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. For more information click here.

     
     
Model / Part Number LS-6 / Schmidt-Cassegrain: 0610-03-12
Advanced Coma-Free: 0610-03-10		 LS-8 / Schmidt-Cassegrain: 0810-03-12 Advanced Coma-Free: 0810-03-10
Optical Design Available with Advanced Coma-Free or Schmidt-Cassegrain Available with Advanced Coma-Free or Schmidt-Cassegrain
Clear Aperture 6" (152mm) 8" (203.2mm)
Focal Length, Focal Ratio 1524mm, f/10 2000mm, f/10
Ultra-High Transmission Coatings (UHTC™) Included Included
Optical Tube Dimensions (diameter x length) 7" x 14.2" 9" x 15.75"
Viewfinder Red dot Red dot
Telescope Mounting Aluminum, single arm alt-azimuth Aluminum, single arm alt-azimuth
GoTo Pointing Precision (approx.) 5-arc mins. 5-arc mins.
Pointing Precision, High Precision Mode 3-arc mins. 3-arc mins.
Slow-Motion Controls Electric, RA and Dec. Electric, RA and Dec.
AutoStar III Hand Controller Toshiba® microcontroller; 2 line x 16 alphanumeric character display; 20-button keypad, red LED backlit Toshiba® microcontroller; 2 line x 16 alphanumeric character display; 20-button keypad, red LED backlit
Batteries (user-supplied) 8 x C-cells 8 x C-cells
Battery Life (approx.) 3 to 5 hours 3 to 5 hours
Onboard Celestial Object Database Over 100,000 objects Over 100,000 objects
Slew Speeds RA and Dec: 1x, 2x, 8x, 16x, 64x, 128x sidereal and 1.5°/sec., 3°/sec., 6.5°/sec. RA and Dec: 1x, 2x, 8x, 16x, 64x, 128x sidereal and 1.5°/sec., 3°/sec., 6.5°/sec.
Tracking Rates Sidereal, lunar, or custom-selected Sidereal, lunar, or custom-selected
Tube Body Aluminum Aluminum
Mount Castings Aluminum Aluminum
Primary, Secondary Mirrors Pyrex® glass Pyrex® glass
Correcting Plate/Lens Schott clear water white glass Schott clear water white glass
Telescope Weight 28 lbs. 30 lbs.
Tripod Weight 9 lbs. 9 lbs.
Field Tripod Height 25.5" to 43.5" variable 25.5" to 43.5" variable
OTA Master Carton
(Size / Weight)		 21" x 14.5" x 30" / 43 lbs. 21.2" x 16.5" x 31.75" / 48 lbs.

Tripod Master Carton
(Size / Weight)

 29.1" x 10.6" x 10.6" / 12 lbs. 29.1" x 10.6" x 10.6" / 12 lbs.
Price -
Advanced Coma-Free 		$1,499 $1,999
Price -
Schmidt-Cassegrain 		$1,399 $1,799