Orion 9541 Telescope User Manual
Contents
1. 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 to your unaided vision ie If your eyes are astigmatic images will probably appear best with glasses on This is because a telescope s focuser can accommo date 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 Long eye relief allows full field of view to be seen with or without eyeglasses that have longer eye relief 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 looking through the eye piece first with your glasses on and then with them off to 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 to your unaided vision If your eyes are astigmatic images will probably appear 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 en2. Operating the EZ Finder II Reflex Sight The EZ Finder II reflex sight makes pointing your telescope almost as easy as pointing your finger It s a non magnifying aiming device that superimposes a dot on the sky showing exactly where the telescope is pointed The EZ Finder II works by projecting a tiny red dot produced by a light emitting diode LED not a laser beam onto a lens mounted in the front of the unit When you look through the reflex sight the red dot will appear to float in space 5 Azimuth adjustment knob Power knob Battery casing Mounting Altitude t bracket adjustment knob Figure 5 The EZ Finder II superimposes a tiny red dot on the sky showing right where the telescope is pointed The first time you use the EZ Finder II you will need to remove the clear plastic tab near the battery cover this tab prevents the batteries from accidentally being drained dur ing shipment Turn the power knob clockwise until you hear the click indicating that power has been turned on Look through the back of the reflex sight with both eyes open to see the red dot Position your eye at a comfortable distance from the back of the sight The intensity of the dot is adjusted by turning the power knob For best results when stargazing use the dimmest possible setting that allows you to see the dot without difficulty Typically a dimmer setting is used under dark skies and a bright setting is used under li
3. through a window either open or closed because the tem perature difference between the indoor and outdoor air will cause image blurring and distortion Window glass may also introduce glare internal reflections or double images into your view If at all possible escape the light polluted city sky and head for darker country skies You will be amazed at how many more 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 your naked 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 gets better after midnight when much of the heat absorbed by the Earth during the day has radiated off into space EE a ag ee a eee rae on Figure 11 Making optional adjustments to the azimuth tension Especially important for observing faint objects is good transparency air free of moisture smoke and dust
4. 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 If you cannot see stars of magnitude 3 5 or dimmer then con ditions are poor Magnitude is a measure of how bright a star is the brighter a star is the lower its magnitude will be A good star to remember for this is Megrez mag 3 4 which is the star in the Big Dipper connecting the handle to the dipper If you cannot see Megrez then you have fog haze clouds smog or other conditions that are hindering your viewing Tracking Celestial Objects The Earth is constantly rotating about its polar axis complet ing one full rotation every 24 hours this is what defines a day We do not feel the Earth rotating but we see it at night from the apparent movement of stars from east to west When you observe any astronomical object you are watch ing a moving target This means the telescope s position must be continuously adjusted over time to keep an object in the field of view This is easy to do with the TableTop because of its smooth motions on both axes As the object moves off towards the edge of the field of view just lightly nudge the telescope to re center it Objects appear to move across the field of view faster at high er magnifications This is because the field of view becomes narrower Objects seen
5. 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 satellite is dur ing a partial phase that is when the Moon is NOT full During partial phases shadows are cast on the surface which 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 com fort and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar surface B The Sun Warning Do not look at the Sun with any optical instrument without a professionally made solar filter or permanent eye damage could result 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 TableTop 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 chan
6. 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 con tact Orion Customer Service 800 676 1343 support telescope com Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 Customer Support Help Line 800 676 1343 16
