Meade 114EQ-AR User Manual

MEADE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

114mm | 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting Telescope

114EQ-AR

www.meade.com

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 1

WARNING!

Never use a Meade®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 at or near the Sun. Do not look through
the telescope or SmartFinder™as it is moving. Children
should always have adult supervision while observing.

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 2

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:

• 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:

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.

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

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 3

FIGURE 1

2

Inset C

Inset B

Inset A

1. Tripod legs

2. Equatorial Mount

3. Right ascension control cable

4. Declination control cable

5. Counterweights

6. Counterweight shaft

7. Counterweight lock knobs

8. Counterweight safety washer

9. Latitude adjustment lock

10. Polar axis (see Fig. 5)

11. Latitude adjustment knob

12. Main optical tube (OTA)

13. Optical tube saddle plate (see Fig. 5)

14. Cradle rings

15. Cradle ring lock knobs

16. Red dot viewfinder bracket mounting

thumbscrews (see Inset B)

17. Focuser

18. Focuser thumbscrew

19. Eyepiece

20. Red dot viewfinder bracket

(see Inset B)

21. Declination axis (see Fig. 5)

22. Right Ascension lock (see Fig. 5)

23. Declination lock (see Fig. 5)

24. Red dot viewfinder

25. Telescope front dust cover

26. Eyepiece holder slots (see Inset A)

27. Right Ascension setting circle

28. Declination setting circle (see Fig. 5)

29. Latitude dial (see Fig. 5)

30. Azimuth adjustment lock

31. Focus knobs

32. Optional motor drive gear
(see Fig. 5)

33. Azimuth base (see Fig. 5)

34. Red dot viewfinder alignment
screws (see Inset B)

35. Azimuth circle (see Fig. 5)

36. Cradle ring attachment lock­knob (see Fig. 6)

37. Cradle ring attachment

38. Tripod leg Phillips-head fastener
screws (see Fig. 5)

39. Tripod-to-mount wingnuts

40. Accessory tray (see Inset A)

41. Leg brace support (see Inset A)

42. Sliding leg extension lock
(see Inset C)

43. Sliding leg extension
(see Inset C)

Figure 1: Meade 114EQ-AR Equatorial Reflecting Telescope

Inset A: Accessory Tray
Inset B: Red Dot Viewfinder Assembly.
Inset C: Tripod Leg

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 4

ASSEMBLE YOUR TRIPOD

The tripod is the basic support for your
telescope. Its height may be adjusted so that
you can view comfortably.

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1. Make sure that as you attach the legs (1)

to the mount that the leg braces (41) are
facing inward.

2. Line up the holes at the top of one of the

legs with the holes in the mount.

3. Thread one of the 2-inch bolts through

the holes.

4. Thread a wingnut over the bolt and hand-

tighten to a firm feel (See Fig. 2).

5. Attach the remaining two legs to the

mount in the same manner.

2. Attach the triangular accessory tray
to the leg brace supports using the
supplied one-half inch bolts and
screwdriver tool (See Fig. 3).

3. Thread the supplied nut over the end of
the bolt.

4. Finger tighten the bolt and nut using the
screwdriver tool.

5. Repeat with the other two leg braces.

ATTACH THE RED DOT VIEWFINDER

An eyepiece (19) has a narrow field of view.
A viewfinder (24) has a wider field of view,
which makes it easier to locate objects.
The red dot viewfinder has a red dot to
make it easier to line up more precisely
with a target.

6. Spread the legs out evenly apart.

7. Set the height of your tripod:
a. Rotate and loosen the leg lock

thumbscrew (42) to unlock the leg lock.

b. Slide the inner portion of the leg in or

out to the desired length. Repeat for
the other two legs.

c. Rotate and tighten the leg lock

thumbscrew to relock the leg lock.

d. Repeat for the other two legs.

ATTACH THE ACCESSORY TRAY

The tray helps stabilize the tripod and is also
a convenient holder of eyepieces and other
Meade accessories, such as the Barlow lens.

1. Remove the plastic covers on the leg

brace supports (41, See Fig. 3).

Fig. 3

3

wingnut

Fig. 2

Fig. 4

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 5

1. Note the two thumbscrews
(16, Fig. 4) thread onto two bolts
on the optical tube. Remove the
thumbscrews from the tube.

2. Line up the two holes on the red dot
viewfinder bracket over the two bolts.
Slide the bracket over the bolts.

3. Replace the thumbscrews on to 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

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).

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Make sure the safety washer and
screw (8) always remain in place on
the shaft.

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BALANCING THE TELESCOPE

In order for the telescope to move
smoothly on its mechanical axes, it
must first be balanced as follows:

NNoottee::

If the counterweight is
positioned as recommended
previously then the telescope is
already approximately balanced.

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

4

(on reverse side)

(see p. 2 for
feature
names)

Fig. 5

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 6

2. Tighten the cradle ring attachment lock
knob (36) to a firm feel.

ALIGN THE RED DOT VIEWFINDER

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.

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.

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.

5

Fig. 6

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.

PREPARE MOUNT

1. Attach the flexible cables (3) and (4).
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:

Loosen the latitude adjustment lock
(9) so you can move the mount to the
desired position.

3. Re-tighten the latitude adjustment lock
to secure the mount in place.

ATTACH THE OPTICAL TUBE TO THE
MOUNT

1. Lay the optical tube (12) with cradle rings
(14) onto the saddle plate (13).

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 7

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

RRiigghhtt AAsscceennssiioonn

and

DDeecclliinnaattiioonn..

The celestial map also contains two poles
and an equator just like a map of the Earth.
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.

So just as an object's position on the Earth's
surface can be located by its 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

°).

•• RRIIGGHHTT AASSCCEENNSSIIOONN ((RR..AA..))::

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.

UNDERSTANDING CELESTIAL
MOVEMENTS AND COORDINATES

Understanding where to locate
celestial objects and how those objets move
across the sky is the key to enjoying the
hobby of astronomy. Most amateur
astronomers 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.

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.

6

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 8

equator are indicated with a plus (+) sign
(e.g., the Dec. of the North celestial pole
is +90

°). Any point on 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.

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
complete revolution about the pole, circling
with the pole at the center. By lining up the
telescope's 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
within a degree or two of the pole is more
than sufficient: with this level of pointing
accuracy, the telescope can track accurately
by slowly turning the telescope's R.A.
flexible cable control and keep objects in
the telescopic field of view for perhaps 20 to
30 minutes.

POLAR ALIGNMENT OF THE EQUATORIAL
MOUNT

To line up the Meade 114 EQ-AR with the
pole, follow this procedure:

THE MEADE 4M COMMUNITY

You haven’t just bought a telescope, you have embarked
on an astronomy adventure that never ends. Share the
journey with others by accepting your free membership
in the 4M community of astronomers.

Go to www.Meade4M.com

to activate your membership today.

There are 24 primary lines of R.A., located
at 15-degree 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.

•• DDeecclliinnaattiioonn ((DDeecc..))::

This celestial version
of latitude is measured in degrees, arc­minutes, and arc-seconds (e.g., 15

° 27'

33"). Dec. locations North of the celestial

Fig. 7

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

0

1

12

11

10

9

8

7

5

6

4

3

2

13

Rotation
of the
Earth

0 Dec.

South
Celestial
Pole

Right
Ascension

Star

Celestial
Equator

-90 Dec.

+90 Déc.

D

e

c

l

i

n

a

t

i

o

n

North
Celestial
Pole
(Vicinity of
Polaris)

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

7

Meade114EQAR 3/28/07 9:52 AM Page 9