Meade NGC User Manual

Instruction Manual

NGC-Series Telescopes
NG-Series Telescopes

MEADE.COM

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 Red Dot Viewfinder.......... 9

Choosing an Eyepiece .............................................. 9

Simple Observations ................................................10

Initializing the Control Panel......................................11

Easy Alignment ........................................................11

Go To Saturn ............................................................12

Using the Guided Tour ..............................................14

Menus ............................................................................14

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

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: Entering Time/Date Manually ....................24

Appendix C: Batteries ....................................................25

Basic Astronomy ............................................................26

CONTENTS

WARNING!

Never use a Meade®NGC™or NG

™

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.

® 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.

Patents:

US 6,392,799
Utility Patent Pending.

© 2005 Meade Instruments Corporation.

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.

4

TELESCOPE FEATURES

Fig. 1: The NGC telescope. Insets: Tripod leg lock (13), Alternate tray style (14).

1^

1!

1$

1@

1)

J

I

H

G

F

E

D

C

B

1&

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)

• Accessory tray styles vary (inset Fig. 1)

• Model colors vary

1. Dust Cap

2. Optical Tube

3. Tube Bracket

4. Control Panel

5. Attachment Knobs

6. Red Dot VF

7. Eyepiece

8. Diagonal Mirror

9. Focuser Drawtube

10. Focus Knobs

11. Tripod Nuts, Bolts

12. Leg Brace
Supports

13. Leg Lock (inset)

14. Tray; (inset:
Alternate Style Tray)

15. Tripod Legs

16. Base

17. Dew Shield

1%

1#

5

1*

2)

2!

2@

2#

2$

2%

H

I

J

E

Fig. 2: Top view of the NGC base. Fig. 3: Detailed view of the NGC computer control panel.

Fig. 4: Detailed view of the focuser assembly and
the viewfinder. Inset: Compass/bubble level (19).













G

2^

6. Red Dot VF

7. Eyepiece

8. Diagonal Mirror

9. Focuser Drawtube

10. Focus Knobs

18. Battery Compartment

19. Compass/Bubble Level (inset)

20. Slow Motion Control

21. Red Dot battery

22. Alignment Screws

23. Intensity Slider

24. Red Dot Bracket

25. Diagonal Thumbscrew

26. Focuser Thumbscrew

A. Liquid Crystal Display
B. Enter Button
C. Mode Button
D. Up/Down Button
E. On/Off
F. Slow Motion Control
G. AUX Port



1)

1(

6

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.

C 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.

D Optical Tube Attachment Bracket: Attach the optical tube to this bracket. See

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information.

E Control Panel (Fig. 3, NGC Models Only):

A. 2-Line LCD Display: Displays menus and information concerning the com-

puter 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 informa-

tion 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 adjust-

ments 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.

F 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.

G Red Dot Viewfinder: Before looking at an object in the eyepiece, locate the object

in the red dot viewfinder. The viewfinder provides a much easier way to locate
celestial objects than a telescope eyepiece, because it has a wider field of view.

H 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.

I 90° Diagonal Mirror: 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.

J Focuser Drawtube: Slide the diagonal mirror or an eyepiece into this tube.

Tighten the thumbscrew (26, Fig. 4) to a firm feel only.

7

1) 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.

1! 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.

1@ Tripod Leg Brace Supports: Stabilizes the tripod and supports the accessory

tray. See

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information.

1# 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.

1$ Accessory Tray: Use the tray to hold extra eyepieces during your observing

sessions.

1% Tripod Legs: Attach the legs to the tripod head (16, Fig. 1). See HOW TO ASSEM-

BLE YOUR TELESCOPE,

page 8, for more information. When observing, spread the

legs out as far as they will open for a secure viewing platform.

1^ Base/Tripod Head: Supports the telescope for placement on the tripod. See HOW

TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE,

page 8, for more information.

1& Dew shield: Reduces the formation of dew on the telescope's primary lens and

acts as a shade for daytime use.

1* 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.

1( Compass/Bubble Level: Use the compass to locate North while aligning the

telescope. See

EASY ALIGNMENT, page 12, for more information. When the red

arrow of the compass and “N” both point in the same direction, the telescope
then points North.