7. reflex sight Optical tube mounting block Fits Orion Dovetail mounts and 4 20 photo tripods 6 2 Ibs tube 3 4 Ibs mount 2 8 Ibs Finder scope Weight Appendix A Collimating Aligning the Mirrors Collimating is the process of adjusting the mirrors so they are perfectly aligned with one another Your telescope s optics were aligned at the factory and should not need much adjust ment unless the telescope is handled roughly It is only rec ommended you make changes if the telescope is grossly out of alignment Slight variations should still provide acceptable viewing under most conditions To check collimation mirror alignment remove the eyepiece and look down the focuser You should see the secondary mirror centered in the drawtube as well as the reflection of the primary mirror centered in the secondary mirror and the reflection of the secondary mirror and your eye centered in the reflection of the primary mirror as in 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 Slowly de focus the image with the focusing knob If the telescope is correctly collimated the expanding disk should be a perfect circle If the image is unsymmetrical the scope is out of collimation The dark shadow cast by the secondary mirror should appear in the very center of the out of focus circle like the hole in a donut If the hole appears off
8. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion TableTop Telescopes 9909 StarMax 90 TableTop Maksutov Cassegrain 9541 SkyScanner 100 TableTop Reflector 9549 GoScope 80 TableTop Refractor 2 ORION TELESCOPES amp BINOCULARS Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 OrionTelescopes com Customer Support 800 676 1343 E mail support telescope com Corporate Offices 831 763 7000 e 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 IN 375 Rev A 10 09 Focuser gt Secondary mirror holder Telescope securing knob Altazimuth tabletop base gt Figure 1a The SkyScanner 100 TableTop Telescope Congratulations on your purchase of a Table Top telescope The Table Top will provide years of enjoy ment of many night sky treasures including breath taking views of the Moon planets and even some bright deep sky objects The Maksutov Cassegrain and refractor models are also suitable for exploring terrestrial vistas Your new TableTop is easy to setup and use It will arrive almost fully assembled out of the box Only the visual acces sories need to be installed These include the EZ Finder II Reflex Sight the eyepiece and in the case of the GoScope 80 and StarMax 90 the diagonal The following instructions will help you to get the maximum performance from your new telescope please read them thoroughly 32 20mm eyepiece Focus knobs EZ Finder II Reflex Sight Optical
9. a standard 90 degree star diagonal will provide a right side up but backwards mirror reversed image Using a star chart is difficult you have to read it from the back or do the mental gymnastics to flip the image in the eyepiece left to right to match the chart Fortunately there are special erect image or correct image prism diagonals available that solve the problem providing a correctly oriented view Porro prisms classical erecting prisms provide correct images while allowing viewing straight through the scope They do not work with Newtonian reflec tors however Care and Maintenance 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 temperature changes and humidity Do not store the telescope outdoors although storage in a garage or shed is OK Small components like eyepiece and other accessories should be kept in a protective box or storage case Keep the dust caps on the front of the scope and on the focuser when it is not in use The telescope requires very little mechanical maintenance The optical tube is made of steel and has a smooth painted finish that is fairly scratch resistant If a scratch does appear on the tube it will not harm the telescope Smudges on the tube can be wiped off with e soft cloth and a household clean er such as Windex or Formula 409 Refer to Appendix B for detailed instructions on how to clea
10. able Top base to an optional photo tripod It has a 3 8 female thread and a pre installed 4 20 adapter to fit virtually all photo tripods Rubber feet Three feet provide support for the TableTop and are skid free This allows you to place the TableTop on smooth surfaces Focus Wheels The focus wheels are used to bring objects into focus By turning them you move the rack and pinion fo cuser in and out Eyepiece securing thumbscrews These thumbscrews are used to keep the eyepiece secure in the focuser SkyScanner 100 TableTop Primary Mirror The mirror at the rear of the optical tube gathers incoming light and focuses it with its parabolic shape EZ Finder Il Reflex Sight eyepiece Star diagonal 25mm eyepiece Photo tripod adapter Secondary Mirror The secondary mirror is located near the opening of the optical tube and reflects the focused light from the primary mirror into the eyepiece Focuser This is where the eyepiece is inserted and how sharpness is adjusted Details of the focuser are shown in Figure 8 StarMax 90 TableTop Corrector plate The lens at the front end of the optical tube designed to correct the aberration inherent in the design of the spherical primary mirror Primary Mirror The spherical mirror at the rear of the opti cal tube gathers incoming light and reflects it Secondary Mirror The secondary mirror is mounted on the corrector plate and reflects the focused light from t
