Unpacking, Assembly and SET-UP

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Congratulations on your purchase of the Meade Starfinder Dobsonian 16 Telescope! Your new instrument features the professional-quality optics of Meade Starfinder Reflectors, a precision rack-and-pinion focuser, high-quality mounting, and many other features generally found only on more expensive telescopes. The Meade Starfinder Dobsonian 16 is ideal for those just starting out in amateur astronomy, as well as the more serious visual observer.

In order to get the most enjoyment from your new telescope, please take a few minutes to read through this manual. We also suggest that you obtain some basic sky charts and books that will help you to learn your way around the sky and show you how to find interesting objects to observe. Soon you will be using your Meade Starfinder Dobsonian 16 to observe the Moon, planets, galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae; all in stunning high-resolution detail.

CAUTION: DO NOT OBSERVE THE SUN WITH YOUR MEADE TELESCOPE! Observation of the Sun will cause serious and irreversible eye damage. Under no condition should the observer point the telescope at or near the Sun or attempt to observe the Sun through the telescope.

A. UNPACKING

Your telescope has been carefully packed in three cartons as follows:

Carton #1: Optical tube assembly with the secondary mirror mounted on its housing attached; focuser; eyepiece (MA 25mm); related hardware.

Carton #2 The primary mirror mounted in its cell; hardware for the mirror cell.

Carton #3: Dobsonian Mount (unassembled); related hardware.

Remove and identify each part from the cartons, using Figure 1.

CAUTION: The primary mirror must be handled with extremely special care. Never touch its reflective surface or place the mirror where it could be damaged. Save all original packing materials; if it is ever necessary to ship the telescope, these materials will help to assure that no shipping damage will occur.

B. ASSEMBLY AND SET-UP

Assembly of your Meade Starfinder Dobsonian telescope should only take a few minutes, and require simple hand tools. A phillips screwdriver, pliers, and an adjustable wrench should be all that are required.

1. Assembling the Mount

Use the following steps to assemble the mount.

1.Attach nine self-adhesive Rubber Feet (1, Fig. 2) to the underside of the Ground Plate (2, Fig. 2), the round piece with the Teflon pads. Six of the Feet should be placed around the outside edge of the Ground Plate, evenly spaced, approximately 1/.2 inch from the edge. The remaining three feet should be placed in a triangle formation around the center hole, evenly spaced, approximately four inches from the center.

Two extra Rubber Feet have been supplied for use as “bumpers” where the telescope tube hits the Front Board (3, Fig 2.) at the travel limits. Place one in the center of the top ledge, and one in the center on the inside near the bottom (see Fig. 2). The exact position for these two bumpers will be obvious with the telescope mounted on the base.

2.Attach the two Side Boards (4, Fig. 2) to the Front Board (3, Fig. 2), and the two Side Braces (14, Fig. 2) to the using the supplied Wood Screws (5, Fig. 2), through the pre-drilled holes. Do not fully tighten the screws yet.

3.Attach the Front Board/Side Board assembly to the Base Plate (6, Fig 2) using the supplied Wood Screws, through the predrilled holes. Snugly tighten all screws, including those previously installed. CAUTION: Do not overtighten the wood screws. However, the screws should be tightened sufficiently so that the head of the screw is flush with the wood surface.