The Meade 6" f/10 LX85 ACF optical tube assembly hosts a number of high end features, all in a very compact package. The patented Advanced Coma Free (ACF) optics produce impressively flat fields of view with none of the coma distortion inherent in some other designs, even out to the edges of larger format cameras or extreme wide angle eyepieces. With its 6" aperture and long focal length of 1524mm, the 6" f/10 LX85 ACF telescope is the most compact and portable of the LX85 ACF offerings, yet still powerful enough to resolve stunning views of distant star clusters, planetary nebulae, and elusive galaxies ? many of which appear tiny and featureless in the wide-angle telescopes so common today.
The optics feature an oversized low-expansion borosilicate primary mirror and vacuum formed glass corrector plate. The corrector plate produces no diffraction spikes because there are no secondary mirror spider vanes, as are standard on other optical designs such as Newtonian reflectors and Ritchey-Chretiens. The primary and secondary mirrors as well as both sides of the corrector plate are vacuum deposited with Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC) precisely tuned to optimize the visual, photographic, and CCD/CMOS imaging performance of Meade telescopes. UHTC coatings yield maximum image brightness and contrast at the eyepiece or camera sensor, serving up beautifully bright images of deep-sky objects, with excellent contrast of surface features found on the Moon and planets.
The optical path and components of the ACF telescope design
The ACF primary, secondary, and corrector plate glass blanks are manufactured in the USA exclusively for Meade. Meade ACF telescopes and mounts are all manufactured and assembled in North America, with meticulous oversight of quality control throughout the production process.
Interested in astrophotography? Meade ACF telescopes, with their long native focal lengths, are great instruments for photographing planets and the Moon in high-resolution detail with a DSLR or astro camera. And the addition of the optional Meade ACF 0.68x Focal Reducer optimizes any ACF for deep space imaging. This thread-on accessory converts an f/10 ACF into a faster f/6.8 system and transforms an f/8 ACF into a speedy f/5.5 imaging beast! The reducer shortens the long exposure times needed to record faint deep-sky objects by half and expands the field of view by nearly 50%, allowing capture of larger objects in a single frame. Your Meade ACF will become a powerful astrograph capable of capturing jaw-dropping astrophotographs with your DSLR or astronomical CCD or CMOS camera!
The long 1524mm focal length is housed in a tube that measures 16.5" long, and weighs just 9.9 lb. A Vixen-style dovetail rail is securely bolted to the bottom of the telescope optical tube, meaning it can be attached to any compatible Alt-Az or EQ mount that uses a Vixen-style cradle. The telescope includes a Meade 26mm (59x) Super Plössl Eyepiece, 1.25" mirror star diagonal, 8x50 finder scope and dust caps.
Take your visual and imaging pursuits to new heights with the high end optics and super compact tube of the Meade 6" f/10 LX85 ACF Optical Tube Assembly.
Warranty
Limited Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship for two years from date of purchase. This warranty is provided by Meade for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. For complete warranty details contact Meade at 800-626-3233.