11. center the telescope is out of collimation NOTE If you try the star test and the bright star you have selected is not 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 cor rections to the telescope s position in order to account for the sky s apparent motion 13 Aligning the Secondary Mirror Only the secondary mirror can be adjusted on the TableTop If the secondary mirror seems off center or the star test as described above is showing an elliptical or off center diffrac tion pattern you may need to adjust the tilt of the mirror using the three allen head screws on the secondary holder Appendix B Cleaning the Optics Cleaning Lenses Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean ing fluid specifically designed for multi coated optics can be used to clean the exposed lenses of your eyepieces Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eye glasses Before cleaning with fluid and tissue blow any loose particles 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 14 excess fluid with a fresh lens tissue Oily fingerprints and smudges may be removed using this method Use caution rubbing t
12. e you must first loosen the knurled ring on the diagonal Rotate the diagonal to the desired viewing angle and retighten the knurled ring to lock the diagonal into place See Figure 6 StarMax 90 Remove the cap from the eyepiece adapter on the rear of the optical tube and insert the chrome barrel of the mirror star diagonal Secure the diagonal with the thumbscrews on the eyepiece adapter Now insert the chrome barrel of the 25mm eyepiece into the star diagonal Secure the eyepiece with the thumbscrews on the star diagonal See Figure 7 SkyScanner 100 This section is not applicable if you own the SkyScanner 100 This is because this telescope is a Newtonian reflector and this telescope type does not have the focus travel to support this accessory Please skip to the next section Inserting the Eyepiece Loosen the eyepiece securing thumbscrews Insert the chrome barrel of the low power eyepiece into the focuser and secure it with the thumbscrews Set aside the high power eye piece for use later See Figure 8 Your telescope is now fully assembled and should resemble the appropriate image on the cover of this manual Remove the dust cap from the front of the telescope when it is in use Replace it when you are finished observing Eyepiece Selection By using eyepieces of different focal lengths it is possible to attain many magnifications or powers with the TableTop Your telescope comes with two eyepieces one for l
13. ed The EZ Finder II alignment should be checked before every observing session Choose any distant target during the day or bright star at night center the object in the telescope s eyepiece and then adjust the knobs until the object is cen tered on the red dot of the reflex sight See Figure 5 At the end of your observing session be sure to turn the power knob counterclockwise until it clicks off When the two white dots on the EZ Finder Ils body and power knob are lined up the EZ Finder II is turned off Replacing the Battery Replacement 3 volt lithium CR 2032 batteries are available from many retail outlets Remove the old battery by inserting a small flat head screwdriver into the slot on the battery cover and gently prying open the cover Then carefully pull back Thumbscrews a hai a ae Figure 8 Detail of the TableTop 100 focuser on the retaining clip and remove the old battery Do not over bend the retaining clip Then slide the new battery under the battery lead with the positive side facing down and replace the battery cover Attaching the Diagonal GoScope 80 Attach the 90 star diagonal to the optical tube First remove the caps from the diagonal and unthread the cover on the rear of the GoScope The knurled ring on the diagonal connects to the threads on the rear of the GoScope Tighten this ring firmly If you wish to change the orientation of the diagonal for a more comfortable viewing angl
14. first is needed to hold the bolt underneath the base while the second is used to adjust the lock nut at the top of the base Because these telescopes are so lightweight it is not unusual that you may be able to spin the lock nut with your fingers This does not necessarily indicate that the assembly is too loose As long as the base moves without ten sion and the base plates do not wobble further adjustment is not necessary See Figure 11 Focusing the Telescope Using the lower power eyepiece inserted and secured with the thumbscrews aim the optical tube so the front end is pointing in the general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away With your fingers slowly rotate one of the focus wheels until the object comes into sharp focus A good method to ensure you ve hit the exact focus point is go a little bit beyond Figure 10 Mounting the TableTop base on a photo tripod sharp focus until the image starts to blur again then reverse the rotation of the knob and stop when sharp focus has been achieved again Using Your Telescope Choosing an Observing Site When selecting a location for observing get as far away as possible from direct artificial light such as streetlights porch lights and automobile headlights The glare from these lights will greatly impair your dark adapted night vision Avoid view ing over rooftops and chimneys as they often have warm air currents rising from them Similarly avoid observing indoors
