Meade80EQ-AR 4/28/06 9:55 AM Page 1 www.meade.com MEADE INSTRUCTION MANUAL 80mm | 3.1" Equatorial Refracting Telescope 80EQ-AR Meade80EQ-AR · Optical tube · Aluminum tripod with an accessory tray · Two 1.25" eyepieces: MA25mm (28X), MH9mm (78X) · Red dot viewfinder with bracket · Telescope mount · Hardware used in the assembly: 4/28/06 9:55 AM Page 3 The tube has a focal length of 900mm, and its reflective mirror has a diameter of 114mm. The lens diameter is one of the most important pieces of information about the telescope. The size of the primary mirror determines how much detail you will be able to see in your telescope. The focal length information will help later on to calculate magnification. INTRODUCTION Your telescope is an excellent beginner's instrument, and is designed to observe objects in the sky. It can be your personal window on the universe. The telescope is shipped with the following parts: Setting up your telescope involves these simple steps: · · · · · · · Assemble your tripod Attach the accessory tray Attach the red dot viewfinder Attach the eyepiece Attach the counterweight Prepare mount Attach the optical tube to the mount Study the the picture on the next page and become acquainted with the parts of your telescope. Then proceed to "Assemble your Tripod." 1 Meade80EQ-AR 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 2 Dust cap (not shown) Dew shield/lens shade Object lens cell Main optical tube (OTA) Declination lock Cradle ring attachment lock knob Cradle ring lock knob (not shown) Cradle ring Red dot viewfinder bracket mounting thumbscrews (see Inset A) Red dot viewfinder Focuser draw tube Eyepiece Eyepiece holder and thumbscrew Diagonal mirror Diagonal mirror thumbscrew Focuser knob Declination control cable Optical tube saddle plate Red dot viewfinder bracket (see Inset A) Red dot viewfinder alignment screws (see Inset A) Declination setting circle (see Fig. 5) 4/28/06 9:55 AM FIGURE 1 Figure 1: Meade 80EQ-AR Equatorial Refracting Telescope Inset A: Red Dot Viewfinder Assembly Page 4 Inset A (not shown) Meade80EQ-AR 1. Adjustable sliding inner leg extension (see Inset C) 2. Sliding leg extension lock (see Inset C) 3. Right ascension lock 4. Right ascension setting circle 5. Counterweight 6. Counterweight shaft 7. Counterweight safety washer 8. Counterweight lock 9. Tripod legs 10. Leg brace 11. Leg brace support 12. Eyepiece holder slots 13. Accessory tray 14. Right ascension control cable 15. Azimuth adjustment lock 16. Latitude adjustment knob 17. Latitude circle 18. Tripod-to-mount attachment point (see Fig. 3) 19. Latitude adjustment lock (not shown) 20. Equatorial mount 21. Tripod-to-mount wingnuts (see Fig. 3) 22. Declination axis (see Fig. 5) 23. Polar axis (see Fig. 5) 24. Cradle assembly attachment lock knob (see Fig. 5) 4/28/06 9:55 AM FIGURE 2 Figure 2: Meade 80EQ-AR Equatorial Refracting Telescope Inset B: Accessory Tray Inset C: Tripod Leg 25. 26. 27. 28. Page 5 Optional motor drive gear (see Fig. 5) Azimuth circle (see Fig. 5) Azimuth base (see Fig. 5) Azimuth adjustment lock (see Fig. 5) Inset B Inset C 3 Meade80EQ-AR 1. 2. 3. 4. ASSEMBLE YOUR TRIPOD basic support for 4 The tripod is theIts height may be your telescope. adjusted so that you can view comfortably. Note: Number in brackets, e.g., (3), refer to Fig. 1 unless noted otherwise. 4/28/06 9:55 AM Inset B 5. Attach the remaining brace supports using the two legs to the mount in supplied one-half inch bolts the same manner. and screwdriver tool 6. Spread the legs out (See Fig. 4). evenly apart. 