INSTRUCTION MANUAL Meade114 EQ-DS 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting Telescope Meade Instruments Corporation ­2­ WARNING! NEVER USE A MEADE 114 EQ-DS TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN! LOOKING AT OR NEAR THE SUN WILL CAUSE INSTANT AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO YOUR EYE. EYE DAMAGE IS OFTEN PAINLESS, SO THERE IS NO WARNING TO THE OBSERVER THAT DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. DO NOT POINT THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AT OR NEAR THE SUN. DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AS IT IS MOVING. CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION WHILE OBSERVING. Meade Limited Warranty Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and binocular is warranted by Meade Instruments Corp. (MIC) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from date of original retail purchase in the U.S.A. MIC will repair or replace the product, or part thereof, found upon inspection by MIC to be defective, provided the defective part or product is returned to MIC, freight prepaid, with proof of purchase. This warranty applies to the original purchaser only and is non-transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under separate warranties issued by Meade International Distributors. RGA Number Required: Prior to the return of any product or part, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number must be obtained by writing to MIC or calling 949-451-1450. Each returned part or product must include a written statement detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owner's name, address, phone number, and a copy of the original sales invoice. This warranty is not valid in cases where the product has been abused or mishandled, where unauthorized repairs have been attempted or performed, or where depreciation of the product is due to normal wear-and tear. MIC specifically disclaims special, indirect, or consequential damages or lost profit, which may result from a breach of this warranty. Any implied warranties which cannot be disclaimed are hereby limited to a term of one year from the date of purchase by the original retail purchaser. This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state. MIC reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without prior notice. This warranty supersedes all previous Meade product warranties. ­3­ TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Standard Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Unpacking and Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Balancing the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Alignment of the Viewfinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Understanding Celestial Movements and Coordinates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Lining Up with the Celestial Pole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Using the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Using Setting Circles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Calculating Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cleaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mount and Tripod Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 a. Correct Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 b. Diagonal Holder Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 c. Primary Mirror Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 d. Star Testing the Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ­4­ Key to Fig. 1 1. Tripod legs 2. Equatorial mount 3. R.A. flexible cable control 4. Dec. flexible cable control 5. Counterweights 6. Counterweight shaft 7. Counterweight locks 8. Safety washer/thumbscrew 9. Latitude lock (reverse side, see inset) 10. Polar axis 11. Latitude adjustment knob 12. Optical tube assembly 13. Optical tube saddle plate 14. Cradle rings 15. Cradle ring lock knobs 16. Viewfinder bracket mounting bolts 17. Focuser 18. Focuser thumbscrew 19. Eyepiece 20. Viewfinder bracket 21. Declination axis 22. R.A. lock (reverse side, see inset) 23. Dec. lock 24. 5 x 24 viewfinder 25. Telescope front dust cover 26. Viewfinder bracket thumbscrews 27. R.A. setting circle 28. Dec. setting circle 29. Latitude dial 30. Azimuth lock 31. Focus knobs 32. Optional motor drive gear (option not available with this model) 33. Azimuth base 34. Viewfinder focuser 35. Azimuth circle 36. Cradle ring attachment lock knob 37. Cradle ring attachment 38. Tripod leg Phillips-head fastener screws 39. Tripod-to-mount wingnuts 40. Accessory shelf 41. Eyepiece holder slots 42. Tripod leg brace supports 43. Tripod leg lock knobs 44. Optional motor clutch 45. Optional motor mount shaft (option not available with this model) ­5­ 26 24 21 36 13 28 10 23 6 5 Reverse side 16 20 26 34 7 Fig. 1a: Model 114 EQB-1: Viewfinder assembly. 27 45 22 19 18 32 44 9 29 18 11 17 38 35 33 8 Reverse Side 31 Fig. 1b: Model 114 EQ-DS: Focuser. 30 Fig. 1c: Model 114 EQ-DS: Equatorial mount. 19 24 14 25 15 12 37 1 42 2 4 40 41 43 3 39 Fig. 1e: Model 114 EQ-DS: Optical tube assembly. Fig. 1d: Model 114 EQ-DS: Tripod and tray. ­6­ INTRODUCTION The Meade 114 EQ-DS is an easy-to-operate, high performance 4.5" (114mm) reflecting telescope, intended for astronomical observing. Equipped with a deluxe equatorial mount and aluminum tripod, the telescope's motion is continuously adjustable for tracking celestial objects. Your telescope comes to you ready for adventure; it will be your companion in a universe of planets, galaxies, and stars. Please note that the Meade 114 EQ-DS is a Newtonian reflecting telescope optimized for astronomical observing performance, and is not intended for terrestrial observing. This Manual These instructions detail the set-up, operation, specifications, and optional accessories of your Jupiter 114 EQ-DS. In order that you may achieve maximum enjoyment of the instrument, we urge that you take a few minutes to read all of this manual before making first observations through the telescope. Standard Equipment · · · Complete