Carson Optical RP-400 Care and Maintenance of Your Telescope, Using Setting Circles, Cleaning

	Using Setting Circles:
	The setting circles (Fig. 3-20,21) on your equatorial mount can be used to locate
	hard to find celestial objects. Follow the instructions below to use the setting
	circles effectively:
	• Make sure your telescope is assembled properly and polar aligned.
	• Look up the celestial coordinates of an easy to spot object located nearby to
	the object you seek on a star chart or atlas (not included).
	• Center this easy to spot object in the field of view of your telescope.
	• Rotate the R.A. setting circle (Fig. 3-21) on your telescope’s mount by hand
	until the proper coordinate lines up with the R.A. indicator. You will notice
	that the R.A. setting circle has two sets of numbers. The top numbers are for
	the Northern hemisphere. The bottom numbers are for the Southern hemi-
	sphere. Once complete your setting circles are now calibrated. You are now
	ready to locate the hard to find object.
	• Loosen the Dec. lock (Fig. 3-24) and move the telescope in Declination
	until the indicator points to the correct coordinate. Re-tighten the Dec.
	Lock when finished.
	• Loosen the R.A. lock (Fig. 3-22) and move the telescope in R.A. until
	the indicator points to the correct coordinate. Re-tighten the R.A. lock
	when finished.
	• Look through the finder scope (Fig. 1-5) to see if you have located the object
	you are looking for and center the object in the crosshairs of the finder scope.
	• Look through the telescope eyepiece (Fig. 2-14) and the object you are
	searching for should be centered in the field of view.
	• This process must be repeated every time you set up your telescope.
	There are many conditions that may affect your ability to focus or observe celestial
	objects clearly.
	• Brightly lit areas (light pollution) will make it difficult to see faint objects
	in the sky. It will also make it difficult for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
	You should try and find a dark area and allow your eyes to adjust to the dark
	before making observations. Using a red filtered flashlight to view charts
	and your telescope components is recommended to preserve your night sight.
	The best viewing conditions are when the sky is inky black.
	• Hazy skies, pollution, clouds and moisture can all affect the clarity of your
	viewing image.
	• Avoid touching the eyepiece or optical tube while looking through the tele-
	scope. The vibrations caused by this contact will cause the object you are
	looking at to move. You should also make sure that the surface you place
	your telescope on does not vibrate or move as this will also cause your view-
	ing object to move.
	• You should avoid setting up your telescope inside a room looking through an
16	open window. The difference in air temperatures may result in a blurry image.

•Viewing through a closed window might also result in a distorted image due to the varying densities of window glass.

•Avoid viewing objects that are low on the horizon. Objects that are higher up in the sky will appear much sharper.

•Sudden changes in temperature may cause condensation to appear on the op- tical components of the telescope. It is best to set up your telescope ahead of time and then wait while the telescope adjusts to the new temperature before using it.

Care and Maintenance of Your Telescope:

Cleaning:

• Always replace dust covers and lens caps when not in use. This will minimize the amount of dust and debris that gets into your telescope.

• Cleaning should be performed only if absolutely necessary. If dust has built up on the optics use a soft camel’s hair brush or pressurized air to gently remove it.

• To remove dirt, grease or fingerprints, clean with a soft cotton cloth rubbing in a circular motion. Use of a coarse cloth or unnecessary rubbing may scratch the lens surface and eventually cause permanent damage.

• For a more thorough cleaning, photographic type lens cleaning fluid may be used. Always apply the fluid to the cleaning cloth, never directly on the lens.

• Avoid touching the surface of the objective lens.

• Do not attempt to take apart your telescope to clean it.

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