Celestron 52291 User Manual

C5 Spotting Scope - #52291

Instruction Manual

A spotting scope is nothing more than a telescope that is designed to look around
the Earth. Unlike astronomical telescopes, which produce inverted or reverted
images, spotting scopes produce correctly oriented images. Celestron offers
several different models, each of which uses the highest quality optics to produce
the best possible images. All models have rugged, durable housings to give you a
lifetime of pleasure with a minimal amount of maintenance.

Your Celestron spotting scope is designed to give you hours of fun and rewarding
observations. There are, however, a few things to consider before using your
spotting scope that will ensure your safety and protect your equipment.

•

Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or with your spotting
scope. Permanent and irreversible eye damage may result.

•

Never use your spotting scope to project an image of the Sun onto any
surface. Internal heat build-up can damage your spotting scope and/or any
accessories attached to it.

•

Never use an eyepiece solar filter or a Herschel wedge. Internal heat build­up inside your spotting scope can cause these devices to crack or break,
allowing unfiltered sunlight to pass through to the eye.

•

Never leave your spotting scope unsupervised, either when children are
present or adults who may not be familiar with the correct operating
procedures of your spotting scope.

•

Never point your spotting scope at the Sun unless you have the proper solar
filter. We recommend Celestron solar filters only. Don't take chances -- use
Celestron filters for safety and performance! When using your spotting
scope with the proper solar filter, ALWAYS cover the finderscope. Although
small in aperture, this instrument has enough light gathering power to
possibly cause permanent and irreversible eye damage. In addition, the
image projected by the finder is hot enough to burn skin and clothing.

Assembly

This section covers the correct set up and operating procedures for your Celestron
C5 spotting scope and includes information on visual and photographic
observations. The C5 spotting scope uses a combination of mirrors and lenses to
produce an image. Such an optical system is known as a compound lens. This
particular design, known as a Schmidt-Cassegrain, is one of the most compact
and rugged optical systems on the market today. The C5 (#52219) comes
standard with the following accessories:

· 25mm Plossl Eyepiece 1.25” (48x)

· 6x30 Erect Image Finderscope

· 45° Erect Image Diagonal - 1.25”

· Photo Tripod Adapter block

· Nylon Water Resistant Case

· Lens Cap

The Erect Image Diagonal

The diagonal is a prism that diverts the light at a right angle from the light path of
the spotting scope. The C5 spotting scope comes with an erect image diagonal
that is designed for terrestrial viewing. To attach the diagonal:

1. Turn the thumbscrew on the visual
back until its tip no longer extends
into (i.e., obstructs) the inner
diameter of the visual back.

2. Slide the chrome portion of the
diagonal into the visual back.

3. Tighten the thumbscrew on the
visual back to hold the diagonal in
place.

If you wish to change the orientation of
the diagonal, loosen the thumbscrew on the visual back until the diagonal rotates
freely. Rotate the diagonal to the desired position and tighten the thumbscrew.

The Eyepiece

The eyepiece, or ocular, is the optical element that magnifies the image focused
by the spotting scope. The eyepiece fits into either the visual back directly or the
erect image diagonal. To install an ocular:

1. Loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal (or erect image diagonal) so it
does not obstruct the inner diameter of the eyepiece end of the diagonal.

2. Slide the chrome portion of the eyepiece into the star diagonal (or erect
image diagonal).

3. Tighten the thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece in place.

To remove the eyepiece, loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal and slide the
eyepiece out.

Eyepieces are commonly referred to by focal length and barrel diameter. The
focal length of each eyepiece is printed on the eyepiece barrel. The longer the
focal length (i.e., the larger the number) the lower the eyepiece power or
magnification; and the shorter the focal length (i.e., the smaller the number) the
higher the magnification. Generally, you will use low-to-moderate power when
viewing. For more information on how to determine power, see the section on
“Calculating Magnification.”

