Copyright (c) 2004 Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews
MEADES LXD75 GERMAN EQ MOUNT by John Crilly
Introduction Meades LXD75 is their current medium - duty German equatorial telescope mount. It replaces the LXD55 model and is intended to compete with the Celestron CG5- GT and the Orion Sky View Pro.
Like all of those, it is an imported unit derived from Vixens Great Polaris mount with a payload capacity for visual use of approximately 30 pounds. It accommodates a variety of optical tubes through the use of a Vixenstyle saddle plate. The LXD75 mount is supplied with dual axis motors and either a dual axis manual controller (EC models) or Meades popular Autostar controller (AT models). An LXD75EC can be converted to Autostar operation by simply replacing the EC controller with a #497 Autostar. Meade supplies a new steel tripod with this model. The mounts motors and controllers operate from 12 Volts DC and it is supplied with a battery pack for 8 D cells.
BATTERY HOLDER It is equipped with an illuminated polar alignment telescope. The cap for this polar finderscope is retained by the illuminator, pictured here.
Optical tube options include 5 and 6 achromatic refractors, a 6 Newtonian reflector, an 8 Schmidt - Cassegrain, and 6, 8, and 10 Schmidt - Newtonians. Currently, Meade is supplying their Lunar Planetary Imager and the Autostar Suite software with the AT models. Although the mount provides no conventional autoguide port, the LPI and Autostar together do permit autoguiding of this mount. Of course, an external laptop or PC is required. The Autostar controller provides GoTo and tracking operation, with a database of over 30,000 objects in its user- updatable 1MB Flash memory. Slew rates from sidereal to 4.5 degrees/second are user-
selectable. Meade specifies the pointing accuracy as being within 15 arcminutes. This will suffice to place objects within the center half of the field of view of a 52 degree Plossl at 100X. Meade has issued a long series of user- installable firmware updates for this controller, both to improve operation and to add new features such as PEC and cone correction (three star alignment). Description Opening the shipping box reveals a well - packed unit with a fairly high degree of fit and finish. Castings on the mount and tripod are cream in color, while the tripod legs are bright steel and the motors and controller are black. Once assembled, I found the mount to be more attractive than the gray LXD55 units. Meade has again failed to provide a holder for the handbox, but as always Velcro proved to be the answer to that. What it does This is an equatorial mount; that is, it is designed so that once the RA axis is pointed toward a celestial pole a celestial object can be tracked by operating a single constant - speed motor. This provides accurate tracking plus it avoids field rotation, both of which are advantageous for imaging. Switching between optical tubes is a matter of loosening the saddleplate bolts, lifting the dovetail from the saddle, and inserting the other telescopes dovetail into the saddle.

SADDLE

SADDLE PLATE BOLTS
With the Autostar controller option (AT models), after a simple two or three star alignment procedure the mount can be commanded to automatically slew to any of the 30,000 plus objects in the units database.

What a user should know As with any equatorial mount, the user should be somewhat familiar with the celestial coordinate system. This means that the users vocabulary should include right ascension, declination, sidereal motion, celestial pole, and such concepts. The user manual, like most such manuals, doesnt make much of an attempt to educate the user in these topics, so its up to the user to bring that knowledge. The mount can be used by someone with little or no knowledge of these concepts, but the confusion and frustration level of such a user is sure to be higher than those of someone who has done his or her homework.

Setting it up

Setup is straightforward. The tripod is shipped with the spreader and mounting bolt packed separately, so assembling the tripod is the first step. The spreader is installed onto the mounting bolt and the bolt suspended from the tripod heads center by the supplied C clip. This step is poorly covered in the manual, and a number of new users found the procedure confusing.
This is the proper order for the parts on the spreader bolt. The C clip shown goes above the tripod head, all other parts below it. The latest revision of the manual is available on Meades website and does address this assembly. The mount can then be installed. Like the LXD55, the tripod head has the azimuth adjusting dog permanently fixed so one leg is always oriented toward the celestial pole.
Loosening the azimuth adjustment bolts on the mount to provide a gap for this dog, the mount is lowered onto the tripod head. Then the mounting bolt is extended upward into the bottom of the mount and tightened to hold the mount securely. Next, the spreader is pulled tightly against the tripod legs with the supplied handnut on the mounting bolt.
Next, the counterweight shaft is attached to the mount and the appropriate number of counterweights installed. Be certain to install the counterweight retaining screw at the end of the shaft after this is done.
COUNTERWEIGHT RETAINER Then the optical tubes dovetail is inserted into the saddle. Except for assembling the tripod and tightening the spreader, all these procedures are precisely the same as for the LXD55 model. There are several additional steps which may be performed for best performance, but I have found that they arent necessary for visual use. The user is referred to the manual for these procedures, including alignment of the polar alignment telescope to the RA axis and alignment of the dovetail for orthogonality. Finally, the power source, DEC motor cable, and either the EC controller or the #497 Autostar is plugged into the control panel on the RA drive assembly.

Using the mount First, the optical tube must be balanced in both axes.

