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Orion 10018 XT8i Telescope User Manual

1. without any help from the finder scope Magnification Now that the object you want to view is centered in the 25mm eyepiece you may want to increase the magnification to get a closer view Loosen the thumbscrew s on the focuser draw tube and remove the eyepiece Place it in the eyepiece rack if you wish Insert the 10mm eyepiece in the focuser then tighten the thumbscrew s If you were careful not to bump the telescope the object should still be visible in the field of view Notice that the object being viewed is now larger but somewhat dimmer Magnification or power is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece Therefore by using eyepieces of different focal lengths the resultant magnification can be varied Magnification is calculated as follows ee Telescope Focal Length mm Magnification Eyepiece Focal Length mm For example the SkyQuest XT8i has a focal length of 1200mm So the magnification with the supplied 25mm eye piece is 1200 mm 25mm 48x The magnification provided by the 10mm eyepiece is 1200 mm 10mm_ 120x The maximum attainable magnification for a telescope is directly related to how much light its optics can collect A tele scope with more light collecting area or aperture can yield higher magnifications than a smaller aperture telescope The maximum practical magnification for any telescope regard less of optical design is about 60x p
2. Before focusing remember to first loosen the focus lock thumb screw Do not loosen the thumb screw too much as there must be some ten sion to keep the drawtube secure within the focuser If you find the drawtube tension when focusing is either too tight focus knob is difficult to turn or too loose image shifts when focusing or drawtube moves inward by itself the ten sion can be adjusted for optimal performance On the XT8i XT10i and XT12i the focusing tension adjustment set screw is a 3mm socket head set screw located below the focus lock thumb screw Figure 13a A 3mm hex key is required for adjustment of focus tension On the XT6i the focusing ten sion adjustment set screws are the two small set screws located on either side of the focus lock thumb screw Figure 13b A 1 5mm hex key is required to adjust the focus tension on the XT6i Due to the rack and pinion focuser design on the XT6 tension adjustment should not normally be needed as it has been pre adjusted at the factory Viewing with Eyeglasses If you wear eyeglasses you may be able to keep them on while you observe if your eyepieces have enough eye relief to allow you to see the whole field of view 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 they do you can easily observe with your glasses off by just refocusing the telescope th
3. limation knobs through the end ring and onto the threaded shafts Figure 1 5 Make sure the knobs have at least three full turns of engagement on the shafts The mirror cell is now ready to be installed into the tube Assembling the SkyQuest XT12i Intelliscope mirror cell to the tube can be a bit tricky This is because the large diameter and thin aluminum of the tube will cause the tube to become somewhat out of round once the rear end ring is removed To assemble the mirror cell to the tube stand the tube up vertically so that the raw edge of the tube is facing upward Line up the threaded holes in the edge of the mirror cell end ring with the holes in the end of the tube Then lower the mirror cell onto the tube so that one side of the end ring is fully seated onto the tube Figure 1 6 Now look along the perimeter of the tube and you will notice a bulge in the tube that prevents the mirror cell from fully seating on the tube Figure 1 7 Position your body so that your chest is pressing against this bulge and hug the telescope with your left hand so that the tube becomes round With your right hand gently tap down the side of the mirror cell that needs to be seated and the entire mirror cell should seat onto the tube Figure 1 8 Then replace the Phillips head screws that connect the rear end ring to the tube Figure 1 6 Lower the assembled mirror cell onto the tube so one side of the end ring is seated on the tube edge The thr
4. 3 5 or dimmer then transparency is poor Magni tude is a measure of how bright a star is The brighter a star the lower its magnitude A good star to remember for this is Megrez magnitude 3 4 which is the star in the Big Dipper that connects the handle to the dipper If you cannot see Megrez then you have fog haze clouds smog light pollu tion or other conditions that are hindering your viewing see Figure 25 C Cooling the Telescope All optical instruments need time to reach thermal equilib rium to achieve maximum stability of the lenses and mir rors which is essential for peak performance Images will be unstable if the optics are not in equilibrium with the outdoor temperature When moved from a warm indoor location out side to cooler air or vice versa a telescope needs time to cool to the outdoor temperature The bigger the instrument and the larger the temperature change the more time will be needed Allow at least 30 minutes for your SkyQuest IntelliScope to equilibrate If the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is more than 40 allow an hour or more In the win ter storing the telescope outdoors in a shed or garage greatly reduces the amount of time needed for the optics to stabilize It also is a good idea to keep the scope covered until the Sun sets so the tube does not heat greatly above the temperature of the outside air SkyQuest XT8i XT10i and XT12i models are designed to ac
5. Then you can keyhole the eye piece rack onto the wood screws and continue tightening the screws Figure 8 If you want to be able to remove the rack later without using a screwdriver do not tighten the screws too tightly Be certain that the screws are loose enough that you can lift the rack and remove it from the screws through the larger opening of the keyhole If you want to have the rack permanently attached tighten the screws You may find it easier to carry the base by the handle if the eyepiece rack is removed Placing the Optical Tube on the Dobsonian Base Lift the optical tube and gently place it into the Dobsonian base so that the altitude bearings on either side of the tube rest on the bearing cylinders Orient the optical tube as shown in Figure 9 Make certain that the optical tube does not get hung up on the vertical bumper stop or the CorrecTension pads as you put it in place Be careful when placing the tube on the bearings since if it is inserted at the wrong angle the hub can strike the encoder connector board and potentially damage it Once on the bearing cylinders the tube should pivot freely up and down with gentle hand pressure Note that the tube will not yet be properly balanced since the eyepiece and finder scope are not in place and the CorrecTension sys tem has not been installed Installing the CorrecTension Friction Optimization System An exciting feature of the SkyQuest Intelliscope Dobsonians is
6. a ee eS Ground baseplate 12 Base assembly wood screws length 2 black 2 Hex keys 4mm 2mm Figure 1 2 To remove the rear end ring unthread the screws that connect it to the tube Figure 1 3 Place the three springs on the exposed threaded shafts of the mirror cell Figure 1 4 Lower the rear end ring onto the mirror cell so that the threaded shafts pass through the end ring and the end ring rests on the springs Plastic feet Feet attachment wood screws length 1 Encoder board mounting wood screws Brass bushing Azimuth axis hex head screw length 2 25 Fender washers diameter 1 Hex lock nut Altitude bearing cylinders Altitude bearing cylinder screws length 1 5 black Vertical stop knob Small thin Azimuth Encoder board washer DH ss BHB BR N 3 CWO W Vertical stop knob washers Box 3 XT12i only Primary mirror and cell Qty Description Primary mirror Mirror cell Collimation knobs Nylon washers Oo woo mb Springs 2 Assembly Now that you have unpacked the boxes and familiarized your self with all the parts in front of you it s time to begin assembly The optics of the XT6i XT8i and XT10i are already installed inside the tube so most of the required assembly concerns the Dobsonian base Skip to Assembly of the Dobsonian Base For the XT12i the primary mirror is shipped in a sepa rate box and will have to be installed in the optical tube If you purchased the X
