Instruction Manual

Telestar 60AZ-A 60mm (2.4) Altazimuth Refracting Telescope

WARNING:

NEVER USE A TELESTAR 60AZ-A TELESCOPE 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 OR ITS VIEWFINDER AT OR NEAR THE SUN. DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AS IT IS MOVING. CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION WHILE OBSERVING.

MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY

Every Telestar 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. 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. This warranty supersedes all previous Meade product warranties.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.5 Standard Equipment.5 Unpacking and Assembly.5 Altazimuth Mount Movements and Lock.5 Viewfinder Focusing and Alignment.6 Using the Telescope.6 Calculating Power.7 Maintenance.8 A Few Words About Power.8 Specifications.8 Optional Accessories.8

8 A B 19

Figure 1: Telestar 60AZ-A Altazimuth Refracting Telescope
Inset A: Accessory Tray Mounting Bolt Hole; Inset B: Tripod Leg; Inset C: Viewfinder Assembly
1. Eyepiece 2. Viewfinder 3. Viewfinder collimation screws 4. Optical tube assembly 5. Vertical lock knobs 6. Horizontal lock knob 7. Tripod legs 8. Leg brace supports 9. Leg brace 10. Mount base attachment 11. Tripod attachment bolts and wing nuts 12. Accessory tray mounting bolt hole (see inset A) 13. Diagonal mirror

14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.
Objective lens cell Focuser drawtube and thumbscrews Altitude rod slow motion fine adjustment control Altitude rod coarse adjustment knob control Altazimuth mount Adjustable sliding center leg extension Tripod leg lock thumbscrew (see inset B) Dew shield/lens shade Front lens cap Focusing knob Viewfinder bracket (see inset C) Viewfinder bracket mounting thumbscrews Accessory tray

INTRODUCTION

Before you begin, we urge you to take a few minutes to completely read this manual so that you can get the best use of the equipment. This manual details the set-up, operation, specifications and optional accessories of the Telestar 60-AZ-A altazimuth refracting telescope. Designed for both astronomical and terrestrial observing, the Telestar 60-AZ-A will be your companion in exploring a universe of celestial and earthly objects.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT (Refer to Fig. 1)
Complete optical tube assembly (objective lens diameter = 60mm; focal length = 700mm) Full-length, fully adjustable, aluminum tripod and accessory tray. MA25mm (28X), MH9mm eyepieces (1.25" O.D. Outside Diameter) 2x Barlow Lens (1.25" O.D.) Diagonal mirror (1.25" O.D.) 5 x 24mm viewfinder with bracket Altazimuth mount with micro-altitude control Hardware package: A. 3 bolts (2" long) with wing nuts and washers B. 3 screws (1/2" long) with nuts Note: All other necessary hardware provided in place.

UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLY

You will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to assemble the tripod. 1. Remove and identify the telescopes components, using the listing above. 2. Attach the 3 aluminum tripod legs (7, Fig. 1) to the base of the altazimuth mount (10, Fig. 1) with the 3 leg brace supports (8, Fig. 1) facing inward. Line up the holes of the tripod legs (11, Fig. 1) with the holes on the mount base attachment and thread the three included bolts through the holes. Thread the wing nuts over the bolts and hand-tighten to a firm feel. Stand the telescope upright and spread the tripod legs evenly apart so that the accessory tray can be positioned for attachment to the leg braces. 3. To attach the leg braces to the tripod, line up the holes in the leg braces (9, Fig. 1) with the holes in the leg brace supports (8, Fig. 1) and slide the the included 1/2 screws through the holes. Thread the included nuts over the end of the bolts and hand-tighten to a firm feel. 4. To attach the accessory tray (26, Fig. 1) to the leg braces (9, Fig. 1), place the round accessory tray over the over mounting bolt hole (12, Fig. 1). Thread the attachment knob into the mounting hole on top of the tray and turning the knob clockwise. Tighten to a firm feel, but do not overtightenyou 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. 5. Extend the sliding center portion of the adjustable height tripod leg (19, Fig. 1) to the desired length for all 3 legs. Lock the tripod legs by tightening the leg lock thumbscrew (20, Fig. 1) to a firm feel. See Inset B. 6. Remove the two vertical lock knobs (D, Fig. 2) from the optical tube assembly. 7. Place the optical tube between the forks of the azimuth mount (A, Fig. 2), oriented as shown in Fig. 2. 8. Slide the altitude rod (B, Fig. 2) into the hole in the altitude coarse adjustment control assembly (C, Fig. 2). Tighten to a firm feel. 9. Thread a vertical lock knob (D, Fig. 2) through each of the holes in the forks of the azimuth mount (A, Fig. 2) and tighten to a firm feel. 10. Attach the viewfinder bracket (2, Fig. 1) to the telescope using the 2 thumbscrews provided (25, Fig. 1). The thumbscrews fit through the 2 holes located at the base of the viewfinder bracket and thread into the main tube (see Fig. 1, Inset C).

