Tighten, to a firm feel only, the R.A. and Dec. locks. Remove the dust cover from the end of the telescope tube. Place the 26mm eyepiece (F) into the diagonal prism (G) and tighten the attachment thumbscrew (E) to a firm feel only. Sight along the side of the telescopes main tube to locate an object. Rotate the mirror lock knob (9, Fig. 1) towards the Unlock position, until it feels loosethe telescope is shipped with the mirror locked. Use the telescopes coarse focus knob (6, Fig. 1) to bring the object into focus. Practice using the AutoStar II Arrow keys to center an object in the telescopes field of view.

Display

Attach microfocuser: Remove the dust cap from the rear cell port (A) of the telescope (Note: Telescope not shown for clarity). Thread the microfocuser adapter (B) into the rear cell port thread. Slide the microfocuser (C) over the microfocuser adapter and tighten the three hex screws on the microfocuser (K) using the provided hex keys.
Important Note: The Microfocuser is shipped with the microfocuser adapter (B) threaded to the SC accessory adapter (L). Unthread the adapters from each other before attaching the microfocuser. Set aside the SC accessory adapter. For more information about the SC accessory adapter, see SC OPTIONAL ACCESSORY USERS, page 14.
10. Press the Power Switch on the computer control panel to the ON position. The copyright message lights on AutoStar II's LCD display.
Slew Speeds: Speed 9: Fast. Speed 5: Medium. Speed 1: Slow Arrow Keys Speed Key Number Keys
1.25" Diagonal Prism Users: If using the 1.25" diagonal prism (G), slide the 1.25" adapter (D) into the microfocuser. Line up the thumbscrew into the groove in the microfocuser (I, also see Fig. 7a and 7b, page 14). Slide the 1.25" diagonal prism into the adapter (D). Tighten the adapter thumbscrew (H) to a firm feel only. Tighten the microfocuser thumbscrews (I) to a firm feel only. 2.0" Diagonal Mirror Users: If using the 2.0" diagonal mirror, slide the mirror directly into the microfocuser (C). Tighten the microfocuser thumbscrews (I) to a firm feel only.
11. Press 0 to align or Mode for Menu displays. You can use the Arrow keys to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right, or left. To change the telescopes slew speed, press the Speed key and then the Number keys. "9" is the fastest speed and "1" is the slowest speed. See page 17 for more details. Or you can Press 0 to begin Automatic Alignment. See page 18 for more information.

TELESCOPE FEATURES

(not shown)
(not shown, on left fork arm)
2$ B c d e f g h i j 1) 1! 1@ 1#

1& 1^ 1% 1$

AutoStar II Hand Controller.

See page 9.

Fig. 1: The LX200R Telescope; Computer Control Panel (inset); AutoStar II Handbox (inset).

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 28.
LX200R 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 you're not sure if you have located the alignment star or it isn't 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 20.

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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 II's tracking capability automatically keeps the star centered in your telescope's 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 (22, Fig. 1) to help line up on the star. Use AutoStar II's 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.

Go To 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 (12 and 17, Fig. 1), 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 II's 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.

Detecting True Level

Fig. 14: LX200R GPS Receiver.
To detect level of the base of the telescope, AutoStar II must calculate the tip and tilt of the telescope at three compass points and then compensate for it. Finding level involves the geometric calculations of a "plane." In order to define a plane, three positions are necessary. This is not unlike building a table: For a table to stand level and solid, it must have a minimum of three legs. AutoStar II makes gravitational measurements to make a precise determination of true level.

