Meade 14" RCX400 Computerized Telescope with UHTC 

Meade 14" RCX400 Computerized Telescope with UHTC

This item is being sold by Andrew College in Cuthbert, GA  because we are upgrading to a different telescope.  The telescope has been recently serviced by Meade.

Meade's RCX400 is the first consumer scope that comes out of the box with all the features you need for optimal stargazing and astrophotography. In addition to its GPS tracking, it has a built-in cooling fan, a motorized focuser, and a heater to keep condensation off the lens. Its mirrors can be aligned electronically, and it offers customized settings for different celestial targets.

FEATURES:

Series 5000 24mm 2" O.D. Ultra Wide Angle Eyepiece:

Standard equipment on all RCX400 telescopes, the Series 5000 24mm 2" O.D. Ultra Wide Angle Eyepiece represents the ultimate in eyepiece design and technology delivering extremely high resolution, contrast and full-field sharpness over an astounding 82° apparent field-of-view.

Carbon Graphite & Kevlar Tube:

The carbon graphite and Kevlar tube is a unique light-weight, high strength material with ultra-low expansion characteristics that will maintain the spacing between the optics, so that focus settings do not change with outside temperature changes. This is a critical feature to astrophotographers.

New Rear and Front Cell Architecture:

The front and back cells of the RCX400 are designed to allow the maximum amount of air-flow around the optics, in order to achieve the quickest "cool down" times. To accelerate cool-down time, a built-in fan on the rear cell can be turned on and off through the AutoStar II handbox.

High-Precision Pointing (HP) Capability:

Meade RCX400 models permit the most accurate pointing capability ever offered in a commercial telescope. Now you can command the telescope to GO TO an object located on the opposite side of the sky (for example, a distance of 120 degrees in sky-angle) and, in conjunction with the telescope's unique SYNC command, the RCX400 locates and centers the desired object. HP capability is accessible in either the altazimuth or equatorial orientations.

Software Downloads and Satellite Tracking:

The software included in Meade RCX400 telescopes is under continuous factory review; updates to this software are published at regular intervals on Meade's website. The telescope's flash memory may be upgraded through one of the RS-232 ports with new software or data as they become available on Meade's website.

Precision Electronic Optical Collimation:

Collimating a Cassegrain telescope has never been easier. RCX400 owners will make precision collimation adjustments to the secondary mirror of the telescope by using the arrow keys of AutoStar II handbox, allowing a single person to simultaneously make adjustments and see the results. In addition, Meade precision collimates the optics at the factory and then sets that position as the default setting. So in the case where one may make a mistake in making a collimation adjustment, the default setting can always be used.

Focus Position Presets:

By setting up to 9 focus positions, RCX400 owners can customize perfect focus from observer to observer with different eyesight (similar to the custom settings in luxury cars to change the mirror, seat, and steering wheel settings from one driver to another).

Expanded Database and Larger User Memory:

The RCX400 database has been expanded over the standard library of the LX200GPS to include 180,000 objects. In addition to more stars from the Hipparchos/Tycho catalog, we have added:

• The popular "Lunar 100" with the finest features to see and image on the Moon

• A subset of the finest visual doubles from the Wisconsin Double Star Catalog

• The Hickson Catalog of Dense Galaxy Groups

• The Gleason Catalog of Nearby Stars

• The Landolt Catalog of Photometric Standard Stars

• The Sharpless Catalog of HII Regions

Smart Drive Permanent Periodic Error Correction (PPEC):

Included as standard equipment, the Smart Drive permits a professional level of drive-rate precision. No longer are large systems required, worm gear when smaller gears coupled to Smart Drive software can achieve periodic errors of 5 arc secs or less-an observatory standard of precision. All worm/worm-gear combinations, no matter how well made, have minor inaccuracies that manifest themselves as periodic errors in the telescope tracking rate, with the period dependent on the worm's rate of rotation. To program the Smart Drive the observer guides on an object visually, making corrections with the handbox controller. The software then remembers these corrections, stores them in memory, and in the future automatically compensates for the periodic errors of the gear system. Smart Drive user programming is stored in the telescope's computer memory forever, independently of any power source, unlike other periodic error correctors that must be reprogrammed each time you use the system. The Smart Drive can be erased, updated, or even averaged with future programming at the user's option. The significant value of the Smart Drive is immediately appreciated during long-exposure astrophotography, where the resulting low periodic error of the system enables relaxed guiding with a minimum of handbox corrections. In CCD imaging, where short exposures of deep-space objects are often all that is required for stunning results, the Smart Drive often permits imaging without any guiding requirements at all.