DEC axis balance

RA axis balance
Next, the RA axis must be pointed at or near the Celestial Pole. There are several ways to achieve this; Ill describe the quick system I have used which suffices for visual use. Imaging will require a more complex setup to achieve the higher accuracy required. Even without aligning the polar alignment scope to the RA axis it can be used for a quick polar setup. I have found that in the Northern Hemisphere simply adjusting the azimuth and elevation bolts
AZIMUTH AND ELEVATION ADJUSTMENT BOLTS to place Polaris near the center of the polar alignment scope will permit accurate GoTo operation and tracking sufficient for extended viewing of a given object at reasonable magnifications. Polaris is fairly close to (within about half a degree of) the North Celestial Pole. At this point, the mount should be ready for manual operation with the EC controller. The telescope may be aimed by either slewing with the dual axis motors or by releasing the clutches and moving the telescope by hand.

DEC clutch lever

RA clutch lever
Once an object is found, tightening the clutches will enable tracking, keeping the object in view as it appears to move across the sky.
To use the Autostar, some additional steps are required. Date/time /location / time zone information must be entered. The drives must be trained (usually only once) and the Autostar must be aligned using a two or three star alignment procedure. This is begun by placing the mount into the Polar Home position.
POLAR HOME POSITION I should mention that the mount is supplied with arrow stickers on both axes to indicate the polar home position. I feel that its best to rotate the DEC axis 180 degrees away from the position shown by the arrows. It makes no operational difference, but the saddle retaining bolts are oriented such that they will hold more securely this way. In the photos above,the picture on the right shows the arrows aligned. The picture on
the left shows my preferred home position. Next, the alignment procedure begins, in which the user centers the alignment stars after the mount moves to where it thinks they are. After star alignment, an optional Polar Alignment procedure becomes available to refine the polar alignment of the mount. Once alignment is achieved, the Autostar controller permits objects to be selected from any of a large variety of internal catalogs. It also has built - in tours, which select items which are above the horizon from lists which have been previously installed. Several of these are supplied in the standard firmware and many more are available online from a variety of sources.

So - how well does it work? My LXD75 is the AT version, which includes the Autostar controller. To verify that all was well I first assembled the mount indoors. This is the best way to initially check out any automatic telescope mount, as it permits the user to see what it is doing and diagnose any problems in a comfortable, well- illuminated environment. I checked the gear engagement and setscrew tightness on the transfer gears in both axes and observed no problems. There are inspection hatches in both drive assemblies:

RA inspection hatch

DEC inspection hatch
I did notice some minor slop in the DEC axis and adjusted the worm /worm gear engagement on the DEC axis (a simple procedure) to eliminate that.
DEC WORM ADJUST Thats the only adjustment this unit required. I then powered it up and entered date/time /location / ti me zone information. I lied to it about the time, choosing an evening hour at which I knew where many objects would be in the sky. This permitted me to do a reality check - if the mount pointed to where I knew an object should be Id know its probably working correctly. I aimed the RA axis at about where Polaris always is, and began a three star alignment. When it slewed to the alignment stars, I could see that it was about correct. Accepting its guesses as to their positions, I was then able to slew to a variety of object around the sky and observed that the directions to which it pointed consistently made sense. With the confidence gained from this, I was ready to take it out into the dark. I used the mount at our Clubs observing site several times, and used it at Astrofest for our dual Solar viewing setup (Ha and white light).
DUAL SOLAR SETUP AT ASTROFEST
ORION 120MM F/8 REFRACTOR I used the mount with the 8 Schmidt - Newtonian optical tube, a 120mm F/8 refractor, and with a 6 F/8 refractor plus a piggybacked 80mm F/11 refractor. The SNT and the larger refractor are substantial loads for such a mount, and both had previously been shown to cause instability with the LXD55s extruded aluminum tripod. The LXD75 had no problems with these setups. The dual- refractor rig is a Solar observing setup, so it normally remains pointed at one object for extended time periods. Tracking was very good; the Sun was always there when we returned to
the telescope. The SN- 8 was used for miscellaneous deep sky observations and the GoTo accuracy after a good drive training and careful three star alignment was fine; objects were nearly always within the field of view at 100X. Settledown time with either setup was a few seconds. The motors are noisy, as are those on all of the automated Vixen clones. Theres a Quiet Slew option in the #497 handbox for those who are concerned about this. That option reduces the maximum slew speed one notch and it does make a difference but its never silent while slewing. Tracking, on the other hand, is silent. WHAT I LIKED: Fit and finish on this unit were quite good. I found the cream and black color scheme to be very attractive; similar to that of the Vixen Sphinx:

SPHINX

. The new tripod is great. The polar alignment scope illuminator is very nice, as is the fact that the polar alignment scope is included. The Autostar is one of my favorite controllers, and the LPI is a fine accessory for it. The motion in both axes is more free than in any other Vixen clones Ive used, which makes balancing the system much easier. WHAT I DIDNT LIKE AS MUCH: The clamp bolts on the tripod legs are small and difficult to tighten with cold fingers.
A quieter drive system would be nice. I wish Meade would offer this mount bare, with no optical tube. A handbox holder would be a good addition. The North peg on the tripod head cant be moved, which can cause problems at some latitudes. The castings are still made of what appears to be very soft aluminum alloy.
Comparison with LXD55 Obvious questions arise regarding comparisons between this mount and the previous LXD55. They are more similar than different - but here are the contrasts I noticed. The steel tripod is a vast improvement due to stronger legs and the addition of a leg spreader. The polar scope illuminator now has a dimmer and a real power switch - and the cap has a retainer! The mount has ball bearings in both axes and is distinctly smoother and more free in its action. Both saddle plate retaining bolts are larger. The current Autostar firmware provides PEC and a three star alignment procedure to correct for cone error, though of course an existing LXD55s controller can easily be updated to that revision. Functionally, the LXD75 is very similar to the LXD55; the only operational improvements I observed were increased tripod stability and smoother axis motions. I should comment that I have owned several LXD55s, and have always experienced good performance with those after minor adjustments and/or setscrew replacement. Click to discuss article in the forums
disclaimers The mount reviewed was purchased blind from Oceanside Photo & Telescope by the author. The author has no commercial relationship with Meade Instruments, OPT, or any other astronomical manufacturers or retailers. All photos are the property of the author and permission is granted to Cloudy Nights for their use in conjunction with this article. Some photos are from an LXD55; they were carefully chosen to be representative of both models and do apply to this topic. Further reading suggestions: The following articles on Cloudy Nights may be helpful to someone considering this mount, or to someone learning how to use it CG5- GT review - http: / / w ww.cloudynights.com /lab / m ounts /asm.pdf LXD55 review - http: / / w ww.cloudynights.com /lab / m ounts /asm.pdf LXD55/75 setup guide - http: / / w ww.cloudynights.com /mounts2 / l xd55 check.htm Choosing an alternate power source http:/ / w ww.cloudynights.com /howtos2 /power.htm Finally, PLEASE READ THE MANUAL!

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1* 1( 2) 2! 2@ 2# 2$

2% 2^ 2& 2*

Want to learn more about setting the latitude dials?

2* 2( 3)

sure to turn off the LED when finished with the polar viewfinder. Powered by (factory-supplied) batteries contained within.
Want to learn more about the polar alignment viewfinder? See the The Polar Alignment Viewfinder, page 52.

3! 3@ 3#

R.A. Setting Circle: See APPENDIX A, page 50, for more information. R.A. Setting Circle Lock Knob: Rotate the knob to lock the R.A. Setting Circle (see 3!) in place. R.A. Lock: Controls the manual movement of the telescope. Turning the R.A. lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope enabling it to be freely rotated by hand about the R.A. axis. Turning the R.A. lock clockwise (to a firm feel only) tightens the lock and prevents the telescope from being moved manually, but engages the R.A. motor drive (see 2%) for Autostar or EC handbox operation. Dec. Motor Drive Assembly: Controlled by Autostar or the EC handbox. Moves the optical tube along the Dec. axis. The Dec. Lock (see 1&) must be tightened to a firm feel in order for the Dec. motor to operate. T-Handle Lock and Shaft: Place the spreader bar (see 3^) over the shaft and thread the shaft into the tripod mounting base/mounting base (see 3&) and tighten to a firm feel to secure the tray to the tripod and keep the tripod stable. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 11 for more information. Spreader Bar: Holds the tripod legs securely in place and also acts as a holder for extra eyepieces. Tripod Mounting Base: Set the telescope mount into the tripod mounting base and secure into place using the T-handle lock and shaft. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 11 for more information. Variable Height Tripod Legs (3): Supports the telescope mount. The mount attaches to the top of the tripod. Spreader Bar Tension Knob: Tighten to secure the spreader bar (see against the tripod legs.
Fig. 1f: The tripod leg lock knob.

3^ 3&

3* 3( 4) 4!
Tripod Leg Lock Knobs (one on each leg): Loosen these knobs to slide the inner leg extension. Tighten the knobs to a firm feel to lock in the height of the tripod. Battery Pack and holder (see Fig. 1f): Plug into the 12v DC power connector (B, Fig. 1e) of the computer control panel. Insert 8 (user-supplied) D-cell batteries to power motor drives and Autostar handbox.
Fig. 1g: The LXD75-Series Battery Pack and holder.

4! Want to learn how to

install the batteries? See step 12, page 13. Caution: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the battery compartment. Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. Do not install batteries backwards or mix new and used batteries. Do not mix battery types. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time.

Cradle Lock Knob

Cradle Assembly Slot
Fig. 7: Attach cradle to base mounting slot and tighten locking knobs.

