Orion F/3.9 User's Manual
Contents
1. 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 Customer Support Help Line 800 676 1343 2011 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars2. To do so loosen the tube ring clamps slightly and slide the telescope tube forward or backward as needed to reach optimum balance then retighten the clamps Rotating the telescope to achieve a comfortable eyepiece or camera angle is done in the same fashion Simply loosen the tube ring clamps just enough to allow the optical tube to rotate within the tube rings Retighten the tube ring clamps securely once you have reached the desired eyepiece or camera orientation 2 Dual Speed Crayford Focuser The f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph features an all metal 2 dual speed 11 1 Crayford type focuser Figure 2 which allows very precise fine focusing A reinforcing plate inside the optical tube just under the focuser provides added rigidity minimizing any flexing of the focuser housing on the tube due to the weight and moment arm of the imaging camera If the drawtube slips under the weight of your imaging system or heavy visual accessories simply increase the drawtube ten sion by gently tightening the drawtube tensioning thumbscrew as needed The smooth focus motion and fine focus wheel allow preci sion adjustments for critical focusing of eyepieces and camer as Once focus is reached you can lock the drawtube in place by tightening the drawtube tensioning thumbscrew The focuser drawtube has a 2 collar on the end of it with two thumbscrews for attachment of 2 accessories The telescope ships with a 1 25 eyepiece holder insert
3. accurately centered in the eyepiece the optics will always appear out of collimation even though they may be perfectly aligned It is critical to keep the star centered so over time you will need to make slight corrections to the telescope s position in order to account for the sky s apparent motion Point the telescope at Polaris the north star if you do not have a mount that tracks 3 Care amp Maintenance Give your telescope reasonable care and it will last a lifetime When not in use keep its dust cover on as well as the dust 10 D Out of collimation Collimated Figure 15 A star test will determine if the telescope s optics are properly collimated A defocused view of a bright star through the eyepiece should appear as illustrated on the right if the optics are perfectly collimated If the circle is unsymmetrical as illustrated on the left the optics need alignment cap on the eyepiece opening Keep the telescope inside the hard storage carrying case when not in use Store it indoors or in a dry garage Do not leave the telescope outside except when using it The optical tube is aluminum and has a smooth anodized surface that should resist scratches and smudges lf a scratch does appear on the tube it will not harm the tele scope Smudges on the tube can be wiped off with standard household cleaners such as Windex or Formula 409 Cleaning Mirrors In general your telescope s mirrors will only need to be
4. area until it is completely dry before replacing it in the mirror cell Then reinstall the mirror cell in the telescope optical tube with the S X Screws 11 4 Specifications Orion 8 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph Optical configuration Aperture Focal length Focal ratio Primary mirror Mirror coatings Secondary mirror minor axis Focuser Drawtube travel Optical tube Tube baffles Weight Length Tube rings Finder Scope Newtonian reflector 203mm 800mm f 3 9 Low thermal expansion optical glass parabolic figure Enhanced aluminum 94 reflectivity with SiO overcoat 70mm Dual speed 11 1 2 Crayford accepts 2 accessories 38mm Rolled steel gloss enamel exterior finish 9 17 5 Ibs without tube rings fan finder scope 1 25 eyepiece holder 21 6 Ibs with tube rings finder scope 1 25 eyepiece holder 30 25 Included hinged felt lined 9x50 with spring loaded X Y dovetail bracket 2 Extension adapters 30mm and 36mm extension length Orion 10 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph Optical configuration Aperture Focal length Focal ratio Primary mirror Mirror coatings Secondary mirror minor axis Focuser Drawtube travel Optical tube Tube baffles Weight Length Tube rings Finder Scope Newtonian reflector 254mm 1000mm f 3 9 Low thermal expansion optical glass parabolic figure Enhanced aluminum 94 reflectiv
5. in the fan with the threaded holes in the mirror cell Make certain the label on the fan is facing the primary mirror 2 Place the fan cover wire grille over the fan so the holes in its corners line up with the holes in the fan and mirror cell Figure 4a The fan cover should be oriented so that its corners seat flush onto the fan 3 Thread a screw with a washer attached through the fan cover and fan and into the mirror cell Figure 4b Firmly tighten the screw but be careful not to overtighten and strip the threads Repeat this for the other three screws and washers 4 Insert eight D cell batteries not included into the battery pack Orient the batteries as shown on the plastic battery holder 5 Plug the cord from the battery pack into the fan The fan should begin rotating If it doesn t check the connections and orientation of the batteries and try again To turn the fan off unplug the cord from the fan Using the Cooling Fan The cooling fan should be turned on as soon as the telescope is brought outdoors prior to your imaging or observing ses sion It should run for approximately 15 30 minutes to properly cool down the telescope When the telescope is in use the fan should be turned off This is because even though it runs free from vibration the air currents it generates in the optical tube will degrade image quality Once the mirror has cooled Figure 4a Line up the holes in the fan and fan cover with th
