Orion 9826 Telescope User Manual
Contents
1. or to charts published monthly in Astronomy Sky amp Telescope or other astronomy magazines Venus Mars Jupiter and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after the Sun and the Moon Your StarMax 127mm EQ is capable of showing you these planets in some detail Other planets may be visible but will likely appear star like Because planets are quite small in apparent size optional higher power eyepieces are recom mended and often needed for detailed observations Not all the planets are generally visible at any one time JUPITER The largest planet Jupiter is a great subject for observation You can see the disk of the giant planet and watch the ever changing positions of its four largest moons lo Callisto Europa and Ganymede Higher power eyepieces should bring out the cloud bands on the planet s disk SATURN The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is well positioned The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period of many years sometimes they are seen edge on while at other times they are broadside and look like giant ears on each side of Saturn s disk A steady atmosphere good see ing is necessary for a good view You will probably see a bright star close by which is Saturn s brightest moon Titan VENUS At its brightest Venus is the most luminous object in the sky excluding the Sun and the Moon It is so bright that sometimes it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight Ironically2. s mounting plate Choose the hole that will best balance the tube this will vary depending on the accessories being used The included mirror star diagonal while preferred for astro nomical observing because of its viewing angle and better resolution is not optimal for land viewing because it inverts images from left to right We recommend purchasing an optional 45 correct image diagonal for terrestrial observing it provides a more comfortable viewing angle for land viewing and an image that is oriented the same as the naked eye For terrestrial viewing it s best to stick with low power eye pieces that yield a magnification under 100x At higher powers images rapidly lose sharpness and clarity due to heat waves caused by Sun heated air Remember to aim well clear of the Sun unless the front of the telescope is fitted with a professionally made solar filter and the finder scope is covered with foil or some other completely opaque material 8 Photography With an optional camera adapter the StarMax 127mm becomes a 1540mm f 12 1 telephoto lens for a single lens reflex camera For long distance terrestrial or astronomical photography you need only a T ring for your specific camera model The T ring attaches to your camera and threads onto the StarMax s eyepiece adapter first remove eyepiece and diagonal coupling the camera body to the telescope Use the camera s viewfinder to frame the picture Use the telescop
3. Venus appears as a thin crescent not a full disk when at its peak brightness Because it is so close to the Sun it never wanders too far from the morning or evening horizon No surface markings can be seen on Venus which is always shrouded in dense clouds MARS The Red Planet makes its closest approach to Earth every two years During close approaches you ll see a red disk and may be able to see the polar ice cap To see surface detail on Mars you will need a high power eyepiece and very steady air D The Stars Stars will appear like twinkling points of light Even powerful telescopes cannot magnify stars to appear as more than a point of light You can however enjoy the different colors of the stars and locate many pretty double and multiple stars The famous Double Double in the constellation Lyra and the gorgeous two color double star Albireo in Cygnus are favor ites Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out its color E Deep Sky Objects Under dark skies you can observe a wealth of fascinating deep sky objects including gaseous nebulas open and glob ular star clusters and a variety of different types of galaxies Most deep sky objects are very faint so it is important that you find an observing site well away from light pollution Take plenty of time to let your eyes adjust to the darkness Do not expect these subjects to appear like the photographs you see in books and magazines most will look like dim gra
4. of view The R A setting circle must be re calibrated every time you wish to locate a new object Do so by calibrating the setting circle for the centered object before moving on to the next one Confused About Pointing the Telescope Beginners occasionally experience some confusion about how to point the telescope overhead or in other directions In Figure 1 the telescope is pointed north as it would be during polar alignment The counterweight shaft is oriented downward But it will not look like that when the telescope is pointed in other directions Let s say you want to view an object that is directly overhead at the zenith How do you do it One thing you DO NOT do is make any adjustment to the lati tude adjustment T bolts That will nullify the mount s polar alignment Remember once the mount is polar aligned the telescope should be moved only on the R A and Dec axes To point the scope overhead first loosen the R A lock lever and rotate the telescope on the R A axis until the counter weight shaft is horizontal parallel to the ground Then loosen the Dec lock lever and rotate the telescope until it is pointing straight overhead The counterweight shaft is still horizontal Then retighten both lock levers Similarly to point the telescope directly south the counter weight shaft should again be horizontal Then you simply rotate the scope on the Dec axis until it points in the south direction What if you ne
5. additional equipment is necessary A star chart or atlas that shows stars to at least magnitude 5 is required Select one that shows the positions of many deep sky objects so you will have a lot of options to choose from If you do not know the positions of the constella tions in the night sky you will need a planisphere to identify them Start by choosing bright objects to view The brightness of an object is measured by its visual magnitude the brighter an object the lower its magnitude Choose an object with a visu al magnitude of 9 or lower Many beginners start with the Messier objects which represent some of the best and bright est deep sky objects first catalogued about 200 years ago by the French astronomer Charles Messier Determine in which constellation the object lies Now find the constellation in the sky If you do not recognize the constella tions on sight consult a planisphere The planisphere gives an all sky view and shows which constellations are visible on a given night at a given time Now look at your star chart and find the brightest star in the constellation that is near the object you are trying to find Using the finder scope point the telescope at this star and center it on the crosshairs Next look again at the star chart and find another suitably bright star near the bright star cur rently centered in the finder Keep in mind that the field of view of the finder scope is about 6 so you should choo
