IN 094 0998
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
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INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Orion
®
SpaceProbe 3" EQ
#9039 Newtonian Reflecting Telescope
2
Finder scope alignment screws (3)
Finder scope
Eyepiece
Focus knob
Focuser
Primary mirror cell
Collimation screws (3)
(not shown)
Right ascension lock knob (not shown)
Latitude lock knob (not shown)
Latitude Scale
Right ascension (R.A.)
slow motion control
Azimuth lock knob
(not shown)
Accessory tray bracket
Accessory tray
Tripod leg
Leg lock bolts
Finder scope bracket
Secondary mirror and
three-vane spider (inside tube)
Declination slow-motion control
Declination lock knob (not shown)
Declination setting circle
Counterweight shaft
Counterweight
Counterweight lock knob
Retaining washer and screw
Right ascension setting circle
Tripod leg attachment bolt
Figure 1. SpaceProbe 3" EQ Parts Diagram
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1. Parts List
Qty. Description
1 Optical tube assembly
1 German-type equatorial mount
2 Slow-motion control cables
1 Tube ring assembly
1 5x30 crosshair finder scope
1 Finder scope bracket
1 Counterweight
1 Counterweight shaft
1 25mm Kellner eyepiece (1.25")
1 Tripod accessory tray
3 Tripod legs
3 Accessory tray screws with wing nuts and washers
C
ongratulations on your purchase of a quality Orion telescope!
Your ne w SpaceProbe 3" EQ Newtonian
is designed for high-resolution viewing of astronomical objects. With its precision optics and equatorial
mount, you’ll be able to locate and enjoy hundreds of fascinating celestial denizens, including the planets, Moon, and a variety of deep-sky galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters.
If you have never owned a telescope before, we would like to welcome you to amateur astronomy.Take
some time to familiarize yourself with the night sky. Learn to recognize the patterns of stars in the major
constellations; a star wheel, or planisphere, available from Orion or from your local telescope shop, will
greatly help.With a little practice, a little patience, and a reasonably dark sky away from city lights, you’ll
find your telescope to be a never-ending source of wonder, exploration, and relaxation.
These instructions will help you set up, properly use and care for your telescope.Please read them over
thoroughly before getting started.
Table of Contents
1. Parts List............................................................................................................................... 3
2. Assembly.............................................................................................................................. 4
3. Balancing the Telescope.......................................................................................................4
4. Aligning the Finder Scope.................................................................................................... 4
5. Setting Up and Using the Equatorial Mount ......................................................................... 5
6. Collimating the Optics .......................................................................................................... 6
7. Using Your T elescope—Astronomical Observing ................................................................. 7
8. Care and Maintenance......................................................................................................... 9
9. Specifications........................................................................................................................ 10
WARNING:
Never look directly at the
Sun through your telescope or its finder
scope—even for an instant—without
a professionally made solar filter that
completely covers the front of the
instrument, or permanent eye damage
could result. Be sure to also cover
the front of the finder scope with aluminum
foil or another opaque material to prevent
physical damage to the internal
components of the scope itself as well as
to your eye.Young children should use this
telescope only with adult supervision.
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2. Assembly
Carefully open all of the boxes in the shipping container. Make
sure all the parts listed in Section 1 are present. Save the box es
and packaging material. In the unlikely event that you need to
return the telescope, you must use the original packaging.
Assembling the telescope should take only about 15 minutes.All
bolts should be tightened securely to eliminate flexing and wobbling, but only tighten them “finger tight.”You will need a flat-head
screwdriver to keep bolts from turning while tightening the wing
nuts by hand. Be careful not to overtighten or the threads may
strip.Refer to Figure 1 during the assembly process.
During assembly (and anytime, for that matter), DO NOT
touch the surfaces of the telescope mirrors or the lenses of
the finder scope or eyepiece with your fingers. The optical
surfaces have delicate coatings on them that can easily be
damaged if touched inappropriately .NEVER remove any lens
assembly from its housing for any reason, or the product w arranty and return policy will be voided.
1. Lay the equatorial mount on its side.Attach the tripod legs
one at a time to the base of the mount by sliding the tripod
leg bolt into the hole in the mount and lightly tightening the
wing nut finger-tight. (Use a flat-head screwdriver on the
head of the bolt while tightening the wing nut.) Note that
the hinged accessory tray bracket on each leg should f ace
inward.
2. Secure the inner portion of each leg by tightening the two
leg lock bolts at the base of the legs. For now, keep the
legs at their shortest (fully retracted) length; you can
extend them to a more desirable length later, after the
scope is completely assembled.
