Instruction Manual
ETX Premier Edition Telescope Series®

AutoStar® — LNT™ — SmartFinder™

™

CONTENTSWARNING!
Never use a Meade ETX PE Telescope tolook 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 theobserver that damage has occurred until it is
too late. Do not point the telescope at or near
the Sun. Do not look through the telescopeas it is moving. Children should always haveadult supervision while observing.
®

®

Caution: Use care to install batteries in theorientation indicated by illustration in thebattery slots of the battery compartment.
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.

If you are anxious to use your telescope
for the first time, read the QUICK-STARTGUIDE on pages 4 and 5.

® The name "Meade," “ETX,” “AutoStar” and the Meade logo
are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and inprincipal countries throughout the world.
“LNT [Level North Technology],” “SmartFinder,” “Deep Sky
Imager,” “LPI,” and “Tonight’s Best” are trademarks of Meade
Instruments Corporation.

Patents:
US 6,304,376
US 6,392,799
US 6,563,636
D 422,610
Patent Pending© 2004 Meade Instruments Corporation.

Quick-Start Guide .......................................................... 4
Telescope Features ...................................................... 6
AutoStar Features .......................................................... 9
Getting Started ..............................................................12Parts Listing ..............................................................12
How to Assemble Your Telescope & Tripod ..............12
Using SmartFinder, Aligning SmartFinder ................13
Choosing an Eyepiece ..............................................14
Observing ......................................................................15
Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually..........15
Terrestrial Observing ................................................15
Observing Using AutoStar's Arrow Keys ..................15
Slew Speeds ............................................................16
Astronomical Observing, Observe the Moon............16
To Track an Object Automatically ..............................16
Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus......................16
Initializing AutoStar for the First Time..................17
Automatic Alignment............................................17
Observe a Star Using Automatic Tracking ..........18
Go To Saturn, Using the Guided Tour ................19
Basic AutoStar Operation ..............................................20
AutoStar Navigation Exercise ..................................20
Entering Data, Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus ..21
AutoStar Menus ............................................................22
Menu Tree ................................................................22
Objects Menu ............................................................23
Event Menu, Glossary Menu ....................................24
Utilities Menu ............................................................25
Setup Menu ..............................................................26
Advanced AutoStar Operation ........................................29
Adding Observing Sites ............................................29
Finding Objects Not in the Database ........................30
Observing Satellites ..................................................30
Create Your Own Guided Tour ..................................31
Landmarks ................................................................34
Identify ......................................................................35
Advanced Alt/Az Alignment Methods........................36
Smart Drive Training (PEC) ......................................37
Browse ......................................................................38
Photography ..................................................................39
Photography with AutoStar Suite ..............................41
Optional Accessories......................................................42
Maintenance ..................................................................44
Troubleshooting ........................................................45
Specifications ................................................................47
Appendix A: Equatorial (Polar) Alignment ......................50
Equatorial Alignment, Celestial Coordinates ............50
Polar Mounting with #884 Deluxe Field Tripod..........50
Equatorial Mounting Procedure ................................51
To Track a Star When Polar Mounted........................51
Polar Alignment Modes, Locating Celestial Pole ......52
Setting Circles ..........................................................53
Appendix B: Latitude Chart ............................................54
Appendix C: Training the Drive ......................................55
Appendix D: Changing the LNT Module Battery ............56
Appendix E: Basic Astronomy ........................................57

QUICK-START GUIDEThis Quick Start Guide demonstrates how to install the batteries and eyepiece, and how to observe using the AutoStar Arrowkeys. If you wish to try out AutoStar’s “Go To” capabilities, check out the list of page references at the bottom of the following page.

2

B
H

A
®

Remove the ETX telescope from its packaging and place
it on a sturdy surface. Place the ETX on its side andremove the battery compartment cover (A) from the underside of the drive base. Insert eight (user-supplied) AA-size
batteries into the battery compartment (B) oriented asshown in the battery compartment. Replace the cover andreturn the telescope to an upright position (if you wish toattach the telescope to the deluxe field tripod, see page
12).

...and the other end of the coiled cord into the coiled cord
port at the bottom of AutoStar handbox (H), as shown above.

C
D

I

E

J

Tighten (to a "firm feel" only, do not overtighten) the vertical lock(I) and the horizontal lock (J). See page 7 and 8 for more information.

Place the 26mm eyepiece (C) into the eyepiece holder on
the telescope and tighten the attachment thumbscrew (D) toa "firm feel" only. See page 7, for more information. Remove
the dust cover (E) from the end of the telescope tube.

F

F

G

Make sure that the computer control panel power switch(F) is in the OFF position. Remove the Autostar handbox
and the coiled cord from the packing materials. Plug one
end of the cord into the HBX port (G).
®

4

Flip the Power Switch (F) on the computer control panel to
the ON position. A copyright message lights on AutoStar’s
LCD display, followed by a warning not to look at the Sun.
Press the AutoStar key prompted by the message when you
are done reading.
A “Getting Started” message displays. Press ENTER to skip
this message.
See pages 9 to 11 for more information about AutoStar’s
keys.

To change the speed at which the telescope moves (known as
the “slew” speed) press a NUMBER KEY from 1 through 9. 1
is the slowest speed and 9 is the fastest.

Enter
Key

L

K
Scroll Up
Key

ScrollDown
Key

Make sure that the flip mirror control (K) is in the “Up” position,
as shown the diagram above.

AutoStar then displays: “Location Option: 1-Zipcode 2-City”.
This option allows you to choose how you wish to enter thelocation of your observing site: you can enter your zip code
or choose the site from a list of countries, states and cities.
Press the number key “1” if you wish to enter by zip code.
Then enter the five digits of the zip code of your observingsite and press ENTER.
Press the number key “2” if you wish to select yourobserving site from a list of country, states and cities. First,
use a Scroll key to cycle through the list of countries andstates (listed alphabetically). Press ENTER when thecorrect location displays. Next, use a Scroll key to cycle
through the list of cities (also listed alphabetically). Press
ENTER when the closest city displays.
Finally “Telescope Models” displays. Using the SCROLL KEYS,
cycle through the list of telescope models and press ENTER
when your model displays.
The display now displays "Setup: Align." See page 17 for more
information.
If AutoStar does not requests the Country/State, City andTelescope Model information, use the "Telescope Model"
and "Site" options in the Setup menu to change thisinformation. See pages 27 and 29 for more information.

Arrow
Keys

Arrow
Keys

NumberKeys

You can now use the Arrow keys to slew (move) thetelescope up, down, right or left. Practice using the ARROW
KEYS to center objects in the eyepiece.

L

Sight along the side of the telescope’s main tube to locate an
object. If you wish to learn how to align the telescope’s
SmartFinder, see page 13.
Use the telescope’s focus knob (L) to bring the object into
focus.

If you wish to learn more about observing with
AutoStar and other features of your telescope, see:
Page 13 to learn how to use SmartFinder
Page 17 to learn how to perform an Automatic Alignment
Page 19 to learn how to “Go To” Saturn”
Page 19 to learn about Guided Tours
Page 22 for a Menu tree of AutoStar’s menus
Pages 23 to 38 to learn more about AutoStar’s menus

5

TELESCOPE FEATURES
17

2

1

19
E

5
9

16
B

C

D

A

B

13
10
11

10

12

Fig. 2 (Inset): Computer Control Panel. (A) On/Off switch;(B) Auxiliary ports; (C) Handbox port; (D) 12v connector; (E)Power indicator light.

Fig. 1a: Side View

Features of the ETX-90PE, ETX105PE and ETX-125PE are identical,
with the exception of the size of
optical tube.

2

18

1
3
4

Fig. 1a, b and Fig. 2:
The ETX Premier Telescope
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

6

Eyepiece
SmartFinder
Holder Thumbscrew
90° Eyepiece Holder
Optical Tube
Vertical (Dec.) Lock
Fork Arms
Focus Knob
Horizontal (R.A.) Lock
Computer Control Panel
A. ON/OFF Switch
B. Auxiliary Ports (2)C. Handbox PortD. 12v
E. LED
Base Housing
Battery Compartment(bottom of base)
Right Ascension (R.A.)/
Horizontal Setting Circle
Flip-Mirror Control Knobs
Photo Port
Declination (Dec.)/Vertical
Setting Circle
SmartFinder Alignment Screws
LNT Module
Dust Cap (not visible)

6
16

15
8
14
7

13

Fig. 1b: Rear View

MEADE ETX: YOUR PERSONALWINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE
Caution:Using products other thanstandard Meade accessories
may cause damage to thetelescope’s internal
electronics and may void the
Meade warranty.

B Want to learn more

The Meade Premier Edition ETX-90PE, ETX-105PE and the ETX-125PE are
extremely versatile, high-resolution telescopes. With pushbutton controls, automatic
tracking of celestial objects and diffraction-limited imaging, an ETX Premier telescope
may be all the telescope ever required by many terrestrial and astronomical
observers.
Your ETX telescope reveals nature in an ever-expanding level of detail. Observe thefeather structure of an eagle from 50 yards or study the rings of the planet Saturn froma distance of 800 million miles. Focus beyond the Solar System and observe
majestic nebulae, ancient star clusters, remote galaxies and even stars recently
discovered to have planets orbiting about them. Meade ETX Premier telescopes are
instruments fully capable of growing with your interest and are ideal for both thecasual observer and serious astronomer alike.

about the eyepieces
available for your ETX
telescope?

Telescope Controls
Become acquainted with all of these controls before attempting observations throughSee OPTIONALACCESSORIES, pages
42 and 43.

B

Eyepiece: Place the supplied 26mm eyepiece into the 90° Eyepiece Holder (4,Fig. 1b) and tighten in place with thumbscrew (3, Fig.1b).

C

Smartfinder™
Provides an easier way to sight on objects than the main telescope’s eyepiece
which has a narrow field of view. Comes pre-assembled on the telescope.

DEyepiece Holder Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece in place. Tighten to a firm
feel only.

eF

90° Eyepiece Holder: Holds the eyepiece upright for easy viewing.

the telescope.

c Want to learn more
about theSmartFinder?
See Aligning
SmartFinder, page 13.

G Want to learn moreG

Vertical (Dec.) Lock: Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope.
Turning the vertical lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope enabling it to be
freely rotated by hand about the vertical axis. Turning the vertical lock clockwise(to a firm feel only) prevents the telescope from being moved manually, but
engages the vertical motor drive clutch for AutoStar operation. When polaraligned, the vertical lock serves as the Declination or Dec. lock.
Note: The vertical lock knob is a knurled knob located on the fork arm to
the right of the focus knob (8, Fig. 1b). Mounted beneath the knob is a circular scale without numbers. Do not confuse this scale with the Dec.
setting circle (16, Fig. 1a) on the opposite fork arm which has a numberedscale used to locate astronomical objects.

H

Fork Arms: Hold the optical tube in place.
Note: The telescope base and fork mount are designed with internal“rotational limit stops.” The horizontal limit stop prevents the telescopefrom rotating more than 630° to avoid damage to the internal wiring. The
vertical limit stop prevents the smartfinder from striking the fork mountwhen the telescope is pointed upward just past 90° and prevents the
optical tube from striking the base if pointed downward more than 30°. Do
not force the telescope to move beyond these stops or damage to thetelescope will result.

i

Focus Knob: Moves the telescope’s primary mirror in a finely-controlled motion
to achieve precise image focus. The ETX telescopes can be focused on objects
from a distance of about 11.5 ft (ETX-90PE) or 15 ft (ETX-105PE or
ETX-125PE) to infinity. Rotate the focus knob clockwise to focus on distantobjects and counterclockwise to focus on nearby objects.

about the Right
Ascension and
Declination setting
circles? See page 54.

Caution:When loosening the Dec.
lock, be sure to support
the optical tube (5 Fig.
1a). The weight of the
tube could cause the tube
to swing through the forkarms suddenly.

Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distantobjects and brings this light to a focus for examination with the eyepiece.

7

Definitions
Throughout this manual,
you will notice the terms"Alt/Az," "Right
Ascension," and"Declination." Alt/Az or
more properly, altazimuth,
is frequently used to refer toaltitude or Declination (theup-and-down verticalmovement of the telescope)and azimuth or Right
Ascension (the side-to-sidehorizontal movement of thetelescope). Right Ascension
is abbreviated as "R.A."
and Declination as "Dec."j

Horizontal (R.A.) Lock: Controls the manual horizontal rotation of the telescope.
Loosen the horizontal lock counterclockwise to unlock the telescope, enabling it tobe freely rotated by hand about the horizontal axis. Tightening the horizontal lock
clockwise prevents the telescope from being rotated manually, but engages the horizontal motor drive clutch for AutoStar operation. When polar aligned, the horizontal lock serves as the Right Ascension or R.A. lock.

1)

Computer Control Panel (see Fig. 2)
A. ON/OFF Switch: Turns the Computer Control Panel and AutoStar
handbox ON or OFF.
Note: Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long
period of time.
B. Auxiliary (AUX) Ports (2): Provide connection for current and future
Meade accessories. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.
C. Handbox (HBX) Port: Plug the AutoStar handbox into this port.
D. 12v: The 12v connector is designed to accept an external power
supply such as the optional #541 AC Adapter or the #607 Power Cord(see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42). When one of the external
power supply options is used, the internal batteries are disconnectedfrom the power circuit.
E. LED: The red power indicator light illuminates when power is supplied
to the connected handbox and to the telescope’s motor drive.

1!

Base Housing: Supports the telescope for placement on a flat, level surface,such as a tabletop or tripod.

1@

Battery Compartment (not shown, underneath base): Install eightuser-supplied AA batteries in this compartment. See page 12 for more
information.

1#
1$

Right Ascension (R.A.) Setting Circle: See page 53 for detailed information.

Fig. 3a: Flip mirror control inthe “up” position.

Fig. 3b: Flip mirror control inthe “down” position.

1* Want to learn more aboutaligning the
SmartFinder?
See pages 13.

1( Note: The dust cap
should be replaced
after each observing
session and thepower turned off to
the telescope. Verify
that any dew thatmight have collectedduring the observing
session has
evaporated prior to
replacing the dust
cap. Do not
overtighten.

8Flip-Mirror and Flip-Mirror Control Knobs: ETX telescopes include an internal
mirror. With the flip-mirror control in the “up” position, as shown in Fig. 3a, light isdiverted to the eyepiece. With the flip-mirror control in the “down” position, as
shown in Fig. 3b, light proceeds straight out the photo port for photography. See
PHOTOGRAPHY, page 39.
Note: The flip-mirror control is in the “up” position when the control isvertical (perpendicular to the telescope tube). To place the flip-mirror in the“down” position, turn the control until it is horizontal.

1%

Photo Port: Attach any 35mm camera with a removable lens to this port using an
optional #64ST T-Adapter or attach the #932 Erecting Prism for correctly
oriented images through the eyepiece. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.

1^

Declination (Dec.) Setting Circle (on left fork arm): See page 53 for detailed
information.

1&

SmartFinder Alignment Screws: Adjust these screws to align the SmartFinder.
See pages 13 and 14 for more information.

1*

LNT (Level North Technology) Module: This assembly has sensors which automatically points the telescope North, and detects the level and tilt of the telescopeduring automatic alignment. See page 17 for more information about Automatic
Alignment. The LNT bracket also contains a LNT Module which supplies the timeand date to AutoStar. The time is set at the factory. See ATOMIC TIME UPDATEMODULE PORT below.

1(

ATOMIC TIME UPDATE MODULE Port: Attach Meade’s ATOMIC TIME UPDATEMODULE optional accessory into this port. Your telescope’s time is set at the factory before it is shipped, but the ATOMIC TIME UPDATE MODULE allows your tele-scope to update the time module from the NIST atomic clock in Fort Collins,
Colorado.

2)

Dust Cap: Unthread the dust cap counterclockwise from the front lens of thetelescope.

AUTOSTAR FEATURES
1

L
4

3
5

1 LCD Display
2 ENTER Key

6

3 MODE Key
4 GO TO Key
5 Arrow Keys

7K

7 Scroll Keys
8 Speed/? Key89

6 Number KeysJ

9 Coil Cord
10 RS232 Port
11 Light key
12 Utility Light

Fig. 4: The AutoStar Handbox.

Tour the Cosmos with Just the Push of a Button
Control of ETX Telescopes is through the operation of the standard-equipment #497
AutoStar. Nearly all functions of the telescope are accomplished with just a few
pushes of AutoStar’s buttons. Some of the major features of AutoStar are:Want to learn more about
downloading the latest
updates of AutoStar
software from the
Meade website? Seepages 28 and 42.

•

Automatically move the telescope to any of the 30,000 objects stored in the
database or manually enter the astronomical coordinates of any celestial object.

•

Take a guided tour of the best celestial objects to view on any given night of the
year.

•

Download the latest satellite data, guided tours and software revisions directlyfrom the Meade website (www.meade.com) and share software with other
AutoStar enthusiasts. (Requires optional #505 AstroFinder™ Cable Connector
Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.)•

Access a glossary of astronomical terms.

•

Calculate which eyepiece to use for optimum viewing of a celestial object.

AutoStar provides control of virtually every telescope function. The AutoStar handbox
has soft-touch keys designed to have a positive feel. The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)is backlit with red LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for easy viewing in the dark. The backlit display, key arrangement and sequential menu structure make AutoStar extremelyuser friendly.

9B 2-Line LCD Display: This screen displays AutoStar's menus and information
about the telescope.
Top line: Lists the primary menu.
Bottom line: Displays other menus that may be chosen, menu options,
telescope status or information about a function that is being performed.
ENTER Key: Press to go to the next menu level or to choose an option in a menu.
The ENTER key is similar to the RETURN or ENTER key on a computer. See MOVING THROUGH AUTOSTAR’S MENUS, page 21 and AUTOSTAR MENUS, page 22.
••cd MODE Key: Press to return to the previous menu or data level. The top menu levelis “Select Item." The MODE key is similar to the ESCAPE key on a computer.
Note: Pressing MODE repeatedly while in the “Select Item” level moves
AutoStar to the topmost screen: “Select Item: Object.”
If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, information about thetelescope's status displays. When the status displays, press one of the Scroll
keys (7, Fig. 2) to display the following information:• Right Ascension and Declination (astronomical) coordinates• Altitude (vertical) and Azimuth (horizontal) coordinates• Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST)• Timer and Alarm Status• Date• Site coordinates• Battery status• SmartFinder Finder Set menu (see below)
Press MODE again to return to the previous menu.
Finder Set menu: Select the Finder Set menu to access options that will allow you to
set the intensity and blink rate of the SmartFinder red dot.
To set the blink rate of SmartFinder’s red dot (circled numbers refer to Fig. 4):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

7.

8.

e Want to learn more
about using the GO TO
function? See page 19.
Want to learn how to
perform a spiralsearch? See page 19.

10

Press and hold MODE c for two seconds. R.A and Dec. coordinates display.
Keep pressing the Scroll Down key h until “Finder Set: Set” displays.
Press ENTER b. “Finder Set: Intensity” displays.
Press the Scroll Down key h. “Finder: Blink On” displays.
Press ENTER b. A time value, in seconds, displays. For example, “00.5” maydisplay. “00.5” (one-half second) is the amount of time, in seconds, that the red
dot will blink “on.”Use the Number keys g and the Arrow keys f to change the time value. For
example, you may wish to change the amount of time the red dot stays on to 10.2
seconds: Press “1,” press the Right Arrow key f, press “0,” press the Right Arrowkey f, press “2.” An alternate method is to use the Scroll keys h to scroll
through the time values. Once the time value is entered, press ENTER b.
Press the Scroll Down key h. “Finder: Blink Off” displays. Press ENTER b. A
time value, “00.1” (one-tenth second), may display. For example, you may wish tochange the amount of time the red dot stays off to 00.7 seconds: Press the Right
Arrow key f twice (as the first two values are already zero), then press “7.” Or
you may use the Scroll keys h to scroll through the time values.
The SmartFinder’s red dot will now blink on for 10.2 seconds and turn off for 0.7
seconds, and then repeat the cycle until you change the values again. Press andhold MODE c to exit this function.

