FIRSTSCOPE 70 & 90 EQ TELESCOPE INSTRUCTION MANUAL Firstscope 70 EQ - #21076 ● Firstscope 90 EQ - #21085
17 1 2 16 3 15 14 4 5 13 6 12 7 11 8 10 9 Firstscope Refractor 70mm EQ shown 2
IDENTIFYING PARTS OF YOUR FIRSTSCOPE 1. Telescope Tube 10. Tripod 2. Tube Ring 11. Counterweight 3. Star Pointer Finderscope 12. Counterweight Bar 4. Eyepiece 13. Right Ascension Slow Motion Cable 5. Star Diagonal 14. Right Ascension Setting Circle 6. Focuser 15. Equatorial Mount 7. Declination Slow Motion Cable 16. Declination Circle 8. Latitude Adjustment Screws 17. Objective Lens 9. Eyepiece Accessory Tray INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing this Celestron Refractor Telescope.
Assembling Your Telescope 1) Your Firstscope telescope should include all of the following: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l.
10) Loosen the set screw on the star diagonal so that it does not obstruct the inner diameter of the barrel. Insert the chrome barrel of the 20mm eyepiece into the diagonal and tighten the set screw. See Figure B 11) Locate the StarPointer finderscope. Remove the knurled nuts on the threaded posts at the focuser end of the telescope tube. Mount the Star Pointer bracket by placing the bracket over the posts protruding from the tube and tightening it down with the knurled nuts.
2. To turn on the Star Pointer, slide the On/Off switch to the 1 "On" position. To increase the brightness level of the red dot, slide the switch to the 2 "On" position. 3. Locate a bright star or planet and center it in a low power eyepiece in the main telescope. 4. With both eyes open, look through the glass window at the alignment star. 5. If the Star Pointer is perfectly aligned, you will see the red LED dot overlap the alignment star.
Figure 3 - Balancing in Declination Figure 2 - Balancing in R.A. Telescope Basics A telescope is an instrument that collects and focuses light. The nature of the optical design determines how the light is focused. Some telescopes, known as refractors, use lenses. Other telescopes, known as reflectors, use mirrors. Your Firstscope telescope is a refractor telescope that use an objective lens to collect its light.
The Celestial Coordinate System To help find objects in the sky, astronomers use a celestial coordinate system that is similar to our geographical coordinate system here on Earth. The celestial coordinate system has poles, lines of longitude and latitude, and an equator. For the most part, these remain fixed against the background stars. The celestial equator runs 360 degrees around the Earth and separates the northern celestial hemisphere from the southern.
description of stellar motions also applies to the southern hemisphere except all stars south of the celestial equator move around the south celestial pole.) Latitude Scales The easiest way to polar align a telescope is with a latitude scale. Unlike other methods that require you to find the celestial pole by identifying certain stars near it, this method works off of a known constant to determine how high the polar axis should be pointed (see figure 10).
3. Adjust the mount in altitude and/or azimuth until Polaris is in the field of view of the finder. 4. Center Polaris in the field of the telescope using the fine adjustment controls on the mount. Remember, while Polar aligning, do NOT move the telescope in R.A. or DEC. You do not want to move the telescope itself, but the polar axis. The telescope is used simply to see where the polar axis is pointing. Like the previous method, this gets you close to the pole but not directly on it.
Figure 12 The two stars in the front of the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris which is less than one degree from the true (north) celestial pole. Cassiopeia, the “W” shaped constellation, is on the opposite side of the pole from the Big Dipper. The North Celestial Pole (N.C.P.) is marked by the “+” sign.
MAGNIFICATION (POWER) The magnification (or power) of a telescope is variable depending upon the focal length of the eyepiece being used along with the focal length of the telescope. In equation format, the formula looks like this: Magnification = FL(telescope) FL( eyepiece) To determine the magnification using the standard 20mm eyepiece, simply divide the focal length of your telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece (20mm).
CELESTIAL OBSERVING Now that your telescope is set up, you’re ready to use it for observing. This section covers visual observing for both solar system and deep-sky objects. Observing the Moon In the night sky, the moon is a prime target for your first look because it is extremely bright and easy to find. Although the beauty of the full moon may make it seem a perfect viewing object, in fact, the light reflected from its fully illuminated face can be overpowering.
Observing Deep-Sky Objects Deep-sky objects are simply those objects outside the boundaries of our solar system. They include star clusters, planetary nebulae, diffuse nebulae, double stars and other galaxies outside our own Milky Way. Unlike the sun, moon and our five major planets, most deep-sky objects are not visible to the naked eye. Finding them requires a method called star hopping. Celestron Sky Maps (#93722) can help you locate the brightest deep-sky objects.
condition and five the best. Seeing conditions can be classified in one of three categories. The definitions of these categories are based on the causes of the different seeing conditions. Type 1 seeing conditions are characterized by rapid changes in the image seen through the telescope. Extended objects, like the moon, appear to shimmer while point sources (stars) appear double. Type 1 seeing is caused by air currents within, or very close to, the telescope tube.
SPECIFICATIONS #21076 Optical System: Refractor Aperture: 70mm (2.8") Focal Length: 900mm F/ratio: f/13 Focuser Rack and Pinion Standard Oculars (or 20mm 1¼" (45x) Eyepieces) 10mm 1¼" (90x) Resolution 1.7 arc seconds Light gathering Power 100x unaided eye Limiting Magnitude 11.4 Highest useful Power 142x NOTE: Specifications are subject to change without notice. #21085 Refractor 90mm (3.5") 1000mm f/11 Rack and Pinion 20mm 1¼" (50x) 10mm 1¼" (100x) 1.3arc seconds 165x unaided eye 12.
• Ultima - Ultima is our 5-element, wide field eyepiece design. In the 1-1/4" barrel diameter, they are available in the following focal lengths: 5mm, 7.5mm, 10mm, 12.5mm, 18mm, 30mm, 35mm, and 42mm. These eyepieces are all parfocal. • Axiom – As an extension of the Ultima line, a new wide angle series is offered – called the Axiom series. All units are seven element designs and feature a 70º extra wide field of view (except the 50mm).
black. You can see detail in sunspots, bright faculae near the limb and the mottled areas known as granules with these filters. The Sun offers constant changes and will keep your observing interesting and fun. Even small aperture telescopes can enjoy features of the Sun. T-Adapter (#93625) - T-Adapter (with additional T-Ring) allows you to attach your SLR camera to the rear cell of your Celestron telescope.
CELESTRON TWO YEAR WARRANTY A. Celestron warrants this telescope to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years. Celestron will repair or replace such product or part thereof which, upon inspection by Celestron, is found to be defective in materials or workmanship. As a condition to the obligation of Celestron to repair or replace such product, the product must be returned to Celestron together with proof-of-purchase satisfactory to Celestron. B.
Celestron 2835 Columbia Street Torrance, CA 90503 U.S.A. Tel. (310) 328-9560 Fax. (310) 212-5835 Web site at www.celestron.com Copyright 2004 Celestron All rights reserved. (Products or instructions may change without notice or obligation.) Item # 21076-INST $10.