7. bushing Nylon alignment thumbscrew Eyepiece Objective Finder lens cell scope J bracket Figure 12a The 9x50 right angle correct image finder scope and bracket 6x30 for the XT6i m nder sai a as Dovetail holder Figure 12b Inserting the finder scope into its dovetail holder The CorrecTension system is now installed If you wish to remove the optical tube from the base you will first need to unthread and remove both the knobs Once the optical tube is removed from the base thread the knobs back into the altitude bearings so you do not lose them Installing the Finder Scope SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonians come with a high quality large aperture 9x50 6x30 for the XT6 right angle correct image RACI achromatic crosshair finder scope Figure 12a as standard equipment This greatly aids in finding objects to view in the night sky The finder scope arrives pre installed in its bracket but must be placed into the dovetail holder on the telescope tube Insert the base of the finder scope into the dovetail holder located adjacent to the focuser Figure 12b Lock the bracket into position by tightening the knurled thumbscrew on the dovetail holder 10 2 eyepiece adapter 1 25 eyepiece adapter Figure 13a The 2 Crayford focuser of the SkyQuest XT8i XT10i and XT12i Focus lock thumbscrew Focusing tension adjustment set screws Figure 13b The 1 25 rack and pinion focuser of the Sky
8. fo cuser drawtube like a dust cap but has a hole in the center and a reflective inner surface The cap helps center your eye so that collimation is easier to perform Figures 19b through 19e assume you have the collimation cap in place As an additional aid in collimation the primary mirror of every SkyQuest XTi IntelliScope has a tiny adhesive ring marking its exact center This center ring will not affect the images you see when observing with the telescope in any way since it lies directly in the shadow of the secondary mirror but will greatly facilitate accurate collimation when using the supplied collimation cap or other more sophisticated collimation devic es such as the Orion LaserMate Deluxe laser collimator The center ring should never be removed from the primary mirror 15 Preparing the Telescope for Collimation Once you get the hang of collimation you will be able to do it quickly even in the dark When trying it for the first time or two though it is best to collimate in daylight preferably in a brightly lit room and with the telescope aimed at a white wall It is recommended that the telescope tube be oriented hori zontally This will prevent any parts from the secondary mirror from falling down onto the primary mirror and causing damage should something come loose when you are making adjust ments Place a sheet of white paper inside the optical tube directly opposite the focuser This will provide a bright
9. for war ranty repair having the proper shipping containers 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 boxes carefully as some parts are small If anything appears to be missing or broken immediately call Orion Cus tomer Support 800 676 1343 or email sales 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 Parts List Box 1 Optical Tube Assembly and Accessories Qty Description 1 Optical tube assembly 1 Dust cover 1 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece 1 25 1 10mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece 1 25 1 9x50 Right angle correct image finder scope 6x30 for the XT6i with bracket 1 Collimation cap 1 4 Hole eyepiece rack 3 hole for XT6i 2 Eyepiece rack mounting screws 2 Tensioning Retaining knobs 1 Tensioning knob nylon washer white 1 Tensioning knob metal washer 1 Handle 2 Handle mounting hex head screws 2 Handle mounting screw washers 1 Crescent wrench 1 Azimuth encoder board 1 Encoder connector board 1 Azimuth encoder disk Box 2 Dobsonian Base Qty Description Left panel Right panel Front brace Top baseplate ee mh
10. mirror should appear in the very center of the out of focus circle like the hole in a doughnut If the hole appears off center the telescope is out of collimation If you try the star test and the bright star you have selected is not accurately centered in the eyepiece then the optics will always appear out of collimation even though they may be per fectly aligned It is critical to Keep the star centered so over time you will need to make slight corrections to the telescope s position in order to account for the sky s apparent motion 5 Astronomical Observing SkyQuest Intelliscope Dobsonians provide prodigious capa bility for observing the many wonders of the heavens from the major planets to deep space nebulas and galaxies In this section we give you some observing tips and briefly summa rize what you can expect to see A Selecting an Observing Site Since most astronomical objects are faint observing them from dark skies will give you the best views While some objects such as the planets and Moon are bright enough to see clearly even from light polluted city skies for nebulas galaxies and most star clusters the less ambient light there is to reduce contrast the better When it isn t possible or convenient to get out of town to a pitch dark observing location try to set up in a spot that is removed from street and building lights and that has a clear view of a large portion of the sky For observing fai
11. near the front opening of the scope and gently move the tube up or down and left or right as desired Both motions can be made simultaneously and in a continuous manner for easy aiming When the telescope is pointed high in altitude rotat ing the tube in azimuth can cause the base to tip because of the reduced leverage In this case it is helpful to place your other hand on the base or the optical tube to help guide it Setting the Altitude Tension Level The telescope should move smoothly with just gentle hand pressure While azimuth friction is not adjustable the altitude friction can be adjusted to the desired level by turning the altitude tensioning knob Figure 10 Note that the altitude tensioning knob is the one just above the Intelliscope Con troller Port The knob on the opposite right side of the base is merely a retaining knob it does not affect altitude tension Adjustable tension is a feature of the IntelliScopes exclu sive springless CorrecTension Friction Optimization system CorrecTension adds just the right amount of friction to keep the telescope tube in proper balance even when other acces sories are added on such as a barlow lens or a heavier eye piece A good way to set the altitude tension is to point the telescope at about a 45 angle with the eyepiece and finder scope removed Loosen the altitude tension knob until the front of the optical tube starts to drift upward As it does so tighten the
12. tension knob just enough to make the tube stop drifting Figure 15 When the eyepiece and finder scope are replaced the motion should be ideal not too stiff not too loose You will want to be able to track the motion of celestial objects while viewing them by making small movements of the telescope without experiencing jerking too much tension or overshooting of the desired position too little tension 11 Focusing the Telescope With the 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece in the focuser and secured with the thumbscrew s move the telescope so the front open end is pointing in the general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away Now with your fingers slowly rotate one of the focusing knobs until the object comes into sharp focus 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 focusing knob so the drawtube is in as far as it will go Now look through the eyepiece while slowly rotating the focusing knob in the opposite direction You should soon see the point at which focus is reached For XT8i XT10i and XT12i models the focus lock thumb screw on the bottom of the focuser body Figure 13a will lock the focuser drawtube in place once the telescope is prop erly focused The XT6i s focus lock thumb screw is located on the top of the focuser body Figure 13b