Finding True North

Locating True North is one of the most important ingredients in the alignment of a telescope. True North is the axisthe polewhich the Earth spins about and is a key reference for the motion of the Earth. As you look at the night sky, the stars seem to move; in fact, if you watched long enough or took a long time-exposure photograph, you'd realize that the stars seem to revolve around one pointthe pole or True North. When AutoStar II knows where True North is and also knows the time, it can calculate the location of all the other objects in the sky. One traditional way to find True North is to locate the North Star, Polaris, which lies very close to True North. Another way to calculate True North is to use gyroscopes or accelerometers. The LX200R determines True North by using a magnetic North sensor. The sensor locates magnetic North. Magnetic North is not True North, but a measurement of the magnetic lines of the Earth. Magnetic North may deviate several degrees from True North. But AutoStar II, using the observation site location determined by the GPS and magnetic North information, can calculate the position of True North. Some areas are subject to magnetic disturbances, and the magnetic field of the Earth changes slightly from year to year. AutoStar II allows you to adjust for discrepancies in the local magnetic field using the "Calibrate Sensors" option in the Telescope menu. See page 29 for more information.

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BASIC AUTOSTAR II
SETUP MENU Automatic alignment permits all telescope operations with only minimal setup. Select Item: Setup UTILITIES MENU Calculate eyepiece magnifications; set timer alerts; create your own landmark survey. Select Item: Utilities GLOSSARY What is an elliptical galaxy? How far away is the Sun? Expand your knowledge of astronomy by displaying terms and definitions, and other information. Select Item: Object OBJECT MENU Want to see Mars? The Orion nebula? The Andromeda galaxy? Select from over 145,000 objects and press GO TO to move the telescope automatically to an object. Select Item: Event EVENT MENU Display the time of past, present, and future astronomical events, such as Moon phases or meteor showers. Select Item: Guided Tour GUIDED TOUR Autostar II escorts you on a tour of tonight's best celestial objects at your viewing location.

Reticle Control Menu: Press Number key "7" to select this menu directly from AutoStar II's keypad. "Reticle Control: Set Intensity" displays. Press ENTER. The Intensity menu allows you to change the intensity of the Reticle Eyepiece Illuminator. Use the Scroll keys to change the value. As you change the value, look through the reticle to note how the Intensity changes.
Note: You may continue to change the values using the Scroll keys (and thus changing the intensity) until you press ENTER again. This allows you to experiment with the intensity level until you decide which intensity level works best for you. This feature operates in the same manner in the Rate and Duty Cycle menus.
When you have finished adjusting the intensity, press ENTER. Press Number key "7" again and the Rate menu displays. Press ENTER again. Use the Scroll keys to change the value of the the rate at which the Reticle Eyepiece blinks. As you change the value, look through the reticle to note how the Blink Rate changes. When you have finished adjusting the rate, press ENTER. Next, Press Number key "7" again and the Duty Cycle menu displays. Press ENTER again. The Duty Cycle menu controls how long the Reticle Eyepiece Illuminator is on during a blink cycle. Use the Scroll keys to change the value. As you change the value, look through the reticle to note how the Duty Cycle changes. When you have decided on a Duty Cycle value, press ENTER. To exit the Reticle menu, press MODE once. Object Catalogs: See page 25 for more information.

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ADVANCED AUTOSTAR II FEATURES
Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic operations of AutoStar II described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of AutoStar II and understand how to scroll to a desired menu or menu option, and how to enter numbers and text. It also assumes that you have initialized and aligned your telescope.

Adding Observing Sites

If you plan to observe using AutoStar II at different geographic locations, you can store observation sites in AutoStar II's memory to help simplify your telescope setup. Perform these procedures using the Site options (Add, Select, Delete, Edit) of the Setup menu. To Add a Site to the user-defined site list: In this example, you will choose a city and add it to the database list. You will then select the site to enable it. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Tip: Using AutoStar II to find objects not in the libraries: If you do not wish to navigate through the menus, a more direct way to enter coordinates is to press and hold MODE for two seconds or more. R.A. and Dec. coordinates display. Press GO TO. "Object Position" and a set of coordinates displays. Enter the R.A. and Dec. coordinates of any celestial object using Number keys, overwriting the coordinates currently displayed. As soon as the coordinates are entered, AutoStar II slews the telescope to the coordinates. Note that the telescope must be aligned (see page 18). However, if you wish to store the coordinates of an object in memory, use the method described at the right.

