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instruction Manual
®
orion
™
skyView Pro 150mm EQ
#9968 Equatorial Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
customer support (800)‑676‑1343
E‑mail: support@telescope.com
Corporate Offices (831)‑763‑7000
89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
IN 258 Rev. B 01/09
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Optical tube Finder scope Finder scope bracket Declination lock lever (opposite‑side) Right ascension lock lever (opposite‑side) Declination slow‑motion control knob Safety thumbscrew Eyepiece Mounting plate securing knob Star diagonal Focus knob (not shown) Counterweight shaft Right ascension slowmotion ‑ Counterweights control knob Right ascension axis rear‑cover Counterweight Latitude scale lock knobs Latitude adjustment L‑bolts Center support shaft Tripod support tray Tripod leg Leg l
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Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion telescope. Your new SkyView Pro 150mm EQ is designed for high‑resolution viewing, and astrophotography of astronomical objects. With its precision optics and sturdy equatorial mount, you’ll be able to enjoy hundreds of fascinating celestial denizens. These instructions will help you set up, properly use, and care for your telescope. Please read them over thoroughly before getting started. t able of contents 2. Parts list 1 Tripod 1. Unpacking..
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Finder scope bracket Nylon alignment thumbscrews Finder scope Azimuth adjustment knobs Post Tensioner Figure 2. Orient the equatorial mount so that the post on the Focus lock ring tripod head lines up between the azimuth adjustment knobs on the equatorial mount. Figure 3a. The 8x40 finder scope. 2. Place the base of the equatorial mount into the tripod head. Orient the equatorial mount so that the post on the tripod head lines up between the azimuth adjustment knobs on the equatorial mo
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Figure 4ad. ‑ Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires that the telescope tube be balanced on both the right ascension and Declination axes. (a) With the R.A. lock lever released, slide the counterweights along the counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube. (b) When you let go with both hands, the tube should not drift up or down. (c) With the Dec. lock knob released, loosen the mounting plate securing knob and safety thumbscrew a few turns and slide the telescope fo
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Turn the focus knob until the object is properly focused. Make sure to position the object in the center of the telescope’s eye‑ piece by turning the R.A. and declination slow‑motion control knobs (the R.A. and Dec. lock levers must be tightened to use the slow‑motion control knobs). Now look in the finder scope. Is the object visible? Ideally it will be somewhere in the field of view. If not, some coarse View through finder scope adjustment to the finder scope bracket’s alignment thumb‑ sc
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Right Ascension (R.A.) axis Dec. slow‑motion control knob Dec. lock lever Dec. setting‑circle Front opening R.A. setting‑circle R.A. lock lever Polar axis finder R.A. slow‑motion (optional) control knob Latitude scale Latitude adjustment L‑bolts a. b. Figure 6ab. ‑ The SkyView Pro 150mm EQ mount. able for most telescopes. Your SkyView Pro 150mm EQ has an aperture of 150 millimeters, so the maximum magnification would be about 300x. This level of magnification assumes you Little Dipp
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Eyepiece Alignment Focus Objective focus ring setscrews (3) lock‑ring lens Azimuth adjustment knobs Figure 8. For polar alignment, position the tripod so that the Figure 9. The optional polar axis finder scope. "N" label at the base of the mount faces north. The azimuth fine adjustment knobs above it are used to make small adjustments to the mount’s azimuth position. Be certain to loosen the tripod Polar alignment using an optional Polar axis attachment knob on the central support shaft
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“Polaris” on the finder’s reticle. You must first loosen the knob underneath the equatorial mount on the center sup‑ port shaft to use the azimuth adjustment knobs. Once Polaris is properly positioned within the reticle, you are precisely polar aligned. Retighten the knob underneath the equatorial mount. Note: From this point on in your observing session, you should not make any further adjustments in the azimuth or the latitude of the mount, nor should you move the tripod. Doing so will
