Orion STARMAX 90 EQ User Manual
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Orion®
StarMax™ 90 EQ
#9821 Equatorial Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
Customer Support (800)-676-1343
E-mail: support@telescope.com
Corporate Offices (831)‑763‑7000
89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076
OrionTelescopes.com
IN 162 Rev. C 06/08
Mounting block
Finder scope bracket
Finder scope
Eyepiece
Counterweight shaft
Right Ascension
slow‑motion control
Counterweight
Counterweight lock knob
Tripod leg
Star diagonal
Declination
slow motion control
Accessory tray
Accessory tray bracket
Leg lock knob
Figure 1. Orion StarMax 90mm EQ
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Welcome to a new world of adventure. Your new StarMax 90mm EQ is designed for high‑resolution
observing of astronomical objects, and can also be used for terrestrial exploration. With its precision
optics and equatorial mount, you’ll be able to locate and enjoy hundreds of fascinating celestial objects,
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. 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. Unpacking ............................................................................................................................... 3
2. Parts List ................................................................................................................................. 3
3. Assembly ................................................................................................................................ 4
4. Getting Started ........................................................................................................................ 5
5. Setting Up and Using the Equatorial Mount ............................................................................ 6
6. Using Your Telescope—Astronomical Observing .................................................................... 9
7. Terrestrial Viewing ................................................................................................................. 12
8. Photography .......................................................................................................................... 12
9. Care and Maintenance ......................................................................................................... 12
10. Specifications ........................................................................................................................ 13
1. Unpacking
The entire telescope system will arrive in one box. Be careful
unpacking the box. We recommend keeping the original ship‑
ping container. In the event that the telescope needs to be
shipped to another location, or returned to Orion for warranty
repair, having the proper shipping container will help ensure
that your telescope will survive the journey intact.
Make sure all the par ts in the Parts List are present. Be
sure to check box carefully, as some parts are small. If
anything appears to be missing or broken, immediate‑
ly call Orion Customer Support (800‑676‑1343) or email
support@telescope.com for assistance.
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. Young children should use this
telescope only with adult supervision.
2. Parts List
Qty. Description
1 Optical tube assembly
1 Optical tube dust cover
1 25mm (50x) Sirius Plössl eyepiece (1.25")
1 Mirror star diagonal
1 6x20 correct‑image finder scope
1 Dovetail finder scope bracket
1 Equatorial mount
3 Tripod legs
1 Counterweight shaft
1 Counterweight
1 Tripod accessory tray
1 Accessory tray bracket
2 Slow‑motion control cables
1 1/4"‑20 adapter
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1 Soft carry case
3 Assembly tools (small wrench, Phillips head
screwdriver, triangular assembly tool)
3 Leg attachment screws
3 Leg lock knobs
3. Assembly
1. Lay the equatorial mount on its side. Attach the tripod
legs, one at a time, to the base of the mount by sliding a
tripod leg attachment screw through the top of a leg and
through the holes in the base of the mount. The washers
should be on the outside of the tripod legs. Secure the
wing nuts finger‑tight. Note that the accessory tray brack‑
et attachment point on each leg should face inward.
2. Install and tighten the leg lock knobs on the bottom
braces of the tripod legs. For now, keep the legs at their
shortest (fully retracted) length; you can extend them to a
more desirable length later, after the tripod is completely
assembled.
3. With the tripod legs now attached to the mount, stand
the tripod upright (be careful!) and spread the legs apart
enough to connect each end of the accessory tray brack‑
et to the attachment point on each leg. Use the screw and
lock nut that come installed in each attachment point to
do this. First, remove the screw using the supplied screw‑
driver and triangular assembly tool; hold the lock nut
with the triangular assembly tool while turning the screw
with the screwdriver. Then, line up one of the ends of the
bracket with the attachment point and reinstall the screw.
4. Now, with the accessory tray bracket attached, spread the
tripod legs apart as far as they will go, until the bracket
is taut. Connect the accessory tray to the accessory tray
bracket with the three wing screws already installed in the
tray. This is done by pushing the wing screws up through
the holes in the accessory tray bracket and threading
them into the holes in the accessory tray.
5. Tighten the screws at the tops of the tripod legs, so the
legs are securely fastened to the mount. Use the provided
screwdriver and your fingers to do this.
