Oregon SP200 Clock User Manual
Contents
1. Out of collimation Collimated Figure 1 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 right if optics are perfectly collimated If circle is unsymmetrical as in illustration on left scope needs collimation focus the image with the focusing knob If the telescope is correctly collimated the expanding disk should be a circle Figure 1 If the image is unsymmetrical the scope is out of collimation Also the dark shadow cast by the secondary mir ror should appear in the very center of the out of focus circle like the hole in a donut If the hole appears off center the telescope is out of collimation If you try the star test but 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 corrections to the tele scope s position in order to account for the sky s apparent motion Collimating the StarMax Apex To collimate your telescope remove the diagonal and eye piece and look into rear opening of the tube also remove the dust cover from the front of the tube This should be done indoors with the telescope pointed at a white wall in a well lit room Try to keep your eye centered with respect to the re2. The equatorial mount Front view Dec slow motion control cable Dec setting circle Latitude scale Latitude adjustment t bolt Latitude lock t bolt Azimuth lock knob wide enough to connect each end of the accessory tray bracket to the attachment point on each leg Use the screw that comes installed in each attachment point to do this First remove the screw using the supplied screwdriv er then line up one of the ends of the bracket with the attachment point and reinstall the screw Make sure that the accessory tray bracket is oriented so that the ribs in its plastic molding face downward With the accessory tray bracket attached spread the tri pod legs apart as far as they will go until the bracket is taut Attach the accessory tray to the accessory tray bracket with the three wing screws already installed in the tray Do this by pushing the wing screws up through the holes in the accessory tray bracket and threading them into the holes in the accessory tray Tighten the bolts at the tops of the tripod legs so the legs are securely fastened to the equatorial mount Use the larger wrench and your fingers to do this Orient the equatorial mount as it appears in Figure 2 ata latitude of about 40 so the pointer next to the latitude scale located directly above the latitude lock t bolt is pointing to the mark at 40 To do this loosen the latitude lock t bolt and turn
3. ETH OA VE TEN UD O OEO TO VO XO O VIN TE N RSS O O a8 ai Wee Wap RS RON ee mi We oS BN Ry pane ee W D Ry AY OR re W D ee Anes oy ans ee aN ae aN ee aN Ry ans oS ai Y Ry sin wy ee W D Ry nes KS W D v NY Me Cony ns ee Anes ae ns ee aN v ARNI eee ai Y X w Vee See SSS SS Se Se Ne eee Se Sa See See SS Se SS SS Se Se SS Se Se ee ee Se See Se Se Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars Post Office Box 1815 Santa Cruz CA 95061 Customer Support Help Line 800 676 1343 Day or Evening 16 Collimating Orion StarMax and Apex Maksutov Cassegrain Telescopes StarMax 90 102 and 127 Apex 90 102 and 127 9821 9824 9826 9820 9823 9825 Collimating is the process of aligning a telescope s optics Your StarMax or Apex s primary mirror was aligned at the factory and should not need adjustment unless the telescope is handled roughly This manual contains information on how to test the collimation of your telescope and instructions for proper alignment should that be needed Star Testing the Telescope Before you start adjusting the primary mirror of your tele scope make certain that it is actually out of collimation by performing a star test Take your telescope out at dusk and let it acclimate to the outside temperature this usually takes 30 60 minutes When it is dark point the telescope upwards at a bright star and accurately center it in the eyepiece s field of view Slowly de
4. StarMax 102mm EQ is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for Es i ig a i yi es 8 a period of one year from the date of purchase This warranty is for the benefit of the original E2 za a retail purchaser only During this warranty period Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars will repair or RA RS PPa S replace at Orion s option any warranted instrument that proves to be defective provided itis Ez eee A EN ws 2 returned postage paid to Orion Warranty Repair 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 If the E2 kea S product is not registered proof of purchase such as a copy of the original invoice is required E sA es y ci ee a eee ee Sete til 5 e keza his warranty does not apply if in Orion s judgment the instrument has been abused mishan E259 oao re f f se egy e dled or modified nor does it apply to normal wear and tear This warranty gives you specific Ezzas KM i SSO tee 88 legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state For further war IE Wise Sao jee ranty service information contact Customer Service Department Orion Telescopes amp IR lt A WS o ey Binoculars P O Box 1815 Santa Cruz CA 95061 800 676 1343 a X Os i aoe eect LL ea leg e Wert le nl a LEMME NONE EMEA MME UNE TEETH MME NONI EE N ES N E MEAN N ES N ESTAN EEO ES ON ESON EE e MIAN EA MICE VHS mo ST O E N R E VO T VEO N DYN TON P
5. mount so the telescope optical tube can move freely 3 Point the telescope at the bright star whose coordinates you know Lock the R A and Dec lock knobs Center the star in the telescope s field of view with the slow motion control cables 4 Loosen the R A setting circle lock thumb screw see Figure 2 this will allow the setting circle to rotate freely Rotate the setting circle until the arrow between the R and the A on the plastic gear cover indicates the R A coordinate listed in the star atlas for the object Retighten the thumb screw Dec coordinate indicator arrow Celestial equator Dec 0 Use these numbers on the R A setting circle Northern Hemisphere Plastic R A gear cover R A coordinate indicator arrow Figure 7 For Northern Hemisphere observers use the lower set of numbers on the R A setting circle The R A coordinate indicator arrow is between the R and the A on the plastic gear cover The telescope not shown is pointing north of the celestial equator so the approximate coordinates of the mount in the image are R A 8h 30m Dec 60 Finding Objects With the Setting Circles Now that both setting circles are calibrated look up in a star atlas the coordinates of an object you wish to view 1 Loosen the Dec lock knob and rotate the telescope until the Dec value from the star atlas matches the reading on the Dec setting circle Remember that values of the
6. out the cloud bands on the planet s disk 11 SATURN The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is well positioned The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period of many years sometimes they are seen edge on while at other times they are broadside and look like giant ears on each side of Saturn s disk A steady atmosphere good see ing is necessary for a good view You will probably see a bright star close by which is Saturn s brightest moon Titan VENUS At its brightest Venus is the most luminous object in the sky excluding the Sun and the Moon It is so bright that sometimes it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight 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 its closest approach to Earth every two years During close approaches you ll see a red disk and may be able to see the polar ice cap To see surface detail on Mars you will need a high power eyepiece and very steady air D The Stars Stars will appear like twinkling points of light Even powerful telescopes cannot magnify stars to appear as more than a point of light You can however enjoy the different colors of the stars and locate many pretty double and multiple stars The famou