Fig. 2 Mounting the optical tube assembly: (A) azimuth mount; (B) altitude rod; (C) altitude coarse adjustment control; (D) vertical lock knob.
11. Insert the diagonal mirror (13, Fig. 1) into the focuser drawtube (15, Fig. 1) and the MA 25mm eyepiece (1, Fig. 1) into the diagonal mirror. Tighten the respective thumbscrews to a firm feel. 12. The telescope is now completely assembled. To move the telescope and point it from one object to another, first slightly loosen one of the chrome-lock (star-shaped) knobs (5, Fig. 1) which serve as a vertical lock, then loosen the azimuth (horizontal) lock (6, Fig. 1). Also, slightly loosen the altitude coarse adjustment lock knob (17, Fig. 1). Loosening these locks allows the telescope to be moved freely (vertically or horizontally) in any direction so that the telescope can be positioned to center a terrestrial or celestial object in the telescopic field. Once an object is found, the altitude lock knob (17, Fig. 1) can be tightened and the altitude slow-motion fine-adjustment control knob (16, Fig. 1) can then be used to make very smooth and accurate tracking in the vertical axis.
VIEWFINDER FOCUSING AND ALIGNMENT
The 5 x 24mm viewfinder (2, Fig. 1) is a low-power, wide-field sighting device that, once aligned, will allow you to point the telescope with greater precision. Note: When you look through the viewfinder, you will see a crosshair with images that will be upside-down; this is normal. To work properly, the viewfinder must first be aligned to the telescopes main optical tube. To align the viewfinder, follow these steps: 1. Remove the lens cap (22, Fig. 1) of the optical tube assembly. Insert the 25mm wide-field eyepiece into the diagonal mirror (13, Fig. 1). Point the optical tube assembly (4, Fig. 1) at a distant land object (e.g. a distant telephone pole). Make sure the detail of the distant object you have chosen is in sharp focus. Focusing is accomplished by turning the focusing knob (23, Fig. 1) until the sharpest possible image is attained. 2. Center the viewfinder (2, Fig. 1) in both the front and rear rings using the collimation screws (3, Fig. 1). Next, looking through the viewfinder, adjust the collimation screws on the rear ring until the object centered in the telescopes main tube is likewise positioned in the center of the viewfinders crosshairs. Now it is possible to quickly sight an object in the wide-field viewfinder first, then find that object approximately centered in the narrower field of the 25mm eyepiece of the telescope. 3. If the viewfinders infinity image is not in sharp focus, the knurled end of the eyepiece can be turned to fine tune the focus. Be sure to hold the viewfinder firmly between your fingers when making this adjustment.