Barrel diameter is the diameter of the barrel that slides into the diagonal or visual
back. The C5 spotting scope use eyepieces with a standard 1-1/4" barrel
diameter.

Finderscope

The C5 spotting scope come standard with a terrestrial (erect image) 6x30 finder.
The purpose of the finder is to locate objects that might otherwise be overlooked
in the narrow, higher power field of view of the spotting scope.

Attaching the Finder to the Bracket

1. Unthread the three screws in the finder bracket. until the ends are flush with
the inner diameter of the bracket ring. Do not thread them in completely
or they will interfere with the placement of the finder.

2. Slide the rubber O-ring onto the back (eyepiece end) of the finder.

3. Position the O-ring on the

Finderscope

main body of the finder so
that it is toward the front
(i.e., objective) end of the
finder.

Nylon
Adjustment
Screw

4. Slide the finder, eyepiece
end first, into the front
ring of the bracket. Push
it back until the O-ring is
snug inside the front ring

Finder Bracket

of the bracket.

5. Hand tighten the three set
screws until snug.

To align the finder, please see the section on “Aligning the Finder.”

The C5 spotting scope will attach to any photographic tripod with a 1/4x20
threaded screw. The C5 attaches to the tripod via a photo tripod adapter block
that has three 1/4x20 holes. To attach the C5 to a photographic tripod:

1. Place any of the 1/4x20 holes in the photo tripod adapter block over the
1/4x20 screw on your photographic tripod.

2. Tighten the 1/4x20 screw to hold the C5 firmly in place.

If the telescope/spotting scope is not properly balanced, try using one of the
other holes in the photo tripod adapter block. Once mounted on the
photographic tripod, you are ready to use your C5 spotting scope.

Following is pertinent technical information for the Celestron C5 spotting scope
that you may find useful.

• 5" aperture (125mm) f/10

• Focal length — 1250mm (50")

• Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system
Resolution 0.9 arc sec.

• Tube — 11" long

• Weight (with mount) — 6 pounds

• 6x30 finder

• Highest useful magnification — 300x

• Lowest useful magnification — 23x

• Limiting magnitude (visual) — 13

• Near Focus — Approximately 20'

• Angular field of view with standard eyepiece: 1.04°

• Angular field of view using optional Reducer/Corrector lens: 1.7°

• Lens cover

• Starbright XLT coatings — XLT coating on corrector yield greater light
transmission and provides greater reflectivity on primary and secondary
mirrors

Once your spotting scope is fully assembled, you are ready for your first look.
This section deals with the basics of your spotting scopes operation.

The Celestron C5 spotting scope focusing mechanism controls the position of the
primary mirror which is mounted on a sleeve that slides back and forth on the
primary baffle tube. The focusing knob,
which moves the primary mirror, is on the rear
cell of the C5 to the right of the diagonal and
eyepiece. Turn the focusing knob until the
image is sharp. If the knob will not turn, the
primary mirror has reached the end of its
travel on the focusing mechanism. Turn the
knob in the opposite direction until the image
is sharp. Once an image is in focus, turn the
knob clockwise to focus on a closer object and
counterclockwise for a more distant object. A
single turn of the focusing knob moves the
primary mirror only slightly. Therefore, it
will take many turns (about 40) to go from
close focus (approximately 20 feet) to infinity.
For astronomical viewing, out-of-focus star

The emblem on the end of

the focus knob shows the

correct rotational direction

for focusing your telescope

.

images are very diffuse making them difficult,
if not impossible, to see. If you turn the focus
knob too quickly, you can go right through focus without seeing the image. For
best results, your first astronomical target should be a bright object (like the
Moon) so that the image is visible even when out of focus.

The Celestron C5 comes with a 6x30mm finder that helps in aiming at distant
objects that are hard to find in the narrow field of the spotting scope. The first
number used to describe the finder is the power while the second number is the
diameter of the objective lens in millimeters. This means the 6x30 finder is 6