degradation of image quality. Lower power eyepieces, like the Series 4000 26mm Super Plssl eyepiece, magnify these heat waves less than higher power eyepieces. Therefore, lower power eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image is fuzzy or ill-defined, reduce to a lower power eyepiece, where the heat waves do not have such an effect on image quality. Observing in early morning hours, before the ground has built up internal heat, produces better viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours.
Observing Using AutoStar IIs Arrow Keys
You may observe land and astronomical objects using AutoStar IIs Arrow keys to move the telescope. 1. 2. 3. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (Fig. 1, 12 and 17). Verify that AutoStar II is properly connected to your telescope. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 13. Flip the telescope power switch to the ON position. The AutoStar II screen is activated and a copyright message displays briefly, followed by a short beep. Then AutoStar II takes a few moments to start up the system. A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message, press the key prompted by AutoStar II to signify that the message has been read and understood. Automatic Alignment displays. Press any AutoStar II key to abort automatic alignment. The Arrow keys are now activated. Press the Arrow keys (Pg. 10, Fig. 2, 5) to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. Press the Speed key (Number key 1) and then a Number key (Fig. 2, 6) to change the telescopes slew speed. (1 is the slowest speed, 9 is highest speed.) Use the viewfinder (Fig. 1 , 22) to locate an object and practice using the AutoStar IIs Arrow keys to center the object in the telescopes field of view.

5. 6. 7.

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Bring the object into focus (see below).
Focusing the Eyepiece Using the Microfocuser (16" Model)
The LX200-ACF zero image-shift microfocuser (Pg. 7 Fig. 1, 24) allows you to obtain the most precise image focus possible during visual, photographic, and CCD applications, maintaining precise and jiggle-free image centering on even the smallest CCD chips. To use the microfocuser: 1. Perform this part of the procedure during the daytime, without the eyepiece assembly (eyepiece, diagonal, etc.) attached to the microfocuser. Press the AutoStar II Focus button and then the Up and Down Arrow keys. Observe the microfocuser drawtube as it travels in and out. When the drawtube reaches the furthest extension of its travel, listen for a change in the pitch of the motor. Notice that the drawtubes maximum extension is about a half-inch out from the microfocuser. Set the drawtube so that it extends about a quarter-inch (about halfway). 2. When you begin your viewing session, attach the eyepiece assembly. See pages 13 and 14 for details. 3. Make sure that the microfocuser is plugged into the computer control panel focus port (Fig. 1, 13C). 4. Point the telescope at a bright star. 5. Rotate the mirror lock knob (Fig. 1 , 9) towards the unlock position, until it feels loose. Use the coarse focus control (Fig. 1 , 6) to achieve a rough focus of the star. 6. Rotate the mirror lock knob towards the lock position and adjust the tension to a firm feel; this action serves to lock in the coarse focus. Important Note: Do not use or bump the coarse focus knob once you have set the coarse focus. If you do so, repeat steps 5 and 6 above to reset the coarse focus. 7. Press the Focus key (Number key 4). Focus Control: Speed: Fast displays. Press the Up or Down Scroll keys to cycle through the four speed options. Press ENTER to select the desired speed. Or press one of the following Number keys after pressing the Focus key to change the speed: Key # Speed Key # Speed 1 or 2 Fine 6 or 7 Medium 3, 4, or 5 Slow 8 or 9 Fastest 8. Use the Arrow keys to bring the star into fine focus. 9. You may need to repeat this procedure when you change eyepieces.

See MIRROR MIRROR, page 38, for more information about the microfocuser and the primary mirror lock.

