Instruction Manual ETX Premier Edition Telescope Series ® AutoStar® — LNT™ — SmartFinder™ ™
CONTENTS WARNING! Never use a Meade ETX PE 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 as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.
QUICK-START GUIDE This Quick Start Guide demonstrates how to install the batteries and eyepiece, and how to observe using the AutoStar Arrow keys. If you wish to try out AutoStar’s “Go To” capabilities, check out the list of page references at the bottom of the following page. 2 B H A ® Remove the ETX telescope from its packaging and place it on a sturdy surface. Place the ETX on its side and remove the battery compartment cover (A) from the underside of the drive base.
To change the speed at which the telescope moves (known as the “slew” speed) press a NUMBER KEY from 1 through 9. 1 is the slowest speed and 9 is the fastest. Enter Key L K Scroll Up Key Scroll Down Key Make sure that the flip mirror control (K) is in the “Up” position, as shown the diagram above. AutoStar then displays: “Location Option: 1-Zipcode 2-City”.
TELESCOPE FEATURES 17 2 1 19 E 5 9 16 B C D A B 13 10 11 10 12 Fig. 2 (Inset): Computer Control Panel. (A) On/Off switch; (B) Auxiliary ports; (C) Handbox port; (D) 12v connector; (E) Power indicator light. Fig. 1a: Side View Features of the ETX-90PE, ETX105PE and ETX-125PE are identical, with the exception of the size of optical tube. 2 18 1 3 4 Fig. 1a, b and Fig.
MEADE ETX: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE Caution: Using products other than standard Meade accessories may cause damage to the telescope’s internal electronics and may void the Meade warranty. B Want to learn more The Meade Premier Edition ETX-90PE, ETX-105PE and the ETX-125PE are extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes.
Definitions Throughout this manual, you will notice the terms "Alt/Az," "Right Ascension," and "Declination." Alt/Az or more properly, altazimuth, is frequently used to refer to altitude or Declination (the up-and-down vertical movement of the telescope) and azimuth or Right Ascension (the side-to-side horizontal movement of the telescope). Right Ascension is abbreviated as "R.A." and Declination as "Dec." j Horizontal (R.A.) Lock: Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope.
AUTOSTAR FEATURES 1 L 4 3 5 1 LCD Display 2 ENTER Key 6 3 MODE Key 4 GO TO Key 5 Arrow Keys 7 K 7 Scroll Keys 8 Speed/? Key 8 9 6 Number Keys J 9 Coil Cord 10 RS232 Port 11 Light key 12 Utility Light Fig. 4: The AutoStar Handbox. Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of ETX Telescopes is through the operation of the standard-equipment #497 AutoStar. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of AutoStar’s buttons.
B 2-Line LCD Display: This screen displays AutoStar's menus and information about the telescope. Top line: Lists the primary menu. Bottom line: Displays other menus that may be chosen, menu options, telescope status or information about a function that is being performed. ENTER Key: Press to go to the next menu level or to choose an option in a menu. The ENTER key is similar to the RETURN or ENTER key on a computer. See MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR’S MENUS, page 21 and AUTOSTAR MENUS, page 22.
Also, use the Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 through 9 and the alphabet. The Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit "9." Additionally, use the Arrow keys to to move the cursor across the display: Use the Right or Left Arrow key to move the cursor from one number to the next in the display. f g Want to learn more about changing slew speeds? See page 16. g h Arrow Keys: The Arrow keys have several functions.
GETTING STARTED Parts Listing Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first opening the packing box, note carefully the following parts: • • • • Cover • Batteries ETX Premier Telescope with fork mount system and SmartFinder #497 AutoStar handbox with coil cord. One or more eyepieces, packed in plastic storage containers. Hex-wrench, packed with the instruction manual. See MAINTENANCE, page 44.
L M 6 5 N O Fig. 10: Loosen control latch . Fig. 15: Insert eyepiece. 7 8 4. 5. 9 Fig. 11: High latitude leg mounting hole and corresponding attachment knob. 6. Fig. 16: Tighten vertical lock. Fig. 17: Tighten horizontal lock. Place the 26mm eyepiece (12, Fig. 15) into the eyepiece holder on the telescope and tighten the attachment thumbscrew (13, Fig. 15) to a "firm feel" only. Make sure that the flip-mirror control (14, Fig. 15) is in the “up” position, as shown in the above photo.