7. the figures that accompany them Figure 3 If the view through the rear opening of the telescope resembled Figure 2a then the alignment screw you would start with would be this one The actual first alignment screw you would pick will vary depending on which way the front opening would need to move in order to fill the black crescent Figure 3 Figure 4a Figure 4b Now with the 2mm Allen wrench turn the two adjacent small screws counterclockwise no more than 1 4 turn Figure 4a Using the 3mm Allen wrench turn the large screw clockwise a small amount no more than 1 4 of a turn Note actual selected alignment screw will vary If the alignment screw is a large screw First using the 3mm Allen wrench turn the large screw clock wise a small amount no more than a 1 4 turn Figure 4a Now with the 2mm Allen wrench turn the two adjacent small screws Figure 4b counterclockwise no more than 1 4 turn Locate the small screw that is 180 opposite the first screw Figure 4c and turn it clockwise no more than 1 4 turn Figure 5a Figure 5b Figure 5a Using the 2mm Allen wrench turn the large screw counterclockwise a small amount no more than 1 4 of a turn Note Actual selected alignment screw will vary Figure 5b Now with the 3mm Allen wrench turn the two adjacent large screws clockwise no more than 1 4 turn If the alignment screw is a small screw First using the 2mm Allen wren
8. the latitude adjustment t bolt until the pointer and the 40 line up Then retighten the latitude lock t bolt The declination Dec and right ascension R A axes may need re positioning rotation as well Be Dec lock knob R A lock knob R A setting circle lock thumbscrew R A setting circle R A slow motion control cable sure to loosen the R A and Dec lock knobs before doing this Retighten the R A and Dec lock knobs once the equatorial mount is properly oriented 7 Slide the counterweight onto the counterweight shaft Make sure the counterweight lock knob is adequately loosened to allow the counterweight shaft to pass through the hole in the counterweight 8 With the counterweight lock knob still loose grip the coun terweight with one hand and thread the shaft into the equatorial mount at the base of the declination axis with the other hand When it is threaded as far in as it will go position the counterweight about halfway up the shaft and tighten the counterweight lock knob The retaining screw and washer on the bottom of the shaft prevent the coun terweight from falling off and onto your foot if the counterweight lock knob becomes loose 9 Attach the 1 4 20 adapter to the top of the equatorial mount using the bolts and washers that come with the adapter Push the bolts with washers attached up through the holes in top of the mount and thread them into the bottom of the adapter Tigh
9. won t fall out when rotating the diagonal Retighten the thumb screws on the eyepiece adapter once the diagonal has been rotated to an appropriate position Objects to Observe Now that you are all set up and ready to go one critical deci sion must be made what to look at A The Moon With its rocky surface the Moon is one of the easiest and most interesting targets to view with your telescope Lunar craters marias and even mountain ranges can all be clearly seen from a distance of 238 000 miles away With its ever changing phases you ll get a new view of the Moon every night The best time to observe our one and only natural 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 fil ter You ll find that the Moon filter improves viewing comfort and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar surface B The Sun You can change your nighttime telescope i
10. 02mm not only excels at astronomical observ ing its great for terrestrial land viewing too The equatorial mount however is not well suited for land viewing due to its motion about R A and Dec axes instead of altitude vertical and azimuth horizontal axes Because of this we recom mend removing the optical tube from the EQ 2 Mount and placing it on an appropriate photo style tripod This is easily done by rotating the thumb wheel clockwise on the mount s 1 4 20 adapter Make sure to have a firm grip on the tube as it releases from the mount Now connect the optical tube to a photo tripod by threading the tripod s 1 4 20 shaft into the hole in the tube s mounting block The included mirror star diagonal while preferred for astro nomical observing because of its viewing angle and better resolution is not optimal for land viewing because it inverts images from left to right We recommend purchasing an optional 45 correct image diagonal for terrestrial observing it provides a more comfortable viewing angle for land viewing and an image that is oriented the same as the naked eye For terrestrial viewing it s best to stick with low power eye pieces that yield a magnification under 100x At higher powers images rapidly lose sharpness and clarity due to heat waves caused by Sun heated air Remember to aim well clear of the Sun unless the front of the telescope is fitted with a professionally made solar filter and
11. Dec setting circle are positive when the telescope is pointing north of the celestial equator Dec 0 and negative when the telescope is pointing south of the celestial equa tor Retighten the lock knob 2 Loosen the R A lock knob and rotate the telescope until the R A value from the star atlas matches the reading on the R A setting circle Remember to use the lower set of numbers on the R A setting circle Retighten the lock knob Most setting circles are not accurate enough to put an object dead center in the telescope s eyepiece but they should place the object somewhere within the field of view of the finder scope assuming the equatorial mount is accurately polar aligned Use the slow motion controls to center the object in the finder scope and it should appear in the tele scope s field of view The R A setting circle must be re calibrated every time you wish to locate a new object Do so by calibrating the setting cir cle for the centered object before moving on to the next one Confused About Pointing the Telescope Beginners occasionally experience some confusion about how to point the telescope overhead or in other directions In Figure 1 the telescope is pointed north as it would be during polar alignment The counterweight shaft is oriented downward But it will not look like that when the telescope is pointed in other directions Let s say you want to view an object that is directly overhead at the ze
12. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion StarMax 102mm EQ 9824 Equatorial Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope Customer Support 800 676 1343 ORIONI E mail support telescope com TELESCOPES amp BINOCULARS Corporate Offices 831 763 7000 Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 P O Box 1815 Santa Cruz CA 95061 IN 158 Rev A 0501 Finder scope Meniscus lens Finder scope bracket 1 4 20 adapter Eyepiece gt Eyepiece adapter Dec setting circle Star diagonal Focus knob R A setting circle Latitude lock t bolt Counterweight Latitude adjustment t bolt Counterweight lock knob Dec slow motion control cable 4 4 Counterweight shaft Azimuth lock knob s R A slow motion control cable Accessory tray Accessory tray bracket Accessory tray bracket attachment point Leg lock knob Figure 1 StarMax 102mm EQ Parts Diagram Welcome to a new world of adventure Your new StarMax 102mm EQ is designed for high resolution observing of astronomical objects and can also be used for terrestrial exploration With its precision optics and equatorial mount you ll be able to locate and enjoy hundreds of fascinating celestial objects including the planets Moon and a variety of deep sky galaxies nebulas and star clusters If you have never owned a telescope before we would like to welcome you to amateur astronomy Take some time to familiar
13. Keep in mind as with any new task that star hopping may seem challenging at first but will become easier over time and with practice To star hop only a minimal amount of additional equipment is necessary A star chart or atlas that shows stars to at least mag nitude 5 is required Select one that shows the positions of many deep sky objects so you will have a lot of options to choose from If you do not know the positions of the constellations in the night sky you will need a planisphere to identify them ANDROMEDA l iia Galery ay IF LET i rl Attia Maz 5 Pirie aay M33 Figure 9 Star hopping is a good way to locate hard to find objects Refer to a star chart to map a route to the object that uses bright stars as guideposts Center the first star you ve chosen in the finder scope and telescope eyepiece 1 Now move the scope carefully in the direction of the next bright star 2 until it is centered Repeat 3 and 4 The last hop 5 should place the desired object in the eyepiece Start by choosing bright objects to view The brightness of an object is measured by its visual magnitude the brighter an object the lower its magnitude Choose an object with a visu al magnitude of 9 or lower Many beginners start with the Messier objects first catalogued about 200 years ago by the French astronomer Charles Messier which represent some of the best and brightest deep sky objects Determine in which conste
14. 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 Objective lens Alignment thumb screws Focus lock ring Eyepiacel spring loaded tensioner Figure 5 The 6x26 correct image finder scope and bracket 5 Setting Up and Using the Equatorial Mount When you look at the night sky you no doubt have noticed that the stars appear to move slowly from east to west over time That apparent motion is caused by the Earth s rotation from west to east An equatorial mount Figure 2 is designed to compensate for that motion allowing you to easi ly track the movement of astronomical objects thereby keeping them from drifting out of the telescope s field of view while you re observing Figure 6 To find Polaris in the night sky look north and find the Big Dipper Extend an imaginary line from the two Pointer Stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper Go about five times the distance between those stars and you ll reach Polaris which lies within 1 of the north celestial pole NCP Big Dipper in Ursa Major This is accomplished by slowly rotating the telescope on its right ascension R A axis using only the R A slow motion cable But first the R A axis of the mount must be aligned with the Earth s rotational polar axis a process called polar align
15. ail mount Cover the front of the optical tube with the dust cover and the rear opening of the eyepiece adapter with its cap Now place the tube in the case s main compartment under neath the padded divider The finder scope and bracket can be placed on top of the divider as one unit The eyepiece and diagonal should be covered with their caps and placed in the external compartments of the case lt is not necessary to completely disassemble the mount to transport it It will be convenient to remove the accessory tray by unthreading the three wing screws in order to fold the tri pod legs together It may also be convenient to remove the slow motion control cables and counterweight shaft Orion offers an optional Padded Scope Case that will fit the entire EQ 2 Mount Storing If you give your telescope reasonable care it will last a life time Store it in a clean dry dust free place safe from rapid changes in temperature and humidity Do not store the tele scope outdoors although storage in a garage or shed is OK Small components like eyepieces diagonals and other accessories can be kept in the included carry case or in an optional eyepiece case Keep the dust cover on the front of the telescope and cap the rear opening of the eyepiece adapter Also keep the finder scope caps on if you leave it attached to the optical tube Cleaning the Tube Your StarMax 102mm EQ telescope requires very little mechanical maintenance The opti
16. ar opening of the tube as best as possible Using an Orion Collimating Eyepiece will aid greatly in keeping your eye cen tered and is strongly recommend Alternatively you can make a crude collimating tool out of an empty black plastic 35mm film canister It will not have crosshairs so it won t be as precise but it will be better than nothing Cut 1 2 from the top lip of the canister and put a 1 16 to 1 8 diameter hole in the center of its bottom Insert the film canister collimating tool into the focuser like an eye piece with the bottom end out IN 183 Rev A 03 02 Secondary mirror Reflection of your eye in secondary mirror Front of telescope Reflection of inside of tube misalignment Secondary reflection of inside of tube Figure 2a Figure 2a If the telescope s optics are out of alignment the view through the rear opening of the telescope will resemble Figure 2a Once you are ready to collimate look into rear opening of the tube If your telescope is out of collimation it will resemble Figure 2a a properly collimated scope will resemble Figure 2b The direction of the misalignment in your telescope may differ from Figure 2a but the diagram will give you the gen eral idea of how things will look Note there are six alignment screws on the back of the opti cal tube three large and three small You will need 3mm and 2mm Allen wrenches to turn these screws These alignment screws push and pull the mirr
17. cal tube is aluminum and has a smooth painted finish that is fairly scratch resistant If a scratch does appear on the tube it will not harm the tele scope If you wish you may apply some auto touch up paint to the scratch Smudges on the tube can be wiped off with a soft cloth and a household cleaner such as Windex or Formula 409 Cleaning Lenses Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean ing fluid specifically designed for multi coated optics can be used to clean the StarMax s front meniscus lens or exposed lenses of your eyepieces or finder 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 13 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 finger prints and smudges may be removed using this method Use caution rubbing too hard may scratch the lens For the large surface of the meniscus lens clean only a small area at a time using a fresh lens tissue on each area Never reuse tissues 10 Specifications Optical design Maksutov Cassegrain Aperture 102mm Effective focal length 1300mm Focal ratio f 12 7 Central obstruction diameter 31mm Primary mirror coating Aluminum with overcoat Meniscus lens coating Anti refl
