Meade LS-8 Inch Telescope Review LightSwitch Technology
Meade LS-8 Inch Telescope Review LightSwitch Technology
Last Updated on Friday, 9 July 2010 08:19 Written by admin Friday, 9 July 2010 08:14
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Meade LS-8 Inch Telescope Review LightSwitch Technology
PRICE: $1799
WARRANTY: 1 Year
MANUFACTURER: Meade
Meade’s revolutionary LS™ LightSwitch™ series of telescopes use advanced technologies like GPS, LNT™ and ECLIPS™ CCD imaging to do what no other consumer telescopes have done before: take all the hassle out of using a telescope. Simply flip the switch and the LS automatically aligns itself. Astronomer Inside™ then takes you on a guided multimedia tour of the best objects in your sky. The aluminum mount is lightweight and portable, yet has a rigid structure with precision worm-gear drives for the ultimate in tracking and pointing accuracy. All this combined with Meade’s Advanced Coma-Free or Schmidt-Cassegrain optical systems provide the stargazer with the most sophisticated, yet easiest to use telescope ever.
LightSwitch™ Technology
The LS knows where it is in time and space even if you don’t. Just flip the switch and be ready to explore the cosmos. Innovative technology is applied to make using the LS simple, easy and fun.
Astronomer Inside™
Learn the secrets and details of the objects you observe while you are viewing them with both audio through the built-in speaker and video (if connected to a video monitor or TV). The Astronomer Inside will tell you about the planets, stars, constellations, clusters, nebulae, galaxies and more in a fun and interesting way.
Advanced Coma-Free™ Optics
Meade’s exciting optical innovation delivers stunning performance only seen previously with systems costing thousands of dollars more. With the standard Ultra-High Transmission Coatings, the LS gives you the sharpest, brightest optical system for its size available at any price.
Optional 3.5″ Video Monitor
Complete the multimedia experience with the optional 3.5″ video monitor.
Use: [Use]
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<h3>OPTICAL TUBE OTA SPECIFICATIONS</h3>
Aperture:
Focal Length: 2000mm
Focal Ratio: f/10
Optics Type: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Glass Material: Pyrex® Glass
Resolving Power: [Resolving Power]
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: [Limiting Stellar Magnitude]
Tube Material: Aluminum
Optical Tube Length / Focal Length:[Ota Length]
Optical Tube Weight:[Ota Weight]
<h3>OPTICAL MIRROR/LENS SPECIFICATIONS</h3>
Optical Design: [Optical Design]
Optical Quality: [Optical Quality]
Secondary Mirror Obstruction: [Secondary Mirror Obstruction]
Secondary Obstruction: [Secondary Obstruction]
Mirror / Glass Coatings: [Coatings]
<h3>TELESCOPE MOUNT & GOTO SPECIFICATIONS</h3>
Tripod Material: [Tripod Material]
Mount Style: [Mount Style]
Bearing Material:[Bearing Material]
Astroimaging Capability: [Astroimaging Capability]
Motor Drive Compatibility: [Motor Drive Compatibility]
Computerized Compatibility: [Computerized Compatibility]
Alignment Procedure: [Alignment Procedure]
Number Of Objects In Database: [Number Of Objects In Database]
Power Requirement: [Power Requirement]
Ports: [Ports]
Tracking Rates: [Tracking Rates]
Motor Type: [Motor Type]
<h3>ACCESSORY SPECIFICATIONS</h3>
Finder:[Finder]
Focuser:[Focuser]
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<p><img src=”http://www.astronomyforum.net/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/discuss.jpeg” alt=”" width=”48″ height=”48″ /></p>
<p><strong>Discuss the Meade LS-8 Telescope in the <a title=”Meade Telescope Forums” href=”http://www.astronomyforum.net/meade-telescope-forum/”>Meade Telescope Forums</a></strong></p>
I have a new LS-8 (Meade’s new light switch technology). Frankly a piece of junk. GPS rarely if ever works
I had the 6 version before upgrading to 8. Wonderful optics. Goto accuracy very good. Auto alignment has worked great with no issues so far. Heavy 2″ eyepieces adds vibrations when focusing. Question the ability for it to handle much more load then eyepieces, but will try that out when I can get into astrophotography. Visual observers dream. Portable, fun, educational, great views.
I have the LS -8 and have had it out a few times in the last few months. Limiting factor is local weather rather than the telescope. Apart from a scary error message at the start instructing to reload firmware (it goes away if you ignore it and press the media button) the GPS picked up its location fine and alignment was great (once the clouds cleared away – I live in Singapore).
I have had it out yesterday and had a terrific time looking at the moon, Jupiter and M42 in the clear (but brief) conditions. I have a Canon EOS 60D and it took some nice shots of the Moon and M42. The latter was about a 5 minute exposure – the time it took me to walk into the house, get a drink and come back out to release the shutter. I wasn’t hoping for much but was pleasantly surprised.
You can see a more detailed account and the photos I took here: http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?t=8939
Surprisingly there are no star trails though it is a single fork arm alt az mount. It may have something to do with Orion rising so little rotation at that plane.
Overall I have been more than impressed by what it can do and it makes it very straightforward to set up and start looking – a big plus in a country where breaks in the cloud cover can be short. The ability to take photos is another big plus and it did not seem to strain at all with a 60D attached to the end (the camera body is a fair bit heavier than a 450D or 550D/ Rebel ) In particular I was impressed at how well it tracked M42 given very little effort. I am looking forward to seeing what it can do with fainter DSOs some time soon – it is raining cats and dogs and cloudy tonight. It is a fine instrument and good if you have limited viewing opportunities and want to get the most out of each opportunity.