Use the bubble level to help set the home position. When the bubble is in the cen­ter of the compass, the telescope is level.

2) Horizontal Slow Motion Control Knob (NGC Models Only): Use this control to

make fine adjustments in the horizontal movement of the telescope.

2! Red Dot Viewfinder Battery: Powers the red dot viewfinder. Replace with a

CR2032 lithium battery.

2@ Red Dot VF Alignment Screws: Adjust these screws to align the viewfinder. See

ALIGNING THE RED DOT VIEWFINDER, page 9, for more information.

2# Red Dot VF Intensity Slider: Slide this switch to lower or intensify the red dot

light level.

2$ Red Dot VF Bracket: Holds the red dot viewfinder in place. Attach to the optical

tube. See

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TELESCOPE, page 8, for more information.

2% Diagonal Mirror Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece in place. Tighten to a "firm

feel" only.

2^ Focuser Drawtube Thumbscrew: Tightens a diagonal mirror or an eyepiece in

place. Tighten to a firm feel only.

NOTE: Sometimes air
gets trapped below the
compass dial causing
the compass to not
work properly.

Gently tap the
compass to insure that
no air is trapped below
the compass dial.

Fig. 5: Attach tripod legs to the tripod
head.

8

Parts Listing

• Complete optical tube assembly with dew shield, dust cap, red dot 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 (1 1/4" long) with flange 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)

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 - Mount assembly: The tripod is shipped with the tripod head and the tri-

pod legs unattached. Attach the three aluminum tripod legs (15, Fig. 1) to the tri-
pod head (16, Fig. 1) with the three leg locks facing inward. Line up the holes on
the legs with the holes on the mount. Slide a bolt through each hole and tighten
with a hex nut. Three 1 9/16" long bolts and three hex nuts are provided for this
purpose. See Fig. 5. After attaching the tripod legs, spread the legs evenly apart.

3. The Tray and Mounting Hardware: Use the provided three 1 1/4" screws and

three flange nuts to attach the leg brace assembly to the tripod leg brace support.
You will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to perform this assembly.

4. Leg Brace Assembly: Line up one of the leg braces (see Fig. 6) between the

opening of one of the tripod leg brace supports on the tripod so that a screw will
be able to pass through both the holes of the leg brace support and holes of the
leg brace.

Using a Phillips-head screwdriver, thread one of the 1 1/4" screws through the
holes. Attach the matching flange nut and tighten to a firm feel. Repeat this pro­cedure until all three leg braces are mounted on the three leg brace supports.
See Fig. 6.

5. Tray Assembly: To attach the accessory tray to the leg brace assembly, place

the round accessory tray over the mounting bolt hole (Fig. 7).Thread the bolt on
the bottom of the accessory tray into the the mounting bolt hole (Fig. 7) and turn
the tray clockwise (Fig. 8). Tighten to a firm feel, but do not overtighten—you will
need to remove the tray if you wish to collapse the tripod. To remove the tray, just
rotate the tray counterclockwise.You can then lift and remove the tray.

6. Set tripod leg height: Lift the tripod leg lock (13, Fig. 1) and extend the sliding

center portion of the adjustable height tripod leg (15, Fig. 1) to the desired length.
Press the leg lock down to lock.

7. Attach the optical tube to bracket: Your telescope comes supplied with one of

two styles of optical tube attachment.
Style 1: Two bolts extend from the center portion of the optical tube (2, Fig. 1).

Slide the bolts through the holes in the bracket (3, Fig. 1). Thread the provided
attachment nuts over the bolts and tighten to a firm feel. See Fig. 9a.

Style 2: Unthread the cradle lock knob to open the cradle ring. Place the optical
tube into the cradle ring. Tighten the lock knob so that it holds the tube loosely.
Balance the tube: Slide the tube back and forth until you find a position where the
tube remains horizontal (

i.e.,

without tipping up or down). Now tighten the cradle

ring lock knob to a firm feel. See Fig. 9b.

Note: If the horizontal and/or vertical movement of the optical tube seems to
be too loose or too tight, you can adjust the amount of tension in the

GETTING STARTED

Insert
bolt

Fig. 7: Mounting bolt hole.

Fig. 6: Attach the leg braces to the

leg brace supports.