3. With the equatorial mount attached, stand the tripod
upright and spread the legs apart enough to attach the
accessory tray to the three hinged tray brackets. The
brackets should be positioned underneath the tray. Use
the three small accessory tray screws and wing nuts provided. Do not tighten the wing nuts yet.
4. Now, with the accessory tray attached but not tightened,
spread the tripod legs apart as far as they will go, until the
accessory tray brackets are taut. Then tighten the wing
nuts of the accessory tray screws.
5. Tighten the wing nuts of the tripod leg bolts at the base of
the equatorial mount.
6. Orient the equatorial mount as it appears in Figure 1, with
the latitude scale set at about a 40° angle.Tighten the latitude adjustment knob, the declination (Dec.) and right
ascension (R.A.) lock knobs, and the azimuth lock knob all
finger-tight.
7. Slide the counterweight on to the counterweight shaft.
Make sure the screw that holds the retaining washer at the
bottom end of the shaft is tightened. This washer will prevent the counterweight from slipping off the shaft and
possibly on to your foot if the counterweight lock knob
should come loose! Now, with the counterw eight lock knob
loose, hold the counterweight in one hand and thread the
shaft into the equatorial mount (at the base of the declination axis) with the other hand. When it is threaded all the
way in, position the counterweight about halfway up the
shaft and tighten the counterweight lock knob.
8. Place the telescope tube assembly on the equatorial head
and secure with the two wing nuts.
9. Attach the two slow-motion cables to the R.A. and Dec.
slow-motion shafts of the equatorial mount by positioning
the setscrew on the end of the cable ov er the indented slot
on the shaft, then tightening the setscrew.
10.Install the finder scope bracket on the optical tube by
removing the round nuts from the two bolts near the
focuser and placing the bracket slots over the bolts.Then
replace the round nuts. Do not loosen the hex nut at the
base of either bolt.
11. If the finder scope is not already installed in the bracket,
install it now.
12.Insert an eyepiece into the focuser drawtube and secure it
in place with the thumbscrew.
3. Balancing the Telescope
To insure smooth movement of the telescope, it should be
properly balanced. This is done by positioning the counterweight on its shaft at a point where the telescope is balanced
on the R.A. axis.
Loosen the R.A.lock knob .The telescope should now be able
to rotate freely about the R.A. axis. Rotate it until the counterweight shaft is parallel to the ground (i.e., horizontal).
Loosen the counterweight lock knob and slide the weight
along the shaft until it exactly counterbalances the telescope.
That’s the point at which the shaft remains horizontal even
when you let go with both hands.
Retighten the counterweight lock knob.The telescope is now
balanced.
4. Aligning the Finder Scope
A finder scope has a wide field of view to facilitate the location of objects for subsequent viewing through the main
telescope, which has a much narrower field of view. The finder scope and the main telescope must be aligned so they
point to exactly the same spot in the sky.
Alignment is easiest to do in daylight hours. First, insert the
eyepiece (your lowest-power eyepiece, if you have more than
one) into the focuser. Then loosen the R.A. and Dec. lock
knobs so the telescope can be moved freely.
Point the main telescope at a discrete object such as the top
of a telephone pole or a street sign that is at least a quartermile away. Move the telescope so the target object appears in
the very center of the field of view when you look into the ey epiece. Now tighten the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs. Use the
slow-motion control knobs to recenter the object in the field of
view if it moved off center when y ou tightened the lock knobs.
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Now look through the finder scope. Is the object centered in
the finder scope’s field of view, i.e., on the crosshairs? If not,
adjust the three finder scope alignment screws until it is centered. By loosening one alignment screw and tightening
another, you change the line of sight of the finder scope. The
plastic film lining the inside of the bracket barrel is designed
to prevent the alignment screws from marring the finish on
finder scope.
Once the target object is centered on the crosshairs of the
finder scope, look again in the main telescope’s e y epiece and
see if it is still centered there as well. If it is not, repeat the
entire process, making sure not to move the main telescope
while adjusting the alignment of the finder scope.
Check the alignment by pointing the main telescope at another object and centering it in the finder scope. Then look
through the main telescope eyepiece and see if the object is
centered. If it is, your job is done. If it isn’t, make the necessary adjustments to the finder scope’s alignment screws until
the object is centered in both instruments.
Note that the image seen through the finder scope appears
upside down.This is normal for astronomical finder scopes.
5. Setting up and Using the
Equatorial Mount
When you look at the night sky, you have no doubt noticed
that the stars appear to move slowly from east to west over
time. That apparent motion is caused by the Earth’s rotation
(from west to east).An equatorial mount is designed to follow
the motion of the stars, allowing you to easily keep astronomical objects from drifting out of the telescope’s field of
view when you’re observing them.
