Meade Starfinder 12.5 User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

6”, 8”, 10”, & 12.5” Starfinder
Dobsonian Telescopes

Meade Instruments Corporation

WARNING!

Never use the Starfinder Dobsonian 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

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11

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Fig. 1: The Meade Starfinder Dobsonian Telescope.

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Captions for Fig. 1

1. Focuser assembly

2. Eyepiece

3. Viewfinder bracket

4. Viewfinder

5. Optical tube assembly

6. Mirror cell

7. Side board

8. Ground plate

9. Base plate

10. Front board

11. Altitude bearing

Contents

6", 8" 10", and 12.5 Starfinder

Dobsonian Telescopes

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Parts Listing and Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Assembling the Mount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Optical Tube Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Attaching the Focuser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Attaching the Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Installing the Primary Mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Balancing the Telescope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Aligning the Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Using the Viewfinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Collimation of the Optical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Correct Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Spider Vane Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Secondary Mirror Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Primary Mirror Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Star Testing the Collimation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Tips on Using a Dobsonian Telescope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Magnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Seeing Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Observing Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Care of Optics and Main Tube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Meade Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Specifications and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

® The name ‘Meade’ and the Meade logo are trademarks

registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal
countries throughout the world.

© 1999 Meade Instruments Corporation

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INTRODUCTION

The Starfinder Dobsonian telescope will open up the skies for
a breathtaking array of visual observations. Galaxies, nebulae,
star clusters — in all their variations of form, color, and extent
— as well as the Moon, planets, comets and other objects
within the solar system, may be studied in great detail.

This manual is designed for the 6", 8", 10", and 12.5" Starfinder
Dobsonian Telescopes. With the exception of a few assembly
operations and features, the four telescopes are almost
identical operationally. When differences in procedures occur,
they are clearly noted. Most standard and optional accessories
are interchangeable between the four telescopes. For optimal
enjoyment of the telescope, please take a few minutes to read
this manual and become familiar with all of the instrument’s
capabilities.

PARTS LISTING AND ASSEMBLY

When first opening the packing boxes, note carefully the
following parts included with the Starfinder Dobsonian
Telescope (use Figure 1 and 2 to aid in the identification
process):

Carton #1: The Telescope

— Optical tube assembly
— Primary mirror mounted in its cell
— Focuser
— Modified Achromat (MA) 25mm eyepiece
— 5 x 24mm viewfinder
— Hardware kit.

CAUTION: The primary mirror must be handled with
special care. Never touch its reflective surface or
place the mirror where it could be damaged. Save all
original packing materials; if it is ever necessary to
ship the telescope, these materials will help to assure
that no shipping damage will occur.

Carton #2: The Mount

— 2 Side boards
— Front board
— Ground plate
— Base plate
— 2 Handles
— Hardware kit

Assembling the Mount

Assembly of your Meade Starfinder Dobsonian telescope
should only take a few minutes. A phillips screwdriver, pliers,
and an adjustable wrench are the only tools you will need.

1. Attach the self-adhesive rubber feet (11, Fig. 2) to the
underside of the ground plate (10, Fig. 2), the round piece
with the Teflon pads. The feet should be mounted directly
under the already installed Teflon pads.

Two extra rubber feet have been supplied for use as
“bumpers” where the telescope tube hits the front board
(5, Fig 2.) at the travel limits. Place one in the center of the
top ledge, and one in the center on the inside near the
bottom (see Fig. 2). The exact position for these two
bumpers will be obvious with the telescope mounted on
the base.

2. Attach the front board (5, Fig. 2) loosely to the two side
boards (4, Fig. 2) using the supplied wood screws
(3,Fig.2), and the predrilled holes. Do not fully tighten the
screws yet.

3. Attach the front board/side board assembly to the base
plate (7, Fig 2) using the supplied Wood Screws, and the
predrilled holes. Snugly tighten all screws, including those
previously installed.

CAUTION: Do not overtighten the wood screws. The
screws should be tightened sufficiently so that the
head of the screw is flush with the wood surface.