Slew Speeds

Tip: The slowest speed, 1x, may be changed using the Guiding Rate menu. This menu allows you to change the speed by entering a percentage of the speed (either more or less than 100%). This function may be useful in guiding the telescope during CCD and longexposure photography. See GUIDING RATE, page 30, for more information.
AutoStar II has nine slew speeds that move the optical tube at rates that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accomplish specific functions. Press the Speed key (Number key 1) and then press a Number key to change the slew speed, which is shown for about two seconds on AutoStar IIs display. The nine available speeds are: Number Key 1 = 1x = Guide Rate, programmable (see Tip at left) Number Key 2 = 2x = 2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008/sec) Number Key 3 = 8x = 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033/sec) Number Key 4 = 16x = 16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067/sec) Number Key 5 = 64x = 64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27/sec) Number Key 6 = 128x = 30 arc-min/sec or 0.5/sec Number Key 7 = 1.5 = 90 arc-min/sec or 1.5/sec Number Key 8 = 3 = 180 arc-min/sec or 3/sec Number Key 9 = Max = 480 arc-min/sec or 8/sec) 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: Enable centering of an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as the standard Super Plssl 26mm. Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the viewfinder. Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another.

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Observe the Moon
Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) and practice using the Arrow keys, the microfocuser 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, making the overly bright surface to appear flat and rather uninteresting. Consider the use of a neutral density Moon filter when observing the Moon. See page 45. Not only does it cut down the Moons bright glare, but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.

Once the level, tilt and North are detected, the telescope will Go To 2 alignment stars. The telescope will go to these stars in order to orient itself to the sky. Once it has done this, it will be able to point to any of the more than 145,000 stars in its database. Automatic Alignment: Selecting Star and Slewing display. Finally, when it is close to the alignment star Center Brightest Star: Press ENTER displays. Use the Arrow keys to center the alignment star in the eyepiece. The alignment star will be the brightest star in that area of the sky (and hence, brightest star). When the alignment star is entered, press ENTER. Note: If you press the ? key while Ctr Brightest Star displays, the alignment star that AutoStar has chosen will display. For example, Arcturus: Press ENTER may display. Note: If you have an obstruction, such as a tree or a building blocking your view of the alignment star, or if you have any doubts at all about the star that has been chosen, no problem. Just press the Scroll Down key and AutoStar will find another star to align upon.
Important Note: The Daylight Saving menu enables or disables the Daylight Savings Time setting: Remember to turn this setting off or on the two days a year when Daylight Saving changes. See TIMING IS EVERYTHING, page 29.
LX200-ACF TIPS Which Ones the Alignment Star?
If AutoStar II has chosen an alignment star with which you are unfamiliar, how can you be sure if the star in your eyepiece is really the alignment star? The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the brightest star in that area of the sky. If you perform a GO TO to an alignment star and youre not sure if you have located the alignment star or it isnt in the eyepiece, look through your viewfinder. When you view an alignment star in the viewfinder, it stands out dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky. The viewfinder will help you locate a star more quickly than the eyepiece, because it has a much wider field of view than the eyepiece. Using AutoStar II, set the slew speed to 6 or higher and use the Arrow keys to center the alignment star in the viewfinder. If your viewfinder has been aligned with the telescope, the alignment star should now be in the eyepiece. Set the slew speed to 4 or less and center the star in the eyepiece. Also see the Spiral Search tip, page 21.

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Tip: The GO TO key also allows you to perform a spiral search. A spiral search is useful when the telescope slews to an object, but that object is not visible in the eyepiece after the telescope finishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO when the telescope stops slewing. The telescope begins to move in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed around the search area. Look through the eyepiece and when the object does become visible, press MODE to stop the spiral search. Then use the Arrow keys to center the object.

The telescope now slews to the second alignment star. AutoStar displays Center Brightest Star: Press ENTER displays. Use the Arrow keys to center the alignment star in the eyepiece. When the second alignment star is centered, press ENTER. Alignment successful displays. If Alignment Unsuccessful displays, perform the procedure over again.
Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking Feature
Now that your telescope has been aligned, you are able to track celestial objects. In this example, the AutoStar II Arrow keys are used to find a star, and then Auto Star IIs tracking capability automatically keeps the star centered in your telescopes eyepiece. 1. When Automatic Alignment is completed (as described in the previous section), Select: Object displays on AutoStar II. 2. Select a bright star from one of the Object menus. You may choose any unobstructed, bright star for the purposes of this example. Use the viewfinder (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 22) to help line up on the star. Use AutoStar IIs Arrow keys to center the star in the eyepiece. The tracking motors will then keep the star you have chosen in the center of the eyepiece.