Cradle Rings

Lock Knobs
Fig. 8: Place optical tube in rings and loosely tighten cradle ring lock knobs. Note: Model SC-8 users: After completing step 6, refer to APPENDIX E, page 62, step 1, for information on how to attach the SC optical tube to the mount.
Viewfinder Mounting Screws and Nuts
Fig. 9a: Viewfinder assembly, Newtonian reflector models.
Fig. 9b: Viewfinder assembly, refractor and Schmidt-Newtonian and Schmidt-Cassegrain models models.
Insert the eyepiece: Achromatic refractor and Schmidt-Cassegrain models (Fig. 10b): Lift to remove the dust cap from the eyepiece holder on the focuser assembly. Set the dust cap aside in a safe place and replace it when you have finished observing to protect the eyepiece assembly. Back off the eyepiece thumbscrews (1, Fig. 1b) and slide the diagonal into the holder and tighten the thumbscrews to a firm feel only. Insert the supplied SP 26mm eyepiece (3, Fig.

Thumbscrew

1b) into the the diagonal. Tighten the diagonal's thumbscrews to a firm feel to secure the eyepiece. Note: Two eyepiece holders are included with your telescopefor both 1.25" and 2" eyepieces. To change eyepiece holders, unscrew the attached holder from the focuser and thread on the other holder. 11. Adjust the height of the tripod: Adjust the height of the tripod by loosening the tripod lock knobs (Fig. 11). Extend the sliding inner section of each tripod leg to the desired length; then tighten each knob. Adjust the tripod to a height that is comfortable for viewing.

Eyepiece Holder

Fig. 10a: Insert eyepiece into holder and tighten thumbscrews.

Eyepiece Thumbscrews

12. Install Batteries: Insert eight (user-supplied) D-size batteries into the battery holder, oriented as shown in the diagram on the battery slots of the holder. Plug the battery pack into the 12v DC connector (B, Fig. 1e) on the computer control panel. See Fig. 12. Caution: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the battery compartment. Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. Do not install batteries backwards or mix new and used batteries. Do not mix battery types. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time.

Point optical tube to North
Point counterweight shaft straight down over mount.

Tracking Objects

As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks the stars and other objects in the night sky. The tracking function automatically keeps an object more or less centered in the telescopes eyepiece. To automatically track objects, you first need to learn how to set the polar home position of your telescope and then how to select "Targets: Astronomical" from the Autostar Setup menu. EC handbox users, see APPENDIX D, page 58, for more information.
Level Mount Fine Azimuth Control Knobs
Setting the Polar Home Position
Fig. 16a: The polar home position, side view. Inset: Line up triangles on the mount.
Level the mount, if necessary, by adjusting the length of the three tripod legs. Unlock the R.A. Lock (33, Fig. 1d). Rotate the Optical Tube Assembly until the counterweight shaft is pointing straight down over the mount. See Figs. 16a and 16b. If you have not already done so, lift the telescope assembly and turn it so the tripod leg below the Fine Azimuth Control Knobs (27, Fig. 1c) approximately faces North (or South in the Southern Hemisphere). Release the Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1d) of the tripod, so that the optical tube (10, Fig. 1a) may be rotated. Rotate the optical tube until it points North (or South in the Southern Hemisphere). Then re-tighten the lock. Locate Polaris, the North Star, if necessary, to use as an accurate reference for due North (or Sigma Octantis in the Southern Hemisphere). See LOCATING THE CELESTIAL POLE, page 51. If you have not already done so, determine the latitude of your observing location. See APPENDIX C: LATITUDE CHART, page 57, for a list of latitudes of major cities around the world. Use the latitude T-handle screws (26, Fig. 1d) to tilt the telescope mount so that the pointer indicates the correct latitude of your viewing location on the latitude dial (28, Fig. 1d). See step 6, page 12 for more information. If steps 1 through 4 above were performed with reasonable accuracy, your telescope is now sufficiently well-aligned to Polaris, the North Star, for you to begin making observations.