4. Firmly press the screw cover caps (2, Fig. 2) into the
heads of the wood screws on the side boards. You may
have to lightly tap the screw cover caps to properly seat
them into the screw heads.

5. Install the two handles (1, Fig. 2) onto the side boards
utilizing the supplied screws. Firmly tighten the screws.

6. To install the center pivot bearing, first insert the nylon
center bearing bushing (8, Fig. 2) into the center hole of
the ground plate (10, Fig. 2) from the top side. You may
have to lightly tap the bushing to fully seat it into the hole.

7. Place the four (six on the 12.5" model) nylon washers
(9, Fig. 2) onto the nylon center bearing bushing. Then,
from the bottom, insert the 2 1/4" x 5/16" hex pivot bolt
(12, Fig. 2), with a flat washer (13, Fig. 2) up through the
center of the ground plate. This bolt should then be
inserted through the center hole of the base plate
(7,Fig. 2). Secure this assembly with the other flat washer
and the 5/16" locking nut (6, Fig. 2).

NOTE: Do not overtighten the nut or the base plate will not
easily rotate upon the ground plate. Only tighten the pivot
bolt and nut sufficiently to maintain a very light pressure
between the ground plate and base plate. The two parts
should easily turn in a “Lazy Susan” fashion.

This completes assembly of your Meade Starfinder Dobsonian
Mount.

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Fig. 2: Construction of the Dobsonian Mount. (1) Handle; (2) Screw
Cover Caps; (3) Wood Screws; (4) Side Boards; (5) Front Board;
(6) 5/16" Locking Nut; (7) Base Plate; (8) Center Bearing Bushing;
(9) Nylon Washer; (10) Ground Plate; (11) Rubber Foot; (12) 2 14" x
5/16" Hex Pivot Bolt; (13) Flat Wa s h e r s .

4

1

2

13

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Optical Tube Assembly

The optical tube has been pre-drilled at the Meade factory to
accept all standard accessories.

1. Attaching the Focuser: Lay the tube flat on the floor.
Align the holes in the focuser assembly (1, Fig. 1) with the
four pre-drilled holes in the optical tube. From the
provided hardware, place the four Phillips-head screws
through the holes. Then, carefully reach into the optical
tube and attach a nut and washer to each screw. Tighten
the screws, but do not overtighten; tightening to a firm feel
is sufficient.

2. Attaching the Viewfinder: With the optical tube lying flat
on the floor, align the two holes in the viewfinder bracket
(3, Fig.1) with the pre-drilled holes in the optical tube.
From the supplied hardware, place a screw through each
of the holes. Carefully reach into the optical tube and
attach a nut to each screw. As with the focuser, tightening
to a firm feel is sufficient. Overtightening may result in
damage to the tube's finish. Aligning the viewfinder is
discussed later in this manual.

Your Meade Starfinder telescope was fully assembled, aligned,
and tested at the Meade factory. To ensure safe shipping, the
primary mirror was then removed from the telescope. Locate
the primary mirror cell assembly (Fig 3). Again, take extreme
care not to touch or bump the primary mirror.

3. Installing the Primary Mirror: (Refer to Figure 3) You will
note that there is a colored marker on the rear of the
telescope tube. There is a corresponding colored marker
(3, Fig. 3) on the mirror cell. Carefully slide the mirror cell
into the rear of the tube, ensuring that the two colored
markers line up. Secure the cell to the tube with the four
provided large-headed screws (1, Fig. 3). Again, do not
overtighten the screws. A firm feel is sufficient.

4. Carefully place the assembled optical tube into the
previously assembled base as illustrated in Figure 1. Note
that the two large bearings on the side of the tube
(11, Fig.1) rest in the cutouts of the mount . Also note the
orientation of the tube to the mount; the focuser (1, Fig. 1)
should be on the opposite side from the mount’s Front
Board (10, Fig. 1).

BALANCING THE TELESCOPE

Dobsonian telescopes are designed to move easily, but at the
same time remain in the position they are placed. This is
achieved by carefully balancing the telescope at the Meade
factory. The telescope is balanced for standard accessories.