Laser Aligned, Fixed Primary Mirror:

The primary mirror is laser aligned to the true optical path, then float bonded in place. It is fixed, but literally floats on a layer of adhesive that results in zero stress to the glass and no distortion to the optics (unlike mirror cells or floating point pads). There is no mirror movement.

#929 2" Diagonal with UHTC:

Standard equipment on all RCX400 telescopes, attaches to the rear cell of and permits the use of wide-field 2" O.D. eyepieces. Each diagonal includes a Meade optical-flat mirror of Pyrex glass, UHTC-coated for maximum reflectivity.

UHTC Coatings:

Standard on all RCX400 telescopes, the importance of Meade's proprietary UHTC group becomes apparent when comparing total telescope light transmission, or throughput, caused by the multiplier, or compounding, effect of the four optical surfaces. With each optical surface contributing significantly to telescope light throughput, the effect of all four surfaces combined is indeed dramatic. At the H-a wavelength of 656nm., total transmission increases from 76.7% to 88.5%, an increase of 15.4%; at the helium wavelengths of 588nm. and 469nm. - strong emission lines in hot planetary nebulae - total telescope transmission increases by 13.8% and 16.8%, respectively; at the two nitrogen II lines of 655nm. and 658nm. and at the sulfur II line of 673nm., transmission is increased by 16%. Averaged over the entire visible spectrum (450nm. to 700nm.), total light transmission to the telescope focus increases by about 15%.

Smart Mount:

Revolutionary Smart Mount technology is standard equipment on all RCX400 telescopes. Smart Mount improves the pointing accuracy of your RCX400's telescope's "Go To" system with the following features:

• Constantly improved pointing accuracy with every object centered and sync'ed.

• Works with both equatorial and altazimuth configurations.

• Simple routine to refine pointing accuracy for the entire sky with your equipment configuration and alignment.

• Refined pointing data can be saved and reused for permanent and portable setups.

Heavy-Duty Fork Mounts:

RCX400 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. Photo-guide speeds are selectable from 0.01x to 1.0x sidereal, in increments of 0.01x; fast-slew speeds are selectable from 1°/sec. to 8°/sec. in 0.1°/sec. increments. Use the 8°/sec. speed for rapid motion of the telescope across the skies; once near the target, switch instantly to a speed of 1.5°/sec. or 3°/sec. for centering in the viewfinder. Observing in the main telescope, use the 16x or 64x sidereal speed to place the object in the center of the field.

Built-In Dew Heater:

Instead of wrapping a heating element around the telescope's optical tube assembly to send heat through the telescope's front cell to prevent dew from forming on the corrector plate, the RCX400 incorporates a nickel-chromium wire heating element that is in contact with the glass of the corrector plate that quickly, efficiently, and safely sends heat through lens using the lowest power drain possible. All functions to operate the dew heater are controlled by the AutoStar II handbox.

Altazimuth and Equatorial Operation:

For all visual observing applications, for lunar and planetary photography, and for many CCD imaging applications, Meade RCX400 may be set up in the altazimuth mode - just attach the telescope's drive base directly to the tripod, use the GPS alignment procedure, and the telescope's computer actuates 2-axis tracking that keeps objects precisely centered in the field, even at high powers, during the entire observing session. For long-exposure astrophotography altazimuth-induced field rotation requires the new Superwedge or the #1220 (for 10", 12", and 14" models) or the #1222 (for 16" models) Field De-rotater, either of which may be purchased separately.

Specifications:

* Aperture: 356mm

* Focal Length: 2845mm

* Focal Ratio: f/8

*  Coatings: Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC)