INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Orion®
LaserMate™ Deluxe
#5690
Newtonian reflectors perform at their best when their mirrors are accurately aligned. While it’s not difficult to do, collimation can be a chore if you do not have the proper tools. The Orion LaserMate Deluxe provides a clear, easy way to determine if your telescope’s mirrors need adjustment, and which adjust- ments need to be made. With the highly precise alignment provided by the LaserMate Deluxe, you’ll be enjoying better, crisper views in no time!
The LaserMate Deluxe’s laser diode has been precisely aligned within it’s housing at the factory. Do not drop the LaserMate Deluxe or otherwise roughly handle it, or it may need to be returned for
WARNING: The LaserMate Deluxe emits laser radiation, so it is important not to shine the beam into your or anyone’s eye. During the collimation procedure, it is also important to avoid direct reflections of the laser beam into your eye. Rather, look only at
Marking the Primary Mirror
To achieve best accuracy when collimating with the Orion LaserMate Deluxe, you will need to mark the center of the primary mirror with one of the supplied collimation targets. This will not affect the telescope’s performance. If you do not wish to mark your primary mirror, you will need to judge the primary mirror’s center by eye during the collimation proce- dure. While this is not recommended, it is possible to get adequate alignment of the optics without marking the primary mirror’s center.
To accurately locate and mark the mirror’s center point, you will need to make a paper template.
First, remove the primary mirror from your telescope. If you are unsure how to do this, consult your telescope’s instruction manual. If the primary mirror is glued into its cell, it is not nec- essary to remove it from the cell. Handle the mirror by its edges only, and be careful not to touch the surface with your fingers.
Get a clean sheet of paper that is big enough to cover the entire mirror’s surface. For large diameter mirrors, you may need to tape several sheets of paper together. Lay the pri- mary mirror on the paper and trace its outline with a pencil (Figure 1). Next, cut out the circle you have just traced with a pair of scissors. Fold the paper circle into quarters by folding
the circle precisely in half, and then folding it in half again (Figure 2). Now, cut about 1/4 inch off the tip of the paper wedge you have created (Figure 3). Unfold the paper, and you will find that you have a paper tem- plate of your mirror with a hole at the center.
Figure 2a, 2b: Fold the paper circle in half, and then in half again.
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