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Object Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
#497 AutoStar Menu Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Event Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Glossary Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Utilities Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Setup Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Advanced AutoStar Features
Adding Observing Sites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Finding Objects Not In the Database . . . . . . . . . . .32
GoTo a User-entered Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Observing Satellites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
How to Create Your Own Guided Tour . . . . . . . . . .33
Writing a Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Identify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Browse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Maintenance
Basic Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Inspecting the Optics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Gauging the Movement of the Telescope . . . . . . . .43
Updating Your LT Series Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Meade Customer Service
How to get in contact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Appendix A:
Training the Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Appendix B:
Basic Astronomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Appendix C:
Specifi cations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Appendix D:
Optical Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Appendix E:
Meade DoC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Meade Warranty
One Year Limited Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
® The name “Meade,” “AutoStar” and the Meade logo are trade-
marks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Offi ce and
in principal countries throughout the world. “Deep Sky Imager”, “LT
Series”, and “Tonight’s Best” are trademarks of Meade Instruments
Corp.
Patents:
US 7,277,223, US 7,079,317, US 7,092,156
US 6,304,376, US 6,369,942, US 6,392,799
© 2009 Meade Instruments Corp.
INDEX
CONTENTS
Introduction
A solid telescope built for a lifetime of service. . . . . .4
Getting Started
Assembling the and Using the LT Telescope
Assembling the Tripod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Mounting the Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Installing the Batteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Using an AC Adapter or DC Power Cord . . . . . . . . .6
Attaching Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Telescope is now Fully Assembled . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Using the Red Dot Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Adjusting the Red Dot Finder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Aligning the LT Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The LT Series Home Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Magnetic North Home Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
True North Home Position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus. . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Initializing AutoStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Easy (Two-Star) Align . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
How to Perform the Easy Align Procedure . . . . . . . 11
Go To Saturn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Using the Guided Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
LT Series Key Features
Telescope
Key Features Identifi ed on the Telescope. . . . . . . .13
Key Features Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Optional MEADE® Accessories
Choosing Eyepieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Meade Series 4000 Super Plössl Eyepieces . . . . .16
Meade Series 5000 Premium Eyepieces . . . . . . . .15
Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Imagers and related Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
AutoStar #497 Handbox – Basic Usage
Buttons, Display and their functions . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Observing Using AutoStars’ Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Observe the Moon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Terrestrial Observing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
LT Series Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
AutoStar Operation
AutoStar Navigation Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Entering Data into AutoStar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Guided Tour Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24