Meade LXD55 Instruction Manual

Meade Instruments CorporationInstruction ManualLXD55-Series Telescopes

10Note: If ENTER is pressed for two seconds or more and then released,Autostar emits a beep and “ENTER to Sync” is displayed. "ENTER toSync"

11As you unpack your telescope, carefully note the following parts. The assembly isshipped in separate boxes. Telescope Assembly Equatorial mount wit

12Unscrew the safety cap (23, Fig. 1d) from the shaft. Holding the counterweight(21, Fig. 1d) firmly in one hand, slip the counterweight to approximat

13Insert the eyepiece: Achromatic refractor and Schmidt-Cassegrain models(Fig. 10b): Lift to remove the dust cap from the eyepiece holder on the focus

14Important Note: Objectsappear upside-down andreversed left-for-right whenobserved in the viewfinder.With refracting telescopemodels, objects viewedt

15Your telescope comes supplied with a Super Plössl (SP) 26mm eyepiece which givesa wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution.Low pow

16supplied with your telescope. When the object is centered and focused in the eye-piece, switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as mu

17Speeds 1, 2, or 3: Best used for fine centering of an object in the field of view of ahigher power eyepiece, such as a 12mm or a 9mm eyepiece.Speeds

18Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking FeatureIn this example, Autostar's Arrow keys are used to find a star, and then Autostar'strac

19Moving Through Autostar’s Menus (Autostar Models Only)Autostar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation. Press ENTER (2, Fig. 2) t

20a. Autostar prompts you to enter the Country or State (listed alphabetically) ofthe observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through the databas

2115. "Drive Setup: For this..." begins to scroll across the display. This is anotherreminder to point your telescope at a terrestrial obje

225. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays and the telescope slews until it findsSaturn. You may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn pre

It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 19).This meansthat pressing the Scroll Down key (7, Fig. 2) cycles down thr

243. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level."Event: Sunrise" is displayed. 4. Press the Scroll D

25Solar SystemMercuryEtc.MoonAsteroidsCometsConstellationsAndromedaEtc.Deep SkyNamed ObjectGalaxiesNebulaePlanetary Neb.Etc.StarNamed SAO CatalogDoubl

26MENUS Object MenuAlmost all observing with Autostar is performed using the Object menu category.(Note: Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark S

27Browse allows you to search the library for objects with certain parameters, much likea search engine. "Edit Parameters" lets you set vari

28 Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then pressENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the

29Time changes the time entered into Autostar. Setting the correct time is critical forAutostar to properly calculate locations and events. Time may b

Telescope Features ... 4Autostar Features ...

30b. Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observingsessions. c. Custom: Allows entry of user-defined tracking rates. Rever

31Statistics provides basic statistical data about Autostar, including: Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined objectmemo

32USEFUL AUTOSTAR PROCEDURESBefore trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic oper-ations of Autostar described earl

3311. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays.12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited dis-pl

34Observing SatellitesIn this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass.1. Navigate to the "Object: Satellite"

35Another setup method is to select an object from the Landmark database. See TOSELECT A LANDMARK FROM THE DATABASE below. Then manually move the tele

36Photography through an LXD55 Schmidt-Newtonian telescope requires an LXD55-Series T-Adapter(supplied) attached to the telescope (Fig. 22). Through-t

37OPTIONAL ACCESSORIESA wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the LXD55-Seriestelescope models. The premium quality of th

38Series 4000 8 - 24mm Zoom Eyepiece: The internal zoom optics of this eyepiecemove on smooth, precisely machined surfaces which maintain optical coll

39Dew Shield: In moist climates, water particles suspended in the atmosphere maycondense on the front surface of the telescope's correcting plate

TELESCOPE FEATURES4Fig. 1a: The LXD55-Series Telescope Optical Assembly (Schmidt-Newtonian model with Autostar handbox shown;Electronic Controller mod

40MAINTENANCEGeneral MaintenanceLXD55-Series telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetimeof rewarding applications. Given