6. ring for the particular camera model and a T adapter such as the Orion Zero Profile Prime Focus Camera Adapter which fits into the 2 accessory collar 2 Slip on adapter 36mm extension 1 25 Eyepiece holder 2 Thread on adapter 30mm extension Figure 7 The 1 25 eyepiece holder and two 2 extension adapters included with the 8 and 10 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs Bottom end of focuser drawtube Reflection of your eye Mirror center mark not shown for clarity Edge of secondary Reflection of primary mirror clip va Reflection of Reflection of secondary mirror holder spider vanes primary mirror Reflective surface of collimation cap Primary mirror center mark Figure 8 Collimating the optics a When the mirrors are properly aligned the view down the focuser drawtube should look like this b With the collimation cap in place if the optics are out of alignment the view might look something like this c Here the secondary mirror is centered under the focuser but it needs to be adjusted tilted so that the entire primary mirror is visible d The secondary mirror is correctly aligned but the primary mirror still needs adjustment When the primary mirror is correctly aligned the center dot of the collimation cap will be centered as in e cal tube in front of the focuser Both the 8 and 10 models have added length in front of the focuser compared to a stan dard Newto
7. secured with the two thumbscrew locks If your CCD imager does not include a compatible 2 nosepiece or if you wish to utilize the camera s T threads without a coma cor rector a zero profile prime focus camera adapter is required available from Orion The zero profile adapter has male T threads that couple to the female T threads of your camera Note that depending on your CCD camera s specifications you may need to add T thread spacer rings between the coma corrector and the CCD camera to achieve the necessary crit ical distance between the coma corrector s rear lens element and the camera s imaging sensor Attaching a DSLR Camera To attach a DSLR camera you will need the appropriate T ring for the make and model of your camera If you do not plan to use a coma corrector then you will need a zero profile prime focus camera adapter available from Orion Simply attach the T ring to the camera body and thread the zero pro file camera adapter into the T ring Then insert the barrel of the camera adapter into the focuser s 2 accessory collar and secure it with the two thumbscrew locks Figure 6 To use a coma corrector thread it into the T ring attached to your DSLR camera body then insert the coma corrector housing into the focuser through the 2 accessory collar and tighten the two locking thumbscrews on the collar to secure the camera in place Removing the Piggyback Camera Adapter from the Tube Ring If you wa
8. the star or planet is also centered on the finder s crosshairs Finder scope O ring not visible Nylon alignment thumbscrew 2 S bracket a A Focusing lock ring is Eyepiece Dovetail base NS 4 Tensioner pin Figure 3a The 9x50 finder scope and bracket ie a Figure 3b Pull back the spring tensioning pin and slide the finder scope into its bracket until the O ring is seated in the bracket ring Focusing the Finder Scope If the image in the finder scope appears out of focus you will need to refocus the finder scope for your vision First loosen the lock ring located behind the objective lens cell on the body of the finder scope Figure 3a Back the lock ring off by a few turns Then refocus the finder scope on a distant object by rotating the objective lens cell clockwise or counterclockwise Once the image appears sharp retighten the lock ring behind the objective lens cell The finder scope s focus should not need to be adjusted again 2 Operating Your Orion f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph Your Orion f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph is designed primar ily for astro imaging but it makes a fine visual instrument as well For visual use we recommend using high quality eye pieces to take full advantage of the instrument s exceptional optical quality For imaging applications the telescope is opti mized for use with an APS C or smaller size sensor found in such cameras as the Orion StarShoot Pro Or
