WARNING
NEVER USE A MEADE
®
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 MOVING.
CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ADULT
SUPERVISION WHILE OBSERVING.
How This Manual is Organized
This manual is divided into three major sections.
Part One, "The Basics,"
presents several "Lessons" that will teach you how to
assemble and use your telescope and Starfinder. If you follow all the Lessons in this
section, you will become familiar with the basic operation of your telescope and the
Starfinder handbox by the end of Part One. This section covers the following proce-
dures:
Lesson 1: Unpacking and Assembly.
How to unpack and assemble the basic telescope and tripod unit.
Lesson 2: Balancing the Telescope.
How to balance the telescope.
Lesson 3: Aligning the Viewfinder.
How to align the viewfinder and insert the eyepiece into the focuser.
Lesson 4: Observing by Moving the Telescope Manually.
How to focus an eyepiece. How to move your telescope manually to make
observations.
Lesson 5: Observing using Starfinder's Arrow keys.
How to install the motor drives. How to change the slew speeds. How to
observe using Starfinder's Arrow keys.
Lesson 6: Tracking Objects.
How to Polar align your telescope. How to observe using automatic tracking.
Lesson 7: Observing using Starfinder's Go To Capabilities.
How to initialize Starfinder and train the drive. How to move around in
Starfinder's menus. How to observe using Starfinder and how to take a
Guided Tour of the night sky.
Part Two, "Starfinder's Controls and Menus,"
provides more information about
Starfinder's databases and menus.
Part Three, "Caring for Your Telescope,"
provides information that explains how to
properly maintain your telescope.
The Appendices
provide advanced information about your telescope, explain how
objects move through the skies, and teach how to locate objects not listed in the
Starfinder database.
®
The name "Meade" and the Meade logo are trademarks registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal countries
throughout the world. All rights reserved.
©
2000 Meade Instruments Corporation