Following up on the highly successful book by Mike Weasner, Using the Meade ETX and the more recently published book by Swanson, The NexStar Guide, this extends Springer's range of books written for the most popular commercially-available telescopes. The book provides a comprehensive introductory guide to "choosing and using" an LXD55 / 75 computer-controlled ("goto") series of telescopes, and is useful for both beginners and more advanced practical amateur astronomers. It will also cover advanced techniques for more experienced LXD series users. There is already a large user-base of these telescopes around the world, but there is as yet no comprehensive guide commercially available for users to fully get to grips with using the LXD series of telescopes. The manufacturer's manuals are nowhere near detailed enough to be of real help to beginners, nor are there advanced technical tips and user information to help the experienced astronomer get the best out of these instruments.
Introduction.- Astronomy as a Hobby.- Choosing an LXD Telescope.- Setting Up the Telescope.- Polar Alignment and Goto Setup.- First Night's Observing.- Telescope Operations, Abilities and Observing Techniques.- The Universe at a Touch of a Button.- Connecting to a Personal Computer.- Taking Images.- Keeping Your Telescope in Peak Condition.- Gadgets and Gizmos.- Where Did It All Go Wrong.- Appendices.