13. the secondary mirror in that position If the entire primary mirror reflection is not visible in the sec ondary mirror as in Figure 19c you will need to adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror This is done by alternately loosen ing one of the three alignment hex screws while tightening the other two as depicted in Figure 22 Do not make exces sive turns of these hex screws or force them past their normal travel A simple 1 2 turn of the screw can dramatically change the tilt of the mirror The goal is to center the primary mir ror reflection in the secondary mirror as in Figure 19d Don t worry that the reflection of the secondary mirror the smallest circle with the collimation cap dot in the center is off center You will fix that in the next step Adjusting the Primary Mirror The final adjustment is made to the primary mirror It will need adjustment if as in Figure 19d the secondary mirror is cen tered under the focuser and the reflection of the primary mir ror is centered in the secondary mirror but the small reflection Figure 20 The SkyQuest XTi Intelliscope properly set up for collimation Note the white paper placed across from the focuser and the level angle of the optical tube Ideally the telescope should be pointing at a white wall Figure 21 To center the secondary mirror under the focuser hold the mirror holder in place with one hand while adjusting the center bolt with a Phillips s
14. the baseplate Thread the encoder board mounting screw into the predrilled starter hole with a Phillips screw driver and tighten until just tight Figure 3b Correct Tension pads Bearing cylinders Encoder connector board Figure 4 To connect the baseplates tilt them only slightly as shown Do not place them on their side a Use one wrench to hold Screws the hex nut steady lb while turning the other end of the azimuth axis screw Figure 6 Attaching the encoder connector board Place a fender washer H onto the azimuth axis screw l Then push the screw up through the hole in the ground baseplate A Then slide the encoder disk J flat side down onto the azimuth axis screw Place the brass bushing F onto the azimuth axis screw 1 so that the wide end of the bushing is closest to the encoder disk J Seat the bushing onto the encoder disk so that the registration feature on the bushing goes into the hole in the encoder disk You may need to move the encoder disk around on the azimuth axis screw a bit for the bushing to seat properly Carefully position the top baseplate D over the ground baseplate A and lower it so the brass bushing F goes into in the center hole of the top baseplate Place the remaining fender washer K onto the shaft of the azimuth axis screw then thread the hex lock nut L onto the end of the azimuth axis screw and tighten it finger tight for now To tighten the
15. the redesigned CorrecTension XT system Because of their Figure 8 Using the two supplied wood screws install the aluminum eyepiece rack in the predrilled holes near the top of the front panel relatively light weight smaller Dobsonians under 16 have always been plagued by insufficient friction on the altitude bearing surfaces As a result such telescopes move up and down much too freely This causes problems when the observ er tries to accurately center and track an object for viewing especially at higher powers Also the telescope becomes very sensitive to balance requiring additional equipment such as counterweight systems or springs to compensate SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonians employ a simple yet effec tive remedy for the friction problem that obviates the need for such cumbersome countermeasures CorrecTension Friction Optimization utilizes a simple disc brake to apply the correct level of tension to the altitude bearings With the XT system you can change eyepieces or add a barlow lens without hav ing to tediously adjust the telescope s balance as you would with other Dobsonians The altitude friction can be made equal to the azimuth friction ensuring optimal navigation motion Altitude Bearing cylinders Figure 9 Lift the optical tube and place it into the Dobsonian base so that the altitude bearings rest on the bearing cylinders Orient the optical tube as shown Do not bump the encoder connecto
16. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion SkyQuest XTi IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescopes 10026 XT6i 10018 XT8i 10019 XT10i 10020 XT12i Customer Su ppa rt nes a kia E mail support tele Corpo Bri Ghie Sai apa 7000 TELESCOPES S BINOCULARS 89 Hangar Way Wai CA 95076 Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 OrionTelescopes com IN 226 Rev J 09 12 Finder Secondary mirror holder scope with 4 vane spider not visible WA Finder scope bracket Eyepiece Focuser Navigation knob Optical tube ra Altitude tensioning Retaining knob knob opposite side Computerized Object Locator IntelliScope Controller Port modular jack Right side panel gt Primary Front brace mirror cell Eyepiece gt rack T Handle gt Left side panel SKYQUEST Top baseplate gt INTELLI Ground baseplate gt lt Foot 3 Figure 1 The SkyQuest XT8 IntelliScope Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion SkyQuest XTi Intelliscope Dobsonian It is a high perfor mance astronomical instrument designed to provide dazzling views of celestial objects and unprecedent ed ease of use With the addition of the optional Intelliscope Computerized Object Locator Controller you gain the ability to locate and view thousands of celestial objects with the push of a button Searching for faint objects so often a source of frustration for telescope u
17. Quest XT6i Inserting an Eyepiece The final step in the assembly process is to insert an eye piece into the telescope s focuser First take the cover cap off the focuser drawtube For the XT8i XT10i and XT12i Loosen the thumbscrew on the 1 25 eyepiece adapter Figure 13a Do not loosen the two thumbscrews on the 2 eyepiece adapter Insert the supplied 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece then secure it by retightening the thumbscrew on the 1 25 eyepiece adapter The other eyepiece can be placed in the eyepiece rack until it is needed For the XT6i Loosen the two thumbscrews on the eyepiece holder and insert the 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece Then secure it in place with the thumbscrews Figure 13b The other eyepiece can be placed in the eyepiece rack until it is needed The basic assembly of your SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonian is now complete It should appear as shown in Figure 1 The Altitude Azimuth Figure 14 The SkyQuest IntelliScope has two axes of motion altitude up down and azimuth left right dust cap on the front of the telescope tube should always remain in place when the telescope is not in use It is also a good idea to store eyepieces in an eyepiece case and to replace the cover caps on the focuser and finder scope when the telescope is idle 3 Using Your Telescope One of the great benefits of the SkyQuest XTi IntelliScope Dobsonian is its ability to point to more than 14 000 celes tial objec
18. T12i start with the next paragraph for instructions on how to install the mirror into the tube Assembly of the Optical Tube XT12i only In order to prevent damage to the primary mirror in shipment it is shipped in its cell separately from the optical tube To install the mirror cell into the optical tube the rear end ring attached to the optical tube must first be removed This is done by unthreading and removing the Phillips head screws that connect the end ring to the tube Figure 1 2 and then pulling the end ring off of the tube Warning Once the rear end ring is removed from the tube the raw edge of the tube itself will be exposed Be careful not to cut or otherwise hurt yourself on the tube s edge Also be careful not to pinch your fingers when attaching the assembled mirror cell onto the tube 7 Figure 1 5 Thread the collimation thumbnuts with nylon washers attached through the rear end ring and onto the threaded shafts Make sure the thumbnuts have at least three full turns of engagement on the shafts Next assemble the rear end ring to the mirror cell Find a clean flat surface and turn the mirror cell over so that the mirror is facing downwards Place the three springs onto the three exposed threaded shafts Figure 1 3 Lower the end ring onto the mirror cell so the threaded shafts pass through it and the end ring rests on the springs Figure 1 4 Add a nylon washer to each collimation knob and thread the col
19. ashlight with red cellophane or paper Dim light is preferable to bright light Beware too that nearby porch and streetlights and automobile headlights will spoil your night vision Eyepiece Selection By using eyepieces of different focal lengths it is possible to attain many different magnifications with your telescope The telescope comes with two high quality Sirius Plossl eye pieces a 25mm focal length and a 10mm focal length which provides higher magnification 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 the best eyepiece to use depending on the object being viewed and the sky conditions At least to begin with the two supplied eyepieces will suffice nicely 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 18 if you wish This is especially recommended for small and bright objects l
