Meade 12" f/10 LX200 ACF Telescope with Tripod and X-Wedge

The Meade 12" f/10 LX200 ACF Telescope has long been a classic fixture among Meade's LX series of Alt/Az fork mounted telescopes. Incredibly compact for its aperture, the 12" f/10 ACF is ideally suited for setting up in the backyard, both small/medium sized observatories, and taking in the car to a dark sky site on the weekend. When disassembled, the 12" LX200 is fairly manageable and can be set up quickly (please see the component weight breakdown below to make sure you are comfortable lifting the heaviest individual components — we recommend two people lift the optical tube/fork assembly up onto the tripod). Strong and stable fork arms hold the optical tube rock solid to dampen any vibrations, which is critical for high power planetary observation or long exposure deep-sky imaging. Push button controls, automatic locating and tracking of celestial objects, and a wealth of object data at your fingertips in the AutoStar II hand controller make the LX200 a joy to use.

This bundled package includes the Meade X-Wedge which is designed specifically for larger telescopes and converts your alt-azimuth (Alt-Az) telescope into a system ready for long exposure astrophotography. The X-Wedge is an extremely heavy-duty wedge allowing for a secure and stable mounting. Designed for long exposure astrophotography and imaging with Meade models up to 14" diameter. This precision CNC machined wedge is constructed from ultra-rigid aircraft grade aluminum with smooth, accurate altitude and azimuth adjustments. Thirty percent more stable than competing equatorial wedges, the X-Wedge sets a new standard for equatorial stability with exceptional vibration damping. The X-Wedge is suitable for use at latitude ranges between 25 - 65 degrees.

The equatorial wedge is mounted between a telescope and the tripod to accomplish the tilt of an equatorial type mount that matches the observer's latitude and permits precise polar alignment of your telescope. The wedge allows the astrophotographer to align the telescope's axis of rotation with the Earth's axis of rotation. This alignment eliminates stars in your long exposure photograph from appearing as a long arc, trail or streak due to an effect known as field rotation. For short planetary and lunar photography, a wedge is not necessary and the telescope can be set up in Alt-Az configuration as normally used for visual observation — a simpler process that does not require polar alignment.

The included Meade X-Wedge installed between the drive base and the tripod

Equatorially mounted telescopes with fork mounts like this LX200 wedge bundle have several distinct advantages over German EQ telescopes. For one, the fork mounted configuration doesn't require any pier flip when tracking across the meridian. It can track continuously across the meridian without interruption. All German equatorial telescopes must stop tracking near the meridian to flip to the other side of the mount, re-acquire the target, and stabilize guiding, before imaging of the object can continue. It is a big inconvenience that is avoided with fork mounted telescopes. Another advantage of the LX200's fork mounted EQ configuration is that it does not require counterweights — so, less heavy stuff to haul around. And lastly, fork mounted telescopes typically have smaller footprints compared to their standard EQ counterparts, making them ideal telescopes for small observatories. They're super versatile as they can be configured between the simple to use alt-azimuth mode or equatorial mode by merely adding or removing the wedge.

Superb Optical Quality

The patented Advanced Coma Free (ACF) optics of the Meade 12" LX200 produce impressively flat fields of view with no coma, even out to the edges of larger format cameras or extreme wide angle eyepieces. This makes the ACF system ideal for visual observers and astro-imagers alike. The Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) are included as with all Meade ACF optics, yielding maximum image brightness and contrast at the eyepiece or camera sensor. The ACF system also reduces astigmatism and eliminates diffraction spikes.

Designed and Manufactured in North America.

The ACF primary, secondary and corrector plate glass blanks are manufactured in the USA exclusively for Meade. Meade ACF telescopes, including the mounts, are manufactured and assembled in North America.

The optical path and components of the ACF telescope design

Interested in astrophotography? Meade ACF telescopes, with their long native focal lengths, are great instruments for photographing planets and the Moon in high-resolution detail with a DSLR or astro camera. And the addition of the optional Meade ACF 0.68x Focal Reducer optimizes any ACF for deep space imaging. This thread-on accessory converts an f/10 ACF into a faster f/6.8 system and transforms an f/8 ACF into a speedy f/5.5 imaging beast! The reducer shortens the long exposure times needed to record faint deep-sky objects by half and expands the field of view by nearly 50%, allowing capture of larger objects in a single frame. Your Meade ACF will become a powerful astrograph capable of capturing jaw-dropping astrophotographs with your DSLR or astronomical CCD or CMOS camera!

And though it may be obvious, it's still worth noting: Every Meade ACF telescope features dual-experience functionality, meaning that you can attach a camera and capture stunning astrophotographs, or you can pop in an eyepiece to visually study a celestial object — like Galileo, Herschel, Messier, and other astronomers both professional and amateur have done for centuries. The rewards of astrophotographic endeavors with an ACF lie in the dramatic colors and structure of objects revealed with impressive resolution by the tremendous light gathering capability and sharpness of the ACF optics. The visual experience is equally breathtaking: the real-time sight of an astronomical object through the eyepiece engenders a powerful, almost spiritual connection with the heavens. The view is ethereal and immersive, 3D-like, and made all the richer by the knowledge that you're looking back in time — millions of years in the case of some distant galaxies, to when they emitted the photons that are now just reaching your retinas. With a Meade ACF as your gateway to the night sky, you can experience the sheer amazement of exploring its diverse treasures in both ways — astrophotographically with your camera, or visually with your eyes wide open.