Similarly, you can set the Intensity value by scrolling through the intensity values withthen Scroll keys h. The option lets you select a value of intensity for the red dot from0 (Off) to 14 (Full Intensity).

e GO TO Key: After the telescope is aligned, press to slew (move) the telescope tothe coordinates of the currently selected object. While the telescope isslewing, the operation may be aborted at any time by pressing any key except
GO TO. Pressing GO TO again resumes the slew to the object. Also, press
during the alignment or GO TO procedures to activate a "spiral search."Also, use the Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 through 9 and the alphabet.
The Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit"9."Additionally, use the Arrow keys to to move the cursor across the display: Use theRight or Left Arrow key to move the cursor from one number to the next in the display.

f Arrow Keys: The Arrow keys have several functions. Press an Arrow key to slew
the telescope in a specific direction (up, down, left and right), at any one of ninedifferent speeds. See SLEW SPEEDS, page 16. Use the Arrow keys to move thetelescope vertically up and down. The Left Arrow key rotates the telescopehorizontally counterclockwise, while the Right Arrow key rotates it clockwise.

g Want to learn more
about changing slew
speeds? See page 16.

g Number Keys: Press to input digits 0 to 9. To change the speed at which thetelescope moves (known as the “slew” speed) press a NUMBER KEY from 1
through 9. 1 is the slowest speed and 9 is the fastest.

h Scroll Keys: Press to access options within a selected menu. The menu isdisplayed on the first line of the screen. Options in the menu are displayed, one
at a time, on the second line. Press the Scroll keys to move through the options.
Press and hold a Scroll key to move quickly through the options.
The Scroll keys also control the speed of text scrolling on the AutoStar display.
When text is scrolling, press and hold the Up Scroll key for a faster display speed
and the Down Scroll key for a slower display speed.

i ? Key: Press to access the "Help" file. "Help" provides on-screen information on
how to accomplish whatever task is currently active.

j

Press the ? key and then follow the prompts on the display to access details of
AutoStar functions in the Help feature. The Help system is essentially an
on-screen instruction manual.
If you have a question about an AutoStar operation, e.g., INITIALIZATION, ALIGNMENT, etc., press the ? key and follow the directions that scroll on thesecond line. When satisfied with the Help provided, press MODE to return to theoriginal screen and continue with the chosen procedure.
RS232 Port: Plug in optional cable to download the latest satellite data andsoftware revisions directly from the Meade website (www.meade.com). You canalso share software with other AutoStar enthusiasts or control your telescope
remotely from your PC. (Requires optional #505 AstroFinder™ Software andCable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.)1) Coil Cord Port/Coil Cord: Plug one end of the supplied AutoStar coil cord into
this port located at the bottom of the handbox and the other end into the HBX portof the Computer Control Panel.

1! Light/0 Key: Press to turn on Utility light (12, Fig. 4).
1@ Utility Light: Use this built-in red light to illuminate star charts and accessories
without disturbing your eye's adaptation to darkness. Press "0" to turn the light on
and off.

ETX TIPSStar Charts
Even with the AutoStar's large 30,000 object library, star charts andplanispheres are still useful for a variety of reasons. In particular, they are agreat aid in planning a night of celestial viewing.
A wide variety of star charts are available in books, in magazines, on the internet and on CD Roms. Meade offers AutoStar Suite™ and other star locator
software. Contact your Meade dealer or Meade's Customer Service
department for more information.
Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines print star charts each monthfor up-to-the-minute maps of the heavens.

11

GETTING STARTED
Parts Listing
Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When
first opening the packing box, note carefully the following parts:
•
•
•
•

Cover

•
Batteries

ETX Premier Telescope with fork mount system and SmartFinder#497 AutoStar handbox with coil cord.
One or more eyepieces, packed in plastic storage containers.
Hex-wrench, packed with the instruction manual. See MAINTENANCE,
page 44.
#884 Deluxe Field Tripod; two attachment knobs; spreader tray with separate spring, washers (2) and tension knob; leg extension lock knobs.

How to Assemble Your Telescope and Tripod

Fig. 5: Battery installation.

2

Assembly of the ETX telescope requires eight AA-size (user-supplied) batteries.
1.

1

Remove the ETX telescope from its packaging and place it on a sturdy surface.
Place the ETX on its side and remove the battery compartment cover from theunderside of the drive base. Insert eight (user-supplied) AA-size batteries into thebattery compartment oriented as shown in the battery compartment. Replace thecover and return the telescope to an upright position.
Caution: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the diagrams in thebattery compartment. Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. Do notinstall 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. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used for a long
period of time.

Fig. 6: Spread tripod legs.

2

Note: AutoStar does not require batteries; the telescope’s batteries
supply power to AutoStar.
2.

Fig. 7: Slide spreader on rod.

3

Fig. 8: Tension knob
assembly.

4
Fig. 9: Adjust tripod height.

3.

Assemble the #884 Deluxe Field Tripod:
Step a: Spread the tripod (1, Fig. 6) legs apart to a fully open position.
Step b: Slide the spreader tray (2, Fig. 7) onto the central threaded rod.
Step c: Slide a washer, followed by the spring, another washer and thetension knob (3, Fig. 8) onto the threaded rod. Tighten the tension knob
to a firm feel.
Step d: Adjust the height of the tripod by loosening the leg lock knobs (4, Fig. 9)
and adjusting the height of the inner leg extensions. Then retighten the lockknobs.
Mount your telescope in the altazimuth (alt/az) mode. If you wish to mount yourtelescope in the equatorial mode, see EQUATORIAL ALIGNMENT, page 50.
Note: Throughout this manual, you will notice the term "Alt/Az," or more
properly, altazimuth. This term is frequently used to refer to altitude or the
up-and-down vertical movement of the telescope). Azimuth refers to theside-to-side horizontal movement of the telescope.
Step e: Loosen the latitude control latch (6, Fig. 10) and lift up the tilt-plate (5, Fig.
10) so that you can easily access the underside of the plate. Relock thelatitude control latch, so the assembly doesn't slip while you are attaching
the telescope.
Step f: Line up the mounting hole (7, Fig. 11) on the base of the telescopemarked "High Latitude Leg" with the attachment knob (8, Fig. 11) that isclosest to the latitude control bar (9, Fig. 11). Line up the othermounting hole with the attachment knob at the bottom of the tilt-plate.
Thread both attachment knobs into the base of the telescope. Tighten toa firm feel only. (See Fig. 12.)
Step g: Unlock the latitude control latch (10, Fig. 13) and lower the tilt-plate until
it is level (push the tilt-plate down until it stops; this is the level
position). Lock the latitude control latch.

12

L
M
6

5

N

O

Fig. 10: Loosen control latch .

Fig. 15: Insert eyepiece.

7
8

4.

5.

9
Fig. 11: High latitude leg
mounting hole andcorresponding attachment
knob.

6.

Fig. 16: Tighten verticallock.

Fig. 17: Tighten horizontal
lock.

Place the 26mm eyepiece (12, Fig. 15) into the eyepiece holder on thetelescope and tighten the attachment thumbscrew (13, Fig. 15) to a "firm feel" only.
Make sure that the flip-mirror control (14, Fig. 15) is in the “up” position, as shownin the above photo. See page 14, for more information. Remove the dust cover (15,Fig. 15) from the end of the telescope tube.
Make sure that the computer control panel power switch (A, Fig. 2) is in the OFF
position. Remove the AutoStar handbox and the coiled cord from the packing
materials. Plug one end of the cord into the HBX port (C, Fig. 2)and the other endof the coiled cord into the coiled cord port at the bottom of AutoStar handbox, as
shown above.
Tighten (to a "firm feel" only, do not overtighten) the vertical lock (Fig. 6) and the horizontal lock (Fig. 9).

Using SmartFinder

8

As with most astronomical telescopes, an eyepieces presents a narrow field of viewto the observer. As a result it is sometimes difficult to locate objects just using youreyepiece. The SmartFinder has a projected red dot that helps you to locate objects
as you move your telescope.
To turn on SmartFinder’s red dot (continuous, without blinking):

Fig. 12: Attach telescope totripod.

J
Fig. 13: Level tilt-plate.

1. Press and hold MODE for two seconds. R.A and Dec. coordinates display.
2. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until “Finder Set: Set” displays.
3. Press ENTER. “Finder Set: Intensity” displays.
4. Press the Scroll Down key. “Finder: Blink On” displays.
5. Press ENTER. A time value, in seconds, displays. For example, “00.5” maydisplay. “00.5” is the amount of time, in seconds, that the red dot will blink “on.”(For this example, you may select or enter any value except “00.0.”) Press
ENTER.
6. Press the Scroll Down key. “Finder: Blink Off” displays.
7. Press ENTER. Use the Number keys to enter “00.0” or press the Scroll Down
key until “00.0” displays. “00.0” is the amount of time in seconds that the
red dot will remain “off.” This value, along with the value you chose in the“Finder: Blink On” menu, allows the red dot to remain on without blinking.
“00.0” means there is no “off” time, so the dot will remain on continuously,
without blinking.
8. Use these menus to set other blink rates. For example, If you select “00.1” inthe Blink Off menu, and “00.2” in the Blink On menu, the red dot will blink on
for .2 seconds and then blink off for .1 second, and then repeat the cycle until
you change the values again.
9. Press and hold MODE to exit this function.

Aligning SmartFinder
L
Fig. 14: Handbox HBX port.

In order for the SmartFinder to be useful, it must first be aligned with the main telescope, so that both the SmartFinder and the main telescope are pointing at
precisely the same location. To align the SmartFinder:
1. Point the main telescope at some well-defined distant (perhaps a mile away) land
object, such as a telephone pole or sign. Center the object, as precisely as

13

M

N

possible, in the SP 26mm eyepiece's field of view. Tighten the vertical andhorizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1) so that the tube cannot move and the object
remains centered.
2. While looking through the SmartFinder, turn the top or side alignment screws (13and 14, Fig. 18), until the red dot of the SmartFinder points at precisely the same
position as the view through the eyepiece of the main telescope.
The SmartFinder is now aligned to the main telescope. Unless the alignment screws
are disturbed or the LNT Module is moved out of place, the SmartFinder should
remain aligned indefinitely.

Choosing an Eyepiece
Fig. 18: Turn the top (13) orside (14) Smartfinderadjustment screws.

Fig. 19: Meade Super
Plössl eyepieces.

Tip: If you plan on
viewing using higher
magnification eyepieces,
first locate, center andfocus the object using a
low-power eyepiece(e.g., 26mm eyepiece).
Then remove the lowpower eyepiece andreplace it with a higherpower eyepiece; theobject should still becentered in the field ofview. Objects are mucheasier to locate andcenter at lower powers;
higher powers are
employed simply bychanging eyepieces.

The magnification or power, at which a telescope is operating is determined by two
factors: the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece.
Telescope Focal Length is the distance that light travels inside the telescope before
reaching a focus. In the mirror-lens design of the ETX models, the focal length iscompressed by the telescope’s secondary mirror, so that a long focal length is housedin the short ETX optical tube. For example, the ETX-90PE’s focal length is 1250mm
or about 49”. This means that if the ETX–90PE were a classical refracting-type oftelescope, the optical tube would be more than four feet long instead of theETX–90PE's compact 11” tube length.
Eyepiece Focal Length is the distance light travels inside the eyepiece before
reaching focus. Focal length is usually printed on the side of the eyepiece, for example,
26mm. Low-power eyepieces are typically available in 26mm, 32mm and 40mm sizes(see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42). The low-power eyepiece provided with yourETX is designed to provide a wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution.
Calculating Magnification: On a telescope, such as the ETX, different eyepiece focal
lengths are used to achieve different magnifications, from low to high. A 26mm eyepiece yields 48X (“48-power”) on the ETX-90PE, 57X on the ETX-105PE and 73X on
the ETX-125PE. A variety of powers may be obtained with the addition of optional eyepieces as well as the #126 2X Barlow Lens which doubles the power of an eyepiece(see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42). To calculate magnification, divide the focal
length of the telescope’s optical tube by the focal length of the eyepiece. For example:
Telescope Focal Length divided by Eyepiece Focal Length
1250mm divided by 26mm
With Barlow: 73 x 2= Power= 73X= 146XThe eyepiece power or magnification is therefore 73X and 146X with the Barlow.
Most observers should have 3 or 4 eyepieces plus the #126 2X Barlow to achieve thefull range of reasonable magnifications possible with ETX models.

ETX TIPS
Too Much Power?
Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you’re referring to is
eyepiece magnification, yes, you can! The most common mistake of the
beginning observer is to “overpower” a telescope by using high magnifications
which the telescope and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support.
Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and well-resolved image is far superior to
one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved (see Figs. 20a and 20b). Powers
above 300X should be employed only under the steadiest atmosphericconditions.

Fig. 20a & 20b: Jupiter: Examplesof the right amount ofmagnification and too muchmagnification.

14

AutoStar can calculate the best eyepiece for you to use. Try out the “EyepieceCalc” feature in the Utilities menu.
Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the fullrange of reasonable magnifications possible with the ETX telescopes. See
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.

OBSERVING
Observing by Moving the Telescope ManuallyNote:
Viewing conditions vary
widely from night-to-nightand site-to-site. Turbulencein the air, even on anapparently clear night, candistort images. Low-power
eyepieces, such as the
26mm supplied with yourtelescope, are better suited
to resolving images in poor
viewing conditions.

If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top or a bird, you canobserve by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece.
1. Loosen the telescope’s horizontal lock (9, Fig. 1a) and vertical lock (6, Fig. 1b).
2. Move your telescope to observe distant street signs, mountains, trees and other structures. Use the SmartFinder to help sight-in on an object.
3. Center the object with SmartFinder’s red dot and then in the telescope
eyepiece. When the object is centered in your eyepiece, remember to re-tighten thehorizontal and vertical locks.
4. Practice focusing objects using the focus knob (8, Fig. 1b).
5. Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view
something more challenging, like a bird or a distant moving train.
You can also observe stars and objects in the night sky using this method, but note that
objects begin to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by the rotationof the Earth. As you become familiar with the AutoStar handbox operation, you can counteract the drift using the automatic tracking feature (see TO TRACK AN OBJECT AUTOMATICALLY, page 16) or by using AutoStar's GO TO capabilities (see GO TO SATURN,
page 19).

Terrestrial Observing

NEVER point
the telescope
directly at ornear the Sun at
any time! Observing theSun, even for the smallest
fraction of a second, will
result in instant andirreversible eye damage,as well as physicaldamage to the telescope
itself.
Do not look through thetelescope's eyepiece
while it is rapidly moving.
Children should always
have adult supervision
while observing.

ETX telescopes are excellent high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescopes. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. These heatwaves often cause degradation of image quality. Lower power eyepieces, like the 26mm,
magnify these heat waves less than higher power eyepieces (such as a 9mm eyepiece).
Therefore, lower power eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image isfuzzy or ill-defined, reduce to a lower power eyepiece, where the heat waves do not havesuch an effect on image quality. Observing in early morning hours, before the ground has
built up internal heat, produces better viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours.

Observing Using AutoStar Arrow Keys
You may observe land and astronomical objects using AutoStar's Arrow keys to move thetelescope.
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

Important Note:
AutoStar requests theCountry/State, City andTelescope Model
information only the firsttime AutoStar is activated.
Subsequently, AutoStar
uses the location andmodel number you havechosen.
If you wish to change thisinformation, use the"Telescope Model" and"Site" options in the Setup
menu. See pages 27 and
29 for more
information.

Tighten the horizontal (9, Fig. 1a) and vertical locks (6, Fig. 1b).
Make sure that AutoStar’s coiled cord is connected to the computer control panel’s
HBX port (C, Fig. 2).
Flip the Power Switch (A, Fig. 2) on the computer control panel to the ON
position. A copyright message lights on AutoStar’s LCD display, followed by a warning
not to look at the Sun. Press the AutoStar key prompted by the message when you aredone reading. See page 9 to 11 for more information about AutoStar’s keys.
A “Getting Started” message displays. Press ENTER to skip this message.
AutoStar then displays: “Location Option: 1-Zipcode 2-City”. This option allows you tochoose how you wish to enter the location of your observing site: you can enter yourzip code or choose the site from a list of countries, states and cities.
Press the number key “1” if you wish to enter by zip code. Then enter the five
digits of the zip code of your observing site and press ENTER.
Press the number key “2” if you wish to select your observing site from a list of country, states and cities. First, use a Scroll key to cycle through the list of countries andstates (listed alphabetically). Press ENTER when the correct location displays. Next,
use a Scroll key to cycle through the list of cities (also listed alphabetically). Press
ENTER when the closest city displays.

6.
7.

Finally “Telescope Models” displays. Using the SCROLL KEYS, cycle through the list oftelescope models and press ENTER when your model displays.
The display now displays "Align: Automatic."

You can now use the ARROW KEYS to slew (move) the telescope up, down, right or left.
Practice using the ARROW KEYS to center objects in the eyepiece.To change the speed
at which the telescope moves (known as the “slew” speed), press a NUMBER KEY from 1
through 9. 1 is the slowest speed and 9 is the fastest.

15

Slew Speeds
AutoStar has nine slew speeds that move the optical tube at rates that are directly
proportional to the sidereal rate and have been calculated to accomplish specificfunctions. Press the Number key to change the slew speed.
The nine available speeds are:Number Key 1 =1x =1 x sidereal (0.25 arc-min/sec or 0.004°/sec)
Number Key 2 =2x =2 x sidereal (0.5 arc-min/sec or 0.008°/sec)
Number Key 3 =8x =8 x sidereal (2 arc-min/sec or 0.033°/sec)
Number Key 4 =16x =16 x sidereal (4 arc-min/sec or 0.067°/sec)
Number Key 5 =64x =64 x sidereal (16 arc-min/sec or 0.27°/sec)
Number Key 6 = 128x =30 arc-min/sec or 0.5°/sec
Number Key 7 = 1.0° =60 arc-min/sec or 1.0°/sec
Number Key 8 = 1.5° =90 arc-min/sec or 1.5°/sec
Number Key 9 = Max =approx. 4.5°/sec
Speeds 1, 2 or 3: Best used for fine centering of an object in the field of view of ahigher power eyepiece, such as a 9mm eyepiece.
Speeds 4, 5 or 6: Enable centering of an object in the field of a low-to-moderate
power eyepiece, such as a 26mm.
Speeds 7 or 8: Best used for rough centering of an object in the SmartFinder.
Speed 9: Moves the telescope quickly from one point in the sky to another.

Astronomical Observing
Used as an astronomical instrument, your telescope has many optical and electromechanical capabilities. It is in astronomical applications where the high level of
optical performance is readily visible. The range of observable astronomical objects islimited only by the observer’s motivation.

Observe the Moon

Go To

Enter

Mode
Arrow
keys
Help

Numberkeys

Scrollkeys
Fig. 21: AutoStar keys.

Tip:
When multiple choices areavailable within an
AutoStar Menu option, thecurrent option is usuallydisplayed first and highlighted by a right pointing

16

Point your telescope at the Moon (note that the Moon is not visible every night) andpractice using the Arrow keys and the slew speeds to view different features. The
Moon contains many interesting features, including craters, mountain ranges and fault
lines. The best time to view the Moon is during its crescent or half phase. Sunlight
strikes the Moon at an angle during these periods and adds a depth to the view. No
shadows are seen during a full Moon, making the overly bright surface appear flat andrather uninteresting. Try using a neutral density Moon filter when observing the Moon(see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42). Not only does it cut down the Moon's brightglare, but it also enhances contrast, providing a more dramatic image.

To Track an Object AutomaticallyAs the Earth rotates beneath the night sky, the stars appear to move from East toWest. The speed at which the stars move is called the sidereal rate. You can setup
your telescope to move at the sidereal rate so that it automatically tracks (follows) thestars and other objects in the night sky. If the telescope is not tracking anastronomical object, the object will drift out of the eyepiece field of view. The tracking
function automatically keeps an object centered in the telescope’s eyepiece.
To automatically track objects, you need to learn how the AutoStar keypad operates
in order to move through its menus. You'll also need to initialize and align yourtelescope.

Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus
The AutoStar database is organized in levels for quick and easy navigation.
••••

Press ENTER to go deeper into AutoStar's menu levels.
Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level.
Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options
available for each level.
Press the Arrow keys to enter characters and digits. The Arrow keys
are also used to move the telescope.

Definition:
Initialization is aprocedure that makes surethat AutoStar operates
correctly. When you firstuse AutoStar, it doesn't yet
know where theobservation location site is.
AutoStar also needs toknow the time and date,
which is set at the factoryand may also be reset
using Meade’s optional
Atomic Clock Update
Module accessory.
AutoStar uses thisinformation (along with
detecting tilt, level andNorth) to precisely
calculate the location ofcelestial objects (such asstars and planets) and tomove your telescopecorrectly for various
operations.

Note:
Throughout this manual,
you will notice the term
"alt/az." Alt/az is frequently
used to refer to altitude(vertical) and azimuth(horizontal). Alt/az is justone of many methods usedby amateur astronomers to
help locate stars in thenight sky.
Another method ofalignment is called“Equatorial ” (also known
as “Polar”). To learn more
about equatorial alignment,see page 50.

Initializing AutoStar for the First Time
This section describes how to initialize AutoStar. Perform this procedure the first time
you use AutoStar or after performing a Reset (see RESET, page 28).
AutoStar will ask you to choose your observing location and your telescope’s model
number from the list it displays. You will be prompted to enter this information only the
first time you use AutoStar. If you wish to change your location information (or if
AutoStar does not ask you for this information information the first time that you useit), go to the Site option of the Setup Menu to select your location. See pages 27 and
29 for more information.
1. Tighten the vertical and horizontal locks (6, Fig. 1b and 9, Fig. 1a) if necessary.
2.

Make sure that AutoStar is connected to the HBX port (C, Fig. 2) of thetelescope’s computer control panel.

3.

Flip the telescope power switch (A, Fig. 2) to the ON position.
The AutoStar screen displays a copyright message, followed by a short beep.
Then AutoStar takes a few moments to start up the system.

4.

A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message,press the key prompted by AutoStar to signify that the message has been readand understood.

5.

The Getting Started menu displays a scrolling message. Press ENTER (2, Fig.
4) to bypass the Help tutorial and continue with initialization.

6.

AutoStar then displays: “Location Option: 1-Zipcode 2-City”. This option allows
you to choose how you wish to enter the location of your observing site: you canenter your zip code or choose the site from a list of countries, states and cities.
Press the number key “1” if you wish to enter by zip code. Then enter the five
digits of the zip code of your observing site and press ENTER.
Press the number key “2” if you wish to select your observing site from a list of
country, states and cities. First, use a Scroll key to cycle through the list of countries and states (listed alphabetically). Press ENTER when the correct location
displays. Next, use a Scroll key to cycle through the list of cities (also listed alphabetically). Press ENTER when the closest city displays.

