Meade LT ACF Series User manual
Instruction Manual
LT ACF and LT SC Series Telescopes
with AutoStar #497 Hand Controller
WARNING!
Never use a Meade®LT Series
Telescope to look at the Sun!
Looking at or near the Sun will cause
instant and irreversible damage to your
eye. Eye damage is often painless,
so there is no warning to the observer
that damage has occurred until it is
too late. Do not point the telescope at
or near the Sun. Do not look through
the telescope or Red Dot Finder as
it is moving. Children should always
have adult supervision while observing.
BATTERY SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
• Alwayspurchasethecorrectsizeandgradeofbattery:
8x“C-type”Alkalinebatteries(ANSI14A,14AC/
IECLR14).
• Alwaysreplacethewholesetofbatteriesatonetime,
taking care not to mix old and new ones, or batteries of
different types.
• Cleanthebatterycontactsandalsothoseofthedevice
prior to battery installation.
• Ensurethebatteriesareinstalledcorrectlywithregardto
polarity(+and-).
• Removebatteriesfromequipmentwhichisnottobe
used for an extended period of time.
• Removeusedbatteriespromptly.
• Neverattempttorechargeprimarybatteriesasthismay
causeleakage,re,orexplosion.
• Nevershort-circuitbatteriesasthismayleadtohigh
temperatures, leakage, or explosion.
• Neverheatbatteriesinordertorevivethem.
• Remembertoswitchoffdevicesafteruse.
• Keepbatteriesoutofthereachofchildren;small
batteries may be ingested.
• Seekmedicaladviceimmediatelyifabatteryhas
been swallowed.
Caution: If batteries or parts are swallowed, see a
doctor immediately.
#497AutoStarMenuTree ....................25
EventMenu...............................26
GlossaryMenu ............................27
UtilitiesMenu..............................27
SetupMenu...............................28
Advanced AutoStar Features
AddingObservingSites......................31
FindingObjectsNotIntheDatabase ...........32
GoToaUser-enteredObject ..................32
ObservingSatellites ........................32
HowtoCreateYourOwnGuidedTour ..........33
WritingaTour .............................34
Landmarks ...............................37
Identify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Two-StarAlt/AzAlignment....................38
Browse ..................................40
Maintenance
BasicMaintenance .........................41
Collimation ...............................41
InspectingtheOptics........................43
GaugingtheMovementoftheTelescope ........43
UpdatingYourLTSeriesFirmware .............43
Meade Customer Service
How to get in contact........................43
Appendix A:
TrainingtheDrive ..........................44
Appendix B:
BasicAstronomy ...........................45
Appendix C:
Specications .............................47
Appendix D:
OpticalSystems ...........................49
Appendix E:
MeadeDoC...............................50
Meade Warranty
OneYearLimitedWarranty ........... Back Cover
®Thename“Meade,”“AutoStar”andtheMeadelogoaretrade-
marksregisteredwiththeU.S.PatentandTrademarkOfceand
inprincipalcountriesthroughouttheworld.“DeepSkyImager”,“LT
Series”,and“Tonight’sBest”aretrademarksofMeadeInstruments
Corp.
Patents:
US7,277,223,US7,079,317,US7,092,156
US6,304,376,US6,369,942,US6,392,799
©2009MeadeInstrumentsCorp.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Asolidtelescopebuiltforalifetimeofservice......4
Getting Started
Assembling the and Using the LT Telescope
AssemblingtheTripod........................5
MountingtheTripod .........................6
InstallingtheBatteries........................6
UsinganACAdapterorDCPowerCord .........6
AttachingAccessories ........................7
TelescopeisnowFullyAssembled . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Using the Red Dot Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
AdjustingtheRedDotFinder ..................8
AligningtheLTSeries ........................9
TheLTSeriesHomePosition ..................9
NorthHomePosition.........................9
MovingThroughAutoStar’sMenus.............10
InitializingAutoStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Easy(Two-Star)Align . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
HowtoPerformtheEasyAlignProcedure .......11
GoToSaturn ..............................12
UsingtheGuidedTour ......................12
LT Series Key Features
Telescope
KeyFeaturesIdentiedontheTelescope ........13
KeyFeaturesExplained .....................15
Optional MEADE® Accessories
Choosing Eyepieces ........................16
MeadeSeries4000SuperPlösslEyepieces .....16
MeadeSeries5000PremiumEyepieces ........15
Power Supplies ............................18
ImagersandrelatedAccessories ..............18
AutoStar #497 Handbox – Basic Usage
Buttons, Display and their functions ............19
ObservingUsingAutoStars’Keys ..............21
ObservetheMoon..........................22
TerrestrialObserving ........................22
LTSeriesTips .............................22
AutoStar Operation
AutoStarNavigationExercise .................23
EnteringDataintoAutoStar...................24
GuidedTourMenu..........................24
ObjectMenu ..............................24
INTRODUCTION
4
INTRODUCTION
The LT Series ACF and LT Series SC Telescope
A solid telescope built for a lifetime of service
Congratulations on receiving your new LT Seriestelescope.You’llndthatthistelescopesystemhasallyouneed
toexploretheUniversewelivein.Meade’sconceptwastocreateatelescopethatwouldbesimpleenoughfor
anyonetouse,yetcapableenoughfortheexperiencedamateurtostretchtheirknowledgeandskills.WiththeLTs’
advanced set of features, you will have plenty of room to learn and expand your interest in astronomy and not out
grow your telescope. Here are a few of the features that set the Meade LT Series telescope system apart from all
others.
