8. The SmartFinders red dot will now blink on for 10.2 seconds and turn off for 0.7 seconds, and then repeat the cycle until you change the values again. Press and hold MODE c to exit this function.
Similarly, you can set the Intensity value by scrolling through the intensity values with the Scroll keys h. The Intensity option lets you select a value of intensity for the red dot from 0 (Off) to 14 (Full Intensity).
GO TO Key: Slews (moves) the telescope to the coordinates of the currently selected object. While the telescope is slewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object. Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one of nine different speeds. Speed selection is explained in SLEW SPEEDS, page 17. The following functions are also available with the Arrow keys: 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. Moves the telescope - 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. Number Keys: Input digits 0 - 9 and changes the slew speeds (see SLEW SPEEDS, page 17). The "0" key also turns on and off the red utility light on the top of the handbox. Scroll Keys: Accesses 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 the options. Press and hold a Scroll key to move quickly through the options. The Scroll 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. ? Key: Accesses the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on how to accomplish whatever task is currently active. Hold down the ? 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 ? 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. Coil Cord Port: Plug one end of the AutoStar coil cord into this port (11, Fig. 2) located at the bottom of the AutoStar handbox. Coil Cord: Plug one end of the AutoStar coil cord into the HBX port (13A, Fig. 1) of the computer control panel of the telescope and the other end into the coil cord port (see j above). RS-232 Port: plug an RS-232 cable into AutoStar for downloading functions such as "Download" or "Clone." See page 30 for more details. Utility Light: Use this built-in red light to illuminate star charts and accessories without disturbing your eye's adaptation to darkness. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset Moon Phases Next Full Moon Next New Moon Next 1st Qtr Next 3rd Qtr Meteor Showers Quadrantids Lyrids Eta Aquarids Delta Aquarids Perseids Orionids Taurids Leonids Geminids Ursids Solar Eclipses Lunar Eclipses Min. of Algol Autumn Equinox Vernal Equinox Winter Solstice Summer Solstice
Note: The SmartFinder menu (for setting the blink rate and intensity of SmartFinders red dot) is only accessible by pressing and holding the Mode key for two seconds. See pages 10 and 14.
Align Easy One Star Two Star Date Time Daylight Saving Telescope Telescope Model Focal Length Az/RA Ratio Alt/Dec Ratio Mount Az/RA Percent Alt/Dec Percent Train Drive Tracking Rate Reverse L/R Reverse Up/Dn Quiet Slew Max Elevation Min AOS Calibrate Motor Smart Drive High Precision Targets Astronomical Terrestrial Site Select Add Delete Edit Owner Info Clone Download Statistics Reset
Fig. 13: The Complete AutoStar Menu Tree Structure.
Use the OBJECT menu to select an object from the database. When your telescope is aligned and you select an object from any of these lists, you just need to press the GO TO key to move the telescope so that it is pointed at the selected object. Over 30,000 objects are available for the LX90. The available objects include planets, constellations, individual stars, double stars, star clusters, galaxies, quasars, satellites, asteroids and comets. Also, try out the Guided Tour feature; the Tonights Best Guided Tour will point your telescope at the best objects visible in the sky for every given night of the year.

Object Menu

Almost all observing with AutoStar is performed using the Object menu category. (NOTE: Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey.) See GO TO SATURN, page 20, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE GUIDED TOUR, page 20. Many AutoStar menu categories contain databases. An AutoStar database is a list of viewable objects, such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae and so forth. When one of these objects is selected from a database, AutoStar moves your telescope (if properly aligned) and points it at the selected object. The Object Menu options include: Solar System is a database of the eight planets (Earth is not included) in order out from the Sun, followed by the Moon, asteroids, and comets. Constellation is a database of all 88 Northern and Southern Hemisphere constellations. When this menu option is chosen and a constellation name appears on the first line of the screen, press GO TO once to change the second line to the name of the brightest star in the constellation. Press GO TO a second time to slew the telescope to that star. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of stars in the constellation, from brightest to dimmest. Deep Sky is a database of objects outside our Solar System such as nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and quasars. Star is a database of stars listed in different categories such as named, double, variable, or nearby. Satellite is a database of Earth-orbiting objects such as the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, and geosynchronous orbit satellites. User Objects allows the user to define and store in memory deep-sky objects of specific interest that are not currently in the AutoStar database. See APPENDIX A for more information. Landmarks stores the location of terrestrial points of interest in the permanent AutoStar database. IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark was added to the database.

