Instruction Sheet

Laser Collimator
For use with Meade's LightBridge Telescopes Assembly
Please read the entire instruction sheet before using your Laser Collimator. Meade's Laser Collimator simplifies the collimation process. Collimation is a method to align your telescope's optics. Your telescope is aligned at the factory, but shipping and handling can sometimes misalign collimation. Misaligned collimation can mean dimmer and blurrier images in your telescope eyepiece. Your instruction manual describes how to collimate your telescope. Meade's Laser Collimator provides a simpler, second method of collimation. Be aware of the following as you use your Laser Collimator: Only turn on your laser when you are going to use it. All lasers use up battery power very quickly and have short battery life. When you turn on the laser, only turn the "on screw" until the laser turns on. Do not overtighten this screw! Overtightening may damage the collimator. Note the small "doughnut" attached to your telescope's primary mirror. The doughnut is attached to help you perform alignment with the Laser Collimator. When you insert the Laser Collimator into your eyepiece and turn it on, the pinpoint of laser light will normally be close to or on top of this doughnut. However, if it is any distance away from the doughnut, perform the collimation procedure described in your LightBridge instruction manual before you use the method described below. DANGER: Invisible laser radiation. Avoid eye or skin exposure to direct or scattered radiation.

STEP 1:

Remove the eyepiece or eyepiece cap from the telescope.

STEP 2:

Point the laser downward. Turn the screw on the side of the laser until the laser turns on. Do not overtighten this screw.

STEP 3:

Insert the laser collimator into the eyepie holder. Orient the window on the side of the collimator so that it is pointing towards the bottom of the telescope. Tighten the collimator in place using the eyepiece holder thumbscrew.

window

doughnut

STEP 4:

Standing at the side of the telescope, check out the primary mirror and look for the laser pinpoint. If the laser pinpoint is not near or on the "doughnut" attached to the mirror, remove the laser collimator and use the collimation method described in your LightBridge telescope manual. If the pinpoint is very near or on the doughnut, proceed to step 5.

STEP 5:

Using a Philips head screwdriver, adjust the one, two or all three tilt screws on the secondary mirror holder until the the laser pinpoint is in the center of the doughnut. Notice that when the pinpoint is on top of the doughnut that the pinpoint brightens considerably. When it is in the center, it dims again.

tilt screws

STEP 6:
Go to the bottom side of the primary mirror tube and look up at the Laser Collimator. Adjust the one, two or three of the collimation screws on the bottom, until the pinpoint in the window (see Step #3) of the laser collimator is in the center of the window. Note that you will have to loosen one or all of the locking screws to tighten or loosen the collimation screws.

locking screw

pinpoint misaligned

pinpoint centered

collimation screw

STEP 7:

Return to the secondary mirror holder and readjust the tilt screws, if necessary, to make sure the pinpoint is centered in the doughnut. Your telescope should now be aligned.

Instruction Manual
8, 10", 12", 16" LightBridge Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescopes

MEADE.COM

WARNING!
Never use a Meade 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 at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or SmartFinder as it is moving. Children should always have adult supervision while observing.

CONTENTS

Telescope Features.. 8 Assembly.. 5 Assemble the Base.. 5 Assemble the Tube.. 6 Insert Eyepiece, Attach Red Dot Finder. 7 Collimating the Optical System.. 8 Align the deluxe Red Dot Finder..11 Using a Dobsonian Telescope..11 Calculate Magnification..12 Observing...12 Some Tips...15 Care of the Optics..15 Meade Customer Service...16 Specifications...17 Optional Accessories..19 Appendix A: Altitude Adjustment Knobs.21
Never leave the primary mirror uncovered during the daytime unless using the telescope to view terrestrial objects.
The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in principal countries throughout the world. "LightBridge " is a trademark of Meade Instruments Corporation. 2006 Meade Instruments Corporation.
Fig. 1 Telescope features.
Inset A: Focuser assembly.

1&

Base Assembly 9. Side base panels (2) 10. Front base panel 11. Circular base plates (2) 12. Feet (3)
Tube Assembly 1. Eyepiece 2. Focuser assembly 3. Front OTA (optical tube assembly) 4. Top truss lock knobs (3) 5. Trusses (3) 6. Bottom truss lock knobs (3) 7. Altitude bearing 8. Rear OTA

F G H I F J 1(

Inset A 13. a) Focus knob b) Fine focus knob (16" models only) 14. Focus lock & tension adjustment knobs 15. 1.25" & 2"eyepiece holder 16. Draw tube 17. Thumbscrew Inset B 18. Fan 19. Fan battery pack (inset) 20. Collimation adjustment screw (3) 21. Collimation Lock screw (3)

2! 1* 2!