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the R.A. slow‑motion control knob clockwise. The Dec. slow‑ Dec. setting circle motion control knob is not needed for tracking. Objects will appear to move faster at higher magnifications, because the Dec. R.A. field of view is narrower. setting circle setting thumbscrew circle optional Motor Drives for automatic t racking (2) An optional DC motor drive can be mounted on the R.A. Dec. axis of the equatorial mount to provide hands‑free tracking. indicator Objects will then remain st
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a. b. c. d. Figure 12a‑d. This illustration show the telescope pointed in the four cardinal directions (a) north, (b) south, (c) east, (d) west. Note that the tripod and mount have been moved; only the telescope tube has been moved on the R.A. and Dec. axes. The setting circles must be re‑calibrated every time you wish section is intended to get you ready for your voyages through to locate a new object. Do so by calibrating the setting circles the night sky. for the centered object before movi
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Dipper” connecting the handle to the “dipper”. If you cannot see Megrez, then you have fog, haze, clouds, smog, light pollution or other conditions that are hindering your viewing (Figure 13). C. Cooling the Telescope All optical instruments need time to reach “thermal equilib‑ rium” to achieve maximum stability of the lenses and mirrors, which is essential for peak performance. When moved from a warm indoor location outside to cooler air (or vice‑ versa), a telescope needs time to cool to
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viewing comfort, and helps bring out the subtle features if the point of light! You can, however, enjoy the different colors of the lunar surface. stars and locate many pretty double and multiple stars. The famous “DoubleDoub ‑ le” in the constellation Lyra and the gor‑ B. The Sun geous two‑color double star Albireo in Cygnus are favorites. You can change your nighttime telescope into a daytime Sun Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out its color. viewer by installing an optional full
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Continue using stars as guideposts in this way until you are at the approximate position of the object you are trying to find (Figure 14). Look in the telescope’s eyepiece, and the object should be somewhere within the field of view. If it’s not, sweep the telescope carefully around the immediate vicinity until the object is found. If you have trouble finding the object, start the starhop again from the brightest star near the object you wish to view. This time, be sure the stars indicate
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cleaning the t ube 10. specifications Your SkyView Pro 150mm EQ telescope requires very little Optical design: MaksutovCasseg ‑ rain mechanical maintenance. The optical tube is aluminum and has a smooth painted finish that is fairly scratch‑ resistant. If Aperture: 150mm a scratch does appear on the tube, it will not harm the tele‑ Effective focal length: 1800mm scope. Smudges on the tube can be wiped off with a soft cloth and a household cleaning fluid. Focal ratio: f/12.0 Central obstruct
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appendix: collimating Collimating is the process of aligning a telescope’s optics. Your Maksutov‑ Cassegrain's primary mirror was aligned at the fac‑ tory and should not need adjustment unless the telescope is handled roughly. This manual contains information on how to test the collimation of your telescope and instructions for prop‑ er alignment should that be needed. star‑t esting the t elescope Before you start adjusting the primary mirror of your telescope, make certain that it is actual
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Secondary Secondary mirror mirror Reflection of Reflection of Front of your eye in Front of your eye in telescope secondary telescope secondary mirror mirror Secondary Reflection of reflection of inside of tube inside of tube (misalignment) Figure 17b Figure 17a Figure 17a. If the telescope’s optics are out of alignment Figure 17b. With the optics properly aligned the view through the view through the rear opening of the telescope will resemble the rear opening of the telescope will resemble
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Figure 19a Figure 19b Figure 19c Figure 19d Figure 19a. Using the Figure 19b. Now, with Figure 19c. Turn the small Figure 19d. Turn the two 3mm Allen wrench, turn the the 2mm Allen wrench, turn screw that is 180° opposite large screws adjacent to the large screw clockwise a small the two adjacent small screws the first screw clockwise no small screw counterclockwise amount, no more than 1/4 of counterclockwise no more more than 1/4 turn. no more than 1/4 turn. a turn. (Note, actual selected t
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one‑Year limited Warranty This Orion SkyView Pro 150mm EQ 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 Way, Watsonville, CA 95076.
