Instruction Manual 10", 12", 14”, 16" RCX400™ Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien Telescopes with AutoStar II® Hand Controller and Digital Front Focus MEADE.
Focusing the Telescope As you look over your new RCX telescope, one of the first things you will notice is that it has no Focus Knob! Because this design is of key importance, we are presenting this information on how to focus your telescope on the inside front cover so that it is immediately accessible. The Focus Key All focusing of the RCX400 is performed digitally, using AutoStar II’s Focus key (number key 4).
CONTENTS WARNING! Never use a Meade RCX400 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 or its viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.
QUICK-START GUIDE Assemble Your Tripod c STEP 1: Attach the legs of the tripod to the base: Slide each leg (1) into a leg receptacle (2) ..... B STEP 2: Locate the screw in the leg: ....making sure that the screw (3) in the leg..... d STEP 3: Slide screw into groove: ....slides into the groove (4) on the receptacle e g STEP 4: Tighten the adjustment lock: f f Rotate the leg attachment lock (6) and tighten to a firm feel.
Attach the Mount to the Tripod STEP 6: Position the mount over the tripod: Take note of the T-handle/rod (8) that goes through the tripod base. The T-handle/rod is spring-mounted into position. Note also that there is a hole (7) on the bottom side of the mount base. Lift the mount and position the mount base over the tripod base. Line up the hole on the mount base over the T-handle rod. When they are lined up, the rod will “pop up” into the hole.
QUICK-START GUIDE {CONTINUED} Insert the Telescope Diagonal Mirror and Eyepiece 1% STEP 10: Attach the visual back and diagonal mirror: 1. 1& 1* Thread the ring of the visual back (16) over the rear cell (15) and rotate the ring, tightening to a firm feel. Slide the diagonal (18) into the visual back and secure it in place using the visual back thumbscrew (17).
Point, Focus and Observe 2& STEP 14: Tighten the R.A. and Dec. Locks: Move the R.A. lock (27) and tighten to a firm feel. Rotate the Dec. Lock (28) and tighten to a firm feel, also. 2* STEP 15: Focus: 2( To change the focus speed: Press the Focus key (2() once. “Focuser: Fast (or the current speed)” displays. Use one of the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of 4 available focus speeds: Fast, Medium, Slow, Fine.
TELESCOPE FEATURES 2! B c d e f g h Viewfinder 2) Fan 1( Optical tube Dust cover 1* Dec. lock 1& Dec. slow motion control 1^ Eyepiece Diagonal mirror Rear cell and 2” visual back OTA control panel Right fork arm 1% AutoStar II handbox and tiltable holder 1$ Handles Left fork arm Battery compartments R.A. lock i j R.A. slow motion control Base control panel 1) GPS Receiver 1! Dec Setting Circle Mounting base On the left fork arm Fig. 1a: The RCX400 Telescope; Dec.
2@ Viewfinder objective lens 2# Locking ring 2$ 2% Adjustment screws Viewfinder eyepiece/focuser 2^ Viewfinder bracket and dovetail mount Fig. 1b: The Viewfinder close up. 2& Tripod base with leg receptacles 2( Sliding inner leg extension 3@ T-handle 2* 3) Tripod legs 3! Leg attachment lock Locking latch and thruster bar mechanism Fig. 1c: The Tripod.
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 RCX400: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE The Meade RCX400 models 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, altitudeazimuth (or 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." 1#) in the unlocked position. Set the R.A.
only) prevents the telescope from being moved manually, but engages the vertical motor drive for AutoStar II operation. 1* Dust Cover: Gently pry the dust cover from the front lens of the telescope. Note: The dust cover should be replaced after each observing session and the power turned off to the telescope. 1( 2) Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination through the eyepiece.
AUTOSTAR II FEATURES 1 2 3 5 6 7 K 4 8 9 J Fig. 2: The Autostar II Handbox. Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Control of the RCX400 telescope models is through the operation of the standard Autostar II system. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few pushes of Autostar II’s buttons. Want to learn more about downloading the latest updates of Autostar II software from the Meade website? Go to www.meade.com/support/auto.html for complete instructions.
The Autostar II system provides control of virtually every telescope function. The Autostar II handbox has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is backlit with red LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for easy viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement, and sequential menu structure make Autostar II extremely user friendly. B c d e Want to learn more e about using the GO TO function? See page 24.
4 FOCUS: Toggles between two functions. The first press allows you to change the focus and focus speed. The next press allows you to create presets that tell the telescope where to focus. 5 SS: Press to display the Solar System library. 6 STAR: Press to display the Star library. 7 RET (Reticle): Press to display the Reticle Control menu. 8 IC: Press to display the Index Catalog library. 9 NGC (New General Catalog): Press to display the NGC catalog library.