Definition: Initialization is a procedure that ensures that Autostar operates correctly. When you first use Autostar, it doesn't yet know where the observation location site is or the time or date of the observation session. You will enter information, such as the current time and date, and observation location. Autostar uses this information to precisely calculate the location of celestial objects (such as stars and planets) and to automatically move your telescope correctly for various operations.
Autostar prompts you to enter the Country or State (listed alphabetically) of the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the database of countries, states, and provinces. Press ENTER when the correct location displays. b. Autostar then prompts you to enter the nearest city (listed alphabetically) to the observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the database of cities. Press ENTER when the correct city appears on screen. Autostar then prompts you to enter the model number of your telescope. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the list of telescope models. Press ENTER when the correct model appears on the display. a. Note: Autostar only prompts you to enter Country/State and City and model number the first time it is activated. These prompts do not appear again, unless you reset Autostar (see RESET, page 31). However, if you need to enter this information (e.g., you change your geographic location), you can do so by using the Site option of the Setup menu. See ADDING OBSERVING SITES, page 32, for detailed information.
10. System Initialization is complete and the display reads "Align: Easy." After performing the Initialization procedure, you MUST train your drive.
Training the Drive (Autostar Models Only)
Next, train the drive using Autostar. Perform this procedure the first time you use Autostar with your telescope, after a Reset, or if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Training the drive gives your telescope a higher degree of pointing accuracy. Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. It is best to perform this procedure during the daytime. 1. If you have just performed INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, go to step 2. If you have not yet initialized Autostar, go to page 19 and follow the procedure described in INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR.Then go to step 2 of this procedure. Keep pressing MODE until "Select Item: Object" displays. Press the Scroll Up key once. "Select: Item: Setup" displays. Press ENTER to access the Setup menu. "Setup: Align" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until "Setup: Telescope" displays. Press ENTER to access the Telescope menu. "Telescope: Focal Length" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until "Telescope: Train Drive" displays. Press ENTER to choose the Train Drive option. "Train Drive: Az/RA Train" displays. Press ENTER to begin Az/R.A. (Right Ascension) training. "Drive Setup: For this." begins to scroll across the display. This is a reminder to point your telescope at a terrestrial object. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. locks (17 and 33, Fig. 1d) and point the telescope at an object. Then re-tighten the locks. Press ENTER when the telescope is pointing at the desired terrestrial object. "Center reference object" displays. Center your target object using the Arrow keys. When centered, press ENTER. The telescope slews and "Press > until it is centered" displays. Press the Right Arrow key until the target is centered again. Then press ENTER. Note: If you pass the object when pressing the Arrow key, you cannot slew the telescope back in the other direction. Press MODE until "Train Drive: Az/RA Train" displays and begin the procedure over again. 13. The telescope slews and "Press < until it is centered" displays. Press the Left Arrow key until the target is centered again. Then press ENTER. 14. "Train Drive: Az/RA Train" displays again. Press the Scroll Down key and "Train Drive: Alt/Dec Train" displays. Press ENTER to begin Alt/Dec. (Declination) training.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11. 12.

Note: Three other alignment methods, One-Star, Two-Star and Three-Star Polar alignment, are available as options in the "Setup: Align" menu. See page 51 and page 55 for more information.
15. "Drive Setup: For this." begins to scroll across the display. This is another reminder to point your telescope at a terrestrial object. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. locks (17 and 33, Fig. 1d) and point the telescope at an object. Then re-tighten the locks. Press ENTER when the telescope is pointing at the desired terrestrial object. 16. "Center reference object" displays. Center your target object using the Arrow keys. When centered, press ENTER. 17. The telescope slews and "Press until it is centered" displays. Press the Up Arrow key until the target is centered again. Then press ENTER. 18. The telescope slews and "Press V until it is centered" displays. Press the Down Arrow key until the target is centered again. Then press ENTER. "Train Drive: Alt/Dec Train" displays again. You have now completed this procedure. Continue onto the next procedure, EASY ALIGNMENT.
Easy Alignment (Autostar Models Only)
After completing the "Train the Drive" procedure, align your telescope using Autostar. The fastest and easiest way to start observing with Autostar's Go To capabilities is to align your telescope using the Easy Alignment. 1. Keep pressing MODE until "Select Item: Setup" is displayed. Press ENTER. "Setup: Align" displays. Press ENTER. "Align: Easy" displays. Press ENTER. "German North" displays and a scrolling message prompts you to set your telescope in the polar home position. See SETTING THE POLAR HOME POSITION, page 17, for a description of this procedure. Press ENTER after you finish the procedure. Autostar then chooses two stars from its database to align upon. When the telescope slews to the star for alignment, it may not appear in the field of view in the eyepiece. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. The alignment star should be easily recognized and be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. See WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGNMENT STAR, page 18, for more information. When the star is centered, press ENTER. Repeat the procedure for the second alignment star. Note: Autostar 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 star in the eyepiece when prompted. 2. 3.

Software: Sends only the basic Autostar software. This is useful if one user has downloaded a new version of Autostar software from the Meade website (www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends. All: Everythinguser-defined information and Autostar softwareis sent to another Autostar.
Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including: a Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined object memory.
Version: Shows the current version of the Autostar software.
Reset completely resets Autostar. Most values entered into the menus revert to factory defaults. Autostar requires initialization after a Reset before proceeding with observations. See INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 19.

LXD75 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. You can find websites for almost any topic relating to astronomy on the internet. Try the following key word searches: NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy, Messier, satellite, nebula, black hole, variable stars, etc. Check out Meades website for the latest product and technical information. You can download the latest software revisions, links to other astronomical sites, coordinates of celestial objects and the latest satellite tracking information for your Autostar handset. See page 34 for more information. Youll find our website at: http://www.meade.com/ Here are some other sites you might find interesting: Sky & Telescope: http://www.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://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html
USEFUL AUTOSTAR PROCEDURES
Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic operations of Autostar described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of Autostar 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.

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. Autostar 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.

3. 4. 5.