7.

AutoStar then requests the telescope model number. Use the Scroll keys to cycle
through the database of models. Press ENTER when your model number displays.

8.

System initialization is complete and the screen reads "Align: Automatic."

Automatic Alignment
After initializing, AutoStar will automatically align your telescope for you. AutoStar isin the alt/az mode (see the margin Note to the left) by default the first time you
power it on, so you do not need to select this mode. If you wish to align your telescopein the equatorial (polar) mode, see EQUATORIAL ALIGNMENT, page 50.
During automatic alignment, you will be asked to set the telescope in the home
position. Then AutoStar will automatically detect the level position and the tilt of yourtelescope, and also detects North (note that the telescope may not be pointing Northafter it does so).

Fig. 22: The vertical lock.

After finding North, AutoStar picks two stars from its database. AutoStar moves thetelescope to the first alignment star and the user is asked to center the star in theeyepiece. The process is then repeated with a second star to complete the alignment.
The following explains in detail how to perform the alt/az automatic alignment procedure.
How to perform the Automatic Alignment procedure
1.

Fig. 23: The horizontal
lock.

Set Home Position: AutoStar then prompts you to set the telescope in the Alt/Az
Alignment home position. To set your telescope in the Alt/Az home position whenusing the Automatic Alignment menu:••

If necessary, tighten the telescope’s vertical lock (6, Fig. 1b).
Unlock the horizontal lock (9, Fig. 1a). This will allow you to rotate thetelescope tube and fork arm assembly.

17

Grasp the telescope by a fork arm and rotate the telescopecounterclockwise until it stops (Fig. 24).
•Re-lock the horizontal (9, Fig. 1a) and vertical locks (6, Fig. 1b).
Level, Tilt and Find North: Next your telescope begins to move. AutoStar
moves your telescope so that it can calculate the level position and tilt of your telescope, and also calculate the location of True North. While it is performing thesefunctions, the following messages will appear on AutoStar’s display: “Calc Level,”“Calc North” and “Calc Tilt.”•

2.

Fig. 24 [top view]: Rotate thetelescope tube counterclockwise until it stops.
Important Note: The
home position for
Automatic Alignment isdifferent than the home
position used with One
Star and Two Star Alt/azalignments. See page 36
for setting the Home
Position during One Starand Two Star Altaz

Note: During this step in the procedure, the telescope may not become
level or actually point to North. AutoStar is merely moving thetelescope about so that it can calculate these positions.
3 . Star Alignment: Next, AutoStar continues to move the telescope (you don’t needto press any buttons) in order to choose two stars for alignment. AutoStar will
display a name of a star and the word “Slewing” as it moves to the first star. It willthen prompt you to center the star.
However, when the telescope slews to the first star, it may not appear in the fieldof view in the eyepiece. Use the SmartFinder (2, Fig. 1a) to locate the star. The
alignment star will be easy to recognize—it will be the brightest star in the areaof the sky where the telescope is pointing. Look through the SmartFinder and use
the Arrow keys to move the telescope until the star is visible. Then look throughthe eyepiece and center the star using the Arrow keys. Press ENTER. Repeat theprocedure for the second alignment star.
When the procedure is performed correctly, "Alignment Successful" displays. If
AutoStar does not display this message, perform this procedure again.
NOTE: The alignment stars may change from night to night. All that isrequired is for the observer to center the selected stars in the eyepiece
when prompted.

Alignment
Star

Fig. 25: During alignment, thealignment star is always thebrightest star in the area ofthe sky at which thetelescope is pointing.

Important Note:
While performing theautomatic tracking
procedure, only use theArrow keys to move thetelescope. Once thetelescope has beenaligned, do not loosen thetelescope’s vertical or
horizontal locks (6 and 9,
Fig. 1a and 1b) or movethe base manually oralignment will be lost.

18

Observe a Star using the Automatic Tracking Feature
In this example, the AutoStar Arrow keys are used to find a star and then AutoStar's
tracking feature automatically keeps the star centered in yourtelescope's eyepiece. Make sure you have initialized and aligned your telescope
before you try out this feature (see page 17).
1.

Once your telescope has been aligned, “Align Successful” and then “Select Item:
Object” display. Push the Scroll Up key once and “Select Item: Setup” displays

2.

Press ENTER. “Setup: Align” displays.

3.

Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Setup: Targets" displays. Press
ENTER.

4.

"Targets: Terrestrial" displays. Press one of the Scroll keys once. "Targets:
Astronomical" now displays.

ETX TIPS
Which One’s the Alignment Star?
If you’re not familiar with objects in the night sky, how can you be sure if the starin your eyepiece is really the alignment star?
The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the brightest star in thatarea of the sky. If you perform a GO TO to an alignment star and you're not sure
if you have located the alignment star or it isn't in the eyepiece, look through yoursmartfinder. When you view an alignment star in the SmartFinder, it stands out
dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky. The SmartFinder
will help you locate a star more quickly than the eyepiece. Using AutoStar, set theslew speed to 6 (press Number key 6) or higher and use the Arrow keys tocenter the alignment star in the SmartFinder. If your SmartFinder has beenaligned with the telescope, the alignment star should now be in the eyepiece. Set
the slew speed to 4 or less and center the star in the eyepiece. Also see the
SPIRAL SEARCH tip, page 19.

Tip:
The GO TO key also allows
you to perform a "spiralsearch." A spiral search isuseful when the telescope
slews to an object, but that
object is not visible in theeyepiece after thetelescope finishes its
search. (This sometimes
occurs during an alignment
procedure.)
Press GO TO when thetelescope stops slewing.
The telescope begins tomove in a spiral pattern ata very slow speed aroundthe search area.When theobject does become visible, press MODE to stop
the spiral search. Then use
the Arrow keys to center5.

Use the Arrow keys (5, Fig. 2) to locate a bright star in the night sky. Use thesmartfinder (2, Fig. 1a) to help line up on the star. You may choose any unobstructed, bright star for the purposes of this example. Use AutoStar's Arrow keys
to center the star in the eyepiece. Once the star is centered, press ENTER toselect "Astronomical." The telescope's tracking motors then engage. It may takethe tracking motors several seconds to begin tracking. When they do, it may benecessary to once again center the star in the eyepiece. The tracking motors willthen keep the star you have chosen in the center of the eyepiece.

6.

Press and hold the ENTER key for a few seconds and then release to stop tracking.You may repeat the procedure to locate another star or object using the Arrowkeys. Then press ENTER to re-engage the tracking motors.

Go To Saturn
After performing the Automatic Alignment procedure, the motor drive begins
operating and the telescope is aligned for a night of viewing. Objects in the eyepiece
will maintain their position even though the Earth is rotating beneath the stars.
This exercise demonstrates how to select a celestial object, the planet Saturn, forviewing from AutoStar’s database.
NOTE: Saturn is not visible the entire year and you may need to choose
another object from AutoStar's database; however, the procedure, as
described below, remains the same. If Saturn (or any other object) is not
currently visible in the sky, AutoStar displays “Below Horizon.”
1.

Important Note:
The first time you use yourtelescope or if you areexperiencing any problems
with pointing accuracy,
follow the proceduredescribed in APPENDIX
C: TRAINING THE DRIVE,
page 55, to insure accurate pointing and tracking.

After the telescope is aligned, “Select Item: Object” displays. If “Select Item:
Object” is not displayed on your handbox, keep pressing MODE until it does
display. Press ENTER.

2.

“Object: Solar System” displays. Press ENTER.

3.

“Solar System: Mercury” displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Down key until “Solar
System: Saturn” displays (or you may choose another object from the Solar
System list if Saturn is not visible).

4.

Press ENTER. “Calculating” displays. Then “Saturn” and a set of coordinates
displays. Note that Saturn’s (and other planets’) coordinates change throughout
the year.

5.

Press GO TO. “Saturn: Slewing...” displays and the telescope slews until it finds
Saturn. You may need to use the Arrow keys to center Saturn precisely in theeyepiece. AutoStar then automatically moves the telescope so that it "tracks"
Saturn (or whatever other object you may have chosen); i.e., Saturn remains
centered in the eyepiece.

Using the Guided TourThis example demonstrates using “Tonight’s Best” Guided Tour.
1.

After observing Saturn, press MODE twice so that “Select Item: Object” displays
again.

Tip: Try out the Guided

2.

Press the Scroll Down key twice. “Select Item: Guided Tour” displays.

Tour feature; the “Tonight’s
Best” Guided Tour will
point your telescope at thebest objects visible in thesky for every given night of
the year. The objects in thistour may change fromnight to night.

3.

Press ENTER. “Guided Tour: Tonight’s Best” displays. Press ENTER.
NOTE: If you wish to try out other Guided Tours, press the Scroll Down
key to scroll through other tour choices. When the tour you wish to selectdisplays, press ENTER.

4.

“Tonight’s Best: Searching...” displays. After calculating, “Tonight’s Best: Jupiter”
displays.
NOTE: Different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night.
Tour objects are selected based on location’s time and date.

You can easily create yourown Guided Tour using theoptional Meade’s AutoStar
Suite software. See

Press ENTER to display information about the object. Press GO TO to move thetelescope to the object.

PHOTOGRAPHY WITH
MEADE’S AUTOSTARSUITE, page 41 for more

5.

Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press the Scroll keys to scroll through thelist. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe.

information.

6.

Press and hold down MODE for two seconds to leave the Guided Tour menu.

19

AUTOSTAR OPERATIONSETUP MENU
Automatic alignment
permits all telescope
operations with only
minimal setup.

Select Item:
ObjectSelect Item:
Setup
UTILITIES MENU
Calculate eyepiecemagnifications;
set timer alerts;
create your own
landmark survey.

The Universe of

AutostarA
utostaruto
star

Select Item:
Utilities
GLOSSARY
What is an elliptical galaxy?
How far away is the Sun?
Expand your knowledge ofastronomy by displaying terms
and definitions, and other information.

OBJECT MENU
Want to see Mars? The Orion nebula?
The Andromeda galaxy? Select fromover 30,000 objects and press
GO TO to move the telescope
automatically to an object.
Select Item:
Event
EVENT MENU
Display the time ofpast, present and future
astronomical events,
such as Moon phases
or meteor showers.
Select Item:
Guided Tour

Select Item:
Glossary

GUIDED TOUR
Autostar escorts you
on a tour of tonight's
best celestial objects
at your viewing location.

Fig. 26: The AutoStar Universe: The six primary categories listed in the Select menu.

ObjectEvent
Guided Tours
Glossary
Utilities
Setup

Fig. 27a: Menus set in a loop.

Setup
Align
Date
Time
Daylight Saving
Telescope
Targetsetc.

Fig. 27b: Menu options display on
the second line. Use the Scroll keys
to move up or down through the listof options. Press ENTER to selectthe desired option.

It is important to understand that menu selections are set in a loop (Fig. 27a). Thismeans that pressing the Scroll Down key cycles down through all the available options
within a given category, then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key cycles up
through the options in the opposite order. Note that this capability is a quick way to get
to an option that is near the bottom of the list. The following example demonstrates thiscapability.
Example:To navigate to the “Select Item: Setup” menu option when the “Select Item: Object” menu isdisplayed:
1.

Press the Scroll Down key four times or the Scroll Up key once.

The screen in Fig. 27b shows two lines of information in the AutoStar display. The top
line shows the current menu level. The second line displays an option which may be
selected. Some options are submenus that offer more choices. The Scroll keys moveup and down within the list of available options, showing one option at a time.
When an option is displayed on the second line, press the ENTER key to choose that
option.
Press the MODE key to return back to the last menu. This can be useful to exit a menu
or if the wrong menu option is chosen.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No matter how many levels into AutoStar are traveled, each press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level,"Select Item," is reached. Once Select Item displays, press MODE toreturn to the topmost level, "Select Item: Object."

AutoStar Navigation Exercise
To demonstrate how the AutoStar menu structure works, the following exercise
calculates Sunset time so an evening observing session can be planned.
NOTE: To perform an accurate calculation, AutoStar MUST be properly
initialized with the location of the observing site. See INITIALIZINGAUTOSTAR, page 17, before proceeding with this exercise.
To Calculate Sunset time:
1. Press the MODE key several times, until “Select Item: Object” is displayed.
2.

20

Press the Scroll Down key once to display the “Event” option in the “Select Item”
menu.

Tip:

When multiple choices
are available within amenu option, the current
option is usuallydisplayed first andhighlighted by a rightpointing arrow (>).

3.

Press the ENTER key to choose the "Event" option and move down a level.
"Event: Sunrise" is displayed.

4.

Press the Scroll Down key once to display the "Sunset" option in the Event menu.

5.

Press the ENTER key to choose the "Sunset" option and move down anotherlevel.

6.

AutoStar calculates the Sunset time based on the current date, time and location.
AutoStar then displays the results of the calculation.

7.

Press MODE once to start moving back up through the AutoStar levels. The firstlevel up is the Event menu.

8.

Press MODE again to move up another level. This is the top level, "Select Item."

9.

Press MODE again to return to the starting point of "Select Item: Object."Entering data into AutoStar
J

To enter numbers and text:a) Use the Number keys, orb) Use the Arrow keys to scroll through numbers 0 - 9 and the alphabet. The
Down Arrow key begins with the letter "A;" the Up Arrow key begins with digit"9."J

To move the cursor across the display:
Use the Right or Left Arrow key to move the cursor from one number to the next
in the display.

J

Press ENTER when the desired information has been entered.

Moving Through AutoStar’s Menus
AutoStar's menus are organized for quick and easy navigation:
J

Press ENTER to go deeper into AutoStar's menu levels.

J

Press MODE to move back toward the top menu level.

J

Press the Scroll keys to move up and down through the options or lists.

J

Press the Arrow keys to move the cursor across the display.

J

Press the Help (?) key to access on-line help.

ETX TIPS
Look into the Future
The Date option in the Setup menu is much more than just an entry of today's
date; with it you can look far into the future or learn about past events. AutoStar
can calculate the date and times of future events and, except for eclipses, past
events as well (based on the current calendar system). E.g., a Sunrise on
March 6, 2043 A.D. or the Vernal Equinox in 1776 A.D. To use this feature, enter
the desired date in the Setup menu or select an option in the Event menu.
AutoStar, using the Event menu, can calculate dates and times for Sunrises,
Sunsets, Moonrises, Moonsets, Moonphases, Solar and Lunar Eclipses (forthe next 100 years), meteor showers, equinoxes and solstices and the minimums of Algol.
One very practical use of the Event menu is to check the Sunset option todetermine when you can begin your astronomical observing session.

21

22
Tonight's BestHow Far is Far
A Star's Life
Downloaded Tours
User-created Tours

Tour Objects

Select Item:
Guided Tour
Accretion Disk
Etc.
B...
C...
D...
E...
F...
G...
H...
I...
J...
K...
L...
M...
N...
O...
P...
Q...
R...
S...
T...
U...
V...
W...
X...
Y...
Z...

A...

Select Item:
Glossary

Note: The SmartFinder menu (for setting the blink rateand intensity of SmartFinder’s red dot) is only
accessible by pressing and holding the Mode key fortwo seconds. See pages 10 and 13.

SunriseSunsetMoonriseMoonsetMoon Phases
Next Full Moon
Next New Moon
Next 1st Qtr
Next 3rd Qtr
Meteor Showers
Quadrantids
LyridsEta Aquarids
Delta Aquarids
Perseids
Orionids
Taurids
Leonids
Geminids
UrsidsSolar Eclipses
Lunar Eclipses
Min. of Algol
Autumn Equinox
Vernal Equinox
Winter SolsticeSummer Solstice

Select Item:
Event

Figure 28: The Complete AutoStar Menu Tree Structure.

Solar System
Mercury
Etc.
Moon
Asteroids
CometsConstellations
Andromeda
Etc.
Deep Sky
Named Object
Galaxies
Nebulae
Messier
Etc.
Star
Named
SAO Catalog
DoubleVariable
Etc.
Satellite
SelectAdd
Delete
Edit
User Objects
SelectAdd
DeleteEdit
Landmarks
SelectAdd
DeleteIdentify
BrowseStart Search
Edit Parameters

Select Item:
ObjectTimer
Set
Start & Stop
Alarm
Set
On & OffEyepiece Calc.
Field of View
Magnification
Suggest
Display Options
Sun Warning
Getting Started
Brightness Adj.
Contrast Adj.
Beep
Battery Alarm
Landmark Survey
Sleep Scope
Park Scope
Cord Wrap

Select Item:
Utilities
Align
Easy
One Star
Two Star
Date
Time
Daylight Saving
Telescope
Telescope Model
Focal Length
Az/RA Ratio
Alt/Dec Ratio
Mount
Az/RA Percent
Alt/Dec Percent
Train Drive
Tracking Rate
Reverse L/R
Reverse Up/Dn
Quiet Slew
Max Elevation
Min AOSCalibrate Motor
Smart Drive
High Precision
Targets
Astronomical
Terrestrial
Site
SelectAdd
DeleteEdit
Owner Info
Clone
Download
Statistics
Reset

Select Item:
Setup

AUTOSTAR'S MENUS

Use the OBJECT menu
to select an object from thedatabase.
When your telescope isaligned and you select anobject from any of theselists, you just need to press
the GO TO key to move thetelescope so that it ispointed at the selected
object.

Object Menu
Almost all observing with AutoStar is performed using the Object menu category. (Thetwo exceptions are the Guided Tours and Landmark Survey.) See GO TO SATURN, page19, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see USING THE GUIDED
TOUR, page 19.
Many AutoStar menu categories contain lists or databases. The AutoStar object database is a list of viewable objects, such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae and so forth.
When one of these objects is selected from the object database and is above the horizon, AutoStar moves your telescope (if properly aligned) and points it at the selected
object.
Note: Most celestial objects are visible in the sky for only part of the night
and also only visible part of the year. If an object is not visible on the night
you are observing, AutoStar displays a message that the object is below
the horizon.

Over 30,000 objects areavailable for ETX-90PE,
ETX-105PE and ETX125PE models.
The available objects
include planets,
constellations, individual
stars, double stars, starclusters, galaxies, quasars,
satellites, asteroids andcomets.
Also, try out the Guided
Tour feature; the “Tonight’s
Best” Guided Tour will point
your telescope at the best
objects visible in the sky forevery given night of theyear.

The Object Menu options include:
Solar System is a database of the eight planets (Earth is not included) in order out
from the Sun, followed by the Moon, asteroids and comets.
Constellation is a database of all 88 Northern and Southern Hemisphereconstellations. To use this menu:
1.
2.

3.

4.

When this menu option is chosen and “Andromeda” displays, use the Scroll keys
to scroll through the constellation list.
Press ENTER to select a constellation and to display the coordinates of the constellation. Press one of the Scroll keys and information about the constellation willscroll across the display screen.
Press GO TO to display the list of stars in the constellation. Use the Scroll keys
to scroll through the list of stars in the constellation, from the brightest todimmest.
Press ENTER to select a star and use the Scroll keys to display information about
the star. Press GO TO again to slew the telescope to that star.
Note: Use MODE to abort any of these operations.

Deep Sky is a database of objects outside our Solar System such as nebulas, starclusters, galaxies and quasars.
Star is a database of stars listed in different categories such as named, double,
variable or nearby.
Want to learn more about
Observing Satellites? Seepage 32.

Satellite is a database of Earth-orbiting objects such as the International Space
Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites andgeosynchronous orbit satellites.
User Objects allows the user to define and store in memory deep-sky objects ofspecific interest that are not currently in the AutoStar database. See page 30 for more
information.

Want to learn more about
Landmarks? See page 34.

Landmarks stores the location of terrestrial points of interest in the permanent
AutoStar database.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be
located and aligned exactly as when the landmark was added to the
database.
J

Select: To select a Landmark already in the database (see ADD below), choosethe "Select" option and scroll through the list. Press ENTER to select a
Landmark, then press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

J

Add: To add a Landmark, choose the "Add" option. Enter a name for theLandmark. Locate and center the Landmark in the eyepiece, then press ENTER.

Identify is an exciting feature for an observer who wants to scan the night sky andstart exploring. After the telescope has been properly aligned, use the AutoStar Arrowkeys to move about in the sky. Then follow this procedure:

23

1.

Want to learn more about
using the Browse menu?
See page 38.

2.

Scroll through the Object menu options until the “Object: Identify” screen appears.

3.

Press ENTER. AutoStar searches the database for the identity of the object being
observed.

4.

If the telescope is not directly on an AutoStar database object, the nearest
database object is located and displayed on the screen. Press GO TO and thetelescope slews to that object.

Browse allows you to search the database for objects with certain parameters, much
like a search engine. "Edit Parameters" lets you set various parameters for the search,such as: Object Type, Minimum Elevation, Largest, etc. Once you have set theparameters of the search, select "Start Search" and press ENTER. AutoStar will
display the results of the search.

Use the Event menu
to look up dates of various
astronomical events, suchas sunrises and sunsets,
eclipses, moon phases,
meteor showers, equinoxes
and solstices...

Event Menu...and not just for thecurrent date. Set any date,
past or future, when
initializing AutoStar andyou can check the time forother events.

Moonrise and Moonset calculates the time that the Moon rises or sets on the current
date. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup:Date” menu. See DATE, page 26 and also see ETX TIPS, page 21.