9. turning one or more of the three large spring loaded collimation knobs The three thinner thumbscrews lock the primary mirror in place knobs It will take some trial and error using all three collima tion knobs to properly align the primary mirror Over time you will get the feel for which collimation knobs to turn to move the image in a given direction When you have the dot centered as much as possible in the ring your primary mirror is collimated Now lightly tighten the three locking thumbscrews to secure the primary mirror in place The view through the collimation cap should now resemble Figure 8e A simple star test will indicate how well the tele scope optics are collimated Star Testing the Telescope When it is dark point the telescope at a bright star and accu rately center it in the eyepiece s field of view To achieve focus with an eyepiece you will likely have to use the included 35mm extension adapter as described previously Slowly de focus the image with the focusing knob If the telescope is correctly collimated the expanding disk should be a perfect circle Figure 15 If the image is unsymmetrical the scope is out of collimation The dark shadow cast by the second ary mirror should appear in the very center of the out of focus circle like the hole in a donut If the hole appears off center the telescope is out of collimation If you try the star test and the bright star you have selected is not
10. you ll typically need to do it only once By radial position we mean the position of the secondary mirror along the axis perpendicular to the focuser drawtube as shown in Figure 12 This position is changed by adjusting two of the spider vane thumb nuts as shown Loosen one thumb nut then tighten the opposite one until the second ary mirror is centered radially in the drawtube Do not loosen the thumb nuts too much to avoid having them completely unthread from the ends of the spider vanes Also when mak ing this adjustment be careful not to stress the spider vanes or they could bend Adjusting the Secondary Mirror s Rotational Position The secondary mirror should face the focuser squarely If the mirror appears to be rotated away from the focuser the mir rors rotational position will need to be adjusted Again this adjustment will rarely if ever need to be done Grip the sides of the secondary mirror holder with your fin gers Then using a large Phillips screwdriver loosen the cen ter screw in the secondary mirror holder about a quarter of a turn only counterclockwise That should be enough to free up the secondary mirror to rotate slightly in either direction Look into the collimation cap and rotate the mirror slightly in each direction to get an idea of how it affects the view of the secondary mirror Now rotate the mirror as needed so that it precisely faces the focuser Hold the mirror holder stationary in tha
11. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion 8 and 10 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs 8297 8 3 9 8296 10 3 9 em ORION Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 OrionTelescopes com Customer Support 800 676 1343 E mail support telescope com Corporate Offices 831 763 7000 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 2011 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars IN 406 Rev A 07 11 2 Accessory collar Finder scope bracket 9x50 Finder Scope Optical tube Tube rings Drawtube Fine focus wheel tensioning thumbscrew Focus wheel Figure 1 The Orion 8 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph These powerful imaging telescopes feature fast high quality parabolic optics a 2 dual speed Crayford focuser and excellent mechanical construction with some special features Optimized for astrophotography with DSLR and astronomical CCD imaging cameras our f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs are capable of delivering breathtak ing imaging performance for beginning to advanced astrophotographers This instruction manual covers both the 8 and 10 mod els of f 3 9 Newtonian astrograph Although they differ in aperture and focal length physical size and weight they are otherwise very similar in mechanical construc tion and features So we will use the 8 model to illus trate the features of both astrographs Any exceptions related to the 10
12. apter onto the focuser drawtube until tight Insert a 2 eye piece into the extension adapter and secure with the two thumbscrews To install the slip in 2 extension adapter just insert its tapered base into the 2 accessory collar of the fo cuser then tighten the two locking thumbscrews to secure the adapter in place Collimating the Optics Aligning the Mirrors Collimating is the process of adjusting the mirrors so they are aligned with one another Precise collimation of the optics is especially critical for fast Newtonian optics such as in the f 3 9 astrographs If the mirrors are even slightly misaligned image quality will suffer So you should check the collimation before every observing or imaging session to make sure it is dead on The process of collimation is a relatively easy and can be done in daylight or darkness Your telescope s optics were collimated at the factory and should not need much adjustment unless the telescope was handled roughly in transit To check collimation remove the eyepiece and look down the focuser drawtube You should see the secondary mirror centered in the drawtube as well as the reflection of the primary mirror centered in the sec ondary mirror and the reflection of the secondary mirror and your eye centered in the reflection of the primary mirror as in Figure 8a If anything is off center proceed with the following collimating procedure The Collimation Cap Your f 3 9 Newtonian As