GETTING STARTED c 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: J J J J J J J B Fig. 7: Attach leg (1) to leg receptacle (2).
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 fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long period of time. To attach AutoStar II and connect the handbox holder 1. Plug in the AutoStar II handbox: Check 1$ h i 1# 1@ Fig.
2. Insert eyepiece: Remove the UltraWide 24mm eyepiece from its container and slide it in the diagonal mirror. Tighten the thumbscrew (Fig. 20) located on the diagonal mirror to a firm feel only. 3. Remove dust cover: Remove the dust cover (18, Fig. 1a) from the optical tube assembly by gently prying it off. Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder for the First Time 2@ 2$2# Fig. 21: Viewfinder bracket assembly: Slide the track (23) into the mounting slot (22). Tighten the thumbscrews (24) to secure.
OBSERVING Important Note: Objects appear upside-down and reversed left-for-right when observed in the viewfinder. Objects viewed through the telescope eyepiece when inserted into the diagonal prism assembly appear right-side-up, but reversed left-for-right. Choosing an Eyepiece This image inversion is of no consequence when observing astronomical objects and, in fact, all astronomical telescopes yield inverted images.
Sync On Preset menu if you do not park your telescope (this menu will reset all your focus presets after you turn off and turn on your scope again ). To define a preset: 1. Point the telescope at a distant object, press FOCUS and use the Up and Down Arrow keys to focus the telescope until the object is sharply focused as previously explained. 2. Press the Focus key again (FOCUS toggles between the Focus menu and the Preset menu). “Focuser Preset: Go To” displays.
You can also observe stars and objects in the night sky using this method, but note that objects begin to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by the rotation of the Earth. As you become familiar with the Autostar II handbox operation, you can counteract the drift using the automatic tracking feature in the Autostar II Setup menu (see TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 22), or by using Autostar II's GO TO capabilities (see GO TO SATURN, page 24).
Speeds 4, 5, or 6: Enable centering of an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece, such as the standard UltraWide 24mm. Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the viewfinder. Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another. Observe the Moon Definition: Initialization is a procedure that ensures that Autostar II operates correctly.
Important Note: Once the telescope is aligned, only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope. Once the telescope has been aligned, do not loosen the telescope locks (13 and 17, Fig. 1a), or move the base manually, or alignment will be lost. Important Note: If the objects you have chosen are not in the eyepiece after after alignment, it is also recommended that you CALIBRATE SENSORS. This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing accuracy to alignment stars.
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.
5. Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll keys to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe. 6. Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to leave the Guided Tour menu. Other Guided Tours are available, such as "How Far is Far" and "A Star's Life." If you have programming skills, you may wish to create a custom Guided Tour. See CREATE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR, page 63.
BASIC AUTOSTAR II 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. AAutostar utostar I I The Universe o f Select Item: Utilities GLOSSA RY What is an elliptical galaxy? How far away is the Sun? Expand your knowledge of astronomy by displaying terms and definitions, and other information.
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. Autostar II calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time, and location. Autostar II then displays the results of the calculation. 7. Press MODE once to start moving back up through the Autostar II levels. The first level up is the Event menu. 8. Press MODE again to move up another level.
Sunrise Sun Transit Sunset Moonrise Moon Transit Moonset Moon Phases Next Full Moon Next New Moon Next 1st Qtr Next 3rd Qtr Meteor Showers Quadrantids Lyrids Etc. Solar Eclipses Lunar Eclipses Min. of Algol Autumn Equinox Vernal Equinox Winter Solstice Summer Solstice Select Item: Event Figure 31: The Complete Autostar II Menu Tree Structure. OTA Fan Dew Heater OTA Temperature Ambient Temp. Timer Set Start & Stop Alarm Set On & Off Eyepiece Calc.
Object Menu Almost all observing with Autostar II is performed using the Object menu category. (Note: Exceptions include Guided Tour and Landmark Survey.) See GO TO SATURN, page 24, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE GUIDED TOUR, page 24. Autostar II contains many libraries of viewable objects, such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae and so forth.
Identify: An exciting feature for an observer who wants to scan the night sky and start exploring. After the telescope has been properly aligned, use the Autostar II Arrow keys to move about in the sky. Then follow this procedure: Important Note: Only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope during the Identify procedure. Do not loosen the telescope locks or move the base or alignment is lost. Want to learn more about using the Browse menu? See page 41. 1.
