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INSTRUCTION MANUAL
®
Orion
™ ™
SkyQuest IntelliScope
XT6, XT8, XT10
#9816, #9918, #9950
Customer Support (800) 676-1343
E-mail: support@telescope.com
Corporate Offices (831) 763-7000
P.O. Box 1815, Santa Cruz, CA 95061
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
IN 226 Rev. C 11/10
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Secondary mirror holder with 4-vane spider (not visible) Finder scope Finder scope bracket Eyepiece Focuser Navigation knob Optical tube Tensioning knob IntelliScope Controller Port modular jack Retaining knob (opposite side) Computerized Object Locator (optional) Primary mirror cell Right side panel Eyepiece rack Front brace Left side panel Handle Top baseplate Foot (3) Ground baseplate Figure 1. The SkyQuest XT8 IntelliScope 2
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Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion SkyQuest XT IntelliScope Dobsonian. It is a high-per- formance astronomical instrument designed to provide dazzling views of celestial objects and unprecedented ease of use. With the addition of the optional IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator (Controller), you gain the ability to locate and view thousands of celestial objects with the push of a but- ton. Searching for objects is a thing of the past, as the IntelliScope’s high-resolution digital
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1 Azimuth encoder board Assembly of the Dobsonian Base Refer to Figure 2 during base assembly. The base need only 1 Encoder connector board be assembled once, unless you disassemble it for long-term 5 Encoder board mounting wood screws storage. The assembly process takes about 30 minutes and 1 Brass bushing requires, in addition to the supplied tools, a Phillips screwdriv- er, and two adjustable crescent wrenches.You can substitute 1 Encoder disk a 7/16" cresce
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the baseplate. Thread an encoder board mounting screw Correct Tension pads into the predrilled starter hole with a Phillips screwdriver and tighten until just tight. 6. Place one Teflon bearing pad (G) into each recessed hole on the ground baseplate (A). The bearing pads will be loose in the recessed hole and should remain that way. Do not attempt to permanently secure the bearing pads by any means as this will interfere with the motion of the telescope. 7. Place one fender washer (H) onto the a
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Encoder connector board Screws Figure 6. Attaching the encoder connector board. (XT10 Shown) by adding or removing washers. This is important when using the optional IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator, since Figure 8. Using the two supplied screws, install the aluminum the optical tube must be exactly vertical during the two-star eyepiece rack in the predrilled holes near the top of the front alignment procedure. baseplate. Installing the Eyepiece Rack hung up on the vertical bumper stop
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down much too freely. This causes problems when the observ- To install the XT system, follow these steps while referring to er tries to accurately center and track an object for viewing, Figures 10 and 11: especially at higher powers. Also, the telescope becomes very 1. Select one of the retaining/tensioning knobs and slide the sensitive to balance, requiring additional equipment such as metal washer onto shaft, followed by the white nylon wash counterweight systems or springs to compensate. er
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For the XT6: Loosen the two thumbscrews on the eyepiece holder and insert the 25mm Sirius Plössl eyepiece. Then O-ring secure it in place with the thumbscrews. The other eyepiece can be placed in the eyepiece rack until it is needed. The basic assembly of your SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonian is now complete. It should appear as shown in Figure 1. The dust cap on the front of the telescope tube should always remain in place when the telescope is not in use. It is also a good idea to store eyepiec
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(left/right) (Figure 14). For altitude motion, the altitude bear- You will want to be able to “track” the motion of celestial ings on the telescope tube glide on pairs of bearing cylinders objects while viewing them by making small movements of made from ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethyl- the telescope without experiencing jerking (too much tension) ene. For azimuth motion, the top baseplate moves on three or overshooting of the desired position (too little tension). Teflon bearing pa
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Note: The image in both the finder scope and the main the lock ring off by a few turns, for now. Focus the finder telescope will appear upside-down (rotated 180°). This is scope on a distant object by threading the objective lens cell normal for finder scopes and reflector telescopes (see in or out on the finder scope body. Precise focusing will be Figure 16). achieved by focusing the finder scope on a bright star. Once the image appears sharp, retighten the lock ring behind the Now look through