Optics: Your choice of optical systems to meet your needs. Meade’s Schmidt-Cassegrain (SC) optics
giveyouhighperformanceforthebestpossibleprice.Water-whiteglass,Ultra-HighTransmission
Coatings (UHTC) and oversized, thermally-stable Pyrex® primary mirrors provide spectacular
viewing experience not available on comparable competitors’ telescopes.Advanced Coma-Free
takesallofthefeaturesofourSCmodelsandthenupstheante.ACFgivesaatter,coma-free
eld of view with pinpoint images all the way to the edge of the eld, equaling Ritchey-Crétien
performance.ACFistheperfectsolutionfortheseriousastroimagerorvisualastronomerlooking
for observatory-class optics.
Mechanics: Strong and stable aluminum castings with large precision worm-gear drives in both axes for smooth
tracking with low periodic error.
Computer: AutoStar #497 handbox gives you complete control of your LT Series system from the palm of your
hand.Withadatabaseofover30,000objects,youwillneverrunoutofthingstoexplore.
Ifyouarelikeus,youcan’twaittogetoutsideunderadarkskytotryoutyournewLT Series telescope. We have
providedaGettingStartedGuidethatwillgetyouupandrunningintheshortestamountoftimepossible.After
yourrstexperience,pleasesitdownwiththismanualandreadaboutalltheadvancedfeaturesthatareavailable
toyouwiththistelescopesystem.WearecondentthattheLT Series will keep you fascinated with the Universe
and entertained for many years to come.
Clear Skies,
ThepeopleatMeade
GETTING STARTED
5
GETTING STARTED
You maywanttoperform the LTtelescopeassemblyindoors in the light so that youbecomefamiliarwith the
partsandoperationbeforemovingthetelescopeoutsideintothedarkforobserving.ThisGettingStartedGuide
assumesyouaretooimpatienttoreadtheentiremanualrstandwanttouseyournewtelescopeasquicklyas
possible. Just follow the simple steps below and you will be up and running before you know it.
1 Itisbesttosetupthetelescopeintwilightorbefore
sunsetthersttimeyouuseit.Takethetelescopeand
tripod outside. Set the telescope in a large open area
whereyoucanseelotsofsky.Don’tsetuprightnext
toabuildingorawall.Makesurethegroundisstable
andisapproximatelylevel.Itisbesttosetupthescope
away from bright nighttime lighting. Bright lights will
spoil your night vision and impede your ability to see
the sky.
Assembling the Tripod
2 Removetheeldtripodfromtheshippingcarton.
Stand the tripod vertically with the tripod feet down
and with the tripod still fully collapsed. Grasp two of
the tripod legs and, with the full weight of the tripod
on the third leg, gently pull the legs apart to a fully
open position.
3 Threadintwolock-knobsoneachleg(sixtotal)
near the foot of each tripod leg. Use the lock-knobs
to vary the height of the inner, extendible tripod leg
sections. Tighten the locks to a rm feel only; do
not overtighten.
4 Remove the end nut from the spreader shaft
and slide the spreader in between the telescope
legs. Attach the end nut and hand tighten until the
telescope legs are held snuggly in the most spread
position. Position the tripod where you want the
telescope to be and check that the top of the tripod is
approximately level.
Lock-Knob
Spreader Bar
End Nut
Spreader Shaft
GETTING STARTED
6
Mounting the Telescope
5 TaketheLTSeriesfromitspackagingandplace
the entire telescope onto the top of the tripod head.
Rotate the telescope head slowly until you feel the
scope register on the center hub of the tripod head.
Carefully screw the three attachment thumb-screws
on the bottom of the plate to the base of the tripod.
Hand tighten the screws so the telescope cannot spin
or wobble on the tripod head.
Installing the Batteries
6 Remove the end cover from the battery
compartment exposing the battery tray. Carefully slide
thebatterytrayoutuntilitreachesitsendstop.Insert
8(usersupplied)Alkaline“C”batteriesintothebattery
compartment.Takecarethatthebatteries+and-ends
are as indicated in the battery holder.
Slide the battery compartment back into the telescope
and re-attach the battery compartment cover.
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 re, or leak. Improperly installed
batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove
the batteries if they will not be used for a long period
of time.
Using an AC Adapter or
DC Power Cord
7 UseonlytheoptionalMeadeUniversalACPower
Adapter (part number 07584 for North America or
07584Ffor220vforeign)withyourLTSeriestelescope
whenconnectingtoACpower.Itisspecicallyselected
toprovide the quality voltage and current requiredto
power and protect the electronics in the telescope.
Power adapters from other manufactures may cause
damage and void your warranty.
Plug the AC plug into a AC household socket
and the DC plug into the 12v DC socket on the
telescope panel.
ForexternalDCpowerusetheoptional#607DCPower
Cord(partnumber07043)toconnecttoanautomotive
12vDCaccessorysocket.