GoTo Saturn

This exercise demonstrates how to select a celestial object, the planet Saturn, for viewing from AutoStar IIs Solar System library. Objects in the eyepiece should maintain their position even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars. In other words, the telescope tracks the chosen objects.
Important Note: While performing the automatic tracking procedure, only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope. Once the telescope has been aligned, do not loosen the telescope locks (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 12 and 17), or move the base manually, or alignment will be lost.
Note: Saturn is not visible the entire year; you may need to choose another object from any of AutoStar IIs many object libraries; however, the procedure, as described below, remains the same.
1 2. 3. After the telescope is aligned, press Number key 5. Solar System: Mercury displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until Solar System: Saturn displays. Press ENTER. Calculating displays. Then Saturn and a set of coordinates displays. Note that 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 II then automatically moves the telescope so that it tracks Saturn (or whatever other object you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains centered in the eyepiece.
Tip: To manually enter the R.A. and Dec. coordinates of an object: Press and hold MODE for two seconds or more. The R.A. and Dec. coordinates display. Press GO TO. Object Position and a set of coordinates displays. Then enter the R.A. and Dec. coordinates of any celestial object using Number keys. As soon as the coordinates are entered, AutoStar II slews the telescope to the coordinates. Note that the telescope must be initialized for this procedure to operate properly.

Using the Guided Tour

The Guided Tour feature is an easy and fun method of exploring AutoStar IIs GoTo capabilities. This example demonstrates using Tonights Best Guided Tour. 1. 2. 3. After observing Saturn, keep pressing MODE until Select Item: Object displays again. Press the Scroll Down key twice. Select Item: Guided Tour displays. Press ENTER. Guided Tour: Tonights Best displays. Press ENTER.
Note: If you wish to try out other Guided Tours, press the Scroll Down key to scroll through other tour choices. When the tour you wish to select displays, press ENTER.
4. Tonights Best: Searching. displays. After calculating, Tonights Best: Jupiter displays.
Note: Different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night.
Press ENTER to display information about the object. Press GO TO to move the telescope to the object.

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Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll keys to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe. Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to leave the Guided Tour menu.
Other Guided Tours are available, such as How Far is Far and A Stars Life. If you have programming skills, you may wish to create a custom Guided Tour. See CREATE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR, page 59.
LX200-ACF INFO The Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is comprised of 24 satellites orbiting the Earth that are constantly transmitting their precise position and time. The system provides highly accurate, worldwide positioning and navigation information for any number of applications.

GPS Receiver

GPS receivers on the Earth acquire signals from three to twelve satellites to determine the precise latitude, longitude, and time of the receiver. (Accuracy of the receivers position may be within 10 to 15 feet.) As AutoStar II uses latitude, longitude, and time information to calculate the positions of celestial objects, GPS is an ideal tool for aligning your LX200ACF telescope.

Detecting True Level

Fig. 12: LX200-ACF GPS Receiver.

