Star-Testing the Telescope
When it is dark, point the telescope at a bright star and accu- rately center it in the eyepiece’s field of view. Slowly de-focus the image with the focusing knob. If the telescope is correctly collimated, the expanding disk should be a perfect circle (Figure 15). If the image is unsymmetrical, the scope is out of collimation. The dark shadow cast by the secondary mirror should appear in the very center of the out-of-focus circle, like the hole in a donut. If the “hole” appears off-center, the telescope is out of collimation.
If you try the star test and the bright star you have selected is not accurately centered in the eyepiece, the optics will always appear out of collimation, even though they may be perfectly aligned. It is critical to keep the star centered, so over time you will need to make slight corrections to the tele- scope’s position in order to account for the sky’s apparent motion.
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| Out of collimation | Collimated | |
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Figure 15. A star test will determine if the telescope's optics are properly collimated. An unfocused view of a bright star through the eyepiece should appear as illustrated on the right if optics are perfectly collimated. If the circle is unsymmetrical, as illustrated on the left, the scope needs collimation.
Appendix B: Cleaning the Optics
Cleaning Lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be used to clean the exposed lenses of your eyepieces. Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eyeglasses
Before cleaning with fluid and tissue, blow any loose par- ticles off the lens with a blower bulb or compressed air. Then apply some cleaning fluid to a tissue, never directly on the optics. Wipe the lens gently in a circular motion, then remove any excess fluid with a fresh lens tissue. Oily fingerprints and smudges may be removed using this method. Use caution; rubbing too hard may scratch the lens. On larger lenses, clean only a small area at a time, using a fresh lens tissue on each area. Never reuse tissues.
Cleaning Mirrors
You should not have to clean the telescope’s mirror very often; normally once every year or so. Covering the tele- scope with the dust cap when it is not in use will help prevent dust from accumulating on the mirrors. Improper cleaning can scratch mirror coatings, so the fewer times you have to clean the mirrors, the better. Small specks of dust or flecks
of paint have virtually no effect on the visual performance of the telescope
The large primary mirror and the elliptical secondary mirror of your telescope are front-surface aluminized and over coat- ed with hard silicon dioxide, which prevents the aluminum from oxidizing. These coatings normally last through many years of use before requiring re-coating.
To clean the secondary mirror, it must be removed from the telescope. Do this by holding the secondary mirror holder stationary with your fingers (don’t touch the mirror itself) while unthreading the Phillips head screw in the center hub of the 4-vaned spider. Completely unthread the screw from the holder, and the holder will come loose in your fingers. Be careful not to lose the spring on the Phillips head screw.
Handle the mirror and its holder carefully. You do not need to remove the secondary mirror from its holder for cleaning. Follow the same procedure described below for cleaning the primary mirror.
To clean the primary mirror, carefully remove the mirror cell from the telescope. To do this, you must remove the four screws that connect the mirror cell to the steel tube. These screws are located on the outer edge of the mirror cell.
Now, remove the three mirror clips that secure the mirror in its cell. Use a Phillips head screwdriver to unthread the mirror clip anchor screws. Next, hold the mirror by its edge, and remove it from the mirror cell. Be careful not to touch the aluminized surface of the mirror with your fingers. Set the mirror on a clean, soft towel. Fill a clean sink, free of abrasive cleanser, with room-temperature water, a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent, and if possible, a cap-full of rubbing alcohol. Submerge the mirror (aluminized face up) in the water and let it soak for several minutes (or hours if it is a very dirty mirror). Wipe the mirror underwater with clean cotton balls, using extremely light pressure and strok- ing in straight lines across the surface. Use one ball for each wipe across the mirror. Then rinse the mirror under a stream of lukewarm water. Any particles on the surface can be swabbed gently with a series of clean cotton balls, each used just one time. Dry the mirror in a stream of air (a “blow- er bulb” works great), or remove any stray drops of water with the corner of a paper towel. Dry the bottom and the edges with a towel (not the mirror surface!). Leave the entire assembly in a warm area until it is completely dry before reassembling the telescope.
One-Year Limited Warranty
The Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. During this warranty period Orion Telescopes & Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any warranted instrument that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid to: Orion Warranty Repair, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076. Proof of pur- chase (such as a copy of the original receipt) is required.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused, mishandled, or modified, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. For further warranty ser- vice information, contact: Orion Customer Service (800) 676-1343; sup- port@telescope.com.