WARNING!
Never use
your ETX
Telescope tolook at the Sun! Looking
at or near the Sun willcause instant andirreversible damage toyour eye. Eye damage isoften painless, so there is
no warning to theobserver that damage has
occurred until it is toolate. Do not point thetelescope at or near theSun. Do not look throughthe telescope as it ismoving. Children should
always have adultsupervision whileobserving.

Use the Glossary menu
to look up definitions ofastronomical terms and get
a description of AutoStar
features.

24

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL ALIGNMENT-BASED OPERATIONS:
Only use the Arrow keys to move the telescope during the Identify
procedure. Do not loosen the telescope locks or move the base or thealignment will be lost.
When a desired object is visible in the eyepiece, keep pressing MODE until the“Select Item: Object” menu is displayed. Press ENTER to select this menu.

The Event menu provides access to dates and times of astronomical events. The
Event database includes:
Sunrise and Sunset calculates the time that the Sun rises or sets on the current date.
Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the “Setup: Date”
menu. See DATE, page 26 and also see ETX TIPS, page 21.

Moon Phases displays the date and time of the next Full, New, 1st Quarter and 3rd
Quarter Moon.
Meteor Showers provides information on upcoming meteor showers, such as the
Perseids, the Leonids, etc. Also lists the dates of the showers and when they reachmaximum.
NOTE: Meteors are fast moving objects that cover large areas of the sky
and are usually best observed with the naked eye.
Solar Eclipse lists upcoming Solar Eclipses, including the date and type (total,
annular or partial) of eclipse and the location and time of the first and last contacts of
the Moon's shadow. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display the available data.
Remember, never use a telescope to look at the Sun! See WARNING! to the left.
Lunar Eclipse lists upcoming Lunar Eclipses, including the date and type (total,
partial, penumbral) of eclipse. Use the Scroll Up and Down keys to display theavailable data.
Min. (Minimum) of Algol is the minimum brightness of the dramatic eclipsing binary
star system, Algol. It is relatively close at a distance of 100 light years. Every 2.8 days
during a 10-hour period, Algol undergoes a major change in apparent magnitude as
one of the two stars passes behind the other. The combined magnitude of the twostars thus dips from +2.1 to a minimum of +3.4 halfway through the eclipse as thesecond star is hidden. AutoStar calculates minimum magnitude time at mid-eclipse.
Autumn and Vernal Equinox calculates the time and date of the fall or springequinox of the current year.
Winter and Summer Solstice calculates the time and date of the winter or summer
solstice of the current year.

Glossary Menu
The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions forcommon astronomical terms and AutoStar functions. Access directly through the
Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in AutoStar. A hypertext word

is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the AutoStar Help function orwhen reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star. Press
ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen and AutoStar goes to the glossary
entry for that word.
To access directly from the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through thealphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry and thenpress ENTER to read the description.

Utilities Menu
The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features within AutoStar, including
a countdown timer and an alarm. The Utilities functions include:
Use the Utilities menu
to perform many of
AutoStar’s useful features,such as setting an alarm,adjust the display contrast,
calculate the best eyepiecefor viewing an object, set
up your own landmark
survey, and so forth.

Timer selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astrophotography and tracking satellites. See OBSERVING SATELLITES, page 30. To use theTimer, press ENTER, then choose “Set” or “Start/Stop."J

Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes and seconds, then press
ENTER.

J

Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle between
ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer. When thetimer runs out, four beeps sound and the timer is deactivated.

Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press
ENTER, then choose "Set" or "Start/Stop."Tip:
The Contrast Adjustment
feature is usually only
required in very cold
weather.
If you adjust the contrast
so that you can no longer
read the display, turn off
the power and turn it on
again. When Version
appears on the display (theinitial display screens are
not affected by theContrast control), press
MODE.

J

Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to sound, in hours, minutes and seconds,
then press ENTER.

J

Start/Stop: Activates the alarm set previously. Use the Scroll keys to toggle
between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate thealarm. When the alarm time arrives, AutoStar beeps. Press ENTER to deactivate
the alarm.

Eyepiece Calc calculates information about an eyepiece for the specific telescope towhich AutoStar is connected.
J

Field of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece isselected, the field of view is calculated.

J

Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece isselected, the magnification is calculated.

J

Suggest: AutoStar calculates and suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, basedon the telescope and the object being viewed.

Display Options enables or disables AutoStar’s two initial displays. If both displays
are disabled, AutoStar begins with the Date display.
J

Sun Warning: Turns the SUN WARNING message on or off.

Tips:
To use the Landmark
function, the telescopemust be located andaligned exactly as when
the landmark(s) was added
to the database.

J

Getting Started: Turns the GETTING STARTED message on or off.

To add objects to theLandmark database, thetelescope must be locatedand aligned exactly as
when the original objects
were added to the
database.

Beep: Turns the beep on or off.

Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using the Scroll keys. Whencomplete, press ENTER.
Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using the Scroll keys. When complete,press ENTER.
NOTE: This feature is usually only required in very cold weather.

Landmark Survey automatically slews the telescope to all user-defined landmarks
with a short pause at each location. Press ENTER to start the survey. While a slew isin progress, press any key to skip that object and go to the next landmark on the list.
To observe a landmark for a longer period, press MODE when paused on the object
to stop the survey. Press ENTER to restart the survey at the first object on the list. See
LANDMARKS, page 34, for information about creating a Landmark survey.

25Sleep Scope is a power saving option that shuts down AutoStar and the telescope
without forgetting its alignment. With "Sleep Scope" selected, press ENTER to
activate the Sleep function. AutoStar goes dark, but the internal clock keeps running.
Press any key, except ENTER, to re-activate AutoStar and the telescope.
Park Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing sessions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next
time it is powered up, pressing ENTER and the telescope moves to its pre-determined
Park position. Once parked, the screen prompts to turn off power.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When the "Park Scope" option is chosen and thedisplay prompts you to turn off the telescope's power, AutoStar is unable
to be returned to operation without turning the power off and then backon.
Cord Wrap, when set to "On," moves the telescope in such a way as to prevent thecords and cables attached to your telescope assembly from getting wound around theassembly and tangled as the telescope slews to objects. "Off" is the default setting.

Setup Menu
Use the Setup menu
to perform many of thefeatures that apply to theset up of your telescope,such as training the drive,
selecting terrestrial or
astronomical modes,changing observing site
information.

The Setup menu’s primary function is to align the telescope (see AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 17). However, there are numerous other features available within the
Setup menu, including:
Date changes the date used by AutoStar. This function is useful to check events in thepast or future. For example, set the Date menu for a day three months in the future.
Then check the "Select Item: Event" menu for the Sunset time on that date. See
EVENT MENU, page 24.
Time changes the time entered into AutoStar. Setting the correct time is critical for
AutoStar to properly calculate locations and events. Time may be set to 24-hour mode
(military time) by selecting the "blank" option which follows the "AM" and "PM" options.
Daylight Saving is used to enable or disable Daylight Savings time.
NOTE: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by different names invarious areas of the world. Check local time to verify.
Telescope accesses the several options, including:J

Model: Allows you to select the telescope model connected to AutoStar.

J

Focal Length: Displays the focal length of the selected telescope.

J

Az/RA Ratio and Alt/Dec Ratio: The ratios refers to the gears of the telescope's
motors. Do not alter these numbers.

J

Az/RA Percent: The Az (Azimuth)/RA (Right Ascension) Percent allows you toadjust the amount of azimuth backlash taken out by AutoStar. Azimuth backlash
is the way the Arrow keys move the telescope along the azimuth (horizontal) axis.
If you enter a value near 100, the telescope tube responds more quickly (itresponds immediately at 100%) as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews(moves) the tube more quickly. If you enter a value near 0, it takes longer for the
tube to respond as you hold down an Arrow key and also slews the tube more
slowly. Experiment with this option. Try changing the percent value until you get a"feel" for the Arrow keys that is comfortable for you.

J

Alt/Dec Percent: The Alt (Altitude)/Dec (Declination) Percent operates identicalto the Az/RA Percent option (see above), but allows you to adjust the altitude
backlash, i.e., the way the Arrow keys move the telescope when moving along thealtitude (vertical) axis.

J

Train Drive: Trains the Altitude and Azimuth motors to locate objects with more
precision.
The first time you use your telescope or if you are experiencing any problems withpointing accuracy, follow the procedure described in APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE
DRIVE, page 55, to insure accurate pointing and tracking.

26

J

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

b.
c.

Sidereal: The default setting for AutoStar; sidereal rate is the standard rate
at which stars move from East to West across the sky due to the rotation of
the Earth.
Lunar: Choose this option to properly track the Moon over long observing
sessions.
Custom: Allows entry of user-defined tracking rates.

J

Reverse L/R: Reverses the functions of the Left and Right Arrow keys (i.e., theRight key moves the telescope to the left).

J

Reverse UP/DOWN: Reverses the functions of the Up and Down Arrow keys
(i.e., the Up key moves the telescope down).

J

Calibrate Sensors: This menu allows you to improve your telescope's pointing
accuracy to alignment stars. It calibrates to correct slight mechanical misalignment due to transport, vibration, or aging. It is recommended that calibration be
performed after the LNT Module batteries are changed (see page 56 for more
information).
When this menu is selected, the telescope slews to Polaris. AutoStar thenprompts you to center Polaris and to press ENTER. AutoStar uses the position of
Polaris to fine tune the position of North and also for detecting level.

Want to learn more about
Periodic Error
Correction? See page 37.

Tip:
If the "ENTER to Sync"
feature is accessed by
mistake (holding the
ENTER key for more than
2 seconds), press MODE
to return to the previous
screen.

J

Quiet Slew: Sets the maximum slew rate to 1.5° for quieter operation.

J

Max Elevation: Allows you to enter a value in degrees that sets a limit as to how
far the optical tube can swing upward during a programmed slew. (Note that it
does not prevent you from performing a manual slew past this limit.) This isuseful when you have a camera or other peripheral attached to the telescope—
you can prevent it from striking the telescope base.

J

Min AOS (Acquisition of Signal): Allows you enter a value in degrees. Thisvalue represents the altitude at which your telescope begins to slew when
acquiring a satellite track. This is useful when you are observing satellites, but atall tree or building is obstructing the telescope. For example, you might begin to
track the satellite at 15° altitude, instead of 5°. See OBSERVING SATELLITES,
page 30, for more information about satellites.

J

Calibrate Motor: If the telescope motors appear to have a problem, use thisoption to retest the motors before performing a Reset. This option is also used if
an AutoStar unit is moved between telescopes, to match AutoStar to the new telescope. To calibrate the motors, select this option and press ENTER.

J

Smart Drive: Allows you to perform periodic error correction (PEC) on the R.A.
worm gear and can only be used with polar mounted telescopes. Must be
performed with a high powered reticle (eg. 9mm). PEC Training for the the ETX
telescopes will take about 24 minutes.

J

High Precision: If High Precision is turned on, when looking for a faint celestial
object (i.e., a nebula or galaxy), AutoStar first slews to a nearby bright star anddisplays "ENTER to Sync." Center the star in the eyepiece, then press ENTER.
At that point the telescope has a high precision alignment to that part of the sky
and it then slews to the object that was originally requested.

Targets switches between Astronomical targets and Terrestrial targets. If"Astronomical" is selected, the telescope tracking motor is activated and any object
you observe will remain centered in the eyepiece. If "Terrestrial" is selected and thetelescope is aligned, the tracking motor is turned off. To learn how to track an object
automatically, see page 16.
Site provides access to several options including:J

Select: Displays the currently selected observing site or zip code. Use the Scroll
keys to cycle through all the sites. Press ENTER when the site you wish to selectdisplays. Use
thisoption
when
you
move
to
a
different
geographic location. The cities you have chosen or zip codes you have “added”
will appear at the top of this list (see ADD below).

27

J

Want to learn more about
adding and editing sites?
See page 29.
Time Zone
Shift
Atlantic-4 Hours
Eastern-5 Hours
Central-6 Hours
Mountain-7 Hours
Pacific-8 Hours
Alaska-9 Hours
Hawaii-10 Hours
Table 1: Time Zone Shift.
Calculations are for standard
time.

Note:
The Download function
requires the optional #505
Astrofinder Software andCable Connector Kit. See
the instruction sheet
included with the kit for
more information on how to
download. Also see
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,
page 42.

Add: Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you
wish to add displays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner. Choose Zip
Code to enter your zip code, if you wish. Choose “Custom” if you wish enter thename of an observing site. In this method, you will enter its name, plus its longitude and latitude. See the margin note on page 29 for more information.
Delete: Deletes a stored site from the database.

J

Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude and time zone.
Time Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users Westof Greenwich, England use “-” hours, East of Greenwich use “+” hours. For theUnited States, look up the time zone shift in table above.
NOTE: AutoStar compensates for daylight savings time, if selected. See“Setup Menu: Daylight Saving,” page 26.

Owner Info accesses the owner information menu, including:J

Name: Users may enter both their first and last names using the Up and Down
Arrow keys to cycle through the alphabet. Use the Right and Left Arrow keys tomove through the text. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.

J

Address: Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to enter your street address, city,
state and zip code. Press ENTER when the entry is complete.

Download transfers information from another AutoStar. During the operation, thewarning “Downloading Do Not Turn Off” appears.
Clone uploads information from one AutoStar handbox to another. Three options areavailable:
J

Catalogs: Sends only user-defined object information, such as new satellite
orbits or comet data to another AutoStar handbox.

J

Software: Sends only the basic AutoStar software. This is useful if one user has
downloaded a new version of AutoStar software from the Meade website(www.meade.com) and wants to pass this software along to friends.

J

All: Everything – user-defined information and AutoStar software – is sent toanother AutoStar.

Statistics provides basic statistical data about AutoStar, including:J

Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in user-defined object
memory.

J

Version: Shows the current version of the AutoStar software.

Reset completely resets AutoStar. Most values entered into the menus revert tofactory defaults. AutoStar requires initialization again after a Reset before proceedingwith observations. See INITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17.

ETX TIPS
Join an Astronomy Club, Attend a Star Party
One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of astronomy is to join an astronomy
club. Check your local newspaper, school, library or telescope dealer/store to find out if
there’s a club in your area.
At club meetings, you will meet other astronomy enthusiasts with whom you will be able
to share your discoveries. Clubs are an excellent way to learn more about observing thesky, to find out where the best observing sites are and to compare notes about
telescopes, eyepieces, filters, tripods and so forth.
Often, club members are excellent astrophotographers. Not only will you be able to see
examples of their art, but you may even be able to pick up some “tricks of the trade” totry out with your ETX telescope. See page 40 for more information about photography
with the ETX.
Many groups also hold regularly scheduled Star Parties at which you can check out andobserve with many different telescopes and other pieces of astronomical equipment.
Magazines such as Sky & Telescope and Astronomy print schedules for many popularStar Parties around the United States and Canada.

28

ADVANCED AUTOSTAROPERATION
Before trying out the examples in this section, familiarize yourself with the basic
operations of AutoStar described earlier in this manual. The following examples assume
that you have a basic knowledge of AutoStar and understand how to scroll to a desired
menu or menu option and how to enter numbers and text. It also assumes that you haveinitialized AutoStar and have placed the telescope in the "Home"
position (when appropriate).

Adding Observing Sites
If you plan to observe using AutoStar at different geographic locations, you can store up to
six observation sites in AutoStar's memory to help simplify your telescope setup. Performthese procedures using the Site options (Add, Select, Delete, Edit) of the Setup menu.

To Add a Site to the user-defined site list:
In this example, you will choose a city and add it to the database list. You will then selectthe site to enable it.
Note: You may also add acustom site to the list bychoosing “Site: Select” andpressing Enter. Scroll down
the list until “Custom”
displays. Then add thename of your site and press
ENTER. Enter thelatitude of the site andpress ENTER. Enter thelongitude of the site. Press
ENTER and you havecreated a custom site entry
which you may select at
any time from the “Site:
Select” list.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

Navigate to the "Setup: Site" menu. Press ENTER,
Scroll through the options until "Site: Add" displays. Press ENTER.
You are given a choice to enter a zip code (press “1”) or select a city from the list(press “2”). If you choose “Zip,” enter the digits of your zip code and press ENTER.
If you choose “City,” scroll through the list of countries/states. Press ENTER when the
country/state you wish to add displays.
Scroll through the list of cities. Press ENTER when the city you wish to select displays.
The sites you choose will appear at the top of the Select list (all other available sites
will be listed after the sites you have chosen).
To choose a site, navigate to "Site: Select." Press ENTER. Scroll through the list ofsites. Both Zip Codes and Cities are displayed. When the desired zip code or site
displays, press ENTER.

To Edit a Site:
In this procedure, you will enter a location that is not available in the AutoStar database byediting data of a nearby site. You will edit the location's name, latitude,
longitude and the time zone shift. You will then select the site to enable it.
You will need to know the latitude and longitude of your location to perform thisprocedure. This information is available on most maps.
1.

Shift
Time Zone
Atlantic-4 Hours
Eastern-5 Hours
Central-6 Hours
Mountain-7 Hours
Pacific-8 Hours-9 Hours
AlaskaHawaii-10 Hours
Table 1: Time Zone Shift.
Calculations are for standard
time.

Using the Add option, choose a site on the list that is closest to your observing siteand press ENTER so that the site is added to your observing sites list. Choosing a sitealready on the list (as opposed to using the "Custom" feature) makes it easier to edit,
as the "Time Zone" value may not need to be changed.
2. Scroll to "Site: Edit" and press ENTER. "Edit: Name" displays. Press ENTER.
3. The name of the site you have just entered to your list displays; if it does not, scroll tothe site.
4. Using the Arrow keys, change the name of the site so that it now reads the name ofyour observing location. Press ENTER. "Edit: Name" displays again.
5. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Latitude" displays. Press ENTER.
6. Using the Number Keys, enter the latitude of your observing site and then press
ENTER. "Edit: Latitude" displays again.
7. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Longitude" displays. Press ENTER.
8. Using the Number Keys, enter the longitude of your observing site and then press
ENTER. "Edit: Longitude" displays again.
9. Press the Scroll Down key and "Edit: Time Zone" displays. Press ENTER. (If the site
you chose from the list in step 1 has the same Time Zone as the site you are editing,just press ENTER again to go on to the next step.) "Time Zone" refers to theGreenwich Time Zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, use "-" hours (one hour pertime zone) and users East of Greenwich use "+" hours. For the United States, look up
the shift in Table 1, at the left.
10. After entering the shift, press ENTER. "Edit Time Zone" displays.
11. Press MODE. "Site: Edit" displays.
12. Using the Arrow keys, scroll to "Site: Select." The site you have just edited
displays. Press ENTER to select the site or press MODE to exit.

29

Using AutoStar to Find Objects Not in the DatabaseIn this procedure, you will enter coordinates of celestial objects that do not appear inany of the AutoStar database lists. You will enter the object's name and R.A. and Dec.
coordinates (required information). You may also enter the object's magnitude andsize (optional information).
Although AutoStar contains an extensive database of celestial objects (stars, nebulae,
planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are
not part of the database. AutoStar provides a feature that allows you to enter an
object's R.A and Dec coordinates in the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu
and allows automatic slewing of the telescope to the user-entered coordinates.
In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec.
coordinates of the object or objects you wish to observe. Check out your local library,computer store or bookstore for astronomy books, CD Roms or magazines (such as
Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates of celestial objects. The
objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent database, called"User Objects."
To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object
menu:
1. Make sure AutoStar has been initialized and the telescope has been aligned.
2. After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. (If necessary, use
the Scroll keys to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find thisoption.) Press ENTER.
3. "Object: Solar System" displays. Keep pressing the Scroll Up key until "Object:
User Object" displays and press ENTER.
4. "User Object: Select" displays. Press the Scroll Down key once. "User Object:
Add" displays. Press ENTER.
5. "Name" displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use theArrow keys, as previously described, to enter the name of the object you wish to
add to the database. When you are finished, press ENTER.
6. "Right Asc.: 00.00.0" displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the
Right Ascension coordinate of your object. When you are finished, press ENTER.
7. "Declination: +00°.00'" displays. Use the Number keys to enter the digits for the
Declination coordinate of your object. If necessary, use the Scroll Keys to change"+" to "-." When you are finished, press ENTER.
8. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the size of the object. This step is optional.
Use the Number keys to enter the size (in arc-minutes), if so desired and press
ENTER to go to the next display. If you do not wish to enter this information,
simply press ENTER.
9. AutoStar then prompts you to enter the magnitude of the object. This step is also
optional. Use the Number keys to enter this information, if so desired and press
ENTER to go to the next display. "User Object: Add" displays again.
To GO TO a user-entered object:
In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and GO TO theobject.
1.

With "User Object: Add" displayed, press the Scroll Up key once. "User Object:
Select" displays. Press ENTER.

2.

Use the Scroll keys (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER.

3.

The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates
display.

4.

Press GO TO and the telescope slews to the object.

Observing Satellites
In this procedure, you will prepare your telescope to observe a satellite pass.
1.
2.

30

Navigate to the "Object: Satellite" menu option and press ENTER.
Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of satellites.

3.
4.
5.

6.

7.
8.