Inset B: Base of mirror tube (see page 9 for 16" base information).

1) J 1! 1@

Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

ASSEMBLY

ASSEMBLE THE BASE
Note: You will need to supply a phillips screwdriver and a onequarter inch or adjustable wrench to assemble the telescope. Note: Numbers in parentheses. e.g., (9), refer to Fig.1 and Fig. 1 insets.
STEP 1: The base supports the telescope and allows you to move the telescope from side to side.
Repeat with second side panel.
Line up one of the base side panels (9) with the base front panel (10) as shown here. Thread in the two black attachment bolts to secure the panels together. Tighten the bolts to a firm feel.
Line up the circular base(11) with the 7 predrilled holes against the panels.
Countersunk depression on this side of base
STEP 2: Turn the base panels on their side.
Thread 6 black bolts into the base, as shown here. Make sure that the side with the countersunk holes on the base face the bottom (see photo)
Slide the center bearing bushing into the 7th (center) hole of the circular base.

STEP 3:

Line up the other circular base (sometimes called the ground base), which contains three teflon pads (finger points to a pad)
roller bearing adjustment bolt washers

center bearing bushing

roller bearing plates
Place the center bearing bushing into the countersunk hole of the ground plate. Slide the three roller bearing plates over the center bearing bushing: First the roller bearing plate, then the roller bearing itself (the plate that looks alike a wagon wheel), then the second roller bearing plate. Place the top part of the base plate assembly over the center bearing bushing. To secure in place: On the adjustment knob bolt, place two washers on either side of the roller bearing washer. Slide the adjustment bolt through the top base board and into the center bearing bushing and hand-tighten. A nut is captured on the bottom plate. See drawing

STEP 4:

STEP 5: Next attach the three feet to the bottom panel. Line up each foot and thread a small attachment screw into the foot to hold it in place. Tighten to a firm feel.
Note: When attaching the feet, make sure that the center countersink depression is on the opposite side of the base. STEP 5: Next attach the three feet to the bottom panel. Line up each foot and thread a small attachment screw into the foot to hold it in place. Tighten to a firm feel. Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversable damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.

STEP 6: Move the circular panels. They should move easily about, without any stiffness. If not, tighten or loosen them using a screwdriver while holding the attachment nut in place (with your fingers or a wrench) on the other end of the bolt.

ASSEMBLE THE TUBE

dust cover

front panel

Place the rear OTA (8) into the base. Make sure that the altitude bearings fit snugly into the openings on the side panels of the base. Make sure that the seam of the tube is pointing at the front panel. Lift to remove the dust cover from the mirror. Note: You can thread the Altitude Adjustment Knob into the protrusion just below the Altitude Bearing (7). Use the Altitude Adjustment Knob when you add larger eyepieces, cameras or other accessories to the Meade LightBridge telescope without causing the tube to slip or drift. To learn how to install the Altitude Adjustment Knob, see page 21.
STEP 7: Turn the base so that it is now resting on the feet.

truss knobs

Place each truss (5) into a set of slots.
STEP 8: Loosen the three bottom truss knobs (6).
Tighten the truss knobs after all three trusses are in place.
STEP 9: After all 3 trusses are in place, loosen the knob (4) on
top of each truss. Place the secondary mirror tube (3) into the slots at the top of each truss.
Make sure that the seam on the tube is also pointing towards the front panel (see step 7).
STEP 10:.and tighten the truss knobs.
INSERT EYEPIECE AND ATTACH RED DOT FINDER
down and from side to side.
STEP 10: The entire assembly should move easily up and
STEP 11: If you wish to insert the deluxe 2 inch eyepiece,

eyepiece holder

remove the 1.25" eyepiece holder (15) from the focuser assembly by loosening holder thumbscrew (as shown in photo to the left). Slide the 2 inch eyepiece into the focuser and tighten with the eyepiece locking screw. To focus the eyepiece, turn the focuser wheels (13) in or out. The focuser has both a lock knob and a tension adjustment knob. The first lock prevents the draw tube (16) from moving in and out. The second lock locks the focuser knob, thereby locking a focus position into place. Experiment with these knobs to discover which adjustments are comfortable with your viewing style.