The equatorial mount enables you to follow, or track, objects
by slowly rotating the telescope on its right ascension axis,
using only the R.A. slow-motion cable. But first the mount
must be aligned with the Earth’s rotational axis.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, this is achieved by simply pointing the mount’s R.A.axis at the North Star, or Polaris.
It lies within 1° of the nor th celestial pole (NCP), which is an
extension of the Earth’s rotational axis out into space.Stars in
the Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around Polaris.
To find Polaris in the sky, look north and locate the pattern of
the Big Dipper (Figure 2, page 10). The two stars at the end
of the “bowl” of the Big Dipper point right to Polaris.
Observers in the Southern Hemisphere aren’t so fortunate to
have a bright star so near the south celestial pole (SCP).The
star Sigma Octantis lies about 1° from the SCP, but it is barely visible with the naked eye (magnitude 5.5). Consult a star
atlas or other reference book for instructions on polar-aligning
your telescope in the Southern Hemisphere.
Polar Alignment
For general visual observation, an approximate polar alignment
is sufficient.This must be done at night, when Polaris is visible.
1. Level the equatorial mount by adjusting the length of the
three tripod legs accordingly.
2. Loosen the latitude lock knob and tilt the mount until the
pointer on the latitude scale is set at the latitude of your
observing site. For example, if your latitude is 40° Nor th,
set the pointer to 40.Then retighten the latitude lock knob.
If you don’t know your latitude, consult a geographical
atlas to find it. The latitude setting should not have to be
adjusted again unless you move to a different viewing
location some distance away.
3. Loosen the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope optical tube until it is parallel with the R.A.axis.The pointer on
the Dec.setting circle should read 90°.Retighten the Dec.
lock knob.
4. Next, loosen the azimuth lock knob at the base of the
equatorial mount. Rotate the entire equatorial mount in the
horizontal direction until the telescope (and R.A. axis)
points roughly at Polaris. If you cannot observe Polaris
directly from your observing site, consult a compass and
point the R.A. axis North. Retighten the azimuth lock knob.
The equatorial mount is now polar-aligned for casual observing.
More precise polar alignment is described in many amateur
astronomy reference books and astronomy magazines.
Note that from this point on in your observing session,
you should not make any further adjustments in the
azimuth or the latitude of the mount, nor should you
move the tripod. Doing so will spoil the polar alignment.
The telescope should only be moved about its R.A. and
Dec. axes.
Tracking Celestial Objects
When you observe a celestial object through the telescope,
you’ll see it drift slowly across the field of view. To keep it in
the field, if your equatorial mount is polar-aligned, just turn the
R.A. slow-motion control.The Dec.slow-motion control is not
needed for tracking. Objects will appear to move faster at
higher magnifications, because the field of view is narrower.
Understanding the Setting Circles
The setting circles on an equatorial mount enable you to
locate celestial objects by their “celestial coordinates.” Every
object resides in a specific location on the “celestial sphere.”
That location is denoted by two numbers: its right ascension
(R.A.) and declination (Dec.). In the same way, every location
on Earth can be described by its longitude and latitude. R.A.
is similar to longitude on Earth, and Dec. is similar to latitude.
The R.A.and Dec.values for celestial objects can be found in
any star atlas or star catalog.
The R.A. setting circle is scaled in hours, from 1 through 24,
with small hash marks in between representing 10-minute
increments (there are 60 minutes in 1 hour of R.A.).The numbers closest to the R.A. gear apply to viewing in the Southern
Hemisphere, while the numbers above them apply to viewing
in the Northern Hemisphere. The Dec.setting circle is scaled in
degrees (there are 60 arc-minutes in 1 degree of declination).
So, the coordinates for the Orion Nebula listed in a star atlas
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will look like this:
R.A. 5h 35.4m Dec. –5° 27'
That’s 5 hours and 35.4 minutes in right ascension, and –5
degrees and 27 minutes in declination (the negative sign
denotes South of the celestial equator).
Before you can use the setting circles to locate objects, they
must first be calibrated.The declination setting circle was calibrated at the factory, and should read 90° when the
telescope optical tube is pointing exactly along the polar axis.
If it does not read 90°, it may have to be reset.
Calibrating the Right Ascension Setting Circle
1. Identify a bright star near the celestial equator and look up
its coordinates in a star atlas.
2. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs on the equatorial
mount (not the azimuth lock knob or latitude adjustment
knob), so the telescope optical tube can move freely.
3. Point the telescope at the bright star near the celestial equator whose coordinates you know. Center the star in the
telescope’s field of view. Lock the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs.
4. Rotate the R.A. setting circle so the pointer indicates the
R.A. listed for that object in the star atlas.
Finding Objects With the Setting Circles
Now that both setting circles are calibrated, look up in a star
atlas the coordinates of an object you wish to view.
