User manual ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS 09849

[. . . ] INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion ShortTube 4. 5" EQ ® TM #9849 Equatorial Reflecting Telescope Customer Support (800) 676-1343 E-mail: support@telescope. com Corporate Offices (831) 763-7000 Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 P. O. A 05/02 EZ Finder II bracket Bracket securing thumbnuts EZ Finder II Focuser Eyepiece Tube rings Declination slow-motion control cable Declination lock knob Declination setting circle Counterweight shaft Counterweight Counterweight lock knob Latitude lock T-bolt (not shown) Azimuth lock knob Right ascension setting circle Right ascension slow motion control cable Latitude adjustment T-bolt Accessory tray bracket Accessory tray Tripod leg Tripod leg Leg lock knob Figure 1. Your new ShortTube 4. 5 is a terrific starter instrument for exploring the exotic wonders of the night sky. Designed to be compact and easy to use, this telescope will provide many hours of enjoyment for the whole family. [. . . ] The Collimation Cap and Mirror Center Mark Your ShortTube 4. 5 EQ comes with a collimating cap. This is a simple cap that fits on the focuser drawtube like a dust cap, but has a hole in the center and a silver bottom. In addition to providing the collimation cap, you'll notice a tiny ring (sticker) in the exact center of the primary mirror. This "center mark" allows you to achieve a very precise collimation of the primary mirror; you don't have to guess where the center of the mirror is. You simply adjust the mirror position (described below) until the reflection of the hole in the collimation cap is centered inside the ring. NOTE: The center ring sticker need not ever be removed from the primary mirror. Because it lies directly in the shadow of the secondary mirror, its presence in no way adversely affects the optical performance of the telescope or the image quality. That might seem counterintuitive, but it's true! a. the telescope tube opposite the focuser (i. e. , on the other side of the secondary mirror) will also be helpful in collimating the secondary mirror. Using a 2. 5mm Allen wrench, loosen the three small alignment setscrews in the center hub of the 3-vaned spider several turns. Now hold the mirror holder stationary (be careful not to touch the surface of the mirrors), while turning the center screw with a Phillips head screwdriver (Figure 9). Turning the screw clockwise will move the secondar y mirror toward the front opening of the optical tube, while turning the screw counterclockwise will move the secondary mirror toward the primary mirror. When the secondary mirror is centered in the focuser drawtube, rotate the secondary mirror holder until the reflection of the primary mirror is as centered in the secondary mirror as possible. Now tighten the three small alignment screws equally to secure the secondary mirror in that position. If the entire primary mirror reflection is not visible in the secondary mirror, as in Figure 8c, you will need to adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror. This is done by alternately loosening one of the three alignment setscrews while tightening the other two, as depicted in Figure 10. The goal is to center the primar y mirror reflection in the secondary mirror, as in Figure 8d. 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. b. c. d. e. Figure 8. (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. [. . . ] Care and Maintenance If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a lifetime. Store it in a clean, dry, dust-free place, safe from rapid changes in temperature and humidity. Do not store the telescope 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. [. . . ]