Glossary Menu The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common astronomical terms and Autostar II functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in Autostar II. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the Autostar II Help function or when reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star.
Panel Light: Allows you to turn off LED panel light. Aux Port Power: Allows you turn off and on the 12vDC OUT power port. Beep: Turns the beep alerts on or off. Temperature: Gives a temperature reading of the ambient air. This reading is not always available. Want to learn more about Landmarks? See page 39. Landmark Survey: Automatically slews the telescope to all user-defined landmarks with a short pause at each location. Press ENTER to start the survey.
Smart Mount: See page 69 for detailed information. GPS-UTC Offset: Universal Time (UTC) adds leap seconds to its time calculations, GPS does not. The offset is the number of leap seconds added since the establishment of GPS. Telescope: Accesses several options, including: J Mount: Set this option to "Alt/Az" if using alt/az alignment and to "Polar" if using polar alignment. "Alt/Az" is the default value. J Model: Allows you to select the telescope model connected to Autostar II.
J North Calibrate Sensors: This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing accuracy to alignment stars. It calibrates to correct slight mechanical misalignment due to transport, vibration, or aging. It is recommended that calibration be performed once on a new telescope after the user initially assembles it. When this menu is selected, the telescope slews to Polaris. Autostar II then prompts you to center Polaris and to press ENTER.
J Select: Displays the currently selected observing site. Use the Scroll keys to cycle through all available sites (see ADD below). Press ENTER when the site you wish to select displays. Use this option when you move to a different geographic location. J Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database. Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to add displays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner.
"Hot Button" Menus Two menus, six object libraries and two functions can be accessed directly using the Number keys (commonly referred to as "hot buttons"). The two functions, the Speed mode and the Utility light are described earlier in the manual. Focus Control Menus: Press Number key "4" to select these menus directly from Autostar II's keypad. Each time you press Focus, the key toggles between focus/focus speed menus and the preset control menus.
ADVANCED AUTOSTAR II FEATURES Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic operations of Autostar II described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume that you have a basic knowledge of Autostar II 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 and aligned your telescope.
11. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays. 12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited displays. Press ENTER to select the site. Creating User Objects In this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear in any of the Autostar II libraries.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).
Observing Satellites In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass. 1. Navigate to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER. 2. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites. 3. Select a satellite from the list and press ENTER. 4. "Calculating...." and then "Tracking..." displays. If the satellite is going to make a pass, "Located" displays. 5. Use the Scroll keys to display data about the pass: aos—acquisition of signal and los—loss of signal.
those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to "Astronomical" when you wish to view celestial objects again. 3. Press MODE once. "Select Item: Setup" displays. 4. Press the Scroll Down key once and "Select Item: Object" displays. Press ENTER. "Object: Solar System" displays. 5. Press the Scroll Up key twice and "Object: Landmarks" displays. Press ENTER. "Landmark: Select" displays. 6. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Landmark: Add" displays. Press ENTER. 7.
In this procedure, you will center an object you wish to have identified by Autostar II in the telescope eyepiece and use the "Identify" menu to find out information about the object or the nearest object to it in the Autostar II database. 1. Center the object you wish to have identified in the telescope's eyepiece. 2. Navigate to the "Object: Identify" option and press ENTER. 3. "Searching..." displays. When Autostar II finishes calculating, the name of the closest object displays. 4.
Alternate Alt/Az Alignments If you would rather set up your telescope without using automatic alignment, Autostar II offers alternative alignment methods for both alt/az and equatorial mounting. During the One-Star and Two-Star alt/az alignment procedures, you will (unlike the Automatic and Easy alignment procedures) manually place the telescope in the home position.
3. Set Home Position. Place the telescope in the home position. To Set the Home Position Manually: a. See Figs. 32 and 33, page 34. Loosen the telescope’s Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1a). Set the optical tube to 0° on the Dec. setting circle (Fig. 33). b. Tighten the Dec. lock (17, Fig. 1a) to a firm feel only. Note: Autostar II locates alignment stars based on the date, time, and location entered. The alignment stars may change from night to night.
Periodic Error Correction If you wish to perform high-precision astrophotography, you may wish to "train" your telescope in order to keep objects that you are imaging dead center in the telescope's field of view during the photographic exposure. Periodic error correction (PEC) helps to remove the slight perturbations from center that occur due to the mechanical nature of a telescope.
PHOTOGRAPHY The RCX400 optical design consists of a hyperbolic secondary and corrector lens/primary combination that performs as one hyperbolic element. The corrector plate advantage, aside from the obvious optical correction that the lens produces, allow astrophotographers to make images free of diffraction spikes, with diffraction spikes being the only real negative to a traditional Ritchey-Chrétien design. You may perform through-the-telescope photography with any 35mm camera body with a removable lens.
