Instruction Manual R-90 · R-102 · R-127S/L · R-152S · N-130 · N-150 · N-203
GENERAL INFORMATIONS / TEILESCOPE FEATURES g I f e d C B J 1$ 1# H 1# 1) 1! Fig. 1a: The Messier series telescope including a viewfinder with LED riticle (only MON2). Optical Assembly (Newtonian model shown). d B 1^ g f e R = Achromatic Refractor - Refracting telescope N = Newtonian - Reflecting telescope Technical Data on page 20! C 1% H 3% 3( 3& I Fig. 1b: Close up of focuser and viewfinder assembly (Standard viewfinder for MON1 models), Newtonian shown.
GENERAL INFORMATIONS / TEILESCOPE FEATURES 1& 3$ 1* 1( 2! 2$ 2^ 2@ 2# 3# 3@ 3! 3) 2( 2* 2^ 2& 1* 1( 2! 1& 2# 2@ 2$ 2& 3$ 3! 2( 2* 2^ Fig. 1d, top: The Messier series mount MON2 Fig. 1d, left: The Messier series mount MON1 WARNING! Never use a Messier-Series 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.
INHALTSVERZEICHNIS Chapter Page Messier series: Your personal window to the universe..................................................... 5 Description of the features ................................................... 5 Getting Started! – First Steps ............................................ 8 Telescope Assembly ........................................................... 8 How to Assemble Your Telescope ..................................... 8 Balancing the Telescope ..................................
TELESCOPE FEATURES Messier series: Your personal window to the universe The Messier series models are versatile, high-resolution telescopes. The Messier series models offer unmatched mechanical performance. The Messier series telescopes reveal nature in an ever-expanding level of detail. Observe the feather structure of an eagle from 50 yards or study the rings of the planet Saturn from a distance of 800 million miles.
TELESCOPE FEATURES 1& Impor tant: Before loosening the DEC lock, hold the optical tube in place; otherwise it might swing through and caus damage to the mount or even hurt the operator. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 2& Want to learn more about adjusting the latitude scale? See p. 12, step 6. 27 28 2( Want to learn more about the polar finder? See p. 27. DEFINITION: In this manual, you will find the terms “right aszension (RA), Declination (DEC), Elevation and Azimut”. These terms are explained on p.
TELESCOPE FEATURES 38 Tripod Leg Braces: Make the tripod more secure and stable. See Fig. 3. 39 Accessory Tray Thumbscrew: Attach on the top side of the tray and tighten to a firm feel to secure the tray to the tripod and keep the tripod stable. See How to assemble your telescope, page 8 for more information. 40 Tripod Leg Lock Knobs (one on each leg): Loosen these knobs to slide the inner leg extension. Tighten the knobs to a firm feel to lock in the height of the tripod..
FIRST STEPS leg braces Getting Started! – First Steps As you unpack your telescope, carefully note the following parts. The assembly is shipped in separate boxes. Telescope Assembly • Equatorial mount with polar alignment finder • Heavy duty, adjustable steel tube tripod with leg braces, three tripod leg lock knobs, and a captive mount locking knob • Complete optical tube assembly including primary mirror with dust cover and a rack-and-pinion focuser and eyepiece holders for both 1.
FIRST STEPS DEC-setting circle Shaft base Lock knob Shaft Counter weight Safety cap Fig. 6a: Attach counterweight assembly (MON1) A Cradle assembly set C B Fig. 7: Attach cradle to base mounting slot and tighten locking (MON2) A Cradle assembly B Fig. 7a: Attach cradle to base mounting and tighten locking (MON1) Cradle rings R/N Lock knobs Fig. 8: Place the optical tube in rings and loosely tighten the cradle ring lock knobs. R/N Fig. 9: Viewfinder assembly. Slide bracket into slot. 6.
FIRST STEPS N Eyepiece Viewfinder Holde r with a plastic strip between the two batteries to protect battery life. Unthread both the thumbscrew (F) and the threaded lid (E). Remove the plastic strip before using. Refer to the reticle assembly in Fig. 13b and note the orientation of the batteries. Place the batteries (C) into the battery holder (D) before inserting into the reticle container (A). NOTE: Remember to turn off the LED when you are not using the reticle.
FIRST STEPS Aligning the Viewfinder The wide field of view of the telescope's viewfinder (4, Fig. 1a) provides an easier way to initially sight objects than the main telescope's eyepiece (3, Fig. 1a), which has a much narrower field of view. If you have not already attached the viewfinder to the telescope tube assembly, follow the procedure described in step 9, page 9.
FIRST STEPS Collimation screws Eyepiece Holder Fig. 14: Viewfinder alignment (MON 2 viewfinder shown) Messier Tips Further Study.... This manual gives only the briefest introduction to astronomy. If you are interested in pursuing further studies in astronomy, a few topics are suggested below that are worth reading up on. Try looking up some of these in the optional Autostar glossary. Also included below is a small sampling of books, magazines, and organizations that you might find helpful. Topics Fig.