6. fold the tri pod legs together It may also be convenient to remove the slow motion control cables and counterweight shaft Orion offers an optional Padded Scope Case that will fit the entire EQ 3 Mount Storing If you give your telescope reasonable care it will last a life time Store it in a clean dry dust free place safe from rapid changes in temperature and humidity Do not store the tele scope outdoors although storage in a garage or shed is OK Small components like eyepieces diagonals and other accessories can be kept in the included carry case or in an optional eyepiece case Keep the dust cover on the front of the telescope and cap the rear opening of the eyepiece adapt er Also keep the finder scope caps on if you leave it attached to the optical tube Cleaning the Tube Your StarMax 127mm EQ telescope requires very little mechanical maintenance The optical tube is aluminum and has a smooth painted finish that is fairly scratch resistant If a scratch does appear on the tube it will not harm the tele scope If you wish you may apply some auto touch up paint to the scratch Smudges on the tube can be wiped off with a soft cloth and a household cleaner such as Windex or Formula 409 Cleaning Lenses Any guality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean ing fluid specifically designed for multi coated optics can be used to clean the StarMax s front meniscus lens or exposed lenses of your eyepieces or finder
7. from 90 to 90 The 0 mark indicates the celestial equator When the telescope is pointed north of the celestial equator values of the Dec setting circle are positive when the tele scope is pointed south of the celestial equator values of the Dec setting circle are negative So the coordinates for the Orion Nebula listed in a star atlas will look like this R A 5h 35 4m Dec 5 27 That s 5 hours and 35 4 minutes in right ascension and 5 degrees and 27 arc minutes in declination there are 60 arc minutes in 1 degree of declination Before you can use the setting circles to locate objects the mount must be well polar aligned and the R A setting circle must be calibrated The Dec setting circle has been calibrated at the factory and should read 90 whenever the telescope optical tube is parallel with the R A axis Calibrating the Right Ascension Setting Circle 1 Identify a bright star in the sky near the celestial equator Dec 0 and look up its coordinates in a star atlas 2 Loosen the R A and Dec lock levers on the equatorial mount so the telescope optical tube can move freely 3 Point the telescope at the bright star whose coordinates you know Lock the R A and Dec lock levers Center the star in the telescope s field of view with the slow motion control cables 4 Loosen the R A setting circle lock thumbscrew see Figure 4 this will allow the setting circle to rotate freely Rota
8. general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away such as the top of a telephone pole a chimney etc Do this by first loosening the R A and Dec lock levers Position the telescope so the object appears in the eyepiece s field of view and then retighten the R A and Dec lock levers Use the slow motion control cables to center the object in the eyepiece Now look in the finder scope Is the object visible Ideally it will be somewhere in the finder s field of view If it is not some coarse adjustments of the two black nylon finder scope align ment thumb screws will be needed to get the finder scope roughly parallel to the main tube Note The image in the telescope s eyepiece will appear inverted from left to right mirror reversed which is nor mal for telescopes that utilize a star diagonal The image in the finder scope is oriented the same as the naked eye By loosening or tightening the alignment thumbscrews you change the line of sight of the finder scope Continue making adjustments to the alignment thumbscrews until the image in both the finder scope and the telescope s eyepiece is exactly centered Check the alignment by moving the telescope to another object and fixing the finder scope s crosshairs on the exact point you want to look at Then look through the tele scope s eyepiece to see if that point is centered in the field of view If it is the job is done If not make the necessary adjust ments unti
9. lights and automobile headlights The glare from these lights will greatly impair your dark adapted night vision Set up on a grass or dirt surface not asphalt because asphalt radiates more heat Heat disturbs the surrounding air and degrades the images seen through the telescope Avoid viewing over rooftops and chimneys as they often have warm air currents rising from them Similarly avoid observing from indoors through an open or closed window because the tempera ture difference between the indoor and outdoor air will cause image blurring and distortion If at all possible escape the light polluted city sky and head for darker country skies You ll be amazed at how many more stars and deep sky objects are visible in a dark sky Seeing and Transparency Atmospheric conditions vary significantly from night to night Seeing refers to the steadiness of the Earth s atmosphere at a given time In conditions of poor seeing atmospheric turbu lence causes objects viewed through the telescope to boil If when you look up at the sky with just your eyes the stars are twinkling noticeably the seeing is bad and you will be lim ited to viewing with low powers bad seeing affects images at high powers more severely Planetary observing may also be poor In conditions of good seeing star twinkling is minimal and images appear steady in the eyepiece Seeing is best over head worst at the horizon Also seeing generally get
10. right ascension R A axes many need re positioning rotation as well Be sure to loosen the R A and Dec lock levers before doing this Retighten them once the equatorial mount is properly oriented 7 Thread the counterweight shaft into the equatorial mount at the base of the declination axis until tight Make sure the cast ing at the top of the bar is threaded clockwise as far as it will go before attaching the shaft 8 Remove the knurled toe saver retaining screw on the bot tom of the counterweight shaft and slide both counterweights onto the shaft Make sure the counterweight lock knobs are adequately loosened to allow the counterweight shaft to pass through the hole Position the counterweights about halfway up the shaft and tighten the lock knobs Replace the toe saver on the end of the bar It prevents the counterweights from fall ing on your foot if the lock knobs happen to come loose 9 Connect the optical tube to the top of the mount with the opti cal tube attachment knobs Place a lock washer on the shaft of each of the knobs followed by a flat washer Align the holes in the top of the mount with the holes in the mounting plate Push 4 Date circle 7 Meridian gox wE offset scale engraved time meridian indicator mark Polar scope Polar scope alignment thumbscrew 3 3 5 a Polar axis finder scope Figure 4 The polar axis finder scope installed in the right ascension R A axis of t
