Fig. 6: Tighten screws with screwdriver tool to attach tray to the struts (Style 1).
Fig. 7: Attach pin to tripod leg bracket with a large pliers (Style 2).

Fasten wing nuts

Fig. 8: Attach tray to the tripod: Thread the wing nuts to the bolts (bottom view; Style 2).

Bracket Attachment Nuts

Insert the diagonal mirror and eyepiece: Insert the diagonal mirror (8, Fig. 1) into the focuser drawtube (9, Fig. 1) and a low-power eyepiece (e.g., 25mm or 26mm eyepiece) into the diagonal mirror. Tighten the eyepiece and diagonal mirror thumbscrews (25 and 26, Fig. 4) to a firm feel. Note: Some models are supplied with one of two styles of the 90 diagonal mirror. Quantities of eyepieces and eyepiece size varies with each model. Install battery (NGC Models Only): Lift the lid of the battery compartment (18, Fig. 2) and attach a 9v battery (user-supplied) to the connector provided in the compartment. Remove dust cap: Pull to remove the dust cap from the end of the telescope. Replace it on the telescope at the end of the observing session. The cap keeps the telescope lens free from dust and foreign particles when it is not in use.

Aligning the Viewfinder

Fig. 9a: Attach optical tube to the mount (Style 1).

Cradle

Lock Knob
Fig. 9b: Attach optical tube to cradle ring (Style 2).
Because the main telescope has a fairly narrow field of view, locating objects directly in the main telescope can sometimes be difficult. The viewfinder (6, Fig. 1) is a small, wide-field telescope with crosshairs that permits you to more easily locate objects. When the viewfinder and optical tube are aligned to each other, both point to the same position in the sky. An object located in the viewfinder is therefore also positioned within the field of the main telescope. 1. Attach viewfinder bracket (Style 1): Remove the two attachment thumbscrews from the optical tube. These screws are pre-threaded at the factory into the optical telescope tube at the viewfinder location. Line up the holes in the viewfinder bracket with the holes on the tube and thread the thumbscrews back onto the main tube. See Fig. 10a. Attach viewfinder bracket (Style 2): Using a Phillips head screwdriver, thread the two attachment screws in the bracket (these screws are placed inside the bracket at the factory) into the mating threads on the optical tube. See Fig. 10b. 2. Attach viewfinder: Remove the rubber cup from the viewfinder tube and slide the tube into the viewfinder bracket. Orient the viewfinder as depicted in Fig. 4. Loosely tighten the collimation screws. You will use these screws to align the viewfinder; see TO ALIGN THE VIEWFINDER, below. Re-attach the rubber cup onto the viewfinder. 3. Focusing the Viewfinder: Turn the viewfinder eyepiece on its internal thread. Generally a few turns are sufficient to achieve proper focus. To Align the Viewfinder: It is recommended that you perform steps 1 and 2 of this procedure during the daytime and step 3 at night. 1. If you have not already done so, place a low-power (e.g., 25mm or 26mm) eyepiece in the diagonal mirror of the main telescope (8, Fig. 1) and point the telescope at an easy-to-find land object (e.g., the top of a telephone pole). Turn the focuser knob (10, Fig. 1) so that the image is sharply focused. Center the object precisely in the main telescopes field of view. 2. Then, looking through the viewfinder, turn some or all of the viewfinders alignment screws (22, Fig. 4) until the viewfinders crosshairs point precisely at the same object as centered in the main telescope. The viewfinder is now aligned to the main telescope. Now tighten the screws to hold the tube securely; be careful not shift the tube's alignment. 3. Check this alignment on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and make any necessary refinements.

Fig. 10a: Attach viewfinder to the optical tube (Style 1).

Choosing an Eyepiece

A telescopes eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescopes main optics. Each eyepiece has a focal length, expressed in millimeters, or "mm." The smaller the focal length, the higher the magnification. For example, an eyepiece with a focal length of 12.5mm has a higher magnification than an eyepiece with a focal length of 25mm. Low-power eyepieces (e.g., a 25mm or 26mm eyepiece) give a wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution. High-power eyepieces (e.g., a 12.5mm or 4mm eyepiece) provide a smaller field of view but higher magnification when seeing conditions permit.
Fig. 10b: Attach viewfinder to the optical tube (Style 2).
Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and eye relief during long observing sessions. To find an object with a telescope, always start with a low power eyepiece (e.g., 25mm or 26mm eyepiece). When the object is located and centered in the eyepiece, you may wish to switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practical for prevailing seeing conditions. NOTE: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-to-site. Turbulence in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an image appears fuzzy and ill-defined, back off to a lower power eyepiece for a more well-resolved image (Figs. 11a and 11b). The power, or magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used. To calculate eyepiece power, divide the telescope's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length. E.g., a 25mm eyepiece is used with a NGC60 telescope. The focal length of the NGC60 is 700mm (see SPECIFICATIONS, page 21). Focal length Eyepiece focal length = Power 700mm 25mm = 28 The eyepiece power, or magnification is therefore 28x.

Simple Observations

If you wish to observe a distant land object, such as a mountain top, you can observe by merely pointing the telescope and looking through the eyepiece. Move your telescope to observe distant street signs, mountains, trees and other structures. Use your viewfinder to help site-in on an object. Practice focusing objects with the focus knob (10, Fig. 1). Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view something more challenging, like a bird or a distant moving train. You can also observe stars and objects in the night sky using this method, but note that objects begin to slowly drift across the eyepiece field. This motion is caused by the rotation of the Earth. You'll find that you will need to reposition your telescope from time to time to keep an object in the eyepiece field of view. This is especially true when using high-power eyepieces. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. These heat waves often cause loss of image quality. Lower power eyepieces, such as 25mm or 26mm eyepieces, magnify these heat waves less than higher power eyepieces. Therefore, lower power eyepieces provide a steadier, higher quality image. If the image is fuzzy or ill-defined, reduce to a lower power eyepiece, where the heat waves do not have such an effect on image quality. Observing in early morning hours, before the ground has built up internal heat, produces better viewing conditions than during late afternoon hours. If you have an NGC model telescope, you can locate stars and other celestial objects (over 1400 objects in all) using the control panel. In order to do so, you must initialize the control panel, set the telescope in the home position, and align the telescope. The control panel uses this information to determine the location of celestial objects.