Model: Allows you to select the telescope model connected to AutoStar. Focal Length: Displays the focal length of the selected telescope. Az Ratio and Alt Ratio: The Az (Azimuth) ratio and Alt (Altitude) ratio refers to the gears of the telescope's motors. Do not alter these numbers. Az Percent: The Az (Azimuth) Percent allows you to change the azimuth backlash, i.e., the way the Arrow keys move the telescope along the azimuth (horizontal) axis. If you enter a value near 100, the telescope tube responds more quickly (it responds immediately at 100%) as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews (moves) the tube more quickly. If you enter a value near 0, it takes longer for the tube to respond as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews the tube more slowly. Experiment with this option. Try changing the percent value until you get a "feel" for the Arrow keys that is comfortable for you. Alt Percent: The Alt (Altitude) Percent operates identical to the Az Percent option (see above), but allows you to change the altitude backlash, i.e., the way the Arrow keys move the telescope when moving along the altitude (vertical) axis. Train Drive: Trains the Altitude and Azimuth motors to locate objects with more precision. If you are experiencing any problems with pointing accuracy, follow the procedure described in APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE, page 56, to insure accurate pointing and tracking.
Tracking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky. a. b. Sidereal: The default setting for AutoStar; sidereal rate is the standard rate at which stars move from East to West across the sky due to the rotation of the Earth. Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observing sessions. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.
Custom: Allows entry of user-defined tracking rates.
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). 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). Calibrate Sensors: This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing accuracy to alignment stars. It calibrates to correct slight mechanical misalignment due to transport, vibration, or aging. When this menu is selected, the telescope slews to Polaris. AutoStar then prompts you to center Polaris and to press ENTER. AutoStar uses the position of Polaris to fine tune the position of North and also for detecting level.

Using the Arrow keys, change the name of the site so that it now reads the name of your observing location. Press ENTER. "Edit: Name" displays again. 5. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Latitude" displays. Press ENTER. 6. Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. "Edit: Latitude" displays again. 7. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Longitude" displays. Press ENTER. 8. Using the Number Keys, enter the longitude of your observing site and then press ENTER. "Edit: Longitude" displays again. 9. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Time Zone" displays. Press ENTER. (If the site you chose from the list in step 1 has the same Time Zone as the site you are editing, just press ENTER again to go on to the next step.) "Time Zone" refers to the Greenwich Time Zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, use "-" hours (one hour per time zone) and users East of Greenwich use "+" hours. For the United States, look up the shift in Table 1, at the left. 10. After entering the shift, press ENTER. "Edit Time Zone" displays. 11. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays. 4. 12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited displays. Press ENTER to select the site or press MODE to exit.
TIP: Entering R.A. and Dec Coordinates of an object without using the menus: 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 slews the telescope to the coordinates. However, if you wish to store the coordinates of an object in memory, use the method described at the right.
Using AutoStar to Find Objects Not in the Database
In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the AutoStar database lists. You will enter the object's name and RA and Dec coordinates (required information). You may also enter the object's magnitude and size (optional information). Although AutoStar 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 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 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 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." To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu: 1. 2. Make sure AutoStar 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 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. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