USING THE TELESCOPE

With the telescope assembled, you are ready to begin observations. 1. First, pick out an easy-to-find object. Observing land objects during the daytime is a good way to become accustomed to the operation of the telescope. At night, try observing the Moon at first (if it is visible) or a bright star. NEVER POINT THE TELESCOPE DIRECTLY AT OR NEAR THE SUN AT ANY TIME! OBSERVING THE SUN, EVEN FOR THE SMALLEST FRACTION OF A SECOND, WILL RESULT IN INSTANT AND IRREVERSIBLE EYE DAMAGE, AS WELL AS PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE TELESCOPE ITSELF. 2. To center an object in the main telescope, first use the aligned viewfinder to find the object you wish to observe. If necessary, slightly loosen the vertical lock (5, Fig. 1) and the altitude rod lock knob (17, Fig. 1) to re-position the telescope so that the desired object can be centered in the viewfinder. When the object is centered in the viewfinder, it should then, also, be somewhere in the main telescopes field of view. Next, using the 25mm eyepiece, center the object in the main telescopes field of view, and sharply focus the image by turning the focus knob (23, Fig. 1). The wide-field MA25mm eyepiece included as standard equipment is the best eyepiece to use for the initial finding and centering of an object. The low-power MA25mm eyepiece presents a bright, wide field of view, ideal for terrestrial and general astronomical observing of star fields, clusters of stars, nebulae, and galaxies. For lunar and planetary viewing, switch to a higher power eyepiece such as the MA9mmif you have good viewing conditions. If the image starts to become fuzzy as magnification is increased, back down to a lower power; The atmosphere is not steady enough to support higher powers. Note: Changing eyepieces changes power.
3. 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 appear to be moving in the telescopes field of view. To keep astronomical objects centered in the field, simply move the telescope on one or both of its axes (vertical and/or horizontal) as appropriate. At higher powers, astronomical objects will seem to move through the field of view of the eyepiece more rapidly. Observing Tip: 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. 4. 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 may introduce image movement. Viewing from the upper floors of a building may also introduce image movement. 5. Allow a few minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted prior to attempting any serious observations. Use a red-filtered flashlight to protect your night vision when reading star maps, or inspecting components of the telescope. Tip: You can make your own red filtered flashlight by taping red cellophane over a flashlight lens. 6. 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. 7. 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. Turbulent air in the atmosphere can cause images to shimmer in the eyepiece. Try reducing power (change your eyepiece) until the image steadies. Keep in mind that a bright, clear, but smaller image is more interesting than a larger, dimmer, fuzzy one. 8. Astronomical software or a good star atlas will assist you in locating many interesting celestial objects. These objects include: The Moon, covered with craters, mountain ranges, and fault lines. The Moon is best observed during its crescent or half phase when Sunlight strikes the Moons surface at an angle. It casts shadows and adds a sense of depth to the view. No shadows are seen during a full Moon, causing the bright Moon to appear flat and uninteresting. Cloud belts across the surface of the planet Jupiter. The 4 major moons of Jupiter, changing position each night. Saturn and its famous ring system. Deep-Space: Nebulae, galaxies, multiple star systems, star clustershundreds of such objects are visible through your Telestar telescope. If possible, observe under a dark sky, away from city lightsyou will be able to observe more deep-space objects through your Telestar telescope. Terrestrial objects: Your Telestar telescope may also be used for high-resolution land viewing. Important Note: Using the diagonal mirror results in an image which is reversed left-for-right, but which is correctly oriented up-and-down. Terrestrial observations should almost always be made using the 25mm low-power eyepiece for bright, sharp images. Observing horizontally through the Earth's atmosphere distorts images in higher-power eyepieces (such as 9mm).

CALCULATING POWER

The power (magnification) at which a telescope is operating is calculated by dividing the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece. The focal length of the 60-AZ-A telescope is identified on the focuser label as being 700mm (F = 700mm). The focal length of the eyepiece is usually identified on the top of the eyepiece barrel.
For example, if you are using a 25mm eyepiece, the resulting power will be: Power = 700mm 25mm = 28X. For example, if you are using a 9mm eyepiece, the resulting power will be: Power = 700mm 9mm = 78X. The purpose of a Barlow lens is to increase the magnification possible with a given eyepiece. The 2x Barlow supplied with this telescope will double the normal eyepiece power. For example, the 25mm (28X) eyepiece, when used in conjunction with the 2x Barlow lens, yields 56X. The 9mm (78X) eyepiece yields 156X when used with the 2x Barlow lens. To use the 2x Barlow lens, insert the 2x Barlow lens into the diagonal mirror (13, Fig. 1) followed by the 25mm eyepiece (1, Fig. 1). Refocus until the image is sharp.

POWER AND EYEPIECES

The useful higher magnification with any 60mm diameter telescope is in the range of 80 to 120 power. The general rule to follow with any telescope, regarding power: Only use as much magnification as a steady, well-defined image supports. The stability of the air varies and is one reason why having various eyepieces is desirable. Higher powers are no guaranty of better images; in fact, the opposite is often true.

MAINTENANCE

As with any quality optical instrument, lens surfaces should be cleaned as infrequently as possible. A little dust on the surface of the objective lens (14, Fig. 1) causes negligible degradation of image quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens. When lens cleaning does become necessary, use a camel hair brush or compressed air to gently remove dust. Wipe only with a soft, clean cloth, applying as little pressure as possible to avoid scratching glass surfaces. Note: Gently pull off and remove the the dew shield/lens shade (21, Fig. 1) to access the objective lens (14, Fig. 1).

SPECIFICATIONS

Objective (main) lens focal length.700mm Objective lens diameter.60mm (2.4") Focal ratio.f/11.7 Mounting type.Altazimuth

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

#Erecting Prism (1.25 O.D.): Correctly orients the telescopic image during terrestrial observing and yields an image position at a 45 angle to the main telescope tube, resulting in a more comfortable observing position in most cases. Additional Eyepieces (1.25" barrel diameter): For higher or lower magnifications with the telescopes that accommodate 1.25" eyepieces, Meade 3-element Modified Achromatic eyepieces, available in a wide variety of sizes, provide a high level of image resolution and color correction at an economical price. Also, at slightly higher prices, Meade 4-element Series 3000 Plssl eyepieces yield wider fields of view with excellent edge-of-field corrections and are available in a range of focal lengths including 5, 6.7, 9.5, 16, 25, and 40mm.

40-Page Manual Template

6/29/05

10:54 AM

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www.meade.com
TELESTAR INSTRUCTION MANUAL
60mm | 2.4" Altazimuth Refracting Telescope

60AZ-A2

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INTRODUCTION Your telescope is an excellent beginners instrument, and is designed to observe objects in the sky and also on land. It can be your personal window on the universe or allows you to intimately study the behavior of nesting birds on a distant hillside. The telescope is shipped with the following parts: Optical tube Aluminum tripod with an accessory tray Two 1.25" eyepieces: MA25mm (28X), MH9mm 2x 1.25" Barlow lens Diagonal mirror 5x24mm viewfinder with bracket Telescope mount Hardware used in the assembly: 3 bolts (2" long) with wing nuts and washers 3 screws (1/2" long) with nuts The tube has a focal length of 700mm, and its objective lens has a diameter of 60mm. The lens diameter is one of the most important pieces of information about the
telescope. The size of the objective lens determines how much detail you will be able to see in your telescope. The focal length will help later on to calculate magnification. Setting up your telescope involves these simple steps: Assemble your tripod Attach the accessory tray Attach the optical tube to the mount Attach the viewfinder Attach the diagonal mirror and eyepiece Align the viewfinder Study the the picture on the next page and become acquainted with the parts of your telescope. Then proceed to Assemble your Tripod.

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FIGURE 1
1. Eyepiece 2. Viewfinder (see Inset C) 3. Viewfinder alignment screws (see Inset C) 4. Optical tube assembly 5. Vertical lock knobs 6. Horizontal lock knob 7. Tripod legs 8. Leg brace supports 9. Leg brace 10. Mount base attachment 11. Tripod attachment bolts and wing nuts 12. Accessory tray mounting bolt hole (see Inset A) 13. Diagonal mirror 14. Objective lens cell 15. Focuser drawtube and thumbscrews 16. Altitude rod slow motion fine adjustment control 17. Altitude rod 18. Altazimuth mount 19. Adjustable sliding center leg extension (see Inset B) 20. Tripod leg lock thumbscrew (see Inset B) 21. Dew shield/lens shade 22. Front lens cap 23. Focusing knob 24. Viewfinder bracket (see Inset C) 25. Viewfinder bracket mounting thumbscrews (see Inset C) 26. Accessory tray
Figure 1: Telestar 60AZ-A2 Altazimuth Refracting Telescope Inset A: Accessory Tray Mounting Bolt Hole Inset B: Tripod Leg Inset C: Viewfinder Assembly