18. ch turn the small screw counterclockwise a small amount no more than a 1 4 turn Figure 5a Now with the 3mm Allen wrench turn the two adjacent large screws Figure 5b clockwise no more than 1 4 turn Locate the large screw that is 180 opposite the first screw Figure 5c and turn it counterclockwise no more than 1 4 turn Finishing Collimation Once you have finished adjusting your telescope you will need to perform another star test described earlier to check the collimation If your telescope appears collimated after star testing it should not need adjustment again unless it is roughly handled Figure 4c Figure 4d Figure 4d Turn the two large screws adjacent to the small screw counterclockwise no more than 1 4 turn Figure 4c Turn the small screw that is 180 opposite the first screw clockwise no more than 1 4 turn Turn the two large screws adjacent to the small screw Figure 4d counterclockwise no more than 1 4 turn Repeat the above steps until the front opening is centered in the direction you wanted it to go You may need to repeat this or the small screw adjustment process with other screws in order to align it in other directions Figure 5d Figure 5c Figure 5c Turn the large screw that is 180 opposite the first screw counterclockwise no more than 1 4 turn Figure 5d Turn the two large screws adjacent to the small screw clockwise no more than 1 4 turn Turn the two small s
19. crews adjacent to the large screw Figure 5d clockwise no more than 1 4 turn Repeat the above steps until the front opening is centered in the direction you wanted it to go You may need to repeat this or the large screw adjustment process with other screws in order to align it in other directions Repeat these two procedures as needed until the view through the scope resembles Figure 2b If you have gone through this process and your telescope is still out of collimation please contact Orion customer sup port You may need to return the telescope for repair covered on warranty for 1 year after purchase
20. ct to be viewed retighten the mount s R A and Dec lock knobs The object should now be visible somewhere in the tele scope s finder scope If it isn t use the slow motion controls to scan the surrounding area of sky When the object is visible in the finder scope use the slow motion controls to center it Now look in the telescope s eyepiece If the finder scope is properly aligned the object should be visible somewhere in the field of view Once the object is visible in the eyepiece use the slow motion controls to center it in the field of view The Dec slow motion control cable can move the telescope a maximum of 25 This is because the Dec slow motion mech anism has a limited range of mechanical travel The R A slow motion mechanism has no limit to its amount of travel If you can no longer rotate the Dec control cable in a desired direction you have reached the end of travel and the slow motion mechanism must be reset This is done by first rotating the control cable several turns in the opposite direction from which it was originally being turned Then manually slew the telescope closer to the object you wish to observe remember to first loosen the Dec lock knob You should now be able to use the Dec slow motion control cable again to fine adjust the telescope s position Tracking Celestial Objects When you observe a celestial object through the telescope you ll see it drift slowly across the field of
21. ection multi coatings on both sides of lens Eyepiece adapter Accepts 1 25 accessories camera t threads Eyepiece 25mm Sirius Plossl fully coated with multi coatings 1 25 format Magnification with supplied eyepiece 52x Actual field of view with supplied eyepiece 0 92 Diagonal 90 mirror star diagonal 1 25 format Near focus with supplied eyepiece amp diagonal Approximately 11 feet Finder scope 6x magnification 26mm aperture correct image achromatic 6 3 field Finder scope bracket Dovetail base spring loaded X Y alignment Optical tube mounting block Fits standard photo style tripods Mount EQ 2 German type equatorial Slow motion controls R A and Dec axes Setting Circles R A scaled in 10 minute increments Dec scaled in 1 increments Counterweight 4 8 lbs Latitude range 5 to 75 Tripod Adjustable height aluminum legs accessory tray included Case Deluxe carry case for optical tube included padded case for EQ 2 mount optional Motor drives Optional Weight 21 9 lbs tube 5 0 lbs mount 16 9 Ibs 14 15 eae eee ee ER NN RN EV R O ere a erm are free rare 0 arene fe fo cea fo ere D AERES o ESEE AaS o AS A mane AEDES o SEESE o AIDOT AR ISIRO SETOR TaS AAAS ESAS EASES ESSAS ETIES SERS o ASUS SEER o TUNES ESITE o ETIS EAR SIE CS a a E CG NY a a a a a N ee EAE e en e i pe a p pe p z pii e pi e pii piit pia s pp NGS ess ay One Year Limited Warran Leet eee ny HE a This Orion
22. escope to cool to the temperature outdoors In very cold climates below freezing it is essential to store the tele scope as cold as possible If it has to adjust to more than a 40 temperature change allow at least one hour Let Your Eyes Dark Adapt Don t expect to go from a lighted house into the darkness of the outdoors at night and immediately see faint nebulas galaxies and star clusters or even very many stars for that matter Your eyes take about 30 minutes to reach perhaps 80 of their full dark adapted sensitivity AS your eyes become dark adapted more stars will glimmer into view and you ll be able to see fainter details in objects you view in your telescope To see what you re 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 flashlight with red cellophane or paper Beware too that nearby porch and streetlights and car head lights will ruin your night vision Eyepiece Selection By using eyepieces of varying focal lengths it is possible to attain many magnifications with the StarMax 102mm EQ The telescope comes with one high quality 25mm Sirius Plossl which gives a magnification of 52x Other eyepieces can be used to achieve higher or lower powers It is quite common for an observer to own five or more eyepiece
23. hat does not have the alignment screws while pulling the chrome spring loaded tensioner on the bracket with your fingers see Figure 3 Push the finder scope through the bracket until the O ring seats just inside the front opening of the brackets cylinder Now release the tensioner and tighten the two black nylon screws a couple of turns each to secure the finder scope in place The tips of the tensioner and nylon screws should seat into the wide groove on the rear of the finder scope s body Spring loaded tensioner Eyepiece end of finder scope Alignment thumb screws 4f O ring y Figure 3 To install the finder scope in the finder scope bracket pull the spring loaded tensioner while inserting the eyepiece end of the finder scope into the bracket 13 Insert the base of the finder scope bracket into the dove tail holder on the optical tube Lock the bracket into position by tightening the knurled thumb screw on the dovetail holder 14 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 thumb screws on the eyepiece adapter 15 Insert the chrome barrel of the eyepiece into the star diag onal Secure the eyepiece with the thumb screws on the star diagonal The telescope system is now fully assembled Keep the dust cover over the front end of the telescope when it is not in use lt is also a good idea to cover t
