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Meade LX200 8" ACF
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Research Grade - Advanced Coma-Free & UHTC Optics - Fully Computerised
To order this item outside mainland Britain or Highlands please contact us.
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- Optical Design: Advanced Coma-Free (ACF)
- Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC)
- Focal Length 2000mm (f/10)
- Meade AutoStar-II hand controller
- Meade Standard Field Tripod
- Meade AutoStar Suite Software
- Motorized Fork mount and Field Tripod
- GPS, True-level and North sensors
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Outline
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The most widely used research quality telescope now features the most advanced
optical system. Meade’s LX200-ACF brings Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optics within
reach of aspiring astronomers everywhere. Nearly every observatory reflector
in the world uses an aplanatic (coma-free) optical system like the Ritchey-Chrétien
(RC), including NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Now you can own similar optics to
what the professionals use. The LX200-ACF includes all the field-proven features of the LX200 including GPS, Primary Mirror Lock, Oversized Primary Mirror, SmartDrive™; Smart Mount™, AutoStar® II and more. The new LX200-ACF. It’s the biggest news in astronomy since, well, the LX200.
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Meade’s (Advanced Coma-Free™) optics deliver stunning Ritchey-Chretien performance at a Schmidt Cassegrain price.
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The "advanced" in Advanced Coma-Free
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A traditional Ritchey-Chrétien (RC) is a type of reflector that delivers a coma-free,
flat field of view via hyperbolic primary and secondary mirrors. Because the mirrors
in these telescopes have always been very expensive to make, few amateur astronomers
could enjoy them.
Fortunately, Meade engineers developed a radical new Advanced Coma Free design by
combining a hyperbolic secondary mirror with a corrector-lens-and-spherical-primary-mirror
combination that performs as one hyperbolic element. This ACF design produces a coma-free, flat field
of view that rivals traditional RC telescopes at a fraction of the cost.
The design even eliminates diffraction spikes and improves astigmatism, both of which are inherent
in the traditional RC design. When reviewing Meade’s LX400-ACF Advanced Coma Free,
Sky and Telescope magazine said, “ [It] does indeed perform like a [Ritchey-Chrétien].
The difference between the off-axis images (compared to a Schmidt-Cassegrain) was
dramatic to say the least.”
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Coma Killer
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What is coma? It’s not some sort of astronomical state of unconsciousness.
It’s an optical aberration. Precisely defined, coma is a distortion in which the image
of a star cannot be focused to a point, but takes on the shape of a comet.
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f/10 Advanced Coma-Free Optics
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Building from a classic RC design, Meade has created a new
design with the same coma-free pinpoint star images and flatter field also reduces the
astigmatism and eliminates diffractions spikes found in classical RCs. The LX200-ACF is
the perfect platform for the demanding researcher and imaging enthusiast with telescopes
available in apertures of 8 inches, 10 inches, 12 inches, 14 inches, and 16 inches.
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Meade Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC™)
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Increases total light transmission and image brightness by nearly 20% over Meade’s
standard coatings. Objects such as stars, galaxies and nebulae will appear significantly
brighter.
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Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser
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Optional for the 8”, 10”, 12”,14” and standard with the 16” models, allows you
to obtain precise image focus with no image movement. Perfect for astroimaging
or during planetary observation. Focus is controlled thru the Autostar II handbox.
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Oversize Primary Mirror
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Diameters are greater than their listed aperture (e.g., the diameter of the 8” LX200-ACF
is actually 8.25”). This additional 1/4” yields a wide, fully illuminated field-of-view.
Primary Mirror Lock locks the mirror in place preventing movement during long-exposure
astrophotography.
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Smart Drive™
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Provides permanent periodic error correction (PPEC) on both axes by learning and averaging
error over the course of one or more training periods, thereby minimizing guiding corrections
during long-exposure photographs. PPEC is available on both axes and functions in both polar
and altazimuth modes.
