Meade DS-2000 TIPS, Too Much Power?, Focusing the 6 x 30mm Viewfinder, Aligning the Viewfinder

NEVER point the telescope directly at

or near the Sun at any

Focusing the 6 x 30mm Viewfinder:

The 6 x 30mm viewfinder is locked into permanent focus at infinity. Look through the viewfinder at a distant land object. If the focus is not sharp, follow this procedure:

1.Loosen the focus lock ring (3, Fig. 12) a few turns, permitting the lens cell (2, Fig. 12) to be rotated.

2.Look through the viewfinder eyepiece (1, Fig. 12) at a distant land object and rotate the lens cell until the object is sharply focused.

3.Tighten the focus lock ring (3, Fig. 12) up against the lens cell.

Important Note: Objects appear upside-down and reversed left-for-right when observed in the viewfinder. With the refracting telescope models, objects viewed through the main telescope with the diagonal mirror (3, Fig. 1) in place appear right- side-up, but reversed left-for-right. This image inversion is of no consequence when observing astronomical objects, and in fact all astronomical telescopes yield invert- ed images. During terrestrial observing, where a fully-correctly-oriented image (right-side up and correct left-for-right) is desirable, an optional Meade 45° Erecting Prism (available in either 0.965" or 1.25" format to suit the appropriate Meade tele- scope model) is available. See the "Optional Accessories," page 29, or consult the Meade Telescope Catalog.

Note that for reflecting telescope models, no means of image inversion is available; while these telescopes may be used for terrestrial observing, the image will not be correctly oriented in either right-side-

up or left-for-right orientations.

time! Observing the Sun, even for the smallest fraction of a second, will result in instant and irre- versible eye damage, as well as physical damage to the tele- scope itself.

Telescope

Viewfinder Eyepiece

A. Not aligned

B. Aligned

Fig. 13: Aligning the viewfinder. Note that objects appear upside-down and reversed left-for-right when observed in the viewfinder.

Aligning the Viewfinder:

It is recommended that you perform steps 1 through 4 of this procedure during the day- time and step 5 at night.

1.Loosen the tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1) and the Dec. lock (10, Fig. 1), by turning the lock about one turn counter- clockwise, permitting the telescope to move freely on its axes.

2.If you have not already done so, place a low-power (e.g., 25mm) eyepiece in the diagonal prism of the main tele- scope (3, Fig. 1) and point the tele- scope at an easy-to-find land object (e.g., the top of a telephone pole). Turn the focuser knob (1, Fig. 1) so that the image is sharply focused. Center the object precisely in the main telescope’s field of view.

3.Re-tighten the tripod base lock knob (26, Fig. 1) and the Dec. lock (10, Fig. 1).

4.Then, looking through the viewfinder, turn some or all of the viewfinder’s alignment screws (8, Fig. 1) until the viewfinder’s crosshairs point precisely at the same object as centered in the main telescope. The viewfinder is now aligned to the main telescope. The right-hand image in Fig. 13A shows an object centered in the main telescope before the viewfinder (the left-hand

DS-2000 TIPS

Too Much Power?

Can you ever have too much power? If the type of power you’re referring to is eyepiece magnification, yes, you can! The most com- mon mistake of the beginning observer is to “overpower” a telescope by using high magni- fications which the telescope’s 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 (see below). Powers above 200X should be employed only under the steadiest atmospheric conditions.

Autostar can calculate the best eyepiece for you to use. Try out the “Eyepiece Calc” fea- ture in the Utilities menu.

Most observers should have three or four additional eyepieces to achieve the full range of reasonable magnifications possible with the DS-2000 telescopes. See “OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES,” page 29.

Fig. 14a & 14b: Jupiter; example of too much

magnification.

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