24. he eyepiece use the cover cap that came with it 4 Getting Started Balancing the Telescope To insure smooth movement of the telescope on both axes of motion R A and Dec of the equatorial mount it is impera tive that the optical tube be properly balanced 1 Keeping one hand on the telescope optical tube loosen the R A lock knob Make sure the Dec lock knob is locked The telescope should now be able to rotate freely about the R A axis Rotate it until the counterweight shaft is par allel to the ground i e horizontal 2 Loosen the counterweight lock knob and slide the counter weight along the shaft until it exactly counterbalances the telescope Figure 4a That s the point at which the shaft remains horizontal even when you let go of the telescope with both hands Figure 4b 3 Retighten the counterweight lock knob The telescope is now balanced on the R A axis It is not nec essary to balance the telescope on the Dec axis since the optical tube s mounting block is positioned so that the tele scope will automatically be balanced on that axis Now when you loosen the lock knob on one or both axes of motion and manually point the telescope it should move without resist ance and should not drift from where you point it b Figure 4a b Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires balancing the telescope tube on the R A axis a With the R A lock knob released slide the counterweight al
25. illips screwdriver flathead screwdriver key 3 Assembly Assembling the telescope for the first time should take about 30 minutes No tools are needed other than the ones provid ed All bolts should be tightened securely to eliminate flexing and wobbling but be careful not to over tighten or the threads may strip Refer to Figure 1 during the assembly process During assembly and anytime for that matter DO NOT touch the surface of the telescope s meniscus lens or the lenses of the finder scopes or eyepieces with your fingers The optical surfaces have delicate coatings on them that can easily be damaged if touched inappropriately NEVER remove any lens assembly from its housing for any reason or the product warranty and return policy will be voided 1 Lay the equatorial mount on its side Attach the tripod legs one at a time to the mount by sliding the bolts installed in the tops of the tripod legs into the slots at the base of the mount and tightening the wing nuts finger tight The accessory tray bracket attachment point on each leg should face inward 2 Tighten the leg lock knobs on the bottom braces of the tri pod legs For now keep the legs at their shortest fully retracted length you can extend them to a more desirable length later after the telescope is completely assembled 3 With the tripod legs now attached to the equatorial mount stand the tripod upright be careful and spread the legs Figure 2a
26. ize yourself with the night sky Learn to recognize the patterns of stars in the major constellations With a little practice a little patience and a reasonably dark sky away from city lights you ll find your telescope to be a never ending source of wonder exploration and relaxation These instructions will help you set up properly use and care for your telescope Please read them over thoroughly before getting started Table of Contents Te OG CIN crores cceecet ieee crteper en ceateeseneienreeceneseubl an areemt maa cdembiscreiews Stmaaeecen atv sieuvenmemaacncesss 3 De WES WIS Pease seme esp seeps E tants vipers ok a wes apn wan E ental pan ona vb ed evades hapaen A ATT 3 3 ASSON epre e E cio blr leita E fg E E E EEE EE 4 4 Getting Started ccanssasacencasscaaaecuenctaxtteeadntmetssansaeaenceatenesduasent oncsausaengs tat Saewdeeosesdeeieratosmansadauavestare sions 5 5 Setting Up and Using the Equatorial MOUNT cccccccccceseeceeeseeeeeeeeeeeeceeeeaeeeeeeseaaeeeeseaaeees 7 6 Using Your Telescope Astronomical Observing ccccccseeeceeeceeeeeeesaeeeeeesseaeeeeseaeeeeesanaes 10 7 Terrestrial VICI ict tence etecivo si deateiestasaisgesten hein en td toka natant gctes nsaarieiasddamttwhsioehieanmhaiasamatolowiactnacdetvsiinuintes 13 o POOL FAD eeo E E ER E caveranernacnniahnnenaeanniannieedeaces 13 9 Care and Maintenance siete cccsiammnsdntoedinie tata catnmesninevenduatsautionsinaeatiansal neaaadeaniscdvannetancueduaiaa
27. llation the object lies Now find the constellation in the sky If you do not recognize the constella tions on sight consult a planisphere The planisphere gives an all sky view and shows which constellations are visible on a given night at a given time Now look at your star chart and find the brightest star in the constellation that is near the object you are trying to find Using the finder scope point the telescope at this star and center it on the crosshairs Next look again at the star chart and find another suitably bright star near the bright star cur rently centered in the finder Keep in mind that the field of view of the finder scope is about 6 so you should choose another star that is no more that 6 from the first star if possible Move the telescope slightly until the telescope is centered on the new star 12 Continue using stars as guideposts in this way until you are at the approximate position of the object you are trying to find Figure 9 Look in the telescope s eyepiece and the object should be somewhere within the field of view If it s not sweep the telescope carefully around the immediate vicinity until the object is found If you have trouble finding the object start the star hop again from the brightest star near the object you wish to view This time be sure the stars indicated on the star chart are in fact the stars you are centering in the eyepiece 7 Terrestrial Viewing The StarMax 1
28. m apply to viewing in the Southern Hemisphere The R A coordinate indicator arrow is between the R and the A on the plastic R A gear cover see Figure 7 ignore the metal pointer on the R A axis of the mount The Dec setting circle is scaled in degrees with each mark representing 1 increments Values of Dec coordinates range from 90 to 90 The 0 mark indicates the celestial equator see Figure 7 When the telescope is pointed north of the celestial equator values of the Dec setting circle are positive and when the telescope is pointed south of the celestial equa tor values of the Dec setting circle are negative So the coordinates for the Orion Nebula listed in a star atlas will look like this R A 5h 35 4m Dec 5 27 That s 5 hours and 35 4 minutes in right ascension and 5 degrees and 27 arc minutes in declination there are 60 arc minutes in 1 degree of declination Before you can use the setting circles to locate objects the mount must be well polar aligned and the R A setting circle must be calibrated The Dec setting circle has been perma nently calibrated at the factory and should read 90 whenever the telescope optical tube is parallel with the R A axis Calibrating the Right Ascension Setting Circle 1 Identify a bright star in the sky near the celestial equator Dec 0 and look up its coordinates in a star atlas 2 Loosen the R A and Dec lock knobs on the equatorial