Mounting
bolt hole

Leg brace

Leg brace support

Fig. 8: Place tray onto the mounting
bolt hole and thread the bolt on the
bottom of the tray into the mounting
bolt hole.

9

movement of the tube to suit your own preference. See

ADJUSTING THE

HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL TENSION OF THE OPTICAL TUBE

, page 20.

8. Insert the diagonal mirror and eyepiece: Insert the diagonal mirror (8, Fig. 1)
into the focuser drawtube (9, Fig. 1) and a low-power eyepiece (

e.g.,

25mm or
26mm eyepiece) into the diagonal mirror. Tighten the eyepiece and diagonal mir­ror thumbscrews (25 and 26, Fig. 4) to a firm feel.

Note: Some models are supplied with one of two styles of the 90° diagonal
mirror. Quantities of eyepieces and eyepiece size varies with each model.

9. Install battery (NGC Models Only): Lift the lid of the battery compartment (18,
Fig. 2) and attach a 9v battery (user-supplied) to the connector provided in the
compartment.

10. Remove dust cap: Pull to remove the dust cap from the end of the telescope.
Replace it on the telescope at the end of the observing session. The cap keeps
the telescope lens free from dust and foreign particles when it is not in use.

Attaching and Aligning the Red Dot Viewfinder

Because the main telescope has a fairly narrow field of view, locating objects directly
in the main telescope can sometimes be difficult. The red dot viewfinder (6, Fig. 1) has
a wider field of view, which permits you to more easily locate objects. When the red
dot viewfinder and optical tube are aligned to each other, both point to the same posi­tion in the sky. An object located in the red dot viewfinder is therefore also positioned
within the field of the main telescope.

1. Attach the red dot viewfinder bracket: Remove the two attachment thumb­screws from the optical tube. These screws are pre-threaded at the factory into
the optical telescope tube at the viewfinder location. Line up the holes in the
viewfinder bracket with the holes on the tube and thread the thumbscrews back
onto the main tube. See Fig. 10a.

2. Setting the intensity slider: Slide the switch on the side of the red dot viewfind-
er to the first position for a less intense red dot and to the second position for a
more intense red dot. The less intense red dot may be particularly useful when you
are sighting on fainter celestial objects. Slide the switch all the way to the left to
turn off. Fig. 10b.

To Align the Red Dot viewfinder:

It is recommended that you perform steps 1 and 2 of this procedure during the day­time and step 3 at night.

1. If you have not already done so, place a low-power (

e.g.,

25mm or 26mm) eye­piece in the diagonal mirror of the main telescope (8, Fig. 1) and point the tele­scope at an easy-to-find land object (

e.g.,

the top of a telephone pole). Turn the
focuser knob (10, Fig. 1) so that the image is sharply focused. Center the object
precisely in the main telescope’s field of view.

2. Then, looking through the red dot viewfinder, turn one or both of the red dot
viewfinder’s alignment screws (22, Fig. 4) until the viewfinder’s red dot points pre­cisely at the same object as centered in the main telescope. The red dot viewfind­er is now aligned to the main telescope.

3. Check this alignment on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and
make any necessary refinements.

Choosing an Eyepiece

A telescope’s eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescope’s main optics.
Each eyepiece has a focal length, expressed in millimeters, or "mm." The smaller the
focal length, the higher the magnification. For example, an eyepiece with a focal length
of 9mm has a higher magnification than an eyepiece with a focal length of 25mm.

Low-power eyepieces (

e.g.,

a 25mm or 26mm eyepiece) give a wide, comfortable field

of view with high image resolution. High-power eyepieces (

e.g.,

the 9mm eyepiece)
provides a smaller field of view but higher magnification when seeing conditions
permit.

Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and eye
relief during long observing sessions. To find an object with a telescope, always start
with a low power eyepiece (

e.g.,

25mm or 26mm eyepiece). When the object is

Fig. 9b: Attach optical tube to cradle
ring (Style 2).

Cradle

Lock
Knob

Fig. 10a: Attach red dot viewfinder to
the optical tube.

Fig. 10b: Slide the intensity slider to
make the red dot more or less intense.

Fig. 9a: Attach optical tube to the
mount (Style 1).

Attachment
Nuts

Bracket

Intensity Slider