Meade LX200 R instruction manual Custom Tracking Rate

Note:

Custom Tracking Rate

allows you to enter values from -999 (stands for - 99.9%) to 999 (stand for +99.9%). The lower the number, the slower the rate; the higher the number the faster the rate. If you enter -999, the telescope will move so slow as to appear to be stopped. If you enter 999, the telescope will be moving at approximately twice the tracking rate.

(Note that it does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a camera or other peripheral attached to the tele- scope—you can prevent it from striking the telescope base. 90 (straight up) is the maximum value that can be entered.

Mount Lower Limit: Allows you enter a number from 0 to 90 that sets a lower limit as to how far the optical tube can swing downward during a programmed slew. (Note that it does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This is useful when you have a large optical tube (12" model) or have a dewshield attached to the telescope—you can prevent it from striking the tele- scope base. -90 (straight down) is the maximum value that can be entered.

Park Position: For permanently mounted telescopes only. After aligning your tel- escope, select this menu and power down the telescope. The alignment set- tings—level, North, time, alignment stars—are stored in AutoStar II's memory and are remembered after you power off the telescope. When you power on the tele- scope, "Automatic Alignment" displays after the start up routine. Press MODE (do not press ENTER). The telescope remembers its alignment and you can contin- ue viewing or performing other operations without aligning the telescope again.

Park Position provides two options. Use Current Position uses the last position set by the user. Use Default Position levels telescope and points it North. Calibrate Home: For permanently mounted telescopes only. After aligning your telescope, select this menu and the alignment settings—level, North, time, align- ment stars—are stored in AutoStar II's memory and are remembered after you power off the telescope. You can enable AutoStar II to retrieve and automatical- ly align your telescope using these settings the next time you power up by choos- ing the Align on Home menu. See ALIGN ON HOME, page 28, for more informa- tion. Note: This method is not as precise as PARK POSITION (see above). Anti-Backlash:This option allows you to change the backlash along either the R.A. and the Dec. axes by entering a number from 0% to 199%. This sets the backlash in the way the Arrow keys move the telescope along an axis. If you enter a value near 199%, telescope responds more quickly as you hold down an Arrow key. If you enter a value near 0%, it takes longer for the tube to respond as you hold down an Arrow key. Experiment with this option: Try changing the values until the motion of the telescope (while holding down an Arrow key) feels comfortable to you.

Train Drive: All telescopes have a certain amount of "backlash" (looseness in the interplay of gears). This menu allows you to compensate for the backlash in the the Altitude and Azimuth motors—which helps locate objects with more precision. Calibrate Sensors: This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing accuracy to alignment stars. It calibrates to correct slight mechanical misalign- ment 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. AutoStar II uses the position of Polaris to fine tune the position of North and also detects level for the base of the telescope.

Tracking Rate: Changes the speed at which the telescope tracks targets in the sky.

a.Sidereal: The default setting for AutoStar II; sidereal rate is the standard rate at which stars move from East to West across the sky due to the rotation of the Earth.

b.Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observing sessions.

c.Custom: Allows entry of user-defined tracking rates.

Guiding Rate: Allows you to change the base slew speed, 1x. Enter a percent- age of the speed (less than 100%) and press ENTER. This function may be use- ful in guiding the telescope during CCD and long-exposure photography. See SLEW SPEEDS, page 17, for more information.

Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys for con- trolling the telescope's motion (i.e., the Right key moves the telescope to the left).

- 29 -	Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope
	at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.