3. Thread the supplied nut over 7. Set the height of the end of the bolt. your tripod: 4. Finger tighten the bolt and a. Rotate and loosen the nut using the screwdriver tool. Fig. 3 leg lock thumbscrew 5. Repeat with the other two (2, Inset B) to unlock leg braces. the leg lock. b. Slide the inner portion of the leg in or attachment ATTACH THE RED DOT VIEWFINDER point out to the desired length. Repeat for Inset A An eyepiece (19) has a the other two legs. narrow field of view. c. Rotate and tighten the leg lock A viewfinder (24) has a thumbscrew to relock the leg lock. wider field of view, d. Repeat for the other two legs. which makes it easier wingnut to locate objects. The ATTACH THE ACCESSORY TRAY red dot viewfinder Make sure that as you attach the legs (9) The tray helps stabilize the tripod and is has a red dot to make it to the mount that the leg braces (10) also a convenient holder of eyepieces and easier to line up more Fig. 4 are facing inward. other Meade precisely with a target. Line up the holes at the top of one of accessories, such as the 1. Note the two thumbscrews (16, Fig. 4) the legs with the holes in the mount. Barlow lens. thread onto two bolts on the optical tube. Thread one of the 2-inch bolts 1. Remove the plastic Remove the thumbscrews from the tube. through the holes. covers on the leg brace 2. Line up the two holes on the red dot Thread a wingnut with washer over supports (11, Inset B). viewfinder bracket over the two bolts. the bolt and hand-tighten to a firm 2. Attach the triangular Slide the bracket over the bolts. feel (Fig. 3). accessory tray to the leg Page 6 Meade80EQ-AR 1. Hold the counterweights (5) firmly in one hand, (one by one) slide the counterweights onto the counterweight shaft (6). 2. Threading the shaft into the base of the declination axis (Fig. 5). Be sure to support the counterweight with one hand while performing this step. 3. Slide the counterweight to a position about 2" from the bottom of the shaft. 4. Secure in place by tightening the counterweight lock (7). Note: Make sure the safety washer and screw (8) always remain in place on the shaft. This safety feature prevents the counterweight from accidently slipping. 4/28/06 9:55 AM Page 7 3. Replace the thumbscrews onto the bolts and tighten to a firm feel. INSERT THE EYEPIECE 1. Slide the MA25mm eyepiece (19) into eyepiece holder on the focuser (17). 2. Tighten the focuser thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece securely. ATTACH THE COUNTERWEIGHT(see Fig. 5) Fig. 5 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 (on reverse side) PREPARE MOUNT Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 Fig. 2 1. Loosen the right ascension lock (22). The telescope mount will turn freely about the polar axis. Rotate the telescope about the polar axis so that the counterweight shaft (6) is parallel to the ground (horizontal). 2. Loosen the counterweight's locking thumbscrew (7) and slide the counterweights (5) along the shaft until the telescope remains in any given position without tending to drift up or down around the polar axis. Retighten the counterweight lock (31). The telescope is now balanced. 1. Attach the flexible cables (3) and (4) (See Fig. 6). These cables are secured in place with a firm tightening of the thumbscrews located at the attachment ends of each cable. 2. Tilt the polar axis of the telescope to roughly a 45° angle with the horizon: BALANCING THE TELESCOPE In order for the telescope to move smoothly on its mechanical axes, it must first be balanced as follows: 5 Meade80EQ-AR Perform the first part of this procedure during the daytime and the last step at night. 1. Point the telescope at an easy-to-find land object such as the top of a telephone pole or a distant mountain or tower. Look through the eyepiece and turn the focuser knob (31) until the image is sharply focused. Center the object precisely in the eyepiece's field of view. 2. Look through the red dot viewfinder. Turn one or more of the viewfinder's alignment screws (34, Inset B) until the red dot is precisely over the same object as you centered in the eyepiece. 4/28/06 9:55 AM Page 8 ATTACH THE OPTICAL TUBE TO THE MOUNT 1. Lay the optical tube (12) with cradle rings (14) onto the saddle plate (13) (See Fig. 6). 2. Tighten the cradle ring attachment lock knob (36) to a firm feel. ALIGN THE RED DOT VIEWFINDER 6 Loosen the latitude adjustment lock (9, Fig. 6) so you can move the mount to the desired position. 3. Re-tighten the latitude adjustment lock to secure the mount in place. 