How to Create Your Own Guided Tour
When a Guided Tour is selected, AutoStar slews your telescope to a predetermined list of objects and displays information about each object, such as type of object, constellation location, R.A. and Dec coordinates, and so forth. AutoStar contains a few Guided Tours which are programmed at the factory. But it is also possible for an observer to create a custom Guided Tour. A tour is basically an ASCII text file that contains a list of directions and descriptions. Each line of a tour is either a comment line, a command line, or a description. What you will need: A PC with text editor or word processing software installed (the tour must be saved as a "text only" or as a "MS-DOS text" file). The Meade #505 Cable Connector Kit to download tour information to the AutoStar handbox.
Tour Modes The objects chosen for a tour list are selected from AutoStar's database or by entering the object's RA and Dec coordinates. The tour is presented in one of two modes: Automatic Mode: The title of an object appears on first line and descriptive text scrolls on line 2. Interactive Mode: Tour name appears on the first line of the AutoStar display and the name of the object displays on line 2. To display descriptive text in this mode, the user must press ENTER. Comment Line Information in the Tour program that is not displayed, such as authorship, revision history, copyrights, etc. All comments begin with a "/" character in column 1 of the line. For example: / Extreme Objects / (c) 2000 Meade Instruments Corporation Command Line This line contains programming commands, including: RA and DEC coordinates, a title string, a description string, and a keyword. RA: Enter the Right Ascension of an object in the following format: HH:MM:SS. Eg., 18:51:05 Dec: Enter the Declination of an object in the following format: DDdMMmSSs. Eg., 06d16m00s Title String: Text within a title string is displayed as the title of the object. A title string can contain up to 16 characters and must be surrounded by quotation marks. For example. "M64" or "My Favorite Star." In Interactive Mode, the title string appears on line 2 until it is selected with the ENTER key. In Automatic Mode, or after Interactive Mode selection, the title string appears on line 1 while the description scrolls across line 2. Keywords: Action to be performed during a tour. AutoStar recognizes the following keywords: TITLE IC PLANET COMET CONSTELLATION PICK ONE/PICK END TEXT SAO MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE STAR AUTO SLEW ON/OFF USER MESSIER SATELLITE METEOR SHOWER LANDMARK #END NGC CALDWELL ASTEROID DEEP SKY DEFINE
Description String: Description of an object. Must be surrounded by quotation marks. If the description is longer than one line, each line must end with a quotation mark and a hard return. Begin the next description line with a quotation mark. If quotation marks are to be displayed in the on-screen description, use two quote marks at the beginning and end of the desired phrase. For example: "The Orion Nebula is considered " "awesome"" by many who view it."

AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, AutoStar 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 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 using the AutoStar Update Utility on your PC. As tours are downloaded into the handbox, AutoStar 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 #505 Cable Connector Kit for more information about downloading data to and interfacing with AutoStar.

Landmarks

This menu option allows you to define and store terrestrial objects in the Landmark database. First, a landmark needs to be stored in memory using the "Landmark: Add" option. To view a landmark, use the "Landmark: Select" option. Landmarks may also be viewed using the "Landmark Survey" option in the Utilities menu. To Add a landmark to the database: In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial landmarks in AutoStar's memory. 1. Set the telescope in the home position, if necessary. Note for future reference where the telescope is located and if you have aligned the telescope, which alignment method is used. IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the database. 2. Display the "Setup: Targets" menu option. Chose "Terrestrial" and press ENTER "Setup: Targets" displays again. Choosing this option turns off tracking for astronomical objects and is not useful for the viewing of terrestrial objects such as those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to "Astronomical" when you wish to view celestial objects again. Press MODE once. "Select Item: Setup" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once and "Select Item: Object" displays. Press ENTER. "Object: Solar System" displays. Press the Scroll Up key twice and "Object: Landmarks" displays. Press ENTER. "Landmark: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Landmark: Add" displays. Press ENTER. "Landmark Name" displays. Using Arrow keys, enter a name for the landmark you wish to add to the database. When finished, press ENTER. "Center Landmark. Press Enter" displays. Using only the Arrow keys (do not manually move the telescope), move the telescope to the desired landmark and center the object in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. The object is now stored in memory. "Landmark: Add" displays. If you wish to add more landmarks, repeat steps 5 through 7.

Fig. 15: LX90 with #62 T-Adapter.
Fig. 16: Example of vignetting.
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. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.
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 digital 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 help minimize vibration.