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

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

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

Creating User Objects

In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the AutoStar II libraries. You will enter the object's name and R.A. and Dec. coordinates (required information). You may also enter the object's 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 object's 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.

Caution: With the #62 T-Adapter and a camera body mounted to the LX200R photo port, the telescope can only be rotated vertically about 45. Moving past this point may damage the telescope and camera.
Fig. 22: Example of vignetting.
Use a cable-operated shutter release. Touching the camera body to initiate shutter operation almost certainly introduces undesirable vibrations. Focus the image with extreme care. While observing the subject through the cameras reflex viewfinder, turn the telescopes focus knob (6, Fig. 1) to achieve the sharpest possible focus. Note that some 35mm cameras may have an optional focusing screen (available from the manufacturer) for use with a long telephoto lens. This screen provides a brighter and clearer image to focus, and is highly recommended. Correct shutter speeds vary widely, depending on lighting conditions and film used. Trial-and-error is the best way to determine proper shutter speed in any given application.
Note: The camera used with your telescope may have an exposure meter that is still active when the standard lens is removed and the body is connected to the telescope with the T-Mount. If used for terrestrial photography, the camera meter should be acceptable. If used for astrophotography, the meter probably will not provide good results since camera meters are not made to compensate for a dark sky.
5. Terrestrial photography through the LX200R is sensitive to heat waves rising from the Earths surface. Long distance photography is best accomplished in the early morning hours before the Earth has had time to build up heat. Photography of the Moon and planets through the LX200R can be especially gratifying, but points 1 through 4 should be particularly noted in this case. If you wish to take photographs using polar alignment, see APPENDIX A, page 52.

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Photography with a Digital Camera 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, difficulties in attaching to a telescope, possible vignetting, lack manual focusing and shorter exposure times. Shorter exposure times is one of the biggest drawback. 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. 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. Avoid short-focus eyepieces. They present many difficulties for digital cameras. 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. Clean eyepieces and camera lens as needed. 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 may also minimize vibration.

Fig. 37: Dec Lock.

Meade Consumer Solutions Service
If you have a question concerning your LX200R, contact the Meade Instruments Consumer Solutions Department at: Telephone: (800) 626-3233 Customer Service hours are 8:00 AM to 5:o0 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that your LX200R requires factory servicing or repairs, write or call the Meade Consumer Solutions Department first, before returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address, and daytime telephone number. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to the factory. If factory service is required, you will be assigned a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number prior to return.
LX200R TIPS What is Smart Drive?
Smart Drive is a feature that allows you to train almost all of the periodic error from the R.A. and Dec. motor drive worm gears. Periodic error is brought about by tiny gear imperfections. These imperfections exist in all manufactured worm gears. These imperfections tend to ever so slightly speed up or slow down the drive tracking speed during each rotation of the worm gear. This inconsistency in the tracking rate can have a negative effect on astrophotography. Smart drive lets you train your telescope system to compensate for these inconsistencies and, as a result, perform more accurate tracking during astrophotography. Smart Drive remembers the training even after the telescope is turned off. If you'd like to learn more about about Periodic Error Correction, see page 39.

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SPECIFICATIONS
8" f/10 LX200R Specifications
Optical design...Advanced Ritchey-Chrtien telescope Clear aperture...203mm (8") Focal length..2000mm Focal ratio (photographic speed).f/10 Resolving power..0.56 arc sec Coatings..Meade EMC Super Multi-Coatings (UHTC optional) Mounting..Cast-aluminum, double-tine forks Gears...5.75"-dia. worm gears, both axes Periodic Error Correction..Both axes Alignment..Altazimuth or equatorial w/optional wedge Slew Speeds..1x sidereal to 8/sec in 9 increments Power...8 C-cell (user-supplied) batteries or optional 12v power supply Tripod...Variable-height field tripod Accessories..8 x 50mm viewfinder 1.25" diagonal prism Series 5000 26mm 5-element Plssl 4-speed zero image-shift microfocuser 16-channel GPS receiver True-level electronic sensor Net telescope weight..46 lbs. Net tripod weight..20 lbs.