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1200 mm Carrying the Telescope = 120x 10 mm Transporting the SkyQuest is easy to do. The tube uncouples from the base and each component can be carried separate- ly. The base has a handle for easy carrying. With the retaining The maximum attainable magnification for a telescope is and tensioning knobs of the CorrecTension(XT) system hold- directly related to how much light its optics can collect. A tele- ing the optical tube captive on the base, the entire telescope scope with more light-collec
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rethread the knobs back into the bearings so that you do not light. It is a good idea to check the collimation of your tele- lose them. Do not use the navigation knob as a carry handle! scope before each observing session and make any It is not designed to support the weight of the telescope tube necessary adjustments. and could break off or damage the tube. To check collimation, remove the eyepiece and look down the Note: The SkyQuest may be too heavy for some users to focuser drawtube. You sho
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Figure 19. The SkyQuest IntelliScope properly set up for collimation. Note the white paper placed across from the focuser, and the level angle of the optical tube. Ideally, the telescope should be pointing at a white wall. Preparing the Telescope for Collimation Once you get the hang of collimation, you will be able to do it Figure 20. To center the secondary mirror under the focuser, quickly even in the dark. hold the mirror holder in place with one hand while adjusting the For now, it is best
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Adjusting the Primary Mirror Now, try tightening or loosening one of the larger collimation thumbscrews with your fingers (Figure 23). Look into the The final adjustment is made to the primary mirror. It will need focuser and see if the secondary mirror reflection has moved adjustment if, as in Figure 18d, the secondary mirror is cen- closer to the center of the primary.You can tell this easily with tered under the focuser and the reflection of the primary the collimation cap and mirror center m
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Note About the Collimatable 2" Focuser is Megrez (magnitude 3.4), which is the star in the Big Dipper (XT8, XT10 only) that connects the handle to the “dipper.” If you cannot see Megrez, then you have fog, haze, clouds, smog, light pollution The 2" focuser of the SkyQuest XT8 and XT10 can be colli- or other conditions that are hindering your viewing (see mated using three pairs of push-pull screws located at the Figure 25). base of the focuser (Figure 13). The focuser was collimated at the fact
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night vision for days. So give yourself at least a little while to Even at partial phases the Moon is very bright. Use of an get used to the dark before you begin observing. optional Moon filter to helps to dim the glare. It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepiece. You’ll find the Moon filter To see what you are doing in the darkness, use a red-filtered improves viewing comfort, and helps bring out the subtle fea- flashlight rather than a white light. Red light does not spoil tures of the
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dark patches, and you may be able to spot a whitish polar ice the IntelliScope port on the telescope’s base, the IntelliScope cap. To see surface detail on Mars, you will need a high power controller enables the user to point the telescope quickly and eyepiece and very steady air! effortlessly to more than 14,000 celestial object with the push of a button. After a simple two-star alignment procedure, you D. The Stars just select an object to view from the intuitive keypad, then Stars will appear
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location, the numbers get progressively smaller. When the use before requiring re-coating (which is easily done). navigation numbers reach 0, the telescope will be pointed To clean the secondary mirror, you will need to remove it from right at the object! You just look into the eyepiece and enjoy the telescope. Before doing so, orient the telescope tube hor- the view! izontally so that nothing accidentally falls down and hits the The IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator is a wonderful primar
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8. Specifications SkyQuest XT6 IntelliScope SkyQuest XT10 IntelliScope Primary mirror:150mm diameter, parabolic, center-marked Primary mirror: 254mm diameter, Pyrex, parabolic, center- marked Focal length: 1200mm Focal length: 1200mm Focal ratio: f/8.0 Focal ratio: f/4.7 Focuser:Rack-and-pinion. 1.25" eyepieces Focuser: Rack-and-pinion. Accepts 2" and 1.25" eyepieces Altitude bearing diameter: 5.75" with included adapter Optical tube material: Rolled steel Altitude bearing diameter: 5.75" Azimu
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One-Year Limited Warranty This Orion SkyQuest IntelliScope Dobsonian Reflecting Telescope is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only. During this warranty period Orion Telescopes & Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any warranted instrument that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid to: Orion Warranty Repair, 89 Hangar