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Do you want to learn how to perform the periodic error correction procedure? See PERIODIC ERROR CORRECTION, page 40.
Tip: If the ENTER to Sync feature is accessed by mistake (holding the ENTER key for more than 2 seconds), press MODE to return to the previous screen.
Important Note: The Site information is stored in the Site menu. If you move the telescope outside of a 5 miles area of your initial observing location, AutoStar II automatically determines your location when it gets a GPS Fix, and adds the new location to the Site menu.
Want to learn more about adding and editing sites? See page 33.
Time Zone Atlantic Eastern Central Mountain Pacific Alaska Hawaii
Shift -4 Hours -5 Hours -6 Hours -7 Hours -8 Hours -9 Hours -10 Hours
Table 1: Time Zone Shift. Calculations are for standard time.
Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys for controlling the telescopes motion (i.e., the Right key moves the telescope to the left). W Reverse U/D: Reverses the functions of the Up and Down Arrow keys for controlling the telescopes motion (i.e., the Up key moves the telescope down). W Home Sensors: Turns off or on the True North and True Level sensors, if preferred, for Easy, One-Star, and Two-Star alignment. User must then manually level the telescope and point the telescope to True North during alignment. Default setting is On. W GPS Alignment: GPS: Select Off to turn off the GPS functionyou will be prompted to manually enter the time, date and location. Select Start Up to have the GPS function begin when you turn on AutoStar. Select When Needed to have the GPS function begin only when its needed. For example, you have not performed the GPS fix yet and you have select Sunrise. AutoStar needs to know time, date and location to calculate Sunrise times, so the GPX fix will begin when you select press ENTER after selecting Sunrise. W Dec. PEC: Allows you to perform periodic error correction on the Dec. drive worm gear. Must be performed with a high-power reticle (eg., 9mm). W R.A. PEC: Allows you to perform periodic error correction on the R.A. drive worm gear. Must be performed with a high-power reticle (eg., 9mm). W High Precision: If High Precision is turned on, when looking for a faint celestial object (e.g., a nebula or galaxy), AutoStar II 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. See TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 19. Site provides access to several options including: Select: Displays the currently selected observing site. Use the Scroll keys to W 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. W Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database. 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. However, when the GPS signal is received, the site is normally selected automatically and the site list is updated automatically. Use of this option is not necessary and is included for the convenience of those users who may wish to enter a site manually. You may edit the name of a site using the Edit option (see below). W Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database. W 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 II compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See SETUP MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, page 29. Owner Info: Accesses the owner information menu, including: W Name: Users may enter both their first and last names using the Up and Down Arrow keys to cycle through the alphabet. Use the Right and Left Arrow keys to move through the text. Press ENTER when the entry is complete. W 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. Clone: Uploads information from one AutoStar II handbox to another. Three options are available: W Catalogs: Sends only user-defined object information, such as new satellite orbits or comet data to another AutoStar II handbox.

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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.

Fig. 18: Dec. Setting Circle at 0.

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Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment
Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar II provides a library of bright stars and two stars from this library are chosen by the observer for alignment. In this procedure, AutoStar II does not automatically find home, level, or North. 1. Select Alignment. Select Align: Two Star from the Setup menu. Press ENTER. 2.
Note: AutoStar II locates alignment stars based on the date, time, and location entered. The alignment stars may change from night to night. All that is required is for the observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece when prompted.
Set Home Position. Place the telescope in the home position. To Set the Home Position Manually: a. See Figs. 19 and 20. Loosen the telescopes Dec. lock (Pg. 7, Fig. 1, 17). Set the optical tube to 0 on the Dec. setting circle (Fig. 1, 20). b. Tighten the Dec. lock (Fig. 1, 17) to a firm feel only. c. Level the tripod base. d. Move the base of the telescope so that the computer control panel (Fig. 1, 13) approximately faces South. e. Unlock the R.A. lock (Fig. 1, 12) and turn the telescopes optical tube horizontally until it points North. f. Re-lock the R.A. lock (Fig. 1, 12). Press ENTER. g. Press ENTER.
Tip: Try a Spiral Search The GO TO key also allows you to perform a spiral search. A spiral search is useful when the telescope slews to an object, but that object is not visible in the eyepiece after the telescope finishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO when the slew is finished and the telescope starts slewing in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed around the search area. Look through the eyepiece and when the object does become visible, press MODE to stop the spiral search. Then use the Arrow keys to center the object.
4. Star Alignment. Select Star displays. AutoStar II then displays a library of stars for the observer to choose from. Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star on the list that you wish to align uponselect a star that you can easily locate in the night sky. Press ENTER. 5. 6. Center Star. The telescope slews to the star. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. Center Star. Repeat procedure for a second alignment star. Once ENTER is pressed, the telescope is aligned and you are now ready to use AutoStars II GO TO capabilities for a night of observing.