However, should anything attached to the telescope change,
for example using a larger or smaller eyepiece, or even moving
the primary mirror during collimation, slight imperfections in
balance may occur.

You may find as you change eyepieces or accessories, that the
telescope is out-of-balance. This is a relatively easy problem to
correct. With a little ingenuity, counterweights can be fashioned
by the telescope owner, using fishing sinkers or washers.

THE VIEWFINDER

The Starfinder telescope, as with almost all astronomical
telescopes, presents a fairly narrow field of view to the
observer. As a result, it is sometimes difficult to locate and
center objects in the telescope’s field of view.

The viewfinder, by contrast, is a low-powered, wide-field
sighting scope with crosshairs that enables the easy centering
of objects in the main telescope’s field of view. Standard
equipment with the Starfinder telescope is a viewfinder of 5­power and 24 mm aperture, called an “5 x 24mm viewfinder.”

Aligning the Viewfinder

In order for the viewfinder to be useful, it must first be aligned
with the main telescope, so that both the viewfinder and the
main telescope are pointing at precisely the same place. To
align the viewfinder, follow this procedure:

1. The viewfinder bracket includes six alignment screws.
Turn the three rear-most alignment screws so that the
viewfinder tube is roughly centered within the viewfinder
bracket, as viewed from the eyepiece-end of the
telescope.

2. Using the standard equipment 25mm eyepiece, point the
main telescope at some easy-to-find, well-defined land
object, such as the top of a telephone pole. Center the
object precisely in the main telescope’s field.

3. While looking through the viewfinder, gently turn one or
more of the three front-most viewfinder alignment screws
until the crosshairs of the viewfinder point at precisely the
same position as the main telescope. During this
procedure, occasionally look through the main telescope
to make sure the object is still centered.

When the object is centered in the viewfinder, confirm that the
v i e w f i n d e r’s crosshairs and the main telescope are now
pointing at precisely the same object. The viewfinder is now
aligned to the main telescope. Unless the alignment screws are
disturbed, the viewfinder will remain aligned indefinitely.

Using the Viewfinder

Now, to locate any object, terrestrial or astronomical, first
center the object on the crosshairs of the viewfinder; the object
will then be centered in the field of the main telescope.

Note: If you intend to use higher observing magnifications, first
locate, center, and focus the object using a low-power eyepiece
(e.g., the 25mm eyepiece). Objects are easier to locate and
center at low powers; higher power eyepieces may then be
employed by changing eyepieces.

COLLIMATION OF THE OPTICAL SYSTEM

Precise collimation, or alignment, of your telescope’s optical
system is essential for good performance. All Meade
telescopes are accurately collimated at the factory prior to
shipment, so collimation adjustments will probably not be
necessary. Nevertheless, take the time now to familiarize
yourself with the following collimation procedure so that you
may recognize a properly collimated instrument and adjust the
collimation yourself, if necessary.

Fig. 3: Installing the Primary Mirror in the Optical Tube Assembly.
(1) Attachment Bolts; (2) Primary Mirror; (3) Alignment Markers;
(4) Counterweight Thread; (5) Collimation Bolts.

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3

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Correct Collimation

A properly collimated (aligned) mirror system in your Starfinder
Dobsonian telescope assures the sharpest images possible.
Your Starfinder is properly aligned when the primary mirror

(3, Fig. 4) and secondary mirror (2, Fig. 4) are tilted so that the
focused image (6, Fig. 4) falls directly through the center of the
focuser drawtube (5, Fig. 4).

To inspect the view of the mirror collimation, remove the
eyepiece and look down the focuser drawtube. The round edge
of the focuser drawtube (1, Fig. 6) will frame the reflections of
the primary mirror with the secondary mirror (2, Fig. 6) the
spider vanes (3, Fig. 6) and your eye (4, Fig. 6). Properly
aligned, all of these reflections will appear concentric (i.e.
centered) as illustrated in Fig. 6. Any deviation from the
concentric reflections will require adjustments to the secondary
mirror assembly (Fig. 5), and/or the primary mirror cell.