FIRST STEPS Choosing an Eyepiece A telescope’s eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescope’s main optics. Each eyepiece has a focal length, expressed in millimeters, or “mm.” The smaller the focal length, the higher the magnification. For example, an eyepiece with a focal length of 9mm has a higher magnification than an eyepiece with a focal length of 25mm. Your telescope comes supplied with a Plössl 25mm eyepiece which gives a wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution. Fig.
OBSERVATION Observation Important Note: Objects appear upside-down and reversed left-for-right when observed in the viewfinder. With refracting telescope models, objects viewed through the main telescope with the diagonal mirror in place are seen right-side-up, but reversed left-for-right. This image inversion is of no consequence when observing astronomical objects, and in fact all astronomical telescopes yield inverted images.
OBSERVATION Setting the Polar Home Position North Point optical tube to north Point counterweight shaft straight down over mount Level mount Point leg marked with star to north Fig. 16a: The polar home position, side view. 1. Level the mount, if necessary, by adjusting the length of the three tripod legs. 2. Unlock the R.A. Lock (33, Fig. 1d). Rotate the Optical Tube Assembly until the counterweight shaft is pointing straight down over the mount. See Figs. 16a and 16b. 3.
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE Maintenance Messier series telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due any precision instrument, your Messier will rarely, if ever, require factory servicing. Maintenance guidelines include: a.
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE Alignment (Collimation) of the Newtonian Optical System Note: The R-(refractor) models do not need any collimation All Bresser Newtonian telescopes are precisely collimated at the factory before packing and shipment, and it is probable that you will not need to make any optical adjustments before making observations. However, if the telescope sustained rough handling in shipment, you may need to recollimate the optical system.
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not force the 4 screws past their normal travel, and do not rotate any screw or screws more than 2 full turns in a counterclockwise direction (i.e., not more than 2 full turns in their "loosening" direction), or else the diagonal mirror may become loosened from its support. Note that the diagonal mirror collimation adjustments are very sensitive: generally turning a collimation screw 1/2-turn will have a dramatic effect on collimation. 3.
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE Customer Service If you have a question concerning your Messier series telescope, contact the Messier Customer Service Department. In the improbable case of a malfunction, please contact first the Bresser customer service before sending back the telescope. Please give complete error descriptions and specific information about the defective part. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to the factory.
TECHNICAL DATA R-102 Achromatic refractor Optical design Clear aperture Focal length Focal ratio Resolving power Coatings Mount MON2 RA + DEC drive system Max. practicle power Tripod Net weight achromatic refractor 4” = 102 mm 1000 mm f/10 1.11 arc sec multi coated Aluminium-Guß, German type equatorial flexible shafts 200x adjustable steel-tube field tripod 18.
TECHNICAL DATA N-150 Newtonian reflector Optical design Clear aperture Focal length Focal ratio Resolving power Mount MON2 RA + DEC drive system Max. practical power Tripod Net weight Newtonian reflector 6” = 150 mm 1200 mm f/8 0.76 arc sec Aluminium-Guß, German type equatorial flexible shafts 300x adjustable steel-tube field tripod 22.45 kg N-203 Newtonian Reflector Optical design Clear aperture Focal length Focal ratio Resolving power Mount MON2 RA + DEC drive system Max.
APPENDIX A: CELESTIAL COORDINATES Appendix A: Celestial coordinates For a sufficient tracking of an celestial object, the telescope mount has to be aligned with the celestial pole. By doing this, the mount’s axes are orientated in this way that they fit to the celesial sphere. If you want to align the telescope’s mount to the celestial pole, you need some knowledge in which way an object at the sky can be located while it is steadily moving across the sphere.
APPENDIX A: CELESTIAL COORDINATES Every celestial object can be exactly determined by these coordinates.Using setting circles prerequisites an advanced observing technique. If you use them for the first time, first point a bright star (the guide star) with known coordinates and adjust the setting circles to them. Now you can do a “star hop” to the next star with known coorditates and compare the setting circles with them.
APPENDIX A: CELESTIAL COORDINATES assistance in locating and centering objects, after the setting circles have been used to locate the approximate position of the object. Messier Tips Join an Astronomy Club. Attend a Star Party One of the best ways to increase your knowledge of astronomy is to join an astronomy club. Check your local newspaper, school, library, or telescope dealer/store to find out if there’s a club in your area.
APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART Appendix B: Latitude Chart Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the World To aid in the polar alignment procedure (see pages 17-21), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below. To determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your site. Then follow the procedure below: Northern hemisphere observers (N): If the site is over 70 miles (110 km) north of the listed city, add one degree for every 70 miles.
APPENDIX B: LATITUDE CHART UNITED STATES OF AMERICA City Albuquerque Anchorage Atlanta Boston Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit Honolulu Jackson Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Miami Milwaukee Nashville New Orleans New York Oklahoma City Philadelphia Phoenix Portland Richmond Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Seattle Washington Wichita Country New Mexico Alaska Georgia Massachusetts Illinois Ohio Texas Colorado Michigan Hawaii Mississippi Missouri Nevada Arkansas Kalif
APPENDIX C: POLAR ALIGNMENT Reticle LED knob Appendix C: Polar Alignment The Polar Alignment Viewfinder Eyepiece Fig. 35: The polar alignment viewfinder Normally, a rough alignment with the celestial pole is sufficient for visual purposes. However, for those observers who need to meet the more demanding requirements of astrophotography, the polar alignment viewfinder allows the telescope mount to be more precisely aligned with true North.