20. axis of secondary mirror 70mm Focal length 1500mm Focal ratio f 4 9 Focuser Crayford accepts 2 and 1 25 eyepieces Altitude bearing diameter 5 75 Optical tube material Rolled steel Azimuth pad material PTFE UHMW Altitude bearing material UHMW polyethylene Eyepieces 25mm amp 10mm Sirius Plossl multi coated 1 25 Eyepiece magnifications 60x and 150x Finder scope 9x50mm right angle correct image 5 field of view Eyepiece rack Holds three 1 25 eyepieces and one 2 eyepiece Optical tube weight 50 Ibs Base weight 33 Ibs Tube length 58 Tube outer diameter 14 23 One Year Limited Warranty This Orion SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonian Reflecting Telescope 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
21. azimuth axis screw and hex lock nut L tilt the assembled Dobsonian base at a slight angle to lift the ground baseplate off the ground Now with one wrench or pliers hold the head of the azimuth axis screw still while turning the hex lock nut with the other wrench Figure 4 shows this being done Tighten the hex lock nut just until the top fender washer is no longer moving freely then tighten the hex nut a quarter turn beyond that This ensures proper spacing between the encoder disk and the azimuth encoder board 10 Attach the handle M to the front brace B with the two handle mounting hex head screws Place one washer on each screw then press the handle against the front brace the end of the handle bearing the Orion logo should be up Then thread the screws from the inside of the base into the handle until tight using the supplied crescent wrench 11 Line up one of the altitude bearing cylinders N with the inside of one of the four bearing cylinder holes on the side panels Push a bearing cylinder screw through the side panel and thread the bearing cylinder onto it Figure 5 The beveled end of the cylinder should be farthest from the side panel You can tighten the cylinder by hand or if needed with the supplied 4mm hex key Repeat for the remaining three bearing cylinders 12 Attach the encoder connector board to the side panel Place the board against the side panel so that the modular jack fits into the square sha
22. back ground when viewing into the focuser When properly set up for collimation your telescope should resemble Figure 20 Aligning the Secondary Mirror With the collimation cap in place look through the hole in the cap at the secondary diagonal mirror Ignore the reflections for the time being The secondary mirror itself should be cen tered in the focuser drawtube in the direction parallel to the length of the telescope If it isn t as in Figure 19b it must be adjusted This adjustment will rarely if ever need to be done Using the included 2mm hex key loosen the three small alignment set screws in the center hub of the 4 vaned spi der several turns Now keep the mirror s holder stationary be careful not to touch the surface of the mirrors while turning the center screw with a Phillips head screwdriver See Figure 21 Turning the screw clockwise will move the secondary mir ror toward the front opening of the optical tube while turning the screw counter clockwise will move the secondary mirror toward the primary mirror Note When making these adjustments be careful not to stress the spider vanes or they may bend When the secondary mirror is centered in the focuser draw tube rotate the secondary mirror holder until the reflection of the primary mirror is as centered in the secondary mirror as possible It may not be perfectly centered but that is OK Now tighten the three small alignment screws equally to secure
23. bserve Tube Balance SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonians are designed to balance with standard supplied accessories such as an eyepiece and a finder scope But what if you want to use a larger finder scope or a heavier eyepiece Traditional Dobsonian designs require the user to compensate by adding weight to the oppo site end of the telescope tube Such counterweighting systems can be expensive and unwieldy The CorrecTension system of the SkyQuest Intelliscope Dobsonians however solves the finicky balance problem The brake pads press against the altitude bearings on the optical tube and increase the friction With CorrecTension the added weight of front end loads will not adversely affect the balance of the telescope Simply tight en the tensioning knob to balance any extra load Carrying the Telescope Transporting the IntelliScope is easy to do The tube uncou ples from the base and each component can be carried separately The base has a handle for easy carrying With the 13 Figure 17 Picking up and carrying the SkyQuest IntelliScope as a single unit with tube held captive on the base requires some caution Aer s a First position the tube vertically Then grasp the handle on the base with one hand while supporting the tube with the other This ensures that the tube will not swing down and impact the ground b With knees bent slowly lift the base while supporting the tube C As you lift continue to support
24. cept an optional Orion Cooling Accelerator Fan When attached to the rear cell of the telescope the fan hastens the equilibration of the primary mirror to ambient temperature D Let Your Eyes Dark Adapt Do not expect to go from a lighted house into the darkness of the outdoors at night and immediately see faint nebulas Big Dipper in Ursa Major MEGREZ MAGNITUDES Figure 25 Megrez connects the Big Dipper s handle to its pan It is a good guide to judging the seeing conditions If you cannot see Megrez a 3 4 magnitude star then seeing is poor galaxies and star clusters or even very many stars for that matter Your eyes take about 30 minutes to reach per haps 80 of their full dark adapted sensitivity Many observ ers notice improvements after several hours of total darkness As your eyes become dark adapted more stars will glimmer into view and you will be able to see fainter details in objects you view in your telescope Exposing your eyes to very bright daylight for extended periods of time can adversely affect your night vision for days So give yourself at least a little while to get used to the dark before you begin observing To see what you are doing in the darkness use a red filtered flashlight rather than a white light Red light does 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 fl
25. crewdriver Do not touch the mirror s surface Figure 22 Adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror by loosening or tightening the three alignment set screws with the 2mm hex key 16 Figure 23 The three small thumbscrews that lock the primary mirror in place must first be loosened before any adjustments can be made Then the tilt of the primary mirror can be adjusted by turning one or more of the three larger thumbscrews Collimated Out of collimation Figure 24 A star test will determine if a telescope s optics are properly collimated An unfocused view of a bright star through the eyepiece should appear as illustrated on the right if the optics are perfectly collimated If the circle is unsymmetrical as in the illustration on the left the scope needs collimation of the secondary mirror with the dot of the collimation cap is off center The tilt of the primary mirror is adjusted with three spring loaded collimation thumbscrews on the back end of the opti cal tube bottom of the primary mirror cell these are the larger thumbscrews The three smaller thumbscrews lock the mirror s position in place These thumbscrews must be loos ened before any collimation adjustments can be made to the primary mirror To start turn the smaller thumbscrews counterclockwise a few turns each Figure 23 Use a screwdriver in the slots if necessary Now try tightening or loosening one of the larger collimation thu
