Specifications for Meade
LX90 8", LX200GPS 7", and LX200GPS 8
and 10" telescopes
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to Contents
|| Wedge adapter || Focuser || Azimuth
adjuster
|| Weight Set || Dovetail ||
|| Compass || Polar || Pinouts || Tours/Ephemerides || LED
Markers
|| Balance || Focuser Bearings ||
|| RA Axis || Dec Axis || Corrector || Encoders ||
|
| Optical |
8" LX90
|
7" LX200GPS
|
8" and 10"
LX200GPS
|
| Optical Design |
Schmidt-Cassegrain |
Maksutov-Cassegrain |
Schmidt-Cassegrain |
| Clear Aperture |
203mm (8") |
178mm (7") |
203mm (8"); 254mm (10") |
| Primary Mirror
Diameter |
209.6mm (8.25") |
209.6mm (8.25") |
209.6mm (8.25"); 263.5mm
(10.38") |
| Focal Length, Focal
Ratio |
2000mm f/10 |
2670mm f/15 |
2000mm f/10 (8");
2500mm f/10 (10") |
| Near Focus (approx.) |
25 ft. |
50 ft. |
25 ft. (8"); 50 ft.
(10") |
| Resolving Power (arc
secs.) |
0.56 |
0.64 |
0.56 (8"); 0.45 (10") |
| Optical Coatings |
MgF2 on
correcting plate (2-sides); standard aluminum on
primary & secondary mirrors - Optional UHTC
coatings |
MgF2 on
correcting plate (2-sides); standard aluminum on
primary & secondary mirrors - Optional UHTC
coatings |
MgF2 on
correcting plate (2-sides); standard aluminum on
primary & secondary mirrors - Optional UHTC
coatings |
| Ultra-High
Transmission Coatings |
optional at time
of purchase |
optional at time of
purchase |
optional at time of
purchase |
| Limiting Visual
Magnitude (approx.) |
14.0 |
13.5 |
14.0 (8"); 14.5 (10")
|
| Limiting Photographic
Magnitude (approx.) |
16.5 |
16.0 |
16.5 (8"); 17.0 (10") |
| Image Scale (degs./inch) |
0.72 |
0.54 |
0.72 (8" f/10); 0.57
(10" f/10) |
| Maximum Practical
Visual Power |
600X |
550X |
600X (8"); 650X (10") |
| 35mm Angular Film
Coverage |
0.68° x 0.97° |
0.52° x 0.74° |
0.68° x 0.97° (8");
0.54° x 0.78° (10") |
| Optical Tube
Dimensions (dia. x length) |
9.1" x 16.75" |
9.1" x 20.5" |
9.1" x 16.75" (8");
11.75" x 22" (10") |
| Secondary Mirror
Obstruction (dia.; %) |
3.0"-14.1% |
1.9"-7.4% |
3.0"-14.1% (8");
3.7"-13.7% (10") |
| |
Mount
|
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| Telescope Mounting |
fork type; double tine |
heavy-duty fork type;
double tine |
heavy-duty fork type;
double tine |
| Setting Circle
Diameters |
Dec: 5"; RA: 8" |
Dec: 5"; RA: 8.75" |
Dec: 5"; RA: 8.75" |
| RA Motor Drive System |
9-speed, microprocessor-controlled,
12v DC servo motor; 4.9" LX worm gear,
software PEC |
185-speed, microprocessor-controlled,
12v DC servo motor; 5.75" LX worm gear with
Smart Drive software |
185-speed, microprocessor-controlled,
12v DC servo motor; 5.75" LX worm gear with
Smart Drive software |
| Hemispheres of
Operation |
North and South,
switchable |
North and South,
automatically selected by GPS input or by user
override |
North and South,
automatically selected by GPS input or by user
override |
| Declination Control
System |
9-speed, microprocessor-controlled,
12v DC servo motor; 4.9" LX worm gear |
185-speed, microprocessor-controlled,
12v DC servo motor; 5.75" LX worm gear with
Smart Drive software |
185-speed, microprocessor-controlled,
12v DC servo motor; 5.75" LX worm gear with
Smart Drive software |
| |
| Mechanical |
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| Primary Mirror Lock |
none |
included (progressive
tension) |
included (progressive
tension) |
| GPS Alignment |
no. optional third party |
included (16-channel GPS
receiver, electronic sensors for true-level and
North, with magnetic declination compensation) |
included (16-channel GPS
receiver, electronic sensors for true-level and
North, with magnetic declination compensation) |
| GO TO Pointing
Precision (approx.) |
5-arc mins. |
2-arc mins. |
2-arc mins. |
| Pointing Precision,
High-Precision Mode |
3-arc mins. |
1-arc min. |
1-arc min. |
| Slow-Motion Controls |
electric only, RA and Dec |
manual and electric, RA
and Dec. |
manual and electric, RA
and Dec. |
| Bearings |
Dec: 1 x 1.85" dia.