Key Features and Upgrades in the LX200 Series

The Meade LX200 series differs from the LX90 offerings in several key ways. First is the inclusion of a focus lock system, which prevents the mirror from moving while observing or during long exposure astrophotography as the telescope tracks across the sky. Turn the lock knob located just above the telescope's main focus knob and the progressive-tension primary lock completely cancels any residual image shift due to mirror movement during visual or imaging applications.

Next, for those wishing to enhance the focusing process even further, is the ability to attach the optional Electronic Microfocuser (Meade #07080), which enables precise, touch-free focusing via the AutoStar II handset. Simply plug the Microfocuser into the dedicated jack located on the motor base of the LX200 to operate the system.

Next up on the list of refinements for the LX200 series are several upgrades to the motor drive system. The maximum slew rate has been increased to 8 degrees per second over the LX90 (which tops out at 6.5 degrees per second). On a cold night, every second counts when slewing from one side of the sky to the other to acquire your next target, and the time saving will start adding up! The Smart Drive technology provides Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PPEC) on both axes over the course of one or more training sessions, thereby minimizing guiding corrections during long exposure imaging. And the Smart Mount system constantly refines the pointing accuracy each time an object is centered and updated. This works in both Alt-Az mode and well as equatorial mode when the wedge is installed. The LX200 also uses higher torque motors compared with the LX90 system, along with even higher resolution encoders which translates into even better drive accuracy.

Speaking of alignment, the LX200 series includes automatic alignment using a built in magnetic north sensor coupled with the GPS and level sensors. With the LX200, you don't have to manually find north and level in order to set the home position of the telescope — the LX200 does that all for you!

Mechanical Advantages of the LX200 ACF Series

Mechanically, the LX200 series incorporates some notable design and feature upgrades that set it apart. More robust fork arms provide an even more stable platform for the optical tube to ride in, minimizing vibrations in the eyepiece and flexure throughout the night. The included Giant Field Tripod is even more robust than the Standard Field Tripod included with the LX90 series and smaller LX200 models. This does make the 12" LX200 heavier than its LX90 counterpart, but that translates into a more stable platform — the name of the game when you're considering very high power planetary viewing, or long exposure deep-sky imaging. In fact, because of the added stability of the fork arm/motor base, the LX200 is capable of handling more weight than the smaller LX90 fork system, resulting in additional optical tube sizes being offered in the LX200 series: 8" all the way up to the giant 16" ACF model!

Here is the weight breakdown of the 12" telescope's main components:

• Optical tube and fork base assembly: 83 lb.
• Equatorial X-Wedge: 24 lb.
• Giant Field Tripod: 50 lb.
• Assembled telescope weight: 157 lb.

Of course, ergonomically designed handles on the fork arms make installation quite easy. They're very handy for astronomers who must set up and break down their rig for each observing or imaging session, and ensure a stable and secure grip when holding the telescope during the assembly/disassembly process.

One last mechanical upgrade to mention — slow-motion controls located on the fork arm and base. Both altitude and azimuth include a geared slow-motion knob, in case you need to manually adjust the position of the telescope. This normally would not be necessary when using the computer system, but suppose you are using the telescope out in the field without power, and you forgot to bring a set of batteries to power the AutoStar II GoTo system. In an event like this, the telescope can still be used completely without power and the slow-motion controls will allow for easy tracking, even at high planetary magnification.

Advanced Electronics and AutoStar II GoTo Pointing Technology

The "brains" of the LX200 is the included AutoStar II computer system with its 145,000 object-library (almost 5x the database size of the LX90!), multiple guided tours, and High Precision GoTo Pointing capability. The AutoStar II system provides control of virtually every telescope function. The AutoStar II handbox has soft-touch keys, an LCD display that's backlit with red LEDs to preserve your night vision, and intuitive key arrangement and menus that make AutoStar wonderfully easy and fun to use.

Precise star alignment is performed quickly and nearly effortlessly with Meade's level north technology alignment system, incorporating a 16-channel GPS receiver. The drive base of the telescope has multiple input/output ports including an RS-232 PC interface, Autoguider port, Microfocuser port, illuminated reticle power, and 12v output power. Mount and electronics are internally powered by 8 C-cell (user-supplied) batteries, which will typically operate the telescope for around 20 hours (an optional Meade Universal AC Adapter is also available).

Quality Borne of North American Manufacturing

Designed and manufactured in North America to exacting quality standards, the Meade LX200 series of fork mounted Alt/Az Advanced Coma-Free GoTo telescopes are perfect for the discerning visual astronomer or dedicated astro-imager. The Meade 12" LX200 ACF features an 12" aperture, 3048mm focal length, and f/10 focal ratio with Dual-Fork Mounting. The Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) and a resolving power of 0.38 arc-seconds provide an improvement in brightness and resolution on everything from star clusters, fine detail in nebulae, to greater surface features on planets. Includes a Series 4000 26mm Super Plössl eyepiece (117x), viewfinder (8x50 optical with crosshair), 1.25" diagonal mirror, and Giant Field Tripod.

Whether at home in your backyard, in a domed observatory, or on road trip to beautiful dark skies, the versatile Meade 12" f/10 LX200 ACF Telescope with Tripod and Wedge will provide years of astronomical exploration and amazement.