Meade MAX-ACF instruction manual Contents

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WARNING!

®

Never use a Meade MAX- ACF™ 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.

If you have never focused a MAX-ACF telescope before, go to pages 25 to 27 for detailed information.

®The names "Autostar," "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in principal countries throughout the world. "MAX-ACF" is a trademark of Meade Instruments Corporation.

Patents:

US 6,304,376

US 6,392,799

US 6,563,636

D422,610 Patent Pending.

© 2010 Meade Instruments Corp.

CONTENTS
Telescope Features	4
Autostar II Features	11
Assembly	14
Tripod Assembly	14
Pedestal Assembly and Adjusting Latitude	14
RA Assembly	16
Dec Saddle Assembly	16
Attach Counterweights	18
Low Latitude Counterweights	18
Attach OTA to Dec Saddle	20
Attach Autostar II	21
Electrical connections, Align Viewfinder with OTA ....	22
Home Position and Balancing the OTA	23
Balance RA Axis	23
Balance Dec Axis	24
Getting Started	25
Attach Handbox Holder	25
Mounting, Focusing & Aligning the Viewfinder	25
Focusing the Telescope	25
To Change Focus Speed	25
To Focus the Eyepiece	26
Presets	26
To Define a Preset	26
To Focus with a Microfocuser	26
To Focus the MAX-ACF and a Microfocuser ....	26
To Select a Preset	27
To Sync on a Preset	27
Slew Speeds	27
To Align for the First Time	28
Automatic Alignment	28
Drift Align	29
Collimation	29
Align the OTA	30
Calibrate Home	31
Basic Autostar II Operation	32
Autostar II Menus	34
Menu Tree	34
Objects Menu	35
Event Menu	36
Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu	36
Setup Menu	38
Hot Button Menus	41
Advanced Autostar II Features	42
Adding Observing Sites	42
Creating User Objects	43
Observing Satellites	44
Identify	44
Browse	45
Alternate Polar Alignment Methods	46
To Download the Latest Autostar II Software	46
Periodic Error Correction	47
Optional Accessories	48
Maintenance	51
Specifications	52
Meade Consumer Solutions	53
Appendix A: Latitude Chart	54
Appendix B: The Moon	55
Appendix C: Smart Mount	56
Appendix D: How to Read the Latitude Scale	58

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Contents MEADE.COM Page Contents Components of MAX Telescope FeaturesPedestal Assembly Pedestal Wedge AssemblyRight Ascension Housing Assembly RA AssemblyDeclination Housing Assembly DEC AssemblyMAX Tripod COUNTER- WeightsCounterweights TripodMaleTHE OTA Optical Tube AssemblyControl Panels and Ports RA Assembly Control Panel Saddle Control PanelAutostar II Features Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a ButtonLibrary # of Objects Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Pedestal Assembly and Adjusting Latitude Position Tripod AssemblyIf you need to set for low range or high range Latitude AdjustmentAssembly Requires TWO People to Lift RA AssemblyDEC Saddle Assembly Attach Counterweight Assembly 21 B Attach Optical Tube to the DEC Saddle Attach LOW Latitude CounterweightsWhen end Align the Viewfinder with the OTA Electrical ConnectionsHome Position and Balancing the OTA To Balance the RA AssemblyBalance the DEC Axis This ProcedureMounting and Focusing the Viewfinder for the First Time Getting StartedAlign the Viewfinder Focusing the Telescope To exit the focus operation at any time To select a previously defined focus presetTo sync on a focus preset Slew SpeedsTo prepare your telescope for Automatic Alignment Aligning for the First TimeHow to Drift Align Max Northern Hemisphere CollimationTest your Collimation OTA align bolt. Misaligned 1, 2, Aligned Follow these steps for collimation of the optical systemParking the Scope Calibrate HomeBasic Autostar Autostar II Navigation ExerciseTo Calculate Sunset time Navigating Autostar Example of Locating a menuAutostar IIs Menus To slew the telescope to catalog objects Object MenuEvent Menu Glossary MenuUtilities Menu Enter Setup Menu Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving Setup Menu Daylight SAVING, above 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 ObjectsIdentify Observing SatellitesDisplayed information Example BrowseEasy Polar Alignment Alternate Polar AlignmentsInitialize Autostar Two-Star Polar AlignmentErase Menu Option Periodic Error CorrectionUpdate Menu Option Train Menu OptionMeade Series 4000 Eyepieces Optional AccessoriesRear cells of Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain models Deep Sky Imager Maintenance Telescope Specifications Advanced Autostar II System Specifications Autostar II Handbox SpecificationsMeade Consumer Solutions City Country Latitude Appendix a Latitude ChartLatitude Chart for Major Cities of the World City State/Prov./Country LatitudeAppendix B the Moon To observe the Apollo 15 landing site using the Moon optionIntroduction OperationTraining Off UpdatePermanently Mounted Scopes Other Menus Options Save As and LoadAppendix D How to Read the Latitude Scale Page Meade Limited Warranty