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Sony®GPS Receiver Sensor
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Automatically inputs precise time, date, and geographical location to help quickly
and precisely align the telescope.
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AutoAlign™
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Telescopes with Meade’s new AutoAlign are smart scopes that know the night sky right out of
the box. AutoAlign picks two alignment stars for you and places them right in your view-finder.
Just center to fine tune your alignment and the wonders of the universe are at your fingertips.
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AutoStar® II
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The AutoStar II controller features “Hot Keys” for quick access to a 145,000 celestial object
database. AutoStar II can be updated with the latest software upgrades, guided tours and timely
objects like comets free at meade.com.
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| Specifications |
LX200 8" |
LX200 10" |
LX200 12" |
LX200 14" |
LX200 16" |
| Optical Design |
Advanced Coma Free |
Advanced Coma Free |
Advanced Coma Free |
Advanced Coma Free |
Advanced Coma Free |
| Clear Aperture |
203mm (8") |
254mm (10") |
305mm (12") |
356mm(14") |
406.4mm (16") |
| Focal Length Focal Ratio |
2000mm f/10(8") |
2500mm f/10 (10") |
3048mm f/10 (12") |
3556mm f/10 (14") |
4064mm f/10 (16") |
| Maximum Practical Visual Power |
600X (8") |
650X (10") |
750X (12") |
850X (14") |
950X (16") |
| Telescope Mounting |
heavy-duty fork type; double-tine |
heavy-duty fork type; double-tine |
heavy-duty fork type; double-tine |
heavy-duty fork type; double-tine |
heavy-duty fork type; double-tine |
| Primary Mirror Lock |
included (progressive tension) |
included (progressive tension) |
included (progressive tension) |
included (progressive tension) |
included (progressive tension) |
| Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser |
optional accessory |
optional accessory |
optional accessory |
optional accessory |
included (4-speed) |
| Eyepiece |
Series 4000 26mm Super Plossl |
Series 5000 26mm 5-Element Plossl |
| Viewfinder |
8 x 50mm |
8 x 50mm |
8 x 50mm |
8 x 50mm |
8 x 50mm |
| GPS, True-level and North sensors |
included (16-channel GPS receiver) All models |
| Pointing Precision, High Precision Mode |
1-arc min. |
1-arc min. |
1-arc min. |
1-arc min. |
1-arc min. |
| Autostar® II Hand Controller |
included (147,541 object database) All models |
| Batteries (user-supplied) |
8 x C-cells |
8 x C-cells |
8 x C-cells |
8 x C-cells |
none |
| Battery Life (approx.) |
20 hrs |
20 hrs |
20 hrs |
20 hrs |
n/a |
| Slew Speed: |
RA and Dec: 0.01x to 1.0x sidereal, variable in 0.01x increments; 2x, 8x, 16x, 64x, 128x sidereal; 1°/sec. to 8°/sec., variable in 0.1° increments All models |
| Tracking Rates |
sidereal, lunar, or custom-selected from 2000 incremental rates All models |
| Primary, Secondary Mirrors |
Pyrex® glass |
Pyrex® glass |
Pyrex® glass |
Pyrex® glass |
Pyrex® glass grade-A |
| Correcting Plate/Lens |
water white glass |
water white glass |
water white glass |
water white glass |
water white glass |
| Total Net Telescope Weight |
73 lbs. |
90 lbs. |
125 lbs. |
166 lbs. |
318 lbs. (with Field Tripod) |
| Telescope Shipping Weight (approx.) |
94 lbs. |
122 lbs. |
165 lbs. |
225 lbs. |
360 lbs. |
| Field Tripod Height |
30" to 44" |
30" to 44" |
40" to 50" |
40" to 50" |
40" to 50" |
| UHTC |
Included |
Included |
Included |
Included |
Included |
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Notice
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We are constantly checking the accuracy of the technical data. We are prepared
to provide more detailed information on request. Technical data is subject to
change without notice.
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