13. cleaned very infrequently if ever Covering the front opening of the telescope with the dust cover when it is not in use will prevent dust from accumulating on the mirrors Keeping the dust cap on the focuser s 1 25 opening is also a good idea Improper cleaning can scratch the mirror coatings so the fewer times you have to clean the mirrors the better Small specks of dust or flecks of paint have virtually no effect on the visual or imaging performance of the telescope The large primary mirror and the elliptical secondary mirror of your telescope are front surface aluminized and over coated with hard silicon dioxide which prevents the aluminum from oxidizing These coatings normally last through many years of use before requiring re coating To clean the secondary mirror first remove it from the tele scope Do this by keeping the secondary mirror holder sta tionary while completely unthreading the Phillips head screw in the center hub of the spider vane assembly see Figure 11 Do not touch the mirror surface when doing this Once the Phillips head screw is unthreaded the secondary mirror and its holder can be removed from the telescope The sec ondary mirror does not need to be removed from its holder for cleaning Then follow the same procedure described below for cleaning the primary mirror To clean the primary mirror first carefully remove the mirror cell from the telescope To do so you must remove the screws that attach th
14. d 9x50 crosshair finder scope Figure 3a is use ful for locating objects in the sky and centering them in the main telescope s field of view To install it first remove the O ring from the bracket and place it over the body of the finder scope until it seats in the narrow groove near the middle of the finder Unthread the two black nylon alignment screws on the bracket until the screw ends are flush with the inside surface of the bracket Slide the eye piece end narrow end of the finder scope into the end of the bracket s cylinder opposite the alignment screws while pull ing the chrome spring loaded tensioning pin on the bracket with your fingers Figure 3b Push the finder scope through the bracket until the O ring seats just inside the front opening Release the tensioner and tighten the two black nylon screws a couple of turns each to secure the finder scope in place The tips of the tensioner and nylon screws should seat into the wide groove on the finder scope s body Now slide the foot of the finder scope bracket into the dovetail base on the main telescope You ll first have to back out the thumbscrew lock on the dovetail base a few turns to allow the bracket to slide in Once the bracket is inserted tighten the thumbscrew lock Aligning the Finder Scope The finder scope and the main telescope must be aligned so they point to exactly the same spot in the sky Alignment is easiest to do in daylight First insert an eyepi
15. e holes in the rear of the primary mirror cell Figure 4b Attaching the fan to the mirror cell to the outdoor ambient temperature the fan will likely not be needed again for that session Imaging with the f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph This instrument has fast f 3 9 parabolic optics which produce bright images and allow short exposure times Fast optics also inherently produce some coma or distortion of star images toward the periphery of the field of view Therefore to achieve the best possible images we highly recommend use of a coma corrector sold separately designed for use with f 4 Newtonians or for a range of focal ratios that includes f 4 Many common coma correctors have a 2 diameter housing and I threads for attachment to a camera Typically the coma corrector is attached to the front of the camera body via its T threads for DSLRs to a compatible T ring then inserted into the 2 accessory collar of the focuser drawtube Use of a coma corrector will allow you to utilize the entire imaging area of your camera without the need to crop the edges of your astro images due to optical distortion Check Orion s website for compatible coma correctors Attaching a CCD Camera The Orion f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs are equipped to accept CCD cameras with a 2 nosepiece or a 2 coma cor rector in place of the nosepiece which slides directly into the telescope s focuser like an eyepiece Figure 5 The 2 nosepiece is