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Inset B
1* 2# 1^ 1# 1% 1& g h 2^

Inset A

2! 1) 1! 1@ i j i

Inset C

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ASSEMBLE YOUR TRIPOD

Fig. 2
The tripod is the basic support for your telescope. Its height may be adjusted so that you can view comfortably. Note: Number in brackets, e.g., (3), refer to Fig. 1. Fig. 1. 1. Make sure that as you attach the legs (7) to the mount that the leg braces (9) are facing inward. 2. Line up the holes at the top of one of the legs with the holes in the mount (10). See Fig. 2. 3. Thread one of the 2-inch bolts through the holes. 4. Thread a wingnut over the bolt and handtighten to a firm feel. 5. Attach the remaining two legs to the mount in the same manner. 6. Spread the legs out evenly apart. 7. Set the height of your tripod: a. Rotate and loosen the leg lock thumbscrew (20) to unlock the leg lock. b. Slide the inner portion of the leg (19) in or out to the desired length. c. Rotate and tighten the leg lock thumbscrew to relock the leg lock. 2 Screw tripod leg ATTACH THE ACCESSORY TRAY
5. Repeat with the two other leg braces. 6. Thread the accessory tray (26) over the center mounting bolt to a firm feel.
ATTACH THE OPTICAL TUBE TO THE MOUNT

washer wingnut

d. Repeat for the other two legs.
The tray helps stabilize the tripod and is also a convenient holder of eyepieces and other Meade accessories, such as the Barlow lens. 1. Line up the holes at the end of one of the leg brace supports (8) with the holes in one of the leg braces (9). 2. Thread one of the one-half inch bolts through the holes. 3. Thread a hex nut over the end of the bolt. 4. Finger tighten the bolt and hex nut. See Fig. 3.

The optical tube gathers distant light which is focused in the eyepiece. 1. Remove the two lock knobs (5) from the optical tube. 2. Slide the altitude rod (17) into the hole in the altitude adjustment control. Tighten to a firm feel. See Fig. 4. 3. Place the optical tube (4) between the forks of the mount, oriented as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 3

finger tighten the hex nut

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ATTACH THE VIEWFINDER An eyepiece (1) has a narrow field of view. A viewfinder (2) has a wider field of view, which makes it easier to locate objects. The 5x24mm viewfinder has crosshairs to make it easier to line up more precisely with a target. 1. Note the two thumbscrews (25) threaded

Fig. 4

4.Thread a lock knob (5) through each of the holes in the forks of the mount and tighten to a firm feel.
onto two bolts on the optical tube. Remove the thumbscrews from the tube. 2. Line up the two holes on the viewfinder bracket over the two bolts. Slide the bracket over the bolts. See Fig. 1, inset C. 3. Replace the thumbscrews onto the bolts and tighten to a firm feel. ATTACH THE DIAGONAL MIRROR AND EYEPIECE The diagonal mirror reflects the light from the optical tube to a more comfortable viewing position. 1. Slide the diagonal mirror (13) into the focuser drawtube(15). 2. Tighten the drawtube thumbscrew to hold the diagonal mirror securely. 3. Slide the MA 25mm eyepiece (1) into diagonal mirror. 4. Tighten the diagonal mirror thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece securely.
place tube between forks lock knob lock knob
pole or a distant mountain or tower. Look through the eyepiece in the diagonal mirror and turn the focuser knob (23) until the image is sharply focused. Center the object precisely in the eyepieces field of view. 2. Look through the viewfinder. Turn one or more of the viewfinders alignment screws (3) until the crosshairs are precisely over the same object as you centered in the eyepiece. 3. Check this alignment at night on a celestial object, such as the Moon or a bright star, and use the viewfinders alignment screws to make any necessary refinements.