Thumb-Screw
Center Hub
Follow the battery
polarity(orientation)
as indicated by
molded icons
Power
Port
GETTING STARTED
7
Attaching Accessories
Be sure the telescope master power switch is in
the off position. Remove the LT Series handbox and
the coiled interface cable from the packing materials.
Plug one end into the HBX port of the control panel
and plug the other end into the Handbox port on the
LTSerieshandbox.
9 Remove the dust cap from the rear cell of the
telescope. Thread the 1.25" eyepiece holder onto
the rear cell thread. Slide the diagonal prism into
the eyepiece holder and lock in place by turning the
thumbscrew to a rm feel. Place the Super Plössl
26mm eyepiece into the diagonal prism and tighten the
diagonalprismthumbscrewtoarmfeelonly.
Your Telescope is now Fully Assembled
Now remove the dust cover from the front
of the telescope tube. Be careful not to touch the
glass lens.
Flip the Power Switch on the computer control
paneltotheONposition.Thecopyrightmessagelights
onAutoStar’sLCDdisplay.
“Press0toalignorModeforMenu”displays.You
canusetheArrowkeystoslew(move)thetelescope
up,down,right,orleft.Tochangethetelescope’sslew
speed, press a Number key. “9” is the fastest speed
and “1” is the slowest speed. See page 20 for more
details.OryoucanPress“0”tobeginEasyAlignment.
Seepage11formoreinformation.
RearCellThread Eyepiece Holder
Dust Cap Diagonal Prism
Slew Speeds:
Speed9:Fast
.
.
.
Speed5:Medium
.
.
.
Speed1:Slow
Arrow
Keys
Number
Keys
GETTING STARTED
8
Adjusting the Red Dot Finder
TheRedDot Finder has beenalignedat the factory,
but you may need to touch-up the alignment from time
totime.Todothis,lookthroughtheeyepieceofyour
scope and using the hand controller center a distant
object.NowturnontheRedDotViewnderandadjust
the brightness so you can see the red dot. Look through
the sight as pictured above.
Now,withoutmovingthetelescope,adjusttheindicated
thumb screws until you have put the red dot on the
objectatwhichyouwerelooking.It’sthatsimple.
Nowusethehandcontrollertoputthelaserdotona
new target. Check to see that the desired target is in
theeyepieceandadjustthefocusknobuntiltheobject
is in focus.
Using the Red Dot Finder
Because your telescope has so much magnication,
its eld of view is very small. This can make it
hard to know exactly where your telescope is
pointing by simply looking at it. To help you point
the telescope quickly and accurately, for terrestrial
targets or GO TO pointing, the LT Series has a 1X
RedDotViewnder.
The Red Dot Finder will aid you in pointing your
telescope easily. It works much like a ghter pilot’s
heads-up display. To turn on the Red Dot Finder,
carefully rotate the power switch until you feel it click
on. Turning further clockwise will increase the dot
brightness.Adjustthedottotheminimum brightness
where it can be easily seen. This will extend its
battery life and make it easier to see faint stars in the
background.Look through the nder’sglasswindow.
You will see a red dot superimposed on your view.
Using the direction keys on the handbox, move the
telescope until the red dot is on the target you want to
viewintheeyepiece.Asyougetclosetoyourtarget,
select a moderately low speed, like speed 5, and move
the scope to center your target as you look through the
eyepiece.Thisagreatwaytogetusedtondingthe
movement keys without removing your eye from the
eyepiece.
On/Off &
Brightness
Adjustment
Adjustment
Screws
FocusKnob
ALIGNING THE LT SERIES
9
Aligning the LT Series
AstheEarth rotates beneath thenightsky, 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. If the telescope is not
tracking an astronomical object, the object will drift
outoftheeyepieceeldofview.Thetrackingfunction
automaticallykeepsanobjectmoreorlesscenteredin
thetelescope’seyepiece.
Toautomaticallytrackand locate objects inthenight
sky, the LT Series must rst be aligned on the sky.
Itisbestto set up the telescope intwilightorbefore
sunsetthersttimeyouusetheLTSeries.Setupthe
telescope in a large open area where you can see lots
ofthenightsky.Makesurethegroundisstableand
approximatelylevel.Itisbesttosetupthescopeaway
from bright nighttime lighting. Bright lights will spoil your
night vision and impede you ability to see the sky.
The LT Series Home Position
Once the LT Series is fully assembled, you will rst
need to initializeAutoStar, set the telescope into the
home position, and perform the Easy Alignment in
orderfortheLTSeriestosuccessfullylocatecelestial
objects.ThehomepositionfortheLTSeriesiswiththe
telescope optical tube level and pointed in the direction
ofTrueNorth.SeeFigure6.Oncethetelescopeisfully
assembled and outside under the night sky, follow the
steps below to correctly place the telescope into the
home position.
North Home Position
1. Using the up/down arrow keys (pg. 19, Fig. 5, 5)
ontheAutoStarcontroller,movethetelescopesothat
the optical tube is approximately level. Now use the
left/right arrow keys (pg. 19, Fig. 5, 5) to move the
telescope so the optical tube is pointing in the direction
ofTrueNorth(thenorthstarPolaris).