Photography with Meades AutoStar Suite The AutoStar Suite with Meade LPI (Lunar Planetary Imager) or Meade Deep Sky Imager turns your Meade LX90 telescope, AutoStar and PC into even more powerful and easy-to-use astronomical instrument. LPI (Fig. 17b) and Deep Sky Imager (Fig. 17a) combine the power of an electronic astronomical imager with the simplicity of a web cam. Check out the following imager features: Achieve great results the first time out on the Moon, planets, brighter deep-sky objects and terrestrial targets. Easy to use with real-time display of object on your PC screen. Just center, focus and shoot. Magic Eye software-assisted focusing. Automatic and manual exposure control from.001 to 15 seconds (up to 450x longer than web cams). Automatically takes multiple exposures. AutoStar Suite Software includes powerful tools to help you get the most from your Meade LX90 telescope: Sophisticated planetarium program with over 19 million objects. Select objects from the planetarium display and the telescope slews to those objects. Create time-lapse movies of objects, such as Jupiter Create your own Guided Tours. Advanced Image Processing Software including Unsharp Masking, Convolution Filtering and many other features. Control all AutoStar functions from your PC. Talking Telescope software translates AutoStar text to synthesized speech through PC speaker. Includes a cable to connect your LX90 model to your PC. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.
Fig. 17a: Meade Deep Sky Imager
Fig. 17b: The Lunar Planetary Imager.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LX90 telescope. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. Some of the Meade Series 4000 and 5000 Eyepieces are as follows. For a complete list, see your Meade Dealer:* Magnifying With #140 Power 2x Barlow Eyepiece Super Plssl (4-elements) SP 6.4mm 313X SP 9.7mm 206X SP 12.4mm 161X SP 15mm 133X SP 20mm 100X SP 26mm 77X SP 32mm 63X SP 40mm 50X SP 56mm 36X 626X 412X 322X 266X 200X 154X 126X 100X 72X
Super Wide Angle (6-elements) SWA 16 mm 125X 250X SWA 20mm 100X 200X SWA 24mm 83X 166X Ultra Wide Angle (8-elements) UWA 4.7mm 426X UWA 6.7mm 299X 852X 598X

Fig. 23: Off-Axis Guider.
Fig. 24: Meade Deep Sky Imager

MAINTENANCE

The LX90 is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, the LX90 will rarely, if ever, require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: a. Avoid cleaning the telescopes optics: a little dust on the front surface of the telescopes correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with gentle strokes of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy). DO NOT use a commercial photographic lens cleaner. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You may also add 1 drop of biodegradable dishwashing soap per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often. CAUTION: Do not use scented or lotioned tissues or damage could result to the optics. d. Do not, for any reason, remove the correcting plate from its machined housing for cleaning or other purposes. You will almost certainly not be able to replace the corrector in its proper rotational orientation and serious degradation of optical performance will result. Meade Instruments assumes no liability for damage incurred to the telescope in this way. If the LX90 is used outdoors on a humid night, water condensation on the telescope surfaces will probably result. While such condensation does not normally cause any damage to the telescope, it is recommended that the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth before the telescope is packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in the warm indoor air, so that the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended. If the LX90 is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one month or more, it is advisable to remove the batteries from the telescope. Batteries left in the telescope for prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescopes electronic circuitry. Do not leave the LX90 inside a sealed car on a warm summer day; excessive ambient temperatures can damage the telescopes internal lubrication and electronic circuitry.

