![MEADE ETX: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE](/images/new-backgrounds/101920/10192013x1.webp)
Caution:
Using products other than standard Meade accessories may cause damage to the telescope’s internal electronics and may void the Meade warranty.
B Want to learn more about the eyepieces available for your ETX telescope?
See OPTIONAL
ACCESSORIES, pages
42 and 43.
c Want to learn more about the
SmartFinder?
See Aligning
SmartFinder, page 13.
G Want to learn more about the Right
Ascension and Declination setting circles? See page 54.
Caution:
When loosening the Dec. lock, be sure to support the optical tube (5 Fig.
1a). The weight of the tube could cause the tube to swing through the fork arms suddenly.
MEADE ETX: YOUR PERSONAL WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE
The Meade Premier Edition
Your ETX telescope reveals nature in an
Telescope Controls
Become acquainted with all of these controls before attempting observations through
the telescope.
BEyepiece: Place the supplied 26mm eyepiece into the 90° Eyepiece Holder (4, Fig. 1b) and tighten in place with thumbscrew (3, Fig.1b).
CSmartfinder™
Provides an easier way to sight on objects than the main telescope’s eyepiece which has a narrow field of view. Comes
DEyepiece Holder Thumbscrew: Tightens the eyepiece in place. Tighten to a firm feel only.
e90° Eyepiece Holder: Holds the eyepiece upright for easy viewing.
FOptical Tube: The main optical component that gathers the light from distant objects and brings this light to a focus for examination with the eyepiece.
GVertical (Dec.) Lock: Controls the manual vertical movement of the telescope. Turning the vertical lock counterclockwise unlocks the telescope enabling it to be freely rotated by hand about the vertical axis. Turning the vertical lock clockwise (to a firm feel only) prevents the telescope from being moved manually, but engages the vertical motor drive clutch for AutoStar operation. When polar aligned, the vertical lock serves as the Declination or Dec. lock.
Note: The vertical lock knob is a knurled knob located on the fork arm to the right of the focus knob (8, Fig. 1b). Mounted beneath the knob is a cir- cular scale without numbers. Do not confuse this scale with the Dec. setting circle (16, Fig. 1a) on the opposite fork arm which has a numbered scale used to locate astronomical objects.
HFork Arms: Hold the optical tube in place.
Note: The telescope base and fork mount are designed with internal “rotational limit stops.” The horizontal limit stop prevents the telescope from rotating more than 630° to avoid damage to the internal wiring. The vertical limit stop prevents the smartfinder from striking the fork mount when the telescope is pointed upward just past 90° and prevents the optical tube from striking the base if pointed downward more than 30°. Do not force the telescope to move beyond these stops or damage to the telescope will result.
iFocus Knob: Moves the telescope’s primary mirror in a
7