16. e primary mirror cell and end ring to the tube Figure 16 Then pull the cell away from the tube You will notice the primary mirror is held in the mirror cell with three clips held by two screws each Loosen the screws and remove the clips Figure 16 To clean the primary mirror it must first be removed from the telescope tube To do so remove the Phillips head screws that fasten the rear cell and end ring to the telescope tube Then separate the cell from the tube You may now remove the primary mirror from its cell Do not touch the surface of the mirror with your fingers Lift the mirror carefully by the edges Set the mirror on a clean soft towel Fill a clean sink or large bucket with room temperature water a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent and if possible a capful of 100 isopropyl alcohol Submerge the mirror alu minized surface facing up in the water and let it soak for a few minutes or hours if it s a very dirty mirror Wipe the mir ror under water with clean cotton balls using extremely light pressure and stroking in straight lines across the mirror sur face Use one ball for each wipe across the mirror Then rinse the mirror under a stream of lukewarm water Any particles on the surface can be swabbed gently with a series of cotton balls each used just one time Dry the mirror surface with a stream of air a blower bulb works great Cover the mirror surface with tissue and leave the mirror in a warm
17. ece a crosshair eyepiece is best into the eyepiece holder in the telescope s focuser Point the telescope at an object such as the top of a telephone pole or a street sign that is at least a quarter mile away Move the telescope so the target object appears in the very center of the field of view when you look into the eyepiece Now look through the finder scope Is the object centered in the finder scope s field of view If not hopefully it will be visible somewhere in the field of view so that only a minor adjustment of the finder scope s two alignment screws will be needed to center it Otherwise you ll have to make coarser adjustments to redirect the aim of the finder scope Once the target object is centered on the crosshairs of the finder scope look again in the telescope s eyepiece and see if it is still centered there as well If it isn t repeat the entire process making sure not to move the telescope while adjust ing the alignment of the finder scope When the target object is centered on the crosshairs of the finder scope and in the telescope s eyepiece the finder scope is aligned and ready to be used for locating objects The finder scope alignment should be checked before every imaging or observing session This can easily be done at night before viewing through the telescope Choose any bright star or planet center the object in the telescope eye piece and then adjust the bracket s alignment screws until
18. ed into the 2 collar The focuser drawtube has 38mm of travel Fine Focus The dual speed Crayford focuser features both coarse and fine focusing wheels The two large silver colored wheels are for coarse focusing The small black wheel next to the right hand large focus wheel allows ultra precise focus adjustment at a gear ratio of 11 1 meaning eleven turns of the fine focus wheel equals one turn of the large focus wheel Use the large focus wheels to achieve rough focus on your target object then use the fine focus wheel to home in on the exact focus point You will be amazed at the amount of detail that careful fine focus adjustment brings in to view on targets such as the lunar surface planets double stars and other celestial objects Focuser Reinforcing Plate You ll notice that on the inside of the optical tube directly under the focuser is a steel reinforcing plate This plate was added to provide extra rigidity to the interface between the focuser and tube to minimize the possibility of flexure at that interface due to the weight of the imaging camera and its positional moment arm Such flexure could cause undesirable distortion in long exposure astrophotographic images This reinforcing plate allows use of heavier cameras while minimizing the risk of flex ure between the focuser base and tube It is a design enhance ment that other similar scopes on the market do not have Attaching the Finder Scope The include
19. he instructions refer to Figure 1 to familiarize yourself with some of the features and com ponents of the telescope 1 Getting Started The telescope arrives nearly fully assembled from the factory with optics installed in a single shipping box The optics were collimated at the factory however you should check the col limation prior to first use see Collimating the Optics as it s not uncommon for Newtonian optics to get bumped slightly out of collimation in the delivery process Likely only a minor adjustment if any may be necessary Attaching the Telescope to a Mount The f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs each come with a pair of hinged felt lined tube rings to hold the optical tube assembly OTA on a mount Each ring has a flat boss on opposing sides Both bosses have a 14 20 threaded hole in the center One tube ring has a piggyback camera adapter mounted on one of the bosses which can be used to mount a camera for pig gyback astrophotography That adapter can be removed if you wish to attach an optional dovetail plate to the top of the tube rings for mounting a piggybacked guide scope The tube rings should be attached to a dovetail mounting plate sold separately compatible with your mount s equa torial head Balancing the telescope is achieved by sliding the dovetail mounting plate forward or backward within the mount s dovetail saddle You can also move the telescope forward or backward within the tube rings