holder thumbscrew

Note that the 16" model comes with a two-speed focuser. Use the large focus wheel (13A) for fast focus and the small focus knob (13B) for fine focus.
groov hex screw top end thumbscrew
STEP 12: A red dot finder projects a red dot in place of crosshairs, to make it easier to line up more precisely with a target.

bracket

First, assemble the red dot finder. Slide the bracket over the groove of the red dot finder scope. Tighten the two hex screws with the supplied hex wrench to secure in place. Slide the red dot finder bracket into the slot on the top OTA. Slide it in from the top (it will only go into the slot from this end). Tighten the thumbscrew to hold the red dot bracket securely in place. You will need to align the red dot finder. See page 8.
STEP 13: To move the telescope, remove the tube assembly from the base assembly. Grasp the tube assembly by the trusses and lift up. It is recommended that you relocate the telescope when it is disassembled into two pieces.
STEP 14: Note that there is a fan on the bottom of the mirror
tube. It is powered by a battery pack using 4 AA user-supplied batteries. If you begin observing at sunset, and the telescope has been heated by the sun or by being in your car, you may notice turbulence in your images. In this case, you can run the fan until your images stabilize and are steady. The fan probably needs to be used less than an hour.
Note also that there are three lock screws and three collimation screws. These screws are for use with the collimation procedure. See page 14.
Meade offers an optional laser collimator to help you to collimate your telescope (see OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 18). 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. Correct Collimation The collimation procedure for the Meade LightBridge Dobsonian is slightly different from that of other Newtonian reflecting telescopes, because of the "fast" f/5 to f/6 focal ratio of the primary mirror. In typical Newtonian reflectors with more conventional focal ratios (i.e. longer focal ratios), when the observer looks down the focuser tube (without an eyepiece in the focuser), the images of the diagonal mirror, primary mirror, focuser tube and the observer's eye appear centered relative to each other.

Precise collimation, or alignment, of your telescopes optical system is essential for good performance. All Meade telescopes are accurately collimated at the factory prior to shipment. You may want to collimate after the telescope has been shipped or if it has endured rough handling or a bumpy car journeyusually, though, just a small touch up is all that's required.
COLLIMATION OF THE OPTICAL SYSTEM
However, with the short focal ratio primary mirror of the LightBridge Dobsonian, correct collimation requires that the diagonal mirror be offset in 2 directions: (1) away from the focuser and (2) towards the primary mirror, in equal amounts. This offset is approximately 1/8" in each direction. Note that these offsets have been performed at the factory prior to shipment of your telescope. It is only necessary for you to confirm that the telescope has not been badly jarred out of collimation, and to perform the final fine-tuning of Step 4, below. To check and, if necessary, set the optical collimation, follow these steps: 1. Observe through the focuser and orient your body so that the telescope's primary mirror is to your right, and the open end of the telescope tube is to your left. Fig. D shows a correctly collimated LightBridge Dobsonian telescope, as it appears when viewed through the focuser with the eyepiece removed.
Note: A small paper ring is attached to the primary mirror. This ring was attached at the factory for purposes of laser collimation. The ring will not diminish your telescope's imaging capabilities and does not need to be removed.
The diagonal mirror will appear centered as shown (2, Fig. D). If the diagonal appears off center, then adjust the 3 collimation screws (2, Fig. B) on the plastic diagonal mirror housing.
2. If the reflection of the primary mirror (3, Fig. D) is not centered on the surface of the diagonal mirror, adjust the 3 collimation adjustment screws on the diagonal mirror housing to center the reflection. As described above, the 3 collimation screws on the diagonal mirror housing are used for two different adjustments during the collimation procedure.
Important Note: Do not force the 3 screws past their normal travel, and do not rotate any screw or screws more than 2 full turns in a counterclockwise direction (i.e., not more than 2 full turns in their "loosening" direction), or else the diagonal mirror may become loosened from its support. Note that the diagonal mirror collimation adjustments are very sensitive: generally turning a collimation screw 1/2-turn will have a dramatic effect on collimation. 3. If the reflection of the diagonal mirror is not centered within the reflection of the primary mirror, adjust the 3 collimation adjustment screws (20, Fig. C) located on the rear of the primary mirror cell. Proceed by "trial and error" until you develop a feel for which collimation screw to turn in order to change the image in any given way. 4. Perform an actual star test to confirm the accuracy of steps 1 through 3. Using the 26mm eyepiece, point the telescope at a moderately bright (second or third magnitude) star, and center the image in the main telescope's field of view.