ball bearing in each fork; RA: 1 x 2.25" dia.
and 1 x 2" dia. ball bearings |
Dec: 3 x 1.83" dia.
ball bearings; RA: 1 x 4" dia. and 1 x 2.25"
dia. ball bearings |
Dec: 3 x 1.83" dia.
ball bearings; RA: 1 x 4" dia. and 1 x 2.25"
dia. ball bearings |
| |
| Electronics
|
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| Autostar Hand
Controller |
PIC 16C57
microcontroller; 2 line x 16 alphanumeric
character display; 20-button keypad, red LED
backlit |
Atmel 89C451 & PIC16C57
microcontrollers; 2 line x 16 alphanumeric
character display; 20-button keypad, red LED
backlit |
Atmel 89C451 & PIC16C57
microcontrollers; 2 line x 16 alphanumeric
character display; 20-button keypad, red LED
backlit |
| Main Telescope
Controller |
Motorola 68HC11
microprocessor; 1-Megabyte flash memory (field
reprogrammable); 32K RAM |
distributed intelligence
architecture using 8 networked microcontrollers (Motorola
68HC11, Atmel 89C451, 3 x PIC16C62, 2 x PIC16C54,
Sony digital signal processor); 3.5-Megabyte
flash memory (field reprogrammable), 32K RAM |
distributed intelligence
architecture using 8 networked microcontrollers (Motorola
68HC11, Atmel 89C451, 3 x PIC16C62, 2 x PIC16C54,
Sony digital signal processor); 3.5-Megabyte
flash memory (field reprogrammable), 32K RAM |
| Batteries (user-supplied)
[Note 1] |
8 x C-cells / optional 12v
external supply |
8 x C-cells / optional 12v
external supply |
8 x C-cells / optional 12v
external supply |
| Battery Life (approx.) |
60 hrs. |
20 hrs. |
20 hrs. |
| Onboard Celestial
Object Database |
30,223 objects |
147,541 objects |
147,541 objects |
| Slew Speeds |
RA and Dec: 1x, 2x, 8x,
16x, 64x, 128x sidereal and 1.5°/sec., 3°/sec.,
6.5°/sec. |
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 |
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 |
| Tracking Rates |
sidereal, lunar, or
custom-selected from 2000 incremental rates |
sidereal, lunar, or
custom-selected from 2000 incremental rates |
sidereal, lunar, or
custom-selected from 2000 incremental rates |
| |
| Materials |
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| Tube Body |
aluminum |
aluminum |
aluminum |
| Mount Casting |
aluminum |
aluminum |
aluminum |
| Primary, Secondary
Mirror [Note 2] |
Pyrex® glass |
Pyrex® glass |
Pyrex® glass |
| Correcting Plate/Lens |
clear float glass |
BK7 optical glass |
clear float glass |
| |
| Dimensions |
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| Telescope Dimensions,
swung down |
9.25" x 17" x
24.75" |
9.25" x 17" x
34" |
9.25" x 17" x
24.75" (8"); 12" x 20" x 31"
(10") |
| Shipping Carton
Dimensions |
21" x 30" x 14" |
38" x 22" x 14"
|
31" x 22" x 14"
(8"); 38" x 26" x 18" (10") |
| |
| Weight |
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| Total Net Telescope
Weight |
53 lbs. |
84 lbs. |
73 lbs (8"); 90 lbs.(10") |
| Heaviest Sub-Section
for Field Assembly |
33 lbs. |
56 lbs. |
45 lbs. (8"); 62 lbs.
(10") |
| Total Shipping Weight
(approx.) |
73 lbs. |
109 lbs. |
94 lbs. (8"); 122
lbs. (10") |
| |
| Additional |
8"
LX90
|
7"
LX200GPS
|
8"
and 10" LX200GPS
|
| #1220 Field De-rotater |
— |
optional |
optional |
| Equatorial Wedge
Latitude Range |
23° to 64° |
23° to 64° |
23° to 64° (8");
24° to 65° Superwedge (10") |
| Field Tripod Height |
30" to 44"
variable |
30" to 44"
variable |
30" to 44"
variable |