Meade LX800 10"/254mm f/8 ACF Catadioptric Telescope Kit with StarLock

The LX800 10"/254mm f/8 ACF Catadioptric Telescope Kit with StarLock from Meade raises the bar for astrophotography and visual performance. This fast f/8 boasts, among many other distinguishing characteristics, Meade's ACF - Advanced Coma Free optics. ACF and high-contrast baffling delivers minimal coma aberration, a wider field of view and crisp pinpoint stars out to the edge of the lens and the edge of the seeable universe. Ultra-High Transmission Coatings combine with an aperture of 10"/254mm and a focal length of 2032mm offer the max in brightness and contrast. An internal Crayford style, zero image-shift focusing system provides precise sharp-edged celestial delights. The two-speed, 7:1 focuser holds the primary mirror rigid, eliminating the need for a mirror lock. The included AutoStar II GoTo system accesses a database of over 144,000 celestial pieces of eye-candy. A CD with Meade's AutoStar Suite Astronomer Edition Software for PCs is part of the package.

The StarLock, flagship feature of the LX800, automatically centers alignment stars, automates and accelerates the drift alignment process, refines pointing to an accuracy of one arc minute and as if that were not enough, it automatically, all-by-itself, identifies a suitable guide star as faint as 11th magnitude, locks onto it and implements continuous corrections based on the guide star, directly to the motor controllers. Utilizing Meade's LightSwitch technology, the StarLock system steers the telescope through the sky with the use of its internal 80mm, f/5, wide angle lens, two-camera sensor array. Once locked on to the alignment star, StarLock guides the mount in real time with periodic error correction. No more lost-in-space, dark-sky, star viewing sessions.

The LX800 Heavy-Duty German Equatorial Mount has been constructed of machined stainless steel and aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminum. It has an anodized aluminum and stainless steel finish. The precision craftsmanship of the GEM creates exceptionally fine, smooth and precise manual adjustment controls to both declination and right ascension. Internal cabling prevents snags and tangles as the scope slews. The mount interfaces with the AutoStar II GoTo system with GPS and a database of over 144,000 objects. It includes both mechanical locks and slow motion manual controls for both axes so that the viewing can continue without power.

The Meade Universal Power Supply of 12V provides all the power. An external DC battery or power pack may also be used. The Meade 607 Power Cord is sold separately. A Losmandy-style mounting plate interfaces between the mount and the telescope.

The large adjustable height tripod offers an incredibly stable platform for astrophotography. The legs are a robust 3 inches in diameter and fold up to a petite 29 inch height. Fully extended, the tripod height reaches 45 inches. The tripod weighs 36 pounds.

The LX800 10"/254mm f/8 ACF Catadioptric Telescope Kit with StarLock comes with a Meade Series 5000 2" diagonal prism with 99% enhanced reflectivity, a Series 5000 HD-60 25mm eyepiece, and a 8x50 viewfinder with quick release bracket.