INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Orion® EON™ Apochromatic
ED Refractors
#9781 EON 72mm, #9927 EON 80mm, #9925 EON 120mm
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
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OrionTelescopes.com
IN 326 Rev. B 05/09
Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion® EON™ ED Apochromatic Refractor optical tube assembly. The
exceptional optical and mechanical quality of your EON refractor will provide you with a pleasing telescope experience. The ED glass in the objective lens yields extremely sharp, high-contrast images with virtually no color distortion compared to a standard refractor. The smooth and fine movement of the dual-speed Crayford focuser allows
for easy and precise focusing. These instructions will help you use your EON refractor optical tube assembly.
Focus rotation lock ring
(for EON 80mm only)
2" Eyepiece
holder
1.25"
Eyepiece
adapter
Coarse focus knob
Figure 1a.
tube assembly
The EON 72mm and 80mm ED Refractor optical
Parts List
EON 72mm & 80mm
Optical tube assembly
Dust Cover
1.25" eyepiece adapter
2.5mm hex key
Hard carrying case
EON 120mm
Optical tube assembly
Dust Cover
1.25" eyepiece adapter
Tube rings (quantity 2)
Dovetail mounting plate
2.5mm hex key
Hard carrying case
Finder scope dovetail base
(for EON 80mm only)
Dew shield
Mounting block
Fine focus knob
Tube rings
Tube ring
clamps
Finder scope
dovetail base
Dovetail mounting plate
Figure 1b. The additional features of the EON 120mm ED
Refractor optical tube assembly
Functions and Features
The EON refractors have several features designed to maximize the use and enjoyment of your telescope. When you
have become familiar with all of the functions of your EON
refractor, you will be ready to begin using your new telescope under the night sky!
Retractable Dew Shield
All EON refractors feature a retractable dew shield which
allows the telescope to become more compact for storage. The dew shield’s primary purpose is to prevent dew
(water condensation) from forming on the lens during cold
and humid nights. The dew shield is also useful for reducing glare under unwanted outside lights. To extend the dew
shield, remove the optical tube dust cover, then pull the dew
shield outward until it stops (Figure 2).
Getting Started
Your EON refractor is fully assembled from the factory. The
optics have been installed and collimated, so you do not
need to make any adjustments to them.
We recommend keeping all of the original packaging. In the
unlikely event you should need to ship the telescope back to
Orion for warranty repair service, you should use the original packaging to ensure the telescope stays intact during
shipping.
Take a moment to inspect the telescope and all of its parts.
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Figure 2. Gently pull the dew shield outward until it stops.
2" Dual-Speed Crayford Focuser
The high quality dual-speed 2" Crayford focuser is one of
the most important components of your EON refractor. The
Crayford design allows for smooth, precise focusing without
any image shift that typical rack-and-pinion designs experience.
For quick focusing of your EON refractor, the two larger
focus knobs will provide a coarse focus. For more precise
focusing, as needed for applications such as critical high
power planetary observing and digital imaging, the smaller
black focus knob (Figure 1a) offers fine focus adjustment.
The fine focus knob rotates eleven times to one single rotation of the coarse focus knobs, making an 11:1 ratio for
extremely precise focusing.
The dual-speed Crayford is capable of handling the weight
of heavy accessories, such as large 2" eyepieces or a CCD
or DSLR camera. Adding tension to the focuser drawtube
will further increase the amount of weight the focuser can
handle without slipping. To adjust the focuser drawtube tension, locate the focus tension set screw on the underside
of the focuser (Figure 3). Using the 2.5mm hex key, turn
the set screw clockwise until you have added the appropriate amount of tension for your needs. In some cases, you
may want to loosen the tension, which will also decrease
the resistance of the focus knob movement. Simply turn the
focus tension set screw counter-clockwise as needed to
loosen the focus drawtube tension.
Tightening the focus lock thumbscrew (Figure 3) will prevent
the drawtube from moving. This feature can be utilized for
imaging, or visual use, when you have achieved focus and
do not want the drawtube to move. While you are focusing,
make sure the focus lock thumbscrew is loosened, or the
drawtube may not move properly.
Note: Applying too little tension on the focuser will result in
the focus drawtube to slide under its own weight, or under
the weight of your accessories installed. Make sure there is
enough tension to support your 2"or 1.25" accessories.
The 72mm EON refractor has screw holes for an optional
finder scope dovetail base attached to the rotating portion
of the focuser, allowing you to change the orientation of the
finder scope as desired.
The EON 72mm uses a single thumbscrew instead of a
lock ring to lock the focuser rotation. To rotate the focuser
on the EON 72mm, loosen the focuser rotation lock thumbscrew and rotate the focuser to the desired orientation. Lock
the focuser in place by tightening the focuser rotation lock
thumbscrew.
Focus tension set
screw
Focus lock thumbscrew
Figure 3.
screw using the provided 2.5mm hex key. Tightening the focus lock
thumbscrew will stop the focuser drawtube from moving.
Adjustments can be made to the focus tension set
Focuser Rotation
The focuser assembly on the EON refractors have the ability to be rotated. Under normal use, you should not have
to rotate the focuser, since the eyepiece and diagonal can
be rotated instead. However, focuser rotation can be beneficial for changing the camera orientation while imaging
(see “Imaging with the EON Refractors”). Additionally, this
feature can allow you to keep the focus knobs parallel to the
ground no matter how your telescope is positioned. This can
be especially convenient when the telescope is mounted in
different orientations, causing the focus knob orientation to
change.
To rotate the focuser, turn the focus rotation lock ring (Figure
1a) counter-clockwise until the assembly loosens. Rotate the
focuser to the desired orientation. Lock the focuser in place
by turning the focus rotation lock ring clockwise. To ensure
a secure lock, it is sometimes necessary to grab hold of
the entire focuser assembly and firmly rotate it clockwise,
bracing your other hand against the stationary portion of the
optical tube.
Using 1.25" and 2" Accessories
Your EON refractor can accommodate both 1.25" and 2"
accessories, including just about any eyepiece, diagonal,
or camera. The Crayford focuser has a 2" eyepiece holder
with a 1.25" eyepiece adapter installed (Figure 4). Both the
2" eyepiece holder and 1.25" eyepiece adapter feature a
brass compression ring to hold your accessories in place.
The brass compression ring securely holds the 1.25" or 2"
accessory in place without marking its metal barrel.
The telescope must be used with either a diagonal or extension tube in order for the eyepiece to reach focus. In most
cases, you will be using a 90° star diagonal for visual use
with an eyepiece.
To attach a 1.25" diagonal or extension tube to your telescope:
1. Remove the dust cap from the 1.25" eyepiece adapter.
2. Insert the barrel of your diagonal or extension tube
into the 1.25" eyepiece adapter.
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