11. scope Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eyeglasses Before cleaning with fluid and tissue however blow any loose parti cles off the lens with a blower bulb or compressed air Then apply some cleaning fluid to a tissue never directly on the optics Wipe the lens gently in a circular motion then remove any excess fluid with a fresh lens tissue Oily fingerprints and smudges may be removed using this method Use caution rubbing too hard may scratch the lens For the large surface of the meniscus lens clean only a small area at a time using a fresh lens tissue on each area Never reuse tissues 10 Specifications Optical design Maksutov Cassegrain Aperture 127mm Effective focal length 1540mm Focal ratio f 12 1 Central obstruction diameter 39mm Primary mirror coating Aluminum with overcoat Meniscus lens coating Anti reflection multi coatings on both sides of lens Eyepiece adapter Accepts 1 25 accessories camera T threads Eyepiece 25mm Sirius Pl ssl fully coated with multi coatings 1 25 format Magnification with supplied eyepiece 62x Actual field of view with supplied eyepiece 0 77 Diagonal 90 mirror star diagonal 1 25 format Near focus with supplied eyepiece amp diagonal 27 feet Finder scope 6x magnification 26mm aperture correct image achromatic 6 3 field Finder scope bracket Dovetail mounting spring loaded X Y alignment Optical tube mounti
12. Go a little bit beyond sharp focus until the image just starts to blur again then reverse the rotation of the knob just to make sure you ve hit the exact focus point If you have trouble focusing rotate the focus knob counter clockwise as far as it will go Look through the eyepiece while slowly rotating the focus knob clockwise You should soon see the point at which focus is reached Do You Wear Eyeglasses If you wear eyeglasses you may be able to keep them on while you observe In order to do this your eyepiece must have enough eye relief to allow you to see the entire field of view with glasses on You can try this by looking through the eyepiece first with your glasses on and then with them off and see if the glasses restrict the view to only a portion of the full field If the glasses do restrict the field of view you may be able to observe with your glasses off by just refocusing the telescope the needed amount If your eyes are astigmatic images will probably appear the best with glasses on This is because a telescope s focuser can accommodate for nearsightedness or farsightedness but not astigmatism If you have to wear your glasses while observing and cannot see the entire field of view you may want to purchase additional eyepieces that have longer eye relief Aligning the Finder Scope The finder scope must be aligned accurately with the tele scope for proper use To align it aim the main telescope in the
13. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion StarMax 127mm EQ 9826 Equatorial Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope MN aa PA y 4 2 ORION Customer Support 800 676 1343 E mail support telescope com TELESCOPES amp BINOCULARS Corporate Offices 831 763 7000 Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 IN 163 Rev E 02 09 Finder scope Finder scope bracket Optical tube attach ment knobs Eyepiece Focus knob behind diagonal Star diagonal Right ascension slow motion control Declination slow motion control Right ascension lock lever _ Polar axis finder scope Declination lock lever Counterweights Counterweight lock knobs Counterweight shaft Toe saver gt Latitude adjustment T bolts Tripod leg xl Accessory tray attachment point Accessory tray bracket Accessory tra Aa tt Leg lock knob Figure 1 StarMax 127mm EQ Parts Diagram Welcome to a new world of adventure Your new StarMax 127mm EA is designed for high resolution observing of astronomical objects and can also be used for terrestrial exploration With its precision optics and equatorial mount you ll be able to locate and enjoy hundreds of fascinating celestial objects including the planets Moon and a variety of deep sky galax ies nebulas and star clusters If you have never owned a
14. cope when it is not in use 4 Getting Started Balancing the Telescope To insure smooth movement of the telescope on both axes of motion R A and Dec of the equatorial mount it is impera tive that the optical tube be properly balanced Keeping one hand on the telescope optical tube loosen the R A lock lever Make sure the Dec lock lever is locked The telescope should now be able to rotate freely about the R A axis Rotate it until the counterweight shaft is parallel to the ground i e horizontal Now loosen the counterweight lock knobs and slide the weights along the shaft until it exactly counterbalances the telescope Figure 5a That s the point at which the shaft remains horizontal even when you let go of the telescope with both hands Figure 5b Retighten the counterweight lock knob The telescope is now balanced on the R A axis It is not nec essary to balance the telescope on the Dec axis since the optical tube s mounting plate is positioned so that the tele scope will automatically be balanced on that axis When you loosen the lock lever on one or both axes of motion and man ually point the telescope it should move without resistance and should not drift from where you point it Focusing the Telescope Point the telescope so the front end is aimed in the general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away With your fingers slowly rotate the focusing knob until the object comes into sharp focus
15. copes amp Binoculars 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 800 676 1343 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 Customer Support Help Line 800 676 1343 Day or Evening 15
16. date circle until the 0 line on the meridian offset scale lines up with the time meridian indicator mark The meridian offset scale is printed on the inner circumference of the date circle and is labeled E20 to W20 The time merid ian indicator mark is an engraved line on the exterior of the polar finder s housing It is on the ring of the housing that is closest to the date circle 3 The R A setting circle is labeled in hours from 0 to 23 military time For Northern Hemisphere observers refer to the top numbers on the setting circle Each small line repre sents 10 minutes of R A The date circle is labeled from 1 to 12 with each number representing a month of the year 1 is January 2 is February etc Each small line represents a two day increment 4 Loosen the R A lock lever and rotate the mount about the R A axis until the March 1 indicating mark the long line between the 2 and the 3 on the date circle lines up with the 4 PM mark the long line above the 16 on the R A set ting circle You may find it convenient to remove both the counterweights and the telescope optical tube to do this 5 Now loosen the three thumbscrews on the polar finder housing and rotate the polar finder so the small circle where Polaris will be centered is located straight down from the inter section of the crosshairs Retighten the thumbscrews The polar axis fi
17. e s focuser to focus the image 14 You may want to consider using a remote shutter release instead of the shutter release on the camera Touching the camera can vibrate the system and blur the resulting photo graphic image Also be sure to use a solid tripod 9 Care and Maintenance Transporting The included soft carry case provides an excellent way to transport the optical tube and its accessories To remove the optical tube loosen the two optical tube attachment knobs until the optical tube is freed from the mount Make sure to have a firm grip on the tube as it releases from the mount To place the optical tube in the case the eyepiece diagonal finder scope and bracket must be removed from the tube When removing the eyepiece and diagonal remember to first loosen the securing thumbscrews The finder scope and bracket can be removed together by loosening the thumb screw on the tube s mounting base Cover the front of the optical tube with the dust cover and the rear opening of the eyepiece adapter with its cap Now place the tube in the case s main compartment underneath the padded divider The finder scope and bracket can be placed on top of the divider as one unit The eyepiece and diagonal should be placed in the exter nal compartments of the case It is not necessary to completely disassemble the mount to transport it It will be convenient to remove the accessory tray by unthreading the three wing screws in order to