1. Loosen the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope until
the Dec. value from the star atlas matches the reading on
the Dec. setting circle. Retighten the lock knob.
2. Loosen the R.A. lock knob and rotate the telescope until
the R.A. value from the star atlas matches the reading on
the R.A. setting circle. Retighten the lock knob.
Most setting circles are not accurate enough to put an object
dead-center in your finder scope’s field of view, but they’ll get
you close, assuming the equatorial mount is accurately polaraligned. The R.A. setting circle must be recalibrated every
time you wish to locate a new object.Do so by calibrating the
setting circle for the centered object before moving on to the
next one.
Confused About Pointing the Telescope?
Beginners occasionally experience some confusion about
how to point the telescope overhead or in other directions.In
Figure 1 the telescope is pointed north as it would be during
polar-alignment. The counterweight shaft is oriented downward.But it will not look like that when the telescope is pointed
in other directions. Let’s say you want to view an object that is
directly overhead, at the zenith.How do you do it?
One thing you DO NOT do is make any adjustment to the latitude adjustment knob.That will adversely affect the mount’s
polar alignment.Remember, once the mount is polar-aligned,
the telescope should be moved only on the R.A. and Dec.
axes.To point the scope overhead, first loosen the R.A. lock
knob and rotate the telescope on the R.A. axis until the counterweight shaft is horizontal (parallel to the ground). Then
loosen the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope until it is
pointing straight overhead. The counterweight shaft is still
horizontal.Then retighten both lock knobs.
Similarly, to point the telescope directly south, the counterweight shaft should again be horizontal.Then you simply rotate
the scope on the Dec axis until it points in the south direction.
What if you need to aim the telescope directly north, but at an
object that is nearer to the horizon than Polaris? You can’t do
it with the counterweight down as pictured in Figure 1.Again,
you have to rotate the scope in R.A. so the counterweight
shaft is positioned horizontally.Then rotate the scope in Dec.
so it points to where you want it near the horizon.
To point the telescope to the east or west, or in other directions, you rotate the telescope on its R.A. and Dec. axes.
Depending on the altitude of the object you want to observe,
the counterweight shaft will be oriented somewhere between
vertical and horizontal.
You get the idea. The key things to remember when pointing
the telescope is that a) you only move it in R.A.and Dec., not
in azimuth or latitude (altitude), and b) the counterweight and
shaft will not always appear as it does in Figure 1 (in fact it
almost never will).
6. Collimating the Optics
(Aligning the Mirrors)
Collimation is the process of adjusting the mirrors so they are
perfectly aligned with each other.Your telescope’s optics were
aligned at the factory, and should not need adjustment unless
the telescope was roughly handled during shipment. Accurate
alignment is important to insuring the peak performance of
your telescope, so it should be checked occasionally.
Collimation is easy to do and should be done in daylight.
To check the collimation, remove the eyepiece and look down
the focuser drawtube. You should see the secondary mirror
centered in the drawtube, the reflection of the primary mirror
centered in the secondary mirror, and the reflection of the
secondary mirror (and your eye) centered in the reflection of
the primary mirror, as in Figure 3D on page 11. If anything is
off-center (Figure 3A), follow the collimation procedure below.
It helps to put a piece of white paper on the inside of the optical tube opposite the focuser. The white paper forms a bright
background behind the secondary mirror, making it easier to
distinguish the mirror holder from the background.
Use a Collimation Tool
To aid in center ing your line of sight down the focuser drawtube, and in centering the mirror reflections during collimation,
it is very helpful to use a precision collimating tool containing
crosshairs, such as the Orion Collimating Eyepiece #3640.We
highly recommend you purchase one.
Aligning the Secondary Mirror
With the eyepiece removed, look down the open focuser
drawtube at the secondary (diagonal) mirror.It should be centered in the field of view .If it isn’t, it must be adjusted. (It helps
to adjust the secondary mirror in a brightly lit room with the
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telescope pointed toward a bright surface, such as white
paper or a wall.)
If the secondary mirror is off-center in the focuser drawtube,
loosen the three small Phillips-head alignment screws in the
center hub of the spider a few turns. Now position the cylindrical secondary mirror holder forward or back by turning the
larger central screw head with a Phillips screwdriver while
holding the secondary mirror holder stationary.When the mirror is centered in the focuser drawtube (as in Figure 3B),
rotate it slightly side to side until the reflection of the primary
mirror is as centered in the secondary mirror as it will get. It
still may not be perfectly centered yet, but that is OK. Now
tighten the three small Phillips-head alignment screws to
secure the secondary mirror in that position.