26. d holes Use the 4mm hex wrench to tighten the screws The washer Figure 3a The spacer washer goes between the azimuth encoder board and the top baseplate of the Dobsonian base a EAZM1 1 03 0000203 REV pE Encoder board mounting screw Azimuth encoder board Figure 3b Installing the azimuth encoder board Line up the large hole in the encoder board with the central hole in the top baseplate side panels should be oriented so the SkyQuest IntelliS cope labels are facing outward The front brace should be oriented so the threaded insert is facing the interior of the base Do not completely tighten the screws yet 3 Connect the two side panels C with the front brace attached to the top baseplate D with the remaining six base assembly screws in the predrilled holes The side of the baseplate with the pilot hole near the square shaped cutout should be facing downwards Tighten all six screws firmly 4 Tighten the six side screws installed earlier 5 Attach the azimuth encoder board E to the underside of the top baseplate D Insert the encoder board mounting screw through the circuit board and install the small spacer washer G over the screw Figure 3a Insert the modular jack on the encoder board into the square shaped hole in the baseplate and align the encoder board so that the small slotted hole in the board lines up with the predrilled starter hole and the large hole lines up with the central hole in
27. e needed amount If you suffer from severe astigmatism however you may find images noticeably sharper with your glasses on Aligning the Finder Scope The finder scope must be aligned accurately with the tele scope for proper use To align it first aim the main telescope in the general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away e g the top of a telephone pole a chimney etc Position that object in the center of the telescope s eyepiece The finder scope uses a spring loaded bracket that makes alignment of the finderscope very easy As you turn either 12 CALIFORNIA A123456 Naked eye view 9SpEZLY VINYO3NVI View through telescope Figure 16 The view through a reflector telescope is upside down This is true for the SkyQuest XT IntelliScope of the thumbscrews the spring in the bracket s tensioning pin moves in and out to keep the finder scope secure in the bracket Note The image in the main telescope will appear upside down rotated 180 This is normal for reflector telescopes see Figure 16 Now look through the finder scope Ideally the object should be within the field of view If not then coarse adjustments to the alignment thumbscrews will be needed Once the image is in the finder scope s field of view you will now use the align ment thumbscrews to center the object on the intersection of the crosshairs By loosening one alignment thumbscrew you change the line of sight of the finde
28. e with a tissue and leave the mirror in a warm area until it is completely dry before reassembling the telescope 21 8 Specifications SkyQuest XT6i IntelliScope Primary mirror 150mm diameter parabolic center marked Primary mirror material Low thermal expansion optical glass Mirror coatings Enhanced reflectivity 94 aluminum SiO overcoat Secondary mirror minor axis 34 5mm Focal length 1200mm Focal ratio f 8 0 Focuser Rack and pinion accepts 1 25 eyepieces Altitude bearing diameter 5 75 Optical tube material Rolled steel Azimuth pad material PTFE UHMW Altitude bearing material UHMW polyethylene Eyepieces 25mm amp 10mm Sirius Plossl multi coated 1 25 Eyepiece magnification 48x and 120x Finder scope 6x30mm right angle correct image 7 field of view Eyepiece rack Holds three 1 25 eyepieces Optical tube weight 13 5 Ibs Base weight 20 9 Ibs Tube length 45 5 Tube outer diameter 7 25 22 SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope Primary mirror 203mm diameter parabolic center marked Primary mirror material Low thermal expansion optical glass Mirror coatings Enhanced reflectivity 94 aluminum SiO overcoat Minor axis of Secondary mirror 47mm Focal length 1200mm Focal ratio f 5 9 Focuser Crayford accepts 2 and 1 25 eyepieces with included adapter Altitude bearing diameter 5 75 Optical tube material Rolled steel Azimuth pad material PTFE UHMW Altitude bearin
29. eaded attachment holes in the end ring should also be lined up with the through holes in the end of the tube Figure 1 7 Locate the area of tube that is bulging out and preventing the mirror cell from fully seating Figure 1 8 Hug the tube so that your chest pushes against the bulge and a gentle tap should fully seat the mirror cell onto the tube Figure 2 Exploded view of the XTi IntelliScope Dobsonian base Assembly of the Dobsonian Base Refer to Figure 2 during base assembly The base need only be assembled once unless you disassemble it for long term storage The assembly process takes about 45 minutes and requires in addition to the supplied tools a Phillips screw driver and two adjustable crescent wrenches You can substi tute a 7 16 crescent wrench for one of the adjustable cres cent wrenches or use a pair of pliers When tightening screws tighten them until firm but be careful not to strip the holes by over tightening If you use an electric screwdriver do final tightening with a standard screwdriver to avoid stripping 1 With a Phillips screwdriver screw the plastic feet into the underside of the ground baseplate A using the self tap ping wood screws provided Insert the screws through the feet and thread them into the predrilled starter holes 2 Loosely attach the front brace B to the two side panels C with six of the base assembly screws in the predrille
30. ective 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 Aiming Pointing the Telescope With the finder scope aligned the telescope can be quickly and accurately pointed at anything you wish to observe The finder scope has a much wider field of view than the tele scope s eyepiece and therefore it is much easier to find and center an object in the finder scope Then if the finder scope is accurately aligned the object will also be centered in the telescope s field of view Start by once again moving the telescope until it is pointed in the general direction of the object you want to see Some observers find it convenient to sight along the tube to do this Now look in the finder scope If your general aim is accu rate the object should appear somewhere in the field of view Make small adjustments to the telescope s position until the object is centered on the finder s crosshairs Now look in the telescope s eyepiece and enjoy the view Of course with the Computerized Object Locator the finder scope is really only needed for assisting with the initial two star alignment Once the telescope is aligned objects target ed with the Object Locator should fall within the filed of view of the 25mm eyepiece
31. er inch of aperture This translates to about 360x for the SkyQuest XT6i 480x for the XT8i 600x for the XT10i and 720x for the XT12i Of course such magnifications will only yield reasonable images if atmo spheric conditions are favorable Keep in mind that as magnification is increased the bright ness of the object being viewed will decrease this is an inher ent principle of the physics of optics and cannot be avoided If magnification is doubled an image appears four times dim mer If magnification is tripled image brightness is reduced by a factor of nine Use of 2 Inch Eyepieces XT8i XT10i and XT12i only All SkyQuest XTi IntelliScopes are designed to accept eye pieces with a barrel diameter of 1 25 The XT8i XT10i and XT12i have 2 focusers that accept both 1 25 and optional 2 eyepieces At low magnifications 2 eyepieces can provide a wider field of view than standard 1 25 eyepieces A wider field can be desirable for viewing extended deep sky objects that are too large to fit within a narrower field of view To use 2 eyepieces simply loosen the two large thumbscrews on the 2 adapter that are just in front of the thumbscrew that holds the provided 1 25 adapter in place Figure 13a Once these thumbscrews are loosened the adapter comes off exposing the 2 diameter focuser drawtube Now insert your 2 eyepiece into the drawtube and secure with the two thumb screws loosened previously and you re ready to o
32. er number for instance you can enter it using the illuminated keypad buttons Or you can press one of the object category buttons Cluster Nebula Galaxy etc to access a list of objects by type For a tour of the best objects visible in a given month you just press the Tour button Anoth er great feature of the IntelliScope is the ability to identify an unknown object in the field of view just press the ID but ton You can even add up to 99 objects of your own choosing to the IntelliScope controller s database The backlit two line liquid crystal display on the controller shows you the object s catalog number its common name if it has one the constellation in which it resides its right ascen sion and declination coordinates the object type magnitude angular size as well as a brief description in scrolling text The two guide arrows and associated navigation numbers tell you in what direction to move the telescope to pinpoint an object s location As the telescope approaches the object s location the numbers get progressively smaller When the navigation numbers reach O the telescope will be pointed right at the object You just look into the eyepiece and enjoy the view The features functionality and alignment procedure of the IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator are cov ered in detail in the separate instruction manual for that component 7 Care and Maintenance If you give your telescope reaso