15. ght polluted skies or daylight See Figure 4 Aligning the EZ Finder II Reflex Sight When the EZ Finder II is properly aligned with the telescope an object that is centered on reflex sight s red dot should also appear in the center of the field of view of the telescope s eye piece Alignment of the sight is easiest during daylight before observing at night 1 Aim the telescope at a distant object such as a telephone pole or roof chimney and center it in the telescope s eye piece The object should be at least 1 4 mile away Now with the EZ Finder II turned on look though it The object will appear in the field of view near the red dot Figure 6 The knurled ring of the diagonal connects to the threads on the rear of the GoScope To change the viewing angle loosen the knurled ring rotate the diagonal then retighten the ring Figure 7 Detail of the TableTop 90 eyepiece adapter 2 Without moving the main telescope use the EZ Finder Is azimuth left right and altitude up down adjustment knobs to center the red dot on the object in the eyepiece 3 When the red dot is centered on the distant object check to make sure that the object is still centered in the tele scope s field of view If not re center it and adjust the EZ Finder Il s alignment again When the object is centered in the eyepiece and on the reflex sight s red dot the EZ Finder Il is properly aligned with the telescope and is ready to be us
16. ging from day to day 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 OrionTelescopes com or to charts published monthly in Astronomy Sky amp Telescope or other astronomy magazines Venus Jupiter and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after the Sun and the Moon Your TableTop 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 SATURN The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is well positioned The tilt angle of the rings varies over a peri od 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 seeing 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 s
17. he primary mirror into the eyepiece Focus Knob This knob makes an internal adjustment to the optics to adjust the sharpness of the image Finder scope Objective lens Optical tube Telescope securing knob Altazimuth tabletop base gt Figure 1c The GoScope 80 TableTop Telescope Dovetail Holder Secures the telescope into the mini Dob style mount by holding the dovetail bar preinstalled on the telescope tube 90 Star Diagonal An adapter used on refractor and cata dioptric telescopes that positions the eyepiece to a more com fortable viewing angle and provides a right side up image GoScope 80 TableTop Objective Lens The glass lens or lens system at the front end of the optical tube This is the light gathering source for the telescope Focus Knob This knob makes an internal adjustment to the optics to adjust the sharpness of the image Dovetail Holder Secures the telescope into the mini Dob style mount by holding the dovetail bar preinstalled on the telescope tube 90 Star Diagonal An adapter used on refractor and cata dioptric telescopes that positions the eyepiece to a more com fortable viewing angle and provides a right side up image EZ Finder II Reflex Sight 10mm eyepiece 90 star diagonal 20mm eyepiece Photo tripod adapter Assembly Assembly of the TableTop is very easy Carefully remove the protective packaging Your TableTop arrives from the factory with
18. imultaneously and in a continuous manner for easy aiming This way you can point to any position in the night sky from horizon to horizon Figure 9b Removing the 20 adapter Altitude Tension Adjustment When aiming the telescope in altitude you may find that the optical tube is either too hard to move or does not stay in place Use the altitude adjustment tension knob to change the amount of tension between the optical tube and the altazi muth base to find the right level of tension to properly move and balance the telescope Refer to Figure 1d to identify the Altitude Tension Knob Azimuth Tension Adjustment In the event that adjustments to the azimuth axis need to be made you will first need to remove the Photo Tripod Adapter This is very easy to do Simply loosen and remove the three phillips head screws on the underside of the base Figure 9a The Adapter will lift right off of the base Once you have made the necessary adjustments reinstall by aligning the holes in the adapter to the holes on the base plate and re tighten the three Phillips head screws If you are not taking advantage of the tripod mounting you can leave this base off Store it in a safe place with the hardware in case you wish to use it later To adjust the azimuth tension you will need to tighten or loos en the lock nut on the circular plate at the base of the tele scope This is very easy to do though it will require the use of two wrenches The
19. n the optics of the Table Top Specifications 9549 GoScope 80 TableTop Optical design Refractor Objective lens Achromatic air spaced fully coated Aperture 80mm Focal length 350mm Focal ratio 1 4 3 Diagonal 90 prism accepts 1 25 eyepieces Eyepieces 20mm eyepiece 18x and 10mm eyepiece 35x fully coated 1 25 EZ Finder II reflex sight Optical tube mounting block Fits Orion Dovetail mounts and 4 20 photo tripods 5 7 Ibs tube 2 9 Ibs mount 2 8 Ibs Finder scope Total weight 9909 StarMax 90 TableTop Optical design Maksutov Cassegrain Primary mirror coating Aluminum with SiO overcoat Meniscus lens coating Anti reflection multi coatings on both sides of lens Aperture 90mm Focal length 1250mm Focal ratio 13 9 Central obstruction diameter 29mm Eyepiece adapter Accepts 1 25 accessories camera I threads Diagonal 90 mirror star diagonal 1 25 Eyepieces 25mm 50x and 10mm 125x fully coated EZ Finder II reflex sight Optical tube mounting block Fits Orion Dovetail mounts and 4 20 photo tripods 6 5 Ibs tube 3 7 lbs mount 2 8 Ibs Finder scope Weight 9541 SkyScanner 100 TableTop Optical design Reflector Primary mirror Parabolic Primary mirror coating Aluminum with SiO2 overcoat Secondary mirror diameter Aperture 100mm Focal length 400mm Focal ratio 1 4 Focuser 1 25 Rack amp Pinion Eyepieces 20mm 20x and 10mm 40x fully coated EZ Finder II