See step #12, page 7 to find out how th attach the finder to the telescope.
ALIGN THE DELUXE RED DOT FINDER
The deluxe red dot finder.
The deluxe red dot finder provides you with four different red dot indicator shapes: a dot, a cross, a diamond and a bullseye. Push the lever below the finder to change the shape of the dot. 1.
USING A DOBSONIAN TELESCOPE
Never lubricate the Teflon pads on the ground plate. Your 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; thats all the maintenance required. The altitude bearing surfaces (7, 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. Do not use solvents or alcohol-based cleaning solutions as this may damage the bearings or the painted surfaces of the telescope.
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 Earths 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 youll soon get the hang of it. 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.
Part of the fun of using a Dobsonian type of telescope is the challenge of hunting for objects in the night sky. Invest in 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, youre well on you way to finding many amazing sights.
The magnification, or power of a telescope is determined by two factors: the focal length of the eyepiece and the focal length of the telescope. Your telescope is supplied with one eyepiece. The focal length of the eyepiece, 26mm, is printed on its side.

CALCULATE MAGNIFICATION

Telescope focal length is the distance that light travels inside the telescope before reaching a focus. The focal length of the Dobsonian 8" = 1219mm. The focal length of the Dobsonian 10" = 1270mm The focal length of the Dobsonian 12" = 1524mm The focal length of the Dobsonian 16" = 1829mm To change magnification, change eyepieces.
To calculate the magnification of a given eyepiece, use this formula: Example: Using the 26mm eyepiece supplied with the 8" f/6, the power is: The type of eyepiece, whether Modified Achromatic, Plssl, or Super Plssl, 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 produce higher image resolution. When unsteady air conditions prevail (as witnessed by rapid twinkling of the stars), extremely high powers result in distorted magnification and observational details are diminished by the use of excessive power. Power = 1219mm 26mm = 47mm Power = Telescope Focal Length Eyepiece Focal Length
Observe during the daytime: Try out your telescope during the daytime at first. It is easier to learn how it operates and how to observe when it is light.
When beginning observations on a particular object, always start with a low power eyepiece. Centered the object in the field of view. Sharply focus the object. Then try using a higher power eyepiece. If the image starts to become fuzzy when you use higher magnification, back down to a lower power. The atmosphere is not sufficiently steady to support high powers. Keep in mind that a bright, clearly resolved, but smaller image will show far more detail than a dimmer, poorly resolved larger image.

OBSERVING

Pick out an easy object to observe: A distant mountain, a large tree, a lighthouse or skyscraper make excellent targets. Point the optical tube so it lines up with your object.
Look through the eyepiece: Once you have the object lined up in the finder, look through the optical tubes eyepiece. If you have aligned your finder, you will you see the object in your eyepiece. Focus: Look through the eyepiece and practice focusing on the object you have chosen. The focuser has both a lock knob and a tension adjustment knob. The first lock prevents the draw tube (16) from moving in and out. The second lock locks the focuser knob, thereby locking a focus position into place. Experiment with these knobs to discover which adjustments are comfortable with your viewing style.