APPENDIX C: POLAR ALIGNMENT according to your local time. For the central european time, this is 15° E (do not use daylight savings). Calculate the difference between both longitudes; in our exampel with Munich, it is 3° N-7 b) Now set the secondary scale at your month ring (E 20 10...) to this difference. If your observing site is east of the time meridian, turn to “E”, if it is west of the meridian, turn to “W”. This setting has only to be changed when the observing site changes by more than 2-3°.
APPENDIX D: BASIC ASTRONOMY Appendix D: Basic astronomy In the early 17th century Italian Scientist Galileo, using a telescope smaller than your Messier, turned it skyward instead of looking at the distant trees and mountains. What he saw, and what he realized about what he saw, has forever changed the way mankind thinks about the universe.
APPENDIX D: BASIC ASTRONOMY Twelve Apollo astronauts left their bootprints on the Moon in the late 1960's and early 1970's. However, no telescope on Earth is able to see these footprints or any other artifacts. In fact, the smallest lunar features that may be seen with the largest telescope on Earth are about one-half mile across. Planets Fig. 44: Saturn with its ring system. Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun.
APPENDIX D: BASIC Difficult to imagine stellar distances? Learn more on p. 34 ASTRONOMY Constellations are large, imaginary patterns of stars believed by ancient civilizations to be the celestial equivalent of objects, animals, people, or gods. These patterns are too large to be seen through a telescope. To learn the constellations, start with an easy grouping of stars, such as the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Then, use a star chart to explore across the sky.
APPENDIX D: BASIC ASTRONOMY Fig. 47: The Andromeda Galaxy (M31), the biggest one in our local group. Messier-Tipps Star Charts Star charts and planisphere are very useful tools and are great aids in planning a night of celestial viewing. A wide variety of star charts are available in books, in magazines, on the internet and on CD Roms. For all Messier telscopes the star chart software „Cartes du Ciel“ is included with your purchase. Fig.
APPENDIX D: BASIC ASTRONOMY Distances in space Distance between Earth and Moon 383.000 km / 240’000 mi Earth Moon Diameter = 12’664 km Diameter = 3’456 km Distance between Planets Sun The distance between the Sun and our Earth is 150’000’000 km / 93’750’000 mi or 1 AU (Astronomical unit) Mercury Venus Earth Mars Distance to the sun = 0.39 AU Distance to the sun = 0.72 AU Distance to the sun = 1.00 AU Distance to the sun = 1.
APPENDIX E: STAR MAPS Winter Mirphak Castor Capella Pollux Alamak Scheat Algol Mirach Alpheratz Markab Alhena Hamal Procyon Aldebaran Beteigeuze Algenib Alcyone Bellatrix O W Menkar Sirius Rigel Fig. 50: Sky view (Beginning of January, ca. 22 h), Facing south Alpheratz S Alnath Mirach Algol Scheat Alamak Capella Pollux Mirphak Castor Shedir Deneb W Alderamin O Polaris Dubhe Kocab Alioth Mizar Fig. 50a: Sky view in winter (Beginning of
APPENDX E: STAR MAPS Spring Merak Alnath Castor Arcturus Pollux Althena Algieba Beteigeuze Denebola Regulus O W Procyon Spica Sirius Alphard Fig. 51: Sky view in spring (Beginning of April, ca. 22 h), facing south S Arcturus Castor Aldebaran Izar Merak Megrez Dubhe Capella W Algol Alioth Kocab Mirphak Polaris Mizar Alcor O Shedir Alderamin Abb. 51a: Sky view in spring (Beginning of April, ca.
APPENDIX E: STAR MAPS Summer Deneb Cor Caroli Vega Izar Albireo Arcturus Alphekka Altair O Rasalgethi Rasalhague Alshain W Spica Antares Fig. 52: Sky view in summer (Beginning of July, ca. 22 h), facing south S Vega Etamin Cor Caroli Deneb Mizar Alcor Alioth Megrez Merak Alderamin Kocab Dubhe W O Polaris Shedir Fig. 52a: Sky view in summer (Beginning of July ca.
APPENDIX E: STAR MAPS Autumn Deneb Alamak Albireo Mirach Alcyone Aldebaran Alpheratz Hamal Scheat Altair Markab Menkar O Enif Algenib W Mira Fomalhaut Fig. 53: Sky view in autumn (Beginning of October, ca. 22 h), facing south S p Mirach Albireo Aldebaran Alamak Deneb Algol Alnath Shedir Mark ab Capella Vega Etamin W O Polaris Kocab Thuban Dubhe Merak Megrez Fig. 53a: Sky view in autumn (Beginning of October, ca.
If you have a question concerning your Messier series telescope, contact the Messier Customer Service Department. In the improbable case of a malfunction, please contact first the Bresser customer service before sending back the telescope. Please give complete error descriptions and specific information about the defective part. The great majority of servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return of the telescope to the factory.