Fig. 41a: Equatorial Wedge for 8" LX200R models.
Note: For almost all astronomical observing requirements, approximate settings of the telescopes latitude and polar axis are acceptable. Do not allow undue attention to precise polar alignment of the telescope to interfere with your basic enjoyment of the instrument. Note: The Meade equatorial wedge is designed solely for use in conjunction with your Meade tripod. The wedge should never be used without the tripod (e.g., by placing the wedge alone on a table top and then mounting the telescope on the wedgethe wedge may become seriously unbalanced, to the point where the telescope may actually tip over.
Included features: a Attachment of the wedge to the tripod by means of only one manual knob. a Quick azimuth adjustment by loosening the manual knob. a Bubble level for rapid tripod/wedge leveling. a Etched latitude scale for fast adjustment of the latitude angle.
Fig. 41b: The Ultrawedge is available for larger LX200R models.

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Lining Up with the Celestial Pole
Objects in the sky appear to revolve around the celestial pole. (Actually, celestial objects are essentially fixed. Their apparent motion is caused by the Earths rotation). During any 24 hour period, stars make one complete revolution about the pole, making concentric circles with the pole at the center. By lining up the telescopes polar axis with the North Celestial Pole (or for observers located in Earths Southern Hemisphere, with the South Celestial Pole), astronomical objects may be followed, or tracked, simply by moving the telescope about one axis, the polar axis. This tracking may be accomplished automatically with the LX200R electric motor drive. If the telescope is reasonably well aligned with the pole, very little use of the telescopes Declination slow motion control is necessary. Virtually all of the required telescope tracking will be in Right Ascension. (If the telescope were perfectly aligned with the pole, no Declination tracking of celestial objects would be required.) For the purposes of casual telescopic observations, lining up the telescopes polar axis to within a degree or two of the pole is more than sufficient: with this level of pointing accuracy, the telescopes motor drive will track accurately and keep objects in the telescopic field of view for perhaps 20 to 30 minutes.

Fig. 44: LX200R mounted on an equatorial wedge.
The above procedure results in very accurate polar alignment, and minimizes the need for tracking corrections during astrophotography.

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AutoStar II Polar Alignment
AutoStar II provides three different (manual) methods for polar alignment: Easy, OneStar and Two-Star.
Important Note: In order to select any of AutoStar II's three polar alignment options, you must first select "Polar" in the "Mount" option of the "Setup: Telescope" menu.

Easy Polar Alignment

Two alignment stars are chosen by AutoStar II based on the date, time, and location. First, choose "Polar" from the "Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu. The rest of the procedure is identical to the (Alt/Az) EASY (TWO-STAR) ALIGN, page 37.

One-Star Polar Alignment

Polar One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar II provides a library of bright stars and one star from this library is chosen by the observer for alignment. Polaris is chosen by AutoStar II. First, choose "Polar" from the "Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu. The rest of the procedure is almost identical to the (Alt/Az) ONE STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, page 37, except that AutoStar II prompts you to point the telescope at Polaris and center it in the telescope eyepiece.

Two-Star Polar Alignment

Polar 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. First, choose "Polar" from the "Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu. The rest of the procedure is almost identical to the (Alt/Az) TWO STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, page 37.

LX200R TIPS 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. On the internet, you can find websites for almost any topic relating to astronomy. Try the following key word searches: NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy, Messier, satellite, nebula, black hole, variable stars, etc. Check 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 AutoStar II handset. See page 31 for more information. Youll find our website at: www.meade.com/ Here are some other sites you might find interesting: Sky & Telescope: http://www.SkyandTelescope.com Astronomy: http://www.astronomy.com 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 Photographic Atlas of the Moon: http://www.lpi.ursa.edu/research/lunar_orbiter Hubble Space Telescope Public Pictures http://opposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html