Fig. 32c: The Ultrawedge is available for the 10" and 12" models.
Begin polar aligning the telescope by locating Polaris. Finding Polaris is simple. Most people recognize the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper has two stars that point the way to Polaris (Fig. 29). Once Polaris is found, it is a straightforward procedure to obtain a rough polar alignment. To line up with Polaris, follow the procedure described below. Refer to the instruction sheet included with your equatorial wedge for information about attaching the wedge to the telescope and also about using the azimuth and latitude controls. 1. Select "Setup: Telescope" from the AutoStar menus. Press ENTER. Scroll to "Telescope: Mount" and press ENTER. Scroll to "Scope Mounting: Polar" and press ENTER. The telescope mount is now set to the polar mode. Press MODE until "Select Item: Setup" displays. Press ENTER. "Setup: Align" displays. Press ENTER. Scroll to "Align: One-Star" and press ENTER. AutoStar now prompts you to set the telescope in the polar home position.
Tip: You can check if the Declination is set at true 90 in step 2c. Look through the eyepiece and rapidly slew the optical tube on the R.A. axis. If all the stars rotate around the center of the field of view, the Declination is set at 90. If the stars arc out of the field of view, slew the optical tube on the Declination axis until you achieve the centering effect.
a. Using the bubble level of the wedge, adjust the tripod legs so that the bubble is level. b. Set the wedge to your observing latitude. c. Using the Up and Down Arrow keys, rotate the telescope tube in Declination so that the telescopes Declination reads 90, that is the molded Dec pointer (11, Fig. 1) is pointed to 90 on the Dec. setting circle. d. Loosen the R.A. lock, and rotate the fork arms to the 00 position H. A. on the R.A. setting circle. e. Press ENTER. The telescope slews to Polaris. f. Use the azimuth and latitude controls on the wedge to center Polaris in the field of view. Do not use the AutoStar handbox during this process. When Polaris is centered, press ENTER. The telescope is now polar aligned. At this point, your polar alignment is good enough for casual observations. There are times, however, when you will need to have precise polar alignment, such as when making fine astrophotographs. Once the latitude angle of the wedge has been fixed and locked-in according to the above procedure, it is not necessary to repeat this operation each time the telescope is used, unless you move a considerable distance North or South from your original observing position. (Approximately 70 miles movement in North-South observing position is equivalent to 1 in latitude change.) The wedge may be detached from the field tripod and, as long as the latitude angle setting is not altered and the field tripod is leveled, it will retain the correct latitude setting when replaced on the tripod. The first time you polar align the telescope, check the calibration of the Declination setting circle (11, Fig. 1). After performing the polar alignment procedure, center the star Polaris in the telescope field. Remove the knurled central hub of the Declination setting circle and move the setting circle so that the molded triangular pointer to 90.

State/Prov./Country Latitude
New Mexico Alaska Georgia Massachusetts Alberta Illinois Ohio Texas Colorado Michigan Hawaii Mississippi Missouri Wisconsin Nevada Arkansas California Mexico Florida Minnesota Tennessee Louisiana New York Oklahoma Ontario Pennsylvania Arizona Oregon Utah Texas California California Washington District of Columbia N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
Bogot So Paulo Buenos Aires Montevideo Santiago Caracas ASIA

Country

Colombia Brazil Argentina Uruguay Chile Venezuela

Latitude

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

N N N N N N N N N N

23 N S N N S
Cairo Egypt Cape Town South Africa Rabat Morocco Tunis Tunisia Windhoek Namibia AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA
Adelaide Brisbane Canberra Alice Springs Hobart Perth Sydney Melbourne Auckland

State/Country

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

37 S S S S S S S S S

Amsterdam Athens Bern Copenhagen Dublin Frankfurt Glasgow Helsinki Lisbon London Madrid Oslo Paris Rome Stockholm Vienna Warsaw
Netherlands Greece Switzerland Denmark Ireland Germany Scotland Finland Portugal England Spain Norway France Italy Sweden Austria Poland
52 N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE
Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 33 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure.
NOTE: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exercise once every 3 to 6 months to
Verify that AUTOSTAR INITIALIZATION is complete. Press MODE until Select Item is displayed.

Further Study.

Press > until it is centered 12
Scope slews left. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Right Arrow key.
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 (some of the topics are easy and some are quite challenging). Try looking up some of these in the AutoStar glossary. Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazines and organizations that you might find helpful. Topics 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.

Select Item Object

3 Press < until it is centered 13
Press the scroll up key once.

Select Item Setup

ENTER menu.
Scope slews right. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Left Arrow key.

Access the Setup

Train Drive Az. Train 5

Setup Align

Menu returns to Az. training.