2.Now use the up/down arrowkeysontheAutoStar
controllertoleveltheopticaltube.Theincludedbubble
level/compass can be place into the diagonal prism
and has a built in bubble level feature that will aide in
leveling the optical tube if needed.
3.ThetelescopeisnowintheNorthHomePosition.
Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus
TheAutoStardatabaseisorganizedinlevelsforquick
and easy navigation.
• Press ENTER to go deeper into AutoStar’s
menu levels.
• Press MODE to move back toward the top
menu level.
• Press the Scroll keys to move up and down
through the options available for each level.
• PresstheArrowkeysto entercharactersand
digits.
TheArrowkeysarealsousedtomovethetelescope.
Telescope
Tube is level
North
Compass
needle is
pointing to
Magnetic
North
Bubble is
centered
Figure 7: Bubble Level/Compass
Figure 6: Alt/Az Home Position
ALIGNING THE LT SERIES
10
Initializing AutoStar
This section describes how to initialize AutoStar.
PerformthisprocedurethersttimeyouuseAutoStar
orafterperformingaRESET(see“RESET”page30).
1.Verify that AutoStar is properly connected to
your telescope. See “Getting Started” page 5.
2.Turn the telescope power switch to the ON
position.
TheAutoStarbeepsandthedisplayscreenis
activated.ThenAutoStartakesafewmoments
to start up the system.
3.“Press0toAlignorModeforMenu”displays.
Press0toalignyourtelescopeusingthe“Easy
Align”method,see“Easy(Two-Star)Align”on
page 11. To skip the alignment process and
access theAutoStar menus, press the Mode
key.
4.Thetelescopethenteststhemotorfunctionof
thetelescopebymovinginthehorizontaland
vertical directions.
5.SetYour Location or Zip Code:The Location
screen displays. This screen asks you if you
wish to choose either the zip code of your
observinglocationorthelocation(i.e.,entering
the city and state or country of your observing
location).Press“1”toselectthezipcodeoption
or “2” to enter the city and state.
Note: The location settings (country/state/
provinceandcity,orzipcode)areonlyasked
forthersttimeyouturnonthecontrolpanel.
Ifyouwishtochangethissettinglateron,use
the Site menu. See SITE, page 34 for more
information.
a.Ifyouchosethezipcodeoption,theleftmost
“0”ishighlighted.UsetheNumberkeystoenter
thedigits.Asyouenteradigit,thenextdigitto
the right will be highlighted. Enter the next digit.
Repeatthisprocessuntilall5digitsofyourzip
codeareentered.PressENTER.
b.Ifyouchosethelocationoption,thenextscreen
asks for the country or state/province (listed
alphabetically)oftheobservingsite.
c. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of
countries,states,andprovinces.PressENTER
when the correct location displays.
d.The next screen asks for the city (listed
alphabetically) closest to the observing site.
Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list
of cities. Press ENTER when the correct city
appears on screen.
6.ThenextscreenrequeststhestatusofDaylight
Savings Time. If Daylight Savings Time is
active, press the “1” key. If Daylight Savings
Timeisnotactive,pressthe“2”key.
Note: Daylight Savings Time may be referred
to by a different name in various areas of the
world.
7.AutoStar then asks for the Telescope Model.
Usingthescrollkeys(Pg.19,Fig.5,7)onthe
AutoStar locate the model of your telescope
and press enter.
8.Now enter the current date, then press
ENTER.
9. Enter the current time. Select “AM,” “PM,” or
24-hourclock(blank).ThenpressENTER.
10. System initialization is now complete and
Autostar enters into the Easy Alignment
routine. See “Easy (Two-Star) Alignment” for
performinganalignmentonthenightsky.Ifyou
do not wish to begin an alignment on the night
sky, press the MODE key to exit to the main
AutoStarmenu.
Important Note:
If you have updated or replaced yourAutostar #497
handbox,pleasemakesurethetelescopetype“LX90-
8”hasbeenselectedandthesettingofAz/RARatiois
+02.75075 andAlt/DEC Ratio is -02.75075. This are
essentialsetupsettingstogetyourLT-6/LT-8telescope
right working.
ALIGNING THE LT SERIES
11
Easy (Two-Star) Align
The fastest and easiest way to locate objects with
Autostar’sGOTOcapabilitiesistouseEasyAlign.
Autostarautomaticallypickstwostarsfromitsdatabase
for the EasyAlign procedure. During this procedure,
Autostarslewsthetelescopetoarstalignmentstar.
Theuserisaskedtoverifythatthetelescopeispointed
at the chosen star and then prompted to center the star
intheeyepiece.Theprocessisrepeatedwithasecond
star to complete the alignment.
Note:Beforealigningthetelescope,rstverify
that “INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR”, page 10,
has been performed. See “Moving through
Autostar’s Menus”, page 10, for a description
ofhowAutostar’skeysoperate.
How to perform the Easy Align
Procedure
Ifyouhavejustpoweredonthetelescope,followthe
procedures listed in “Initializing Autostar” on page
10.Whencompleted,continueontothestepsbelow
to perform the Easy Alignment procedure. If the
telescope is already powered on and the correct site
location, date, time and telescope model have already
beenentered,the EasyAlignment can be startedby
selectinginthemenuSetup:Align:Easyandfollowing
the steps below.