Use the red dot finder: If you have not done so, align the red dot finder with the telescopes eyepiece as described earlier. Look through the finder until you can see the object. It will be easier to locate an object using the finder rather than locating with the eyepiece. Line up the object with the finders red dot.
Observe the Moon: When you feel comfortable with the finder, the eyepieces, the locks and the adjustment controls, you will be ready to try out the telescope at night. The Moon is the best object to observe the first time you go out at night. Pick a night when the Moon is a crescent. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, making it appear flat and uninteresting.
Look for different features on the Moon: The most obvious features are craters. In fact you can see craters within craters. Some craters have bright lines about them. These are called rays and are the result of material thrown out of the crater when it was struck by a colliding object. The dark areas on the Moon are called maria and are composed of lava from the period when the Moon still had volcanic activity. You can also see mountain ranges and fault lines on the Moon. Use a neutral density filter (sometimes called a moon filter) when observing the Moon. Neutral density filters are available from Meade as an optional accessory. Spend several nights observing the Moon. Some nights, the Moon is so bright that it makes other objects in the sky difficult to see. These are nights that are excellent for lunar observation.
Craters of the Moon are excellent targets to observe.
Observe the Solar System: After observing the Moon, you are ready to step up to the next level of observation, the planets. There are four planets that you can easily observe in your telescope: Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Nine planets (maybe more.3 more planets have been discovered in the "Oort" cloud at print time) travel in a fairly circular pattern around our Sun. Any system of planets orbiting one or more stars is called a solar system. Our Sun, by the way, is a single, dwarf star. It is average as far as stars go and is a middle aged star. Beyond the planets are clouds of comets, icy planetoids and other debris left over from the birth of our sun (the Oort cloud). Recently astronomers have found large objects in this area and they may increase the number of planets in our solar system.
The four planets closest to the Sun are rocky and are called the inner planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars comprise the inner planets. Venus and Mars can be easily seen in your telescope. Venus is seen before dawn or after sunset, because it is close to the Sun. You can observe Venus going through crescent phases. But you cannot see any surface detail on Venus because it has a very thick atmosphere of gas.
When Mars is close to the Earth, you can see some details on Mars, and sometimes even Mars polar caps. But quite often, Mars is further away and just appears as a red dot with some dark lines crisscrossing it.

The planet Jupiter. Jupiter's four largest moons can be observed in a different position every night.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto comprise the outer planets. These planets, except for Pluto, are made mostly of gases and are sometimes called gas giants. If they had grown much bigger, they may have become stars. Pluto is made mostly of ice.
Jupiter is quite interesting to observe. You can see bands across the face of Jupiter. The more time you spend observing these bands, the more details you will be able to see.
One of the most fascinating sights of Jupiter are its moons. The four largest moons are called the Galilean moons, after the astronomer Galileo, who observed them for the first time. If youve never watched the Galilean moons in your telescope before, youre missing a real treat! Each night, the moons appear in different positions around the Jovian sky. This is sometimes called the Galilean dance. On any given night, you might be able to see the shadow of a moon on the face of Jupiter, see one moon eclipse another or even see a moon emerge from behind Jupiters giant disk. Drawing the positions of the moons each night is an excellent exercise for novice astronomers. Any small telescope can see the four Galilean moons of Jupiter, plus a few others, but how many moons does Jupiter actually have? No one knows for sure! Nor are we sure how many Saturn has either. At last count, Jupiter had over 60 moons, and held a small lead over Saturn. Most of these moons are very small and can only be seen with very large telescopes.
Probably the most memorable sight you will see in your telescope is Saturn. Although you may not see many features on the surface of Saturn, its ring structure will steal your breath away. You will probably be able to see a black opening in the rings, known as the Cassini division. Saturn is not the only planet that has rings, but it is the only set of rings that can be seen with a small telescope. Jupiters rings cannot be seen from Earth at allthe Voyager spacecraft discovered the ring after it passed Jupiter and looked back at it. It turns out, only with the sunlight shining through them, can the rings be seen. Uranus and Neptune also have faint rings. Optional color filters help bring out detail and contrast of the planets. Meade offers a line of inexpensive color filters. Whats Next? Beyond the Solar System: Once you have observed our own system of planets, its time to really travel far from home and look at stars and other objects. You can observe thousands of stars with your telescope. At first, you may think stars are just pinpoints of light and arent very interesting. But look again. There is much information that is revealed in stars. The first thing you will notice is that not all stars are the same colors. See if you can find blue, orange, yellow, white and red stars. The color of stars sometimes can tell you about the age of a star and the temperature that they burn at.

