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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 = 180 x sidereal (45 arc-min/sec or 0.75°/sec)
Light 3 = 32 x sidereal (8 arc-min/sec or 0.13°/sec)
Light 4 = 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.034°/sec)
The two slowest speeds (8x and 32x sidereal) can be used for pushbutton (manual) tracking of astronomical
objects while observing through the eyepiece.
Modes of Operation
The Electronic Controller can be set to operate in either of two primary modes: the Alt/Az mode (used when
the telescope is operated in the altazimuth configuration; see below) and the polar mode (used when the
telescope is polar- (or equatorial) aligned; see page 16).
• Choose the Alt/Az (altitude-azimuth, or vertical-horizontal) mode for all terrestrial operations of the
telescope. In the Alt/Az mode, use the Arrow keys to slew the telescope to terrestrial or astronomical
objects and, once you locate them, follow these objects if they move. However, in this mode astronomical
tracking is not automatic and requires continuous pushes of the Arrow keys. The Electronic Controller is
factory pre-set to the Alt/Az mode.
• Choose the polar mode when the telescope is equipped with either the optional #880 (ETX–90EC) or #881
(ETX-105EC or ETX-125EC) Table Tripod, or #883 Deluxe Field Tripod, for extensive astronomical
observations. In this mode use the Arrow keys to slew the telescope to objects. In addition, the telescope’s
internal motor drive is turned on, enabling the telescope to automatically track celestial objects.
You can configure the two screws on the bottom rear of the Electronic Controller handbox to change the
default mode of the Electronic Controller to Alt/Az or polar. When in polar mode, you may also set the
alignment to the hemisphere in which you are located (not necessary in the Alt-Az mode).
Caution: Mode screws A and B are the outer screws in the recess directly under the letters A and
B on the rear of the Electronic Controller. Do not remove either of the inner two screws in the
recess.
• Remove mode screw A (1, Fig. 12) to make the Northern 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
Earth’s Northern Hemisphere).
• Remove mode screw B (2, Fig. 12) 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
Earth’s Southern Hemisphere ).
• Leave both the A and B screws in place (or remove both screws) to keep the telescope in the original
factory default Alt/Az mode.
Note: Removing either A or B screw affects only the telescope’s default mode; you may still make
mode changes when desired using the MODE key (see, APPENDIX A, page 26).
Telescope Mountings
A mount allows a telescope to move on
its axes. The two basic types of
mounting are Altazimuth (Alt/Az) and
Polar (Equatorial).
Alt/Az Mode
Altazimuth (Alt/Az) mounting permits
movement of the telescope tube in
vertical (altitude) and horizontal
(azimuth) directions. The ETX models
incorporate an altazimuth mount (as
shown in Fig. 9), ideal for terrestrial
Fig. 12: Mode screws on rear of Electronic Controller.
(1) Mode screw A; (2) Mode screw B.
Meade Instruments Corporation
FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE
Tested to comply
with FCC Standards
35-4702-00
FC
C
CC
AB
1
2