1.WhentheEasyAlignmentprocedureisselected
in the AutoStar’s setup menu, Autostar then
promptsyoutosetthetelescopeintheAlignment
home position (if necessary). To set your
telescope in the home position (see Page 9):
2.Star Alignment - The Autostar then chooses
two stars to align upon. When the telescope
slewstotherststarforalignment,itmaynot
appearintheeldofviewintheeyepiece.The
alignment star should be easily recognized
and be the brightest star in the area of the sky
where the telescope is pointing. While looking
throughthereddotnder,usetheArrowKeys
to move the telescope to place the red dot
on the top of the star. Now look through the
eyepieceandusetheArrowKeystomovethe
startothecenteroftheeyepieceeld.Press
ENTER.Ifthatareaoftheskyisobscuredby
anobject,youcanpromptAutoStartochosean
alternate star by pressing either one of the two
ScrollKeys.Repeatprocedureforthesecond
alignment star.
Whentheprocedureisperformedcorrectly,“Alignment
Successful”displays.IfAutostardoesnotdisplaythis
message, perform this procedure again.
Note:Autostar locates alignment stars based on the
date,time,andlocationentered.Thealignmentstars
may change from night to night. All that is required
is for the observer to center the selected stars in the
eyepiece when prompted.
NOTE: The GO TO key also allows you to perform
a “spiral search”.A spiral search is useful when the
telescope slews to an object, but that object is not
visibleintheeyepieceafterthetelescopenishesits
search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment
procedure.) Press GO TO when the slew is nished
and the telescope starts slewing in a spiral pattern at a
very slow speed around the search area. Look through
theeyepieceandwhentheobjectdoesbecomevisible,
pressMODE to stop the spiral search.Thenusethe
Arrowkeystocentertheobject.
Which One’s the Alignment Star?
Ifyou’re not familiar withobjects in the night sky, how
can you be sure if the star in your eyepiece is really the
alignment star?
The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually
thebrighteststarinthatareaofthesky.Ifyouperforma
GoTotoanalignmentstarandyou’renotsureifyouhave
locatedthealignmentstaroritisn’tintheeyepiece,look
through your viewnder. When you view an alignment
starintheviewnder,itstandsoutdramaticallyfromthe
rest of the stars in that portion of the sky.
Theviewnderwillhelpyoulocateastarmorequickly
thantheeyepiece.UsingAutoStar,settheslewspeed
to6(pressNumberkey6)orhigherandusetheArrow
keys to center the alignment star in the viewnder. If
your viewnder has been aligned with the telescope,
the alignment star should now be in the eyepiece. Set
the slew speed to 4 or less and center the star in the
eyepiece.AlsoseetheSpiralSearchtip,page11.
ALIGNING THE LT SERIES
12
Go To Saturn
After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the
motor drive begins operating and the telescope is
alignedforanightofviewing.Objectsintheeyepiece
should maintain their position even though the Earth is
rotating beneath the stars.
Important Note:Once aligned, only use the GOTO
orArrowkeystomovethetelescope.Donotmovethe
telescope manually, or alignment will be lost.
Once the telescope is aligned, you may choose and
“Go To” any object listed inAutoStar’s Object menu.
This exercise demonstrates how to select one such
celestialobject,theplanetSaturn,forviewingfromthe
Objectmenu.
Note: Saturn is not visible the entire year and you
may need to choose another object fromAutoStar’s
database;however,theprocedure,asdescribedbelow,
remains the same.
1 After the telescope is aligned, “Select Item:
Object”displays.PressENTER.
2.“Object:SolarSystem”displays.PressENTER.
3.“SolarSystem:Mercury”displays.Keeppressing
theScrollDownkeyuntil“SolarSystem:Saturn”
displays.
4. Press ENTER. “Calculating” displays. Then
“Saturn”andasetofcoordinatesdisplays.Note
that Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates
change throughout the year.
5. Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays
and the telescope slews until it nds Saturn.
YoumayneedtousetheArrowkeystocenter
Saturn precisely in the eyepiece. AutoStar
then automatically moves the telescope so
thatit“tracks”Saturn(orwhateverotherobject
you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains
centered in the eyepiece.
After you Go To Saturn, practice the Go To
featurewith other objects in the Object menu
lists.Forexample,duringWinter,chooseM42,
the Orion nebula, from the Messier list. Or in
the summer, choose the Dumbbell nebula from
theDeepSky,NamedObjectslist.
Using the Guided Tour
This example demonstrates using “Tonight’s Best”
GuidedTour.
1.After observing Saturn, press mode twice so
that“SelectItem:Object”displaysagain.
2.PresstheScrollDownkeytwice.“SelectItem:
GuidedTour”displays.
3. Press ENTER. “Guided Tour: Tonight’s Best”
displays.PressENTER.
IfyouwishtotryoutotherGuidedTours,press
the Scroll Down key to scroll through other
tour choices. When the tour you wish to select
displays,pressENTER.
4. “Tonight’s Best: Searching...” displays. After
calculating,“Tonight’sBest:Jupiter”displays.
Note:Differentobjectsmaybedisplayedona
tour list on any given night.
PressENTERtodisplayinformationaboutthe
object.PressGOTOtomovethetelescopeto
theobject.
5. Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press
the Scroll keys to scroll through the list. Press
ENTERwhenyoundthenextobjectyouwish
to observe.
6.PressandholddownMODEfortwosecondsto
leavetheGuidedTourmenu.
LT SERIES KEY FEATURES
13
321
5
4
Computer Control Panel
Red Dot Finder
Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws
Handbox Storage Cradle
AutoStar Suite Software Disc
1Diagonal Eyepiece Holder
2Diagonal Prism
31.25” Eyepiece Holder
4Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw
5Eyepiece
Single Fork Arm Mount
Figure 1: LT Series Left Side
LT SERIES KEY FEATURES
14
Figure 2: LT Series Right Side
Figure 3: LT Series Front Figure 4: LT Series Computer Control Panel
7
9
6
6Diagonal Thumbscrew
7Optical Tube Assembly (OTA)
9Focus Knob
Computer Control Panel
A.Handbox(HBX)Port
B. LED
C.ON/OFFSwitch
D.Auxiliary(AUX)Port
E.12vPowerConnector
Dust Cover
Battery Compartment
D. A. B. C. D. E.
LT SERIES KEY FEATURES
15
1Diagonal Holder: Holds the eyepiece in place.
2Diagonal Prism: provides a more comfortable
right angle viewing position. Slide the diagonal
prism directly into the eyepiece holder (Pg. 13,
Fig.1,3).
31.25" Eyepiece Holder
4Thumb Screw
5Eyepiece:PlacetheSuperPlössl26mmeyepiece
into the 90° diagonal prism (Pg. 13, Fig. 1, 2)
and tighten in place with the thumbscrews. The
eyepiece magnies the image collected in the
optical tube.
6Diagonal Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece
inplace.Tightentoarmfeelonly.
7Optical Tube Assembly (OTA): The main
optical component that gathers the light from
distantobjectsandbringsthislighttoafocusfor
examination through the eyepiece.
Single Fork Arm Mount: Holds the optical tube
inplaceandmovesittondandtrackobjects.
9Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s primary
mirror in a nely-controlled motion to achieve
precise image focus. The LT Series telescope
can be focused on objects from a distance of
about 25 ft. to innity. Rotate the focus knob
counterclockwisetofocusondistantobjects,and
clockwisetofocusonnearbyobjects.
Computer Control Panel
A. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar coil
cord(Pg19,Fig.5,10)intothisport.
B. LED:Theredpowerindicatorlightilluminates
when power is applied to the telescope.
C. ON/OFFSwitch:TurnstheComputerControl
PanelandAutoStarONorOFF
D.Auxiliary(AUX)Port(2):Providesconnection
for Meade accessories. See OPTIONAL
ACCESSORIES,page16.
E. 12vPowerConnector:Providesconnectionso
that the telescope assembly may be powered
fromeithera12vDCautocigarettelightplug
orfromastandard115vAChomeoutlet.
Dust Cover: Gently lift out the dust cover from
the front lens of the telescope. The dust cover
should be replaced after each observing session
andthepowerturnedofftothetelescope.Verify
that any dew that might have collected during
the observing session has evaporated prior to
replacing the dust cover.
Battery Compartment: Insert eight ANSI 14A
(IEC LR14) Alkaline “C-Cell” (user-supplied)
batteries in compartment. Be sure batteries
are aligned correctly as shown in the battery
compartment.
Red Dot Finder: Provides an easy way to sight
on objects and put them in the telescope’s
eyepiece.
Red Dot Finder Alignment Screws: Adjust
these screws to align the Red Dot Finder with
the telescope’s main optics. See page 8 for
more information.
Handbox Storage Cradle: Holds the AutoStar
handbox in a convenient position on the
telescope.
AutoStar Suite Software:ContainstheLTSeries
Instruction Manual and a collection of useful
software including a planetarium program, the
AutoStarUpdaterfordownloadingandupgrading
thermwareinthetelescope,softwaretocontrol
the telescope from a computer and other programs
alldesignedtoenhanceyouruseoftheLTSeries
system.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
16
Meademakesacompletelineofaccessoriestoenable
you to get the most fun and performance from your
LT Series telescope. No matter what you want to
accomplish, we have the equipment to help you get
there.
Choosing Eyepieces
Atelescope’seyepiecemagniestheimageformedby
thetelescope’smainoptics.Eacheyepiecehasafocal
length,expressedinmillimeters,or“mm.”Thesmaller
the focal length, the higher the magnication. For
example,aneyepiecewithafocallengthof9mmhas
a higher magnication than an eyepiece with a focal
length of 26mm. Experienced users know that higher
powers are, in general, not as useful as lower powers.
Manyoftheobjectsinthenightskyarerelativelylarge
andfaintandlookbestatlowmagnications.
Thepowerormagnicationofatelescopeisdetermined
by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length
oftheeyepiecebeingused.Tocalculatemagnication,
divide the telescope’s focal length by the eyepiece’s
focal length. For example, a 26mm eyepiece is supplied
withtheLTSeries.Thefocallengthofthe6"LTSeries
is1524mm(seeSPECIFICATIONS,page47).
TelescopeFocalLength1524mm
Eyepiece Focal Length 26mm
1524÷26=58.6x
Themagnicationistherefore58.6x.