If the entire primary mirror reflection still is not visible in the
secondary mirror (as it is not in Figure 3B), adjust the tilt of
the secondary mirror further by alter nately loosening one of
the three alignment screws a turn or two and tightening
another one. The goal is to center the primary mirror reflection in the secondary mirror, as depicted in Figure 3C. Don’t
worry that the reflection of the secondary mirror (the smallest
circle with your eye in it) and spider are off-center (as also is
the case in Figure 3C); you will fix that in the next step.
Adjusting the Primary Mirror
The final adjustment is made to the primary mirror.It will need
adjustment if, as in Figure 3C, the secondary mirror is centered under the focuser and the reflection of the primary mirror
is centered in the secondary mirror, but the small reflection of
the secondary mirror (with your eye inside) is off-center.
The tilt of the primary is adjusted with the three sets of two
collimation screws on the back end of the optical tube.
Adjusting the tilt requires a “push-pull” technique involving
adjustment of each set of collimation screws. Loosen one of
the screws one full turn, and then tighten the adjacent screw
until it is just tight. Then look into the focuser and see if the
secondary mirror reflection has moved closer to the center of
the primary mirror reflection. Repeat this process on the other
two sets of collimation screws, if necessary. It will take a little
trial and error to get a feel for how to tilt the mirror in this way
to center the reflection.(It helps to hav e two people f or primary
mirror collimation, one to look in the focuser while the other
adjusts the collimation bolts.) When the adjustment is complete, make sure all the Phillips-head collimation screws are
tight (but do not overtighten), to secure the mirror tilt.
The view through the Collimating Eyepiece should now
resemble Figure 3D. The secondary mirror is centered in the
focuser; the reflection of the primary mirror is centered in the
secondary mirror, and the reflection of the secondary mirror
is centered in the reflection of the primary mirror.
A simple star test will tell you whether the optics are accurately collimated.
Star-Testing Your Telescope
When it is dark, point the telescope at a bright star. Look into
the eyepiece and slowly rack the image out of focus with the
focusing knob. If the telescope is correctly collimated, the
expanding disk should be a perfect circle. If it is unsymmetrical, the scope is out of collimation. In reflectors and
Schmidt-Cassegrains, the dark shadow cast by the secondary mirror should appear in the very center of the out-of-focus
circle, like the hole in a doughnut. If the “hole” appears offcenter, the telescope is out of collimation.
7. Using the Telescope—
Astronomical Observing
Choosing an Observing Site
When selecting a location for observing, get as far away as
possible from direct artificial light such as streetlights, porch
lights, and automobile headlights.The glare from these lights
will greatly impair your dark-adapted night vision.Set up on a
grass or dirt surface, not asphalt, because asphalt radiates
more heat, which disturbs the surrounding air and degrades
the images seen through the telescope. Avoid viewing over
rooftops and chimneys, as they often have warm air currents
rising from them. Similarly, avoid observing from indoors
through an open (or closed) window, because the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor air will cause
image blurring and distortion.
If at all possible, escape the light-polluted city sky and head
for darker country skies.You’ll be amazed at how many more
stars and deep-sky objects are visible in a dark sky!
Cooling the Telescope
All optical instruments need time to reach “thermal equilibrium. ”The bigger the instrument and the larger the temperature
change, the more time is needed.Allo w at least a half-hour for
your telescope to cool to the temperature outdoors. In ver y
cold climates (below freezing), it is essential to store the telescope as cold as possible. If it has to adjust to more than a
40° temperature change, allow at least one hour.
Aiming the Telescope
To view an object in the main telescope, first loosen both the
R.A. and Dec. lock knobs. Aim the telescope at the object you
wish to observe by “eyeballing” along the length of the telescope tube (or use the setting circles to “dial in” the object’s
coordinates).Then look through the (aligned) finder scope and
move the telescope tube until the object is centered on the
crosshairs.Retighten the R.A.and Dec.lock bolts.Then center
the object on the finder’s crosshairs using the R.A. and Dec.
slow-motion controls. The object should now be visible in the
main telescope with a low-power (long-focal-length) eyepiece.
Focusing the Telescope
Practice focusing the telescope in the daytime before using it
for the first time at night.Start by positioning the focuser near
the center of its adjustment range.Insert an eyepiece into the
focuser and secure with the thumbscrew. Point the telescope
at a distant subject and center it in the field of view. Now,
slowly rotate one of the focusing knobs until the object comes
into sharp focus. Go a little bit beyond sharp focus until the
image just starts to blur again, then reverse the rotation of the
knob, just to make sure you hit the exact focus point.The tel-
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escope can only focus on objects at least 50 to 100 feet a wa y.
Do You Wear Eyeglasses?