3. Check this alignment at night on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and use the viewfinder's alignment screws to make any necessary refinements. UNDERSTANDING CELESTIAL MOVEMENTS AND COORDINATES Understanding where to locate celestial objects and how those objects move across the sky is the key to enjoying the hobby of astronomy. Most amateur astronomers SUN WARNING! NEVER USE YOUR 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. practice "star-hopping" to locate celestial objects. They use star charts or astronomical software to identify bright stars and star patterns as "landmarks" in their search for astronomical objects. Another technique for locating objects is to use the setting circles that are provided on your telescope. UNDERSTANDING HOW CELESTIAL OBJECTS MOVE Due to the Earth's rotation, celestial bodies appear to move from East to West in a curved path through the skies. In mapping the surface of the Earth, lines of longitude are drawn between the North and South Poles and lines of latitude are drawn in an East-West direction, parallel to the Earth's equator. Similarly, imaginary lines have been drawn to form a latitude and longitude on the celestial sphere. These lines are known as Right Ascension and Declination. All stars and celestial objects are mapped onto an imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth. This mapping system is similar to the system of latitude and longitude on Earth surface maps. Meade80EQ-AR The celestial map also contains two poles and an equator just like a map of the Earth (see Fig. 6). The celestial poles are defined as those two points where the Earth's North and South poles, if extended to infinity, would cross the celestial sphere. Thus, the North Celestial Pole is that point in the sky where the North Pole crosses the celestial sphere. The North Star, Polaris, is located very near the North Celestial Pole. 4/28/06 9:55 AM Page 9 So just as an object's position on the Earth's surface can be located by its Fig. 6 latitude and longitude, celestial objects may also be located using Right Ascension and Declination. For example: You can locate Los Angeles, California, by its latitude (+34°) and longitude (118°). Similarly, you can locate the Ring Nebula (also known as "M57") by its Right Ascension (18hr) and its Declination (+33°). · RIGHT ASCENSION (R.A.): This Celestial version of longitude is measured in units of hours (hr), minutes (min), and seconds (sec) on a 24 hour "clock" (similar to how Earth's time zones ar determined by longitude lines). The "zero" line was chosen to pass through the constellation Pegasus, a sort of cosmic Greenwich meridian. R.A. coordinates range from 0hr 0min 0sec to 23hr 59min 59sec. There are 24 primary lines of R.A., located at 15degree intervals along the celestial equator. Objects located further and further East of the zero R.A. grid line (0hr 0min 0sec) carry higher R.A. coordinates. · Declination (Dec.): This celestial version of latitude is measured in degrees, arcminutes, and arc-seconds (e.g., 15° 27' 33"). Dec. locations North of the celestial equator are indicated with a plus (+) sign LINING UP WITH THE CELESTIAL POLE Objects in the sky appear to revolve around the celestial pole. (Actually, celestial objects are essentially "fixed" and their apparent motion is caused by Earth's rotation). During any 24 hour period, stars make one (e.g., the Dec. of the North celestial pole is +90°). Any point on 7 the celestial equator (such as thee constellations of Orion, Virgo, and Aquarius) is said to have a Declination of zero, shown as 0° 0' 0". All celestial objects therefore may be located with their celestial coordinates of Right Ascension and Declination. Meade80EQ-AR complete revolution about the pole, the pole at the 8 circling with the telescope's center. By lining up polar axis with the North Celestial Pole (or for observers located in Earth's Southern Hemisphere with the South Celestial Pole), astronomical objects may be followed, or "tracked," by moving the telescope about one axis, the polar axis. If the telescope is reasonably well aligned with the pole very little use of the telescope's Declination flexible cable control is necessary. Virtually all of the required telescope tracking will be in Right Ascension. For the purposes of casual visual telescopic observations, lining up the telescope's polar axis to ...