The heavy-duty LXD75 German Equatorial Mount & Tripod from Meade features a motorized drive system that is activated and controlled by the AutoStar #497 hand box.
The support system is built upon Meade's LXD75 tripod mount. It is extremely sturdy and quite capable of dampening vibrations. The equatorial mount is accurate and precise. The RA and Dec axes move effortlessly on four high precision stainless-steel ball bearings. Precision worm gears on both axes ensure smooth tracking and slewing.
The AutoStar controller contains a database of over 30,000 objects in the night sky. Using its GO TO capacity, viewers can locate planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and comets with a push of a button. The AutoStar can also present viewers with one of the many pre-programmed guided tours of the best objects in the sky.
- Telescope mounting: LXD75, German-type
- Setting circle diameters, RA and Dec.: 2.25"
- Illuminated polar viewfinder: included
- RA control system: 9-speed, microprocessor-controlled, 12v DC, 72 mm worm gear
- Declination control system: 9-speed, microprocessor-controlled, 12v DC, 72 mm worm gear
- Hemispheres of Operation: north and south
- GO TO pointing precision: 15 arc minutes
- Slow-motion controls: electric, both axes
- RA ball bearings - outer; 1x58 mm, 1x47 mm
- RA ball bearings - inner: 1x45 mm, 1x35 mm
- DEC ball bearings - outer: 1x72mm, 1x47mm
- DEC ball bearings - inner: 1x55 mm, 1x30 mm
- AutoStar #487: PIC 16C57 controller, 16 character display, 20-button keypad, red LED backlit
- Main telescope controller: Motorola 68HC11, 1Mb flash memory, 32K RAM
- Power: 12 VDC via Eight D-cells, power-cord #607, AC adapter #547
- Battery Life: 40 hours
- Onboard celestial object database: 30,223 objects
- Slew speeds, both axes: 1x, 2x, 8x, 16x, 64x, 128x sidereal; 1.5°/sec, 3°/sec, 4.5°/sec
- Tracking rates: sidereal, lunar, or custom-selected from 2000 incremental rates