Fifth bolt

Fig. 50: Attach the drive base to the tripod.
Fig. 51: Bolt the fork to the drive base.
Fig. 52: Remove the for thumbscrews from the plate.

Connector thumbscrew

DB-15 Connector
a. Located on the two top surfaces of the fork are two shoulder bolts. These two bolts function as locating pins for the OTA. On the inside edge of the Dec. castings are two matching holes (with slots). Before trying to mount the OTA, be sure to locate these two bolts and holes. Notice that the bolts and holes are located on one side of the castings, requiring the OTA to be mounted one way only. b. Tighten the Dec. lock (Fig. 1, 12) to a firm feel only. With you on one side of the OTA and your assistant on the other side, grasp the two handles on each side and lift the OTA onto the top of the fork. Position the holes over the shoulder bolts. When they are in place, slide the OTA back so that the shoulder bolts lock into the slots (Fig. 54).
Fig. 53: View beneath plate (fork base not shown for clarity sake): Thread-in the fifth bolt and attach the DB-15 connector underneath the plate.

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c. Lock the OTA in place using the four 3/8"-16x3/4" bolts. Thread up the four bolts into the bottom of the Dec. castings, two on each side. Using the supplied hex key, tighten to a firm feel only (Fig. 55). Attaching the Power and Data Cords Several power and data cords are supplied with the 16" LX200-ACF. These should all be attached before powering up the telescope. a. Confirm that the power switch (Pg. 65, Fig. 45, A) on the power panel is in the OFF position. Connect the power adapter to the 18vDC connector (Fig. 45, B). b. 2 short cords (8" long) with DB-9 connectors are supplied to provide power to the Dec. system, the GPS, and the level sensor. Plug into the two DB-9 connectors located at the top of the sides of the fork and the Dec. casting (Fig. 56). c. Connect the AutoStar II handbox to the HBX connector (Fig. 45, F) on the control panel. d. Connect the supplied coil cord from the fan to the 12vDC output jack (Fig. 45, E) on the control panel.
Fig. 54: Position the holes over the shoulder bolts. When they are in place, slide the OTA back so that the shoulder bolts lock into the slots.
Fig. 55: Tighten the fork arm assembly using the provided hex key.
LX200-ACF TIPS Observing Considerations
Try to pick an observing site away from street and house lights and car headlights. While this is not always possible, the darker the site, the better. Give your eyes about ten minutes to adjust to the darkness before observing. Give your eyes a rest from observing every ten or fifteen minutes to relieve eyestrain. Try not to use a standard flashlight. Experienced observers use red LED flashlights, the red utility light on the AutoStar II handbox, or tape red cellophane over their flashlights to use for setup and map reading so they dont have to continually readjust their eyes to the darkness. Be careful not to shine bright lights if there are other observers in the area. Do not shine a flashlight into the telescope while someone is observing! Dress warmly. It gets chilly when youre sitting for prolonged periods. Practice setting up your equipment during the day or in a lighted area to become familiar with it before going to a dark site. Use your 26mm eyepiece to view terrestrial objects and wider areas of space, such as open star clusters. Use optional higher power eyepieces, such as a 9mm eyepiece (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 44 for more details), when you wish to view something up close, such as craters on the Moon or the rings of Saturn.

Note: If you do not erase the current model, the training session will refine the current model.
Locate Train in the Smart Mount Configuration menu and press enter. The telescope will select and slew to several (over 40) stars. When requested to do so, carefully center each star and then press ENTER.
If you find that you cannot see a star because there is an obstruction blocking your view: Press MODE briefly to skip this star. Another star will be chosen.
To exit the training sequence before it is completed: Press and hold MODE for about two seconds and then release it.
When you have completed training: Save your model, using a good, descriptive name, using the Save As menu. Upon completion of the training, Smart Mount is enabled and remains on until you choose Off from the Smart Mount Configuration menu.