18. e screw that comes installed in each attachment point to do this First remove the screw using the supplied screwdriver then line up one of the ends of the bracket with the attachment point and reinstall the screw Make sure the accessory tray bracket is oriented so that the ribs in its plastic molding face downward 4 Now with the accessory tray bracket attached spread the tripod legs apart as far as they will go until the bracket is taut Attach the accessory tray to the bracket with the three wing nut head screws already installed in the tray Push the screws up through the holes in the bracket then thread them into the holes in the tray 5 Next tighten the wingnuts at the top of the tripod legs so the legs are securely fastened to the equatorial mount Use the larger wrench and your fingers to do this 6 Orient the equatorial mount as it appears in Figure 1 ata latitude of about 40 i e so the pointer next to the latitude scale is pointing to the line at 40 To do this loosen one of the latitude adjusting T bolts and then tighten the other latitude Finder scope Nylon bracket thumbscrews Finder scope P Focusing lock ring Figure 3a The 6x26 Correct Image finder scope Figure 3b Pull back on the tensioner and slide the finder scope into its bracket until the O ring is seated in the bracket ring adjusting T bolt until the pointer and the 40 line up Figure 2 The declination Dec and
19. ed to aim the telescope directly north but at an object that is nearer to the horizon than Polaris You can t do it with the counterweight down as pictured in Figure Again you have to rotate the scope in R A so the counter weight shaft is positioned horizontally Then rotate the scope in Dec so it points to where you want it near the horizon To point the telescope to the east or west or in other direc tions you rotate the telescope on its R A and Dec axes Depending on the altitude of the object you want to observe the counterweight shaft will be oriented somewhere between vertical and horizontal Figure 9 illustrates how the telescope will look pointed at the four cardinal directions north south east and west Figure 9 This illustration shows the telescope pointed in the four cardinal directions a north b south c east d west Note that the tripod and mount have not been moved only the telescope tube has been moved on the R A and Dec axes The key things to remember when pointing the telescope are first that you only move it in R A and Dec not in azimuth or latitude altitude and second the counterweight and shaft will not always appear as it does in Figure 1 In fact it almost never will 6 Using Your Telescope Astronomical Observing Choosing an Observing Site When selecting a location for observing get as far away as possible from direct artificial light such as street lights porch
20. et Cassiopeia pointe gars Figure 7 To find Polaris in the night sky look north and find the Big Dipper Extend an imaginary line from the two Pointer Stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper Go about five times the distance between those stars and you ll reach Polaris which lies within 1 of the north celestial pole NCP the base of the equatorial mount Figure 8 It should be fac ing north The equatorial mount is now polar aligned for casual observ ing More precise polar alignment is recommended for astrophotography From this point on in your observing session you should not make any further adjustments in the azimuth or the latitude of the mount nor should you move the tripod Doing so will undo the polar alignment The telescope should be moved only about its R A and Dec axes Azimuth 7 ine adjustment knobs Tripod attachment S ji knob Se Figure 8 For polar alignment position the tripod so that the N label at the base of the mount faces north The two azimuth fine adjustment knobs above it are used to make small adjustments to the mount s azimuth position The Polar Axis Finder Scope A nice feature of the StarMax 127 EQ is the polar axis finder scope housed inside the R A axis of the equatorial mount see Figure 4 When properly aligned and used it makes accurate polar alignment quick and easy to do Alignment of the polar finder need only be done once unless it get
21. ews 14 Then insert the 25mm Pl ssl eyepiece into the star diago nal and secure it in place with the thumbscrews on the diagonal Always loosen the thumbscrews before rotating or removing the diagonal or an eyepiece 15 Install the polar axis finder scope into its housing inside the R A axis of the equatorial mount Figure 4 First loosen the three thumbscrews on the housing which is located at the rear of the R A axis Insert the front end of the polar finder the end without the eyeguard into the housing so only about 1 of the polar finder extends from the back of the housing Do this slowly and with a twisting motion to prevent the internal O ring from becoming unseated If it does become unseated you can remove the entire housing from the mount to locate Figure 5a and 5b Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires balancing the telescope tube on the R A axis a With the R A lock knob released slide the counterweight along the counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube b When you let go with both hands the tube should not drift up or down the O ring and reseat it This is done by rotating the entire housing counterclockwise Once the polar axis finder scope is in the housing tighten the three thumbscrews These thumb screws will be used later to align the finder with the mount s R A axis The telescope system is now fully assembled Keep the dust cover over the front end of the teles
22. g line indicates the first day of the higher numbered month i e the line between 10 and 11 marks November 1st Finally look through the polar alignment finder scope while shining a red flashlight at an angle down the front opening of the R A axis and center Polaris in the small circle Adjust the tilt of the altitude up or down with the latitude adjustment T bolts and use the azimuth fine adjustment knobs Figure 8 for final positioning To do this you will first need to loosen the big tripod attachment knob directly underneath the base of the equatorial mount The fine adjustment knobs work by loosening one and then tightening the other When done retighten the tripod attachment knob to firmly secure the mount and tripod If the fine adjustment knobs do not allow the mount to move far enough to center Polaris you will need to rotate the entire tri pod left or right to get it within the fine adjustment s range Once Polaris is centered in the small circle you are done The telescope is now accurately polar aligned and can be used for advanced observational applications such as astropho tography or precise use of the manual setting circles As mentioned before only move the telescope along the R A and Dec axes if you move the tripod or change the tilt of the equatorial mount you will need to polar align again Remember accurate polar alignment is not needed for casual visual observing Most of the time approxi