6. Orient the equatorial mount as it appears in Figure 2, at
a latitude of about 40°, i.e., so the pointer next to the lati‑
tude scale (located directly above the latitude lock t‑bolt)
is pointing to the hash mark at “40.” To do this, loosen
Right ascension setting circle
Declination
slow motion control
Latitude scale
Latitude adjusting T‑Bolt
Latitude locking T‑Bolt
Declination lock knob
(not shown)
Declination setting circle
Right ascension
(R.A.) axis
Right ascension
Declination
(Dec.) axis
lock knob
Figure 2
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Right Ascension slow
motion control
the latitude lock t‑bolt, and turn the latitude adjustment
t‑bolt until the pointer and the “40” line up. Then retighten
the latitude lock t‑bolt. The declination (Dec.) and right
ascension (R.A.) axes may need re‑positioning (rotation)
as well. Be sure to loosen the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs
before doing this. Retighten the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs
once the equatorial mount is properly oriented.
7. Thread the counterweight shaft into the equatorial mount
at the base of the declination axis until tight.
8. Remove the screw and washer on the bottom of the coun‑
terweight shaft and slide the counterweight onto the shaft.
Make sure the counterweight lock knobs are adequately
loosened to allow the counterweight shaft to pass through
the hole. Position the counterweight about halfway up the
shaft and tighten the lock knobs. Replace the screw and
washer on the counterweight shaft.
9. Attach the 1/4"‑20 adapter to the top of the equato‑
rial mount using the bolts and washers that come with
the adapter. Push the bolts, with washers attached, up
through the holes in the top of the mount and thread them
into the bottom of the adapter. Tighten the bolts securely
with the supplied wrench.
10. Connect the optical tube assembly to the 1/4"‑20 adapter
on the mount by threading the adapter’s shaft into the
hole in the optical tube’s mounting block. Orient the opti‑
cal tube so that it is parallel to the length of the adapter, as
it is in Figure 1. Tighten this connection firmly by rotating
the knurled thumb wheel on the adapter counter‑clock‑
wise.
11. Now attach the two slow‑motion cables to the R.A. and
Dec. slow‑motion shafts of the equatorial mount by posi‑
tioning the thumbscrew on the end of the cable over the
indented slot on the shaft, then tightening the thumb
screw. A cable can be attached to either end of the R.A.
shaft, whichever is most convenient for you. Use the
shorter cable for the R.A. shaft.
12. To place the finder scope in its bracket, first remove the
O‑ring from the finder scope bracket. Loosen the three
nylon thumbscrews on the bracket until the tips of the
screws are flush with the inside of the bracket. Insert the
objective end (the end without the rubber eyeguard) of
the finder scope into the bracket ring with the three nylon
thumbscrews. When the finder scope is through the sec‑
ond ring of the bracket and as far as it will go, push the
O‑Ring on the objective end of the finder scope and set it
about 1" down the finder scope tube. Then pull the finder
scope back gently until the O‑Ring seats itself on the ridge
inside the second ring of the finder scope bracket. Tighten
the three nylon screws equally until they are touching the
sides of the finder scope.
13. Insert the base of the finder scope bracket into the dovetail
holder on the optical tube. Lock the bracket into position
by tightening the knurled thumbscrew on the dovetail
holder.
14. Remove the cap from the eyepiece adapter on the rear of
the optical tube and insert the chrome barrel of the mirror
star diagonal. Secure the diagonal with the thumbscrews
on the eyepiece adapter.
15. Now, insert the chrome barrel of the 25mm eyepiece into
the star diagonal. Secure the eyepiece with the thumb‑
screws on the star diagonal.
The telescope system is now fully assembled. Keep the dust
cover over the front end of the telescope when it is not in use.
It is also a good idea to cover the eyepiece; use the cover cap
that came with it.
4. Getting Started
Balancing the Telescope
To insure smooth movement of the telescope on both axes of
motion (R.A. and Dec.) of the equatorial mount, it is impera‑
tive that the optical tube be properly balanced.
1. Keeping one hand on the telescope optical tube, loosen the
R.A. lock knob. Make sure the Dec. lock knob is locked. 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).
a.
b.
Figure 3: Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires
balancing the telescope tube on the R.A. axis. (a) With the
R.A. lock knob released, slide the counterweight along the
counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube. (b)
When you let go with both hands, the tube should not drift
up or down.
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