To GO TO a user-entered object In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO the object. 1. 2. 3. 4. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object: Select" displays. Press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

Observing Satellites

In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Navigate to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER. "Calculating." and then "Tracking." displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass, "Located" displays. Use the Scroll keys to display data about the pass: aos acquisition of signal and los loss of signal. If you subtract the aos from the los, you can calculate how long the satellite will be visible. Location information also displays. "Alarm" displays after the location information. Press ENTER and Autostar automatically sets the alarm to sound a minute before the satellite's scheduled appearance. You may return to regular observations until the alarm goes off. When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until the desired satellite is on the top line of the display. Press GO TO. Autostar slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear. The motor drive stops and a countdown is displayed. Note: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed (i.e., by a building, tree, or hill), press ENTER and Autostar starts to move the telescope along the expected satellite track. When the track clears the obstruction, press ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue with this procedure. 9. With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through the telescope viewfinder for the satellite to enter the field of view.

Fig. 22a: LXD75-Series T-Adapter attached to focuser assembly and camera. (1) Camera Body, (2) T-Adapter, (3) Focus Knob.

Focuser Extension Tube

Fig. 22b: Focuser Extension Drawtube with eyepiece holder and eyepiece attached.
Fig. 23: The Lunar Planetary Imager.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LXD75-Series telescope models. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories.
6 f/5 Power/Actual Field 119/0.44 79/0.66 61/0.85 51/1.02 38/1.36 29/1.77 24/2.18 19/2.31 55/1.21 42/1.58 31/2.15 24/2.81 19/3.52 162/0.52 114/0.74 87/0.97 54/1.f/4 Power/Actual Field 127/0.41 84/0.62 65/0.79 54/1.96 41/1.28 31/1.67 25/2.05 20/2.17 59/1.14 45/1.49 33/2.02 25/2.64 20/3.30 173/0.49 121/0.69 92/0.91 58/1.f/4 Power/Actual Field 159/0.33 105/0.50 82/0.63 68/0.77 51/1.02 39/1.33 32/1.64 25/1.73 74/0.91 56/1.19 41/1.62 32/2.11 25/2.64 216/0.39 152/0.55 115/0.73 73/1.16
Eyepiece/Apparent Field 6.4mm/52 9.7mm/52 12.4mm/52 15mm/52 20mm/52 26mm/52 32mm/52 40mm/44 Fig. 24: Series 4000 Eyepieces. 13.8mm/67 18mm/67 24.5mm/67 32mm/67 (2" O.D.) 40mm/67 (2" O.D.) 4.7mm/84 6.7mm/84 8.8mm/84 (1.25" - 2" O.D.) 14mm/84 (1.25" - 2" O.D.)
Super Plssl Eyepieces (4-elements; 1.25 O.D.)
Super Wide Angle Eyepieces (6-elements; 1.25 O.D., except as noted)
Ultra Wide Angle Eyepieces (8-elements; 1.25 O.D., except as noted)
Fig. 25: #140 2x Barlow Lens.
Eyepiece/Apparent Field 6.4mm/52 9.7mm/52 12.4mm/52 15mm/52 20mm/52 26mm/52 32mm/52 40mm/44 13.8mm/67 18mm/67 24.5mm/67 32mm/67 (2" O.D.) 40mm/67 (2" O.D.) 4.7mm/84 6.7mm/84 8.8mm/84 (1.25" - 2" O.D.) 14mm/84 (1.25" - 2" O.D.)
5 f/9.3 Power/Actual Field 184/0.28 122/0.43 95/0.55 79/0.66 59/0.88 45/1.15 37/1.41 30/1.49 86/0.78 66/1.02 48/1.39 37/1.82 30/2.27 251/0.33 176/0.48 134/0.63 84/1.00
6 f/8 Power/Actual Field 188/0.28 124/0.42 97/0.54 80/0.65 60/0.87 46/1.13 38/1.39 30/1.47 87/0.77 67/1.01 49/1.37 38/1.79 30/2.23 255/0.33 179/0.47 136/0.62 86/0.98
8 f/10 Power/Actual Field 313/0.17 206/0.25 161/0.32 133/0.39 100/0.52 77/0.68 63/0.83 50/0.88 145/0.46 111/0.60 82/0.82 63/1.07 50/1.34 426/0.20 299/0.28 227/0.37 143/0.59

North Celestial Pole (Vicinity of Polaris)

+90 Dec. Star

ation clin De

Earths Rotation

Right Ascension

Celestial Equator 0 Dec.

South Celestial Pole -90 Dec.