slide rod through hole

ALIGN THE VIEWFINDER Perform the first part of this procedure during the daytime and the last step at night. 1. Point the telescope at an easy-to-find land object such as the top of a telephone

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TO MOVE THE TELESCOPE SUN WARNING Your telescope is altazimuth mounted. Altazimuth is just a complicated way of saying that your telescope moves up and down and from side to side. Other telescopes may be mounted in different ways. 1. Slightly loosen one of the star-shaped altitude control knobs (5). Loosening this knob allows you to move the telescope up and down. 2. Slightly loosen the horizontal lock knob (6). Loosening this lock allows the telescope to be moved from side to side. 3. Once an object is found, re-tighten the control knobs. You can then use the slow motion control (16) to make smooth and precise movements as you can follow (or track) an object as it moves in the eyepiece. THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE

NEVER USE YOUR TELESCOPE 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 OR ITS VIEWFINDER AT OR NEAR THE SUN. DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AS IT IS MOVING. CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION WHILE OBSERVING.
You will enjoy your telescope even more as you learn more about it. But dont be scared off by difficult terms or complicated procedures. Dont panic! Just relax and enjoy your scope.
You will begin to grow and learn more about astronomy the more you observe. Go to the library and read some books about the stars and planets. Read about astronomers of old. Many of them had telescope no bigger than the one you are using right now. Galileo, who is one of the first astronomers to use a telescope, discovered four of the moons of Jupiter with a telescope about the same size as yours (and his didnt even focus very well!). We have one very important rule that you should always follow when using your telescope:

THE MEADE 4M COMMUNITY

Have Fun!
Have a good time when youre observing. You may not know everything that there is to know about a telescope or what all the sights in the universe are, but thats OK. Just point and observe at first.
You havent just bought a telescope, you have embarked on an astronomy adventure that never ends. Share the journey with others by accepting your free membership in the 4M community of astronomers.
Go to www.Meade4M.org to activate your membership today.

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OBSERVING
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.
rotate to unlock or lock; when locking, only tighten to a firm feel, do not overtighten). Use the viewfinder: If you have not done so, align the viewfinder (2) with the telescopes eyepiece (1) as described earlier. Look through the viewfinder until you can see the object. It will be easier to locate an object using the viewfinder rather than locating with the eyepiece. Line up the object in the viewfinders crosshairs. Look through the eyepiece: Once you have the object lined up in the viewfinder, look through the optical tubes eyepiece. If you have aligned your viewfinder, you will you see the object in your eyepiece. Focus: Look through the eyepiece and practice focusing on the object you have chosen. Try out the coarse and fine adjustment controls: Practice using the fine adjustment control (16) to move the telescope. These can come in very handy, especially when you wish to move the telescope in very small (fine control) steps.
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. Unlock the lock knobs: To move the telescope, you will need to unlock the horizontal (6) and vertical (5) lock knobs (just

TOO MUCH POWER? Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power youre referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes you can! The most common mistake of the beginning observer is to overpower a telescope by using high magnifications which the telescopes aperture and atmospheric conditions cannot reasonably support. Keep in mind that a smaller, but bright and well-resolved image is far superior to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved. Powers above 400x should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions.
Observe the Moon: When you feel comfortable with the viewfinder, 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 (often called a moon filter) when observing the Moon. Neutral density filters are available from Meade as an optional accessory and enhance contrast to improve your observation of lunar features.

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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. 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!) 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, yellow 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. 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. 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 detail you will be able to see.

One of the most fascinating sights of Jupiter are its moons. The four 7 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.