optical tube assembly with a 4.5" (114mm) diameter primary mirror, viewfinder mounting bolts with mounting nuts and rack-and-pinion focuser. Mirror focal length = 1000mm; f/8.8 Equatorial mount with pre-attached heavy duty, continuously adjustable, aluminum tripod and leg braces. Accessories: H 25mm (40x) eyepiece (.965" O.D.), H 12.5mm (80x) eyepiece (.965" O.D.), SR 4mm (250x) eyepiece (.965" O.D.) 3x Barlow lens Cradle rings with lock knobs 5 x 24 viewfinder and bracket Counterweight with counterweight shaft Flexible cable controls for both telescope axes Accessory tray UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLY Your Meade 114 EQ-DS comes to you packaged almost entirely pre-assembled. (References in this section--e.g. (6)--are to Fig.1a - 1e unless otherwise specified.) · · Remove and identify the telescope's Standard Equipment listed above. The three tripod lock knobs (43) have been removed from the bottom section of each tripod leg to insure safe arrival of the tripod assembly. To install, thread in each tripod lock knob into the threaded hole located at the right side of each of the three castings (see Fig. 1f) at the bottom of each tripod leg. Tighten the tripod lock knob only to a "firm feel" to avoid damage to the tripod caused by overtightening. Trou taraudé Threaded Hole · Spread the tripod legs (1) to full extension so that the leg braces Partie Inner Leg Sliding intérieure coulissante (42) are taut (should one of the tripod leg braces slip out of the center triangle fastener, merely reposition the brace and slide it Fig. 1f: Tripod lock knob assembly. back into position). Adjust the tripod with the attached equatorial mount (2) to the desired height by loosening the tripod lock knobs and extend the sliding inner section of each tripod leg; then tighten each knob. Attach the flexible cable controls (3) and (4). These cable controls are secured in place with a firm tightening of the thumbscrew located at the end of each cable. Holding the counterweight (5) firmly in one hand, slip the counterweight onto the counterweight shaft (6). Attach the counterweight (5) and counterweight shaft (6), by supporting the unlocked (7) counterweight firmly in one hand, while threading the counterweight shaft into the base of the Declination axis of the telescope's equatorial mount with the other (see Fig. 1). Once firmly attached, slide the counterweight to the midpoint on the counterweight shaft and secure it in place with the lock knob (7) of the counterweight. Note: If the counterweight ever slips, the secured threaded safety washer/knob (8) will not let the weight slide entirely off the counterweight shaft. Be certain that this safety washer/knob is always in place. Release the latitude lock (9) of the equatorial mount, and tilt the polar axis (10) of the telescope to roughly a 45° angle by turning the latitude adjustment knob (11). With the polar axis thus tilted, firmly re-tighten the latitude lock. Leg Lockde blocage Bouton Knob · · · ­7­ · Remove the viewfinder bracket mounting nuts from the viewfinder bracket mounting bolts (16) that protrude from the optical tube (12), near the focuser (17). Place the viewfinder bracket's mounting holes (located at the base of the bracket) over the mounting bolts, so that the bracket is oriented as shown in Fig. 1. Replace the viewfinder bracket mounting nuts, and tighten to a firm feel. Then center the viewfinder in both bracket rings by backing off the three thumbscrews (26) on each bracket ring. Orient the viewfinder so its front objective lens is pointing in the same direction as the open end (front) of the optical tube (25). Position the cradle ring attachment (37) onto the optical tube saddle plate (13), with the mid-point lying roughly in the center of the saddle plate. Tighten the cradle ring lock knob (36) to a firm feel when the cradle ring attachment is positioned in the telescope's saddle (13). If the cradle ring assmbly did not come already attached to the optical tube assembly (12), loosen the lock knobs (15) of the cradle rings (14) and open the cradle rings. Place the optical tube assembly roughly in the center of the cradle rings and close the rings over the tube. Then tighten the cradle ring lock knobs (15) to a firm feel; do not overtighten these knobs. Please note that you may want to change the rotational position of the optical tube to gain a more comfortable observing position of the focuser (17). This adjustment may be performed several times in one observing session, as desired. Insert the H 25mm eyepiece (19) into the focuser, and tighten the focuser thumbscrew (18) to secure the eyepiece. · · · The telescope is now fully assembled. Before it can be properly used, however, the telescope must be balanced and the viewfinder aligned. Balancing the Telescope In order for the telescope to move smoothly on its mechanical axes, it must first be balanced about the 2 telescope axes: the polar axis (10, Fig. 1c) and the Declination axis (21, Fig. 1c). All motions of the polar aligned telescope (more on this later) take place by moving about these two axes, separately or simultaneously. To obtain a fine balance of the telescope, follow the method below: · · Loosen the R.A. lock (22, Fig. 1c) and rotate the telescope so that the counterweight shaft (6, Fig. 1c) is parallel to the ground (horizontal). Slide the counterweight along the counterweight shaft until the telescope remains in one position without tending to drift down in either direction. Then tighten the counterweight lock knob (7, Fig. 1c), locking the counterweight in position. Lock the R.A. lock (22, Fig. 1c), and unlock the Declination lock (23, Fig. 1c). The telescope will now turn freely about the Declination axis. Loosen the cradle ring lock knobs (15, Fig. 1e) so that the main tube in the cradle rings slides easily up-or-down in the cradle rings. Move the main tube in the cradle rings until it is balanced rotationally about the Declination axis. Re-lock the knobs (15, Fig. 1e). · The telescope is now properly balanced on both axes. Alignment of the Vie ...