Spider Vane Adjustments

Looking down the open end of the telescope tube, check to see
if the secondary mirror system is centered in the optical tube. If
the assembly is off-center, loosen one of the spider vane
adjustment/lock knobs while unscrewing the opposite knob.
Only make adjustments to 2 knobs at a time until the secondary
mirror is centered in the drawtube. When the spider vane is
correctly positioned, the view through the drawtube will look like

Fig. 4: Newtonian Reflecting Telescope. (1) Spider Vanes; (2) Secondary Mirror; (3) Parabolic Primary Mirror; (4) Primary Mirror Hex Screws;
(5) Focuser Drawtube; (6) Focused Image.

1

2

3

6

Face-on view Edge-on view

5

1

3

2

Fig. 5: Secondary Mirror Assembly. (1) Spider Vanes; (2) Tilt Screws;
(3)Secondary Mirror Holder.

4

Fig. 6: Correct Collimation. (1) Round Edge of Focuser Drawtube;

2) Secondary Mirror; (3) Spider Vanes; (4) Eye.

Fig. 7: Spider Vane Misalignment. (1) Secondary Mirror; (2) Round
Edge of Focuser Drawtube.

Fig. 8: Secondary Mirror Misalignment. (1) Secondary Mirror;
(2) Round Edge of Focuser Drawtube; (3) Reflection of Primary Mirror.

Fig. 9: Primary Mirror Misalignment. (1) Secondary Mirror; (2) Round
Edge of Focuser Drawtube; (3) Eye.

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Fig. 8. (Note that the secondary mirror is misaligned.)

Secondary Mirror Adjustments

If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 8) is centered in the drawtube
(2, Fig. 8) but the primary mirror is only partially visible in the
reflection (3, Fig. 8) the 3 hex screws located on the secondary
mirror assembly (2, Fig. 5) must be unthreaded slightly to refine
the tilt-angle of the secondary mirror until the entire primary
mirror can be seen centered within the secondary mirror
reflection. When the secondary mirror is correctly aligned, it will
look like Fig. 9. (Note that the primary mirror is misaligned.)

Primary Mirror Adjustments

If the secondary mirror and the reflection of the primary mirror
(1, Fig. 9) appear centered within the drawtube (2, Fig. 9) but
the reflection of your eye (3, Fig. 9) appears off-center, you will
need to adjust one or more of the three primary mirror hex
screws of the primary mirror cell. These primary hex screws are
located behind the primary mirror, at the lower end of the main
tube. Adjust the primary mirror alignment by slightly turning one
hex screw at a time, looking through the focuser after each
adjustment to determine if the mirror is moving in the correct
direction.

Star Testing the Collimation

With the collimation performed, the next step is to test the
accuracy of the alignment on a star. Use the 25mm eyepiece
and point the telescope at a moderately bright (second or third
magnitude) star, then center the star image in the telescope’s
field-of-view. With the star centered, follow the method below:

1. Bring the star image slowly out of focus until one or more
rings are visible around the central disc. If the collimation
was performed correctly, the central star disk and rings will
be concentric circles, with a dark spot dead center within
the out-of-focus star disk (this is the shadow of the
secondary mirror), as shown in Fig. 10A. (An improperly
aligned telescope will reveal elongated circles, Fig. 10B,
with an off-center dark shadow.)

2. If the out-of-focus star disk appears elongated (Fig. 10B),
you will need to adjust the primary mirror tilt hex screws of
the primary mirror cell. Adjust the hex screw on the mirror
cell until the circles are concentric on either side of focus.

TIPS ON USING A

DOBSONIAN TELESCOPE

1. Never lubricate the Teflon pads on the ground plate. The
Meade Starfinder Dobsonian has been designed with
some inherent friction. You want the telescope to move
easily when you position it, but you also want it to stay in
the position you place it. Using any kind of oil, silicone
spray, wax, or grease will ruin the performance by causing
the telescope to move too easily. Just keep these bearing
surfaces clean; that’s all the maintenance required.