20. o bright that sometimes it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight lronically 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 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 gorgeous two color double star Albireo in Cygnus is a favorite Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out hints of 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 galax ies 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 gray smudges 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 ou
21. oo hard may scratch the lens On larger lenses clean only a small area at a time using a fresh lens tissue on each area Never reuse tissues Cleaning Mirrors You should not have to clean the telescope s mirror very often Covering the telescope with the dust cap when it is not in use will help prevent dust from accumulating on the mirrors However when bringing the telescope inside after an eve ning s viewing it is normal for moisture to accumulate on the mirror due to the change in temperature We suggest leaving it uncovered overnight to allow this condensation to evapo rate Improper cleaning can scratch 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 performance If either mirror needs cleaning please email us at support telescope com or contact Orion Technical Support at 800 676 1343 15 One Year Limited Warranty The Orion TableTop Telescopes 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
22. ow power wide field viewing another for detailed high power observation Other eyepieces can be used to achieve higher or lower pow ers It is quite common for an observer to own five or more eyepieces to access a wide range of magnifications To calculate the magnification of a telescope eyepiece com bination simply divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece The example below uses the GoScope 80mm TableTop with a focal length of 350mm as an example See the Specifications table at the end of this manu al to determine the focal length of your particular model Focal Length of Telescope mm Magnification Focal Length of Eyepiece mm For example the TableTop 80 which has a focal length of 350mm used in combination with the 20mm eyepiece yields a magnification of 18x 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 finding and centering an object much easier Trying to find and center objects with a high power narrow field of view eyepiece is like trying to find a needle in a haystack Once you ve centered the object in the eyepiece you can switch to a higher magnification shorter focal length eye piece if you wish This is recommended for small and bright objects like planets and double
23. require steady air more than dark skies so they remain good targets for city dwelling observers The International Dark Sky Association is waging the fight against light pollution The IDSA was founded in 1988 with the mission of educating the public about the adverse impact that light pollution has on the night sky and astronomy Through educational and scientific means the nonprofit IDA works to raise awareness about the problem and about measures that can be taken to solve it Do you need help dealing with local officials to control street or building lighting in your area The IDA s extensive sup port materials can show you how Help preserve dark skies join the IDA today For information write to IDA 3225 N First Ave Tucson AZ 85719 2103 or visit their website www darksky org The best way to avoid immediate problems with light pollu tion however is to take your telescope to where there are dark skies You will be amazed at how many stars you can see when you get away from the city lights 11 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 looking through the eyepiece first with your glasses on and then with them off to see if the glasses restrict the view Short eye relief restricts the field of view for eyeglass wearers
24. stars The Moon takes higher magnifications well The best rule of thumb with eyepiece selection is to start with a low power wide field eyepiece and then work your way up in magnification If the object looks better try an even higher magnification eyepiece If the object looks worse then back off the magnification a little by using a lower power eyepiece Getting Started Its best to get a feel for the basic functions of the Table Top during the day before observing astronomical objects at night This way you won t have to orient yourself in the dark Find a spot outdoors where you ll have plenty of room to move the telescope and where you ll have a clear view of some object or vista that is at least 1 4 mile away It is not critical that the telescope be exactly level but it should be placed on flat ground or pavement to ensure smooth movement The TableTop was designed specifically for visual observation of astronomical objects in the night sky Like all Newtonian reflector telescopes it is not suited for daytime terrestrial Phillips head screws we N iz Figure 9a Detail of the Photo tripod adapter usage because the image in the eyepiece is inverted upside down The eyepiece will also be too low to the ground for comfortable viewing when pointed near the horizon Placing the TableTop One of the great assets of the TableTop is its extremely por table size Due to its overall short length you will find that
25. t more and more subtle details and structure To find deep sky objects in the sky it is best to consult a star chart or Planisphere These guides will help you locate the brightest and best deep sky objects for viewing with your Table Top You can also try low power scanning of the Milky Way Use the 20mm eyepiece and just cruise through the star clouds of our galaxy You ll be amazed at the rich fields of stars and objects you ll see The Milky Way is best observed on summer and winter evenings Viewing Hints Amateur astronomy can be an entertaining and educa tional activity for the entire family Astronomy is also a seri ous scientific pursuit As with any science you will achieve the best results by following some basic guidelines These recommendations will assist you in getting the most out of your new telescope This is just a sample of suggested tech niques for more helpful tips please visit the Learning Center at OrionTelescopes com Light Pollution Most of us live where city lights interfere with our view of the heavens As our metropolitan areas have become more developed the scourge of light pollution has spread wash ing out many stars and nonstellar celestial objects from our sight Faint deep sky objects become difficult or impossible to see through the murk of light pollution Even bright nebulas like the Orion and Lagoon Nebulas lose much of their delicate detail The Moon and planets are not affected they
26. t will you see with your telescope You should be able to see bands on Jupiter the rings of Saturn craters on the Moon the waxing and waning of Venus and many bright deep sky objects Do not expect to see color as you do in NASA photos since those are taken with long exposure cam eras and have false color added Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in deep sky objects except in a few of the brightest ones Remember that you are seeing these objects using your own telescope with your own eyes The object you see in your eyepiece is in real time and not some conveniently provided image from an expensive space probe Each session with your telescope will be a learning experience Each time you work with your telescope it will get easier to use and stellar objects will become easier to find Take it from us there is big difference between looking at a well made full color NASA image of a deep sky object in a lit room during the daytime and seeing that same object in your telescope at night One can merely be a pretty image someone gave to you The other is an experience you will never forget 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 10 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
27. the Dovetail Holder The included dove tail is compatible with most other Orion mounts and many other brands as well The female threads on the bottom are 20 and will fit standard photo tripods To re install the tube onto the base make sure the Dovetail Bar is flush with the edge of the Dovetail Holder Place the Dovetail Bar into the Dovetail Holder so that one of the inden tations in the bar aligns with the Telescope Securing Knob and tighten until secure We suggest using the center inden tation to achieve the best balance point Depending on your accessories you may determine a different position best suits your needs Dovetail holder Thumbscrew Figure 2 Detail of the Finder scope base Figure 3 The EZ Finder II securing thumbnuts Attaching the EZ Finder II 80 amp 90mm Models Slide the base of the EZ Finder II bracket into the dovetail holder that is pre installed on the optical tube The EZ Finder Il should be oriented so that it appears as in Figure 1 Tighten the thumbscrew on the dovetail holder to secure the EZ Finder ll in place See Figure 2 100mm Model Remove the two metal thumbnuts from the optical tube Place the bracket of the Red dot finder on the tube so that the holes in the bracket slide over the two threaded posts on the tube The EZ Finder should be oriented so that it appears as in Figure 1 Thread the thumbscrews back onto the posts to secure the Red dot finder in place See Figure 3
28. the optical tube attached to the base just install the visual accessories and you will be ready to start viewing with your new telescope These accessories will be found in a box within the main box Please save all original packaging This will help protect your TableTop if you wish to transport it or in the unlikely event repair service is necessary Parts List EZ Finder II reflex sight with bracket 25mm eyepiece 90mm model 20mm eyepiece 80mm amp 100mm models 10mm eyepiece mah mah mah a ah Diagonal Refractor and Maksutov Cassegrain models only Focus knob Dovetail holder AMA Atitude tension knob Dovetail bar attached to telescope Figure 1d Rear and side view of the TableTop Telescope 90mm model shown When unpacking the telescope it is suggested that you save the internal packaging In the unlikely event the product needs to be returned the shipping materials can be re used to ensure it arrives safely at its destination Installing the Optical Tube on the Base Your new TableTop telescope arrives with the optical tube already attached to the base If for any reason you wish to separate the components this is easily done It may be helpful to loosen the Altitude Tension Adjustment knob and rotate the telescope so that the Telescope Securing Knob is in a more accessible position While holding the optical tube with one hand loosen the Telescope Securing Knob until you can lift the optical tube out of