Select a satellite from list and press ENTER.
"Calculating...." and then "Tracking..." displays. If the satellite is going to make apass, "Located" displays.
Use the Scroll keys to display data about the pass: aos – acquisition of signal andlos – loss of signal. If you subtract the aos from the los, you can calculate howlong the satellite will be visible. Location information also displays.
"Alarm" displays after the location information. Press ENTER and AutoStar
automatically sets the alarm to sound a minute before the satellite's scheduledappearance. You may return to regular observations until the alarm goes off.
When the alarm goes off, return to the Satellite menu and press a Scroll key until
the desired satellite is on the top line of the display.
Press GO TO. AutoStar slews the telescope to where the satellite should appear.
The motor drive stops and a countdown is displayed.
NOTE: If the scheduled appearance position of the satellite is obstructed(i.e., by a building, tree or hill), press ENTER and AutoStar starts to movethe telescope along the expected satellite track. When the track clears theobstruction, press ENTER again to pause the telescope, then continue
with this procedure.

9.

With about 20 seconds left on the countdown timer, start watching through thetelescope SmartFinder for the satellite to enter the field of view.
10. When the satellite enters the SmartFinder field of view, press ENTER. The
telescope starts to track with the satellite.
11. Use the AutoStar Arrow keys to center the object in the SmartFinder, then lookthrough the eyepiece to view the object.
Satellite orbits change and new satellites (including the Space Shuttle) are launched.
Visit the Meade web site (www.meade.com) approximately once a month to get
updated information and instructions on how to download this data to AutoStar. If
orbital parameters are more than one month old, the satellite pass may not happen at
the time predicted by AutoStar. Downloading requires the optional #505 AstroFinder™
Software and Cable Connector Kit. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42.
Note: Satellite observing is an exciting challenge. Most satellites are in low
orbit, travelling at approximately 17,500 mph. When visible, they movequickly across the sky and are only in the field of view for a few minutes,
requiring AutoStar to slew the telescope rapidly. Best viewing is near Sunrise
or Sunset when the sky is still dark. Viewing in the middle of the night can beproblematic because the satellite may pass overhead, but not be visible as it
is in the Earth's shadow.

How to Create Your Own Guided Tour
Note:
Meade’s AutoStar Suiteprovides an easy way foran observer to create theirown Guided Tour. See
PHOTOGRAPHY WITH
MEADE’S AUTOSTAR SUITE,

page 41, and also
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,

page 42, for more
information.

When a Guided Tour is selected, AutoStar slews your telescope to a predetermined listof objects and displays information about each object, such as type of object,
constellation location, R.A. and Dec coordinates and so forth. AutoStar contains a few
Guided Tours which are programmed at the factory. But it is also possible for an
observer to create a custom Guided Tour.
A tour is basically an ASCII text file that contains a list of directions and descriptions.
Each line of a tour is either a comment line, a command line or a description.
What you will need:
A PC with text editor or word processing software installed (the tour must be•
saved as a "text only" or as a "MS-DOS text" file).
• The Meade #505 Cable Connector Kit to download tour information to the AutoStar
handbox.
Tour Modes
The objects chosen for a tour list are selected from AutoStar's database or byentering the object's RA and Dec coordinates. The tour is presented in one of twomodes:
Automatic Mode: The title of an object appears on the first line and descriptive text
scrolls on line 2.

31

Interactive Mode: Tour name appears on the first line of the AutoStar display and thename of the object displays on line 2. To display descriptive text in this mode, the user
must press ENTER.
Comment Line
Information in the Tour program that is not displayed, such as authorship, revisionhistory, copyrights, etc. All comments begin with a "/" character in column 1 of the line.
For example:/ Extreme Objects/ (c) 2000 Meade Instruments Corporation
Command Line
This line contains programming commands, including: R.A. and DEC. coordinates, atitle string, a description string and a keyword.
RA: Enter the Right Ascension of an object in the following format: HH:MM:SS.
Eg., 18:51:05
Dec: Enter the Declination of an object in the following format: DDdMMmSSs.
Eg., – 06d16m00s
Title String: Text within a title string is displayed as the title of the object. A title string
can contain up to 16 characters and must be surrounded by quotation marks. For
example. "M64" or "My Favorite Star."
In Interactive Mode, the title string appears on line 2 until it is selected with the
ENTER key.
In Automatic Mode or after Interactive Mode selection, the title string appears on line
1 while the description scrolls across line 2.
Keywords: Action to be performed during a tour. AutoStar recognizes the following
keywords:
TITLE
IC
PLANETCOMETCONSTELLATIONPICK ONE/PICK END

TEXT
SAO
MOON
LUNAR ECLIPSESTAR
AUTO SLEW ON/OFFUSER
MESSIERSATELLITE
METEOR SHOWER
LANDMARK#ENDNGCCALDWELLASTEROIDDEEP SKY
DEFINE

Description String: Description of an object. Must be surrounded by quotation
marks. If the description is longer than one line, each line must end with a quotation
mark and a hard return. Begin the next description line with a quotation mark.
If quotation marks are to be displayed in the on-screen description, use two quote
marks at the beginning and end of the desired phrase. For example: "The Orion
Nebula is considered ""awesome"" by many who view it."
Writing a Tour
Using the list of commands listed above, a custom tour can be created. Placing theword AUTO SELECT before any of the command lines activates Automatic Mode and,
when selected, AutoStar automatically searches and finds the designated object.
The following is a list of command lines, complete with keywords and necessarystrings:
TITLE
Title must be the first keyword in your tour after any comment lines and must be 15
characters or less. AutoStar displays this title when "Guided Tour" is selected from themenus.
For example: TITLE "A Star's Life"TEXT "title string" "description string"This command allows you to display a text title and description.
USER ra dec "title string" "description string"This command line allows you to access a specific object with your own description.
Enter USER, then the RA and DEC of a desired object and its title and description.
Use the format described in the Command Line section.

32

The following commands specify objects that are already in the AutoStar database. If
these commands follow the command AUTO SELECT, the object's title displays online 1 and its description scrolls across line 2.
Do not add a description string after the following command lines; these commands
access objects with existing description in the AutoStar database.
NGC xxxx
Enter NGC followed by the desired New General Catalog number and AutoStar
provides the user with a description of the object from its database. For example: NGC
4256
IC xxxxEnter IC followed by the desired Index Catalog number and AutoStar provides theuser with a description of the object from its database. For example: IC 1217
SAO xxxxxx
Enter SAO followed by the desired SAO number and AutoStar provides the user witha description of the object from its database. For example: SAO 30200
Messier xxx
Enter MESSIER followed by the desired Messier number and AutoStar provides theuser with a description of the object from its database. For example: M 101
CALDWELL xxx
Enter CALDWELL followed by the Caldwell number and AutoStar provides the user
with a description of the object from its database. For example: CALDWELL 17
PLANET "name"Enter PLANET and then the name of the desired planet in quotes. AutoStar provides
the user with a description of the selected planet from its database. For example:
PLANET "Pluto"
MOON
This command accesses information about the Moon from the AutoStar database.
SATELLITE "name"Enter SATELLITE and then the name of the desired satellite in quotes. AutoStar
displays information about the satellite from its database. For example: SATELLITE:"Intl Space Stn"
ASTEROID "name"Enter ASTEROID and then the name of the desired asteroid in quotes. AutoStar
displays information about the asteroid from its database. For example: ASTEROID:"Ceres"COMET "name"Enter COMET and then the name of the desired comet in quotes. AutoStar displays
information about the comet from its database. For example: COMET: "Halley"
LUNAR ECLIPSE
If LUNAR ECLIPSE is part of the tour, AutoStar checks its database every time thetour is activated to see if a lunar eclipse is visible that evening. If no eclipse is visible,
this option is skipped and the tour proceeds on to the next object.
METEOR SHOWER
If METEOR SHOWER is part of the tour, AutoStar checks its database every time thetour is activated to see if a meteor shower is visible that evening. If no meteor
shower is visible, this option is skipped and the tour proceeds on to the the next
object.
DEEP SKY "name"Enter DEEP SKY followed by the name of the desired object in quotes. For example:
DEEP SKY "Small Magellanic Cloud"
CONSTELLATION "name"Enter CONSTELLATION followed by the name of the desired constellation in quotes.
For example: CONSTELLATION "Leo Major"

33

STAR "name"Enter STAR followed by the name of the desired star in quotes. For example: STAR
"Vega"LANDMARK az alt "title" "description"
Enter the azimuth (az) for the desired object in the following format: xxxdxxmxxs. For
example: 123d27m00s. Then enter the altitude of the desired object in the following
format: xxdxxmxxs. Then enter the title string and description string in quotes. For
example:LANDMARK 123d27m00s 57d20m20s "Landmark 1" "North corner of apartmentbuilding"
PICK ONE / PICK END
These two statements are used to surround a list of items that AutoStar can choose
from during a tour. AutoStar begins at the top of the PICK ONE list and displays thefirst object from the list that is above the horizon and ignores the rest.
This statement is useful for developing tours that can be presented year round. For
each object type you wish to use to illustrate in your tour, pick 10 to 12 examples
spaced across the range of right ascension. Bracket them by the PICK ONE / PICKEND statements. One current example displays for the user. For example:
AUTO SELECT TEXT "Globular Cluster" "Globular clusters are huge balls of stars.""They contain 50,000 to 100,000 stars and are located on the fringes of our""galaxy."
PICK ONE
AUTO SELECT MESSIER 13
AUTO SELECT MESSIER 15
AUTO SELECT MESSIER 92
AUTO SELECT MESSIER 4
AUTO SELECT MESSIER 68
AUTO SELECT NGC 1234
AUTO SELECT TEXT "None Available" "I'm sorry. There are no bright globular""clusters visible at this time."
PICK END
AUTO SLEW ON / AUTO SLEW OFF
With AUTO SLEW ON enabled in the tour, AutoStar automatically slews the telescope
to objects first before displaying the text description. This feature is useful when
designing tours in which observing certain objects is required. For example, an astronomy professor may require his students to observe six objects, four of which AutoStar
automatically slews to in a tour. The students would have to manually slew to the last
two objects. He would then place AUTO SLEW ON before his first required object and
AUTO SLEW OFF after the fourth object.
#END
To end a tour, type the command #END on a separate line at the very end of the tour.
Downloading Tours
Once a tour is written and stored as an ASCII file (saved either as a "text only" or "MS
DOS text" file), load it into AutoStar using the AutoStar Update Utility on your PC. As
tours are downloaded into the handbox, AutoStar examines the programming. If it
doesn't understand the terminology used within a tour, it flags questionable areas anddisplays them in a pop-up window on your computer screen. Make the necessary
corrections and try to download again. See the instruction sheet with your #505 Cable
Connector Kit for more information about downloading data to and interfacing with
AutoStar.

Landmarks
This menu option allows you to define and store terrestrial objects in the Landmark
database. First, a landmark needs to be stored in memory using the "Landmark: Add"
option. To view a landmark, use the "Landmark: Select" option. Landmarks may also
be viewed using the "Landmark Survey" option in the Utilities menu.

34

To Add a landmark to the database:In this procedure, you will store the location of terrestrial landmarks in AutoStar's
memory.
1.

Set the telescope in the home position, if necessary. Note for future reference
where the telescope is located and if you have aligned the telescope, whichalignment method is used.
Important Note: To use the Landmark function, the telescope must be
located and aligned exactly as when the landmark(s) was added to the
database.

2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

9.

Display the "Setup: Targets" menu option. Choose "Terrestrial" and press ENTER– "Setup: Targets" displays again. Choosing this option turns off tracking for astronomical objects and is not useful for the viewing of terrestrial objects such as
those in the Landmark database. Be sure to change this option back to"Astronomical" when you wish to view celestial objects again.
Press MODE once. "Select Item: Setup" displays.
Press the Scroll Down key once and "Select Item: Object" displays. Press
ENTER. "Object: Solar System" displays.
Press the Scroll Up key twice and "Object: Landmarks" displays. Press ENTER.
"Landmark: Select" displays.
Press the Scroll Down key once. "Landmark: Add" displays. Press ENTER.
"Landmark Name" displays. Using Arrow keys, enter a name for the landmark you
wish to add to the database. When finished, press ENTER.
"Center Landmark. Press Enter" displays. Using only the Arrow keys (do not manually move the telescope), move the telescope to the desired landmark and center the object in the eyepiece. Press ENTER. The object is now stored in memory.
"Landmark: Add" displays. If you wish to add more landmarks, repeat steps 5through 7.

To Select a landmark from the database:
1. Make sure the telescope is located and aligned exactly as when the desired
landmark was entered into memory.
2. Display the "Landmark: Select" menu option. Press ENTER.
3. Use the Scroll keys to scroll through the list of objects you have previously
entered. When the desired object displays, press ENTER to select the object. Use
the Scroll keys to scroll through location information about the object, if desired.
Press GO TO to slew the telescope to the landmark.
4. Press MODE to exit.
To perform a Landmark Survey
This procedure allows you to perform a tour of the objects entered in the "Object:
Landmark" menu option—note that the Landmark Survey will function only if you havepreviously entered objects in the Landmark menu.
1. Navigate to "Utilities: Landmark Survey" menu and press ENTER.
2. "Landmark Survey: Slewing..." displays. The telescope moves to the first object
on the Survey list and displays the name of the object.
3. Press MODE to pause the Survey. Press ENTER to restart the survey at the firstobject of the survey.
To check on the available amount of memory in AutoStar.
AutoStar has a limited amount of memory. Once you begin to store Landmarks, User
Objects and other bits of information in AutoStar, you will begin to use up memory.
This procedure allows you to check on how much memory is still available.
1.
2.

Navigate to the "Setup: Statistics" menu option and press ENTER.
"Statistics: 37.2K Char. Free" displays. This is the amount of memory that is stillavailable to the user.

Identify
This procedure allows you to use AutoStar to identify objects you have found in thenight sky using the Arrow keys. If the object is not in AutoStar's database, AutoStar

35

displays information about an object in its database that is closest to the one you
queried about.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For this function to operate properly, you must first
set the telescope in the home position and initialize AutoStar. If you
physically move the telescope after initialization, this function will fail tooperate properly.
In this procedure, you will center an object you wish to have identified by AutoStar in
the telescope eyepiece and use the "Identify" menu to find out information about theobject or the nearest object to it in the AutoStar database.
1.
2.
3.

Center the object you wish to have identified in the telescope's eyepiece.
Navigate to the "Object: Identify" option and press ENTER.
"Searching..." displays. When AutoStar finishes calculating, the name of theclosest object displays.
4. Press a Scroll key to display information about this object. AutoStar displays
some or all the following information about the object with each press of a Scroll
key:
Displayed information:
Example:Catalog or common name of object
Messier 107, NGC6171 orion Nebula, etc
Type of object
Globular Cluster, Nebula, Black Hole, etc.
Right Ascension
16:32:4
Declination
13°03'
Constellation
Virgo orion, etc.
Magnitude
3
Size
2'
Scrolling message"This Globular Cluster is 10,000 lightyears away...."

Advanced Alt/Az Alignment
If you would rather choose your own alignment stars from the AutoStar databaseduring the Alt/Az alignment procedure, AutoStar offers additional alignment methods.
Information for Equatorial (Polar) alignment is discussed in APPENDIX A, page 50.
In order to perform either Two-Star, Easy Align or One-Star Alt/az alignment, you will
first need to put the telescope in the home position:••
Fig. 29a [top view]: Rotate thetelescope tube counterclockwise until it stops.....

•••

Fig. 29b [top view]: ....thenrotate it clockwise a quarter
turn.....

Fig. 29c [side view]: ....until afork arm is over the computer
control panel.

36

If necessary, tighten the telescope’s vertical lock (6, Fig. 1b).
Unlock the horizontal lock (9, Fig. 1a). This will allow you to rotate thetelescope tube and fork arm assembly.
Grasp the telescope by a fork arm and rotate the telescopecounterclockwise until it stops (Fig. 29a).
Turn the telescope clockwise about a quarter of a turn (Fig. 29b). until a forkarm is directly over the computer control panel (Fig. 29c).
Re-lock the horizontal (9, Fig. 1a) and vertical locks (6, Fig. 1b).

Two-Star Alt/Az Alignment and Easy Align
Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a
database of bright stars and two stars from this database are chosen by theobserver for alignment (Easy Align operates the same as Two-Star Alignment, exceptthat AutoStar picks the two alignment stars from its database).
1. Perform steps 1 and 2 as described in AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 17.
2. With "Align: Easy" displayed, use the Scroll keys to display "Align: Two Star."Press ENTER. (If you wish to use Easy Align, press ENTER when “Align: Easy”
displays.)
3. Place the telescope in the home position as described in the AUTOMATIC
ALIGNMENT procedure. When you have finished, press ENTER.
4. "Select Star" displays. AutoStar then displays a database of stars for theobserver to choose from. Use the Scroll keys to scroll to a star on the list that you
wish to align upon. Select a star that you can easily locate in the night sky. Press
ENTER.
5. The telescope slews to the star. Use the Arrow keys to move the telescope until
the star is centered in the eyepiece. Press ENTER.
6. Repeat procedure for the second alignment star. The telescope is aligned andyou are now ready to use AutoStar's GO TO capabilities for a night of observing.

One-Star Alt/Az Alignment
One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a
database of bright stars. One-Star Alignment is identical to Two-Star Alt/Az: Alignment(see TWO-STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, above), except only one star from this databaseis chosen by the observer for alignment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The accuracy of One-Star Alt/Az Alignment, unlike
the Two-Star and Easy (Alt/Az) Alignment procedures, depends on how
well the observer levels the telescope and how close to North the telescope is pointed when setting the Home Position. Because the othermethods use two stars to align upon, they are more precise than OneStar Alignment.

Want to learn more
about Parking yourtelescope? See page
26.

Smart Drive Training (Periodic Error Correction)
If you wish to improve the gear performance on your telescope, first, perform the train
the drive procedure (see page 55). Then use the Periodic Error Correction (PEC) Trainmenu option to remove the slight perturbations from center that occur due to themechanical nature of a telescope. To perform this procedure, you need to use a highpower reticle eyepiece, such as the 9mm reticle (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page
42).
Important Note: In order for the PEC training to operate and be updated
properly, you must “park” the telescope to maintain PEC (see PARKSCOPE, page 26, for more information).
PEC Train Menu Option
To perform the procedure on the R.A. axis, pick a bright star in the South that has
minimal movement and is about 30° above the horizon (Note: If in the Southernhemisphere, pick a star in the North that is about 30° above the horizon). This
procedure takes about 24 minutes for the ETX Premier telescopes.
Important Note: The Train option overwrites any previous PEC data.
1. Select "PEC Train" from the Smart Drive menu (in the "Setup: Telescope" menu)
and press ENTER.

ETX TIPS
Observing Considerations•

Try to pick an observing site away from street and house lights and carheadlights. While this is not always possible, the darker the site, the better.

•

Give your eyes about ten minutes to adjust to the darkness before observing.
Give your eyes a rest from observing every ten or fifteen minutes to relieve
eyestrain.

•

Try not to use a standard flashlight. Experienced observers use red LED
flashlights, the red utility light on the AutoStar handbox or tape red cellophane
over their flashlights to use for setup and map reading so they don’t have tocontinually readjust their eyes to the darkness. Be careful not to shine bright
lights if there are other observers in the area. Do not shine a flashlight into thetelescope while someone is observing!

•

Dress warmly. It gets chilly when you’re sitting for prolonged periods.

•

Practice setting up your equipment during the day or in a lighted area tobecome familiar with it before going to a dark site.

•

Use your 26mm eyepiece to view terrestrial objects and wider areas of space,such as open star clusters. Use optional higher power eyepieces, such as a
9mm eyepiece (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42 for more details), when
you wish to view something up close, such as craters on the Moon or the ringsof Saturn.

•Bring your instructions manual along with you when you observe. Become
familiar with its layout, so it will be easier for you to look up information with justa (red) flashlight.

•

Invite your friends and family to come and observe with you. But practicelocating 3 or 4 objects to show them beforehand; if you have long delays, they
will become bored and lose interest. Also, demonstrate how to focus thetelescope in a well-lit area before you go to to the observing site.

37

2. Look through the reticle. Use the Arrow keys to keep the star centered in the reticle
cross-hairs. AutoStar displays a count of the 150 positions of the worm gear. Whenthe count reaches 150, one cycle is complete. A full cycle takes about 24 minutes.
3. Press MODE to exit.
PEC Update Menu Option
PEC Update does not overwrite the data, but updates the training using information
gathered from both the last and the current training sessions. Press the MODE key toexit from this option. If you wish to further refine your training, select this menu again
and repeat the procedure.
PEC Erase Menu Option
Select this option to erase all PEC training data.