23. he mount the knobs with washers attached up through the holes in the mount and thread them into the plate until finger tight 10 Attach the two slow motion cables to the R A and Dec worm gear shafts of the equatorial mount by positioning the small screw on the end of the cable over the indented slot on the worm gear shaft Then tighten the screw 11 To place the finder scope in the finder scope bracket first unthread the two black nylon thumbscrews until the screw ends are flush with the inside diameter of the bracket Place the O ring that comes on the base of the bracket over the body of the finder scope until it seats into the groove on the middle of the finder scope Slide the eyepiece end narrow end of the finder scope into the end of the bracket s cylinder opposite the alignment thumbscrews while pulling the chrome spring loaded tensioner 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 of the brackets cylinder Now release the tensioner and tighten the two black nylon thumbscrews a couple of turns each to secure the find er scope in place 12 Insert the foot of the finder scope bracket into its mount ing base on top of the optical tube Lock the bracket into position by tightening the knurled thumbscrew on the base 13 Insert the chrome barrel of the star diagonal into the eye piece adapter and secure it with the thumbscr
24. hich reveal more detail especially right along the border between the dark and light portions of the disk called the terminator A full Moon is too bright and devoid of surface shadows to yield a pleasing view Make sure to observe the Moon when it is well above the horizon to get the sharpest images Use an optional Moon filter to dim the Moon when it is very bright It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepieces you must first remove the eyepiece from the focuser to attach a filter You ll find that the Moon filter improves viewing comfort and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar sur face B The Sun You can change your nighttime telescope into a daytime Sun viewer by installing an optional full aperture solar filter over the front opening of the StarMax 127mm EQ Leave the cover caps on the finder scope or better yet completely remove the finder scope when solar viewing The primary attraction is sunspots which change shape appearance and location daily Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activity in the Sun Many observers like to make drawings of sunspots to monitor how the Sun is changing from day to day Important Note Do not look at the Sun with any optical instrument without a professionally made solar filter or permanent eye damage could result C The Planets The planets don t stay put like the stars so to find them you should refer to Sky Calendar at our website telescope com
25. in magni fication If the object looks better try an even higher magnification If the object looks worse then back off the magnification a little by using a lower power eyepiece Rotating the Diagonal When looking at objects in different areas of the night sky the eyepiece may become positioned so that is uncomfortable or impossible to look through If the eyepiece is in an undesir able position the diagonal can be rotated in order to provide a more comfortable viewing angle First loosen the thumb screws on the eyepiece adapter but make sure to hold the diagonal in place so that it won t fall to the ground Also secure the eyepiece in the diagonal so that it won t fall out when rotating the diagonal Retighten the thumbscrews on 12 the eyepiece adapter once the diagonal has been rotated to an appropriate position Objects to Observe Now that you are all set up and ready to go one critical deci sion must be made what to look at A The Moon With its rocky surface the Moon is one of the easiest and most interesting targets to view with your telescope Lunar craters marias and even mountain ranges can all be clearly seen from a distance of 238 000 miles away With its ever changing phases you ll get a new view of the Moon every night The best time to observe our one and only natural satel lite is during a partial phase that is when the Moon is NOT full During partial phases shadows are cast on the surface w
26. l appear to move faster at higher magnifications because the field of view is narrower Optional Motor Drives for Automatic Tracking An optional DC motor drive can be mounted on the R A axis of the equatorial mount to provide hands free tracking Objects will then remain stationary in the field of view without any manual adjustment of the R A slow motion control cable Understanding the Setting Circles The setting circles on an equatorial mount enable you to locate celestial objects by their celestial coordinates Every object resides in a specific location on the celestial sphere That location is denoted by two numbers its right ascension R A and declination Dec In the same way every location on Earth can be described by its longitude and latitude R A is similar to longitude on Earth and Dec is similar to latitude The R A and Dec values for celestial objects can be found in any Star atlas or star catalog The R A setting circle is scaled in hours from 1 through 24 with small marks in between representing 10 minute incre ments there are 60 minutes in 1 hour of R A The upper set of numbers apply to viewing in the Northern Hemisphere while the numbers below them apply to viewing in the Southern Hemisphere The location of the R A coordinate indicator arrow is shown in Figure 4 The Dec setting circle is scaled in degrees with each mark representing 2 increments Values of Dec coordinates range
27. l the two images are centered simultaneously The finder scope alignment needs to be checked before every 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 eyepiece and then adjust the finder scope s alignment thumbscrews until the star or planet is also centered on the finder s crosshairs The finder scope is an invaluable tool for locating objects in the night sky its usage for this purpose will be discussed later in detail Focusing the Finder Scope If when looking through the finder scope the images appear somewhat out of focus you will need to refocus the finder scope for your eyes Loosen the lock ring located behind the objective lens cell on the body of the finder scope see Figure 3a Back the lock ring off by a few turns for now Refocus the finder scope on a distant object by threading the objective lens cell in or out on the finder scope body Precise focusing will be achieved by focusing the finder scope on a bright star 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 5 Setting Up and Using the Equatorial Mount When you look at the night sky you no doubt have noticed that the stars appear to move slowly from east to west over time That apparent motion is caused by the Earth s rotation from west to eas
