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INSTRUCTION MANUAL
6”, 8”, 10”, & 12.5” Starfinder
Dobsonian Telescopes
Meade Instruments Corporation
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WARNING! Never use the Starfinder Dobsonian telescope to look at the Sun! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Eye damage is often painless, so there is no warning to the observer that damage has occurred until it is too late. Do not point the telescope or its viewfinder at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope or its viewfinder as it is 1 2 3 4 5 11 10 6 7 9 8 Fig. 1: The Meade Starfinder Dobsonian Telescope.
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- 3 - Captions for Fig. 1 Contents 6", 8" 10", and 12.5 Starfinder 1. Focuser assembly Dobsonian Telescopes 2. Eyepiece 3. Viewfinder bracket Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4. Viewfinder Parts Listing and Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Assembling the Mount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 5. Optical tube assembly Optical Tube Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6. Mirro
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- 4 - 4. Firmly press the screw cover caps (2, Fig. 2) into the INTRODUCTION heads of the wood screws on the side boards. You may The Starfinder Dobsonian telescope will open up the skies for have to lightly tap the screw cover caps to properly seat a breathtaking array of visual observations. Galaxies, nebulae, them into the screw heads. star clusters — in all their variations of form, color, and extent — as well as the Moon, planets, comets and other objects 5. Install the two handles (1, Fig.
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- 5 - Optical Tube Assembly BALANCING THE TELESCOPE The optical tube has been pre-drilled at the Meade factory to Dobsonian telescopes are designed to move easily, but at the accept all standard accessories. same time remain in the position they are placed. This is achieved by carefully balancing the telescope at the Meade 1. Attaching the Focuser: Lay the tube flat on the floor. factory. The telescope is balanced for standard accessories. Align the holes in the focuser assembly (1, Fig. 1) with
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- 6 - 2 1 3 4 6 5 Fig. 4: Newtonian Reflecting Telescope. (1) Spider Vanes; (2) Secondary Mirror; (3) Parabolic Primary Mirror; (4) Primary Mirror Hex Screws; (5) Focuser Drawtube; (6) Focused Image. (3, Fig. 4) and secondary mirror (2, Fig. 4) are tilted so that the focused image (6, Fig. 4) falls directly through the center of the Face-on view Edge-on view focuser drawtube (5, Fig. 4). To inspect the view of the mirror collimation, remove the eyepiece and look down the focuser drawtube. The ro
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- 7 - Fig. 8. (Note that the secondary mirror is misaligned.) cleaning solutions as this may damage the bearings or the painted surfaces of the telescope. Secondary Mirror Adjustments 3. You will notice that your telescope will move in altitude by If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 8) is centered in the drawtube raising and lowering the tube, and in azimuth by rotating (2, Fig. 8) but the primary mirror is only partially visible in the the base. As you observe objects in the night sky they will re
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- 8 - detail than a dimmer, poorly resolved, larger image. As you use your telescope more and more, you will find that you are seeing more and finer detail: observing through a Because of certain characteristics of the human eye (in large-aperture telescope is an acquired skill. Celestial p a r t i c u l a r, eye pupil diameter) and because of optical observing will become increasingly rewarding as your eye considerations inherent in the design of the telescope, there becomes better trained to t
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- 9 - Eyepiece 6" f/8 8" f/6 10" f/4.5 12.5" f/4.8 Viewfinders: In addition to the standard-equipment 5x24mm Power Power Power Power viewfinder supplied with all Starfinder telescopes, the higher power/larger aperture 6x30 and 8x50mm viewfinder are SP 6.4mm 191X 191X 178X 238X available to substitute or retrofit. SP 9.7mm 126X 126X 118X 157X SP 12.4mm 98X 98X 92X 123X MEADE CUSTOMER SERVICE SP 15mm 81X 81X 76X 102X If you have a question concerning your Meade Starfinder SP 20mm 61X 61X 57X 76X D
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- 10 - ™ Specifications and Features: Meade Starfinder Dobsonian Telescopes TELESCOPE: Starfinder Starfinder Starfinder Starfinder Dobsonian 6 Dobsonian 8 Dobsonian 10 Dobsonian 12.5 Optical Design Newtonian Reflector Newtonian Reflector Newtonian Reflector Newtonian Reflector Diameter/Clear Aperture 152mm (6") 203mm (8") 254mm (10") 318mm (12.5") ® ® ® ® Primary & Grade-A Pyrex glass, Grade-A Pyrex glass, Grade-A Pyrex glass, Grade-A Pyrex glass, Secondary Mirrors fine annealed fine annealed fi
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- 11 - MEADE LIMITED WARRANTY Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and telescope accessory is warranted by Meade Instruments Corporation (“Meade”) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase in the U.S.A. and Canada. Meade will repair or replace a product, or part thereof, found by Meade to be defective, provided the defective part is returned to Meade, freight-prepaid, with proof of purchase. This warranty applies to the origi
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Meade Instruments Corporation World’s leading manufacturer of astronomical telescopes for the serious amateur. 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92620 (949) 451-1450 Fax: (949) 451-1460 www.meade.com Ver. 0499 Part no. 14-0218-00