BrowseThis menu allows you to search the database for objects with certain parameters,
much like a search engine. The "Edit Parameters" option lets you set various
parameters for the search and "Start Search" activates the search. A typical searchmight be performed as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

38

Select "Browse" from the Object menu. Press ENTER. "Browse: Start Search"displays.
Press one of the Scroll Keys and "Browse: Edit Parameters" displays. Press
ENTER.
"Edit Parameters: Largest (mins)" displays. "Mins" stands for arc-minutes. Press
ENTER.
"Largest (mins)" and a value displays. Using the Number keys, enter a size inarc-minutes. AutoStar will search for objects up to this size and no larger. Press
ENTER.
"Edit Parameters: Largest (mins)" displays again. Press the Scroll Down key. "Edit
Parameters: Smallest (mins)" displays. Enter the value for the smallest size of an
object that AutoStar will search for in the database. Continue with "Brightest,"
Faintest," and "Minimum Elevation," using the procedure described in steps 3 and4.
After "Minimum Elevation," "Object Type" displays. Press ENTER." "+Black Hole"displays.If you do not wish to have "Black Holes" in your search, press ENTER
and the "+" changes to a "–." Press the Scroll Down to scroll to the next item.
"+Diffuse Nebula" displays. Continue to scroll through the list and press ENTER
if you wish to change the "+" to a "–" or vice-versa.
After you have scrolled to the last item on the "Object Type" list, press MODE
twice and the Scroll Down key once. "Browse: Start Search" displays. Press
ENTER. "Start Search: Next" displays. Press ENTER. AutoStar searches the
database and displays the first object that matches the search parameters you
have entered. Use the scroll keys to display information about the object. Press
MODE and "Start Search: Next" displays again. Press ENTER and the next item
matching the parameters displays. Repeat this procedure to display all theobjects.
Press MODE repeatedly to leave this menu.

PHOTOGRAPHY
7

2

1

5

3

4

6

Fig. 30: Example of photography through the ETX using the #64 T-Adapter: (1) Shortsection of #64 T-Adapter; (2) Extension section of #64 T-Adapter; (3) Knurled attachment ring;(4) T-mount; (5) Flip-mirror control in “up” position; (6) 35mm camera body; (7) Format 1.

Photography with a 35mm Camera
Fig. 31a: Flip mirror control inthe “up” position.

Fig. 31b: Flip mirror control inthe “down” position.

Fig. 32a: Example of a format
1 photo.

Photography through your ETX model requires the addition of the optional #64
T-Adapter (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42). With the #64 T-Adapter attachedto the telescope (Fig. 30), through-the-telescope photography is possible with any
35mm camera body with a removable lens. In this way the telescope effectively
becomes the lens of the camera.
For through-the-telescope photography, turn the flip-mirror control (5, Fig. 30) to the“down” position, allowing light to pass straight through the telescope and out the photo
port (Figs. 31a and 31b). With the flip-mirror control in the “down” position and thephoto port’s dust cover removed, you can see the front lens of the telescope when you
look through the photo port. The #64 T-Adapter threads onto the photo port, followed
by a T-mount for the particular brand of 35mm camera being used, followed by thecamera body (with the camera lens removed).
The #64 T-Adapter consists of two sections (1 and 2, Fig. 30), which are threaded
together in shipment. You may use either of the following photographic mounting
formats to couple the camera body to the telescope’s photo port thread.
• Format 1: Camera Body + T-Mount + Section (1) of the #64 T-Adapter (7, Fig. 30).
ETX-90PE
1250mm at f/13.8
ETX-105PE
1640mm at f/15.6
ETX-125PE
1900mm at f/15
Format 1 utilizes only the short section of the #64 T-Adapter to permit close-couplingof a camera body to the telescope. In this format vignetting will occur; thephotographic image will appear on film with a slight darkening at the corners of the
35mm frame (see Fig. 32a).
• Format 2: Camera Body + T-Mount + Sections (1) and (2) of the #64 T-Adapter (seeFig. 30).
ETX-90PE
ETX-105PE
ETX-125PE

Fig. 32b: Example of a format
2 photo.

1450mm at f/16
1830mm at f/17.42310mm at f/18

Format 2 utilizes both sections of the #64 T-Adapter threaded together to form a rigid
unit. In this configuration there is no field vignetting; images are illuminated to theedges of a standard 35mm frame (see Fig. 32b).
To frame an object in the viewfinder of the 35mm camera body, slightly loosen theknurled attachment ring (3, Fig. 30), which threads the #64 T-Adapter to thetelescope’s photo port; rotate the camera body to achieve proper framing of theobject; then re-tighten the knurled ring.

39

Photography through a long lens, such as the ETX, requires special technique forgood results. The photographer should expect to use several rolls film in acquiring thistechnique. Long-lens photography has its own rewards, however, which short-focus
lenses cannot duplicate.
A Few Tips on Photography
1.Use the standard tripod or the optional table tripod ( see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,
page 42) as a platform for the telescope. At effective focal lengths of 1250mm to1450mm (ETX-90PE), 1640mm to 1830mm (ETX-105PE) or 1900mm to 2310mm(ETX–125PE), even small external vibrations can easily ruin an otherwise good
photo.
Caution: With the #64 T-Adapter and a camera body mounted to the ETX
photo port, the telescope can be rotated vertically only 45°. Moving pastthis point may damage the telescope and camera.
2. Use a cable-operated shutter release with your camera. Touching the camera bodyto operate the shutter will almost certainly introduce undesirable vibrations.
3. Focus the image with extreme care. While observing the subject through thecamera’s reflex viewfinder, turn the ETX's focus knob (8, Fig. 1b) to achieve the
sharpest possible focus. Note that some 35mm cameras may have an optional
focusing screen (available from the manufacturer) for use with a long telephotolens. This screen provides a brighter and clearer image to focus and is highly
recommended.
4. Correct shutter speeds vary widely, depending on lighting conditions and film used.
Trial-and-error is the best way to determine proper shutter speed in any given
application.
Note: The camera used with an ETX model may have an exposure meterthat is still active when the standard lens is removed and the body isconnected to the telescope with the T-mount. If used for terrestrial
photography, the camera meter should be acceptable. If used for
astrophotography, the meter probably will not provide good results sincecamera meters are not made to compensate for a dark sky.
5. Terrestrial photography through an ETX model is sensitive to heat waves risingfrom the Earth’s surface. Long distance photography is best accomplished in theearly morning hours before the earth has had time to build up heat.
6. Photography of the Moon and planets through an ETX model can be especiallygratifying, but points 1 through 4 should be particularly noted in this case. Lunar orplanetary photography requires that the telescope be polar aligned (seeEQUATORIAL (POLAR) ALIGNMENT, page 50).
Note: Long-exposure photography of deep-sky objects is not practical withan ETX model, since this type of photography requires special electronic
and optical guiding devices not available for this telescope.
Photography with a Digital Camera
Although digital cameras still cannot match the quality of images provided bytraditional 35mm cameras, they provide some significant advantages to the casualastrophotographer: You do not have to develop the images (instant images), lower
costs, computer and internet readiness. And because unwanted photos are easily
discarded, they provide the freedom to experiment.
Digital cameras present some problems for the astrophotographer: Many models
have lenses that cannot be removed, difficulties in attaching to a telescope, possible
vignetting, lack manual focusing and shorter exposure times.
Shorter exposure times is one of the biggest drawback. Long exposures with digital
cameras introduce undesirable noise and artifacts into a digital image. This limits therange of astro images to the Moon, planets and bright stars.
Some tips for better photos:•

40

If you cannot remove the lens to your camera, look for a commercially available
digital t-adapter. New solutions for attaching a digital camera to a telescope are
becoming available as time goes by.

•

•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

•

If the camera is not directly coupled to the eyepiece, keep it as close to theeyepiece as possible and center the image to be photographed to minimize
vignetting (darkening of the edges of the photo).
Try to block ambient light (from street lights, house, etc.) from the eyepiece andthe camera with a piece of cardboard, a screen, etc.
Keep extra (charged) batteries on hand for your camera as digital cameras often
drain batteries in a short period of time. Rechargeable Lithium batteries provide
power for a longer period than non-rechargeable batteries. If practical, use an AC
adapter.
Avoid short-focus eyepieces. They present many difficulties for digital cameras.
If using manual focus, set to infinity. Otherwise, using the camera's autofocus isOK.
Experiment with your camera's exposure, brightness and /or contrast settings.
Keep notes for future reference.
Clean eyepieces and camera lens as needed.
Many digital cameras have a manual ISO setting. Short exposures times work thebest.
Use your camera's highest image quality and lowest compression settings.
Although this fills up your camera's memory more quickly, it produces the best
quality photos.
Use the camera's timer or remote shutter release (if available for your camera) tominimize vibration. Wireless shutter releases may be available for some model
digital cameras. If you do not have a shutter release, use thecamera’s timer (sometimes called “self-timer”), which is available with mostdigital cameras. The timer may also minimize vibration.

Photography with Meade’s AutoStar Suite™
The AutoStar Suite with Meade LPI™ (Lunar Planetary Imager) or Meade Deep Sky
Imager™ turns your Meade ETX telescope, AutoStar and PC into even more powerfuland easy-to-use astronomical instrument.
LPI (Fig. 34) and Deep Sky Imager (Fig. 33) combine the power of an electronic
astronomical imager with the simplicity of a web cam. Check out the following imager
features:Fig. 33: The Deep Sky Imager.

Fig. 34: The Lunar Planetary Imager.

• Achieve great results the first time out on the Moon, planets, brighter deep-sky
objects and terrestrial targets.
• Easy to use with real-time display of object on your PC screen. Just center, focus
and shoot.
• Magic Eye software-assisted focusing.
• Automatic and manual exposure control from .001 to 15 seconds (up to 450x longer
than web cams).
• Automatically takes multiple exposures.
The AutoStar Suite Software includes powerful tools to help you get the most fromyour Meade ETX telescope:• Sophisticated planetarium program with over 19 million objects.
• Select objects from the planetarium display and the telescope slews to thoseobjects.
• Create time-lapse movies of objects, such as Jupiter• Create your own Guided Tours.
• Advanced Image Processing Software including Unsharp Masking, Convolution
Filtering and many other features.
• Control all AutoStar functions from your PC.
• Talking Telescope software translates AutoStar text to synthesized speech throughPC speaker.
• Includes a cable to connect your ETX model to your PC.
See the CD Rom that is included with AutoStar Suite for more information and instruction manual.

41

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories are available for the for ETX
telescopes. Meade accessories greatly extend many important applications to thetelescope, from low-power, wide-field terrestrial viewing to high-power lunar andplanetary observing. The premium quality of these accessories is well-suited to thequality of the instrument itself.
Meade telescopes and accessories, including optional accessories for ETX
telescopes, are available at more than 3,000 dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada
and through Meade international distributors worldwide. Once you have identified theaccessories you wish to order, contact your local Meade authorized dealer. To find a
dealer near you call (949) 451-1450 or visit the Meade website at www.meade.com.
#505
Cable
Connector
Kit:
With
Meade
AstroFinder
software loaded into your PC, AutoStar-equipped ETX–90PE, ETX-105PE, and ETX125PE telescopes may be remotely controlled from the PC display. The #505 Cable
Connector Set, permitting connection of ETX, AutoStar and PC, is included with each
AstroFinder package.
Eyepieces: For higher and lower magnifications, Meade Super Plössl (SP) andSuper Wide Angle (SWA) eyepieces (Fig. 35), as well as the Series 4000 8mm to24mm Zoom eyepiece, yield high-resolution imaging with all ETX telescope models.
A useful selection includes the SP 9.7mm, SP 12.4mm and SWA 16mm. Under goodseeing conditions, Meade Series 5000 Ultra Wide Angle 4.7mm and 6.7mm eyepieces
present the widest obtainable fields of view at high powers and are well suited forobserving the Moon and planets (other eyepieces are available in this series). Powers
obtained with each eyepiece are shown in the following table.

Fig. 35: Optional
Eyepieces yield higher andlower magnifying powers.

Barlow

Eyepiece

ETX-90PE
Power 2x Barlow

ETX-105PE
ETX-125PE
Power 2x Barlow Power 2x Barlow

SP 6.4mm
SP 9.7mm
SP 12.4mm
SP 15mm
SP 20mm
SP 26mm *SP 32mm
SP 40mm

195X
129X
101X
83X
63X
48X
39X
31X

390X
258X
202X
166X
126X
96X
78X
62X

230
152
119
98
74
57
46
37

459
303
237
196
147
113
92
74

297X
196X
153X
127X
95X
73X
59X
48X

594X**
392X
306X
253X
190X
146X
119X
96X

SWA 16mm
SWA 20mm
SWA 24mm

78X
63X
52X

156X
126X
104X

92
74
61

184
148
122

119X
106X
79X

238X
211X
158X

UWA 4.7mm
UWA 6.7mm

266X
187X

N/A
374X **

313
219

N/A
439**

404X
284X

N/A
567X*** Included as standard-equipment with the ETX models.
** Use these eyepieces only under extremely steady atmospheric conditions.
Fig. 36: Use the #126 2x
Barlow Lens to double themagnification of theeyepiece employed.

Fig. 37: #825 Right-Angle
Viewfinder.

42#126 2x Barlow Lens: An amplifying lens, the multi-coated #126 2x Barlow (Fig. 36)
doubles the power of all eyepieces with which it is used. Insert the #126 into thetelescope’s eyepiece holder first, followed by an eyepiece. Example: By itself, the26mm eyepiece yields a power of 73X with the ETX-125PE; when used with the #126
2x Barlow Lens, this eyepiece yields 146X.
#64 T-Adapter: The basic means of photography through any ETX Astro telescope,
the #64 T-Adapter threads to the rear cell of the telescope, followed by a T-Mountappropriate to the user’s brand of 35mm camera. In this way, the camera body isrigidly coupled to the telescope's optical system, which in effect becomes the camera's lens (see PHOTOGRAPHY, page 38).

Fig. 38: The #932 45°
Erecting Prism.

#932 45° Erecting Prism: All ETX models include an internal optically-flat mirror toreflect light to the telescope’s 90° astronomical observing position. In this position thetelescope’s image is upright, but reversed. For terrestrial observing with an ETXmodel, the #932 Erecting Prism (Fig. 38) correctly orients the eyepiece image andprovides a convenient 45° observing angle.
#774 Hard Carrying Case (for the ETX-90PE), #776 Hard Carrying Case (for the
ETX-105PE) and #775 Hard Carrying Case (for the ETX-125PE): For secure
portability of ETX Astro Telescope models in the field, Meade hard carrying cases (Fig.
39) are fully lined with fitted foam inserts. They accept the complete ETX Astro
Telescope plus optional accessories.
#765 Soft Carry Bag: The Meade soft-padded carry bag (Fig. 40) is well suited to travel with the ETX-90PE Astro Telescope. Each carry bag includes a shoulder strap andpermits ready transport of the complete telescope, including accessories.

Fig. 39: #774 Hard
Carrying Case shown withan ETX-90PE.

Fig. 40: The #765 Soft
Carry Bag for the
ETX-90PE.

Fig. 41: #1244 Electric
Focuser.

Fig. 42: Meade Deep Sky
ImagerPower Adapters and Cords: In addition to their internal battery packs, ETX-90PE,
ETX-105PE, and ETX-125PE telescopes may be powered from standard 115vAC
home electricity with the #541 AC Adapter. The #541 plugs into any standard homeoutlet and includes a 25 ft. cord connecting to the telescope’s control panel. Input
voltage to the telescope is 12vDC. Alternately, an ETX telescope may be powered in
the field from an automobile cigarette lighter plug by using the #607 Power Cord, a
25-ft. cord that plugs into the telescope’s control panel and supplies 12vDC directlyfrom the car battery.
#1244 Electric Focuser (for the ETX-90PE and ETX-105PE) and #1247 Electric
Focuser (ETX-125PE): Meade-engineered for smooth, rapid focusing with any
ETX model, each electric focuser (Fig. 41) includes coarse and micro-fine speeds. The
standard-equipment hand controller accepts one (user-supplied) 9-volt battery andfocuses the ETX telescope. On the ETX models, the focuser plugs into and is
powered by, the telescope’s control panel, with operation effected through either the
AutoStar or the optional #497 AutoStar Computer Controller.
#887 Advanced Field Tripod for the ETX-105PE or ETX-125PE: For extra stability insensitive applications of the ETX-105PE or the ETX-125PE even at the highest magnifications, the fixed height #887 Tripod permits either altazimuth orequatorial orientation of the telescope for astronomical or terrestrial observing. The#887 includes an equatorial wedge for polar alignment. The tripod's 2"-diameter steel
legs collapse for easy transport in the field.
Series 4000 Plössl 9mm Illuminated Reticle Eyepiece: The most advanced commercially-available illuminated reticle eyepiece, this Series 4000 Plössl 9mm model,
powered by an internal battery, includes micrometric x-y positioning controls which
greatly facilitate locking onto the guide star: Turn the finely-threaded controls and place
the reticle’s crossline pattern precisely at the desired position in the field. The sharp,
high-power imaging of the 4-element, multi-coated Plössl optical system is complemented by a rubber eyecup (foldable for eyeglass wearers) that shuts out distracting
stray light from the observer’s eye. The upper (lens) section of the eyepiece rotates ona fine thread for precise diopter adjustment to the user’s eye. Reticle pattern is a double crossline with two concentric circles.
Deep Sky Imager: This high-performance, easy-to-use and affordable color CCD
camera (Fig. 42) suppresses electronic noise and does not compress data from thesensor to increase picture quality. The Deep Sky Imager uses a full 16-bit analog-todigital converter to enhance picture depth, contrast and dynamic range. It is USB compatible for easy interface with most Windows-based laptop computers. Includes
AutoStar Suite which automatically sorts, aligns and combines the best images, resulting in a highly detailed color image.
Atomic Time Update Module: For use with all Meade ETX Premier Edition
telescopes, this optional accessory allows you update the LNT Module with the time
signal from the NIST atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado.

43

MAINTENANCE
Your ETX model telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield alifetime of rewarding observations. Given the care and respect due any precision
instrument, the telescope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Use thefollowing guidelines:
1. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: a little dust on the front surface of thetelescope’s correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality andshould not be considered reason to clean the lens.
2. When absolutely necessary, remove dust from the front lens with gentle strokes ofa camel-hair brush or blow it off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy).
Do not use a commercial photographic lens cleaner.
3. You may remove organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) from the front lens with asolution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. A single drop of
biodegradable dishwashing soap may be added per pint of solution. Use soft, whitefacial tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often.
Caution: Do not use scented, colored or lotioned tissues or damage could
result to the optics.
4. In the very rare situation where cleaning the inside surface of the corrector lensbecomes necessary, unthread the lens cell located at the front of the main tube.
The entire correcting lens and secondary mirror system are mounted in this cell.
You may use the lens-cleaner solution described in step 3 to clean the insidesurface of the lens.
Caution: Do not touch the aluminized circular surface of the secondary
mirror with a finger, a tissue or any other object. This will almost certainly
scratch the mirror surface.
Note: When cleaning the inside surface of the correcting lens, leave the lens
mounted in its metal cell throughout the process. Do not remove the lensfrom its metal housing or optical alignment of the lens will be lost,necessitating a return of the telescope to the Meade factory.
5. If your ETX model is used outdoors on a humid night, telescope surfaces may accumulate water condensation. 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 being packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the
optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in warmindoor air, so that the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended. In addition, the dust
cap should not be placed back on to the optical tube until the telescope is thoroughly dry.
6. If your ETX model is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one monthor more, it is advisable to remove the eight AA-size batteries from inside the drivebase. Batteries left installed for prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to thetelescope’s electronic circuitry (see HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE AND TRIPOD, page 12).
7. The super-gloss anodized finish of any ETX model’s deep-violet optical tube fades
if left in direct sunlight for prolonged periods.
8. Do not leave your ETX model outdoors on a warm day or inside a sealed car for an
extended period of time; excessive ambient temperatures can damage thetelescope’s internal lubrication and electronic circuitry.
9. A (English-format) hex wrench is provided with ETX models. This wrench is used
as follows:•
Small wrench (.05”): Use the small wrench to tighten the set-screws of
any knobs that may loosen (e.g., the focus knob or flip-mirror controlknob).

44

Storage and Transport
When the telescope is not in use, store it in a cool, dry place. Do not expose the instrument to excessive heat or moisture. It is best to store the telescope in its
original box with the vertical and horizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1a and 1b) in theunlocked positions. If shipping the telescope, use the original box and packing
material to protect the telescope during shipment.
When transporting the telescope, take care not to bump or drop the instrument; thistype of abuse can damage the optical tube and/or the objective lens and knock the
optics out of alignment. It is highly recommended to use an optional carry case totransport the telescope (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42).
Inspecting the Optics
A few words about the so-called “Flashlight Test:" If a flashlight or otherhigh-intensity light source is pointed down the main telescope tube, the view
(depending upon the observer’s line of sight and the angle of the light) may reveal
what appear to be scratches, dark or bright spots or uneven coatings, giving theappearance of poor quality optics. These effects are only seen when a high intensity
light is transmitted through lenses or reflected off the mirrors and can be seen on any
high-quality optical system, including giant research telescopes.
The optical quality of a telescope cannot be judged by the “flashlight” test; the true testof optical quality can only be conducted through careful star testing.

Troubleshooting
The following suggestions may be helpful with operation of the ETX-90PE,
ETX-105PE and ETX-125PE.
The power indicator light on the telescope does not come on or there is no
response when pressing the AutoStar Arrow keys:• Verify that the Computer Control panel power switch (A, Fig. 2) is in the ON
position.
• Verify that the AutoStar coil cord is firmly connected to the HBX port (C, Fig. 2).
• If using internal power (batteries), verify that the batteries are installed correctly andthat they have sufficient charge (see HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE AND
TRIPOD, page 12).
Note: If the batteries are getting low on charge, there will be a marked
difference in the slew speed. The speed indicator lights may also flash andthe speed may change. If any of these symptoms occurs, turn the power off
and replace the batteries.
• If using an external power source, verify that it is properly connected between the
12-volt connector (D, Fig. 3) and either a wall plug (AC source) or a car cigarette
lighter (DC source).
• If AutoStar does not respond to commands, move the power switch to OFF andthen back to ON.
• If the telescope does not slew after power is applied or if the motor quits or stalls,
verify that there are no physical obstructions that would impede telescope
movement.
• If all physical obstacles are removed and the telescope still does not moveproperly, turn off the power and unplug AutoStar. Plug AutoStar back in and turn the
power back on.
Unable to see an image through the eyepiece:• Confirm that the lens cover has been removed from the telescope.
• Confirm that the flip-mirror control (14, Fig. 1b) is in the “up” position if using theeyepiece holder (4, Fig. 1b) so that light is directed to the eyepiece (1, Fig. 1a).
Confirm that the flip-mirror control is in the “down” position if using the #932
Erecting Prism or doing photography with an ETX model (see TELESCOPEFEATURES, page 6 and PHOTOGRAPHY, page 38).