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Any small telescope can see the four Galilean moons of Jupiter (Fig. 5), 8 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 band. 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

Fig. 5

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

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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. You may be able to see the Andromeda galaxy and several others in your telescope. They will appear as small, fuzzy clouds. Only very large telescope will reveal spiral or elliptical details. 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 Triffid 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. 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 OBSERVING TIPS
Eyepieces: Always begin your observations using the 25mm low-power eyepiece. The 25mm eyepiece delivers a bright, wide field of view and is the best to use for most viewing conditions. Use the high-power 9mm eyepiece to view details when observing the Moon and planets. If the image become fuzzy, switch back down to a lower power.

SURF THE WEB

The Meade 4M Community: http://www.meade4m.org Sky & Telescope: http://www.skyandtelescope.com Astronomy: http://www.astronomy.com Astronomy Picture of the Day: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.goc/apod Photographic Atlas of the Moon: http://www.lpi.ursa.edu/research/lunar_orbiter Hubble Space Telescope Public Pictures: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html

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By the way, you might have noticed something strange when you looked through your eyepiece. Although the image is rightside up, it is reversed. That means reading words can be a problem. But it has no affect on astronomical objects. If you wish to have a fully corrected image, check out Meades optional Erecting Prism in the Optional Accessory section. Barlow lens: You can also change magnification by using a Barlow. Remove the
STAR CHARTS Star charts and planispheres are useful for a variety of reasons. In particular, they are a great aid in planning a night of celestial viewing. A wide variety of star charts are available in books, in magazines, on the internet and on CD Roms. Meade offers Autostar Suite software. Contact your local Meade dealer or Meades Customer Service department for more information.
Changing eyepieces changes the power or magnification of your telescope.

Fig. 6

eyepiece barlow
diagonal mirror eyepiece from the diagonal mirror and slide in the Barlow. And then place the eyepiece into the Barlow. Tighten the thumbscrews to secure the Barlow lens and the eyepiece in place. The Barlow lens included with your telescope doubles the power of your telescope. See Fig. 6. Meade offers a complete line of eyepieces for your telescope. Most astronomers have four or five low-power and high power eyepieces to view different objects and to cope with different viewing conditions. 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 neededtry using the telescopes coarse and fine adjustment controls. At higher powers, astronomical objects will seem to move through the field of view of the eyepiece more rapidly.

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.
Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines print star charts each month for up-to-the-minute maps of the heavens.
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

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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 redfiltered 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. Surf the Web and visit your local library: The internet contains a huge amount of astronomical information, both for children

and adults. Check out astronomy books from your library. Look for star chartsthese are available on a monthly basis in Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines.

HAVE A GOOD TIME,

ASTRONOMY IS FUN! SPECIFICATIONS
Optical tube focal length. 700mm Objective lens diameter. 60mm (2.4") Focal ratio. f/11.7 Mounting type. Altazimuth

ASTRONOMY RESOURCES

The Meade 4M Community 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, CA 92618 Astronomical League Executive Secretary 5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012 The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112 The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106 International Dark-Sky Association, Inc. 3225 N. First Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719-2103

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What do the specifications mean? Optical tube focal length is simply a 12 measurement of the length of the optical tube. In other words, this is the distance light travels in the telescope before being brought to focus in you eyepiece. Your tube is 700mm long. Objective lens diameter is how big the lens is on your scope. Telescopes are always described by how large their objective lens is. Your telescope is 60mm or 2.4 inches. Other telescopes are 90mm, 8 inches, 16 inches, or even 3 feet in diameter. The Hubble Telescopes objective lens has a diameter of 2.4 meters (thats 7.8 feet across!).
The focal ratio helps determine how fast the photographic speed of a telescope is. The lower the focal ratio number, the faster the exposure. f/5 is faster than f/10. The faster the ratio, the faster exposure time is needed when a camera is hooked up to the telescope. Your telescope has slower focal ratio at f/11.7. Sometimes, astronomers use focal reducers to make slow exposure telescopes have faster focal ratios. Altaz mounting simply means your telescope moves up and down (altitude or alt), and side to side, (azimuth or az). Other mounting configurations are available for other telescopes, such as equatorial mounting. USE THE SPECIFICATIONS TO CALCULATE THE MAGNIFICATION OF YOUR EYEPIECE The power of a telescope is how much it magnifies objects. Your 25mm eyepiece magnifies an object 28 times. Your 9mm eyepiece magnifies objects 78 times. But if you obtain other eyepieces, you can calculate how much magnification they have with your telescope. Just divide the focal

