Instruction Manual Model 4500: 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting Telescope M E A D E 30 0 30 60 90 60 90 ADVANCED PRODUCTS DIVISION Meade Instruments Corporation World's Leading Manufacturer of Astronomical Telescopes for the Serious Amateur 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618 s (949) 451-1450 FAX: (949) 451-1460 s www.meade.com © 1995 Rev. B 4/95 ­2­ WARNING NEVER ATTEMPT TO OBSERVE THE SUN THROUGH YOUR MEADE TELESCOPE! OBSERVING THE SUN, EVEN FOR THE SHORTEST FRACTION OF A SECOND, WILL CAUSE INSTANT AND IRREVERSIBLE EYE DAMAGE. WHEN OBSERVING DURING THE DAYTIME, DO NOT POINT THE TELESCOPE EVEN CLOSE TO THE SUN. 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 can not 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 A. Introducing the Meade Model 4500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 1. This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 2. Standard Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 B. Unpacking and Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 1. Balancing the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 2. Alignment of the Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 C. Understanding Celestial Movements and Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . .8 D. Lining Up with the Celestial Pole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 E. Using the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 F. Using Setting Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 G. Calculating Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 H. Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 1. Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 2. Mount and Tripod Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 3. Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 a. Correct Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 b. Spider Vane Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 c. Diagonal Holder Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 d. Primary Mirror Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 e. Star Testing the Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 I. Specifications: Model 4500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 J. 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. Counterweight 6. Counterweight shaft 7. Counterweight lock 8. Safety washer/thumbscrew 9. Latitude lock 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 23. Dec. lock 24. 6 x 30 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. Polar shaft acorn cap nut 33. Azimuth base 34. Azimuth shaft bolt 35. R.A. worm block assembly 36. Dec. worm block assembly 37. Cradle ring attachment knobs 38. Tripod leg Phillips-head fastener screws 39. Tripod-to-mount attachment points 40. Accessory shelf 41. Accessory shelf central mounting knob 42. Tripod leg brace supports 43. Tripod leg lock knobs ­5­ 21 28 22 32 18 17 31 26 24 M E 13 23 36 10 27 19 11 9 35 33 7 5 6 30 8 25 A D E 20 12 34 14 16 15 37 2 90 60 4 0 30 30 60 29 90 3 42 38 39 40 1 43 Fig. 1: Meade Model 4500: 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting Telescope 41 ­6­ A. Introducing the Meade Model 4500 The Model 4500 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 Model 4500 is a Newtonian reflecting telescope optimized for astronomical observing performance, and is not intended for terrestrial observing. 1. This Manual These instructions detail the set-up, operation, specifications, and optional accessories of your Meade Model 4500. 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. As you read this manual, the technical terms associated with telescopes will be made clear. 2. Standard Equipment · · · Complete optical tube assembly with a 4.5" (114mm) diameter primary mirror, viewfinder mounting bolts with mounting nuts and 1.25" rack-and-pinion focuser. Mirror focal length = 910mm; f/8. Equatorial mount with pre-attached heavy duty, continuously adjustable, aluminum tripod and leg braces. Accessories: MA25mm (36x) eyepiece (1.25"O.D.) Cradle rings with lock knobs 6 x 30 viewfinder and bracket Counterweight with counterweight shaft Flexible cable controls for both telescope axes Accessory shelf with mounting knob B. Unpacking and Assembly Your Meade Model 4500 comes to you packaged almost entirely pre-assembled. You will find upon opening the giftbox that there are two compartments within that contain the optical tube assembly and the tripod with equatorial mount. The accessories described above will be located within compartments custom-cut into the styrofoam block inserts. (References herein--e.g. (6)--are to Fig.1 unless otherwise specified.) · Remove and identify the telescope's Standard Equipment listed in Section A.2., 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 gray colored castings (see illustration below) 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. · Spread the tripod legs (1) to full extension so that the leg braces (42) are taut (should one of the tripod leg braces slip out of the center triangle fastener, merely reposition the brace and slide it back into position). Adjust the tripod with the attached equatorial mount (2) to Threaded Hole the desired height by loosening the tripod lock knobs and extend the sliding inner section of each tripod leg; then tighten each knob. · Remove the mounting knob (41) from the round accessory shelf (40). Place the accessory shelf on top of the center triangle leg brace fastener of the tripod (1) so that the threaded stud protruding from the bottom of the shelf (40) passes through the hole in the Leg Lock Knob center. Then replace and tighten the accessory shelf mounting Sliding Inner Leg knob (41). · · 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. ­7­ · 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. Loosen the lock knobs (15) of the cradle rings (14) and open the cradle rings to position them over the optical tube assembly (12). Turn the lock knobs a few turns to keep the cradle rings closed, but to still allow the cradle rings to slide freely up-and-down the main tube. Remove the viewfinder bracket mounting nuts from the viewfinder bracket mounting bolts (16) that protrude from the optical tube (12), near the focuser. 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). While firmly holding the optical tube (12), position it onto the optical tube saddle plate (13), with the midpoint of the optical tube's length lying roughly in the center of the saddle plate. Then slide the cradle rings (14) over the saddle plate of the mount. Tighten the cradle ring attachment knobs (37) to a firm feel when the cradle rings are positioned over the telescope's saddle (13). 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 MA25mm 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. 1. 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) and the Declination axis (21). 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) and rotate the telescope so that the counterweight shaft (6) 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), locking the co ...