28. mate polar align ment as outlined previously will suffice Use of the R A and Dec Slow Motion Control Cables The R A and Dec slow motion control cables allow fine adjustment of the telescope s position to center objects within the field of view Before you can use the cables you must manually slew the mount to point the telescope in the vicinity of the desired target Do this by loosening the R A and Dec lock levers and moving the telescope about the mount s R A and Dec axes Once the telescope is pointed somewhere close to the object to be viewed retighten the mount s R A and Dec lock levers The object should now be visible somewhere in the tele scope s finder scope If it isn t use the slow motion controls to scan the surrounding area of sky When the object is visible in the finder scope use the slow motion controls to center it Now look in the telescope s eyepiece If the finder scope is properly aligned the object should be visible somewhere in the field of view Once the object is visible in the eyepiece use the slow motion controls to center it in the field of view Tracking Celestial Objects When you observe a celestial object through the telescope you ll see it drift slowly across the field of view To keep it in the field if your equatorial mount is polar aligned just turn the R A slow motion control cable clockwise The Dec slow motion control cable is not needed for tracking Objects wil
29. nder scope is now properly set in its initial position Next we must align it so that it is exactly parallel to the mounts R A axis 6 Look through the polar finder at a distant object during the day and center it on the crosshairs You may need to adjust the latitude adjustment T bolts and the tripod position to do this 7 Rotate the mount 180 about the R A axis Again it may be convenient to remove the counterweights and optical tube first 8 Look through the polar finder again Is the object being viewed still centered on the crosshairs If it is then no further adjustment is necessary If not then look through the polar finder while rotating the mount about the R A axis You will notice that the object you have previously centered moves in a circular path Use the three thumbscrews on the housing to redirect the crosshairs of the polar finder to the apparent cen ter of this circular path Repeat this procedure until the position that the crosshairs point to does not rotate off center when the mount is rotated in R A Once this is accomplished retighten the thumbscrews The polar axis finder scope is now ready to be used When not in use replace the plastic protective cover to prevent the polar finder from getting bumped which could knock it out of alignment Using the Polar Axis Finder When using the polar finder in the field at night you will need a red flashlight to illuminate the finder s reticle Shine the fla
30. ng plate Fits standard photo style tripods and EQ 3 equatorial mount Mount EQ 3 German type equatorial Slow motion controls R A and Dec axes Setting Circles R A scaled in 10 minute increments Dec scaled in 2 increments Counterweights 4 0 Ibs and 7 5 Ibs Tripod Adjustable height aluminum legs accessory tray included Case Deluxe carry case for optical tube included padded case for EQ 3 mount optional Motor drives Optional Weight 36 6 Ibs tube 8 6 Ibs mount 28 Ibs One Year Limited Warranty This Orion StarMax 127mm EQ is 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 If the product is not registered proof of purchase such as a copy of the original invoice 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 con tact Customer Service Department Orion Teles
31. ome parts are small If any thing appears to be missing or broken immediately call Orion Customer Support 800 676 1343 or email support telescope com for assistance WARNING Never look directly at the Sun through your telescope or its finder scope even for an instant without a professionally made solar filter that completely covers the front of the instrument or permanent eye damage could result Young children should use this telescope only with adult supervision 2 Parts List Qty Description Optical tube assembly Optical tube dust cover 25mm 62x Sirius Plossl eyepiece 1 25 Mirror star diagonal 6x26 correct image finder scope Polar axis finder scope Dovetail finder scope bracket with O ring Equatorial mount Tripod legs Counterweight shaft Large Counterweight Small Counterweight Tripod accessory tray Accessory tray bracket Slow motion control cables Soft carry case G a a a a ek a a a at Assembly tools large and small wrench Phillips head screwdriver 2 Optical tube attachment knobs with lock washers and flat washers 1 Polar axis finder scope cover 3 Assembly Assembling the telescope for the first time should take about 30 minutes No tools are needed other than the ones provid ed All screws should be tightened securely to eliminate flexing and wobbling but be careful not to over tighten or the threads may strip Refer to Figure 1 during the assembly pro cess D
32. or general visual observation an approximate polar align ment is sufficient 1 Level the equatorial mount by adjusting the length of the three tripod legs 2 There are two altitude adjusting T bolts see Figure 6 loos en one bolt while tightening the other By doing this you will adjust the latitude of the mount Continue adjusting the mount until the pointer on the latitude scale is set at the latitude of your observing site If you don t know your latitude consult a geographical atlas to find it For example if your latitude is 35 North set the pointer to 35 The latitude setting should not have to be adjusted again unless you move to a different view ing location some distance away 3 Loosen the Dec lock lever and rotate the telescope optical tube until it is parallel with the R A axis as it is in Figure 1 The pointer on the Dec setting circle should read 90 Retighten the Dec lock lever 4 Move the tripod so the telescope tube and R A axis points roughly at Polaris If you cannot see Polaris directly from your observing site consult a compass and rotate the tripod so the telescope points north There is a label bearing a large N at Declination locking lever Right ascension locking lever Right ascension setting circle Polar axis finder scope Latitude scale Latitude adjusting T bolts n Little Dipper in Ursa Minor Big Dipper in Ursa Major nd Polaris we
33. s bumped or otherwise shifts its position Remove the round cover cap from the front opening in the R A axis of the mount See Figure 6 Look through the polar finder at a distant object during the day Focus the polar finder so that the images and reticle are sharp by rotating the eye piece end of the finder Notice that the reticle pattern consists of a crosshair with a circle around the middle On the circum ference of this circle is a tiny circle this is where Polaris will be placed for accurate polar alignment once the finder is properly aligned Alignment of the polar finder is best done during the day before going out into the field at night Aligning the Polar Axis Finder Scope Aligning the polar axis finder scope so that it will accurately point at the true north pole is a two step procedure First the polar finder must be rotated in its housing so that the small circle in which Polaris will be placed is in the proper initial position Next the polar axis finder must be adjusted so that it points directly along the mount s R A axis We will start by aligning the polar finder rotationally Refer to Figure 4 1 Loosen the large thumbscrew just above the R A setting circle Rotate the R A setting circle until the line above the 0 on the setting circle lines up with the pointed indicator that is cast into the mount located directly below the large thumb screw see Figure 4 Retighten the thumbscrew 2 Rotate the