29. through the eyepiece will be upside down and reversed left to right on reflectors On telescopes that accept a diagonal the image will be right side up Star diagonals will still be reversed left right correct image diag onals will provide images that are right side up and non reversed as seen with the naked eye Magnification Limits Every telescope has a useful magnification limit of about 2X per millimeter of aperture This comes to 200X for the SkyScanner 100mm TableTop Some telescope manufacturers will use misleading claims of excess magnification such as See distant gal axies at 640X While such magnifications are technically possible the actual image at that magni fication would be an indistinct blur Moderate magnifications are what give the best views It is better to view a small but bright and detailed image than a dim unclear oversized image Magnification Limits Every telescope has a useful magnification limit of about 2X per millimeter of aperture This comes to 160X for the 80mm TableTop Some telescope manufacturers will use misleading claims of excess magnification such as See distant galaxies at 640X While such magnifications are technically possible the actual image at that magnification would be an indistinct blur Moderate magnifications are what give the best views It is better to view a small but bright and detailed image than a dim unclear oversized image What to Expect So wha
30. tire field of view you may want to pur chase additional eyepieces that have longer eye relief Image Orientation Every beginning astronomer has to grapple with the topsy turvy topic of image orientation in the telescope Depending on the type of telescope and whether or not it is used in com bination with a star diagonal the image you see may be either upside down backwards rotated or normally oriented For most astronomical observing it makes little difference if an object is seen upside down or at an otherwise odd angle after all there s no right side up in space However for terrestrial viewing you certainly don t want to see everything upside down And when stargazing it s hard to compare what you re seeing to your star chart if the image is inverted or flopped Let s sort out the different image orientations seen through different types of telescopes and see how diagonals figure in the equation Refractor and Cassegrain telescopes when used without a diagonal which isn t usually the case produce an inverted upside down image The view in Newtonian reflectors is also inverted or rotated at an angle depending on the eyepiece angle with respect to vertical Straight through finder scopes also invert the field of view If you re using a star chart all you 12 have to do is turn it upside down to match the view through the eyepiece Refractor or Cassegrain telescopes used in combination with
31. tube Primary mirror cell Photo tripod adapter TableTop Parts refer to Figure 1a d All TableTop Models 25mm 20mm for 9541 and 9549 eyepiece The eyepiece is the part of the telescope that you actually look through to see things The focal length of the eyepiece and the telescope determines the magnifying power Magnification is discussed in more detail in the Using Your Telescope section 10mm eyepiece The higher power eyepiece that comes with the TableTop Eyepieces are discussed in the Magnification section EZ Finder II reflex sight This is a special finder that helps you aim the telescope and locate objects in the sky for view ing The EZ Finder Il generates a red LED dot that shows where your telescope is aimed The use of the EZ Finder II is discussed in the Getting Started section Optical tube This is the main component of the telescope Altitude tension adjustment knob By tightening and loos ening this knob you can change the amount tension in the altitude up down motion of the telescope Finder scope base Corrector plate Optical tube Telescope securing knob Altazimuth tabletop base gt Sagar Figure 1b The StarMax 90 TableTop Telescope Altazimuth base This wooden base provides a stable base for the telescope It allows you to move the telescope in alti tude up down and azimuth left right Photo Tripod Adapter This allows you to attach your T
32. viewing while sitting down on the ground next to the telescope is the most comfortable If you wish to raise the telescope off the ground so that it can be used while standing or sitting in a chair then a platform such as a milk crate or table can be used Using the TableTop on a Tripod One useful feature of the TableTop line is the inclusion of a built in photo tripod adapter allowing you to mount the base on a standard photo tripod This is best done as a tripod only without a panhead mounted on it Most photo tripods use either a 3 8 or 14 20 thread to attach a panhead Using this same post you can thread the TableTop base directly to your tripod giving you maximum versatility in setting up your tele scope The TableTop base includes a 3 8 female thread and a pre assembled 14 20 stainless steel adapter You can remove the adapter using a flat head screwdriver Simply thread the base onto the post until it is tight See Figures 9a 9b 10 Altitude and Azimuth Aiming the Telescope The TableTop altazimuth base permits motion along two axes altitude up down and azimuth left right Moving the telescope up down and right left is the natural way people search for objects which makes pointing the telescope intui tive and easy Simply take hold of the telescope tube opening at the top or the side brace and move it left or right so that the base rotates Move it up or down in the same manner Both motions can be made s
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