29. ment Polar Alignment For Northern Hemisphere observers approximate polar alignment is achieved by pointing the mount s R A axis at the North Star or Polaris It lies within 1 of the north celestial pole NCP which is an extension of the Earth s rotational axis out into space Stars in the Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around the NCP To find Polaris in the sky look north and locate the pattern of the Big Dipper Figure 6 The two stars at the end of the bowl of the Big Dipper point right to Polaris Observers in the Southern Hemisphere aren t so fortunate to have a bright star so near the south celestial pole SCP The star Sigma Octantis lies about 1 from the SCP but it is bare ly visible with the naked eye magnitude 5 5 For general visual observation an approximate polar align ment is sufficient 1 Level the equatorial mount by adjusting the length of the three tripod legs 2 Loosen the latitude lock t bolt Turn the latitude adjustment t bolt and tilt the mount until the pointer on the latitude scale is set at the latitude of your observing site If you don t Know your latitude consult a geographical atlas to find it For example if your latitude is 35 North set the pointer to 35 Then retighten the latitude lock t bolt The latitude setting should not have to be adjusted again unless you move to a different viewing location some dis tance away 3 Loosen the Dec lock knob and rota
30. nith How do you do it DO NOT make any adjustment to the latitude adjustment t bolt That will nullify the mount s polar alignment Remember once the mount is polar aligned the telescope should be moved only on the R A and Dec axes To point the scope overhead first loosen the R A lock knob and rotate the tele scope on the R A axis until the counterweight shaft is horizontal parallel to the ground Then loosen the Dec lock knob and rotate the telescope until it is pointing straight over head The counterweight shaft is still horizontal Then retighten both lock knobs Similarly to point the telescope directly south the counter weight shaft should again be horizontal Then you simply rotate the scope on the Dec axis until it points in the south direction What if you need to aim the telescope directly north but at an object that is nearer to the horizon than Polaris You can t do it with the counterweight down as pictured in Figure 1 Again you have to rotate the scope in R A so the counterweight shaft is positioned horizontally Then rotate the scope in Dec So it points to where you want it near the horizon To point the telescope to the east or west or in other direc tions rotate the telescope on its R A and Dec axes Depending on the altitude of the object you want to observe the counterweight shaft will be oriented somewhere between vertical and horizontal Figure 8 illustrates how the telescope will look p
31. nneeseanes 13 10 SOS CHICA ONS apraide pnr EEEN EEEE E EEEE EEEE EE EEE EEEE 14 1 Unpacking 2 Parts List The entire telescope system will arrive in one box Be careful Qty Description unpacking the box We recommend keeping the original ship 1 Optical tube assembly ping containers In the event that the telescope needs to be Optical tube dust cover shipped to another location or returned to Orion for warranty B i repair having the proper shipping containers will help ensure 1 25mm 52x Sirius Plossl eyepiece 1 25 that your telescope will survive the journey intact 1 Mirror star diagonal Make sure all the parts in the Parts List are present Be sure 1 6x26 correct image finder scope to check boxes carefully as some parts are small If anything ee l appears to be missing or broken immediately call Orion Dovetail finder scope bracket with O ring Customer Support 800 676 1343 or email support tele 1 Equatorial mount scope com for assistance 3 Tripod legs 1 Counterweight shaft 1 Counterweight 1 Tripod accessory tray WARNING Never look directly at the Sun i A bay aracial through your telescope or its finder scope a a even for an instant without a professionally 2 Slow motion control cables made solar filter that completely covers the 1 4 20 adapter front of the instrument or permanent eye damage could result Young children should use 1 Soft carry case this telescope only with adult supervision 3 Assembly tools wrench Ph
32. nto a daytime Sun viewer by installing an optional full aperture solar filter over the front opening of the StarMax 102mm EQ The primary attraction is sunspots which change shape appearance and location daily Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activ ity in the Sun Many observers like to make drawings of sunspots to monitor how the Sun is changing from day to day Important Note Do not look at the Sun with any optical instrument without a professionally made solar filter or permanent eye damage could result C The Planets The planets don t stay put like the stars so to find them you should refer to Sky Calendar at our website www tele scope 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 StarMax 102mm EQ is capable of showing you these planets in some detail Other planets may be visible but will likely appear star like Because planets are quite small in apparent size optional higher power eyepieces are recommended and often needed for detailed observations Not all the planets are generally visible at any one time JUPITER The largest planet Jupiter is a great subject for observation You can see the disk of the giant planet and watch the ever changing positions of its four largest moons lo Callisto Europa and Ganymede Higher power eyepieces should bring
33. ointed at the four cardinal directions north south east and west The key things to remember when pointing the telescope is that a you only move it in R A and Dec not in azimuth or lat itude altitude and b in actual use the counterweight and shaft will rarely appear as it does in Figure 1 ul E 4 F d 3 Figure 8a 8b 8c 8d This illustration shows the telescope pointed in the four cardinal directions a north b south c east d west Note that the tripod and mount have not been moved only the telescope tube has been moved on the R A and Dec axes 6 Using Your Telescope Astronomical Observing Choosing an Observing Site When selecting a location for observing get as far away as possible from direct artificial light such as street lights porch lights and automobile headlights The glare from these lights will greatly impair your dark adapted night vision Set up on a grass or dirt surface not asphalt because asphalt radiates more heat Heat disturbs the surrounding air and degrades the images seen through the telescope Avoid viewing over rooftops and chimneys as they often have warm air currents rising from them Similarly avoid observing from indoors through an open or closed window because the tempera 10 ture difference between the indoor and outdoor air will cause image blurring and distortion If at all possible escape the light polluted city sky and head for darker country skie
34. ong the counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube b When you let go with both hands the tube should not drift up or down Focusing the Telescope Point the telescope so the front end is aimed in the general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away Now with your fingers slowly rotate the focusing knob until the object comes into sharp focus Go a little bit beyond sharp focus until the image starts to blur again then reverse the rotation of the knob just to make sure you ve hit the exact focus point You will have to readjust the focus when aiming at subjects of varying distance or after changing eyepieces If you have trouble focusing rotate the focus knob counter clockwise as far as it will go Now look through the eyepiece while slowly rotating the focus knob clockwise You should soon see the point at which focus is reached Do You Wear Eyeglasses If you wear eyeglasses you may be able to keep them on while you observe In order to do this your eyepiece must have enough eye relief to allow you to see the entire field of view with glasses on You can try this by looking through the eyepiece first with your glasses on and then with them off 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 refocusing the tele scope the needed amount If your eyes are astigmatic images