Lowpowereyepiecesofferawidereldofview,bright,
high-contrast images, and long eye relief. To nd an
objectwithatelescope,alwaysstartwithalowerpower
eyepiece such as the Super Plössl 26mm or longer
focallength.Whentheobjectislocatedandcentered
in the eyepiece, you may wish to switch to a higher
power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as
practical for prevailing seeing conditions or, for many
objects,theviewisbestwithahighqualitylow-power
wide-eldeyepiece.
NOTE: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-to-
night and site-to-site. Turbulence in the air, even on
an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an
image appears fuzzy and ill-dened, reduce to a lower
power eyepiece.
Your telescope comes supplied with a Super Plössl
Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces
Focal Apparent Actual
Length Type Field Power Field
56.0mm SP2" 52º 27x 1º 55'
40.0mm SP 44º 38x 1º 9'
32.0mm SP 52º 48x 1º 6'
26.0mm SP 52º 59x 53'
20.0mm SP 52º 76x 41'
15.0mm SP 52º 102x 31'
12.4mm SP 52º 123x 25'
9.7mm SP 52º 157x 20'
6.4mm SP 52º 238x 13'
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
26mm eyepiece, which gives a wide 53ARC Minute
(justalittlelessthan1degree)eldofviewwith59x
magnication.Thisisaverygoodallpurposeeyepiece
for your telescope, but you should consider buying
additional eyepieces in longer and shorter focal lengths
tofullyrealizethepotentialoftheexcellent6"optical
systeminyourLTSeriestelescope.
The Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces are excellent
wellcorrected4elementopticsatpopularprices.They
come in a wide range of focal lengths to give you the
rightmagnicationforanytypeofcelestialobjectyou
areviewing.YoucanalsouseoneoftheSeries4000
BarlowstodoubleortriplethemagnicationofaSuper
Plössl eyepiece. These eyepieces have been the
standardforover30years.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
17
The Series 5000 Premium Eyepieces represent
the highest level of eyepiece technology. Featuring
advanced lens designs with 5, 6 and 7 elements,
super fully multi-coated lenses and some of the
widest elds of view available, they provide the user
with the highest-contrast, pinpoint-sharp images and
spectacularwideeldviewsoftheheavens.Theyare
madetothesamehighqualitystandardsastheprimary
opticsinyourLTSeriestelescopeandallowyoutoget
alltheperformancethattheAdvancedComa-Freeand
Schmidt-Cassegrain optical systems were designed
to deliver. Use a Series 5000 Telextender for 2, 3
or 5 times the magnication of the eyepiece alone.
Thereisevena2x2inchTelextenderforthelarge2
inch eyepieces.
NOTE: 2 inch eyepieces require the optional Series
5000 2” Enhanced Diagonal with 99% Reectivity
(product number 07677) and the SC Thread to 2"
AccessoryAdapter(productnumber07085).
Series 5000 Eyepieces
Focal Apparent Actual
Length Type Field Power Field
40.0mm 5EP2" 60º 38x 1º 34'
32.0mm 5EP2" 60º 48x 1º 16'
26.0mm 5EP 60º 59x 1º 1'
20.0mm 5EP 60º 76x 47'
14.0mm 5EP 60º 109x 33'
9.0mm 5EP 60º 169x 21'
5.5mm 5EP 60º 277x 13'
40.0mm SWA2" 68º 38x 1º 47'
32.0mm SWA2" 68º 45x 1º 31'
26.0mm SWA2" 68º 54x 1º 15'
20.0mm SWA 68º 64x 4'
15.0mm SWA 68º 76x 54'
12.4mm SWA 68º 95x 43'
30.0mm UWA2" 82º 51x 1º 37'
24.0mm UWA2" 82º 64x 1º 17'
18.0mm UWA 82º 85x 58'
14.0mm UWA 82º 109x 45'
8.8mm UWA 82º 173x 28'
6.7mm UWA 82º 227x 22'
4.7mm UWA 82º 324x 15'
Series 5000 Super Wide Angle
Series 5000 Plössl
Series 5000 Ultra Wide Angle
Series 5000 2” Enhanced Diagonal
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
18
Universal AC Adapter (07584):Thisadaptersupplies
aconstantregulated12voltDCatupto5Ampsfrom
eitherastandard115voltACor220voltAChousehold
supply. It is the only tested and recommended AC
powersupplyfortheLTSeriessystem.
Power Supplies
WhiletheLTSerieswilloperatewith8“C”cellbatteries,
you should consider several other power options
that might work better for your situation and save
you money.
Deep Sky Imagers (DSI)
#607 DC Power Cord w/ Cigarette Lighter Adapter
(07043):Thisadapterallowsyoutoplugintoastandard
automobile12vDCpowersocket.Itcomeswitha25
foot cord so you can setup far from the car.
Imagers and Accessories
Camera Adapters
Off Axis Guiders
Focal Reducers
#505 Connector Cable Set. For allAutoStar
#497 Telescopes. Allows you to connect your LT
TelescopetoaPCserialport.Operateyourcomputer
from your PC, download updates, create custom tours
and more.