2. The altitude bearing surfaces (11, Fig 1) of the telescope
are lightly lubricated at the factory for optimum
performance. Over a period of time, these surfaces may
become dry or dirty. Simply clean off the bearing surfaces
with a dry cloth or paper towel and reapply a thin coating
of silicone grease or spray to the surfaces to maintain
peak performance. Do not use solvents or alcohol-based

cleaning solutions as this may damage the bearings or the
painted surfaces of the telescope.

3. You will notice that your telescope will move in altitude by
raising and lowering the tube, and in azimuth by rotating
the base. As you observe objects in the night sky they will
appear to drift out of the field of view due to the Earth’s
rotation. To keep an object centered in the field of view,
just lightly nudge the telescope in the proper direction.
This may take a little practice at first, but you’ll soon get
the hang of it.

4. Be sure the Mount is placed on a relatively level surface
to allow proper operation. Each of the three feet should be
in firm contact and not wobble. If you are in an area with
particularly rough or soft ground, it may be helpful to place
the Mount on a thick piece of plywood.

5. Part of the fun of using a Dobsonian type of telescope is
the challenge of hunting for objects in the night sky. Invest
is some simple star charts and books that tell you how to
locate objects using a technique called “star hopping.”
Once you begin learning the star patterns and
constellations, you’re well on you way to finding many
amazing sights.

MAGNIFICATION

The magnification, or power, at which a telescope is operating
is determined by two factors: the focal length of the eyepiece
employed and the focal length of the telescope. The Meade
Starfinder Dobsonian telescope is supplied with one eyepiece
as standard equipment. The focal length of the eyepiece,
25mm, is printed on its side.

Telescope focal length is, roughly speaking, the distance that
light travels inside the telescope before reaching a focus.

The focal length of the Dobsonian 6" f/8 = 1220mm.
The focal length of the Dobsonian 8" f/6 = 1220mm.
The focal length of the Dobsonian 10" f/4.5 = 1140mm
The focal length of the Dobsonian 12.5" f/4.8= 1525mm

On a given telescope, such as the Starfinder Dobsonian,
different eyepiece focal lengths are used to achieve different
magnifications, from low to high.

To calculate the magnification obtained with a given eyepiece,
use this formula:

Power = Telescope Focal Length

___________________
Eyepiece Focal Length

Example: Using the 25mm eyepiece supplied with the 8" f/6,
the power is:

Power = 1220mm

________ = 49x

25mm

The type of eyepiece, whether Modified Achromatic, Plössl, or
Super Plössl, has no effect on magnification, but does have a
bearing on such optical characteristics as field of view, flatness
of field, and color correction.

Maximum practical magnification is about 50X per inch of
aperture. Generally, however, lower powers will produce higher
image resolution. When unsteady air conditions prevail (as
witnessed by rapid “twinkling” of the stars), extremely high
powers result in “empty” magnification, where the object detail
observed is actually diminished by the excessive power.

When beginning observations on a particular object, start with
a low power eyepiece; get the object well-centered in the field
of view and sharply focused. Then try the next step up in
magnification. If the image starts to become fuzzy as you work
up into higher magnifications, then back down to a lower
power: the atmospheric steadiness is not sufficient to support
high powers at the time you are observing. Keep in mind that a
bright, clearly resolved, but smaller, image will show far more

Fig. 10A.

Fig. 10B.

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detail than a dimmer, poorly resolved, larger image.
Because of certain characteristics of the human eye (in

p a r t i c u l a r, eye pupil diameter) and because of optical
considerations inherent in the design of the telescope, there
exist minimum practical power levels also. Generally speaking
the lowest usable power is approximately 4X per inch of
telescope aperture.

SEEING CONDITIONS

Even in normal city conditions, with all of the related air and
light pollution, there are many interesting celestial objects to
observe. But, to be sure, there is no substitute for the clear,
dark, steady skies generally found only away from urban
environments, or on mountaintops: objects previously viewed
only in the city take on added detail or are seen in wider
extension, or even become visible at all for the first time.