41shipment of your telescope. It is only necessary for you to confirm that the telescopehas not been badly jarred out of collimation, and to perform t

424. Perform an actual star test to confirm the accuracy of steps 1 through 3. Using theSP 26mm eyepiece, point the telescope at a moderately bright (

43Caution: Do not force the three collimationscrews past their normal travel and do not loosen them more than two fullturns in a counterclockwise dire

44Inspecting the OpticsA Note About the “Flashlight Test: If a flashlight or other high-intensity light sourceis pointed down the main telescope tube,

45SPECIFICATIONS6" f/5 Model SN-6, SN-6EC SpecificationsOptical design...Schmidt-NewtonianClear apertu

4610" f/4 Model SN-10 SpecificationsOptical design...Schmidt-NewtonianClear aperture...

47Alignment ...German-type equatorial mountSlew Speeds...

48A celestial coordinate system was created that maps an imaginary sphere surround-ing the Earth upon which all stars appear to be placed. This mappin

49PolarisLittle DipperBig DipperCassiopeiaFig. 35: Locating Polaris.star, and also of the object you wish to locate, in a star atlas. Point the object

5Fig. 1e: The LXD55-Series Computer Control Panel (see 2$ above).Fig. 1d: The LXD55-Series Mount.2!2@1&1*1(2#2$2%2^2^2*2(2&3)3!3@3#3$

50APPENDIX B: ENHANCINGPOINTING PRECISIONThe Polar Alignment ViewfinderTypically Autostar's pointing capabilities are sufficient for most telesco

512. Loosen the R.A. Lock (33, Fig. 1d) and the Dec. Lock (17, Fig. 1d). Point the tubeso that it is above the tripod leg marked with a star. Retighte

524. Observe the position of the object in the eyepiece. Assuming that the declinationwas properly set in the previous procedure, the object should ha

53Method 2: Axis Alignment Using AutostarPerform this procedure during the daytime. You will need to have an unobstructedview of an easily sighted lan

54APPENDIX C: LATITUDE CHARTLatitude Chart for Major Cities of the World To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see pages 17-21), latitudes of major

55APPENDIX D: EC HANDBOXThe model SN-6EC, model SN-8EC, and model AR-5EC come equipped with anElectronic Controller (EC) handbox, rather than the Auto

56 MODE Key: Press and hold MODE to place the Electronic Controller into theMode function, i.e., to select operation for the Northern or Southern Hem

577. When the test is complete, light 1 remains on; lights 2, 3, and 4 turn off.8. Use the four Arrow keys (1, Fig. 42) to slew the telescope to the d

58Note: The tracking rate can be increased by up to 65%.4. To use a rate slower than sidereal, press OUT (6, Fig. 3) until light 4 blinks again(sidere

59APPENDIX E: MOUNTINGTHE MODEL SC-8 SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAIN OPTICALTUBEHow to Attach the Optical Tube to the MountThe LXD55 model SC-8 Schmidt-Cassegrain

LXD55-Series:Your PersonalWindow to the UniverseThe Meade LXD55-Series models are versatile, high-resolution telescopes. Suppliedwith either an Electr

60In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than yourLXD55, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant t

61PlanetsPlanets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. To locate the plan-ets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy

62Further Study...This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If you are interestedin pursuing further studies in astronomy, a few

14-7300-01 10/03DADVANCED PRODUCTS DIVISIONMeade Instruments CorporationWorld’s Leading Manufacturer of Astronomical Telescopes for the Serious Amate

71% Viewfinder Bracket Screws (2): Tighten to a firm feel to hold viewfinder secure-ly in place (see E). See page 12 for more information.1^ Focus Loc

82( Polar Alignment Viewfinder: Allows you to precisely polar align the telescope.Useful when performing astrophotography. See page 50.3) Polar Alignm

9Fig. 2: The Autostar Handbox.Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a ButtonControl of most LXD55-Series telescope models (excluding the EC models; se