Meade LXD55 instruction manual How to Attach the Optical Tube to the Mount

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Slot

Groove

Screws at the back-end of the bracket

Locking Knobs

Fig. 48: Mounting the SC bracket and optical tube to the mount.

		e
lid				rd
S				rd
			a
		rw
	o
F

Screws at the back-end of the bracket

Fig. 49: Adjusting the balance of the optical tube when using heavy acces- sories.

APPENDIX E: MOUNTING THE MODEL SC-8 SCHMIDT- CASSEGRAIN OPTICAL TUBE

How to Attach the Optical Tube to the Mount

The LXD55 model SC-8 Schmidt-Cassegrain assembles and operates identically to all the other LXD55 models equipped with an Autostar handbox, with one exception: the optical tube is attached to the mount with a mounting bracket rather than the cra- dle ring assembly. The optical tube is shipped with the mounting bracket already attached. To attach the mounting bracket /optical tube assembly to the mount, perform the following steps.

1.Perform steps 1 through 6 as described in HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, pages 11 and 12.

2.Slide the mounting bracket into the cradle assembly mounting slot. For most applications, set the groove in the bracket next to the cradle locking knob, so that the bolt of the cradle locking knob will enter the groove when the knob is tight- ened. Tighten both the cradle locking knob and the secondary locking knob to a firm feel. See Fig. 48.

If you are using heavy accessories (such as a camera, microfocuser, etc.) on the back end of the tube, you may need to balance the tube differently to keep the tube from drifting downward: Slide the mounting bracket and tube forward, until the screws at the back end of the tray touch the mount. See Figs. 48 and 49. Then tighten the cradle locking knob and the secondary locking knob to a firm feel.

3.Continue the assembly with step 9 as described in HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TEL- ESCOPE, page12, and complete all the subsequent steps. All other procedures are identical as described earlier in this manual.

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Contents Meade Instruments Corporation Page Contents 1 1% g f e Telescope Features$2% LXD55-SeriesYour Personal Window to the Universe Computer Control Panel see e LXD55 Tips Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button Autostar FeaturesFeatures Tip Getting Started How to Assemble Your TelescopeTelescope Assembly AccessoriesViewfinder assembly Schmidt-Newtonian models Insert eyepiece into holder and tighten thumbscrews Balancing the TelescopeChoosing an Eyepiece Aligning the ViewfinderObserving by Moving the Telescope Manually Too Much Power?Slew Speeds Autostar Models Only Activate the Arrow Keys Autostar Models Only16b Setting the Polar Home PositionObserve the Moon Tracking ObjectsUsing Autostars GO to Capabilities Autostar Models Only Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking FeatureInitializing Autostar Autostar Models Only Moving Through Autostar’s Menus Autostar Models OnlyTraining the Drive Autostar Models Only Go To Saturn Autostar Models Only Easy Alignment Autostar Models OnlyPlanet Saturn is over 800 million miles from the Earth Using the Guided Tour Autostar Models OnlyTo Calculate Sunset time Autostar Navigation ExerciseNavigating Autostar Entering Data into AutostarSelect Item Object Autostars MenusObject Menu MenusLXD55-Series Event MenuGlossary Menu Utilities MenuEnter Setup MenuObserving Considerations Setup Menu Daylight SAVING, Surf the Web To Edit a Site Adding Observing SitesTo Add a Site to the user-defined site list To GO to a user-entered object Using Autostar to Find Objects Not in the LibrariesTo Add a landmark to the database Observing SatellitesLandmarks To perform a Landmark Survey To Check on the Available MemoryTo Select a landmark from the database Few tips on photography with the LXD55-Seriestelescopes Photography10 f/4 Optional AccessoriesSeries 4000 Photo-Visual Page General Maintenance MaintenanceD e f g Page Defocused star images. Misaligned 1, 2, Aligned Inspecting the Optics Meade Customer Service4 Model SN-8, SN-8EC Specifications Specifications5 Model SN-6, SN-6EC Specifications 8 Model AR-6 Specifications 10 f/4 Model SN-10 Specifications9.3 Model AR-5, AR-5EC Specifications Autostar Dimensions 10 Model SC-8 SpecificationsAutostar Specifications Appendix a Celestial Coordinates Setting CirclesTwo-Star Polar Alignment Locating the Celestial PoleOne- and Two-Star Polar Alignment One-Star Polar AlignmentMethod 1 Manual Alignment Axis Alignment ProcedureProcedure #1 To correct for attitude misalignment Polar Alignment ViewfinderPosition a Procedure #2 To correct for elevation misalignmentTips Star ChartsMethod 2 Axis Alignment Using Autostar City Country Latitude Appendix C Latitude ChartLatitude Chart for Major Cities of the World City State/Prov./Country LatitudeAppendix D EC Handbox Slew Speeds To move the telescope using the Electronic ControllerModes of Operation Tracking Rates Optional Autostar Computer Controller for LXD55 EC Users Changing the Polar ModeMounting the SC bracket and optical tube to the mount How to Attach the Optical Tube to the MountMoon Appendix F Basic AstronomyAutostar Glossary Objects in SpaceDeep-Sky Objects PlanetsFurther Study Page Meade Instruments Corporation