35. or cell in order to tilt it When you loosen or tighten one of these screws the other five screws must be adjusted as well to keep the proper amount of pressure on the back of the mirror cell By making slight adjustments to how much the screws are tightened and loos ened you will change the alignment of the primary mirror Look into the rear opening of the tube and locate the black crescent that shows the telescope is out of alignment Figure 2a Note which way the front of the telescope would need to move in order to fill that black crescent and resem ble Figure 2b Then look at the back end of the telescope and locate the alignment screw that is in the direction that the Secondary mirror Reflection of your eye in secondary mirror Front of telescope Figure 2b Figure 2b With the optics properly aligned the view through the rear opening of the telescope will resemble Figure 2b front of the telescope needs to move For example if the view in your telescope resembled Figure 2a then you would want to move the front opening of the telescope scope to the right Then the alignment screw you would start with would be the screw on the right as shown in Figure 3 Your actions now depend on whether this alignment screw is a small or large screw Please note that you will be working to adjust the mirror cell by keeping all the screws not too loose and not too tight Follow the steps listed below careful ly and refer to
36. r scope Continue making adjustments to the alignment thumb screws until the image in both the finder scope and the telescope s eyepiece is exactly centered Check the alignment by moving the telescope to another object and fixing the finder scope s crosshairs on the exact point you want to look at Then look through the tele scope s eyepiece to see if that point is centered in the field of view If it is the job is done If not make the necessary adjust ments until the two images match up The finder scope alignment needs to be checked before every observing session This can easily be done at night before viewing through the telescope Choose any bright star or planet center the object in the telescope eyepiece and then adjust the finder scope s alignment 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 in detail Focusing the Finder Scope If when looking through the finder scope the images appear somewhat out of focus you will need to refocus the finder scope for your eyes Loosen the lock ring located behind the objective lens cell on the body of the finder scope see Figure 5 Back the lock ring off by a few turns for now Refocus the finder scope on a distant object by threading the objective lens cell in or out on the finder scope body Precise focusing will be
37. s 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 including gaseous nebulas open and glob ular star clusters and a variety of different types of galaxies Most deep sky objects are very faint so it is important that you find an observing site well away from light pollution Take plenty of time to let your eyes adjust to the darkness Do not expect these subjects to appear like the photographs you see in books and magazines most will look like dim 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 out more and more subtle details and structure How to Find Deep Sky Objects Star Hopping Star hopping as it is called by astronomers is perhaps the simplest way to hunt down deep sky objects to view in the night sky It entails first pointing the telescope at a bright star close to the object you wish to observe and then progressing to other stars closer and closer to the object until it is in the field of view of the eyepiece It is a very intuitive technique that has been employed for hundreds of years by professional and amateur astronomers alike
38. s You ll be amazed at how many more stars and deep sky objects are visible in a dark sky Seeing and Transparency Atmospheric conditions vary significantly from night to night Seeing refers to the steadiness of the Earth s atmosphere at a given time In conditions of poor seeing atmospheric turbu lence causes objects viewed through the telescope to boil If when you look up at the sky with just your eyes the stars are twinkling noticeably the seeing is bad and you will be limited 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 Especially important for observing faint objects is good trans parency air free of moisture smoke and dust All tend to scatter light which reduces an object s brightness Transparency is judged by the magnitude of the faintest stars you can see with the unaided eye 6th magnitude or fainter is desirable Cooling the Telescope All optical instruments need time to reach thermal equilibri um The bigger the instrument and the larger the temperature change the more time is needed Allow at least 30 minutes for your tel
39. s to access a wide range of magnifications This allows the observer to choose the best eyepiece to use depending on the object being viewed To calculate the magnification or power of a telescope and eyepiece combination simply divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece Magnification focal length of telescope focal length of eyepiece For example the StarMax 102mm EQ which has a focal length of 1300mm used in combination with the 25mm eye piece yields a power of 1300mm 25mm 52x Every telescope has a useful limit of power of about 2x per mm of aperture about 204x for the StarMax 102mm EQ Claims of higher power by some telescope manufacturers are a misleading advertising gimmick and should be dismissed Keep in mind that at higher powers an image will always be dimmer and less sharp this is a fundamental law of optics The steadiness of the air the seeing will also limit how much magnification an image can tolerate Whatever you choose to view always start by inserting your lowest power longest focal length eyepiece to locate and center the object Low magnification yields a wide field of view which shows a larger area of sky in the eyepiece This makes acquiring and centering an object much easier If you try to find and center objects with high power narrow field of view it s like trying to find a needle in a haystack Once you ve centered the object in the e
40. te the telescope opti cal tube until it is parallel with the R A axis as it is in Figure 1 The pointer on the Dec setting circle should read 90 Retighten the Dec lock lever 4 Loosen the azimuth lock knob at the base of the equatori al mount and rotate the mount so the telescope tube and R A axis points roughly at Polaris If you cannot see Polaris directly from your observing site consult a com pass and rotate the mount so the telescope points North Retighten the azimuth lock knob Little Dipper in Ursa Minor Cassiopeia The equatorial mount is now polar aligned for casual observ ing More precise polar alignment is recommended for astrophotography From this point on in your observing session you should not make any further adjustments in the azimuth or the latitude of the mount nor should you move the tripod Doing so will undo the polar alignment The telescope should be moved only about its R A and Dec axes Use of the R A and Dec Slow Motion Control Cables The R A and Dec slow motion control cables allow fine adjustment of the telescope s position to center objects within the field of view Before you can use the cables you must manually slew the mount to point the telescope in the vicini ty of the desired target Do this by loosening the R A and Dec lock knobs and moving the telescope about the mount s R A and Dec axes Once the telescope is pointed some where close to the obje
