Meade LX85 8-inch ACF

Large aperture, premium coma-free optics on a Germal EQ mount to grow as you do.

  • Aperture: 203mm (8")
  • Focal Length: 2,032mm (f/10)
  • AudioStar handbox with speech
  • 30,000+ object database
  • GoTo German Equatorial Mount
  • Permanent Periodic Error Correction
  • Integrated ST-4 compatible autoguider port
  • 9.7mm & 26mm Super Plossl Eyepieces
  • 8x50 Optical Viewfinder with Crosshair
  • Meade #607 DC Power Cord
  • UK warranty
Meade LX85 8-inch ACF
  • Product code: 217006
  • Availability: Not in production
  • Not available
  • Original Price: £
not in production
Shipping rates
England & Wales
£ 20.00
Scotland Central & South
£ 20.00
Scotland North
£ 40.00
Northern Ireland
£ 40.00
UK islands (from)
£ 40.00

Description

The LX85 Series 8" ACF™ Telescope has an Advanced Coma-Free (ACF™) optical design offering the coma-free pinpoint star images and flatter image fields while reducing astigmatism and eliminates diffraction spikes.

Features include a 8" (203mm) aperture, 2032mm focal length, and f/10 focal ratio. Equipped with an internal single speed focuser and Ultra High Transmission Coatings (UHTC™) for the improvement of brighter star clusters, additional fine detail in nebulae, and greater surface features on planets. Includes (2) 1.25" Super Plossl eyepieces (9.7mm & 26mm) and a viewfinder (8x50 optical with crosshair) along with a vixen-style dovetail. Assembled Product Weight: 26 kg (56.25 lbs). Assembled Product Dimensions: 120cm x 120cm x 168cm (47.2" x 47.2" x 66").

Meade's LX85 Series features a high-quality, portable, GoTo, German Equatorial Mount. The LX85 Series is the perfect choice for the cultivated observer and astro-imager looking to chase deep-sky objects! Use as a stand-alone mount or maximize your viewing potential with an array of different optical tubes. Meade's LX85 Series will keep you looking up for many years to come and sets a standard for mid-sized telescopes at a great price.


U.K. WARRANTY

INTERMEDIATE

COMPUTERISED

PHOTOGRAPHY

ASTRONOMY
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Sturdy GoTo mount

The LX85 mount features a vixen-style dovetail, for mounting optical tubes up to 15 kg (33 lbs), coupled with a sturdy build, that ensure smooth tracking performance. With it's included integer gearing in the motor drive, you’ll be able to track through long exposures using permanent periodic error correction (PPEC), another benefit for astrophotography. Seamlessly image the best parts of the night sky with not having to worry about performing a meridian flip. This stable mount can impressively handle slight load imbalances with ease. This mount includes an integrated autoguider port to readily connect to your autoguider camera, making your astro-imaging experience easy and straightforward.

Even more features

If these features weren't already enough, the LX85 mount is compatible with the Meade Zero Image Shift Electronic Micro Focuser (SKU: 07080) and wired illunimated reticles.

AudioStar™ handbox

With the included AudioStar™ hand controller, you have easy access to 30,000-objects, that you can view with a simple press of a button! AudioStar™ features a built-in speaker that plays educational content about the celestial objects you view!

LX85 telescopes.

AudioStar handbox controller

The AudioStar computer controller with speaker helps you quickly find and GoTo over 30,000 objects in the night sky. With the AudioStar Controller plugged into your Meade telescope the astronomical universe is in the palm of your hand. Never before has such powerful telescope technology been so easy to operate, even by the most casual observer. Coiled cord and instructions included.

View planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets and more-all at the push of a button. Don't know what you want to view this evening? Then go to the Tonight's Best™ tour in your AudioStar. It automatically selects the best objects in the sky for that particular time and location.

The Meade AudioStar handbox controller features audio files and an internal speaker. This amazing computerised celestial object locating system plugs into the telescope's handbox port allowing a quick telescope alignment.

Once aligned with the sky the AudioStar is ready to take you to any object in the over 30,000 object database. In addition to GOTO and tracking capability the AudioStar permits a wide array of fascinating and educational functions such as multiple Guided Tours, digital positional readouts, a database of up to 200 user-defined objects, 9-Speed dual-axis movement, the ability to link with a PC using optionally available software and cord, and much more.


AudioStar features

The AudioStar controller provides all of the telescope control functions of the previous AutoStar handboxes but adds unique Astronomer Inside digital audio software and a speaker built into the AudioStar body that can provide you with more than four hours of fascinating and professionally-recorded audio descriptions of the objects you are observing. With Astronomer Inside technology, everyone around your telescope can listen and learn about more than 500 of the celestial objects contained in the AudioStar database, including planets, nebulas, star clusters, the Moon, and much more. Astronomer Inside puts the experience and astronomical knowledge of a professional astronomer in the palm of your hand.

