Meade LXD55 Series, Instruction Manual

Telescope Features   ...................................................... 4
Autostar Features .......................................................... 9
Getting Started ..............................................................11

Unpacking and Assembly..........................................11
How to Assemble Your Telescope ............................11
Balancing the Telescope ..........................................13

Aligning the Viewfinder..............................................14

Choosing an Eyepiece ..............................................14
Observing By Moving the Telescope Manually ........15

Activate the Arrow Keys ............................................16

Slew Speeds ............................................................16
Observe the Moon ....................................................17
Tracking Objects ......................................................17

Setting the Polar Home Position ........................17
Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking ..........18
Using Autostar's GO TO Capabilities ..................18
Moving Through Autostar’s Menus......................19
Initializing Autostar ..............................................19
Training the Drive ................................................20

Easy Alignment ........................................................21
Go To Saturn ............................................................21
Using the Guided Tour ..............................................22

Basic Autostar Operation................................................23

Autostar Navigation Exercise ....................................23

Entering Data into Autostar ......................................24
Navigating Autostar ..................................................24

Autostar's Menus ............................................................25

Object Menu..............................................................26
Event Menu ..............................................................27
Glossary Menu ..........................................................27
Utilities Menu ............................................................27
Setup Menu ..............................................................28

Useful Autostar Features ................................................32

Adding Observing Sites ............................................32

Using Autostar to Find Objects Not in the Libraries....33
Observing Satellites ..................................................34
Landmarks ................................................................34
To Check on Available Memory ................................35

Photography ..................................................................36
Optional Accessories ......................................................37
Maintenance ..................................................................39
Specifications ................................................................45
Appendix A: Celestial Coordinates ................................48

Setting Circles ....................................................48
Locating the Celestial Pole..................................49
One- And Two-Star Polar Alignment....................49   

Appendix B: Enhancing Pointing Precision ....................50

The Polar Alignment Viewfinder ..........................50

Axis Alignment Method 1 ....................................50
Axis Alignment Method 2 ....................................53   

Appendix C: Latitude Chart ............................................54
Appendix D: EC Handbox ..............................................55
Appendix E: Mounting the Model SC-8 Optical Tube ....59   
Appendix F: Basic Astronomy ........................................60

CONTENTS

WARNING!

Never use a Meade

®

LXD55-Series

Telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or
near the Sun will cause instant and irre-
versible 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.

CAUTION: Use care to install batteries in
the orientation indicated by the illustration in
the battery 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. "LXD55" and "Autostar" are
trademarks of Meade Instruments Corporation.

"Easy Align" U.S. patent 6,392,799 and other patents pend-
ing.

Intelligent Network Architecture to Facilitate Parallel Task
Management U.S. patent 6,304,376 

© 2003 Meade Instruments Corporation.