The amateur astronomer is faced typically with two broadly
defined problems when viewing astronomical objects through
the Earth’s atmosphere: first is the clarity, or transparency, of
the air, and secondly the steadiness of the air. This latter
characteristic is often referred to as the quality of “seeing.”
Amateur astronomers talk almost constantly about the “seeing
conditions,” since, perhaps ironically, even the clearest, darkest
skies may be almost worthless for serious observations if the
air is not steady. This steadiness of the atmosphere is most
readily gauged by observing the “twinkling” of the stars: rapid
twinkling implies air motion in the Earth’s atmosphere, and
under these conditions, resolution of fine detail (on the surface
of Jupiter, for instance) will generally be limited. When the air is
steady, stars appear to the naked eye as untwinkling points of
unchanging brightness, and it is in such a situation that the full
potential of the telescope may be realized: higher powers may
be used to advantage, closer double stars resolved as distinct
points, and fine detail observed on the Moon and planets.

OBSERVING GUIDELINES

Several basic guidelines should be followed for best results in
using your telescope:

1. Try not to touch the eyepiece while observing. Any
vibrations resulting from such contact will immediately
cause the image to move.

2. Allow your eyes to become “dark-adapted” prior to making
serious observations. Night adaptation generally requires
about 10-15 minutes for most people.

3. Let the telescope “cool down” to the outside
environmental temperature before making observations.
Differences in temperature between a warm house and
the cold outside air require about 30 minutes for the
telescope’s optics to regain their true correct figures.
During this period the telescope will not perform well.

4. If you wear glasses and do not suffer from astigmatism,
take your glasses off when observing through the
telescope. You can re-focus the image to suit your own
eyes. Observers with astigmatism, however, should keep
their glasses on, especially with lower powered
eyepieces. The effects of astigmatism are reduced with
higher power eyepieces, so eyeglasses may be removed
to improve eye relief.

5. Avoid setting up the telescope inside a room and
observing through an open window (or, worse yet, through
a closed window!). The air currents caused by
inside/outside temperature differences will make quality
observing impossible.

6. Perhaps most important of all, avoid “overpowering” your
telescope. The maximum usable magnification at any
given time is governed by the seeing conditions. If the
telescopic image starts to become fuzzy as you increase
in power, drop down to a reduced magnification. Asmaller,
but brighter and sharper, image is far more preferable to a
larger, but fuzzy, indistinct one.

As you use your telescope more and more, you will find that
you are seeing more and finer detail: observing through a
large-aperture telescope is an acquired skill. Celestial
observing will become increasingly rewarding as your eye
becomes better trained to the detection of subtle nuances of
resolution.

CARE OF OPTICS AND MAIN TUBE

With the reasonable care due any fine instrument, your Meade
telescope will last a lifetime. If the eyepieces become dirty, try
cleaning them with a camel’s hair brush or compressed air. If
you must wipe the surface of the lenses, do so gently with a soft
cloth so as not to scratch the protective coatings.

The aluminum coating on the primary and secondary mirrors
may last more than ten years without significant deterioration.
(The coatings will last a shorter period if regularly exposed to
salty or polluted air.) Minor blemishes, scratches, or streaks will
NOT impair the telescope’s performance. Re-coating, when
necessary, is relatively inexpensive. Contact your local Meade
dealer for information on mirror re-coating services.

The most common error is to clean the optics too often. If
cleaning does become necessary, clean as follows:

1. Using distilled water and cotton, gently swab the surface
of the mirror to remove any dust or dirt. Use the cotton to
make one pass over the mirror and then use new cotton.
This will keep the dirt previously removed from contacting
the mirror surface and scratching the coatings.

2. Dip a wad of cotton in a mild detergent solution (1/2
teaspoon to 1 pint of water) and gently swab the entire
surface. This will remove any oily deposits or fingerprints.

