
Note: It is not necessary for the user to collimate the refractor models.
THE
MAINTENANCE
General Maintenance
a.Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: A little dust on the front surface of the tele- scope’s correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens.
b.When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with gen- tle strokes of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy). DO NOT use a commercial photographic lens cleaner.
c.Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You may also add 1 drop of biodegradable dishwashing soap per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often.
Caution: Do not use scented or lotioned tissues or damage could result to the optics.
d.Do not, for any reason, remove the correcting plate from its machined hous- ing for cleaning or other purposes. You will almost certainly not be able to replace the corrector in its proper rotational orientation and serious degra- dation of optical performance will result. Meade Instruments assumes no liability for damage incurred to the telescope in this way.
e.If the LXD55 is used outdoors on a humid night, water condensation on the tele- scope surfaces will probably result. While such condensation does not normally cause any damage to the telescope, it is recommended that the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth before the telescope is packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in the warm indoor air, so that the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended.
f.If your LXD55 is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one month or more, it is advisable to remove the batteries from the telescope. Batteries left in the telescope for prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescope’s electronic circuitry.
g.Do not leave your LXD55 inside a sealed car on a warm summer day; excessive ambient temperatures can damage the telescope’s internal lubrication and elec- tronic circuitry.
Alignment (Collimation) of the
All Meade
The collimation procedure for the Meade
40