Included in the AudioStar’s database are all of the following 30,000+ astronomical objects and stars – a range of objects certain to keep even the most active amateur astronomer growing in his or her studies of the skies for years:

  • the complete Index Catalog (IC), containing 5,386 galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters of all types;
  • the complete New General Catalog (NGC), containing 7,840 galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters of all types;
  • the complete Messier catalog of 110 Messier (M) objects, the best-known catalog of heavenly showpieces for the amateur astronomer;
  • the 109 objects of the Caldwell Catalog, a new listing of the best objects for small telescopes that expands the Messier catalog;
  • 16,800 stars from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) catalog, including double stars, variable stars, and other stars of special note;
  • 50 Earth-orbiting satellites, 26 asteroids (including all of the brightest asteroids), 15 periodic comets, and the 8 major planets from Mercury to Pluto.

Carries full one year UK warranty by Opticstar Ltd on behalf of Meade Instruments Corp.

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Meade LX85 8-inch ACF
Attribute Specification
Meade Product Code / sku 217005
Universal Product Code (UPC) 709942998795
Warranty 1 year UK warranty by Opticstar Ltd on behalf of Meade Instruments USA
Series LX85
Experience Level Intermediate
Clear Aperture 203mm (8-inch)
Focal Length 2,032mm
Focal Ratio f/10
Optical Design Advanced Coma-Free (ACF™)
Optical Coatings UHTC™ (Ultra High Transmission Coatings)
Focuser Internal Single Speed
Dovetail Vixen-style
Eyepieces Two (2) eyepieces:
   • Meade Series 4000™ Super Plossl 9.7mm, 1.25"
   • Meade Series 4000™ Super Plossl 26mm, 1.25"
Diagonal 1.25" 90-Degree Diagonal Mirror
Viewfinder 8x50mm optical with crosshair
Optical Tube Weight 5.3 kg (11.5 lbs)
Optical Tube Dimensions Ø=25cm x 46cm (Ø=9.8" x 18.1")
Hand Controller AudioStar™ with speech
AudioStar Speaker Outputs voiced descriptions and information for 500 objects in the database
AudioStar Object Database 30,000 objects
AudioStar Astronomer Inside Included with multiple Guided Tours and "Tonight's Best"
Motors Low-cog 12V DC servo motors; both axes
Periodic Error Correction Permanent periodic error correction (PPEC); updateable permanent PEC for repeatable performance
Control Panel Ports • 12V Power
• HBX
• Auxiliary
• ST-4 compatible Autoguider Port
• DEC
• Electronic Focuser
• Illuminated Reticle
Power Requirements 12V DC, 5 Amp power supply (optional)
Accessories Accessory tray & Bubble Level Compass
Counterweight 4.1 kg (9 lbs)
Mount Type German Equatorial Mount with AudioStar® handbox
Software Planetarium software on DVD for Microsoft Windows 10
Mount Body Weight 5 kg (10.9 lbs)
Mount Body Dimensions 12.2cm x 31.5cm x 33.5cm (4.8" x 12.4" x 13.2")
Mount Payload 15 kg (33 lbs)
Tripod Material Aluminium castings with 4.45cm (1.75") diameter steel tube legs. Rubber tripod leg spikes.
Tripod Weight 5.6 kg (12.4 lbs)
Tripod Height • Min: 80cm (31.5") • Max: 110.5cm (43.5")
Tripod Dimensions Collapsed 100cm x 14.6cm x 16cm (39.5" x 5.75" x 6.25")
Assembled Mount/Tripod Weight 15.5 kg (34.1 lbs)
Assembled Mount/Tripod Dimensions 120cm x 120cm x 5cm (47.2" x 47.2" x 5.8")
Assembled Product Weight 26 kg (56.25 lbs)
Assembled Product Dimensions 120cm x 120cm x 168cm (47.2" x 47.2" x 66")
Transit Weight • Box 1 (mount): 21 kg (45 lbs)
• Box 2 (optical tube): 9 kg (17.8 lbs)
Transit Dimensions • Box 1 (mount): 104cm x 52cm x 26cm
• Box 2 (optical tube): 69cm x 30cm x 36cm
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Products
General accessories
  • Product code: 68026
  • Availability: In stock
  • Despatch: 2 business days
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  • Labels: power
LX85 optical tubes
Support
Documents
1.8 MB • 08 December 2019
1.1 MB • 08 December 2019
6.7 MB • 17 August 2019
1.9 MB • 18 May 2020
1.1 MB • 01 May 2018
19.3 MB • 05 February 2021
0.1 MB • 12 October 2021
0.2 MB • 12 October 2021
Videos
News
8 October 2021

This article identifies the parts of a complete imaging system for astronomy, discusses the relationships of the parts and presents a range of relevant astronomical equipment and software.

1 December 2020

Get the most out of your telescope when visually observing the Moon, planets, comets and deep sky objects. We will be reviewing the most popular telescope designs used for observational purposes before venturing into other aspects.

18 October 2020

Learn of a few quick ways to polar align your German Equatorial (or EQ) mount. We will use the Meade LX85 EQ mount to to demonstrate, and most of the techniques will apply to other mounts as well.

30 September 2020

Whether you consider purchasing your second telescope or you are new to astronomy but you are looking for a more advanced and larger telescope from day one, there are plenty of options.

19 December 2018

Christmas is almost here and so are the new LX65 and LX85 telescopes from Meade! The Maksutov, Newtonian and refracting models arrive in the UK this week.

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