M N possible, in the SP 26mm eyepiece's field of view. Tighten the vertical and horizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1) so that the tube cannot move and the object remains centered. 2. While looking through the SmartFinder, turn the top or side alignment screws (13 and 14, Fig. 18), until the red dot of the SmartFinder points at precisely the same position as the view through the eyepiece of the main telescope. The SmartFinder is now aligned to the main telescope.
OBSERVING Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually Note: Viewing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-to-site. Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. Low-power eyepieces, such as the 26mm supplied with your telescope, are better suited to resolving images in poor viewing conditions. If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you can observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. 1.
Slew Speeds AutoStar has nine slew speeds that move the optical tube at rates that are directly proportional to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accomplish specific functions. Press the Number key to change the slew speed. The nine available speeds are: Number Key 1 = 1x = 1 x sidereal (0.25 arc-min/sec or 0.004°/sec) Number Key 2 = 2x = 2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008°/sec) Number Key 3 = 8x = 8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.
Definition: Initialization is a procedure that makes sure that AutoStar operates correctly. When you first use AutoStar, it doesn't yet know where the observation location site is. AutoStar also needs to know the time and date, which is set at the factory and may also be reset using Meade’s optional Atomic Clock Update Module accessory.
Grasp the telescope by a fork arm and rotate the telescope counterclockwise until it stops (Fig. 24). • Re-lock the horizontal (9, Fig. 1a) and vertical locks (6, Fig. 1b). Level, Tilt and Find North: Next your telescope begins to move. AutoStar moves your telescope so that it can calculate the level position and tilt of your telescope, and also calculate the location of True North.
Tip: 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 visible in the eyepiece after the telescope finishes its search. (This sometimes occurs during an alignment procedure.) Press GO TO when the telescope stops slewing. The telescope begins to move in a spiral pattern at a very slow speed around the search area.When the object does become visible, press MODE to stop the spiral search.
AUTOSTAR OPERATION SETUP MENU Automatic alignment permits all telescope operations with only minimal setup. Select Item: Object Select Item: Setup UTILITIES MENU Calculate eyepiece magnifications; set timer alerts; create your own landmark survey. The Universe of Autostar A utostar uto star Select Item: Utilities GLOSSARY What is an elliptical galaxy? How far away is the Sun? Expand your knowledge of astronomy by displaying terms and definitions, and other information.
Tip: When multiple choices are available within a menu option, the current option is usually displayed first and highlighted by a right pointing arrow (>). 3. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event: Sunrise" is displayed. 4. Press the Scroll Down key once to display the "Sunset" option in the Event menu. 5. Press the ENTER key to choose the "Sunset" option and move down another level. 6.
Tonight's Best How Far is Far A Star's Life Downloaded Tours User-created Tours Tour Objects Select Item: Guided Tour Accretion Disk Etc. B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... Z... A... Select Item: Glossary Note: The SmartFinder menu (for setting the blink rate and intensity of SmartFinder’s red dot) is only accessible by pressing and holding the Mode key for two seconds. See pages 10 and 13.
Use the OBJECT menu to select an object from the database. When your telescope is aligned and you select an object from any of these lists, you just need to press the GO TO key to move the telescope so that it is pointed at the selected object. Object Menu Almost all observing with AutoStar is performed using the Object menu category. (The two exceptions are the Guided Tours and Landmark Survey.) See GO TO SATURN, page 19, for an example of observing using the Object menu.
1. Want to learn more about using the Browse menu? See page 38. 2. Scroll through the Object menu options until the “Object: Identify” screen appears. 3. Press ENTER. AutoStar searches the database for the identity of the object being observed. 4. If the telescope is not directly on an AutoStar database object, the nearest database object is located and displayed on the screen. Press GO TO and the telescope slews to that object.
is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the AutoStar Help function or when reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star. Press ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen and AutoStar goes to the glossary entry for that word. To access directly from the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry and then press ENTER to read the description.
Sleep Scope is a power saving option that shuts down AutoStar and the telescope without forgetting its alignment. With "Sleep Scope" selected, press ENTER to activate the Sleep function. AutoStar goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running. Press any key, except ENTER, to re-activate AutoStar and the telescope. Park Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope.
J Tracking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky. a. b. c. Sidereal: The default setting for AutoStar; sidereal rate is the standard rate at which stars move from East to West across the sky due to the rotation of the Earth. Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observing sessions. Custom: Allows entry of user-defined tracking rates. J Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys (i.e.
J Want to learn more about adding and editing sites? See page 29. Time Zone Atlantic Eastern Central Mountain Pacific -8 Alaska Hawaii Shift -4 Hours -5 Hours -6 Hours -7 Hours Hours -9 Hours -10 Hours Table 1: Time Zone Shift. Calculations are for standard time. Note: The Download function requires the optional #505 Astrofinder Software and Cable Connector Kit. See the instruction sheet included with the kit for more information on how to download. Also see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.
