Observing with Meade 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes 0715-50-30 & 0715-50-31:

Most users find that observing through the Meade 7" LX200GPS-SMT is a new experience, with lunar, planetary, and deep-space images approaching those normally obtained, at higher cost, only through a fine apochromatic refractor. Under favorable atmospheric conditions, the surface of Jupiter resolves into a treasury of extremely fine detail, with numerous of the planet's belts showing structure, color, and discontinuities, and with internal structure of the Red Spot readily visible; cloud belts on the surface of Saturn take on clear variations of color and form, with shading differences among the rings now observable; the lunar landscape becomes a field of almost unlimited detail. In deep-space galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters are seen in high contrast against a deep-black backdrop.

The optical perfection of a large-aperture Maksutov, combined with the electronic elegance of an LX-200-GPS-SMT:

The Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design has long been favored by lunar, planetary, and deep-space observers for the richly detailed, high-resolution images that it presents. And, in the Meade 7 " LX200GPS-SMT the design has perhaps achieved the embodiment of its fullest potential. No other telescope offers this combination of state-of-the-art features:

1) Exquisite f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain Optical System :

Hand-figured by master opticians, the optics of the Meade 7" LX200 -GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes easily pass, under favorable seeing conditions, all of the test criteria for optics of their aperture. The double-sided spherical meniscus correcting lens is manufactured of Grade-A crown BK7 optical glass and is free of the striations and imperfections that could otherwise degrade optical performance.

Virtually alone among large-aperture commercial Maksutov telescopes, the 7" LX 200 GPS SMT includes an oversize, 8.25"-diameter primary mirror that results in a significantly wider fully illuminated field of view than would otherwise be possible. The result is that stars of equal magnitude appear of equal brightness throughout the field, from center to edge.

Perhaps even more importantly, the aspheric figure of 7" LX-200-GPS-SMT's fast f/2.5 primary mirror yields field corrections of a level rarely observed in commercial Maksutov-Cassegrains of this aperture. Meade 7" LX200 GPS SMT owners often exclaim about the sharpness of stellar diffraction images, a sharpness owed to the optical corrections enabled by the telescope's aspheric primary mirror.

2) Field Stops and Baffle Systems :

Essential to the performance of Meade 7" LX200 GPS, the telescope's series of internal light baffles and field stops greatly inhibits the passage of unwanted, off-axis light rays to the prime focus. A conical baffle attached to the correcting lens in combination with the cylindrical baffle tube projecting from the primary mirror serve to reject virtually all of these rays. In addition a series of field stops, common to the primary baffle tubes of all Meade Cassegrain telescopes , effectively eliminates undesirable light which might reflect from the inside surface of the baffle tube. The result of these baffle systems is extremely high-contrast images observed against an unusually dark sky-background.

Plus the full complement of LX200GPS-SMT features , including:

- Automatic GO TO Capability to a precision of one arc-minute;

- Smart Mount Software which improves the pointing accuracy of your LX200GPS 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.

- Autostar Suite Software which includes selecting objects from the planetarium display and automatically slewwing to those objects, remote telescope control via internet, the Lunar Planetary Imager (LPI), the creation of custom tours, talking telescope software, and the ability to control all autostar functions using your PC.

- A dual-axis Smart Drive™ that routinely achieves a tracking periodic error of 5 arc-seconds or better, an observatory standard;

- Dual-Axis Control Systems with almost 200 drive speeds that cover every possible contingency of telescope positioning - from 0.5x photo-guiding, to 64x image centering, to 8°/sec. slewing across the sky; - A 4-speed Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser;

- An Onboard Database of over 145,000 objects that you can center in the telescopic field just by entering and pressing GO TO on the hand controller.

You can choose:
Meade 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope, with Standard Coatings (Model #0715-50-30)
                                                     or
Meade 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope with Meade UHTC group (Model #0715-50-31):

UHTC Ultra High Transmission Coatings are an important feature to optimize the performance of your Meade telescope. Technologies developed at the Meade Irvine coatings facility have optimized the visual and photographic performance of Meade telescopes. The UHTC coatings , upon all 4 optical surfaces, result in a 20% decrease in light loss and a dramatic enhancement in detail, particularly of tiny facets and deep space objects.

Specifications for Meade 7" LX200-GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes:

Optical Design:		Schmidt-Cassegrain
Optical Diameter:		7.0" (178mm)
Focal Length:		105.1" (2670mm)
Focal Ratio:		f/15
Maximun Useful Magnification:		550x
Resolving Power (arc seconds):		0.64
Optical Coatings:		MgF2 coatings on the correcting lens and standard aluminum coatings on the primary and secondary mirrorsbr (Ultra-High Transmission Coatings, available optionally for model #0715-50-31)
Optical Tube Dimensions:		9.1 x 20.5" (23.1 x 52.1 cm) WxL
Mount Type:		Heavy duty fork type, double tine
Eyepiece Barrel Diameter:		1.25"
Finderscope:		8x50 straight
Tripod:		Adjustable field tripod (30-44")
Motor:		185 Speed micropressor controlled, 12V DC servo motor
PC Compatible:		Windows (compatible with Mac only through purchase of third-party software)
Power Source:		8 1.5-Volt "C" batteries (user supplied) = 20 hours Optional 25' cigarette lighter plug (#607) Optional 25' 115V AC adapter (#547)

Features of Meade 7" LX-200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes:

• A 7" aperture gives galaxies detectable colors and splits the most stubborn of binary stars
• GPS alignment system with 16-channel GPS receiver
• 3.5-Megabyte flash memory
• Digital readout display
• Permanently-programmable Smart Drive
• 185-speed drive controls on both axes
• High-Precision Pointing
• 145,000-object onboard celestial software library
• Primary mirror lock
• 4-speed Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser
• Heavy-duty fork mount
• Autostar II control system with Autostar Suite Software
• Smart Mount Software

Package Contents:

• Meade 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
• 26mm (102x) Series 4000 Super Plossl Eyepiece (1.25")
• 8 x 50mm Viewfinder
• 90° Erect Image Diagonal (1.25")
• Autostar #2 Computerized Hand Controller
• Eyepiece Holder
• Internal "C" Cell Battery Chamber
• Variable-height standard field tripod

Meade 7" LX200GPS Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes Rating & Reviews