Accessories at Meade.com. Now you can order all
these and more accessories or any Meade products
rightfromtheMeadeWebSitewww.meade.com and
it will be shipped right to your door.
USB to Serial Bridge Cable. Allowsyouto use
#505or#506cablesabovetoconnecttoaUSBport.
Driversoftwareincluded.Windows98,ME,2000,and
XP compatible.
AUTOSTAR #497 HANDBOX
19
1
Figure 5: The AutoStar #497 Handbox
Tour the Cosmos with Just the
Push of a Button
ControloftheLTSeriesisthroughtheoperationofthe
standard-equipment AutoStar. Nearly all functions of
thetelescopeareaccomplishedwithjustafewpushes
ofAutoStar’s buttons. Some of the major features of
AutoStarare:
• Automatically move the telescope to any of
over 30,000 objects stored in the database or
manually enter the astronomical coordinates of
anycelestialobject.
• Takeaguidedtourofthebestcelestialobjects
to view on any given night of the year.
• Downloadthelatestsatellitedataandsoftware
revisionsdirectlyfromtheMeadewebsite(www.
meade.com) and share software with other
AutoStarenthusiasts.
• Control your LT Series with your PC using an
serial interface.
• Accessaglossaryofastronomicalterms.
• Calculate which eyepiece to use for optimum
viewingofacelestialobject.
• Mount the telescope in the “Alt/Az” mode
(Altitude -Azimuth, or vertical - horizontal) for
fullyautomatictrackingofcelestialobjects.
12-Line LCD Display
2ENTER Key
3MODE Key
4“GO TO” Key
5Arrow Keys
6Number Keys
7Scroll Keys
“? Key
9Coil Cord Port
Coil Cord
RS-232 Port
Utility Light
AUTOSTAR #497 HANDBOX
20
The AutoStar Computer Controller provides control
of virtually every telescope function within a compact
handbox. AutoStar has soft-touch keys designed to
haveapositivefeel.TheLCD(LiquidCrystalDisplay)
is backlit with a red LED (Light Emitting Diode) for
easy viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key
arrangement,andsequentialdatabasemakeAutoStar
extremely user friendly.
1 2-Line LCD Display: Provides an interface
betweenAutoStarandthetelescope.
• Top line: Lists the primary category or menu
item.
• Bottomline:Containsamenuoptionorinformation
about an object or subject, depending on which
function is being performed.
2 ENTERKey:Accesses,inasequentialmanner,the
nextmenuordatalevelintheAutoStardatabase.
SeeMOVINGTHROUGHAUTOSTAR’SMENUS,
page10.
NOTE:If ENTER is pressed fortwo seconds or
moreand then released,AutoStar emitsa beep
and “ENTER to Sync” is displayed. “ENTER to
Sync” is relevant only after the telescope has
been aligned and is pointing at an object. If the
“ENTERtoSync”featureisaccessedbymistake,
pressMODEtoreturntothepreviousscreen.See
High Precision, page 29, for more details about
this feature.
3 MODEKey:Returnstothepreviousmenuordata
levelintheAutoStardatabaseuntilthetoplevel,
“SelectItem”isreached.TheMODEkeyissimilar
totheESCAPEkeyonacomputer.
Note:PressingMODEwhile inthe“Select Item”
level moves AutoStar to the topmost screen:
“SelectItem:Object”.
IfMODEispressedandheldfortwosecondsor
more, information about the telescope’s status
displays. When the status displays, press one of
theScrollkeys(Pg.19,Fig.5,7)todisplaythe
followinginformation:
• Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical)
coordinates
• Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal)
coordinates
• Date
• Sitecoordinates
• LocalTimeandLocalSiderealTime(LST)
• TimerandAlarmStatus
• Batterystatus
PressMODEagaintoreturntothepreviousmenu.
4 GOTOKey:Slews(moves)thetelescopetothe
coordinatesofthecurrentlyselectedobject.While
the telescope is slewing, the operation may be
aborted at any time by pressing any key except
GOTO.PressingGOTOagainresumestheslew
totheobject.
5Arrow Keys: Slew the telescope in a specic
direction (up, down, left, and right), at any one
of nine different speeds. Speed selection is
explained in “SLEW SPEEDS”, below. The
following functions are also available with the
Arrowkeys:
•Moves the telescope – Use the Up and
Down Arrow keys to move the telescope
verticallyupanddown.TheLeftArrowkey
rotates the telescope horizontally
counterclockwise,whiletheRightArrowkey
rotates it clockwise.
• Dataentry– When the scope is prompting
for user entered data, use the Up and Down
Arrowkeystoscrollthroughthelettersofthe
alphabet and numerical digits. The Down
Arrowkeystartswiththeletter“A”andthe
UpArrow 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.
6 NumberKeys:Inputdigits0-9andchangesthe
slewspeeds(seeSlewSpeeds,seebelow).The
“0”keyalsoturnsonandofftheredutilitylighton
the top of the handbox.
Slew Speeds
LTSerieshasnineslewspeedsthataredirectly
proportional to the sidereal rate (the rate at
which stars appear to drift across the sky)
and have been calculated to accomplish
specic functions. Pressing a Number key
changes the slew speed, which is shown for
abouttwosecondsonAutoStar’sdisplay.
To change the speed, press the
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