45

Object appears in the SmartFinder but not in the eyepiece:• The SmartFinder is not properly aligned with the telescope (see ALIGNING
SMARTFINDER, page 13).
Slew speed does not change when you press the SPEED key or the telescopemoves slowly even though the fast slew speed is chosen:• The battery power may be low (see HOW TO ASSEMBLE, page 12).
Telescope does not track a celestial object:• Make sure that the telescope is correctly aligned. See AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page17, for more information.
Images through the eyepiece appear unfocused or distorted:• The magnification may be too high for the viewing conditions. Back off to a lower
power eyepiece (see CHOOSING AN EYEPIECE, page 14).
• If inside a warm house or building, move outside. Interior air conditions may distort
terrestrial or celestial images, making it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a sharp
focus. For optimal viewing, use the telescope outside in the open air instead ofobserving through an open or closed window or screen.
• If viewing a land object on a warm day, heat waves will distort the image (seeTERRESTRIAL OBSERVING, page 15).
• For clear viewing of objects, turn the focus knob (8, Fig. 1b) slowly since the “infocus” point of a telescope is precise. Turning the focus knob too quickly may cause
the focus point to pass without notice.
• The optics within the telescope need time to adjust to the outside ambient
temperature to provide the sharpest image. To cool down the optics, set thetelescope outside for 10 to 15 minutes before observing begins.
Telescope moves off a terrestrial object while observing:• Verify that the vertical and horizontal locks are tight (see TELESCOPE FEATURES,
page 6).
Telescope does not move past a certain point:• The built-in vertical or horizontal rotational “stops” may have been reached. See #6,
page 7.
Telescope pauses when changing slew direction:• This pause is normal.
A terrestrial object appears reversed left-for-right:• An eyepiece in the standard 90° observing position (4, Fig. 1b) reverses an object
left-for-right: To view a correctly oriented image requires the optional #932 Erecting
Prism (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 42).
Meade Customer Service
If you have a question concerning your ETX model, call the Meade Instruments
Customer Service Department at (949) 451-1450. Customer Service hours are 7:00
AM to 6:00 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that the ETX
requires factory servicing or repairs, write or call the Meade Customer Service
Department first, before returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as
to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address and daytime telephone
number. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone,
avoiding return of the telescope to the factory.

46

SPECIFICATIONSSpecifications: ETX-90PE Astro Telescope
Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain
Primary mirror diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96mm (3.78”)
Clear aperture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90mm (3.5”)
Focal length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1250mm
Focal ratio (photographic speed). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f/13.8
Near focus (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.5 ft (3.5m)
Resolving power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 arc secs
Super multi-coatings (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . standard
Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.) . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.7
Image scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.16°/inch
Maximum practical visual power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325X
Optical tube dimensions(dia. x length) . . . . . . . . . . . 10.4cm x 27.9cm (4.1” x 11”)
Secondary mirror obstruction (dia.; %) . . 27.9mm (1.1”); 9.6%
Telescope mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fork type; double tine
Setting circle diameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec.: 3.5”; R.A.: 7”
SmartFinder. . . . . . . . . . . Red dot projected onto finder’s lens
LNT Module . . . . . . High accuracy, temperature-compensated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oscillator, updatable using Meade’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . optional ATUM accessory
Input voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 volts DC
Motor Drive System DC servo motors with encoders, both axes
Bearings:
Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UHMW polyethylene
Azimuth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PTFE
Materials:
Tube body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aluminum
Mounting . . . . . . high-impact ABS, aluminum-reinforced
Primary mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pyrex® glass
Correcting lens . . . . . . . . . . . BK7 optical glass, Grade-A
Telescope dimensions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38cm x 18cm x 22cm (15” x 7” x 9”)
Telescope net weight:(incl. AutoStar & batteries) . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.5kg (7.8 lbs)
Telescope shipping weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.8kg (12.8 lbs)
Battery Life (approx.):with AutoStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 hrs

Specifications: ETX-105PE Astro Telescope
Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain
Primary mirror diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116mm (4.56”)
Clear aperture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105mm (4.13”)
Focal length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1470mm (57.8”)
Focal ratio (photographic speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f/14
Near focus (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6m (15 ft)
Resolving power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 arc secs
Super multi-coatings (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . standard
Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.) . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.1
Image scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.99°/inch
Maximum practical visual power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420x
Optical tube dimensions(dia. x length) . . . . . . . . 12.4cm x 32.8cm (4.88” x 12.9”)
Secondary mirror obstruction (dia.; %) . . . 3.3cm (1.32”); 9.4%
Telescope mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fork type; double tine
Setting circle diameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec.: 3.81”; R.A.: 7.8”

47

SmartFinder. . . . . . . . . . . Red dot projected onto finder’s lens
LNT Module . . . . . . High accuracy, temperature-compensated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oscillator, updatable using Meade’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . optional ATUM accessory
Input voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 volts DC
Motor Drive System . . . DC servo motors with encoders, both axes
Bearings:
Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ball bearings
Azimuth . . . . PTFE thrust bearing and radial ball bearing
Materials:
Tube body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aluminum
Mounting . . . . . . ABS, with internal aluminum structurePrimary mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pyrex® glass
Correcting lens . . . . . . . . . . . BK7 optical glass, Grade-A

Telescope dimensions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . 43cm x 25cm x 20cm (17” x 10” x 8”)
Telescope net weight:(incl. AutoStar & batteries) . . . . . . . . . . . 6.1kg (13.5 lbs)
Telescope shipping weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.3kg (18.4 lbs)
Battery Life (approx.):with AutoStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 hrs

Specifications: ETX-125PE Astro Telescope
Optical design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maksutov-Cassegrain
Primary mirror diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138mm (5.43”)
Clear aperture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127mm (5.0”)
Focal length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1900mm (74.8”)
Focal ratio (photographic speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f/15
Near focus (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.6m (15 ft)
Resolving power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.9 arc secs
Super multi-coatings (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . standard
Limiting visual stellar magnitude (approx.) . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.5
Image scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.76°/inch
Maximum practical visual power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500X
Optical tube dimensions(dia. x length) . . . . . . . . . . 14.6cm x 36cm (5.75” x 14.2”)
SmartFinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 x 25mm right-angle
Secondary mirror obstruction (dia.; %) . . 39.4mm (1.6”); 9.6%
Telescope mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fork type; double tine
Setting circle diameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec.: 4.3”; R.A.: 9”
SmartFinder. . . . . . . . . . . Red dot projected onto finder’s lens
LNT Module . . . . . . High accuracy, temperature-compensated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oscillator, updatable using Meade’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . optional ATUM accessory
Input voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 volts DC
Motor Drive System . . . DC servo motors with encoders, both axes
Bearings:
Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ball bearings
Azimuth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ball bearings
Materials:
Tube body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aluminum
Mounting . . . . . . . ABS, with internal aluminum structurePrimary mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pyrex® glass
Correcting lens . . . . . . . . . . . BK7 optical glass, Grade-A

Telescope dimensions:. . . . . . . . . . 48cm x 23cm x 27cm (19” x 8.9” x 10.8”)

48

Telescope net weight:(incl. AutoStar & batteries) . . . . . . . . . . . 6.9kg (15.2 lbs)
Telescope shipping weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.4kg (25.2 lbs)
Battery Life (approx.):with AutoStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 hrs

AutoStar Specifications
Processor ............................................................................68HC11, 8MHz
Flash Memory ............................................................1MB, reloadable
Keypad ........................................................................20 key alphanumeric
Display ........................................................................2 line, 16 character LCD
Backlight......................................................................Red LED
Utility Light ..................................................................Yes
RS-232 ........................................................................Yes
Coil Cord ....................................................................24"
Database ....................................................................30,223 objects
AutoStar Dimensions
Length ........................................................................6.56" (16.6cm)
Width (LCD end) ........................................................3.19" (80cm)
Width (Connector end) ................................................2.25" (57cm)
Depth ..........................................................................0.81" (21cm)
AutoStar net weight ....................................................1.12 lbs (0.51kg)

ETX TIPS
Surf the Web
One of the most exciting resources for astronomy is the internet. The internet is fullof websites with new images, discoveries and the latest astronomical information.
For example: When Mars made its closest approach in 60,000 years to our Sun in2003, astronomers around the world posted new photos daily.
On the internet, you can find websites for almost any topic relating to astronomy. Try
the following key word searches: NASA, Hubble, HST, astronomy, Messier, satellite,
nebula, black hole, variable stars, etc.
Check Meade’s website for the latest product and technical information. You candownload the latest software revisions, links to other astronomical sites, coordinatesof celestial objects and the latest satellite tracking information for your AutoStar
handbox. See page 30 for more information. You’ll find our website at:www.meade.com/
Here are some other sites you might find interesting:• Sky & Telescope:
http://www.SkyandTelescope.com• Astronomy:
http://www.astronomy.com• The Starfield:
http://users.nac.net/gburke/• Astronomy Picture of the Day:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.goc/apod• Heavens Above (satellite observing information):
http://www.heavens-above.com• Photographic Atlas of the Moon:
http://www.lpi.ursa.edu/research/lunar_orbiter• Hubble Space Telescope Public Pictures
http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html

49

APPENDIX A: EQUATORIAL(POLAR) ALIGNMENT
Equatorial Alignment
In equatorial (or "polar") Alignment, the telescope is oriented so that the horizontal andvertical axes of the telescope are lined up with the celestial coordinate system.

Important Note:
The "Telescope: Mount"option of the Setup menu is
set to "Alt/Az" as the default
mount by the factory. If thetelescope is equatoriallymounted, you must choosethe "Polar" option from the
AutoStar "Telescope: Mount"menu.

In order to equatorial align your telescope, it is essential to have an understanding of how
and where to locate celestial objects as they move across the sky. This section provides abasic introduction to the terminology of equatorial-aligned astronomy and includes
instructions for finding the celestial pole and for finding objects in the night sky using
Declination and Right Ascension.

Celestial Coordinates
A celestial coordinate system was created that maps an imaginary spheresurrounding the Earth upon which all stars appear to be placed. This mapping system issimilar to the system of latitude and longitude on Earth surface maps.
In mapping the surface of the Earth, lines of longitude are drawn between the North andSouth Poles and lines of latitude are drawn in an East-West direction, parallel to the Earth’s
equator. Similarly, imaginary lines have been drawn to form a latitude and longitude grid forthe celestial sphere. These lines are known as Right Ascension and Declination.
The celestial map also contains two poles and an equator just like a map of the Earth. The
poles of this coordinate system are defined as those two points where the Earth’s Northand South poles (i.e., the Earth's axis), if extended to infinity, would cross the celestial
sphere. Thus, the North Celestial Pole (1, Fig. 43) is that point in the sky where an extension of the North Pole intersects the celestial sphere. The North Star, Polaris, is locatedvery near the North Celestial Pole (1, Fig. 43). The celestial equator (2, Fig. 43) is a projection of the Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere.

North
Celestial
Pole(Vicinityof Polaris)

Star

16

15

14

13 12

11

ation
clin
De

1
17
18
19

So just as an object's position on the Earth’s surface can be located by its latitude andlongitude, celestial objects may also be located using Right Ascension and Declination. For
example: You could locate Los Angeles, California, by its latitude (+34°) and longitude(118°). Similarly, you could locate the Ring Nebula (M57) by its Right Ascension (18hr) and
its Declination (+33°).

+90 Dec.

10

9Earth’s
Rotation

20 21

22

23

0

1

2

Right Ascension

3

8
4

7
6
5

J

Right Ascension (R.A.): This celestial version of longitude is measured in units ofhours (hr), minutes (min) and seconds (sec) on a 24-hour "clock" (similar to how
Earth's time zones are determined by longitude lines). The "zero" line was arbitrarily
chosen to pass through the constellation Pegasus, a sort of cosmic Greenwich meridian. R.A. coordinates range from 0hr 0min 0sec to 23hr 59min 59sec. There are 24
primary lines of R.A., located at 15-degree intervals along the celestial equator.
Objects located further and further East of the zero R.A. grid line (0hr 0min 0sec) carryhigher R.A. coordinates.

J

Declination (Dec.): This celestial version of latitude is measured in degrees,arc-minutes and arc-seconds (e.g., 15° 27' 33"). Dec. locations North of the celestial
equator are indicated with a plus (+) sign (e.g., the Dec. of the North celestial pole is+90°). Dec. locations South of the celestial equator are indicated with a minus (–) sign
(e.g., the Dec. of the South celestial pole is –90°). Any point on the celestial equator(such as the the constellations of Orion, Virgo and Aquarius) is said to have a
Declination of zero, shown as 0° 0' 0."

Celestial
Equator
0 Dec.

2South
Celestial
Pole-90 Dec.

Fig. 43: Celestial Sphere.

Polar Mounting your Telescope with the #884 Deluxe Field Tripod
As the Earth rotates on its axis, astronomical objects appear to move across the sky in anarc. This apparent motion is not obvious to the unaided eye, but when viewed through atelescope such as an ETX, this motion is rapid indeed. If the motor drive has not been
engaged,celestial
objects
viewedinthetelescope
eyepiecedrift
entirely out of the field of view in 15 to 60 seconds, depending on the magnification
employed.

50

However, by mounting your telescope and turning on the motor drive, you cancounteract the drift of objects in the eyepiece. The two basic types of mounting are:altazimuth (alt/az) and equatorial. For many ETX owners, it will not be necessary toequatorially mount the telescope; alt/az mounting will suffice. The AutoStar Controller
allows the telescope to be mounted in the altazimuth (alt/az) mode for mostobserving purposes. See AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 17, for more information.

However, owners who wish to perform astrophotography or use the Meade LPI or DeepSky Imager (see PHOTOGRAPHY WITH MEADE’S AUTOSTAR SUITE, page 41, for more
information) will find equatorial mounting indispensible to their needs.

2Equatorial Mount
Equatorial mounting lines up the telescope’s polar axis with the North Celestial Pole (or theSouth Celestial Pole if observing in the southern hemisphere).
When using an equatorially mounted telescope, tracking (following) celestial objects ispossible by turning on your ETX telescope's motor drive. The motor counteracts the Earth's
rotation and keeps objects in the field of view of the eyepiece for hands-off tracking.

A
Fig. 44: Loosen control latch.
High latitude
leg mounting
hole.
Attachment
knob.

Latitudecontrolbar.

Fig. 45: High latitude leg
mounting hole andcorresponding attachment
knob.

C

Fig. 46: Attach telescope totripod.

Equatorial Mounting Procedure
1. Assemble the tripod as described in Step #2 of How to Assemble Your Telescope andTripod, page 12.
2. Loosen the latitude control latch (1, Fig. 44) and lift up the tilt-plate (2, Fig. 44) so thatyou can easily access the underside of the plate. Relock the latitudecontrol latch, so the assembly doesn't slip while you are attaching the telescope.
3. Turn the tripod, so that the face of the tilt-plate points North (Figs. 48 and 49, on nextpage). If you attach the telescope to the tripod indoors, be sure to orient the face ofthe tilt-plate to point North after moving the telescope outdoors. Equivalently, point the
tripod leg (5, Fig. 48) North. This is the leg opposite from the latitude control bar (4,Fig. 48).
4. Line up the mounting hole on the base of the telescope labeled "High Latitude Leg"with the attachment knob that is closest to the latitude control bar (see Fig. 45). Lineup the other mounting hole with the remaining attachment knob. Thread both
attachment knobs into the base of the telescope. Tighten to a firm-feel only.
5. Determine the latitude of your observing location from a road map, atlas or the
LATITUDE CHART FOR MAJOR CITIES OF THE WORLD, page 54. Loosen thelatitude control latch (1, Fig. 47, on next page) and adjust the latitude control bar (4,Fig. 47) so that your observing site's latitude is just visible above the flat surface of the
tripod head. Retighten the latch.
6. If you have not already done so orient the tripod leg (see Step #3 and 5, Fig. 48) sothat it is pointing due North (if the location of Polaris, the North Star, is known, point
the telescope directly at Polaris. Observers located in the Earth’s Southern
Hemisphere must point the telescope due South).
7. The telescope is now equatorially mounted; the tripod must not be moved or else thealignment will be lost. Instead, use one of the following methods to move thetelescope's optical tube to a desired celestial object.
(a) Loosen the vertical and/or horizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1a and 1b) to permit
the optical tube to be freely moved manually. Tighten the locks once you centeron the object.
(b) With the horizontal and vertical locks in their “locked” positions, use the Arrowkeys to move the optical tube.
Note: For most astronomical observing requirements, approximate
settings of the telescope's latitude and North-pointing tripod leg (Steps #5
and #6) are acceptable. Do not allow undue attention to precise equatorial
mounting of the telescope to interfere with your enjoyment of the instrument.
Using an Equatorially Mounted Telescope
Once your telescope is equatorially mounted, the telescope motor drive will keep acelestial object in the telescope eyepiece's field of view.
To Track a Star When Polar Mounted:
Make sure you have initialized your telescope before you try out this feature (seeINITIALIZING AUTOSTAR, page 17).
1. Tighten the vertical and horizontal locks (6 and 9, Fig. 1a and 1b) if necessary.
2. Make sure that AutoStar is connected to the HBX port (C, Fig. 2) of thetelescope’s computer control panel.
3. Flip the telescope power switch (A, Fig. 2) to the ON position.
The AutoStar screen displays a copyright message displays, followed by a short beep.
Then AutoStar takes a few moments to start up the system.
4. A message displays that warns not to look at the Sun. At the end of this message,press the key prompted by AutoStar to signify that the message has been read andunderstood.

51

D
A
Fig. 47: Set latitude.
North
Celestial
Pole

+
D

5. Press ENTER repeatedly until “Setup: Align” displays.
6. Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Setup: Telescope" displays. Press ENTER.
“Telescope: Telescope Model” displays.
7. Press the Scroll Down key repeatedly until "Telescope: Mount" displays. Press
ENTER. “Scope Mounting: Alt/az” displays.
8. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Scope Mounting: Alt/az" displays. Press ENTER.
"Telescope: Mount" displays again.
9. Press Mode once. “Setup: Telescope” displays.
10. Press the Scroll Down key once. "Setup: Targets" displays.
11. Press ENTER. "Targets: Terrestrial" displays. Press one of the Scroll keys once.
"Targets: Astronomical" now displays.
12. Use the Arrow keys to locate a bright star in the night sky. Use the SmartFinder (2,Fig. 1) to help line up on the star. You may choose any unobstructed, bright star forthe purposes of this example. Use AutoStar's Arrow keys to center the star in theeyepiece. Once the star is centered, press ENTER to select "Astronomical." Thetelescope's tracking motors then engage. It may take the tracking motors several
seconds to begin tracking. When they do, it may be necessary to once again center
the star in the eyepiece. The tracking motors will then keep the star you have chosen
in the center of the eyepiece.
13. Press and hold the ENTER key for a few seconds and then release to stop
tracking. You may repeat the procedure to locate another star or object using theArrow keys. Then press ENTER to re-engage the tracking motors.
Caution: Do not move the tripod or adjust the latitude setting whileobserving or the mounting alignment will be lost. The telescope's motor drive disengages when the Horizontal and the Vertical lock levers are unlocked andre-engages when the levers are relocked.

E
Fig. 48: Example of Polar
Alignment. Note that the faceof the tilt-plate points North.

AutoStar Polar Alignment
AutoStar provides three different (manual) methods for polar alignment: Easy,
One-Star and Two-Star.

North
Celestial
Pole+

Easy Polar Alignment
Two alignment stars are chosen by AutoStar based on the date, time and location. First,
choose "Polar" from the "Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu. The rest of theprocedure is identical to the Alt/Az AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT, page 17.
One-Star Polar Alignment
Polar One-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar
provides a database of bright stars and one star from this database is chosen by theobserver for alignment. Polaris is chosen by AutoStar. First, choose "Polar" from the"Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu. The rest of the procedure is almost identical to the Alt/Az
ONE STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, page 36, except that AutoStar prompts you to point thetelescope at Polaris and center it in the telescope eyepiece.

Fig. 49: Example of Polar
Alignment. Note that the faceof the tilt-plate points North.
This is the Polar home
position.

Important Note:
In order to select any ofthree polar alignment
options, you must first
select "Polar" in the"Mount" option of the"Setup: Telescope" menu.