If you wear eyeglasses, you may be able to keep them on
while you observe, if your eyepieces have enough “eye relief”
to allow you to see the whole field of view. You can try this by
looking through the eyepiece first with your glasses on and
then with them off, and see if the glasses restrict the view to
only a portion of the full field. If they do, you can easily
observe with your glasses off by just refocusing the telescope
the needed amount.
Calculating the Magnification
It is desirable to have a range of eyepieces of different focal
lengths, to allow viewing over a range of magnifications. To
calculate the magnification, or power, of a telescope, simply
divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of
the eyepiece:
Telescope f ocal length ÷Eyepiece focal length = Magnification
For example , the SpaceProbe 3" EQ, which has a focal length
of 700mm, used in combination with a 25mm eyepiece, yields
a power of
700 ÷ 25 = 28x.
Every telescope has a maximum power of about 45x–60x per
inch of aperture. Claims of higher power by some telescope
manufacturers are a misleading advertising gimmick and
should be dismissed. Keep in mind that at higher powers, an
image will always be dimmer and less sharp (this is a fundamental law of optics). The steadiness of the air (the “seeing”)
will limit how much magnification an image can tolerate.
Always start viewing with your lowest-power (longest-focallength) eyepiece in the telescope. After you’ve located and
looked at the object with it, you can try switching to a higherpower eyepiece to ferret out more detail, if atmospheric
conditions permit. If the image you see is not crisp and
steady, reduce the magnification by switching to a longerfocal-length eyepiece. As a general rule, a small but
well-resolved image will show more detail and provide a more
enjoyable view than a dim and fuzzy, overmagnified image.
Let Your Eyes Dark-Adapt
Don’t expect to go from a lighted house into the darkness of
the outdoors at night and immediately see faint nebulas,
galaxies, and star clusters—or even very many stars, for that
matter. Your eyes take about 30 minutes to reach perhaps
80% of their full dark-adapted sensitivity. As your eyes
become dark-adapted, more stars will glimmer into view and
you’ll be able to see fainter details in objects you view in your
telescope. Exposing your eyes to very bright daylight for
extended periods of time can adversely affect your night
vision for days .So give yourself a little while to get used to the
dark before you begin observing.
To see what you’re doing in the darkness, use a red-filtered
flashlight rather than a white light. Red light does not spoil
your eyes’ dark adaptation like white light does. A flashlight
with a red LED light is ideal, or you can cover the front of a
regular incandescent flashlight with red cellophane or paper.
Beware, too, that nearby porch lights, streetlights and car
headlights will ruin your night vision.
“Seeing” and Transparency
Atmospheric conditions vary significantly from night to night.
“Seeing” refers to the steadiness of the Earth’s atmosphere at
a given time. In conditions of poor seeing, atmospheric turbulence causes objects viewed through the telescope to “boil.” If,
when you look up at the sky with just your eyes, the stars are
twinkling noticeably, the seeing is bad and you will be limited to
viewing with low powers (bad seeing affects images at high
powers more sev erely).Planetary observing may also be poor.
In conditions of good seeing, star twinkling is minimal and
images appear steady in the eyepiece. Seeing is best overhead, worst at the horizon. Also, seeing generally gets better
after midnight, when much of the heat absorbed by the Earth
during the day has radiated off into space.
Avoid looking over buildings, pavement, or any other source
of heat, as they will cause “heat wave” disturbances that will
distort the image you see through the telescope.
Especially important for observing faint objects is good “transparency”—air free of moisture, smoke, and dust. All tend to
scatter light, which reduces an object’s brightness.Transparency
is judged by the magnitude of the faintest stars you can see with
the unaided eye (6th magnitude or fainter is desirable).
How to Find Interesting Celestial Objects
To locate celestial objects with your telescope, you first need
to become reasonably familiar with the night sky. Unless you
know how to recognize the constellation Orion, for instance,
you won’t have much luck locating the Orion Nebula, unless,
of course, you look up its celestial coordinates and use the
telescope’s setting circles. Even then, it would be good to
know in advance whether that constellation will be above the
horizon at the time you plan to observe.A simple planisphere,
or star wheel, can be a valuable tool both f or learning the constellations and for determining which ones are visible on a
given night at a given time.
A good star chart or atlas will come in very handy for helping
find objects among the dizzying multitude of stars overhead.
Except for the Moon and the brighter planets, it’s pretty timeconsuming and frustrating to hunt for objects randomly,
without knowing where to look.You should have specific targets in mind before you begin observing.
Start with a basic star atlas, one that shows stars no fainter
than 5th or 6th magnitude. In addition to stars, the atlas will
show the positions of a number of interesting deep-sky
objects, with different symbols representing the different
types of objects, such as galaxies, open star clusters, globular clusters, diffuse nebulas, and planetary nebulas. So, for
example, your atlas might show a globular cluster sitting just
above the lid of the “Teapot”pattern of stars in Sagittarius.You
then know to point your telescope in that direction to home in
on the cluster, which happens to be 6.9-magnitude Messier
28 (M28).