How to set the time and date to 11:30 PM, March 6, 2003 (NGC Models Only): This example demonstrates how to set the time and date. 1. Press ON/OFF to turn on the control panel. 2. Press the button prompted by the control panel to show that the Sun warning has been read and understood. 3. "Enter Date: 01-JAN-2003" displays. "0" is highlighted by a blinking cursor. Press ENTER to select "0." 4. "1" is now highlighted. Press UP/DOWN until "6" displays in this position. Press ENTER. 5. "JAN" is now highlighted. Press UP/DOWN until "MAR" displays and press ENTER. 6. "2" is now highlighted. The date display now reads "06 MAR 2003." Press ENTER four times to accept the year without any changes.
7. "Enter Time: 08:00:00AM" displays. The leftmost "0" is highlighted. Press UP/DOWN until "1" displays. Press ENTER. 8. "8" is highlighted. Press UP/DOWN until "1" displays. Press ENTER. 9. "0" is highlighted. Press UP/DOWN until "3" displays. Press ENTER. 10. Keep pressing ENTER until "AM" is highlighted. Press UP/DOWN until "PM" displays. Press ENTER. 11. The time display now reads "11:30:00PM."
Easy Alignment (NGC Models Only)
1. 2. Easy Align: Once the control panel is initialized, the control panel automatically begins the Easy Alignment procedure. Set Home Position: The control panel prompts you to set the telescope in the home position. To set your telescope in the home position: Adjust the length of the legs of the tripod until the bubble in the bubble level is in the center of the compass. Rotate the base of the telescope until the arrow in the compass points in the same direction as the arrow etched into the base. The telescope is now pointing North. Push down the front end of the optical tube (the end with the dew shield) until it stops. When you have finished setting the telescope in the home position, press ENTER. Star Alignment: After the home position is entered, the control panel searches its database for two alignment stars, and displays "Searching" while it does so. The control panel uses these stars to orient itself to the sky. Once it is oriented, it knows the location of any celestial object in its database. For example, the control panel may search its database and choose Alkaid, the tail star of the Big Dipper, as the first alignment star. It displays "Ctr. Alkaid" on the top line and "Then Press Enter" flashes three times on the second line. This is a reminder that after you center a star in the eyepiece (see step 5 below), you need to press ENTER. But do not press ENTER yet. After displaying "Then Press Enter," the control panel displays two numbers on the second line. For example: "Ctr. Alkaid: +35 -115." These two numbers are called "displacement numbers" and will assist you in locating a celestial object. Move the telescope: Move the telescope tube to the right or left and you will notice the first displacement number getting larger or smaller. Move the tube in the direction that makes the number smaller. Keep moving the tube until the number nears zero. As you near zero, bars appear on the display to make it easier to precisely reach zero. Use the horizontal slow motion control (20, Fig. 2) to move the tube in small increments. After the first displacement number displays zero, move the tube upwards until the second displacement number also nears zero. As you near zero, bars appear on the display to make it easier to precisely reach zero. As you near zero, use the vertical slow motion control (F, Fig. 3) to move the tube. You probably will need to make fine adjustments with both displacement numbers as moving the optical tube may slightly shift one or the other displacement numbers. After both number have reached zero, the first alignment star may not appear in the field of view of the eyepiece. However, the alignment star should be easily recognized and be the brightest star in the area of the sky where the telescope is pointing. Look for the star in the viewfinder to see if you can locate it. The viewfinder has a wider field of view than the eyepiece. See WHICH ONE'S THE ALIGNMENT STAR, page 13, for more information. Center the Star: Once you locate the star, adjust the optical tube using the horizontal and vertical slow motion controls until the star is visible and centered in the eyepiece. When the star is centered, press ENTER. Repeat the procedure for the second alignment star. If you have have followed the procedure correctly, "Align Successful" displays and the telescope is aligned. You may now use the control panel to locate other stars and objects in the sky. If your alignment was unsuccessful, "Align Unsuccessful" and then "Setup: Easy Align" displays. Press ENTER and repeat the procedure.

Note: If the horizontal and/or vertical movement of the optical tube seems to be too loose or too tight, you can adjust the amount of tension in the movement of the optical tube to suit your own preference. See
ADJUSTING THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL TENSION OF THE OPTICAL TUBE,

page 20.

NOTE: The control panel locates alignment stars based on the date, time, and location entered. The alignment stars may change from night to night.
Go To Saturn (NGC Models Only)
After performing the Easy Alignment procedure, the telescope is aligned for a night of viewing. IMPORTANT NOTE: As you observe Saturn, you will notice that the image moves in the eyepiece. This is because the Earth is rotating. You can use the horizontal and vertical slow motion controls (20, Fig. 2 and F, Fig. 3) to re-center the image in the eyepiece. The image will move much faster if you are using a higher-powered eyepiece such as a 4 mm or the 12mm eyepiece. IMPORTANT NOTE: Once aligned, do not move the telescope's tripod and base from the level position or alignment will be lost. This exercise demonstrates how to select an object for viewing from the control panel's Object menu. The control panel provides an Object menu which displays a list (sometimes called a database) of over 1400 objects you can view with your telescope. This example demonstrates how to select Saturn from the list. NOTE: Saturn is not visible the entire year and you may need to choose another object from the Object menu list; however, the procedure, as described below, remains the same. After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. Press ENTER. "Object: Solar System" displays. Press ENTER. "Solar System: Mercury" displays. Keep pressing UP/DOWN until "Solar System: Saturn" displays. Press ENTER. "Calculating" displays. "Saturn" and its R.A. and Dec. coordinates display. See APPENDIX A: ADVANCED FEATURES, for information about celestial coordinates. Press ENTER. Next, Saturn's displacement numbers display: "Saturn: +14 -135." NOTE: Your displacement numbers will be different than the ones in this example. Displacement numbers are determined by location, time, and date. Move the telescope tube to the right or left until you notice the first displacement number getting smaller. Keep moving the tube until the number reaches zero. As you near zero, use the horizontal slow motion control (20, Fig. 2) to move the optical tube. Next, move the tube upward or downward until the second displacement number also reaches zero. As you near zero, use the vertical slow motion control (F, Fig. 3) to move the optical tube. If you performed the alignment procedure correctly, Saturn will appear in your eyepiece. You may need to center the image. If you wish to display information about Saturn, press MODE and then keep pressing UP/DOWN to scroll through various lines of information. The last line of information displays as a scrolling message. As the message scrolls, you can press UP or DOWN to increase or decrease the scrolling speed.