ADVANCED AUTOSTAR OPERATION 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 AutoStar and have placed the telescope in the "Home" position (when appropriate).
Using AutoStar to Find Objects Not in the Database In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the AutoStar database lists. You will enter the object's name and R.A. and Dec. coordinates (required information). You may also enter the object's magnitude and size (optional information). Although AutoStar contains an extensive database of celestial objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Select a satellite from 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.
Interactive Mode: Tour name appears on the first line of the AutoStar display and the name of the object displays on line 2. To display descriptive text in this mode, the user must press ENTER. Comment Line Information in the Tour program that is not displayed, such as authorship, revision history, copyrights, etc. All comments begin with a "/" character in column 1 of the line.
The following commands specify objects that are already in the AutoStar database. If these commands follow the command AUTO SELECT, the object's title displays on line 1 and its description scrolls across line 2. Do not add a description string after the following command lines; these commands access objects with existing description in the AutoStar database.
STAR "name" Enter STAR followed by the name of the desired star in quotes. For example: STAR "Vega" LANDMARK az alt "title" "description" Enter the azimuth (az) for the desired object in the following format: xxxdxxmxxs. For example: 123d27m00s. Then enter the altitude of the desired object in the following format: xxdxxmxxs. Then enter the title string and description string in quotes.
To Add a landmark to the database: In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial landmarks in AutoStar's memory. 1. Set the telescope in the home position, if necessary. Note for future reference where the telescope is located and if you have aligned the telescope, which alignment method is used. Important Note: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the database. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
displays information about an object in its database that is closest to the one you queried about. IMPORTANT NOTE: For this function to operate properly, you must first set the telescope in the home position and initialize AutoStar. If you physically move the telescope after initialization, this function will fail to operate properly.
One-Star Alt/Az Alignment One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a database of bright stars. One-Star Alignment is identical to Two-Star Alt/Az: Alignment (see TWO-STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, above), except only one star from this database is chosen by the observer for alignment.
2. Look through the reticle. Use the Arrow keys to keep the star centered in the reticle cross-hairs. AutoStar displays a count of the 150 positions of the worm gear. When the count reaches 150, one cycle is complete. A full cycle takes about 24 minutes. 3. Press MODE to exit. PEC Update Menu Option PEC Update does not overwrite the data, but updates the training using information gathered from both the last and the current training sessions. Press the MODE key to exit from this option.
PHOTOGRAPHY 7 2 1 5 3 4 6 Fig. 30: Example of photography through the ETX using the #64 T-Adapter: (1) Short section of #64 T-Adapter; (2) Extension section of #64 T-Adapter; (3) Knurled attachment ring; (4) T-mount; (5) Flip-mirror control in “up” position; (6) 35mm camera body; (7) Format 1. Photography with a 35mm Camera Fig. 31a: Flip mirror control in the “up” position. Fig. 31b: Flip mirror control in the “down” position. Fig. 32a: Example of a format 1 photo.
Photography through a long lens, such as the ETX, requires special technique for good results. The photographer should expect to use several rolls film in acquiring this technique. Long-lens photography has its own rewards, however, which short-focus lenses cannot duplicate. A Few Tips on Photography 1.Use the standard tripod or the optional table tripod ( see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42) as a platform for the telescope.
• • • • • • • • • • If the camera is not directly coupled to the eyepiece, keep it as close to the eyepiece as possible and center the image to be photographed to minimize vignetting (darkening of the edges of the photo). Try to block ambient light (from street lights, house, etc.) from the eyepiece and the camera with a piece of cardboard, a screen, etc. Keep extra (charged) batteries on hand for your camera as digital cameras often drain batteries in a short period of time.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories are available for the for ETX telescopes. Meade accessories greatly extend many important applications to the telescope, from low-power, wide-field terrestrial viewing to high-power lunar and planetary observing. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself.
Fig. 38: The #932 45° Erecting Prism. #932 45° Erecting Prism: All ETX models include an internal optically-flat mirror to reflect light to the telescope’s 90° astronomical observing position. In this position the telescope’s image is upright, but reversed. For terrestrial observing with an ETX model, the #932 Erecting Prism (Fig. 38) correctly orients the eyepiece image and provides a convenient 45° observing angle.
MAINTENANCE Your ETX model telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding observations. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, the telescope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Use the following guidelines: 1. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: a little dust on the front surface of the telescope’s correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. 2.