52

Two-Star Polar Alignment
Polar Two-Star Alignment requires some knowledge of the night sky. AutoStar provides a
database of bright stars and two stars from this database are chosen by the observer foralignment. First, choose "Polar" from the "Setup: Telescope: Mount" menu. The rest of theprocedure is almost identical to the Alt/Az TWO STAR ALT/AZ ALIGNMENT, page 36.
Locating the Celestial Pole
To get basic bearings at an observing location, take note of where the Sun rises (East) andsets (West) each day. After the site is dark, face North by pointing your left shoulder toward
where the Sun sets. To precisely point at the pole, find the North Star (Polaris) by using the
Big Dipper as a guide (Fig. 50, next page).
Important Note: For almost all astronomical observing requirements,
approximate settings of the telescope’s latitude and Polar axis are
acceptable. Do not allow undue attention to precise Polar Alignment of thetelescope to interfere with your basic enjoyment of the instrument.

Little Dipper

Setting Circles
The ETX models are equipped with R.A. and Dec. setting circles (13 and 16, Fig. 1a) to
aid in locating faint celestial objects when the telescope has been polar aligned. Setting circles emulate the celestial coordinates found on star charts or in sky catalogs. Any charted
object is easily located by coordinates in R.A. (in hours, minutes and seconds, from 0h 0m
0s to 23h 59m 59s) and Dec. (in degrees from 0° to ±90°).

PolarisBig Dipper

Cassiopeia

With an ETX model polar aligned, use the Arrow keys to move the telescope in R.A. (leftand right keys) and Dec. (up and down keys).
Note: The Dec. setting circle is located on the left arm of the telescope fork
mount. The right arm of the mount contains a graduated circle (mounted
behind the knurled knob of the vertical lock), without Dec. numbers.

Fig. 50: Locating Polaris• Declination Setting Circle: The Dec. setting circle (Fig. 51) has been factory set to readthe correct Declination of celestial objects.
Because the smooth knob on this fork mount arm need never be loosened, the Dec.
setting circle should always remain calibrated. If for some reason this knob becomesloose and the Dec. setting circle must be recalibrated, level the optical tube (5, Fig. 1a)so that it is parallel to the drive base. Loosen the smooth knob covering the Dec. setting
circle until the setting circle moves freely. Reposition the setting circle so that the 0setting aligns with the Dec. pointer (the molded triangle beneath the setting circle).
Retighten the Dec. knob.

40

30

40

20

10

0

10

20

30

Fig. 51: Section of
Declination setting circle.

12
12

11
13

10
14

Fig. 52: Section of Right
Ascension setting circle.

• Right Ascension Setting Circle: Since celestial objects move in R.A., the R.A. setting
circle (Fig. 52) must be reset as each object is located during an observing session. The
R.A. pointer is located on the drive base 90° counterclockwise from the telescope’s
Computer Control panel (10, Fig. 1a) immediately under the R.A. circle.
To use the setting circles to find astronomical objects, the ETX must first be polar aligned.
It is advisable that the motor drive be turned on and that a low-power eyepiece (e.g., a
26mm eyepiece) be employed. Then use the following procedure:
1. Identify the celestial coordinates (R.A. and Dec.) of a bright, easy-to-find object, such asa bright star. (Avoid using Polaris or any object near Polaris.) Coordinates of bright stars
are listed in astronomy magazines, text books or star charts. Center this object in thetelescope’s field of view.
2. Manually turn the R.A. circle (13, Fig. 1a) to read the R.A. of the object at the R.A.
pointer (the molded triangle beneath this setting circle).
3. The R.A. circle is now calibrated to read the correct R.A. of any object at which thetelescope is pointed. The Dec. circle is already calibrated through polar alignment.
4. To find another object, again identify the R.A. and Dec. coordinates. Then, without touching the setting circles, move the telescope (manually, by unlocking the vertical and horizontal locks or by slewing the telescope using the Arrow keys) so that the R.A. and Dec.
pointers read the coordinates of the second object.
5. If the above procedure has been followed carefully, the second object will now be in thetelescope’s field of view.
Note: Since the second object (i.e., the object to be located) is in constantmotion, once the R.A. circle is calibrated (step 2, above) the telescope should
be moved rapidly to read the coordinates of the second object. Otherwise thesecond object will no longer be in the position indicated by the R.A. circle.
Using setting circles requires a developed technique. When using the circles for the firsttime, try hopping from one bright star (the calibration star) to another bright star of known
coordinates. Practice moving the telescope from one easy-to-find object to another. In thisway the precision required for accurate object location becomes familiar.

53

APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART
Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the WorldTo aid in the polar alignment procedure (see page 51), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude ofan observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below:
Northern hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, add one degree for every 70 miles. If thesite is over 70 miles South of the listed city, subtract one degree per 70 miles.
Southern Hemisphere observers (S): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) North of the listed city, subtract one degree for every 70 miles. If
the site is over 70 miles South of the listed city, add one degree per 70 miles.
NORTH AMERICA

54

SOUTH AMERICA

City

State/Prov./Country Latitude

City

Country

LatitudeAlbuquerqueAnchorage
Atlanta
BostonCalgary
ChicagoCleveland
DallasDenverDetroitHonolulu
JacksonKansas City
KenoshaLas Vegas
Little RockLos Angeles
Mexico City
Miami
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York
Oklahoma City
OttawaPhiladelphia
Phoenix
PortlandSalt Lake CitySan Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco
SeattleWashington
EUROPE

New Mexico
AlaskaGeorgia
Massachusetts
Alberta
Illinois
Ohio
Texas
Colorado
Michigan
Hawaii
Mississippi
Missouri
Wisconsin
NevadaArkansas
California
MexicoFloridaMinnesota
Tennessee
Louisiana
New York
Oklahoma
Ontario
Pennsylvania
Arizona
OregonUtah
Texas
California
California
Washington
District of Columbia

35° N
61° N
34° N
42° N
51° N
42° N
41° N
33° N
40° N
42° N
21° N
32° N
39° N
45° N
36° N
35° N
34° N
19° N
26° N
45° N
36° N
30° N
41° N
35° N
45° N
40° N
33° N
46° N
41° N
29° N
33° N
38° N
47° N
39° N

Bogotá
São Paulo
Buenos Aires
Montevideo
Santiago
CaracasASIA

Colombia
BrazilArgentina
Uruguay
Chile
Venezuela

4° N
23° S
35° S
35° S
34° S
10° N

City

Country

LatitudeAmsterdam
AthensBern
Copenhagen
DublinFrankfurt
Glasgow
Helsinki
LisbonLondonMadrid
Oslo
Paris
Rome
Stockholm
ViennaWarsaw

Netherlands
GreeceSwitzerland
Denmark
IrelandGermany
ScotlandFinland
Portugal
EnglandSpain
NorwayFrance
Italy
SwedenAustria
Poland

52° N
38° N
47° N
56° N
53° N
50° N
56° N
60° N
39° N
51° N
40° N
60° N
49° N
42° N
59° N
48° N
52° N

City

Country

LatitudeBeijingHong Kong
Seoul
TaipeiTokyo
SapporoBombayCalcutta
Hanoi
Jedda
AFRICA

China
China
South Korea
Taiwan
Japan
Japan
India
India
Vietnam
Saudi Arabia

40° N
23° N
37° N
25° N
36° N
43° N
19° N
22° N
21° N
21° N

City

Country

Latitude

Cairo
Egypt
Cape Town
South Africa
Rabat
Morocco
Tunis
Tunisia
Windhoek
Namibia
AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA

30° N
34° S
34° N
37° N
23° S

City

State/Country

Latitude

Adelaide
Brisbane
Canberra
Alice Springs
HobartPerthSydneyMelbourne
AucklandSouth Australia
Queensland
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Tasmania
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
New Zealand

35° S
27° S
35° S
24° S
43° S
32° S
34° S
38° S
37° S

APPENDIX C: TRAINING THE DRIVE
Train the telescope motors using AutoStar. Perform this procedure if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. Fig.
53 depicts the complete Drive Training procedure.
Note: Use a terrestrial object, such as a telephone pole or lamp post, to train the drive. Complete this exercise once

every 3 to 6 months to maintain the highest level of telescope pointing accuracy.

ETX TIPS
1

2

Verify that AUTOSTARINITIALIZATION iscomplete.
Press MODE until
Select Item is displayed.

Select Item
Object4

Scope slews left.
Bring target backto center using
ENTER the Right Arrow key.

Press < until it
is centered

13

Scope slews right.
Bring target backto center using
ENTER the Left Arrow key.

Access the Setup

ENTER menu.

Setup
Align

Train Drive
Az. Train

14

Menu returns to
Az. training.

5
Multiple presses.

Train Drive
Alt. Train
Setup
Telescope

15

Altitude

6

ENTER (vertical)
training.

Access the
ENTER Telescope menu.

Telescope
7
1
Telescope Model

Drive Setup
For this op. . .

16

Reminder to
ENTER use terrestrial
target.

Multiple presses.

Center reference
17
objectTelescope
Train Drive

8

Center target

ENTER using Arrowkeys.

Choose the Train

Train Drive
Az. Train

9

AzimuthENTER (horizontal)
training.

Press until it
is centered>

ENTER Drive option.

10

Reminder to
ENTER use terrestrial
target.

Center reference
11
object.
Center target

ENTER using Arrow
keys.

18

Scope slews down.
Bring target backto center using
ENTER the Up Arrow key.

Press until it
is centered>

Drive Setup
For this op. . .

Further Study....

12

3

Press the scroll
up key once.

Select Item
Setup

Press > until it
is centered

19This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If
you are interested in pursuing further studies in astronomy, a few
topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on (someof the topics are easy and some are quite challenging). Try looking up some of these in the AutoStar glossary.
Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazinesand organizations that you might find helpful.
Topics1.
2.

How is a star born? How does a solar system form?
How is the distance to a star measured? What is a lightyear? What is red shift and blue shift?
3. How are the craters on our Moon formed? Is there water
under the surface of the Moon?
4. What is a black hole? A neutron star? A quark star? A
gamma burster? An Einstein lens?
5. What are stars made of? Why are stars different colors?
How is the elemental composition of a star determined?
What is an Lyman Alpha forest?
6. What is the difference between a Type 1 and a Type IIsupernova?
7. What is the importance of studying the composition ofcomets? Where do comets come from?
8. How old is our Sun? Will our Sun evolve into a planetarynebula or go supernova?
9. What is the Inflationary Big Bang? What is dark matter?
What are MACHO's?
10. How are extrasolar planets discovered? What is an accretion (or protoplanetary) disk?
11. What are the differences between elliptical, spiral and irregular galaxies? Can globular clusters be older than the universe itself?
Books
1.
2.

The Sky: A User’s Guide by David Levy

3.

Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno & Dan Davis

4.

Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael Covington

Magazines

Scope slews up.
Bring target backto center using
ENTER the Down Arrow key.

1.

Train Drive
Az. Train

Organizations:

MODE

20

2.

1.

Multiple presses.

2.
Select Item
ObjectFig. 53: Training the Drive Procedure.

The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton andPhilip Teece

21

3.

Sky & TelescopeBox 9111, Belmont, MA 02178
Astronomy
Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
Astronomical League
Executive Secretary
5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
390 Ashton Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112
The Planetary Society
65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

And watch Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer, on your local PBS
station. Visit Jack’s website at: www.jackstargazer.com

55

APPENDIX D:CHANGING THE
LNT MODULE BATTERY

Top Alignment
screw

Side
Alignment
screw

The LNT Module uses a lithium coin CR2023 battery that will last about 5 years andis installed with the original LNT Module assembly. After you replace the battery, youwill need to recalibrate the telescope’s sensors and reset the time and date. You willneed a new battery. Also, you may use Meade’s optional Atomic Time Update
Module, although this is not necessary.
To replace the battery:Fig. 54: The LNT Module, withalignment screws and Atomic Time
Update port visible.
Top Alignment
screw
Atomic Time
Update Port

SpringSide
Alignment
screw holeFig. 55: Interior side view of LNT
Module.
Top Alignment
screw hole

Cover

BatterySide
Alignment
screw hole

SpringFig. 56 Interior top view ofSmartFinder unit.

56

1. Remove the top alignment screw cap/long bolt from the LNT Module. See Fig.
54.
2. Remove the side alignment screw cap/long bolt from the LNT Module. Take notethat there are two springs inside the LNT. One spring sits between the top andbottom of the unit. The second spring is on the side of the unit that rests
between the bottom and the top sections. One long bolt passes through the top
spring and the other long bolt passes through the side spring. Set the springs
aside as you will need to replace it later in this assembly . See Fig. 55 and 56.
Important Note: Note there is some wiring inside the LNT Module. Be careful
not to pull on the wiring. If it is necessary to move the wiring aside, do so
carefully.

3. Carefully lift the top section of the unit from the bottom section. Do not remove
the bottom section or disassemble the rest of the unit.
4. Remove the old battery. Note the spring.
5. Insert the new (user-supplied) battery. Take care to orient the battery so that theside with the battery markings is facing the top.
6. Replace the top spring in place and the LNT Module cover.
7. Replace the top bolt and tighten the cap to a firm feel.
8. Hold the side spring in place with your fingers and slide the spring between
between the top and bottom sections. The spring should line up with themounting holes for the side long bolt. Slide the long bolt through the side hole,then through the spring and finally through the bottom of the LNT Module andtighten to a firm feel.
9. Next you will need to recalibrate the LNT Module sensors. Select Calibrate
Sensors from the Setup: Telescope menu. A scrolling message displays.
10. The message prompts you to place the telescope in the home position:• Loosen the telescope’s vertical lock (6, Fig. 1B). This will allow you to movethe telescope’s optical tube up and down.
• Level the tripod head. See Step #3g, page 12. Level the optical tube bylining up 0° on the Dec setting circle (16, Fig. 1a) with the Dec pointer(the small molded triangle under the setting circle).
• Retighten the vertical lock (6, Fig. 1b) to a firm feel only.
• Unlock the horizontal lock (9, Fig. 1a). This will allow you to rotate thetelescope tube and fork arm assembly.
• Grasp the telescope by a fork arm and rotate the telescopecounterclockwise until it stops.
• Re-lock the Horizontal lock (9, Fig. 1).
11. Press ENTER. The telescope will automatically find North, detect level and the tiltof you telescope, and calibrate the sensors.
12. Next, follow the instructions included with the Atomic Time Update Module
optional accessory to reset the clock.
OR
Enter the date and time manually using the Date and Time options in the Setup
menu.

APPENDIX E:BASIC
ASTRONOMY
In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your
ETX, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains. What hesaw and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind
thinks about the universe. Imagine what it must have been like being the first humanto see moons revolve around the planet Jupiter or to see the changing phases ofVenus! Because of his observations, Galileo correctly realized Earth's movement andposition around the Sun and in doing so, gave birth to modern astronomy.Yet Galileo's
telescope was so crude, he could not clearly make out the rings of Saturn.
Galileo's discoveries laid the foundation for understanding the motion and nature of
the planets, stars and galaxies. Building on his foundation, Henrietta Leavitt
determined how to measure the distance to stars, Edwin Hubble gave us a glimpse
into the possible origin of the universe, Albert Einstein unraveled the crucial
relationship of time and light and 21st-century astronomers are currently discovering
planets around stars outside our solar system. Almost daily, using sophisticatedsuccessors to Galileo's telescope, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the
Chandra X-Ray Telescope, more and more mysteries of the universe are being
probed and understood. We are living in the golden age of astronomy.
Unlike other sciences, astronomy welcomes contributions from amateurs. Much of theknowledge we have on subjects such as comets, meteor showers, double andvariable stars, the Moon and our solar system comes from observations made byamateur astronomers. So as you look through your Meade ETX telescope, keep inmind Galileo. To him, a telescope was not merely a machine made of glass and metal,
but something far more—a window of incredible discovery.
AutoStar Glossary
Be sure to make use of AutoStar’s Glossary feature. The Glossary menu provides analphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions of common astronomical terms.
Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in
AutoStar. See GLOSSARY MENU, page 24, for more information.

Fig. 57: The Moon. Notethe deep shadows in thecraters.

The Moon
The Moon is, on average, a distance of 239,000 miles (380,000km) from Earth and isbest observed during its crescent or half phase when Sunlight strikes the Moon’s
surface at an angle. It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view (Fig. 57).
No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the overly bright Moon to appear
flat and rather uninteresting through the telescope. Be sure to use a neutral Moon
filter when observing the Moon. Not only does it protect your eyes from the brightglare of the Moon, but it also helps enhance contrast, providing a more dramatic
image.
Using your ETX model, brilliant detail can be observed on the Moon, including
hundreds of lunar craters and maria, described below.
Craters are round meteor impact sites covering most of the Moon’s surface. With noatmosphere on the Moon, no weather conditions exist, so the only erosive force ismeteor strikes. Under these conditions, lunar craters can last for millions of years.
Maria (plural for mare, seas) are smooth, dark areas scattered across the lunar
surface. These areas are ancient impact basins that were filled with lava from theinterior of the Moon by the depth and force of the meteor or comet impact.
12 Apollo astronauts left their bootprints on the Moon in the late 1960’s and early
1970’s. However, no telescope on Earth can see these footprints or any otherartifacts. In fact, the smallest lunar features that may be seen with the largest
telescope on Earth are about one-half mile across.
Note: Except during its early or late crescent phases, the Moon can be an
exceptionally bright object to view through the telescope. To reduce thebrightness and glare, use the #905 Variable Polarizing Filter (see the MEADE
GENERAL CATALOG for more information).

57

Tip:
Enter a date in the Datemenu and you candetermine if a planet(s)—or any other object in the
database—will be visible
during the night of theentered date.
After entering a new date,go to the Object menu
and select the desired
planet from the menu.
Then keep pressing oneof the Scroll keys until therise and set times display.
Press MODE to exit.

Fig. 58: The planet Jupiter.
Jupiter's four largest
moons can be observed ina different position every
night.

Planets
Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. To locate theplanets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky
and Telescope or Astronomy. Listed below are the best planets for viewing throughyour ETX model telescope.
Venus is about nine-tenths the diameter of Earth. As Venus orbits the Sun, observers
can see it go through phases (crescent, half and full) much like those of the Moon. The
disk of Venus appears white, as sunlight is reflected off the thick cloud cover that completely obscures any surface detail.
Mars is about half the diameter of Earth. Through the telescope it appears as a tiny
reddish-orange disk. You may see a hint of white at one of the planet’s polar ice caps.
Approximately every two years, when Mars is closest to Earth, additional detail andcoloring on the planet's surface may be visible.
Jupiter (Fig. 58) is the largest planet in our solar system, with a diameter 11 times
that of Earth. Jupiter appears as a disk with dark lines stretching across the surface.
These lines are cloud bands in the atmosphere. Four of Jupiter’s 29 (and still
counting!) moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) can be seen as star-like pointsof light when you use even the lowest magnification. The number of moons
visible on any given night changes as they circle around the giant planet.
Saturn (Fig. 59) is nine times the diameter of Earth and appears as a small, rounddisk with rings extending out from either side. In 1610, Galileo, the first person toobserve Saturn through a telescope, did not understand that what he was seeing wererings. Instead, he believed that Saturn had “ears.” Saturn’s rings are composed ofbillions of ice particles. The major division in Saturn's rings, called the Cassini Division,is generally visible through all three ETX models. Titan, the largest of Saturn’s moons,can also be seen as a bright, star-like object near the planet.
Deep-Sky Objects
You can use star charts to locate constellations, individual stars and deep-sky objects.
Examples of various deep-sky objects are given below:
Stars are large gaseous objects that are illuminated by nuclear fusion in their core.
Because of their vast distances from our solar system, all stars appear as pinpoints oflight, regardless of the size of the telescope used.
Nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust where stars are formed. Most
impressive of these is the Great Nebula in Orion (M42), a diffuse nebula that appears
as a faint wispy gray cloud. M42 is 1600 light years from Earth.

Fig. 59: Saturn has themost extensive ring structure in our Solar System.

Fig. 60: The Pleiades is
one of the most beautiful
open clusters.

58

Open Clusters are loose groupings of young stars, all recently formed from the same
diffuse nebula. The Pleiades (Fig. 60) is an open cluster 410 light years from Earth.
Several hundred stars of the cluster are visible through your telescope.
Constellations are large, imaginary patterns of stars believed by ancient civilizations
to be the celestial equivalent of objects, animals, people or gods. These patterns are
too large to be seen through a telescope. To learn the constellations, start with an easy
grouping of stars, such as the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Then use a star chart to
explore across the sky.
Galaxies are large assemblies of stars, nebulae and star clusters that are bound by
gravity. The most common shape is spiral (such as our own Milky Way), but galaxies
can also be elliptical or even irregular blobs. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest spiral-type galaxy to our own. This galaxy appears fuzzy and cigar-shaped. It is 2.2
million light years away in the constellation Andromeda.

MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY
Every Meade telescope, spotting scope and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”)
to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A.
and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective
part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is
non-transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under
separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors.
RGA Number Required: Prior to the return of any product or part, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number must be
obtained from Meade by writing or calling (949) 451-1450. Each returned part or product must include a written statement
detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owner’s name, address and phone number.
This warranty is not valid in cases where the product has been abused or mishandled, where unauthorized repairs have been
attempted or performed or where depreciation of the product is due to normal wear-and-tear. Meade specifically disclaims
special, indirect or consequential damages or lost profit which may result from a breach of this warranty. Any implied warranties
which cannot be disclaimed are hereby limited to a term of one year from the date of original retail purchase.
This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state.
Meade reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without notice.

6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618
J (949) 451-1450 J www.meade.com© 200414-1010-29 10/04