20. here the exact center of the mirror is NOTE The center ring sticker need not ever be removed from the primary mirror Because it lies directly in the shadow of the secondary mirror its presence in no way adversely affects the optical performance of the tele scope or the image quality That might seem counter intuitive but it s true Preparing the Telescope for Collimation Once you get the hang of collimating you will be able to do it quickly even in the dark If you re new to It it is best to col limate in daylight preferably in a brightly lit room and with the scope aimed at a light colored wall It is recommended that the telescope tube be oriented horizontally This will prevent any parts from the secondary mirror from falling down onto the primary mirror and causing damage if something comes loose while you are making adjustments Place a sheet of white paper inside the optical tube directly opposite the fo cuser Figure 10 The paper will provide a bright back ground when viewing into the focuser during collimation Aligning the Secondary Mirror To adjust the secondary mirror collimation you will need both a small and a large Phillips screwdriver You will need to check and adjust if necessary four aspects of the secondary mirror s alignment Figure 9 The quick collimation cap which features an inner reflective surface helps in centering reflections of the optics in the focuser during the collimatio
21. ion Parsec and many DSLRs Cooling the Telescope All optical instruments need time to reach thermal equilibri um The bigger the instrument and the larger the temperature change the more time is needed Allow at least 30 minutes for your telescope to cool to the temperature outdoors In very cold climates below freezing it is essential to store the tele scope as cold as possible If it has to adjust to more than a 40 F temperature change allow at least one hour You can use the telescope while it s cooling down just note that you may see tube currents which interfere with the telescope s ability to resolve a sharp image Tube currents are essential ly heat waves exiting both the optical components such as the primary mirror and the telescope itself The effect seen through the eyepiece is much like looking above a hot surface or fire Mirror Cooling Fan Your f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph comes with a cooling fan that attaches to the rear of the primary mirror cell Using the fan reduces the amount of time required for the primary mir ror to reach thermal equilibrium with the ambient air The fan is powered by 12 volts DC The included battery holder holds eight D cell alkaline batteries not included Alternatively the fan can be powered by a 12 volt DC field battery such as the Orion Dynamo Pro Fan Installation 1 Place the fan on the rear of the mirror cell of the tele scope and line up the holes
22. is centered under the focuser and the reflection of the primary mirror is centered in the secondary mirror but the reflection of the secondary mirror dark circle containing the light reflective surface and center black dot of the collimation cap is off center The tilt of the primary mirror is adjusted with three spring loaded collimation knobs on the back end of the optical tube bottom of the primary mirror cell these are the larger knobs Figure 14 The other three smaller thumbscrews lock the mirror s position in place these thumbscrews must be loos ened before any collimation adjustments can be made to the primary mirror To adjust the primary mirror s tilt first loosen all three locking thin thumbscrews by turning them counterclockwise a cou ple of turns each Now while looking into the focuser through the collimation cap turn one of the larger collimation knobs a half turn or so in either direction and see if the secondary mirror reflection moves closer to the center of the primary That is does the dot of the collimation cap appear to move closer to the ring on the center of the primary mirror If it does great keep going until you get it as close as you can If it doesn t try turning the collimation knob in the opposite direction If turning the one knob does not seem to bring the dot closer to the ring try using one of the other collimation Figure 14 The tilt of the primary mirror is adjusted by
23. ity with SiO2 overcoat 82mm Dual speed 11 1 2 Crayford accepts 2 accessories 38mm Rolled steel gloss enamel exterior finish 13 25 5 Ibs without tube rings fan finder scope 1 25 eyepiece holder 30 2 Ibs with tube rings finder scope 1 25 eyepiece holder 38 6 Included hinged felt lined 9x50 with spring loaded X Y dovetail bracket 2 Extension adapters 30mm and 36mm extension length One Year Limited Warranty The Orion 8 and 10 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs are warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only During this warranty period Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars will repair or replace at Orion s option any warranted instrument that proves to be defective provided it is returned postage paid to Orion Warranty Repair 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 Proof of purchase such as a copy of the original receipt is required This warranty does not apply if in Orion s judgment the instrument has been abused mishandled or modified nor does it apply to normal wear and tear This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state For further warranty service information contact Orion Customer Service 800 676 1343 support telescope com Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars OrionTelescopes com