Other stars to look for are multiple stars. Very often, you can find double (or binary) stars, stars that are very close together. These stars orbit each other. What do you notice about these stars? Are they different colors? Does one seem brighter than the other?
Almost all the stars you can see in the sky are part of our galaxy. A galaxy is a large grouping of stars, containing millions or even billions of stars. Some galaxies form a spiral (like our galaxy, the Milky Way) and other galaxies look more like a large football and are called elliptical galaxies. There are many galaxies that are irregularly shaped and are thought to have been pulled apart because they passed too close toor even througha larger galaxy.
M31, the Andromeda galaxy, is one of the easiest galaxies to locate and observe during the fall and winter evenings.
You may be able to see the Andromeda galaxy and several others in your telescope. They will appear as small, fuzzy clouds.
You will also be able to see some nebulas with your scope. Nebula means cloud. Most nebulas are clouds of gas. The two easiest to see in the Northern Hemisphere are the Orion nebula during the winter and the Trifid nebula during the summer. These are large clouds of gas in which new stars are being born. Some nebulas are the remains of stars exploding. These explosions are called supernovas.
When you become an advanced observer you can look for other types of objects such as asteroids, planetary nebula and globular clusters. And if youre lucky, every so often a bright comet appears in the sky, presenting an unforgettable sight. The more you learn about objects in the sky, the more you will learn to appreciate the sights you see in your telescope. Start a notebook and write down the observations you make each night. Note the time and the date.
The pleiades is probably the most striking star cluster to observe in the Northern Hemisphere.
Use a compass to make a circle, or trace around the lid of a jar. Draw what you see in your eyepiece inside the circle. The best exercise for drawing is to observe the moons of Jupiter every night or so. Try to make Jupiter and the moons approximately the same size as they look in your eyepiece. You will see that the moons are in a different position every night. As you get better at drawing, try more challenging sights, like a crater system on the moon or even a nebula. Go your library or check out the internet for more information about astronomy. Learn about the basics: Light years, orbits, star colors, how stars and planets are formed, red shift, the big bang, what are the different kinds of nebula, what are comets, asteroids and meteors and what is a black hole. The more you learn about astronomy, the more fun, and the more rewarding your telescope will become.

SOME TIPS

By the way, you might have noticed something strange when you looked through your eyepiece. The image is upside down, and it is also reversed. That means reading words can be a problem or viewing objects on the ground can be a problem. But it has no affect on astronomical objects.
Venus, in its thin, crescent phase.
Place the object to be viewed at the edge of the field and, without touching the telescope, watch it drift through the field to the other side before repositioning the telescope so that the object to be viewed is again placed at the edge of the field, ready to be further observed.
Objects move in the eyepiece: If you are observing an astronomical object (the Moon, a planet, star, etc.) you will notice that the object will begin to move slowly through the telescopic field of view. This movement is caused by the rotation of the Earth and makes an object move through the telescopes field of view. To keep astronomical objects centered in the field, simply move the telescope on one or both of its axes vertically and/or horizontally as needed. At higher powers, astronomical objects will seem to move through the field of view of the eyepiece more rapidly.
Vibrations: Avoid touching the eyepiece while observing through the telescope. Vibrations resulting from such contact will cause the image to move. Avoid observing sites where vibrations cause image movement (for example, near railroad tracks). Viewing from the upper floors of a building may also cause image movement. Let your eyes dark-adapt: Allow five or ten minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted before observing. Use a red-filtered flashlight to protect your night vision when reading star maps, or inspecting the telescope. Do not use use a regular flashlight or turn on other lights when observing with a group of other astronomers. You can make your own red filtered flashlight by taping red cellophane over a flashlight lens.
Viewing through windows: Avoid setting up the telescope inside a room and observing through an opened or closed window pane. Images may appear blurred or distorted due to temperature differences between inside and outside air. Also, it is a good idea to allow your telescope to reach the ambient (surrounding) outside temperature before starting an observing session. When to observe: Planets and other objects viewed low on the horizon often lack sharpnessthe same object, when observed higher in the sky, will appear sharper and have greater contrast. Try reducing power (change your eyepiece) if your image is fuzzy or shimmers. Keep in mind that a bright, clear, but smaller image is more interesting than a larger, dimmer, fuzzy one. Using too high a power eyepiece is one of the most common mistakes made by new astronomers. Dress Warm: Even on summer nights, the air can feel cool or cold as the night wears on. It is important to dress warm or to have a sweater, jacket, gloves, etc., nearby. Know your observing site: If possible, know the location where you will be observing. Pay attention to holes in the ground and other obstacles. Is it a location where wild animals, such as skunks, snakes, etc., may appear? Are there viewing obstructions such as tall trees, street lights, headlights and so forth? The best locations are dark locations, the darker the better. Deep space objects are easiest to see under dark skies. But it is still possible to observe even in a city.

