LX200R
8" Advanced Ritchey-Chretien

 
Meade LX200R features
 

#497 Autostar Computer Controller

The most widely used research telescope on earth now comes with the most advanced optical system in space. Meade’s all new LX200R brings Advanced Ritchey-Chretien optics within reach of aspiring astronomers everywhere. Nearly every observatory reflector in the world is a Ritchey-Chretien, including NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Now you can own what the professionals own. The LX200R includes all the field-proven features of the LX200 including GPS, Primary Mirror Lock, Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser, Oversized Primary Mirror, SmartDrive™, Smart Mount™, AutoStar® II and more. Plus, the LX200R comes with observatory-class optics crafted in Irvine, California, and a Series 5000 26mm 5-Element Plossl eyepiece. The new LX200R. It’s the biggest news in astronomy since, well, the LX200.


Enter into the Autostar II handbox any of the 145,000 celestial objects stored in the LX200R onboard database, press GO TO, and the telescope automatically slews (moves) to the object at 8°/sec., centering it precisely in the main telescope field. Additionally, the display reads out for each selected object its magnitude, size, object-type, visual quality rating, RA and Dec. Or, let the telescope take you on an automatic guided tour. Stored in 3.5-Megabyte of flash memory, the Autostar II's database is immediately accessible on the Autostar II display and includes an incredible array of phenomena — virtually a lifetime of deep-space study, even for the advanced observer.


All-new LX200R fork mounts are the strongest, most rigid mountings ever made available for telescopes of these apertures. DC-servo-motor-controlled (12v DC) worm gear drives with almost two hundred selectable drive speeds, combined with the Meade Smart Drive on both telescope axes, permit observatory-level precision in tracking, guiding, and slewing.


Telescope alignment is accomplished automatically using signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite system that enables extremely precise communication to the telescope of the observer's latitude and longitude, as well as local time. Integrated true-level and North electronic sensors in combination with a 16-channel GPS receiver located in the left-hand fork arm result in accurate telescope alignment to the sky at the touch of a button: Just press the ENTER button on the Autostar II hand controller and watch as the telescope measures level, points North, and slews at 8°/sec. to its first alignment star. Magnetic declination compensation designed into the telescope software automatically engages during the alignment process.


Improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200R telescope's "Go To" system. Despite careful efforts to calibrate and then align telescopes, they may fail to precisely center objects. Smart Mount allows your telescope to learn about, and then correct for any systematic pointing errors, regardless of the cause.


This revolutionary new rear-cell system is designed for the advanced visual observer, astrophotographer, and CCD imager. Turn a knob located just above the manual coarse-focus knob, and lock the telescope's primary mirror rigidly in place. Used in conjunction with the Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser the progressive-tension primary mirror lock completely cancels any residual image shift while focusing during visual, photographic, or CCD imaging applications.


Included as standard equipment on all LX200R models, the Meade Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser operates at 4 speeds from extremely slow to fast; the entire microfocusing operation is actuated through the Autostar II handbox and powered from the telescope's control panel. Coarse manual focusing is effected through the telescope's manual focus knob.


The LX200R telescopes operate for about 20 hours from eight C-cells neatly stored inside the fork arms. Alternately, the telescope may be powered from an 12 volt automobile cigarette lighter plug (using the optional #607 Power Cord) or from a standard home outlet (using the optional #547 AC Adapter).


Meade's optional UHTC (Ultra-High Transmission Coatings) Group provides a series of highly specialized, exotic optical coatings which dramatically increase image brightness. Averaged over the entire visible spectrum (450 nm. to 700 nm.), total light transmission to the telescope focus is increased by about 15%. Meade LX200R telescopes equipped with UHTC present a quantum leap in image brightness on the full range of celestial objects.

  Meade 8" LX200R Specifications
  Aperture 203mm (8")
  Optical Design Advanced Richey-Chrétien
  Focal Length 2000mm (f/10)
  Viewfinder 8x50 optical finderscope
  Autostar Autostar II
  Smart Mount™ Smart Drive Periodic Error Correction
  LX-Series Field Tripod Included

Check our current stock of Telescopes

MEADE LX200GPS-SMT Series
Item #
Price
Add to Cart
8" f/10 LX200R Advanced Richey-Chretien

MLX2R8

$2,499.00
8" f/10 LX200R Advanced Richey-Chretien
with UHTC
MLX2R8U
$2,674.00

LX SERIES Accessories
Accessories for the LX SERIES can be found on our LX10/50/90/200 Accessories page.


* PLEASE READ our Optical Goods Return Policy *