Multiple presses.

Train Drive Alt. Train Setup Telescope 6

ENTER (vertical)

training. Altitude
Access the ENTER Telescope menu.

Drive Setup For this op.

Reminder to target.
Telescope Telescope Model

ENTER use terrestrial

Center reference 17 object Telescope Train Drive 8

ENTER using Arrow

keys. Center target

ENTER Drive option.

Choose the Train
Press until it is centered

1. 2. 3. 4.

Train Drive Az. Train

Azimuth training.

ENTER (horizontal)
Scope slews down. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Up Arrow key.
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 Sky & Telescope Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178 Astronomy Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187 Astronomical League Executive Secretary 5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012 The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112 The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Magazines 1. 2.

target.

Reminder to

Scope slews up. Bring target back to center using ENTER the Down Arrow key.
Center reference 11 object.
Center target using Arrow keys.

Organizations:

Fig. 33: Training the Drive Procedure.
And watch Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer, on your local PBS station. Visit Jacks website at: www.jackstargazer.com
APPENDIX D: BASIC ASTRONOMY
In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably smaller than the LX90, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and mountains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, forever changed the way mankind thought of 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 Earth's movement and position around the Sun, and in doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy. Yet Galileo's telescope was so crude, he could not clearly make out the rings of Saturn. Galileo's 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 proposed a glimpse into the origin of the universe; Albert Einstein unraveled the relationship of time and light. Almost daily, using sophisticated successors to Galileo's crude telescope, such as the Hubble Space Telescope, more and more mysteries of the universe are being solved and understood. We are living in a 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, variable stars, the Moon and our solar system comes from observations made by amateur astronomers. So as you look through your Meade LX90 telescope, keep in mind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not merely a machine made of glass and metal, but something far more - a window through which the beating heart of the universe might be observed. AutoStar Glossary Be sure to make use of AutoStars 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. See GLOSSARY MENU, page 26, for more information. Objects in Space Listed below are some of the many astronomical objects that can be seen with the LX90: 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. 34). 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 the LX90, brilliant detail can be observed on the Moon, including hundreds of lunar craters and maria, described below.

Saturn is nine times the diameter of Earth and appears as a small, round disk with rings extending out from either side (Fig. 36). In 1610, Galileo, the first person to observe Saturn through a telescope, did not understand that what he was seeing were rings. Instead, he believed that Saturn had ears. Saturns rings are composed of billions of ice particles ranging in size from a speck of dust to the size of a house. The major division in Saturn's rings, called the Cassini Division, is occasionally visible through the LX90. Titan, the largest of Saturns 18 moons can also be seen as a bright, star-like object near the planet. Deep-Sky Objects Star charts can be used to locate constellations, individual stars and deep-sky objects. Examples of various deep-sky objects are given below: Stars are large gaseous objects that are self-illuminated by nuclear fusion in their core. Because of their vast distances from our solar system, all stars appear as pinpoints of light, irrespective of the size of the telescope used. Nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust where stars are formed. Most impressive of these is the Great Nebula in Orion (M42), a diffuse nebula that appears as a faint wispy gray cloud. M42 is 1600 light years from Earth. Open Clusters are loose groupings of young stars, all recently formed from the same diffuse nebula. The Pleiades is an open cluster 410 light years away (Fig. 37). Through the LX90, numerous stars are visible. Constellations are large, imaginary patterns of stars believed by ancient civilizations to be the celestial equivalent of objects, animals, people, or gods. These patterns are too large to be seen through a telescope. To learn the constellations, start with an easy grouping of stars, such as the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Then, use a star chart to explore across the sky. Galaxies are large assemblies of stars, nebulae, and star clusters that are bound by gravity. The most common shape is spiral (such as our own Milky Way), but galaxies can also be elliptical, or even irregular blobs. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest spiral-type galaxy to our own. This galaxy appears fuzzy and cigar-shaped. It is 2.2 million light years away in the constellation Andromeda, located between the large W of Cassiopeia and the great square of Pegasus.

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