MEADE CUSTOMER SERVICE

SPECIFICATIONS 8" Deluxe Model
OTA Open truss design. Upper cage metal tube containing spider and secondary mirror holder, focuser with attachment points for truss tubes. Lower metal tube containing mirror cell, altitude bearings, battery powered fan, with truss tube attachment castings and captive bolts and knobs. Silver anodized aluminum with attachment hardware and captive bolts. Machined aluminum altitude bearings. 4-vane, steel 8" 1219mm (48") f/6 0.74 arc seconds 13.5 2" Crayford style machined aluminum with 1.25 adapter. Swivel base with Teflon bearings for azimuth. Three roller bearing plates For one 2 and three 1.25 eyepieces mounted on one side of the base. Meade 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece. To fit over primary mirror inside of lower tube. Deluxe red dot CD-ROM of Autostar Suite Astronomer's Edition software 24 lbs. 20 lbs. wt. 44 lbs. Open truss design. Upper cage metal tube containing spider and secondary mirror holder, focuser with attachment points for truss tubes. Lower metal tube containing mirror cell, altitude bearings, battery powered fan, with truss tube attachment castings and captive bolts and knobs. Silver anodized aluminum with attachment hardware and captive bolts. Machined aluminum altitude bearings. 4-vane, steel 10" 1270mm (50") f/5 0.56 arc seconds 14 2" Crayford style machined aluminum with 1.25 adapter. Swivel base with Teflon bearings for azimuth. Three roller bearing plates For one 2 and three 1.25 eyepieces mounted on one side of the base. Meade 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece. To fit over primary mirror inside of lower tube. Deluxe red dot
Truss tubes Secondary Mirror Support Mirror Focal length Focal ratio Resolving Power Limiting visual magnitude Focuser Mount Base bearings Eyepiece tray
Attach eyepiece tray to side or back base panels.
Eyepiece Dust Cover Finder Computer Software
Assembled OTA weight Assembled Mount weight Total Assembled telescope

10" Standard Model

Truss tubes Secondary Mirror Support Mirror Focal length Focal ratio Resolving Power Limiting visual magnitude Focuser Mount Base bearings Eyepiece tray Eyepiece Dust Cover Finder

Computer Software

CD-ROM of Autostar Suite Astronomer's Edition software Assembled OTA weight 38 lbs. 27 lbs. Assembled Mount weight Total Assembled telescope wt. 65 lbs.

12" Standard Model

Counterweight Eyepiece Dust Cover Finder Computer Software
Open truss design. Upper cage metal tube containing spider and secondary mirror holder, focuser with attachment points for truss tubes. Lower metal tube containing mirror cell, altitude bearings, battery powered fan, with truss tube attachment castings and captive bolts and knobs. All 12 inch models have a triangular ground plate. Silver anodized aluminum with attachment hardware and captive bolts. Machined aluminum altitude bearings. 4-vane, steel 12" 1524mm (60") f/5 0.45 arc seconds 14.5 2" Crayford style machined aluminum with 1.25 adapter. Swivel base with Teflon bearings for azimuth. Three roller bearing plates For one 2 and three 1.25 eyepieces mounted on one side of the base. None Meade 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece. To fit over primary mirror inside of lower tube. Deluxe red dot CD-ROM of Autostar Suite Astronomer's Edition software 47 lbs. 33 lbs. wt. 80 lbs.

Fig. 15: Series 5000 TELEXTENDERS.
Appendix A: Altitude Adjustment Knob
Assembly Slide the brake over the tension adjustment bolt (Fig. 16). Note the protrusion at the bottom of the tension plate. The protrusion fits into the indent at the bottom of the brake. Thread the tension adjustment bolt into the tension plate on the side panel of the base assembly (Fig. 17). Tighten or loosen this knob as needed to prevent the telescope from slipping or drifting when larger eyepieces or other accessories are used with the telescope (Fig. 18).
The Altitude Adjustment Knob allows you to add larger eyepieces, cameras or other accessories to the Meade LightBridge telescope without causing the tube to slip or drift.

tension plate

tension adjustment bolt
Fig. 16: The altitude tension adjustment assembly.

protrusion

Fig. 17: Slide the brake over tension adjustment bolt and thread the tension adjustment bolt into the tension plate.
Fig. 18: Tighten the tension adjustment bolt as necessary.
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 calling (800) 626-3233. Each returned part or product must include a written statement detailing the nature of the claimed defect, as well as the owners name, address, and phone number.
Every Meade telescope 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 nontransferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors.

MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY

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 cannot 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.

(800) 626-3233

www.meade.com

14-1010-48 1/07