Meade RCX400TM instruction manual Contents

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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 dam- age 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 tele- scope or its viewfinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervi- sion while observing.

Caution: Use care to install batteries in the orientation indicated by illustration in the bat- tery slots of the battery holder. 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.

®The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal coun- tries throughout the world. "RCX400 " and "AutoStar II" are trademarks of Meade Instruments Corporation.

Patents:

US 6,304,376

US 6,392,799

US 6,563,636

D422,610 Patent Pending.

© 2005 Meade Instruments Corporation.

CONTENTS

 

 

Focusing your Telescope

Inside front cover

Quick-Start Guide

4

Telescope Features

8

Autostar II Features

13

Getting Started

16

Parts Listing, How to Attach the Tripod

16

How to Assemble the Tripod

16

How to Assemble Your Telescope

16

To Attach the Mount

16

To Install the Batteries

16

To Connect Autostar II and Attach the Holder

17

To Attach the Diagonal and Eyepiece

17

Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder

18

Observing

16

Choosing an Eyepiece

19

Focusing the Telescope

19

Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually

20

Terrestrial Observing

21

Observing Using Arrow Keys

21

Slew Speeds

21

Observe the Moon, Astronomical Observing

22

To Track an Object Automatically

22

Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus

22

Automatic Alignment

22

Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking

24

Go To Saturn, Using the Guided Tour

24

Basic Autostar II Operation

26

Autostar II Menu Exercises

26

Navigating Autostar II

27

Autostar II Menus

28

Menu Tree

28

Objects Menu

29

Event Menu

30

Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu

31

Setup Menu

32

Hot Button Menus

36

Advanced Autostar II Features

37

Adding Observing Sites

37

Creating User Objects

38

Observing Satellites, Landmarks

39

Identify

40

Browse

41

Alternate Alt/Az Alignment Methods

42

To Download the Latest Autostar II Software

43

Periodic Error Correction

44

Photography

45

Optional Accessories

48

Maintenance

51

Collimation

51

Specifications

54

Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment

57

Appendix B: Latitude Chart

62

Appendix C: How to Create Your Own Guided Tour

63

Appendix D: Training the Drive

67

Appendix E: The Moon Menu

68

Appendix F: Smart Mount

69

Appendix G: Basic Astronomy

71

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Contents
MEADE.COM How to Hot Swap the Autostar II Handbox Focusing the TelescopeContents Hook the Release Pin Tighten the adjustment lockAttach the legs of the tripod to the base Rotate the legMove the optical tube from its shipping position Install the batteriesPosition the mount over the tripod Secure the mount with the T-handleTurn on AutoStar Attach the visual back and diagonal mirrorInsert the eyepiece and remove dust cover Plug in the AutoStar II handboxTighten the R.A. and Dec. Locks To exit the focus operation 1. Press Mode Point and ObserveFan Telescope FeaturesViewfinder close up Base Computer Control Panel see j RCX400 Your Personal Window to the UniverseDefinitions Viewfinder Autostar II Features Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a ButtonLibrary # of Objects About changing slew RCX400 Tips Getting Started Parts ListingHow to Assemble the Tripod How to Assemble Your TelescopeTo attach the diagonal mirror and the eyepiece To attach AutoStar II and connect the handbox holderAligning the Viewfinder Mounting and Focusing the Viewfinder for the First TimeTo focus the telescope eyepiece PresetsObserving Choosing an EyepieceObserving by Moving the Telescope Manually To define a presetTo select a previously defined focus preset To sync on a focus presetObserving Using Autostar IIs Arrow Keys Terrestrial ObservingSlew Speeds Moving Through Autostar II’s Menus Observe the MoonAstronomical Observing To Track an Object AutomaticallyWhich One’s the Alignment Star? Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking Feature Using the Guided TourGo To Saturn RCX400 Info Basic Autostar Autostar II Navigation ExerciseTo Calculate Sunset time Navigating Autostar Example of Locating a menuSelect Item Object AutostarTo slew the telescope to catalog objects Object MenuDefinition Event MenuUtilities Menu Glossary MenuLook into the Future Setup MenuPage Adding and editing sites? Setup Menu Daylight SAVING, Hot Button Menus Adding Observing Sites To Add a Site to the user-defined site listTo Edit a Site To GO to a user-entered object Creating User ObjectsObserving Satellites LandmarksTo Add a landmark to the database To check on the available amount of memory in Autostar IdentifyTo Select a landmark from the database To perform a Landmark SurveyDisplayed information Example BrowseEasy Two-Star Alignment How to perform the Easy Align ProcedureAlternate Alt/Az Alignments Initialize AutostarOne-Star Alt/Az Alignment To Download the Latest Version of Autostar II SoftwareTo Set the Home Position Manually Erase Menu Option Periodic Error CorrectionUpdate Menu Option Train Menu OptionFew tips on photography with the RCX400 telescopes PhotographyPhotography with Meade’s AutoStar Suite Photography with a Digital CameraImage of M13 captured with the Deep Sky Imager Meade Series 4000 Eyepieces Optional AccessoriesSeries 4000 8 24mm Zoom Eyepiece Star Charts Maintenance CollimationTest your Collimation Defocused star images. Misaligned 1, 2, Aligned Follow these steps for collimation of the optical systemMeade Customer Service Inspecting the OpticsGauging the Movement of the Telescope 12 f/8 RCX400 Specifications 10 f/8 RCX400 Specifications14 f/8 RCX400 Specifications Autostar II Handbox Specifications Advanced Autostar II System SpecificationsSetting Circles Equatorial AlignmentCelestial Coordinates Equatorial Wedge Declination Setting CircleLocating Polaris Lining Up with the Celestial PoleRCX400 mounted on an equatorial wedge Precise Polar AlignmentTwo-Star Polar Alignment Autostar II Polar AlignmentEasy Polar Alignment One-Star Polar AlignmentCity Country Latitude Appendix B Latitude ChartLatitude Chart for Major Cities of the World City State/Prov./Country LatitudeComment Line Command LineWhat you will need Tour ModesTitle Writing a TourPick ONE / Pick END Downloading Tours Pick END Auto Slew on / Auto Slew OFFFurther Study Appendix D Training the DriveAppendix E the Moon Menu To observe the Apollo 15 landing site using the Moon optionTraining Appendix FIntroduction OperationOff UpdatePermanently Mounted Scopes Other Menus Options Save As and LoadMoon Basic AstronomyAutostar II Glossary Objects in SpaceDeep-Sky Objects PlanetsPage Meade Limited Warranty
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