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Permanently Mounted Scopes For permanently mounted telescopes, it is not necessary to have more than one model unless the weight and balance of auxiliary equipment introduces balance or flexure changes that significantly affect pointing. The best practice is to train the Smart Mount and then run a couple of sessions with Update enabled. Thereafter, simply leave Smart Mount On as the installation default. Other Menus Options Save As and Load The Smart Mount system allows you to save several models you have created (see T RAINING on the previous page) using the Save As command. Choose which model will be the Current Model using the Load command. Update The Update mode allows you to update training for the current model you have enabled. You will sync on several stars as previously described, which will further refine the pointing of your telescope. Save your model after running in update mode, otherwise the update will be lost when the telescope is powered off. On Load a model from memory (see SAVE AS AND LOAD above) and then Select Smart On. When Smart Mount is On, the telescope will use the currently loaded model to refine you telescopes pointing, but will not update the model (see S MART MOUNT UPDATE above). If Smart Mount was On when you last powered off your telescope, it will be On when you start the next session. Off When Smart Mount is Off, the telescope will not use any model you have created to refine pointing accuracy. Erase The Erase command clears the Current Smart Mount table values to allow a new model to be created. Delete The Delete command allows you to delete any model from memory. To delete a model, just scroll through the names and select the model to you wish to delete and press ENTER. You will be asked to confirm your choice. Press ENTER again and it will be removed from memory.

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APPENDIX J: Previous Model Standard Tripod Setup 1
Remove the field tripod from the shipping carton. Stand the tripod vertically with the tripod feet down and with the tripod still fully collapsed. Grasp two of the tripod legs and, with the full weight of the tripod on the third leg, gently pull the legs apart to a fully open position.
Remove the spreader bar (see above figure) from the shipping carton. Slide the spreader bar onto the threaded rod and position the rod back through the tripod head. Place the C clip into the slot in the threaded rod this clip holds the threaded rod in place. Position the spreader bar so that its three arms line up with the three tripod legs.
Thread in two lock-knobs on each leg (six total) near the foot of each tripod leg. Use the lockknobs to vary the height of the inner, extendible tripod leg sections. Tighten the locks to a firm feel only; do not overtighten.

Threaded Rod

C Clip
Remove the threaded rod (see above figure) from the tripod head. A small piece of plastic holds the threaded rod in place. Remove the small plastic bag that is stapled to the threaded rod. This bag contains the C clip retainer and an extra clip.
Take the LX200 from its packaging and place the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head, inserting the threaded rod into the central hole in the bottom of the drive base of the telescope. Tighten the tension knob (see above figure) to a firm feel only; firm tightening of the tension knob is sufficient to result in rigid positioning of the tripod legs.