Storage and Transport When the telescope is not in use, store it in a cool, dry place. Do not expose the instrument to excessive heat or moisture. It is best to store the telescope in its original box with the vertical and horizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1a and 1b) in the unlocked positions. If shipping the telescope, use the original box and packing material to protect the telescope during shipment.
Object appears in the SmartFinder but not in the eyepiece: • The SmartFinder is not properly aligned with the telescope (see ALIGNING SMARTFINDER, page 13). Slew speed does not change when you press the SPEED key or the telescope moves slowly even though the fast slew speed is chosen: • The battery power may be low (see HOW TO ASSEMBLE, page 12). Telescope does not track a celestial object: • Make sure that the telescope is correctly aligned. See AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 17, for more information.
SPECIFICATIONS Specifications: ETX-90PE Astro Telescope Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain Primary mirror diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96mm (3.78”) Clear aperture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90mm (3.5”) Focal length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1250mm Focal ratio (photographic speed). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f/13.8 Near focus (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SmartFinder. . . . . . . . . . . Red dot projected onto finder’s lens LNT Module . . . . . . High accuracy, temperature-compensated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oscillator, updatable using Meade’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . optional ATUM accessory Input voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 volts DC Motor Drive System . . . DC servo motors with encoders, both axes Bearings: Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AutoStar Specifications Processor ............................................................................68HC11, 8MHz Flash Memory ............................................................1MB, reloadable Keypad ........................................................................20 key alphanumeric Display ........................................................................2 line, 16 character LCD Backlight......................................................................
APPENDIX A: EQUATORIAL (POLAR) ALIGNMENT Equatorial Alignment In equatorial (or "polar") Alignment, the telescope is oriented so that the horizontal and vertical axes of the telescope are lined up with the celestial coordinate system. Important Note: The "Telescope: Mount" option of the Setup menu is set to "Alt/Az" as the default mount by the factory. If the telescope is equatorially mounted, you must choose the "Polar" option from the AutoStar "Telescope: Mount" menu.
However, owners who wish to perform astrophotography or use the Meade LPI or Deep Sky Imager (see PHOTOGRAPHY WITH MEADE’S AUTOSTAR SUITE, page 41, for more information) will find equatorial mounting indispensible to their needs. 2 Equatorial Mount Equatorial mounting lines up the telescope’s polar axis with the North Celestial Pole (or the South Celestial Pole if observing in the southern hemisphere).
D A Fig. 47: Set latitude. North Celestial Pole + D 5. Press ENTER repeatedly until “Setup: Align” displays. 6. Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Setup: Telescope" displays. Press ENTER. “Telescope: Telescope Model” displays. 7. Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Telescope: Mount" displays. Press ENTER. “Scope Mounting: Alt/az” displays. 8. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Scope Mounting: Alt/az" displays. Press ENTER. "Telescope: Mount" displays again. 9. Press Mode once.
Little Dipper Setting Circles The ETX models are equipped with R.A. and Dec. setting circles (13 and 16, Fig. 1a) to aid in locating faint celestial objects when the telescope has been polar aligned. Setting circles emulate the celestial coordinates found on star charts or in sky catalogs. Any charted object is easily located by coordinates in R.A. (in hours, minutes and seconds, from 0h 0m 0s to 23h 59m 59s) and Dec. (in degrees from 0° to ±90°).
APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 51), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, add one degree for every 70 miles.
APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 53 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure. Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exercise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy. ETX TIPS 1 2 Verify that AUTOSTAR INITIALIZATION is complete.
APPENDIX D:CHANGING THE LNT MODULE BATTERY Top Alignment screw Side Alignment screw The LNT Module uses a lithium coin CR2023 battery that will last about 5 years and is installed with the original LNT Module assembly. After you replace the battery, you will need to recalibrate the telescope’s sensors and reset the time and date. You will need a new battery. Also, you may use Meade’s optional Atomic Time Update Module, although this is not necessary. To replace the battery: Fig.
APPENDIX E:BASIC ASTRONOMY In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your ETX, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains. What he saw and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind thinks about the universe.
Tip: Enter a date in the Date menu and you can determine if a planet(s)— or any other object in the database—will be visible during the night of the entered date. After entering a new date, go to the Object menu and select the desired planet from the menu. Then keep pressing one of the Scroll keys until the rise and set times display. Press MODE to exit. Fig. 58: The planet Jupiter. Jupiter's four largest moons can be observed in a different position every night.
MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY Every Meade telescope, spotting scope and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase.