34. s better after midnight when much of the heat absorbed by the Earth during the day has radiated off into space Especially important for observing faint objects is good transparency air free of moisture smoke and dust All tend to scatter light which reduces an object s brightness Transparency is judged by the magnitude of the faintest stars you can see with the unaided eye 6th magnitude or fainter is desirable 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 temperature change allow at least one hour Let Your Eyes Dark Adapt Don t expect to go from a lighted house into the darkness of the outdoors at night and immediately see faint nebulas gal axies and star clusters or even very many stars for that matter Your eyes take about 30 minutes to reach perhaps 80 of their full dark adapted sensitivity As your eyes become dark adapted more stars will glimmer into view and you ll be able to see fainter details in objects you view in your tele scope To see what you re doing in the darkness use a red filtered flashlight rather than a white light Red light doe
35. s not spoil your eyes dark adaptation like white light does A flashlight with a red LED light is ideal or you can cover the front of a regular incandescent flashlight with red cellophane or paper Beware too that nearby porch and streetlights and car head lights will ruin your night vision Eyepiece Selection By using eyepieces of varying focal lengths it is possible to attain many magnifications with the StarMax 127mm EQ The telescope comes with one high quality 25mm Sirius Plissl which gives a magnification of 62x Other eyepieces can be used to achieve higher or lower powers It is quite common for an observer to own five or more eyepieces to access a wide range of magnifications This allows the observer to choose 11 the best eyepiece to use depending on the object being viewed To calculate the magnification or power of a telescope and eyepiece combination simply divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece are focal length of telescope Magnification focal length of eyepiece For example the StarMax 127mm EQ which has a focal length of 1540mm used in combination with the 25mm eye piece yields a power of 1540mm 25mm 62x Every telescope has a useful limit of power of about 2x per mm of aperture about 254x for the StarMax 127mm EQ Claims of higher power by some telescope manufacturers are a misleading advertising gimmick and should be dismissed Keep in mind tha
36. se another star that is no more that 6 from the first star if possible Move 13 the telescope slightly until the telescope is centered on the new star Continue using stars as guideposts in this way until you are at the approximate position of the object you are trying to find Figure 10 Look in the telescope s eyepiece and the object should be somewhere within the field of view If it s not sweep the telescope carefully around the immediate vicinity until the object is found If you have trouble finding the object start the star hop again from the brightest star near the object you wish to view This time be sure the stars indicated on the star chart are in fact the stars you are centering in the eyepiece 7 Terrestrial Viewing The StarMax 127mm not only excels at astronomical observ ing it s great for terrestrial land viewing too The equatorial mount however is not well suited for land viewing due to its motion about R A and Dec axes instead of altitude vertical and azimuth horizontal axes Because of this we recom mend removing the optical tube from the EQ 3 Mount and placing it on an appropriate photo style tripod To do this loosen the two optical tube attachment knobs until the optical tube is freed from the mount Make sure to have a firm grip on the tube as it releases from the mount Now connect the opti cal tube to a photo tripod by threading the tripod s 1 4 20 shaft into a hole in the tube
37. shlight at an angle into the front opening in the R A axis Do not shine it directly into the opening or the light will be too bright and you will also obstruct the view of the polar finder It may be helpful to have a friend hold the flashlight while you look through the polar finder For most accurate polar alignment you will need to know the approximate longitude of your observing site This information can be obtained by looking at a local map Now you must figure the difference between the longitude of your observing site and the closest standard time meridian The standard time meridians are 75 90 105 and 120 for the 48 conti nental states 150 and 165 for Hawaii and Alaska Choose the standard time meridian that is closest in value to your local longitude and then calculate the difference If your local longitude has a value less than the closest stan dard time meridian then you are east of the standard time meridian by the calculated amount If your local longitude has a value greater than the closest standard time meridian then you are west of the standard time meridian by the calculated amount For example if you are in Las Vegas which has a longitude of 115 then the closest standard time meridian is 120 The difference between these two numbers is 5 Since Las Vegas longitude value is less than the standard time meridian value you are 5 east of the closest time meridian Take your calcula
38. t An equatorial mount Figure 6 is designed to compensate for that motion allowing you to easily track the movement of astronomical objects thereby keeping them from drifting out of the telescope s field of view while you re observing This is accomplished by slowly rotating the telescope on its right ascension R A axis using only the R A slow motion cable But first the R A axis of the mount must be aligned with the Earth s rotational polar axis a process called polar alignment Polar Alignment For Northern Hemisphere observers approximate polar align ment is achieved by pointing the mount s R A axis at the North Star or Polaris It lies within 1 of the north celestial pole NCP which is an extension of the Earth s rotational axis out into space Stars in the Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around the NCP Figure 6 The eguatorial mount of the StarMax 127mm EQ Declination setting circle Front opening in R A axis _ gt Azimuth fine adjustment knobs To find Polaris in the sky look north and locate the pattern of the Big Dipper Figure 7 The two stars at the end of the bowl of the Big Dipper point right to Polaris Observers in the Southern Hemisphere aren t so fortunate to have a bright star so near the south celestial pole SCP The star Sigma Octantis lies about 1 from the SCP but it is barely visible with the naked eye magnitude 5 5 F
39. t at higher powers an image will always be dimmer and less sharp this is a fundamental law of optics The steadiness of the air the seeing will also limit how much magnification an image can tolerate Whatever you choose to view always start by inserting your lowest power longest focal length eyepiece to locate and center the object Low magnification yields a wide field of view which shows a larger area of sky in the eyepiece This makes acquiring and centering an object much easier If you try to find and center objects with high power narrow field of view it s like trying to find a needle in a haystack Once you ve centered the object in the eyepiece you can switch to higher magnification shorter focal length eyepiece if you wish This is especially recommended for small and bright objects like planets and double stars The Moon also takes higher magnifications well Deep sky objects however typically look better at medium or low magnifications This is because many of them are quite faint yet have some extent apparent width Deep sky objects will often disappear at higher magnifications since greater magnification inherently yields dimmer images This is not the case for all deep sky objects however Many galaxies are quite small yet are somewhat bright so higher power may show more detail The best rule of thumb with eyepiece selection is to start with a low power wide field and then work your way up