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BASIC ASTRONOMY
In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your
LX200-ACF, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains.
What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind thinks about the universe. Imagine what it must have been like being the first human to see moons revolve around the planet Jupiter or to see the changing phases of Venus! Because of his observations, Galileo correctly realized Earths movement and position around the Sun, and in doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy. Yet Galileos telescope was so crude, he could not clearly make out the rings of Saturn. Galileos discoveries laid the foundation for understanding the motion and nature of the planets, stars, and galaxies. Building on his foundation, Henrietta Leavitt determined how to measure the distance to stars, Edwin Hubble gave us a glimpse into the possible origin of the universe, Albert Einstein unraveled the crucial relationship of time and light, and 21st-century astronomers are currently discovering planets around stars outside our solar system. Almost daily, using sophisticated successors to Galileos telescope, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Telescope, more and more mysteries of the universe are being probed and understood. We are living in the golden age of astronomy. Unlike other sciences, astronomy welcomes contributions from amateurs. Much of the knowledge we have on subjects such as comets, meteor showers, double and variable stars, the Moon, and our solar system comes from observations made by amateur astronomers. So as you look through your Meade LX200-ACF telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far morea window of incredible discovery. AutoStar II Glossary Be sure to make use of AutoStar IIs Glossary feature. The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions of common astronomical terms. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in AutoStar II. See GLOSSARY MENU, page 28, for more information. Objects in Space Listed below are some of the many astronomical objects that can be seen with your LX200-ACF: The Moon The Moon is, on average, a distance of 239,000 miles (380,000km) from Earth and is best observed during its crescent or half phase when Sunlight strikes the Moons surface at an angle. It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view (Fig. 63). No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the overly bright Moon to appear flat and rather uninteresting through the telescope. Be sure to use a neutral Moon filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it protect your eyes from the bright glare of the Moon, but it also helps enhance contrast, providing a more dramatic image. Using your LX200-ACF, brilliant detail can be observed on the Moon, including hundreds of lunar craters and maria, described below. Craters are round meteor impact sites covering most of the Moons surface. With no atmosphere on the Moon, no weather conditions exist, so the only erosive force is meteor strikes. Under these conditions, lunar craters can last for millions of years.

Fig. 68: The Andromeda Galaxy, the largest galaxy of our local group.

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MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY
Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (Meade) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is non-transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors. RGA Number Required: Prior to the return of any product or part, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number must be obtained from Meade by writing, or calling (800) 626-3233. Each returned part or product must include a written statement detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owners name, address, and phone number. This warranty is not valid in cases where the product has been abused or mishandled, where unauthorized repairs have been attempted or performed, or where depreciation of the product is due to normal wear-and-tear. Meade specifically disclaims special, indirect, or consequential damages or lost profit which may result from a breach of this warranty. Any implied warranties which cannot be disclaimed are hereby limited to a term of one year from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state. Meade reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without notice. This warranty supercedes all previous Meade product warranties.

14-7206-02 0309

Meade Instruments LX200/LX90 Series 24mm UWA + 2 Diagonal Mail-in Coupon
Purchase a new Meade LX200-ACF or LX90 (ACF or SC optics) telescope from any authorized Meade Instruments reseller between April 1 and June 30, 2011. Then complete and send this promotional form along with your original sales receipt (copies will not be honored) showing proof of purchase within the specied time frame, and the original UPC code from the telescope box. If you qualify, you will receive a Meade 24mm Ultra-Wide Angle (UWA) eyepiece ($249 value) and Series 5000 premium 2-inch diagonal ($149 value) absolutely FREE!

Meade Instruments Corp.

Attn: 24mm UWA Eyepiece + 2 Diagonal Redemption 27 Hubble Irvine, CA 92618 U.S.A.
Please complete all elds below:
Your Name _______________________________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________________________________ City ________________________ State/Province ____________________________ Zip/Postal Code ________________ Country ________________________ Daytime Phone # ____________________ Email Address_____________________
International Meade Customers (excluding Canada) must purchase through their countries authorized Meade international distributor. Please refer to the meade.com web site (http:// www.meade.com/locator/) for a listing of authorized Meade international distributors. Offer may NOT be available in all countries; please check with your local distributor. Allow 12 to 14 weeks for delivery of your free accessory. Limit one redemption per address. This offer cannot be combined or used with any other offers. Redemptions must be postmarked no later than midnight, July 29, 2011. Void where prohibited, taxed or otherwise restricted. Please keep a copy of all rebate offer materials for you records. Redemptions sent in that do not meet the requirements of these offers will not be honored and will be returned at the end of the promotional period. Duplicate requests will be rejected and will not be returned. Meade Instruments Corp. is not responsible for late, lost, misdirected mail and/or redemptions. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice. LX200 OTAs (Optical Tube Assemblies) do not qualify for this redemption program. 2011 Meade Instruments Corp. All rights reserved. 20-11025