Meade Infinity 102, Instruction Manual

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Have a good time when you’re observ-
ing. You may not know everything that
there is to know about a telescope or
what all the sights in the universe are,
but that’s OK. Just point and observe at first.
You will enjoy your telescope even more as
you learn more about it. But don’t be scared
off by difficult terms or complicated proce-
dures. Don’t panic! Just relax and enjoy your
scope.
You will begin to grow and learn more about
astronomy the more you observe. Browse
the internet or go to the library and read
some books about the stars and planets.
Read about astronomers of old. Many of
them had telescopes no bigger than the one
you are using right now. Galileo, who is one
of the first astronomers to use a telescope,
discovered four of the moons of Jupiter with
a telescope about the same size as yours
(and his didn’t even focus very well!).
OBSERVING
Observe during the daytime: Try out your
telescope during the daytime at first. It is
easier to learn how it operates and how to
observe when it is light.
Pick out an easy object to observe: A dis-
tant mountain, a large tree, a lighthouse or
skyscraper make excellent targets. Point the
optical tube so it lines up with your object.
Unlock the lock knob: To move the tele-
scope horizontally you will need to unlock
the horizontal lock knob (just rotate to unlock
or lock; when locking, only tighten to a “firm
feel,” do not over tighten).
Use the viewfinder: If you have not done so,
align the viewfinder (2) with the telescope’s
eyepiece (1) as described earlier. Look
through the viewfinder until you can see the
object. It will be easier to locate an object
using the viewfinder rather than locating with
the eyepiece. Line up the object using the
viewfinders red dot.
Look through the eyepiece: Once you
have the object lined up in the viewfind-
er, look through the optical tube’s eye-
piece. If you have aligned your viewfinder,
you will see the object in your eyepiece.
Focus: Look through the eyepiece and prac-
6
TOO MUCH POWER?
Can you ever have too much power? If the type of
power you’re referring to is eyepiece magnification,
yes you can! The most common mistake of the
beginning observer is to “overpower” a telescope
by using high magnifications which the telescope’s
aperture and atmospheric conditions cannot
reasonably support. Keep in mind that a smaller,
but bright and well-resolved image is far superior
to one that is larger, but dim and poorly resolved.
Powers above 400x should be employed only under
the steadiest atmospheric conditions.
tice focusing on the object you have chosen.
Try out the coarse and fine adjustment
controls: Practice using the fine adjustment
control (11 & 12) to move the telescope.
These can come in very handy, especially
when you wish to move the telescope in very
small (fine control) steps.
Observe the Moon: When you feel comfort-
able with the viewfinder, the eyepieces, the
locks and the adjustment controls, you will
be ready to try out the telescope at night.
The Moon is the best object to observe the
Looking at or near the
Sun
will cause
irreversible
damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving.