The ACF-LC200 from Meade is an excellent choice for the astronomer looking for a new telescope. It is a top-notch Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope that performs at the same level as a Ritchey Chretien at a fraction of the cost. This puts the possibility of a Coma free astronomy experience within the reach of amateur astronomers once more and enables you to enjoy flat and wide fields of view without paying a fortune.

A traditional RC design is a type of reflector that delivers a coma-free, flat field of view via hyperbolic primary and secondary mirrors. RC telescopes (from a variety of manufacturers) are found in most of the world's top observatories and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Because the mirrors in these telescopes have always been very expensive to make, few amateur astronomers could enjoy them. Fortunately, Meade engineers developed an Advanced Coma Free design by combining a hyperbolic secondary mirror with a corrector-lens-and-spherical-primary-mirror combination that performs as one hyperbolic element. This ACF design produces a coma-free, flat field of view that rivals traditional RC telescopes at a fraction of the cost. The design even eliminates diffraction spikes and improves astigmatism, both of which are inherent in the traditional RC design.

Meade 10" f/10 LX200-ACF Advanced Coma-Free Telescope Features

• f/10 Advanced Coma-Free Optics: Building from a classic RC design, 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 Chretien optics. Meade's Advanced Coma-Free system also reduces the astigmatism and eliminates diffraction spikes found in classical RC's. The LX200-ACF is the perfect platform for the demanding researcher and imaging enthusiast.
• Meade Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) increases total light transmission and image brightness by nearly 20% over Meade's standard coatings. Objects such as stars, galaxies and nebulae will appear significantly brighter.
• 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.
• Coma Killer - What is coma? It's not some sort of astronomical state of unconsciousness. It's 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.
• 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 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 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.

Meade Product Number: 1010-60-03

• Aperture: 254mm (10")
• Focal Ratio: f/10
• Focal Length: 2500mm
• Great value imaging telescope; provides RC level performance at SCT costs

• Meade 10" f/10 LX200-ACF Telescope
• Variable Height Standard Field Tripod
• Autostar II Control System
• Sony GPS Receiver
• 8x50mm Viewfinder
• Series 4000 Super Plossl 26mm Eyepiece
• Eyepiece Holder and Diagonal Prism (1.25")
• Instruction Manual
• Autostar Suite Astronomer's Edition Software
• Manufacturer's One Year Warranty
• New Meade Field Tripod product amendment