33. g material UHMW polyethylene Eyepieces 25mm amp 10mm Sirius Plossl multi coated 1 25 Eyepiece magnifications 48x and 120x Finder scope 9x50mm right angle correct image 5 field of view Eyepiece rack Holds three 1 25 eyepieces and one 2 eyepiece Optical tube weight 20 3 Ibs Base weight 21 3 Ibs Tube length 46 5 Tube outer diameter 9 25 SkyQuest XT10i IntelliScope Primary mirror 254mm diameter parabolic center marked Primary mirror material Low thermal expansion optical glass Mirror coatings Enhanced reflectivity 94 aluminum SiO overcoat Minor axis of secondary mirror 63mm Focal length 1200mm Focal ratio f 4 7 Focuser Crayford accepts 2 and 1 25 eyepieces with included adapter Altitude bearing diameter 5 75 Optical tube material Rolled steel Azimuth pad material PTFE UHMW Altitude bearing material UHMW polyethylene Eyepieces 25mm amp 10mm Sirius Plossl multi coated 1 25 Eyepiece magnifications 48x and 120x Finder scope 9x50mm right angle correct image 5 field of view Eyepiece rack Holds three 1 25 eyepieces and one 2 eyepiece Optical tube weight 28 9 Ibs Base weight 26 3 Ibs Tube length 47 25 Tube outer diameter 12 0 SkyQuest XT12i IntelliScope Primary mirror 305mm diameter parabolic center marked Primary mirror material Low thermal expansion optical glass Mirror coatings Enhanced reflectivity 94 aluminum SiO overcoat Minor
34. grayish not colorful like those you see in long expo sure photographs The reason is that our eyes are not sensi 19 tive to color in faint light Still there is something very special about seeing an astronomical object in real time with your own eyes live if not in living color Note About Astrophotography SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonians are designed for visual not photographic use Their mounts are not equatorial type designs and are not motor driven so they are not suitable for long exposure astrophotography Also the telescopes optics have been optimized for visual rather than photographic use With that in mind however it is possible to do some simple astrophotography with a SkyQuest IntelliScope With the use of afocal photography techniques where the camera is sim ply put right up to the eyepiece to take a picture and digital cameras it is possible to take pictures of bright objects Cer tain photographic aids such as the Orion SteadyPix afocal adapter can help in taking photos by the afocal or eyepiece projection method 6 IntelliScope Computerized Object Location Perhaps the most exciting feature of the SkyQuest XT Intel liScope is the IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator controller When plugged into the IntelliScope port on the telescope s base the IntelliScope controller enables the user to point the telescope quickly and effortlessly to more than 14 000 celestial objects with t
35. 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 and the Great Red Spot SATURN The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period of many years some times 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 Look closely and you should see the Cassini divi sion a thin dark gap in the rings You should also see one or more of Saturn s moons which look like faint stars The brightest is the 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 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 MARS The Red Planet makes a close approach to Earth every two years Observing Mars is most favorable at these times You should see salmon colored disk with some distinct dark patches and you may be able to spot a
36. have other rights which vary from state to state For further warranty service information contact Customer Service Department Orion Telescopes 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 Orion Telescopes com 2003 2012 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars 24
37. he push of a button After a sim ple two star alignment procedure you Just select an object to view from the intuitive keypad then read the guide arrows on the controller s illuminated liquid crystal display and move the telescope in the corresponding direction In seconds the object will be waiting in the telescope s field of view ready to observe It s that simple The controller provides a whole new level of convenience and capability as you re able to locate and view more objects in an evening than you ever could before The IntelliScope controller works by communicating electroni cally with a pair of high resolution 9 216 step digital encod ers that allow highly precise positioning of the telescope to coordinates programmed into the IntelliScope controller s 20 database for each object Since the telescope is not depen dent on motors for movement you can move the telescope to your target much more quickly and quietly than motorized telescopes can and without guzzling all those batteries in the process The IntelliScope database includes e 7 840 objects from the Revised New General Catalog e 5 386 objects from the Index Catalog e 110 objects from the Messier Catalog e 837 selected stars mostly double multiple and variable stars e 8 planets e 99 user programmable objects With the user friendly IntelliScope controller there are many ways to locate an object If you know its catalog number NGC or Messi
38. he tube We recommend trans porting and storing the tube assembly in an optional padded case for proper protection 4 Alignment Collimation of the Optical System To get the sharpest images your telescope s optical system must be in precise alignment The process of aligning the primary and secondary mirrors with each other and with the mechanical axis of the telescope is called collimation Your telescope s optical system was collimated at the factory and will probably not need any further adjustment But rough handling during shipment can knock the optics out of align ment in which case you will need to recollimate the system Collimation is relatively easy to do and can be done in day light It is a good idea to check the collimation of your tele scope before each observing session and make any neces sary adjustments To check collimation remove the eyepiece and look down the focuser drawtube You should see the secondary mirror cen tered 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 depicted in Figure 18a If anything is off center as in Figure 18b proceed with the following col limation procedure The Collimation Cap and Mirror Center Mark Your SkyQuest XTi IntelliScope comes with a quick collima tion cap Figure 18 This is a simple cap that fits on the
39. ike 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 have high surface brightness 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 in magnifi cation If the object looks better try an even higher magnifica tion If the object looks worse then back off the magnification a little by using a lower power eyepiece A The Moon With is rocky and cratered surface the Moon is one of the most interesting and easy subjects to view with your scope The best time to view it is during its partial phases when shadows fall on the craters and canyon walls to give them definition While the full moon may look like a tempting target it is not optimal for viewing The light is too bright and surface definition is low Even at partial phases the Moon is very bright Use of an optional Moon filter to helps to dim the glare It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepiece You ll find the Moon filter improves viewing comfort and helps bring out the s