3. Swab the entire surface. Do not turn over the cotton wads
or dissolved skin oils may deposit on the mirror’s surface.
Immediately take a dry swab and continue wiping the
entire surface gently. Keep changing wads until the mirror
surface is completely dry and free of streaks.

When cleaning the outside of the Starfinder optical tube (1),
use a mild detergent, (Pine-Sol, Formula 409, Fantastic, or oil
soap). Oil soap is preferred as it also acts as a preservative for
the paint. Solvent or alcohol-based cleaning solutions will
diminish the original luster of the paint.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is
available for the Starfinder telescopes.

Dust Covers: Snug-fitting vinyl dust covers protect optics from
outside dust during storage of the telescope.

Eyepieces: Many additional eyepieces are available for higher
and lower magnifications. All Meade Starfinder Equatorial
telescopes accept standard 1.25" O.D. eyepieces as well as 2"
O.D. eyepieces.

Meade Super Plössl (SP),
Super Wide Angle (SWA ) ,
and Ultra Wide Angle (UWA)
Eyepieces in the standard
American-size (1.25") barrel
diameter permit a wide range
of magnifying powers with the
telescope. Powers obtained
with each eyepiece are as
follows:

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Eyepiece 6" f/8 8" f/6 10" f/4.5 12.5" f/4.8

Power Power Power Power

SP 6.4mm 191X 191X 178X 238X
SP 9.7mm 126X 126X 118X 157X
SP 12.4mm 98X 98X 92X 123X
SP 15mm 81X 81X 76X 102X
SP 20mm 61X 61X 57X 76X
SP 26mm 47X 47X 44X 59X
SP 32mm 38X 38X 36X 48X
SP 40mm 31X 31X * *

SWA 13.8mm 88X 88X 83X 111X
SWA 18mm 68X 68X 63X 85X
SWA 24.5mm 50X 50X 47X 62X
SWA 32mm 38X 38X 36X 48X
SWA 40mm 31X 31X * *

UWA4.7mm 260X** 260X** 243X 324X**
UWA 6.7mm 182X 182X 170X 228X
UWA8.8mm 139X 139X 130X 173X
UWA14mm 87X 87X 81X 109X

* Not recommended for 10" and 12.5" models.
** Should be used only under extremely steady

atmospheric conditions.

Meade Super Plössl and Super Wide Angle Eyepieces are
ideal for general-purpose astronomical or terrestrial observing.
The typical Starfinder Dobsonian user may wish to add 2 or 3
of these eyepieces to his or her telescope. An introductory
selection might include the SP9.7mm and SP15mm. The more
advanced observer will perhaps select the SP 9.7mm, SP

12.4mm, and SWA 18mm. The Super Wide Angle Eyepiece
series yields extremely wide fields of view, perfect for the
examination of star fields, diffuse nebulae, or for terrestrial
applications. Under very steady seeing conditions Meade UWA

4.7mm and 6.7mm eyepieces present the widest fields of view
obtainable at high powers and are excellent eyepieces for the
Moon and planets.

Filters: Thirteen color filters are
available for significantly increased
contrast and resolution of detail on
the Moon and planets. For
example, the #80A (blue) filter
effectively enhances the reddish­colored detail on the surface of
Jupiter.These filters thread into the barrels of all standard 1.25"
O.D. eyepieces and may also be used for eyepiece projection
photography.

Illuminated Reticle Eyepiece: P e r m i t s
easy visibility of guiding crosslines even
against the darkest skies. The standard
#702A double-crossline, phosphorescent­enhanced reticle allows for variable
illumination from faint to very bright.

Magellan I: The Magellan I accessory will
permit you to add a powerful pointing tool
to your Starfinder Dobsonian telescope.
Encoders supplied with this product for the
R.A. and Dec. axis can be easily installed
in factory machined mounting features.
Once installed, the Magellan I will allow the
electronic selection and pointing of the
telescope at a large number of catalogued
objects in the sky.

#140 2x Barlow Lens: The Barlow
Lens, or Telenegative Amplifier, is a
convenient accessory used to
increase the effective magnification
of any given eyepiece. The Barlow
Lens is inserted into the focuser and
accepts all standard 1.25" O.D. eyepieces.