Setting Circles

Setting circles included with the LXD75-Series models permit the location of faint celestial objects not easily found by direct visual observation. With the telescope pointed at the North Celestial Pole, the Dec. circle (19, Fig. 1d) should read 90 (understood to mean +90). Each division of the Dec. circle represents a 1 increment. The R.A. circle (31, Fig. 1d) runs from 0hr to (but not including) 24hr, and reads in increments of 5min. Using setting circles requires a developed technique. When using the circles for the first time, try hopping from one bright star (the calibration star) to another bright star of known coordinates. Practice moving the telescope from one easy-to-find object to another. In this way, the precision required for accurate object location becomes evident. Note You may also enter an object's R.A. and Dec. coordinates using the "User: Objects" option of Autostar's Object menu. Autostar then automatically slews the telescope to the entered coordinates. To use the setting circles to locate an object not easily found by direct visual observation: Insert a low-power eyepiece, such as a 26mm, into the focuser assembly. Pick out a bright star with which you are familiar (or is easily located) that is in the area of the sky in which your target object is located. Look up the R.A. coordinate of the bright star,
Fig. 41: Celestial Sphere.
and also of the object you wish to locate, in a star atlas. Point the object at the bright star. Then loosen the R.A. setting circle lock knob (32, Fig. 1d) and turn the R.A. setting circle to read the correct R.A. coordinate of the bright star; lock the R.A. setting circle lock knob onto the object. Next, loosen the R.A. lock (33, Fig. 1d) and turn the telescope in R.A. to read the correct R.A. coordinate of the object. Tighten the R.A. lock (33, Fig. 1d). If the procedure has been followed carefully, the desired object should now be in the telescopic field of a low-power eyepiece. If you do not immediately see the object you are seeking, try searching the adjacent sky area. Keep in mind that, with the 26mm eyepiece, the field of view of the LXD75Series is about 0.5. Because of its much wider field, the viewfinder may be of significant assistance in locating and centering objects, after the setting circles have been used to locate the approximate position of the object. See USING AUTOSTAR TO FIND OBJECTS NOT IN THE LIBRARIES, page 33, for information on how to manually enter coordinates into Autostar.

52 N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

APPENDIX D: EC HANDBOX

Important Note: The Electronic Controllers available for Meade's ETX and DS telescope series are not compatible and will not operate with the LXD75 EC series models. Do not plug in other telescope series' EC handboxes into the LXD75 computer control panel, nor plug the LXD75 EC series handboxes into any other telescope series computer control panel.

Medium Moderate Slow

Fig. 49: Electronic Controller. (1) Arrow Keys; (2) Indicator Lights; (3) SPEED Key; (4) Coil Cord; (5) MODE Key; (6) OUT Key; (7) IN Key.
Some LXD75 models (designated with an EC, for example, AR-5EC) come equipped with an Electronic Controller (EC) handbox, rather than the Autostar Handbox. The Electronic Controller provides you with the means to control the telescope motors from a compact handbox. The Electronic Controller (Fig. 49) has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel, even through gloves. The primary functions of the Electronic Controller are to move (slew) the telescope to an object, to set operation for the Northern or Southern Hemispheres, and to indicate the slew speed. Users of the EC models should follow the procedures described in GETTING STARTED, BALANCING THE TELESCOPE, ALIGNING THE VIEWFINDER, CHOOSING AN EYEPIECE, and OBSERVING BY MOVING THE TELESCOPE MANUALLY, pages 11 - 16. Other sections relevant to EC users include: OBSERVE THE MOON and SETTING POLAR HOME POSITION, page 17, and PHOTOGRAPHY, OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, GENERAL MAINTENANCE, SPECIFICATIONS, and CELESTIAL COORDINATES, pages 36 - 39 and 46 - 51. LATITUDE CHARTS, page 57, and BASIC ASTRONOMY, pages 63 - 64, may also be useful. Note that SLEW SPEEDS, page 16, refers to Autostar functions only. Slew speed functions of the Electronic Controller are covered in this appendix. The following numbers refer to Fig. 49 above. Light No.
Light 1 Light 2 Light 3 Light 4 Fig 50: Indicator Light Key. The procedures in this manual identify the status of the four indicator lights as depicted above: on, blinking, or off.

Light Status

On Blinking Off
Arrow Keys: Press one of the four Arrow keys to slew the telescope (i.e., up, down, left, and right) at any one of four slew speeds (see SPEED KEY below). Important Note: If you reverse directions while using the Arrow keys to slew to objects, there may be a slight pause as the telescope motors compensate for the reversal of the internal gears.
Indicator Lights: The four red LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights indicate the current slew speed of the telescope. Note: For purposes of this manual, the lights are identified as 1 through 4, with 1 being the top light and 4 being the bottom light.

SPEED Key: Press SPEED to change the speed at which the telescope slews to an object. Each press of the SPEED key changes the slew speed to the next slower setting. If the controller is already on the slowest slew speed (light 4), pressing SPEED cycles back to the highest speed (light 1). Slew speeds are signified by the indicator lights (2, Fig. 49). Coil Cord: Plug into the HBX connector of the Computer Control Panel.
MODE Key: Press and hold MODE to place the Electronic Controller into the Mode function, i.e., to select operation for the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. See TRACKING RATES, page 60. OUT Key: Use this key to decrease the tracking rate. See TRACKING RATES, page 60. IN Key: Use this key to increase the tracking rate. See TRACKING RATES, page 60.
Modes of Operation When both the A and B screws are in place, the Northern hemisphere polar mode is selected when power is applied (i.e., the motor drive is activated for operation in the Earths Northern Hemisphere). This is the factory default mode. Remove mode screw B (2, Fig. 51) to make the Southern Hemisphere polar mode the automatic default of the Electronic Controller when power is applied (i.e., the motor drive is activated for operation in the Earths Southern Hemisphere ).
Meade Instruments Corporation
35-4702-00 CC Tested to comply with FCC Standards

FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

Remove mode screw A to disable the tracking function. Select either the Northern hemisphere polar mode or the Southern Hemisphere polar mode, as described above, to make the tracking function available. See CHANGING THE POLAR MODE, page 61, for more information. Note: Removing either A or B screw affects only the telescopes default mode; you may still make mode changes when desired using the MODE key. Slew Speeds The Electronic Controller has four slew speeds that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate. Press SPEED to change the slew speed (use the Arrow keys to slew the telescope in the desired direction). Note each slew speed corresponds to one of the four LED's of the Electronic Controller. Light 1 (top LED): The fastest speed. Use to move the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another. Light 2: Best for centering an object in the viewfinder. Light 3: Best for centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as the standard SP 26mm. Light 4: The slowest speed. Use to center an object in the field of view of high-power eyepieces, such as the optional 6.7mm or 12.4mm. The four available speeds are: Light 1 =1200 x sidereal (300 arc-min/sec or 5/sec) Light 2 = 32 x sidereal (8 arc-min/sec) 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec) Light 3 = Light 4 = 2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec ) The two slowest speeds (2x and 8x sidereal) can be used for manual tracking of astronomical objects while observing through the eyepiece. To move the telescope using the Electronic Controller: 1. Insert a low-power eyepiece (e.g., SP 26mm) into the eyepiece holder (2, Fig. 1) and tighten the eyepiece thumbscrew (1, Fig. 1). 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Tighten the R.A. and Dec. locks (17 and 33, Fig. 1), if necessary. Verify that the On/Off switch (24D, Fig. 1) on the telescopes Computer Control panel is off. Plug in the Electronic Controller coil cord (4, Fig. 49) to the HBX port (24A, Fig. 1) on the Computer Control panel. Flip the power switch to ON. The LED (24C, Fig. 1) on the Computer Control panel lights. The Speed indicators lights will cycle off and on in sequence. Press any key on the Electronic Controller and the telescope slews momentarily in the vertical and horizontal directions to test the motors.

Fig. 51: Mode screws on rear of Electronic Controller. (1) Mode Screw A; (2) Mode Screw B.
Definition: Sidereal. As the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East to West. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks the stars and other objects in the night sky. The tracking function automatically keeps an object more or less centered in the telescopes eyepiece. See pages 17 and 18 for more information.

7. 8. 9.

When the test is complete, light 1 remains on; lights 2, 3, and 4 turn off. Use the four Arrow keys (1, Fig. 49) to slew the telescope to the desired object. To change the slew speed, press SPEED. Fine-adjust the position of the object with the Electronic Controller Arrow keys so that it is centered in the viewfinder. The object is now ready to be viewed through the telescopes eyepiece.
Tracking Rates In polar mode the Electronic Controller normally tracks objects at the sidereal rate (see TRACKING OBJECTS, page 17). For most observing sessions (once the telescope has been polar aligned and the tracking motor activated), there is little need to change this speed. For objects, like the Moon or a comet, that move at slightly different rates, the Electronic Controller Arrow keys (1, Fig. 49) are sufficient to move the telescope slightly as the object very slowly moves off-center through the eyepiece field. To change the tracking rate, for extended observations of an object not moving at the sidereal rate, follow the procedure for the appropriate hemisphere: Use the following procedure to change tracking rates when using the Northern Hemisphere polar mode. Refer to Fig. 52a. 1. Press and hold MODE (5, Fig. 49) until the Mode function is active (i.e., lights 1 and 2 are on steady; lights 3 and 4 signify whatever tracking mode was last chosen). 2. Press SPEED (3, Fig. 49) until lights 1, 2, and 3 are on steady with light 4 blinking. The telescope is now in the Northern Hemisphere polar mode. 3. Press IN (7, Fig. 49) and light 4 comes on steady. The tracking rate is now 0.5% faster than sidereal. If the object you're tracking is moving faster than the sidereal rate, look through the eyepiece and press IN. Each time you press IN, the tracking rate increases by 0.5%. Note that when the Mode function is active, the tracking motor stops. To restart the tracking motor, press MODE again. Experiment with this function to get the right speed: Press IN to set the tracking rate. Then press MODE and look through the eyepiece. Continue pressing IN and MODE until the object remains centered with little or no drifting in the eyepiece. Note: The tracking rate can be increased by up to 65%.

Step 4. Step 5.

Fig. 59: The Pleiades is one of the most beautiful open clusters.
Fig. 57: The giant planet, Jupiter. The four largest moons can be observed in a different position every night.
Fig. 58: Saturn has the most extensive ring structure in our Solar System.
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. 59). Through the LXD75-Series, 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.
LXD75 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 glossary. Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organizations that you might find helpful. Topics 1. How is a star born? How does a solar system form? 2. 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 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. 5. 6. 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 Observing for the Fun of It by Melanie Melton Will Black Holes Devour the Universe? and 100 Other Questions about Astronomy by Melanie Melton 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