Instruments Telescopes Instruction Manual RCX400

Telescope Features ...................................................... 4
A
utostar II Features ........................................................11
Assembly ........................................................................14
Tripod Assembly........................................................14
Pedestal Assembly and Adjusting Latitude ..............14
RA Assemb
ly ............................................................16
Dec Saddle Assembly ..............................................16
Attach Counterweights..............................................18
Low Latitude Counterweights....................................18
Attach OTA to Dec Saddle ........................................20
Attach Autostar II ......................................................21
Align Viewfinder with OTA ........................................21
Home Position and Balancing the OTA ..........................22
Balance RA Axis ......................................................20
Balance Dec Axis......................................................21
Getting Star
ted ..............................................................24
Attach Handbox Holder ............................................24
Mounting, Focusing & Aligning the Viewfinder..........24
Focusing the Telescope ............................................24
To Change Focus Speed ....................................24
To Focus the Eyepiece ........................................25
Presets ................................................................25
To Define a Preset ............................................25
To Focus with a Microfocuser ............................25
To Focus with an RCX and a Microfocuser ......25
To Select a Preset ............................................26
To Sync on a Preset ..........................................26
Slew Speeds ..................................................................26
To Align for the First Time ..............................................27
Automatic Alignment ................................................27
Drift Align ..................................................................28
Collimation ................................................................28
Align the OTA ............................................................29
Calibrate Home ........................................................30
Basic Autostar II Operation ............................................31
Autostar II Menus ........................................................33
Menu Tree ................................................................33
Objects Menu............................................................34
Ev
ent Men
u
..............................................................
35
Glossary Menu, Utilities Menu ..................................35
Setup Menu ..............................................................37
Hot Button Menus ....................................................40
Advanced Autostar II Features ......................................41
Adding Observing Sites ............................................41
Creating User Objects
..............................................42
Observing Satellites..................................................43
Identify ......................................................................43
Bro
wse
......................................................................
44
Alternate Polar Alignment Methods ..........................45
To Download the Latest Autostar II Software............45
Periodic Error Correction ..........................................46
Optional Accessor
ies
......................................................47
Maintenance ..................................................................50
Specifications ................................................................51
Meade Consumer Solutions ..........................................52
Appendix A: Latitude Chart ............................................53
Appendix B:
The Moon
..................................................
54
Appendix C: Smart Mount ..............................................55
CONTENTS
WARNING!
Never use a Meade
®
RCX400
™
Telescope to
look at the Sun!
Looking at
or near the Sun will cause
instant and irreversible
damage to your eye. Eye
damage is often painless,
so there is no warning to
the observer that damage
has occurred until it is too
late. Do not point the tele-
scope or its viewfinder at or
near the Sun. Do not look
through the telescope or its
viewfinder as it is moving.
Children should always have
adult supervision while
observing.
® The names "Autostar," "Meade" and the Meade logo are
trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office and in principal countries throughout the world.
"RCX400 " is a trademark of Meade Instruments
Cor
por
ation.
P
atents:
US 6,304,376
US 6,392,799
US 6,563,636
D 422,610
Patent Pending.
© 2006 Meade Instruments Corporation.
If you have never focused an
RCX telescope before, go to
pages 24 to 26 for detailed
information.