Viewfinders: In addition to the standard-equipment 5x24mm
viewfinder supplied with all Starfinder telescopes, the higher
power/larger aperture 6x30 and 8x50mm viewfinder are
available to substitute or retrofit.

MEADE CUSTOMER SERVICE

If you have a question concerning your Meade Starfinder
Dobsonian telescope, call Meade Instruments/Customer
Service Department at [phone], or fax at (949) 451-

1460. Customer Service hours are 8:30AM - 4:00PM, Pacific

Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that your
Dobsonian telescope requires factory servicing or repairs, write
or call the Meade Customer Service Department first, before
returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as
to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address,
and daytime telephone number.The great majority of Starfinder
servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return
of the telescope to the factory.

- 10 -

Specifications and Features: Meade Starfinder™Dobsonian Telescopes

TELESCOPE: Starfinder Starfinder Starfinder Starfinder

Dobsonian 6 Dobsonian 8 Dobsonian 10 Dobsonian 12.5

Optical Design Newtonian Reflector Newtonian Reflector Newtonian Reflector Newtonian Reflector
Diameter/Clear Aperture 152mm (6") 203mm (8") 254mm (10") 318mm (12.5")
Primary & Grade-A Pyrex®glass, Grade-APyrex®glass, Grade-A Pyrex®glass, Grade-APyrex®glass,

Secondary Mirrors fine annealed fine annealed fine annealed fine annealed
Secondary Mirror Support 4-vane; steel 4-vane; steel 4-vane; steel 4-vane; steel
Focal Length 1220mm 1220mm 1140mm 1525mm
Focal Ratio f/8 f/6 f/4.5 f/4.8
Resolving Power (arc secs.) 0.74 0.56 0.45 0.36
Limiting Visual Magnitude 13.5 14.0 14.5 15.0
Limiting Photographic Magnitude 16.0 16.5 17.0 17.4
Image Scale 1.18°/inch 1.18°/inch 1.26°/inch 0.95°/inch
Maximum Practical Visual Power 400X 500X 600X 600X
35mm Angular Film Coverage 1.11° x 1.58° 1.11° x 1.58° 1.19° x 1.70° 0.89° x 1.27°
Optical Tube 7.6" dia. x 48" long- 9.6" dia. x 48" long- 12.7" dia. x 45" long 15.1" x 58" long

spiral-wound Sonotube spiral-wound Sonotube spiral-wound Sonotube spiral-wound Sonotube

Secondary Mirror Minor Axis 1.18" 1.83" 2.37" 2.60"
Secondary Mirror Obstruction 3.9% 3.6% 5.6% 4.3%
Dobsonian Mounting

Base Diameter 13.75" 17.1" 22.2" 26.75"
Mount Dimensions (approx.) 12" square x 19" high 16" square x 17" high 21" square x 20" high 25" square x 22 " high
Materials-- ----------------All models: thermally-fused Melamine

®

with industrial particle board core.---------------

Bearings: Altitude Nylon Nylon Nylon Nylon

Azimuth Teflon Teflon Teflon Teflon

Net Weights: Optical Tube

20 lbs. 26 lbs. 30 lbs. 55 lbs.

Mounting 14 lbs. 18 lbs. 32 lbs. 41 lbs.

Shipping Weight (approx.) 38 lbs. 49 lbs. 68 lbs. 106 lbs

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MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY

Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”)
to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A.
and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective
part is returned to Meade, 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 from Meade by writing, or by calling [phone]. 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, and phone number.

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. Meade 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 original retail purchase.

This warranty gives you specific rights. You may have other rights which vary from state to state.
Meade reserves the right to change product specifications or to discontinue products without notice.
This warranty supersedes all previous Meade product warranties.

Meade Instruments Corporation

World’s leading manufacturer of astronomical telescopes for the serious amateur.

6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92620 [phone]

Fax: [phone] www.meade.com

Ver. 0499 Part no. 14-0218-00