24. model will be noted This instruction manual will help you to set up and properly use your telescope Please read it through completely before attempting to use the scope and its included accessories WARNING Never look directly at the Sun through your telescope or its finder scope even for an instant with out a professionally made solar filter that completely cov ers the front of the instrument or permanent eye damage could result Young children should use this telescope only with adult supervision Parts List Optical tube assembly e Optical tube dust cap e 1 25 eyepiece holder e 9x50 finder scope with bracket e Pair of hinged tube rings e 2 thread on extension adapter 30mm e 2 slip on extrension adapter 36mm e Quick collimation cap e Cooling accelerator fan and battery holder batteries not included e Starry Night Special Edition CD ROM and StarTheater DVD We recommend keeping all of the original packaging In the unlikely event you should need to ship the telescope back to Orion for warranty repair service you should use the original 1 25 Eyepiece holder Accessory lock thumbscrews Pes Accessory collar Drawtube tensioning thumbscrew Eyepiece lock thumbscrews Coarse focus wheels Figure 2 The 2 dual speed 11 1 Crayford focuser packaging to ensure the telescope stays intact during shipping Take a moment to inspect the telescope and all of its parts Before proceeding with t
25. n process Figure 10 Placing a piece of white paper inside the optical tube opposite the focuser provides a bright background when viewing into the focuser The secondary mirror s axial position The secondary mirror s radial position o P z The secondary mirror s rotational position 4 The secondary mirror s tilt The first three will probably only need to be checked and possibly adjusted once Chances are however that they are set correctly from the factory and will not need any adjusting We recommend that you do not make the adjustments in 1 to 3 above unless you first determine that they absolutely need it It is usually only the secondary mirror s tilt that will need to be adjusted occasionally Adjusting the Secondary Mirror s Axial Position With the collimating cap in place look through the hole in the cap at the secondary diagonal mirror Ignore the reflections A a Af Figure 11 To center the secondary mirror axially under the focuser hold the secondary mirror holder in place with your fingers while adjusting the center screw with a large Phillips head screwdriver Later you will adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror by turning the three small set screws that surround the large center screw Spider vane thumb nuts Figure 12 To center the secondary mirror radially in the focuser drawtube make adjustments to the two knurled spider vane thumbscrews that are perpendicular to the focu
26. nian to prevent any possibility of incoming light from impinging directly on the secondary mirror or entering the focuser drawtube The baffle rings and the interior of the optical tube are both painted flat black to further absorb stray light These enhancements ensure the best possible contrast when observing and photographing faint celestial objects Visual Observing with the f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph The 8 and 10 f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs are optimized for photographic imaging but they can also be used of visual observing of ccelestial objects Because the field of view ina Newtonian reflector is rotated from right side up this type of telescope is not recommended for terrestrial observing The tall 1 25 eyepiece holder adapter that comes installed in the focuser from the factory should allow you to achieve focus with most 1 25 telescope eyepieces Figure 7 For 2 eyepieces you will likely have to use a 2 extension adapter to achieve focus with a 2 eyepiece Two such adapt ers are included with your telescope Figure 7 One is a thread on adapter that adds 30mm of extension the other is a slip in adapter that adds 36mm of extension You may need one or the other adapter depending on the amount of exten sion required for your eyepiece To install the thread on 2 extension first remove the 2 accessory collar on the focuser drawtube by turning it coun terclockwise until it comes off Then thread the 2 extension ad
