Engineered for peak performance, Meade Instruments' LX200-ACF UHTC 12" f/10 Catadioptric Telescope combines multiple technologies to produce distortion-free high-contrast images with true-color rendition across the entire flat field of view with an impressive Dawes' resolution of just 0.38 arcsec. The scope's performance begins with the aplanatic Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) optical system, which 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 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 improve color fidelity, and boost 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.
This version of the LX200 is offered here without any accessories, mount, or tripod for those who have all their gear and just want to upgrade their optical tube assembly (OTA). This large OTA weighs in at a hefty 35 pounds by itself, so make sure the mount head and tripod it gets put on can handle it in addition to the weight of any accessories. To ensure a rock-solid connection to your mount, it is outfitted with the larger Losmandy-style dovetail plate.
Optics
- Large 12" aperture
- f/10 focal ratio
- Long 3048mm focal length
- Advanced Coma-Free (ACF) design permits aplanatic performance, with a flatter field, reduced astigmatism, and zero diffraction spikes
- Proprietary Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UTHC) on all optical surfaces increase light transmission while improving color rendition and contrast
- Low-expansion borosilicate primary mirror virtually eliminates distortion due to temperature changes to the mirror
- SCHOTT BOROFLOAT glass corrector plate
- Primary mirror lock: Completely cancels any residual image shift due to primary mirror movement during long-exposure astrophotography or observing
- Resolution (Dawes'): 0.38 arcsec
- Internal focusing mechanism
Mounting
- Losmandy-style dovetail plate
- OTA weight: 35 pounds
- Mount and tripod required