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Meade 8-inch LX200-ACF

Meade's new LX200-ACF brings Advanced Coma-Free optics within reach of aspiring astronomers everywhere. Coma is an optical aberration. Precisely defined, coma is a distortion in which the image of a star cannot be focused to a point, but takes on the shape of a comet. Worst yet, the majority of telescope optical systems, including the popular Schmidt-Cassegrain, have it to one degree or another.

Item #ProductStock StatusPriceShipping
0810-60-03Meade 8" LX200-ACFwith Series 4000 eyepiece 
Normally Ships in 7-10 Days
$2,599.00Get Shipping Quote
Meade 8-inch LX200-ACF Telescope

f/10 Advanced Coma-Free Optics: Meade has created a design with the same coma free pinpoint star images and flatter field that discerning astrophotographers and most professional observatories have come to expect from classic Ritchey-Chrétien optics costing far more. Meade’s Advanced Coma-Free optics produce sharp, round stars without coma. Sharp from the center all the way to the edge of this wide field. In practical terms, this means splitting tighter double stars or seeing deeper into the core of a globular cluster.

Meade Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC™) increases total light transmission and image brightness. UHTC coatings are standard on all LX200-ACF telescopes.

Optional Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser allows you to obtain precise image fine focus with no image movement due to movement of the primary mirror.

Primary Mirror Lock locks the mirror in place during long-exposure astrophotography.

Oversize Primary Mirror diameters are greater than their listed aperture (e.g., the diameter of the 8" LX200-ACF is actually 8.25"). This additional 1/4" yields a wide, fully illuminated field-of-view.

Smart Mount™ constantly refines pointing accuracy each time an object is centered and updated. Compatible with both equatorial and altazimuth mounts.

Smart Drive™ provides permanent periodic error correction (PPEC) on both axes by learning and averaging error over the course of one or more training periods, thereby minimizing guiding corrections during long-exposure photographs. PPEC is available on both axes and functions in both polar and altazimuth modes.

Sony®GPS Receiver Sensor automatically inputs precise time, date, and geographical location to help quickly and precisely align the telescope.

AutoAlign™– Telescopes with Meade's new AutoAlign come pre-aligned.They are smart scopes that know the night sky right out of the box. AutoAlign picks two fail-proof alignment stars for you and places them right in your view-finder. Just center them to fine tune your alignment and the wonders of the universe are at your fingertips.

AutoStar® II controller features “Hot Keys” for quick access to a 145,000 celestial object database. AutoStar II can be updated with the latest software upgrades, guided tours and timely objects like comets free at meade.com.