1 2. 3. 4.

Using the Guided Tour (NGC Models Only)
The control panel provides a Guided Tour menu that displays the best objects (and their displacement numbers) to view on any given night of the year. This example demonstrates how to use the "Tonights Best" Guided Tour. Other Guided Tours are also provided.
TIPS for Beginners Which Ones the Alignment Star?
If the control panel has chosen an alignment star with which you are unfamiliar, how can you be sure if the star in your eyepiece is really the alignment star? The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the brightest star in that area of the sky. If you're not sure if you have located the alignment star or it isn't in the eyepiece, look through your viewfinder. When you view an alignment star in the viewfinder, it stands out dramatically from the rest of the stars in that portion of the sky. The viewfinder will help you locate a star more quickly than the eyepiece, because it has a much wider field of view than the eyepiece. If you have an obstruction, such as a tree or a building blocking your view of the alignment star, or if you have any doubts at all about the star that has been chosen, no problem. Just press UP/DOWN and the control panel will find another star to align upon.

1. 2. 3.

After observing Saturn, press MODE twice so that "Select Item: Object" displays again. Press UP/DOWN until "Select Item: Guided Tour" displays. Press ENTER. "Guided Tour: Tonights Best" displays. Press ENTER. NOTE: If you wish to try out other Guided Tours, press UP/DOWN to scroll through other tour choices. When the tour you wish to select displays, press ENTER. "Tonights Best: Searching." displays. After calculating, "Tonights Best: Jupiter" displays. NOTE: Different objects may be displayed on a tour list on any given night. Use the method described in the last section, GO TO SATURN, to find Jupiter or any other object displayed on the Guided Tour list. After selecting an item from the list by pressing ENTER, press UP/DOWN to display information about the object. Press MODE to return to the Tour list. Press UP/DOWN to scroll through the list. Press ENTER when you find the next object you wish to observe. Use MODE to leave the Guided Tour menu.

Select Item: Event

Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset Moon Phases Next Full Moon Next New Moon Next 1st Qtr Next 3rd Qtr Meteor Showers Quadrantids Lyrids Eta Aquarids Delta Aquarids Perseids Orionids Taurids Leonids Geminids Ursids Solar Eclipses Lunar Eclipses Min. of Algol Autumn Equinox Vernal Equinox Winter Solstice Summer Solstice

Select Item: Guided Tour

Tour Objects Tonight's Best How Far is Far A Star's Life Messier Marathon

Select Item: Glossary

A. Accretion Disk Etc. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U. V. W. X. Y. Z.

Select Item: Utilities

Timer Set Start & Stop Alarm Set On & Off Eyepiece Calc. Field of View Magnification Suggest Brightness Adj. Contrast Adj.

