Instruction Manual NGC-Series Telescopes NG-Series Telescopes WARNING! Never use a Meade® NGCTM or NGTM 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. CONTENTS Telescope and Features.................................................. 4 Telescope and Tripod Features ...................................... 6 Getting Started................................................................ 8 Parts Listing .............................................................. 8 How to Assemble Your Telescope.............................. 8 Attaching and Aligning the Viewfinder ........................ 9 Choosing an Eyepiece .............................................. 9 Simple Observations ................................................10 Initializing the Control Panel......................................11 How to Set Time and Date Example ........................11 Easy Alignment ........................................................12 CAUTION: Use care to install batteries in the orientation indicated by the battery connector. Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. If these precautions are not followed, batteries may explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries void your Meade warranty. Go To Saturn ............................................................13 Using the Guided Tour ..............................................13 Menus ............................................................................15 The NGC Menu Structure..........................................15 How to Move through the Menu Options ..................15 How to Calculate Sunset Time Example ..................15 Object Menu..............................................................16 Event Menu ..............................................................16 Glossary Menu ..........................................................17 Utilities Menu ............................................................17 Setup Menu ..............................................................18 Optional Accessories ......................................................19 Maintenance ..................................................................20 General Maintenance................................................20 Storage and Transport ..............................................20 Troubleshooting ........................................................20 Meade Customer Service ........................................21 Specifications ............................................................21 Appendix A: Advanced Features ....................................22 Celestial Coordinates ................................................22 ® The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal countries throughout the world. All rights reserved. "Easy Align" patent number 6,392,799 and other patents pending. Patent: US 6,392,799 © 2004 Meade Instruments Corporation. Entering Coordinates for Objects not in Database ..22 To Go to a User-Entered Object ..............................23 Landmarks ................................................................23 To Add a Landmark to the database ....................23 To Select a Landmark from the database ..............23 Appendix B: Alternate Tray ASssembly..........................24 Basic Astronomy ............................................................25 TELESCOPE FEATURES G H FE D C B 1& I J 1) 1! 1^ 1% 1@ 1# 1$ Fig. 1: The NGC telescope. Inset: Alternate tray style. Your telescope may look different from the one depicted above. Some differences include: · NG models do not include a control panel (4, Fig. 1) or a battery compartment (18, Fig. 2) · 90° diagonal mirror styles vary (8, Fig. 1 or 28, Fig. 4 inset) · Some models include 1.25" diameter eyepieces; other models include .965" diameter eyepieces (7, Fig. 1) · Viewfinder bracket (6, Fig. 4 and inset) styles vary · Accessory tray styles vary · Model colors vary · Some models include a focus lock knob (27, Fig. 4 inset) 4 E 1* 1( 2) Fig. 2: Top view of the NGC base. Fig. 3: Detailed view of the NGC computer control panel. 2# H 2% 2^ 2@ G 2! 2$ I J 1) 2& 2* Fig. 4: Detailed view of the focuser assembly and the viewfinder. Inset: Alternate style focuser and viewfinder. 5 Telescope and Tripod Features b Dust Cap (not shown): Pull to remove from the dew shield (17, Fig. 1). NOTE: The dust cap should be replaced after each observing session and the power turned off (NGC models only) to the telescope. Verify that any dew that might have collected during the observing session has evaporated prior to replacing the dust cap. Optical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination with the eyepiece. Optical Tube Attachment Bracket: Attach the optical tube to this bracket. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Control Panel (Fig. 3, NGC Models Only): A. 2-Line LCD Display: Displays menus and information concerning the computer controller. · Top line: Displays menu items. · Bottom line: Displays menu options or information. For example, information about an astronomical object, such as a planet, or information about locating an object. B. Enter Button: Accesses, in order, the next menu or option. When a menu option you wish to choose displays, press ENTER to select it. This button is similar to a computer's RETURN key. C. Mode Button: Press this button when you wish to return to the previous menu. The MODE key is similar to a computer's ESCAPE key. If MODE is pressed and held for two seconds or more, the following information displays: · Astronomical coordinates of a selected object · Local Time and Local Sidereal Time (LST) · Timer and Alarm Status Press MODE again to return to the previous menu. D. Up/Down Button: Use UP/DOWN to scroll through the letters of the alphabet, numerical digits, menus, menu options and other information. E. On/Off: Press to turn the control panel on or off. F. Vertical Slow Motion Control Knob: Use this control to make fine adjustments in the vertical movement of the telescope. G. Aux Port: Use this port, along with the optional #506 Astrofinder Software and Cable Connector Kit, to connect to your PC, or to update celestial objects for your control panel from the Meade website (www.meade.com). See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 19, for more information. Optical Tube Attachment Knobs: Attach these knobs to the bolts on the optical tube when you attach the optical tube to the bracket. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Viewfinder: Before looking at an object in the eyepiece, locate the object in the viewfinder. The viewfinder provides a much easier way to locate celestial objects than a telescope eyepiece, because it has a much wider field of view. Eyepiece: Place the eyepiece into the 90° diagonal mirror (8, Fig. 1 or 28, Fig. 4) and tighten the thumbscrew (25, Fig. 4) to a firm feel only. You may also place the eyepiece directly into the focuser drawtube (9, Fig. 1). Use the focus knobs (10, Fig. 1) to focus the eyepiece. 90° Diagonal Mirror, Style 1: Holds the eyepiece at a convenient angle for easy viewing. Slide the diagonal mirror into the focuser drawtube (9, Fig. 1) and tighten the thumbscrew (26, Fig. 4) to a firm feel only. Focuser Drawtube: Slide the diagonal mirror or an eyepiece into this tube. Tighten the thumbscrew (26, Fig. 4) to a firm feel only. C D E F G H I J 6 1) 1! 1@ 1# 1$ 1% 1^ 1& 1* 1( NOTE: Sometimes air gets trapped below the compass dial causing the compass to not work properly. Gently tap the battery cover to insure that no air is trapped below the compass dial. Focus Knobs: Use to move the telescope's focuser assembly to obtain precise image focus. Rotate the focus knobs clockwise to focus on distant objects, and counterclockwise to focus on nearby objects. Tripod Leg Nuts and Bolts (3): Attach the tripod legs (15, Fig. 1) to the tripod head (16, Fig. 1) using these three nuts and bolts. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Tripod Struts: Attach the struts to accessory tray. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Tripod Leg Lock (3): Lift the lock to loosen the inner section of a tripod leg and extend the inner leg to the desired height. Press the lock down to lock the leg again. Accessory Tray: Use the tray to hold extra eyepieces during your observing sessions. Tripod Legs: Attach the legs to the tripod head (16, Fig. 1). See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. When observing, spread the legs out as far as they will open for a secure viewing platform. Base/Tripod Head: Supports the telescope for placement on the tripod. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Dew shield: Reduces the formation of dew on the telescope's primary lens and acts as a shade for daytime use. Battery Compartment Lid (NGC Models Only): Remove the lid to install one user-supplied 9v battery in this compartment. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Compass/Bubble Level NGC Models Only): Use the compass to locate North while aligning the telescope. See EASY ALIGNMENT, page 12, for more information. Note that the compass is positioned next to an arrow etched onto the base. When the arrow of the compass and the etched arrow both point in the same direction, the telescope is then pointed North. Use the bubble level to help level the base of your tripod. When the bubble is in the center of the compass, the base is level. Horizontal Slow Motion Control Knob (NGC Models Only): Use this control to make fine adjustments in the horizontal movement of the telescope. Viewfinder Lens: Gathers light for the viewfinder. Viewfinder Alignment Screws: Adjust these screws to align the viewfinder. See ALIGNING THE VIEWFINDER, page 9, for more information. Viewfinder Eyepiece and Rubber Cup: Turn the viewfinder eyepiece, if necessary, to focus the viewfinder. The rubber cup may be removed, if so desired. Viewfinder Bracket: Holds the viewfinder in place. Attach to the optical tube. See HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information. Diagonal Mirror Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece in place. Tighten to a "firm feel" only. Focuser Drawtube Thumbscrew: Tightens a diagonal mirror or an eyepiece in place. Tighten to a firm feel only. Focus Lock Knob (Fig. 4 inset): This feature is designed to prevent the focuser drawtube from moving when a heavy accessory, such as a camera, is attached to the focuser assembly. For normal observing with an eyepiece and diagonal mirror, it is not necessary to use the lock knob. 90° Diagonal Mirror, Style 2 (Fig. 4 inset): Holds the eyepiece at a convenient angle for easy viewing. Slide the diagonal mirror into the eyepiece holder and tighten the thumbscrew to a firm feel only. 2) 2! 2@ 2# 2$ 2% 2^ 2& 2* 7 GETTING STARTED Parts Listing · Complete 60mm diameter optical tube assembly with dew shield, dust cap, 5 x 24 viewfinder, and rack-and-pinion focuser; electronic control panel (NGC models only). Continuously adjustable aluminum tripod and leg braces. Accessories: Eyepieces and 90° diagonal mirror Accessory tray 3 screws (3/8" long) with wing nuts and screwdriver tool 3 screws (1 9/16" long) with hex nuts 2 nuts for attaching optical tube to bracket (certain models) 3 cylindrical pins (certain models) · · Insert bolt Fig. 5: Attach tripod legs to the tripod head. How to Assemble Your Telescope Note that although the telescope is unassembled, all of the more difficult or complicated sections of the instrument are already factory pre-assembled. To set up the telescope, follow this procedure: 1. Identify: Remove from the gift box and identify the telescope's components, using the listing above. 2. Tripod setup: The tripod is shipped with the tripod head and the tripod legs unattached. Attach the 3 aluminum tripod legs (15, Fig. 1) to the tripod head (16, Fig. 1) with the 3 leg locks facing inward. Three 1 9/16" long bolts and hex nuts are provided for this purpose. See Fig. 5. Spread the tripod legs evenly apart. 3. Attach the accessory tray: Your telescope comes supplied with one of two different tray styles. Style 1: Attach the accessory tray (14, Fig. 1) to the leg brace supports (12, Fig. 1) using the three provided 3/8" long screws and the wing nuts. Place the accessory tray on top of one of the leg brace supports of the tripod so that the mounting screw pa ...