Photography with a Digital Camera Although digital cameras still cannot match the quality of images provided by traditional 35mm cameras, they provide some significant advantages to the casual astrophotographer: You do not have to develop the images (instant images), lower costs, computer and internet readiness. And because unwanted photos are easily discarded, they provide the freedom to experiment.
• Magic Eye software-assisted focusing. • Automatic and manual exposure control from .001 to 15 seconds (up to 450x longer than web cams). Automatically takes multiple exposures. • The AutoStar Suite Software includes powerful tools to help you get the most from your Meade RCX400 telescope: • Sophisticated planetarium program with over 19 million objects. • Select objects from the planetarium display and the telescope slews to those objects.
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is available for the RCX400 telescope models. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to the quality of the instrument itself. Consult the Meade General Catalog for complete details on these and other accessories. Meade Series 4000 Eyepieces: 10” f/8 Power/Actual Field Eyepiece 12” f/8 Power/Actual Field 14” f/8 16” f/8 Power/Actual Field Power/Actual Field Plössl Eyepieces (5 elements; 1.25” O.D.
Series 4000 Nebular Filters: A modern boon to the city-dwelling deep-space observer, the interference nebular filter effectively cancels out the effects of most urban light pollution, while leaving the light of deep-space nebular emissions virtually unattenuated. Meade Series 4000 Nebular Filters utilize the very latest in coating technology, and are available with threaded cells for eyepieces or for attachment to the rear cells of Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain models. Fig.
#1220 Field De-rotater: The field de-rotater attaches to the rear cell of the telescope and plugs into an RS232 (Serial) port. Digital data fed from the telescope's microprocessor to the field de-rotater permit precise and continuous update of the de-rotation required to maintain pinpoint star images throughout the field. The effect is that even during the longest CCD or photographic exposures, the telescope acts as if it were precisely equatorially mounted.
MAINTENANCE RCX400 telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your RCX400 will rarely, if ever, require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: a. 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. b.
rings; these are called diffraction rings. Focus until the diffraction rings fills about 10% of the eyepiece field-diameter. If the dark central spot is offset in (i.e., not concentric with) the diffraction rings, your telescope’s optical system is misaligned and requires collimation. Follow these steps for collimation of the optical system: The only adjustments possible, or necessary, on the RCX400 models is performed with the AutoStar handbox.
Inspecting the Optics A Note about the “Flashlight Test:" If a flashlight or other high-intensity light source is pointed down the main telescope tube, the view (depending upon the observer’s line of sight and the angle of the light) may reveal what appear to be scratches, dark or bright spots, or just generally uneven coatings, giving the appearance of poor quality optics.
TELESCOPE SPECIFICATIONS 10" f/8 RCX400 Specifications Optical design ..............................................Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien Clear aperture..............................................254mm (10") Focal length ................................................2032mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ................f/8 Resolving power ..........................................0.45 arc sec Focus ..........................................................
14" f/8 RCX400 Specifications Optical design ..............................................Advanced Ritchey-Chrétien Clear aperture..............................................356mm (14") Focal length ................................................2845mm Focal ratio (photographic speed) ................f/8 Resolving power ..........................................0.321 arc sec Focus ..........................................................4-speed front focusing mechanism Slow Motion Controls ............
AUTOSTAR II SPECIFICATIONS Advanced Autostar II System Specifications Processors ........................................................10 processors arranged in a Distributed Intelligent Network Architecture to facilitate parallel task management (U.S. Patent 6,304,376) Flash Memory ............................................4 MB, reloadable Database......................................................180,000 objects Drive Control ................................................
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.
Using setting circles requires a developed technique. When using the circles for the first time, try hopping from one bright star (the calibration star) to another bright star of known coordinates. Practice moving the telescope from one easy-to-find object to another. In this way, the precision required for accurate object location becomes evident. Note You may also enter an object's R.A. and Dec. coordinates using the "User: Objects" option of Autostar II's Object menu.
Lining Up with the Celestial Pole Objects in the sky appear to revolve around the celestial pole. (Actually, celestial objects are essentially “fixed.” Their apparent motion is caused by the Earth’s rotation). During any 24 hour period, stars make one complete revolution about the pole, making concentric circles with the pole at the center.
ting circle and slightly loosen the two bolts located under the knob. Now turn the circle unit until it reads 89.2°, the Declination of Polaris. Then tighten down the two bolts and replace the knurled knob. Should you wish to use the manual setting circles, the R.A. setting circle (Fig. 51) must be calibrated manually on the Right Ascension of a star every time the telescope is set up. (The R.A.