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PLANET "name" Enter PLANET and then the name of the desired planet in quotes. AutoStar II provides the user with a description of the selected planet from its database. For example: PLANET "Pluto" MOON This command accesses information about the Moon from the AutoStar II database. SATELLITE "name" Enter SATELLITE and then the name of the desired satellite in quotes. AutoStar II displays information about the satellite from its database. For example: SATELLITE: "Intl Space Stn" ASTEROID "name" Enter ASTEROID and then the name of the desired asteroid in quotes. AutoStar II displays information about the asteroid from its database. For example: ASTEROID: "Ceres" COMET "name" Enter COMET and then the name of the desired comet in quotes. AutoStar II displays information about the comet from its database. For example: COMET: "Halley" LUNAR ECLIPSE If LUNAR ECLIPSE is part of the tour, AutoStar II checks its database every time the tour is activated to see if a lunar eclipse is visible that evening. If no eclipse is visible, this option is skipped and the tour proceeds on to the next object. METEOR SHOWER If METEOR SHOWER is part of the tour, AutoStar II checks its database every time the tour is activated to see if a meteor shower is visible that evening. If no meteor shower is visible, this option is skipped and the tour proceeds on to the next object. DEEP SKY "name" Enter DEEP SKY followed by the name of the desired object in quotes. For example: DEEP SKY "Small Magellanic Cloud" CONSTELLATION "name" Enter CONSTELLATION followed by the name of the desired constellation in quotes. For example: CONSTELLATION "Leo Major" STAR "name" Enter STAR followed by the name of the desired star in quotes. For example: STAR "Vega" LANDMARK az alt "title" "description" Enter the azimuth (az) for the desired object in the following format: xxxdxxmxxs. For example: 123d27m00s. Then enter the altitude of the desired object in the following format: xxdxxmxxs. Then enter the title string and description string in quotes. For example: LANDMARK 123d27m00s 57d20m20s "Landmark 1" "North corner of apartment building" PICK ONE / PICK END These two statements are used to surround a list of items that AutoStar II can choose from during a tour. AutoStar II begins at the top of the PICK ONE list and displays the first object from the list that is above the horizon and ignores the rest. This statement is useful for developing tours that can be presented year-round. For each object type you wish to use to illustrate in your tour, pick 10 to 12 examples spaced across the range of right ascension. Bracket them by the PICK ONE / PICK END statements. One current example displays for the user. For example: AUTO SELECT TEXT "Globular Cluster" "Globular clusters are huge balls of stars." "They contain 50,000 to 100,000 stars and are located on the fringes of our"galaxy."

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PICK ONE AUTO SELECT MESSIER 13 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 15 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 92 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 4 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 68 AUTO SELECT NGC 1234 AUTO SELECT TEXT "None Available" "I'm sorry. There are no bright globular" "clusters visible at this time." PICK END AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, AutoStar II automatically slews the telescope to objects first before displaying the text description. This feature is useful when designing tours in which observing certain objects is required. For example: An astronomy professor may require his students to observe six objects, four of which AutoStar II automatically slews to in a tour. The students would have to manually slew to the last two objects. He would then place AUTO SLEW ON before his first required object and AUTO SLEW OFF after the fourth object. #END To end a tour, type the command #END on a separate line at the very end of the tour. Downloading Tours Once a tour is written and stored as an ASCII file (saved either as a "text only" or "MS DOS text" file), load it into AutoStar II using the AutoStar II Update Utility on your PC. As tours are downloaded into the handbox, AutoStar II examines the programming. If it doesn't understand the terminology used within a tour, it flags questionable areas and displays them in a pop-up window on your computer screen. Make the necessary corrections and try to download again. See the instruction sheet with your LX200 Interface Cable for more information about downloading data to and interfacing with AutoStar II.