41. ten the bolts securely with the supplied wrench 10 Connect the optical tube assembly to the 1 4 20 adapter on the mount by threading the adapter s shaft into the hole in the optical tube s mounting block Orient the optical tube so that is parallel to the length of the adapter as it is in Figure 1 Tighten this connection firmly by rotating the knurled thumb wheel on the adapter counter clockwise 1 o_o Attach the two slow motion cables to the R A and Dec worm gear shafts of the equatorial mount by positioning the thumb screw on the end of the cable over the indented slot on the worm gear shaft and then tightening the thumb screw We recommend that the shorter cable be used on the R A worm gear shaft and the longer cable on the Dec worm gear shaft The Dec worm gear shaft and cable should extend toward the rear of the optical tube as is shown in Figure 1 If it does not you will need to rotate the optical tube 180 on the 1 4 20 adapter Do this by first loosening the adapter s knurled thumb wheel 12 To place the finder scope in the finder scope bracket first unthread the two black nylon screws until the screw ends are flush with the inside diameter of the bracket Place the O ring that comes on the base of the bracket over the body of the finder scope until it seats into the groove on the middle of the finder scope Slide the eyepiece end narrow end of the finder scope into the end of the brack et s cylinder t
42. the finder scope is covered with foil or some other completely Opaque material 8 Photography With an optional camera adapter the StarMax 102mm becomes a 1300mm f 12 7 telephoto lens for a single lens reflex camera For long distance terrestrial or astronomical photography you need only a T ring for your specific camera model The T ring attaches to your camera and threads onto the StarMax s eyepiece adapter first remove eyepiece and diagonal coupling the camera body to the telescope Use the camera s viewfinder to frame the picture Use the telescope s focuser to focus the image You may want to consider using a remote shutter release instead of the shutter release on the camera Touching the camera can vibrate the system and blur the resulting photo graphic image Also be sure to use a solid tripod 9 Care and Maintenance Transporting The included soft carry case provides an excellent way to transport the optical tube and its accessories Remove the tube from the mount by rotating the knurled thumb wheel on the mount s 1 4 20 adapter Make sure to have a firm grip on the tube as it releases from the mount To place the optical tube in the case the eyepiece diagonal finder scope and bracket must be removed from the tube When removing the eyepiece and diagonal remember to first loosen the securing thumb screws The finder scope and bracket can be removed together by loosening the thumb screw on the tube s dovet
43. view To keep it in the field if your equatorial mount is polar aligned just turn the R A slow motion control cable clockwise The Dec slow motion control cable is not needed for tracking Objects will appear to move faster at higher magnifications because the field of view is narrower Optional Motor Drives for Automatic Tracking An optional DC motor drive can be mounted on the R A axis of the equatorial mount to provide hands free tracking Objects will then remain stationary in the field of view without any manual adjustment of the R A slow motion control cable Understanding the Setting Circles The setting circles on an equatorial mount enable you to locate celestial objects by their celestial coordinates Every object resides in a specific location on the celestial sphere That location is denoted by two numbers its right ascension R A and declination Dec In the same way every location on Earth can be described by its longitude and latitude R A is similar to longitude on Earth and Dec is similar to latitude The R A and Dec values for celestial objects can be found in any star atlas or star catalog The R A setting circle is scaled in hours from 1 through 24 with small marks in between representing 10 minute incre ments there are 60 minutes in 1 hour of R A The lower set of numbers closest to the plastic R A gear cover apply to viewing in the Northern Hemisphere while the numbers above the
44. 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 observ ing and cannot see the entire field of view you may want to purchase additional eyepieces that have longer eye relief Aligning the Finder Scope The finder scope must be aligned accurately with the tele scope for proper use To align it aim the main telescope in the general direction of an object at least 1 4 mile away such as the top of a telephone pole a chimney etc Do this by first loosening the R A and Dec lock knobs Position the telescope so the object appears in the eyepiece s field of view and then retighten the R A and Dec lock knobs Use the slow motion control cables to center the object in the eyepiece Now look in the finder scope Is the object visible Ideally it will be somewhere in the finder s field of view If it is not some coarse adjustments of the two black nylon finder scope align ment thumb screws will be needed to get the finder scope roughly parallel to the main tube Note The image in the telescope s eyepiece will appear inverted from left to right mirror reversed which is nor mal for telescopes that utilize a star diagonal The image in the finder scope is oriented the same as the naked eye By loosening or tightening the alignment thumb screws you change the line of sight of the finde
45. yepiece you can switch to higher magnification shorter focal length eyepiece if you wish This is especially recommended for small and bright objects like planets and double stars The Moon also takes higher magnifications well Deep sky objects however typically look better at medium or low magnifications This is because many of them are quite faint yet have some extent apparent width Deep sky objects will often disappear at higher magnifications since greater magnification inherently yields dimmer images This is not the case for all deep sky objects however Many galaxies are quite small yet are somewhat bright so higher power may show more detail The best rule of thumb with eyepiece selection is to start with a low power wide field and then work your way up in magni fication If the object looks better try an even higher magnification If the object looks worse then back off the magnification a little by using a lower power eyepiece Rotating the Diagonal When looking at objects in different areas of the night sky the eyepiece may become positioned so that is uncomfortable or impossible to look through If the eyepiece is in an undesirable position the diagonal can be rotated in order to provide a more comfortable viewing angle First loosen the thumb screws on the eyepiece adapter but make sure to hold the diagonal in place so that it won t fall to the ground Also secure the eyepiece in the diagonal so that it
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