Orion STARMAX 9824 User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

IN 158 Rev. A 0501

Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975

Customer Support (800)676-1343 E-mail: support@telescope.com

Corporate Offices (831) 763-7000 P.O. Box 1815, Santa Cruz, CA 95061

Orion

StarMax 102mm EQ

™

#9824 Equatorial Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

Figure 1. StarMax 102mm EQ Parts Diagram

Finder scope Finder scope bracket Eyepiece Star diagonal Eyepiece adapter Focus knob Latitude lock t-bolt Latitude adjustment t-bolt Dec. slow-motion control cable Azimuth lock knob

Meniscus lens

1/4"-20 adapter

Dec. setting circle

R.A. setting circle

Counterweight

Counterweight lock knob

Counterweight shaft

R.A. slow-motion control cable

Accessory tray

Accessory tray bracket

attachment point

Leg lock knob

1. Unpacking

The entire telescope system will arrive in one box.Be careful unpacking the box.We recommend keeping the original shipping containers. In the event that the telescope needs to be shipped to another location, or returned to Orion for warranty repair, having the proper shipping containers will help ensure that your telescope will survive the journey intact.

Make sure all the parts in the Parts List are present. Be sure to check boxes carefully, as some parts are small. If anything appears to be missing or broken, immediately call Orion Customer Support (800) 676-1343 or email support@telescope.com for assistance.

2. Parts List

Qty. Description

1 Optical tube assembly 1 Optical tube dust cover 1 25mm (52x) Sirius Plössl eyepiece (1.25") 1 Mirror star diagonal 1 6x26 correct-image finder scope 1 Dovetail finder scope bracket with O-ring 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 1 Soft carry case 3 Assembly tools (wrench, Phillips screwdriver,

flathead screwdriver key)

Welcome to a new world of adventure.Your new StarMax 102mm 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 ............................................................................7

6. Using Y our T elescope—Astronomical Observing...................................................................10

7. T errestrial Viewing..................................................................................................................13

8. Photography...........................................................................................................................13

9. Care and Maintenance ..........................................................................................................13

10. Specifications.........................................................................................................................14

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.

3. Assembly

Assembling the telescope for the first time should take about 30 minutes. No tools are needed other than the ones provided. All bolts should be tightened securely to eliminate flexing and wobbling, but be careful not to over-tighten or the threads may strip.Refer to Figure 1 during the assembly process.

During assembly (and anytime, for that matter), DO NOT touch the surface of the telescope’s meniscus lens or the lenses of the finder scopes or eyepieces 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 warranty and return policy will be voided.

1. Lay the equatorial mount on its side.Attach the tripod legs one at a time to the mount by sliding the bolts installed in the tops of the tripod legs into the slots at the base of the mount and tightening the wing nuts finger-tight. The accessory tray bracket attachment point on each leg should face inward.

2. 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 desirab le length later, after the telescope is completely assembled.

3. With the tripod legs now attached to the equatorial mount, stand the tripod upright (be careful!) and spread the legs

wide enough to connect each end of the accessory tray bracket to the attachment point on each leg. Use the screw that comes installed in each attachment point to do this. First remove the screw using the supplied screwdriver, then line up one of the ends of the bracket with the attachment point and reinstall the screw. Make sure that the accessory tray bracket is oriented so that the ribs in its plastic molding face downward.

4. With the accessory tray bracket attached, spread the tripod legs apart as far as they will go, until the bracket is taut. Attach the accessory tray to the accessory tray bracket with the three wing screws already installed in the tray. Do this 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 bolts at the tops of the tripod legs, so the legs are securely fastened to the equatorial mount. Use the larger wrench and your fingers to do this.

6. Orient the equatorial mount as it appears in Figure 2, at a latitude of about 40°, so the pointer next to the latitude scale (located directly above the latitude lock t-bolt) is pointing to the mark at “40.” To do this, loosen 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

Latitude scale Latitude adjustment t-bolt Latitude lock t-bolt Azimuth lock knob

Dec. slow-motion control cable Dec. setting circle

R.A. setting circle

lock thumbscrew

R.A. setting circle

R.A. slow- motion control cable

Figure 2a.The equatorial mount.

(“Front” view.)

Figure 2b. “Rear” view.

Dec. lock knob R.A. lock knob

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. Slide the counterweight onto the counterweight shaft. Make sure the counterweight lock knob is adequately loosened to allow the counterweight shaft to pass through the hole in the counterweight.

8. With the counterweight lock knob still loose, grip the counterweight with 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 as far in as it will go, position the counterweight about halfway up the shaft and tighten the counterweight lock knob.The retaining screw and washer on the bottom of the shaft prevent the counterweight from falling off (and onto your foot!) if the counterweight lock knob becomes loose.

9. Attach the 1/4"-20 adapter to the top of the equatorial mount using the bolts and washers that come with the adapter. Push the bolts, with washers attached, up through the holes in 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 bloc k.Orient the optical tube so that 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-clockwise.

11.Attach the two slow-motion cables to the R.A. and Dec. worm gear shafts of the equatorial mount by positioning the thumb screw on the end of the cable ov er the indented slot on the worm gear shaft and then tightening the thumb screw. We recommend that the shorter cable be used on the R.A.worm gear shaft and the longer cable on the Dec. worm gear shaft. The Dec. worm gear shaft and cable should extend toward the rear of the optical tube, as is shown in Figure 1.If it does not, you will need to rotate the optical tube 180° on the 1/4"-20 adapter. Do this by first loosening the adapter’s knurled thumb wheel.

12. To place the finder scope in the finder scope bracket, first unthread the two black nylon screws until the screw ends are flush with the inside diameter of the bracket.Place the O-ring that comes on the base of the bracket over the body of the finder scope until it seats into the groove on the middle of the finder scope. Slide the eyepiece end (narrow end) of the finder scope into the end of the bracket’s cylinder that does not have the alignment screws while pulling the chrome, spring-loaded tensioner on the bracket with your fingers (see Figure 3).Push the finder scope through the bracket until the O-ring seats just inside the front opening of the bracket’s cylinder. Now, release the tensioner and tighten the two black nylon screws a couple of turns each to secure the finder scope in place. The tips of the tensioner and nylon screws should seat into the wide groove on the rear of the finder scope’ s body.

Figure 3. To install the finder scope in the finder scope bracket, pull the spring-loaded tensioner while inserting the eyepiece end of the finder scope into the bracket.

13. Inser t the base of the finder scope bracket into the dovetail holder on the optical tube. Lock the bracket into position by tightening the knurled thumb screw 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 thumb screws on the eyepiece adapter.

15.Insert the chrome barrel of the 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 ov er the front end of the telescope when it is not in use . It is also a good idea to cover the ey epiece;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 imperative 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).

2. Loosen the counterweight lock knob and slide the counterweight along the shaft until it exactly counterbalances the telescope (Figure 4a).That’s the point at which the shaft remains horizontal even when you let go of the telescope with both hands (Figure 4b).

3. Retighten the counterweight lock knob.

Spring-loaded

tensioner

Eyepiece end of finder scope Alignment thumb screws O-ring

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