length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece.
Focal Length of the Telescope Focal Length of the Eyepiece = Magnification
Look at the specifications. You will see that the focal length of your scope is 700mm. Lets say that you have obtained a 13mm eyepiece. You can tell that what the focal length of your eyepiece is as it is always printed on the side of an eyepiece. Divide: 700 13, which equals 53.8. Round this off to the nearest whole number and your new eyepiece magnifies objects 54 times.
If you use your Barlow lens with one of your eyepieces, it doubles the magnification of your eyepiece. Other types of Barlows can triple or further increase the power of an eyepiece. To find out how much your magnification is when you use a Barlow, multiply your eyepieces magnification by two.

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Eyepieces magnification x 2 = Magnification with a 2X Barlow lens Your 25mm low-power eyepiece magnifies an object 28 times. Multiply 28 by 2 and you get 56 times magnification with your Barlow. Its worth repeating: 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. So dont think that higher magnification is necessarily betterquite often the best view is with lower magnification value! TAKING CARE OF YOUR TELESCOPE Your telescope is a precision optical instrument designed for a lifetime of rewarding viewing. It will rarely, if ever, require factory servicing or maintenance. Follow these guidelines to keep your telescope in the best condition: Avoid cleaning the telescopes lenses. A little dust on the front surface of the telescopes correcting lens will not cause
loss of image quality. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed with very gentle strokes of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe (available at most pharmacies). Fingerprints and organic materials on the front lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You may also add 1 drop of biodegradable dishwashing soap per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change tissues often. CAUTION: Do not use scented or lotioned tissues or damage could result to the optics. DO NOT use a commercial photographic lens cleaner. OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES #Erecting Prism (1.25 O.D.): Correctly orients the telescopic image during terrestrial observing and yields an image position at a 45 angle to the main telescope tube, resulting in a more comfortable observing position in most cases.

Additional Eyepieces (1.25" barrel diameter): For higher or lower 13 magnifications with the telescopes that accommodate 1.25" eyepieces, Meade 3-element Modified Achromatic eyepieces, available in a wide variety of sizes, provide a high level of image resolution and color correction at an economical price. Also, at slightly higher prices, Meade 4-element Series 4000 Super Plssl eyepieces yield wider fields of view with excellent edge-of-field corrections and are available in a range of focal lengths including 6.4, 9.7, 12.4, 15, 20, 26, 32, and 40mm.
JOIN AN ASTRONOMY CLUB, ATTEND A STAR PARTY
One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of astronomy is to join an astronomy club. Check your local newspaper, school, library, or telescope dealer/ store to find out if theres a club in your area.
Many groups also hold regularly scheduled Star Parties at which you can check out and observe with many different telescopes and other pieces of astronomical equipment. Magazines such as Sky and Telescope and Astronomy print schedules for many popular Star Parties around the United States and Canada.

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MEADE CUSTOMER SERVICE If you have a question concerning your telescope, call Meade Instruments Customer Service Department at (800) 626-3233. Customer Service hours are 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Write or call the Meade Customer Service Department first, before returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address, and daytime telephone number. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to the factory. MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY Every Telestar 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
Contact your Meade Dealer or see the Meade catalog for more information. Visit us on the web at: www.meade.com.
of original purchase in the U.S.A. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freightprepaid, 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 (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. 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 wearand-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.
This warranty supersedes all previous Meade product warranties.
Copyright 2005 Meade Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. 40-04135 6-05

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OBSERVATION LOG OBSERVER: OBJECT NAME: DATE & TIME OBSERVED: CONSTELLATION: EYEPIECE SIZE: SEEING CONDITIONS: NOTES: EXCELLENT GOOD POOR

DRAWING OF IMAGE

(SAVE ORIGINAL - BE SURE TO MAKE COPIES)

10:55 AM

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626-3233

Meade Instruments Corporation 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California