40. l 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 mirrors very often normally once every few years or so Covering the tele scope with the dust cover when it is not in use will prevent dust from accumulating on the mirrors 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 adverse effect on the visual performance of the telescope The large primary mirror and the elliptical secondary mirror of your telescope are front surface aluminized and over coated with hard silicon dioxide which prevents the aluminum from oxidizing These coatings normally last through many years of use before requiring re coating which is easily done To clean the secondary mirror you will need to remove it from the telescope Before doing so orient the telescope tube horizontally so that nothing accidentally falls down and hits the primary mirror Hold the secondary mirror holder station ary while loosening the center Phillips head screw Handle the mirror by its holder do not touch the mirror surface itself Once the mirror still in its holder is removed from the tube follow the same procedure described below for cleaning the primary mirror You do not need to remove the secondary mir ror from its holder when cleaning To clean the primary mirro
41. mbscrews with your fingers Look into the focuser and see if the secondary mirror reflection has moved closer to the cen ter of the primary You can tell this easily with the collimation cap and mirror center mark by simply watching to see if the dot of the collimation cap is moving closer or further away from the ring on the center of the primary mirror If turning that one thumbscrew does not seem to be bringing you closer to collimation try using one of the other collimation thumb screws It will take some trial and error using all three thumb screws to adjust the telescope properly Over time you will get the feel for which collimation screws to turn to move the image in a given direction When you have the dot centered as much as is possible in the ring your primary mirror is collimated The view through the collimation cap should resemble Figure 19e Now be sure to re tighten the locking thumbscrews to lock the primary mirror in that position A simple star test will tell you whether the optics are accu rately collimated Star Testing the Telescope When it is dark point the telescope at a bright star high in the sky and center it in the eyepiece s field of view Slowly defocus the image with the focusing knob If the telescope is correctly collimated the expanding disk should be a perfect circle Figure 24 If the image is unsymmetrical the scope is out of collimation The dark shadow cast by the second ary
42. nable 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 and other accessories should be kept in a protective box or storage case Keep the cloth dust cover on the front of the telescope when not in use Your SkyQuest XTi IntelliScope requires very little mechani cal maintenance The optical tube is 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 or base can be wiped off with a soft cloth anda household cleaner Cleaning Eyepiece 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 or find er scope Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eyeglasses Before cleaning with fluid and tissue however 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 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 On larger lenses clean only a smal
43. nt deep sky objects choose a Moonless night Use of a light pollution filter can mitigate the effects of background sky brightness enhancing the view of faint objects 17 B Seeing and Transparency Atmospheric conditions play a huge part in quality of view ing Light from stars and other celestial objects must travel through miles of Earth s atmosphere to reach our eyes The air in the atmosphere will refract and bend the light Atmo spheric turbulence will worsen the effects of refraction which can cause the image you see in your telescope to be unsta ble The steadiness of the atmosphere is called seeing In conditions of good seeing star twinkling is minimal and objects appear steady in the eyepiece Seeing is best over head worst at the horizon Also seeing generally gets bet ter later in the evening as much of the heat absorbed by the Earth during the day has radiated off into space In condi tions of bad seeing stars will twinkle and objects will appear unsteady and blurry in the telescope Transparency is the clarity of the atmosphere which can be adversely affected by the presence of moisture smoke and dust All tend to scatter light which reduces an object s brightness Good transparency is desirable for astronomical observing especially for viewing faint objects One good measure of transparency is by how many stars you can see with your unaided eyes If you cannot see stars of magnitude
44. ped hole and thread four encoder board mounting screws through the connector board and into the predrilled holes in the side panel until tight Figure 6 Next you ll need to install the altitude encoder board assem bly To do so please refer to the separate instruction manual for the IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator Installing the Vertical Stop Place three flat washers onto the shaft of the vertical stop screw Thread the vertical stop into the threaded insert on the inside of the front panel until just tight Figure 7 The position of the vertical stop is adjustable by adding or removing wash ers This is important when using the Intelliscope Computer ized Object Locator since the optical tube must be exactly vertical before commencing with the two star alignment pro cedure described later For precise adjustment of the verti cal stop see the manual for the Computerized Object Locator Installing the Eyepiece Rack The aluminum eyepiece rack is a standard accessory on Sky Quest IntelliScope Dobsonians It holds three 1 25 eyepieces and one 2 eyepiece three 1 25 eyepieces on the XT6i ina convenient place on the base within easy reach while you re observing An optional 1 25 barlow lens also can be held in the rack A few inches down from the top of the front brace panel you will notice two predrilled starter holes about 6 apart Thread the black wood screws into the starter holes with a Phillips screwdriver
45. r you must carefully remove the mirror cell from the telescope To do this remove the screws on the side of the tube near the primary mirror You do not need to remove the collimation screws on the bottom of the mirror cell Remove the mirror cell from the tube You will notice the primary mirror is held down with three or four depending on the model clips fastened by two screws each Loosen the screws and remove the clips You may now remove the mirror from the mirror cell Do not touch the surface of the mirror with your fingers lift it carefully by the edge Set the mirror aluminized face up on a clean soft towel Filla clean sink free of abrasive cleanser with room temperature water a few drops of liquid dishwashing deter gent and if possible a capful of rubbing alcohol Submerge the mirror aluminized face up in the water and let it soak for a few minutes or hours if it s a very dirty mirror Wipe the mir ror under water with clean cotton balls using extremely light pressure and stroking in a straight line across the mirror Use one ball for each wipe across the mirror Then rinse the mirror under a stream of lukewarm water Any particles on the sur face can be swabbed gently with a series of cotton balls each used just one time Dry the mirror in a stream of air a blower bulb works great or remove any stray drops of water with the corner of a paper towel Water will run off a clean surface Cover the mirror surfac
46. r board or vertical stop when installing the optical tube To install the XT system follow these steps while referring to Figures 10 and 11 1 Select one of the retaining tensioning knobs and slide the metal washer onto the shaft followed by the white nylon washer you will need to thread this washer onto the shaft This knob will now be known as the tensioning knob Push the shaft of the tensioning knob through the hole in the left side panel the one that has the IntellisScope port Figure 10 Thread the knob into the altitude bearing until Figure 10 The tensioning knob with the metal and nylon washers goes on the left side of the base just above the IntelliScope port The tensioning knob should be tightened until the Correc Tension pads just touch the telescope s altitude bearing Figure 11 The retaining knob on the right side of the base is inserted though the aluminum shaft of the altitude encoder assembly the CorrecTension pads on the interior surface of the side panel just touch the altitude bearing on the optical tube 2 Thread the other retaining tensioning knob which we ll now refer to as just the retaining knob through the altitude encoder s aluminum shaft and thread it into the optical tube s right side bearing Figure 11 Make sure this knob is fully tightened Note Only the left side panel has a white nylon bushing in the hole for the tensioning knob The right side panel does not require this