Select Item: Setup

Easy Align Date Time Daylight Saving Site Select Add Delete Edit Download Statistics Reset
Fig. 12: The NGC Menu structure.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No matter how many levels of menus are traveled, each press of the MODE key moves up a level, until the top level, "Select Item," is reached. Once in the Select Item level, press MODE to return to the topmost level, "Select Item: Object." How to move through menu options (NGC Models Only): It is helpful to understand that menu selections are set in a loop. This means that pressing the DOWN button scrolls down through all the available options within a given category, then returns to the first option. Pressing the UP key scroll up through the options in the opposite order. Note that this capability is a quick way to get to an option that is near the bottom of the list. The following example demonstrates this capability. To navigate to the "Select Item: Setup" menu option when the "Select Item: Object" menu is displayed: 1. Press DOWN five times or UP once. When the desired option is displayed on the second line, press the ENTER key to choose that option and move down one menu level. Press the MODE key to leave a level; e.g., the wrong menu option is chosen. How to Calculate Sunset time (NGC Models Only): This example demonstrates how to move through a typical menu and calculate Sunset time. This is an excellent exercise to try out as you can calculate the time when it is going to get darkand when you can start observing. 1. Press MODE several times, until "Select Item: Object" is displayed. 2. Press UP/DOWN until the "Event" option displays in the "Select Item" menu. 3. Press ENTER to choose the "Event" option and move down a level. "Event: Sunrise" is displayed. 4. Press UP/DOWN to display the "Sunset" option in the Event menu. 5. Press ENTER to choose the "Sunset" option and move down another level. 6. Sunset time displays; calculations are based on the current date, time, and location. 7. Press MODE once to start moving back up through the menu levels. The first level up is the Event menu. 8. Press MODE again to move up another level. This is the top level, "Select Item." 9. Press MODE again to return to the starting point of "Select Item: Object."

IMPORTANT NOTE:

To use the Select and Add features of the Landmark menu, the telescope must be physically located in the same place it was located when the landmark list was created. Also, the optical tube must be pointed at and centered on the first object in the Landmark list.

Event Menu

The Event menu allows you to display the dates and times of astronomical events. The Event feature includes:
NOTE: Meteors are fast moving objects that cover large areas of the sky and are usually best observed with the naked eye.
NOTE: The equinox and the solstice are the days of the year when the seasons change. These days are determined by the location of the Sun in the sky. Vernal means spring.
Sunrise and Sunset calculates the time that the Sun rises or sets on the current date and location. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the "Setup: Date" menu. Moonrise and Moonset calculates the time that the Moon rises or sets on the current date and location. Find rise and set times for other dates by entering a new date into the "Setup: Date" menu. Moon Phases displays the date and time of the next Full, New, 1st Quarter, and 3rd Quarter Moon. Meteor Showers provides information on upcoming meteor showers, such as the Perseids, the Leonids, etc. Also lists the dates of the showers and when they reach maximum. Solar Eclipse lists upcoming Solar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, annular, or partial) of eclipse, and the location and time of the first and last contacts of the Moon's shadow. Use UP/DOWN to display the available data. Remember, never use a telescope to look at the Sun! See WARNING! page 3. Lunar Eclipse lists upcoming Lunar Eclipses, including the date and type (total, partial, penumbral) of eclipse. Use UP/DOWN to display the available data. Min. (Minimum) of Algol is the minimum brightness of the dramatic eclipsing binary star system, Algol. It is relatively close at a distance of 100 light years. Every 2.8 days during a 10-hour period, Algol undergoes a major change in apparent magnitude as one of the two stars passes behind the other. The combined magnitude of the two stars thus dips from +2.1 to a minimum of +3.4 halfway through the eclipse as the second star is hidden. The computer control panel calculates minimum magnitude time at mideclipse. Autumn and Vernal Equinox calculates the time and date of the fall or spring equinox of the current year. Winter and Summer Solstice calculates the time and date of the winter or summer solstice of the current year.

Glossary Menu

The Glossary menu provides an alphabetical listing of definitions and descriptions for common astronomical terms and the computer control panel functions. Access directly through the Glossary menu or through hypertext words embedded in the Glossary text. A hypertext word is any word in [brackets], usually found when using the Help function or when reading a scrolling message such as a description of a planet or star. Press ENTER whenever a hypertext word is on screen to link directly to the Glossary entry for that word. To access directly from the Glossary menu, use UP/DOWN to scroll through the alphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter. Scroll to the desired entry, then press ENTER to read the description.