You can see a great number and variety of astronomical
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objects with your SpaceProbe 3" EQ, including:
The Moon
With its rocky, cratered surface, the Moon is one of the easiest
and most interesting targets to view with your telescope.The
best time to observe our one and only natural satellite is during
a partial phase, that is, when the Moon is NOT full.During partial phases, shadows on the surface reveal more detail,
especially right along the border between the dark and light
portions of the disk (called the “terminator”). A full Moon is too
bright and devoid of surface shadows to yield a pleasing view.
The Planets
The planets don’t stay put like the stars (they don’t have fixed
R.A. and Dec. coordinates), so you’ll have to refer to charts
published monthly in
Astronomy,Sky & Telescope
, or other
astronomy magazines to locate them. Venus, Mars, Jupiter,
and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after the Sun
and the Moon. Not all four of these planets are normally visible at any one time.
JUPITER The largest planet, Jupiter, is a great subject to
observe.You can see the disk of the giant planet and watch
the ever-changing positions of its four largest moons, Io,
Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede. If atmospheric conditions
are good, you may be able to resolve thin cloud bands on the
planet’s disk.
SATURN The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is
well positioned.The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period
of many years; sometimes they are seen edge-on, while at
other times they are broadside and look like giant “ears” on
each side of Saturn’s disk. A steady atmosphere (good seeing) is necessary for a good view .Y ou ma y probab ly see a tin y,
bright “star” close by; that’s Saturn’s brightest moon, Titan.
VENUS At its br ightest, Venus is the most luminous object in
the sky, excluding the Sun and the Moon. It is so bright that
sometimes it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight!
Ironically, Venus appears as a thin crescent, not a full disk,
when at its peak brightness.Because it is so close to the Sun,
it never wanders too far from the morning or evening horizon.
No surface markings can be seen on Venus, which is always
shrouded in dense clouds.
MARS If atmospheric conditions are good, you may be able
to see some subtle surface detail on the Red Planet, possibly
even the polar ice cap .Mars makes a close approach to Earth
every two years. During those approaches its disk is larger
and thus more favorable for viewing.
Stars
Stars will appear like twinkling points of light in the telescope.
Even powerful telescopes cannot magnify stars to appear as
more than points of light! You can, however, enjoy the different colors of the stars and locate many pretty double and
multiple stars. The famous “Double-Double” in the constellation Lyra and the gorgeous two-color double star Albireo in
Cygnus are favorites. Defocusing the image of a star slightly
can help bring out its color.
Deep-Sky Objects
Under dark skies, you can observe a wealth of fascinating
deep-sky objects, including gaseous nebulas, open and globular star clusters, and different types of galaxies. Most
deep-sky objects are very faint, so it is important that you find
an observing site well away from light pollution.Take plenty of
time to let your eyes adjust to the darkness. Don’t expect
these subjects to appear like the photographs you see in
books and magazines; most will look like dim gray smudges.
(Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in such faint
objects.) But as you become more experienced and your
observing skills get sharper, you will be able to discern more
subtle details.
Remember that the higher the magnification you use, the dimmer the image will appear. So stick with low power when
observing deep-sky objects, because they’re already v ery faint.
Consult a star atlas or observing guide for information on finding
and identifying deep-sky objects. Some good sources to start
with are the Orion DeepMap 600, Edmund
Mag 6 Star Atlas
,
Turn Left at Orion
, and
The Universe From Your Backyard.
8. Care and Maintenance
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a lifetime. Store it in a clean, dry, dust-free place, safe from rapid
changes in temperature and humidity. Do not store the telescope outdoors, although storage in a garage or shed is OK.
Small components like eyepieces and other accessories
should be kept in a protective box or storage case. Keep the
cap on the front of the telescope when it is not in use.
Your SpaceProbe requires very little mechanical maintenance. The optical tube is aluminum and has a smooth
painted finish that is fairly scratch-resistant. If a scratch does
appear on the tube, it will not harm the telescope.If you wish,
you may apply some auto touch-up paint to the scratch.
Smudges on the tube can be wiped off with a soft cloth and a
household cleaner such as Windex or Formula 409.
Cleaning Lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning fluid specifically designed for multicoated optics can be
used to clean the exposed lenses of your eyepieces or finder
scope. Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid
designed for eyeglasses .Before cleaning with fluid and tissue,
however, blow any loose particles off the lens with a blower
bulb or compressed air.Then apply some cleaning fluid to a
tissue, never directly on the optics. Wipe the lens gently in a
circular motion, then remove any e xcess fluid with a fresh lens
tissue. Oily fingerpr ints and smudges may be removed using
this method. Use caution; rubbing too hard may scratch the
lens.On larger lenses, clean only a small area at a time, using
a fresh lens tissue on each area. Never reuse tissues.