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Optical Specifications: Meade 8-inch LX200-ACF
Type Advanced Coma Free (Aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain)
Aperture (mm) 203.8 mm
Aperture (in.) 8 inches
Focal Length 2000 mm
Focal Ratio f/10
Magnification (w/supplied eyepiece) 77X
Accessories and Features
Included Eyepiece(s) 26mm Plossl
Finder 8x50 Optical
Focuser Manual coarse focus knob
Go-To System Meade AutoStar II with140,000 object library. Software and object libraries may be updated via the Internet.
Star Diagonal 1.25-inch prism type
Accepts 2" Eyepieces <p><b>Telescope Eyepiece Formats</b><br /> Virtually all telescope eyepieces available today conform to one of two barrel diameter standards: 1.25 or 2 inches. Most amateur astronomers will be perfectly content with 1.25" eyepieces. Two-inch eyepieces have only one inherent advantage. That advantage is a potentially larger field of view, but not every telescope can take advantage of that potential. </p> <p>A Telescope and eyepiece work together to collect parallel light rays over a large area, compress those light rays down into a smaller area, and the re-orient them so that they are nearly parallel once again. Essentially light arriving at a telescope with any given aperture is compressed into a smaller aperture or exit pupil. The ratio of the telescope aperture to eyepiece exit pupil determines the magnification.</p> <p>There are cases at very low magnifications where the eyepiece barrel diameter becomes the constraint on maximum field of view. The eyepiece barrel itself actually blocks some of the available light that the telescope is collecting, thus limiting the field of view. Two-inch eyepieces overcome this constrain by allowing a larger light cone to enter the eyepiece. We must conclude this discussion by restating that 2" eyepieces have no inherent advantage over 1.25" eyepieces other than the potential for a larger field of view when used with a telescope capable of benefiting from that advantage. </p> No
Adaptable for 2" Eyepieces <p><b>Two-inch Eyepiece Upgrade</b><br /> Some telescopes that are factory configured for 1.25" eyepieces can be upgraded to accommodate 2" eyepieces. Other telescopes are designed to handle only 1.25" eyepieces and cannot be upgraded due to their focuser size or other constraints. </p> <p>Sometimes this upgrade is possible but not recommended. This could be due to clearance issues caused by the addition of a larger 2" star diagonal,which in some cases will bottom out on the base of a fork mounted go-to telescope. This is potentially damaging the drive mechanism. In other cases the light cone exiting the telescope may not be large enough to derive any benefit from a 2" eyepiece.</p> Yes
Physical Parameters
Telescope Weight 46 Pounds
Tripod Weight 20 Pounds
Weight, Fully Assembled 66 Pounds
Eyepiece Calculator
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Exit Pupil: <p>Exit pupil represents the diameter of the column of light exiting the eyepiece. Magnification is simply the ratio of telescope aperture to exit pupil. Fox example, using a telescope with 100mm aperture and an exit pupil of 2mm yields a magnification of 50X.</p> <p>There are both upper and lower limits to the useful range of exit pupils. The typical human eye pupil dilates to a maximum of 7mm when fully dark adapted. This figure decreases with age. Using an exit pupil that is larger than this upper limit simply spills the light onto an area of the eye not capable of receiving data. At the opposite end of the range, a smaller exit pupil means less area on the eye is collecting data. Images brightness decreases with decreasing exit pupil. Deep space objects grow dimmer rapidly as the exit pupil falls below 1 mm. The planets also start to become noticeably dimmer when the exit pupil falls much below 0.5 mm.</p> <p>Our eyepiece calculator provides warnings and error messages based upon the value of the exit pupil. These are intended to be guidelines as opposed to hard rules. There is no harm in violating these gidelines, but your enjoyment of the telescope may be diminished if you do. </p>
 
 
Recommended Accessories: Meade 8-inch LX200-ACF
Item #NameDescriptionPrice 
Max-3MaxFactory Master AutoStarMaxFactory Master AutoStar provides truly interactive multi-media training for owners of Meade AutoStar equipped telescopes, including ETX (90 and above), LXD75, and LX90 models. This software is compatible with both PC and MAC operating systems.$35.00
07584Meade Universal AC Wall AdapterMeade Universal AC Wall Adapter is for use with any RCX, LX200R or LXD75 and ETX Telescope.$59.00
07043Meade #607 DC Power CordMeade #607 DC power cord for most Meade "go-to" telescopes up to 14" aperture. Not for DS2000 Series or ETX-60/70/80. This 25' cord plugs into any 12 volt DC cigarette lighter outlet as found in automobiles or on common field batteries.$19.00
AZ 807Flexi-Heat for 8" Schmidt-CassegrainAstrozap Flexi-Heat Dew Shields combine the benefits of a dew shield and dew heater in one integrated package. They direct the heat right to your optical tube assembly, thus eliminating any chance of dew formation. Guaranteed!$74.95
DDHCDigital Dew Heater ControllerDigital Dew Heater Control Unit.Each heater output is controlled independently and has a full range of adjustment from 0-100%. This eliminates the problem of overheating or not reaching desired temperature regardless of heater size and combination.$109.00
TPWULGJMI Large Universal Wheeley BarsRoll that big scope out with ease with JMI's Large Universal Wheeley Bars. Cut your set up time in half and save your back at the same time.$310.00
M8-6Collimation Knobs for Meade 8" SCT with 6 ScrewsIt's easy... Just grab a Bob's Knob and turn. You can even do it while looking through the eyepiece on most scopes. And you'll never drop that pesky little Allen wrench or screwdriver into the grass again.$16.95
TG08Telegizmos Std Cover for 8" SCTThe TeleGizmos Solar Scope Cover is a multi-layer, polyethylene material with a fully aluminized surface. The heat reflective ability of the cover is extremely high with a material strength equal to a multi-layer light weight tarp.$49.00
CASEX8JMI Multi-use Telescope Carrying Case for 8" SCTsThis case will fit the following telescopes: Celestron (Single Fork Arm) NexStar 8 / 8i / 8 SE / 8i SE (Special Edition) (may include optional GPS accessory); Meade LX50 8", LX90 8", LX90-ACF 8", LX90GPS 8", LX100 8", LX200 8"...........$416.00