47. r scope Continue making adjustments to the alignment thumbscrews until the image in both the finder scope and the telescope s eyepiece are 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 telescope 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 adjustments until the two images match up The finder scope alignment should 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 thumb screws 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 Focusing the Finder Scope The finder scope with your SkyQuest IntelliScope has adjust able focus If the images in the finder appear somewhat out of focus you will need to refocus the finder scope for your vision Loosen the lock ring located behind the objective lens cell on the body of the finder scope see Figure 12a by turn ing it counterclockwise Back the lock ring off by a few turns for now Focus the finder scope on a distant object by thread ing the obj
48. sers is a thing of the past as the Intel liScope s high resolution digital encoders find them for you in seconds It s so easy Your SkyQuest IntelliScope will provide years of stargazing enjoyment thanks to its large aperture preci sion optics its innovative user friendly design its complement of outstanding features and accessories and most of all its easy object locating technology We hope you enjoy your journey through the universe Please read these instructions thoroughly before beginning assembly and subsequent use of the telescope Table of Contents Ts AD ACKING ak ra aed a KG Ka Gog ee ee He Hee 3 2 PSSCMIOW 225Gb 6x b8n 2k bere dh eae w ti hsasd t Paka 4 3 USING Your Telescope nawang dhe cees EW beeen 11 4 Alignment Collimation of the Optical System 15 5 Astronomical Observing eee eee 17 6 IntelliScope Computerized Object Location 20 7 Care and Maintenance a 21 8 SPeCWICAUONS lt lt 24 1222 t lt tobe sea DT haa wh Heyes 22 1 Unpacking The telescope is packed in two boxes three for the XT12i one containing the optical tube assembly and accessories the other containing the unassembled Dobsonian base the third box for the XT12i includes the mirror and cell Be care ful unpacking the boxes We recommend keeping the original shipping containers In the event that the telescope needs to be shipped to another location or returned to Orion
49. the tube with one hand to keep it parallel with the ground Make sure you are comfortable with the weight of the whole assembly before attempting the carry it retaining and tensioning knobs of the CorrecTension XT sys tem holding the optical tube captive on the base the entire telescope can be carried as one unit This is not practical for the XT10i and XT12i due to the hefty weight and size This requires some caution however If the telescope is lifted improperly the tube could swing down and hit the ground First point the optical tube straight up vertical Remove any eyepieces from the telescope and eyepiece rack and place them in an eyepiece case Grasp the handle on the front of the base with one hand while supporting the telescope tube vertically with the other Figure 17 Now lift the telescope by the handle Once the telescope is in the horizontal position you can carry the entire unit with one hand while supporting the optical tube with the other hand If you wish to carry the optical tube and base separately simply remove the retaining and tensioning knobs Then lift the tube off the base then rethread the knobs back into the bearings so that you do not lose them Be careful however that the knobs don t get bent when transporting the telescope tube Do not use the navigation knob as a carry handle It is not designed to support the weight of the telescope tube and could break off or damage the tube 14 Fig
50. ts via the Intelliscope Computerized Object Loca tor Controller This functionality will greatly enhance your observing experience by enabling you to quickly and precisely locate even very faint objects For more about IntelliScope Controller functionality see Section 6 Before using your IntelliScope for the first time at night we recommend getting a feel for its basic functions during day light hours Find a spot outdoors where you have a clear view of some object or landmark that is at least 1 4 mile away It is not critical that the base be exactly level but it should be placed on somewhat flat ground or pavement to ensure smooth movement of the telescope Remember never point the telescope at or near the Sun with out using a proper solar filter over the front aperture Altitude and Azimuth Motion The SkyQuest s Dobsonian base permits smooth motion of the telescope along two axes altitude up down and azimuth left right Figure 14 For altitude motion the altitude bear ings on the telescope tube glide on pairs of bearing cylinders made from ultra high molecular weight UHMW polyethylene For azimuth motion the top baseplate moves on three PTFE UHMW bearing pads affixed to the ground baseplate Figure 15 Adjust the tensioning knob until the altitude balance is just right The telescope should move easily in altitude without drifting when you let go To move the telescope simply take hold of the navigation knob
51. ubtle fea tures of the lunar surface 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 telescope 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 Also be sure to cover the finder scope or better yet remove it altogether C The Planets The planets don t stay put like the stars so to find them you should refer to the monthly star chart and In the Sky column on the Orion website www telescope com 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 SkyQuest IntelliScope is capable of showing you these planets in great detail Other planets may be visible but will likely appear starlike Because planets are quite small in apparent size optional higher power eyepieces and or a bar low lens are recommended for detailed observations Not all the planets are generally visible at any one time JUPITER The largest planet Jupiter is a
52. ure 18 The quick collimation cap which features a reflective inner surface helps in centering reflections of the optics in the focuser during the collimation process Note The Intelliscope may be too heavy for some users to lift and carry as one unit Do not strain yourself If the load seems too heavy carry the base and tube separately or get help Bott d Reflective surface of O aNG collimation of focuser cap Reflection of your eye Mirror center mark not shown for clarity S secondary 7 Primary mirror clip 7 ON Reflection of Reflection of secondary mirror holder with spider vanes primary mirror Center ring on primary mirror o Figure 19 Collimating the optics a When the mirrors are properly aligned the view down the focuser drawtube should look like this b With the collimation cap in place if the optics are out of alignment the view might look something like this c Here the secondary mirror is centered under the focuser but it needs to be adjusted tilted so that the entire primary mirror is visible d The secondary mirror is correctly aligned but the primary mirror still needs adjustment When the primary mirror is correctly aligned the dot will be centered as in e When putting the IntelliScope into a vehicle common sense prevails It is especially important that the optical tube does not get knocked around this can cause the optics to become misaligned and could dent t
53. whitish 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 as tiny points of light Even powerful tele scopes cannot magnify stars to appear as anything more than pinpoints 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 gor geous two color double star Albireo in Cygnus are favorites 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 that is objects that reside outside of our solar system These include gaseous nebulas open and glob ular star clusters and a variety of different types of galaxies The large apertures of SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonians are particularly well suited to gathering light which is critical for observing these usually faint celestial entities For deep sky observing 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 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 from these fasci nating objects Beginners are often surprised to discover that the deep sky objects they see through the eyepiece of a telescope are mostly

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