27. nt to install an optional mounting plate atop the tube rings for piggyback attachment of a guide scope you ll need to remove the piggyback camera adapter first To do so first remove the tube ring from the telescope Then unthread the plastic ring from the threaded bolt Peel back the felt lining on the inside surface of the tube ring where the bolt is located peel it back just enough so that you can access the bolt head with a screwdriver Using a Phillips screwdriver remove the bolt from the ring Now replace the adhesive felt over the area where the bolt head was Now the rings are ready to accom modate a mounting plate for your piggyback guide scope assembly The Orion f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs were designed with a couple of special enhancements to maximize the contrast of your astrophotographs and visual images One is the inclusion of multiple baffle rings on the interior of the optical tube The 8 model has 9 baffle rings and the 10 model has 13 These baffle rings block the transmission of off axis light through the optical tube which could reduce image contrast The other contrast enhancing feature is the extended length of the opti 2 Nosepiece Figure 5 The Orion Parsec 8300 CCD camera with 2 zero profile adapter nosepiece which is included with the camera DSLR camera Zero profile camera adapter not visible 2 ae L c llar J Figure 6 Attachment of a DSLR camera requires a T
28. ser for the time being The secondary mirror itself should be cen tered in the focuser drawtube If it is off center along the axis of the telescope i e positioned too far toward the front open ing or toward the rear of the telescope as it is in Figure 8b you will have to adjust the mirror s axial position To do so use a small Phillips screwdriver to loosen the three small alignment set screws in the center hub of the 4 vane spider several turns Now grasp the mirror holder the cylinder that is attached to the back of the secondary mirror itself with one hand while turning the center screw with a large Phillips head screwdriver with your other hand Figure 11 Turning the screw clockwise will move the secondary mirror toward the front opening of the optical tube while turning the screw counter clockwise will move the secondary mirror toward the primary mirror When the secondary mirror is centered axially in the focuser drawtube rotate the secondary mirror holder until the reflection of the primary mirror is as centered in the secondary mirror as possible It may not be perfectly cen tered but that is fine for now Then tighten the three small alignment set screws equally to secure the secondary mirror in that position Adjusting the Secondary Mirror s Radial Position Like the axial position the secondary mirror s radial position was set at the factory and will probably not need any adjust ing or if it does
29. t position while turning the center screw clockwise until it is just tight do not over tighten Sometimes the mirror may rotate slightly when tightening the screw so keep at it until the mirror faces the focuser squarely and is secured in place Adjusting the Secondary Mirror s Tilt Finally the tilt of the secondary mirror may occasionally require adjustment If the entire primary mirror reflection is not visible in the secondary mirror when using the collima tion cap as in Figure 8c you will need to adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror Using a 2mm Allen wrench first loosen one Figure 13 The tilt of the secondary mirror is adjusted with a 2mm Allen wrench on the three setscrews surrounding the center Phillips head bolt of the three alignment set screws by say one full turn and then tighten the other two to take up the slack Figure 13 Do not loosen the center screw during this process The goal is to center the primary mirror reflection in the secondary mir ror as in Figure 8d When it is centered you re done adjust ing the secondary mirror Don t worry that the reflection of the secondary mirror the dark circle with the four spider vanes adjoining it is off center since that adjustment is made when aligning the primary mirror in the next step Aligning the Primary Mirror The final collimation adjustment is made to the primary mir ror It will need adjustment if as in Figure 8d the secondary mirror
30. trograph comes with a quick collima tion cap Figure 9 This is a simple cap that fits on the fo cuser drawtube like a dust cap but has a tiny hole in the cen ter and a reflective inner surface The collimation cap helps center your eye over the focuser drawtube so that aligning the optical components is easier to achieve The reflective sur face provides a distinct visual reference that is helpful in cen tering the primary and secondary mirror reflections Figures 8b through 8e assume that you have the collimation cap in place We strongly recommend the use of a laser collimating tool such as the Orion LaserMate Deluxe or LaserMate Pro to aid in collimating the optics A laser collimator will ensure a more precise collimation than you can usually achieve with the included collimation cap With fast optics like those of the f 3 9 Newtonian Astrographs getting a very precise collimation is critical for obtaining the sharpest crispest images so a laser collimator is a worthwhile and small investment However for the purposes of this instruction we ll assume that you don t yet have a laser collimator and that you ll be using the supplied collimation cap The Primary Mirror Center Mark You ll notice that the primary mirror of your f 3 9 Newtonian Astrograph has a tiny ring sticker marking its center This center mark allows you to achieve a very precise collimation of the primary mirror you don t have to guess w
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search