Engineered to deliver peak performance, Meade Instruments' LX200-ACF 203mm f/10 GoTo Cassegrain Telescope
combines multiple technologies to produce distortion-free high-contrast
images with true color rendition across the entire flat field of view.
The
scope's performance begins with the aplanatic Advanced Coma-Free (ACF)
optical system that produces a flat field of view with reduced
astigmatism and zero diffraction. A low-expansion borosilicate primary
mirror further reduces distortion due to temperature fluctuation, and
the Schott Borofloat glass corrector plate aligns the incoming light
waves to correct spherical and chromatic aberrations. Meade then fully
multi-coats all optical surfaces with their proprietary Ultra
High-Transmission Coatings (UTHC), which increase light transmission,
further improves color fidelity, and boosts contrast. For long-exposure
astrophotography or long-duration observation sessions, the LX200 boasts
a primary mirror lock to completely cancel any residual image shift due
to mirror movement.
Advanced optical properties are just the
start of the technologies that this GoTo telescope boasts. The OTA is
attached to a dual-tine alt-az fork mount which has dual-axis micro
motors used to find and track objects with virtually zero vibrations.
Meade further outfitted it with a built-in 16-channel GPS receiver and
time chip, so the mount can automatically determine the current date,
time, and its location within minutes of being turned on. The
information is sent to the AutoStar II controller which uses an
electromagnetic sensor to determine True North and can automatically
align the scope with minimal user interface. During long observation or
exposure imaging sessions, the controller continuously checks its
orientation and tracking and adjusts it as needed, sending the data to
the Smart Mount and SmartDrive systems which learns the tracking errors
and adjusts itself for the future.
The brain of the mount is
Meade's iconic AutoStar II computer controller. This hand-held unit has
an internal database of over 145,000 objects from the Moon and planets,
to galaxies, nebulae, and constellations. It can calculate future events
like sunrises and meteor showers, and predict solar and lunar eclipses
for the next 100 years. Once set up and running, the AutoStar II can
take you on guided tours of the best objects visible above, including
audio tours that can be heard from the internal speaker.
To get
new users started, Meade includes a 1.25" visual back for the OTA and a
26mm eyepiece that yields 77x magnification. For alignment and manual
star-hopping navigation, an 8x50 finderscope and mounting bracket are
also included. This finderscope has an illuminated aiming reticle with
variable-intensity to protect night-adjusted vision. This version of the
LX200-ACF is offered here with just the mount and OTA for those who
already have a sturdy and reliable tripod or permanent pier that can
carry its 62-pound weight plus any accessories or imaging systems that
may be used with it.
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