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APPENDIX D: TRAINING THE DRIVE
Train the telescope motors using AutoStar II. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 41 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure.
Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exer-
cise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy.
LX200R TIPS Further Study.
This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If you are interested in pursuing further studies in astronomy, a few topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on. Try looking up some of these in the optional AutoStar II glossary. Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organizations that you might find helpful. Topics 1. 2. How is a star born? How does a solar system form? How is the distance to a star measured? What is a light year? What is red shift and blue shift? 3. How are the craters on our Moon formed? Is there water under the surface of the Moon? 4. What is a black hole? A neutron star? A quark star? A gamma burster? An Einstein lens? 5. What are stars made of? Why are stars different colors? How is the elemental composition of a star determined? What is an Lyman Alpha forest? 6. What is the difference between a Type 1 and a Type II supernova? 7. What is the importance of studying the composition of comets? Where do comets come from? 8. How old is our Sun? Will our Sun evolve into a planetary nebula or go supernova? 9. What is the Inflationary Big Bang? What is dark matter? What are MACHO's? 10. How are extrasolar planets discovered? What is an accretion (or protoplanetary) disk? 11. What are the differences between elliptical, spiral, and irregular galaxies? Can globular clusters be older than the universe itself? Books 1. 2. 3. 4. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton and Philip Teece The Sky: A Users Guide by David Levy Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davis Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael Covington

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APPENDIX H:
DE-ROTATER AND MICROFOCUSER ASSEMBLY
When using a de-rotater, it is important to attach the microfocuser so that it is backed off slightly from the de-rotater. If the microfocuser is flush against the de-rotater, the assembly will not work properly. This is true also with other accessories that may attach up flush against the de-rotater housing. The diagonal mirror (if used without the microfocuser) may be attached tightly as it does not rub up against the de-rotater housing. To attach the microfocuser to the de-rotater: Refer to Fig. 6, page 13, for an exploded view of the microfocuser assembly. Perform this assembly on a flat surface (such as a desk or a table) before you attach the derotater and microfocuser to the telescope. 1. With the de-rotater on a flat surface, thread on the adapter ring (B, Fig. 6) until it just touches the housing; then back off the adapter ring (i.e., turn it counter-clockwise) one full revolution as shown in Fig. 62. 2. Place the microfocuser over the ring with the "hump" of the microfocuser in the 12:00 position as shown in Fig. 63. 3. Using the provided hex key, tighten to a firm feel one of the three microfocuser hex screws (K, Fig. 6) up against the adapter ring as shown in Fig. 64. Take care not to tighten or loosen the adapter ring as you position and tighten the microfocuser in place. 4. Tighten to a firm feel the other two microfocuser hex screws. 5. Attach the de-rotater to the rear cell of the telescope.
Fig. 63: Place the microfocuser over the adapter ring. Notice the orientation of the microfocuser.
Fig. 62: Back off the adapter ring one full revolution.

12:00 position

Fig. 64: Tighten the three microfocuser hex screws to a firm feel.

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APPENDIX I: Smart Mount
Introduction Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200R telescope's "Go to" sytem. Despite careful efforts to calibrate and align telescopes, they may fail to precisely center objects. Smart Mount allows your telescope to learn about, and then correct for, any systematic pointing errors, regardless of the cause. Because training your mount takes some time, we recommend that it be primarily used on permanently mounted instruments or when imaging requires very accurate pointing. Once Smart Mount training has been performed, the scope will benefit from it so long as you carefully park the telescope at the end of each session and do not modify the mounting. For portable instruments, we recommend training Smart Mount each time you set up your telescope to insure best results. We recommend that you use an illuminated reticle during the training procedure. An illuminated reticle allows you to precisely center celestial objects in a telescopes eyepiece. The more precisely you center objects during Smart Mount training, the more pointing precision your telescope will be able to achieve. If you do not have an illuminated reticle, see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 44 for more information. Operation The Smart Mount feature is located in the AutoStar II Setup menu. In order to use Smart Mount, create a model that allows Smart Mount to improve your telescope's accuracy. This is normally done by training Smart Mount. Once training has been completed, you will save your model. AutoStar II allows you to save several models under different names. This allows you to, for example, save one model for a heavy imaging camera configuration on a permanently aligned scope, and another when you have a lighter load on the mount. Training In order to obtain solid, repeatable results, perform the following procedures before you create a model: Setup and align your telescope. Perform both RA/Az and Dec/Alt drive training calibration.