Cleaning Mirrors
You should not have to clean your telescope’s mirrors very
often; normally once every few years. Covering your telescope when it is not in use will prevent dust from
accumulating on the mirrors. Improper cleaning can scratch
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mirror coatings, so the fewer times you have to clean the mirrors, the better. Small specks of dust or flecks of paint have
virtually no effect on the visual performance of the telescope.
The large primary mirror and the elliptical secondar y mirror of
your telescope are front-surface aluminized and overcoated
with hard silicon monoxide, which prevents the aluminum from
oxidizing. These coatings normally last through many, many
years of use before requiring recoating (which is easily done).
To clean the secondar y mirror, remove it from the secondary
mirror cell. Handle it carefully by the edges only;do not touch
the mirror surface.Then follow the same procedure described
below for cleaning the primary mirror.
To clean the pr imary mirror, carefully remove the mirror cell
from the telescope. Do not attempt to remove the mirror from
the cell—it has been secured in place by both clamps and
adhesive.Be careful not to touch the front surface of the mirror with your fingers! Set the mirror on a clean, soft towel.Fill
a clean sink, free of abrasive cleanser, with room-temperature water, a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent, and if
possible, a cap-full of rubbing alcohol. Submerge the mirror
(aluminized face up) in the water and let it soak for several
minutes (or hours if it’s a very dir ty mirror). Wipe the mirror
under water with clean cotton balls, using extremely light
pressure and stroking in straight lines across the surface.Use
one ball for each wipe across the mirror. Then rinse the mirror under a stream of lukewarm water. Any particles on the
surface can be swabbed gently with a series of clean cotton
balls, each used just one time. Dry the mirror in a stream of
air (a “blow er b ulb”w orks great), or remove any stray drops of
water with the corner of a paper towel. Water will run off a
clean surface.Dry the cell and exposed surfaces with a tow el.
Cover the mirror surface with Kleenex, and leave the entire
assembly in a warm area until it is completely dry before
reassembling the telescope.
9. Specifications
Primary mirror diameter : 3" (76mm)
Focal length: 700mm
Focal ratio: f/9.2
Eyepiece: 25mm Kellner, fully coated, 1.25"
Magnification: 28x (with 25mm eyepiece)
Finder scope: 5x magnification, 24mm aperture
Mount: German-type equatorial
To find Polaris in the night sky, look north and find the Big Dipper. Extend an imaginary line from the two “Pointer Stars” in
the bowl of the Big Dipper.Go about 5 times the distance between those stars and you’ll reach Polaris, which lies within 1°
of the north celestial pole (NCP).
Figure 2
Big Dipper
(in Ursa Major)
Little Dipper
(in Ursa Minor)
N.C.P.
Pointer Stars
Polaris
Cassiopeia
11
Figure 3B. Secondary mirror centered
under focuser tube, viewed through the
Collimating Eyepiece (as are the next
two illustrations).
Figure 3C. Secondary mirror correctly
aligned (tilted).
Primary
Figure 3A.The view down the focuser tube of a Newtonian reflector with eyepiece removed. In this
example, the optical system is badly out of collimation.
Figure 3D.Primary mirror correctly
aligned.The telescope’s optical system
is now collimated.
mirror spot
Reflection of
your eye
Edge of
secondary mirror
Bottom end
of focuser tube
Primary mirror clip
Reflection of secondary
Reflection of
primary mirror
holder with four spider vanes
Secondary mirror holder
Bottom edge of
Collimating Eyepiece
Annulus (Reflection
of 45° polished flat)
Reflection of
Collimating
Eyepiece
crosshairs
Crosshairs of
Collimating Eyepiece
One-Year Limited Warranty
This Orion SpaceProbe 3" EQ Newtonian Reflector is warranted against defects in materials or
workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the
benefit of the original retail purchaser only. During this warranty period Orion Telescopes &
Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any warranted instrument that proves to be
defective, provided it is returned postage paid to: Orion Warranty Repair, 89 Hangar Way,
Watsonville, CA 95076. If the product is not registered, proof of purchase (such as a copy of
the original invoice) is required.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused, mishandled, or modified, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear.This warranty gives you specific
legal rights, and you may also ha ve other rights, which vary from state to state.For further warranty service information, contact: Customer Service Department, Orion Telescopes &
Binoculars, P. O. Box 1815, Santa Cruz, CA 95061; (800) 676-1343.
Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
Post Office Box 1815, Santa Cruz, CA 95061
Customer Support Help Line (800) 676-1343 • Day or Evening
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