Autostar II Polar Alignment Autostar II provides three different (manual) methods for polar alignment: Easy, OneStar and Two-Star. Important Note: In order to select any of Autostar II's three polar alignment options, you must first select "Polar" in the "Mount" option of the "Setup: Telescope" menu. Easy Polar Alignment Two alignment stars are chosen by Autostar II based on the date, time, and location. First, choose "Polar" from the "Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu.
APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 57), 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: CREATE YOUR OWN GUIDED TOUR Creating your own Guided Tour can be an extremely useful tool. You can preprogram a script of objects you wish to view and study on any given night. You can also create a viewing script for students or for a friend. More commands will be added from time-to-time to the list below. Periodically visit Meade's website (www.meade.com) for future additions.
TITLE IC PLANET COMET CONSTELLATION PICK ONE/PICK END TEXT SAO MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE STAR AUTO SLEW USER MESSIER SATELLITE METEOR SHOWER LANDMARK ON/OFF NGC CALDWELL ASTEROID DEEP SKY DEFINE #END Description String: Description of an object. Must be surrounded by quotation marks. If the description is longer than one line, each line must end with a quotation mark and a hard return. Begin the next description line with a quotation mark.
PLANET "name" Enter PLANET and then the name of the desired planet in quotes. Autostar II provides the user with a description of the selected planet from its database. For example: PLANET "Pluto" MOON This command accesses information about the Moon from the Autostar II database. SATELLITE "name" Enter SATELLITE and then the name of the desired satellite in quotes. Autostar II displays information about the satellite from its database.
PICK ONE AUTO SELECT MESSIER 13 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 15 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 92 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 4 AUTO SELECT MESSIER 68 AUTO SELECT NGC 1234 AUTO SELECT TEXT "None Available" "I'm sorry. There are no bright globular" "clusters visible at this time." PICK END AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, Autostar II automatically slews the telescope to objects first before displaying the text description.
APPENDIX D: TRAINING THE DRIVE Train the telescope motors using Autostar II. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig. 55 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 exer- cise once every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy. 1 2 Verify that AUTOSTAR INITIALIZATION is complete.
APPENDIX E: THE MOON MENU The Moon option of the Object menu allows you to observe the moon in a way never possible before. You will be able locate many specific features of the lunar surface, including hundreds of craters, mare, valleys, and mountains. One special feature allows you to view all six Apollo landing sites.
APPENDIX F: Smart Mount Introduction Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your RCX400 telescope's "Go to" system. Despite careful efforts to calibrate and align telescopes, they may fail to precisely center objects. Smart Mount allows your telescope to learn about, and then correct for, any systematic pointing errors, regardless of the cause.
Permanently Mounted Scopes For permanently mounted telescopes, it is not necessary to have more than one model unless the weight and balance of auxiliary equipment introduces balance or flexure changes that significantly affect pointing. The best practice is to train the Smart Mount and then run a couple of sessions with Update enabled. Thereafter, simply leave Smart Mount On as the installation default.
APPENDIX G: 16" RCX400 Caution: Due to the weight and size of the 16" RCX model, please use extreme caution whenever assembling, disassembling, lifting, transporting or storing this product. Two or more persons should always be used whenever performing any of the above tasks. Disregard for the above warning could result in serious injury or death. B Commercial Shipping Caution: Serious damage to the drive gears may result from shock in handling. During transport or commercial shipping, the R.A.
Note: Tightening to a firm-feel is sufficient. Over-tightening may result in stripping of the knob threads or damage to the tripod legs; it provides no additional strength. Loosen the tension knob (3, Fig. 58), holding the spreader bar (4, Fig. 58), and slide the spreader bar down the threaded rod until you can rotated it so that the three arms align with the three tripod legs. Tighten the tension knob ( Fig.
a. Located on the two top surfaces of the fork are two shoulder bolts. These two bolts function as locating pins for the OTA. On the inside edge of the Dec. castings are two matching holes (with slots). Before trying to mount the OTA, be sure to locate these two bolts and holes. Notice that the bolts and holes are located on one side of the castings, requiring the OTA to be mounted one way only. Fifth bolt Connector thumbscrew DB-37 Connector Fig.
BASIC ASTRONOMY In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your RCX400, 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) will be visible during the night of the entered date by checking its rise and set times. Planets Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. To locate the planets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and Telescope or Astronomy. You can also consult Autostar II for information about planets. Scroll to the "Object: Solar System" menu and scroll through the lists of planets.
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.