40. te the setting circle until the arrow under the thumbscrew indicates the R A coordinate listed in the star atlas for the object Do not retighten the thumbscrew when using the R A setting cir cles for finding objects the thumbscrew is only needed for polar alignment using the polar axis finder scope Finding Objects With the Setting Circles Now that both setting circles are calibrated look up in a star atlas the coordinates of an object you wish to view 1 Loosen the Dec lock lever and rotate the telescope until the Dec value from the star atlas matches the reading on the Dec setting circle Remember that values of the Dec setting circle are positive when the telescope is pointing north of the celestial equator Dec 0 and negative when the telescope 10 is pointing south of the celestial equator Retighten the lock lever 2 Loosen the R A lock lever and rotate the telescope until the R A value from the star atlas matches the reading on the R A setting circle Remember to use the upper set of numbers on the R A setting circle Retighten the lock lever Most setting circles are not accurate enough to put an object dead center in the telescope s eyepiece but they should place the object somewhere within the field of view of the finder scope assuming the equatorial mount is accurately polar aligned Use the slow motion controls to center the object in the finder scope and it should appear in the telescope s field
41. ted difference from the closest standard time meridian and rotate the date circle so that the meridian offset scale line that corresponds to your calculated difference lines up with the engraved time meridian indicator mark on the polar finder housing Each line of the meridian offset scale represents 5 of longitude Lines to the left of the O on the meridian offset scale indicate east of the closest standard time meridian while lines to the right of the 0 indicate west of the closest standard time meridian Continuing with the prior example of observing in Las Vegas you would rotate the date circle so that the first line to the left of the 0 on the meridian offset scale lines up with the time meridian indicator mark Make sure that the 0 mark on the R A setting circle lines up with the pointed indicator cast into the mount and that the large thumbscrew just above it is tightened Now rotate the mount about the R A axis until the line on the R A setting circle that corresponds to your current local time lines up with the line on the date circle that indicates the current date If you are on daylight savings time subtract one hour from your cur rent local time For example if it was November 1 at 9 PM standard time you would rotate the telescope in R A until the line above the 21 9 P M on the R A setting circle lines up with the long line between the 10 and 11 on the date circle The lon
42. telescope before we would like to welcome you to amateur astronomy Take some time to familiarize yourself with the night sky Learn to recognize the patterns of stars in the major constellations With a little practice a little patience and a reasonably dark sky away from city lights you ll find your telescope to be a never ending source of wonder exploration and relaxation These instructions will help you set up properly use and care for your telescope Please read them over thoroughly before get ting started Table of Contents 1e Unpacking na el thie winders gees 3 2 Parts LiSt 25 cect ee nhs oe oe wale nan 3 3 ASSEMDIY sein nana bak 3 4 Getting Started 5 5 Setting Up and Using the Equatorial Mount 22s d00aetee eres 6 6 Using Your Telescope Astronomical Observing 11 7 Terrestrial Viewing 14 8 Photography 222 soal bak cs 14 9 Care and Maintenance 14 10 Specifications 2 004 inka bo 15 1 Unpacking The entire telescope system will arrive in one box Be careful unpacking the box We recommend keeping the original ship ping container In the event that the telescope needs to be shipped to another location or returned to Orion for warranty repair having the proper shipping container will help ensure that your telescope will survive the journey intact Make sure all the parts in the Parts List are present Be sure to check box carefully as s
43. uring assembly and anytime for that matter do not touch the surface of the telescope s meniscus lens or the lenses of the finder scopes or eyepiece with your fingers The optical surfaces have delicate coatings on them that can easily be damaged if touched inappropriately Never remove any lens Figure 2 To adjust the latitude angle of the eguatorial mount loosen one of the two latitude adjustment T bolts then tighten the other assembly from its housing for any reason or the product war ranty and return policy will be voided 1 Lay the eguatorial mount on its side Attach the tripod legs one at a time to the mount using the screws installed in the tops of the tripod legs Remove the screw from the leg line up the holes in the top of the leg with the holes in the base of the mount and reinstall the screw so it passes through the leg and the mount Tighten the wingnuts only finger tight for now Note that the accessory tray bracket attachment point on each leg should face inward 2 Tighten the leg lock knobs at the base of the tripod legs For now keep the legs at their shortest fully retracted length you can extend them to a more desirable length later after the scope is completely assembled 3 With the tripod legs now attached to the equatorial mount stand the tripod upright be careful and spread the legs apart enough to connect each end of the accessory tray bracket to the attachment point on each leg Use th
44. y smudg es Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in deep sky objects except in a few of the brightest ones But as you become more experienced and your observing skills get sharper you will be able to ferret out more and more subtle details and structure How to Find Deep Sky Objects Star Hopping Star hopping as it is called by astronomers is perhaps the simplest way to hunt down deep sky objects to view in the night sky It entails first pointing the telescope at a bright star close to the object you wish to observe and then progressing to other stars closer and closer to the object until it is in the field of view of the eyepiece It is a very intuitive technique that has been employed for hundreds of years by professional and amateur astronomers alike Keep in mind as with any new task that star hopping may seem challenging at first but will become easier over time and with practice ANDROMEDA Great Andromeda Galaxy M31 M110 Pinwheel Galaxy e M33 Figure 10 Star hopping is a good way to locate hard to find objects Refer to a star chart to map a route to the object that uses bright stars as guideposts Center the first star you ve chosen in the finder scope and telescope eyepiece 1 Now move the scope carefully in the direction of the next bright star 2 until it is centered Repeat 3 and 4 The last hop 5 should place the desired object in the eyepiece To star hop only a minimal amount of
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search