Utilities Menu

The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features, including a countdown timer and an alarm. The Utilities functions include: Timer selects a countdown timer. This feature is useful for functions such as astrophotography. To use the Timer, press ENTER, then choose "Set" or "Start/Stop". Set: Enter the time to be counted down, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the timer set previously. Use UP/DOWN to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the timer. When the timer runs out, the display flashes and the timer is deactivated. Alarm selects a time for an alarm signal as a reminder. To use the Alarm, press ENTER, then choose "Set" or "Start/Stop." Set: Enter the time of day for the alarm to flash, in hours, minutes, and seconds, then press ENTER. Start/Stop: Activates the alarm set previously. Use UP/DOWN to toggle between ON and OFF. When ON is displayed, press ENTER to activate the alarm. When the alarm time arrives, the display flashes. Press ENTER to deactivate the alarm.
Eyepiece Calc calculates information about an eyepiece for your telescope. Field of View: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the field of view is calculated. Magnification: Scroll through a list of available eyepieces. When an eyepiece is selected, the magnification is calculated. Suggest: Suggests the best eyepiece for viewing, based on the telescope and the object being viewed. Brightness Adj: Adjusts the brightness of the display using UP/DOWN. When complete, press ENTER. Contrast Adj: Adjusts the contrast of the display using UP/DOWN. When complete, press ENTER. NOTE: This feature is only required in very cold weather.

Setup Menu

The Setup menus primary function is to align the telescope (see page 12). However, there are numerous other features available within the Setup menu, including: Date changes the date used by the computer control panel. This function is useful to check events in the past or future. For example, set the Date menu for a day three months in the future. Then check the "Select Item: Event" menu for the Sunset time on that date. See EVENT MENU, page 16. Time changes the time entered into the computer control panel. Setting the correct time is critical for the computer control panel to properly calculate locations and events. Time may be set to 24-hour mode (military time) by selecting the "blank" option which follows the "AM" and "PM" options. Daylight Saving is used to enable or disable Daylight Savings time. NOTE: Daylight Savings Time may be referred to by different names in various areas of the world. Check local time to verify. Site provides access to several options including: Select: Displays the currently selected observing site and and also allows you to select other sites you have entered into a user-defined list (see ADD below). Use UP/DOWN to scroll through all available sites in this database. Press ENTER when the site you wish to select displays. Use this option when you move to a different geographic location. Add: Allows you to add new observing sites to the database (up to six sites may be stored). Scroll through the list of Countries/States. Press ENTER when the site you wish to add displays. Then choose the desired city in the same manner. Delete: Deletes a stored site from the list. Edit: Edits a selected site, including: the name, latitude, longitude, and time zone. Time Zone refers to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) time zone shift. Users West of Greenwich, England use "-" hours, East of Greenwich use "+" hours. For the United States, look up the time zone shift in Table 1. NOTE: This menu compensates for Daylight Savings time, if that option has been enabled. See SETUP MENU: DAYLIGHT SAVING, above. Download transfers information from a personal computer or the Meade website. In order to download information, the optional #506 AstroFinder Software and Cable Connector is necessary. See OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES, page 19 for more information. Statistics provides basic statistical data about your system, including: Characters Free: Shows how much room is available in the user-defined object memory. Version: Shows the current version of the software. Reset completely resets the computer control panel. You need to initialize the computer control panel after a Reset before proceeding with observations. See INITIALIZING THE CONTROL PANEL, page 11.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING

General Maintenance

Your telescope is a precision optical instrument designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your telescope will rarely require factory servicing or maintenance. Maintenance guidelines include: 1. Avoid cleaning the telescopes optics. A little dust on the front surface of the telescopes lens causes virtually no degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. 2. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with gentle strokes of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at any pharmacy). Do not use a commercial photographic lens cleaner. 3. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. A single drop of biodegradable dishwashing soap may be added per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often. CAUTION: Do not use scented, colored or lotioned tissues as damage could result to the optics. 4. If your telescope is used outdoors on a humid night, telescope surfaces may accumulate water condensation. While such condensation does not normally cause any damage to the telescope, it is recommended that the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth before being packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in warm indoor air, so that the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended. In addition, the dust cap should not be placed back on to the optical tube until the telescope is thoroughly dry. 5 If your telescope is not to be used for an extended period, perhaps for one month or more, it is advisable to remove the 9v battery from inside the base. Batteries left installed for prolonged periods may leak, causing damage to the telescopes electronic circuitry. 6. Do not leave your telescope outdoors on a warm day or inside a sealed car for an extended period of time. Excessive ambient temperatures can damage the telescopes internal lubrication and electronic circuitry.
Horizontal adjustment nut
Adjusting the Horizontal and Vertical Tension of the Optical Tube
If the horizontal and/or vertical movement of the optical tube seems to be too loose or too tight, you can adjust the amount of tension in the movement of the optical tube to suit your own preference. To adjust the horizontal tension of the optical tube, use an adjustable wrench or nut driver to tighten or loosen the horizontal adjustment nut located under the base of the telescope. See Fig. 13. To adjust the vertical tension of the optical tube, first loosen the attachment knobs (5, Fig. 1) and remove the optical tube from the bracket (3, Fig. 1). Use an adjustable wrench or nut driver to tighten or loosen the vertical adjustment nut located on the inner side of the bracket. See Fig. 14. Check the amount of tension by moving the bracket up and down before reattaching the optical tube.

North Celestial Pole (Vicinity of Polaris)

+90 Dec. Star

ation clin De

Earths Rotation

Right Ascension

Celestial Equator 0 Dec.

South Celestial Pole -90 Dec.
Fig. 15: Celestial Sphere.
Entering Coordinates for Objects not in the Database
Although your computer control panel contains a database of more than 1400 celestial objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc.) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of the database. The computer control panel provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec. coordinates in the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu. In order to use this menu option, you first need to look up the R.A and Dec. coordinates of the object or objects you wish to observe. Check your local library, computer store, bookstore, CD Roms, Internet, or magazines (such as Sky & Telescope or Astronomy), to find coordinates of celestial objects. The objects/coordinates you enter become part of your own permanent database, called "User Objects." To enter coordinates of an object into the "User: Objects" option of the Object menu: 1. Make sure the computer control panel has been initialized and the telescope has been aligned. 2. After the telescope is aligned, "Select Item: Object" displays. (If necessary, use UP/DOWN to scroll through the menus, as previously described, to find this option.) Press ENTER. 3. "Object: Solar System" displays. Keep pressing UP/DOWN until "Object: User Object" displays and press ENTER. 4. "User Object: Select" displays. Press UP/DOWN until "User Object: Add" displays. Press ENTER. 5. "Name" displays on the top line and a blinking cursor on the second line. Use UP/DOWN and ENTER, as previously described, to enter the name of the object you wish to add to the database.
"Right Asc.: 00.00.0" displays. Use UP/DOWN and ENTER to enter the digits for the Right Ascension coordinate of your object. "Declination: +00.00'" displays. Use UP/DOWN and ENTER to enter the digits for the Declination coordinate of your object. If necessary, use UP/DOWN to change "+" to "." The computer control panel then prompts you to enter the size of the object. This step is optional. Use UP/DOWN and ENTER to enter the size (in arc-minutes), if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the next display. If you do not wish to enter this information, simply press ENTER. The computer control panel then prompts you to enter the magnitude of the object. This step is also optional. Use UP/DOWN and ENTER to enter this information, if so desired, and press ENTER to go to the next display. "User Object: Add" displays again.
To Go To a user-entered object: In this procedure, you will choose an object from the User Object list and locate the object. 1. With "User Object: Add" displayed, press UP/DOWN until "User Object: Select" displays. Press ENTER. 2. Use UP/DOWN (if necessary) to scroll to the desired object. Press ENTER. 3. The name of the object and the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates display. Press ENTER. The displacement numbers for the object display. 4. Use the displacement numbers as previously described (see page 12) to locate the object.

Leg brace

Introduction Some NGC/NG models are now shipped with a third style tray. The third style assembles with a round accessory tray. Assembly Use the provided 3 short screws, 3 washers and 3 bolts to attach the round accessory tray to the tripod. You will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to perform this assembly. Line up one of the leg braces (see Fig. 16) between the opening of one of the tripod leg brace supports on the tripod so that a screw will be able to pass through both the holes of the leg brace support and holes of the leg brace. Using a Phillips-head screwdriver, thread one of the short screws through the holes. Place a washer on the other end, followed by the matching nut. Tighten to a firm feel. Repeat this procedure until all 3 leg braces are mounted on the 3 leg brace supports. See Fig. 16. To attach the accessory tray to the leg braces, place the round accessory tray over the mounting bolt hole (Fig. 17). Thread the attachment knob into the the mounting hole on top of the tray (Fig. 17) and turn the knob clockwise (Fig. 18). Tighten to a firm feel, but do not overtightenyou will need to remove the tray if you wish to collapse the tripod. To remove the tray, just rotate the knob counterclockwise and remove the knob. You can then lift and remove the tray.

Leg brace support

Fig. 16: Attach the leg braces to the leg brace supports.

Mounting bolt hole

Fig. 17: Mounting bolt hole.
TIPS for Beginners Further Study
Below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organizations that you might find helpful. Books 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. The Guide to Amateur Astronomy by Jack Newton and Philip Teece The Sky: A Users Guide by David Levy Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno and Dan Davis Astrophotography for the Amateur by Michael Covington Sky & Telescope Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178 Astronomy Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187 Astronomical League Executive Secretary 5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012 The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112 The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Magazines

Fig. 18: Place tray onto the mounting bolt hole and thread the attachment knob into place.

Organizations: 1.

And watch Jack Horkheimer, Star Gazer, on your local PBS station.

Fig. 22: The Pleiades is one of the most beautiful open clusters.
Galaxies are large assemblies of stars, nebulae and star clusters that are bound by gravity. The most common shape is spiral (such as our own Milky Way), but galaxies can also be elliptical, or even irregular blobs. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest spiral-type galaxy to our own. This galaxy appears fuzzy and cigar-shaped. It is 2.2 million light years away in the constellation Andromeda, located between the large "W" of Cassiopeia and the great square of Pegasus.

MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY

Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, 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 non-transferable. Meade products purchased outside North America are not included in this warranty, but are covered under separate warranties issued by Meade international distributors. 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 by calling (949) 451-1450. 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. 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.

14-0060-00 6/04B

NGC-60TC (60mm Altazimuth Refractor)

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Model / Part# Optical Design Optical Diameter Focal Length; f/ratio Mounting Type Viewfinder Tripod Eyepieces (1.25") Diagonal Mirror (Hybrid) Software UPC NGC-60TC / 50210 Refractor 60mm (2.4") lens 700mm; f/11.7 Altazimuth Red Dot Aluminum; full-length; adjustable with accessory tray MH9mm, MA25mm, and 2X Barlow Lens Included AutoStar Suite, PC-compatible DVD 31472 4

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Serious astronomers for years have flocked to Meade telescopes for their premium quality optical systems and patented technology. Consumers know that Meade Optics Inside means that what they see through our telescopes will be views that are detailed, crisp and full of contrast. Look through a Meade this evening and see what you've been missing.

Jupiter

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Any astronomer will tell you that light gathering not power is what matters. A small, crisp image is better than a large hazy one. Meades 1.25" diameter eyepieces provide wider fields of view, allowing you to see more of the sky at greater magnifications. Additional eyepieces and other accessories for this telescope are available at www.meade.com/accessories

Saturn

The so -called M is reall y an illu an in the M oon sion cre moons ated b largest y the crater, Basin, Imbriu in the Sea of m m Rains. ile-wid This e crate of half r is jus t one a millio n crate that ca rs n be se en on the mo on.
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