instruction Manual Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic, XT8 Classic & XT10 Classic ® Dobsonian Reflecting Telescopes Customer Support (800)676-1343 E-mail: support@telescope.com Corporate Offices (831) 763-7000 Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076 OrionTelescopes.com IN 165 Rev.
Secondary mirror with 4-vane spider (not shown) EZ Finder II Eyepiece Focus knob Optical tube Altitude side bearing CorrecTension Friction Optimization System Right side panel Front brace Pull loop Handle Eyepiece Rack (optional) Left side panel Top baseplate Ground baseplate Figure 1.
Welcome to an exciting new world of adventure! Your SkyQuest Dobsonian is a high-quality optical instrument designed to bring you dazzling views of the outer reaches of our universe. Easy enough for kids to use, and portable enough for anyone to carry, the SkyQuest will provide fun and entertainment for the entire family. Whether you are brand-new to amateur astronomy or a seasoned stargazer, get ready for many evenings of enjoyment and fascination.
C C B Figure 3. Set the optical tube on the “cradle” of the base so that the altitude side bearings on the tube rest on the white plastic “pads,” and the finder is facing away from the front brace (Part B). L I J H E D K A F 3. Attach the two sides (C) with the front brace attached to the top baseplate (D) with the remaining six base assembly screws in the predrilled holes. Tighten all six screws. G 4. Tighten the six side panel screws installed earlier. Figure 2.
a. b. Figure 4. Position the tube on the mount pointed vertical. Place the rubber bumper “stop” where the mirror cell contacts the front base to cushion the impact. Figure 5. Using the two supplied screws, install the optional aluminum eyepiece rack in the predrilled holes about halfway down the left side panel of the base. (XT6 eyepiece rack shown) Once in the cradle, the tube should pivot freely up and down with gentle hand pressure.
Altitude side bearing Screw with round knob Black nylon spacers Spring Phillips-head screw (black) Pull loop 1/4" washer (black) a. Figure 7. Close-up view of the CorrecTension system, which pulls the tube assembly down onto the altitude bearing pads. used under dark skies and a bright setting is used under lightpolluted skies or d aylight. At the end of your observing session, be sure to turn the power knob counterclockwise until it clicks off.
2" eyepiece adapter Focus knobs 1.25" eyepiece adapter Focus lock thumbscrew Altitude Tension adjustment screw Figure 10. The 2" Crayford focuser (XT8 and XT10) Azimuth Figure 9. The SkyQuest has two axes of motion: altitude (up/ down) and azimuth (left/right). The CorrecTension system is now installed and engaged. If you wish to remove the telescope from the base, you will first need to disconnect the springs from the “posts” on the Dobsonian base.
Once aligned, EZ Finder II will usually hold its alignment even after being removed and remounted. Otherwise, only minimal realignment will be n eeded. Naked-eye view View through and telescope Figure 11. The view through a reflector telescope is upside down. which will lock the focuser drawtube in place once the telescope is properly focused.
a. b. c. more light-collecting area, or aperture, can yield higher magnifications than a smaller aperture telescope. The maximum practical magnification for any telescope, regardless of optical design, is about 60x per inch of aperture. This translates to about 360x for the SkyQuest XT6 and 480x for the XT8. Keep in mind that as magnification is increased, the brightness of the object being viewed will decrease; this is an inherent principle of the physics of optics and cannot be avoided.
drawtube Reflection of primary mirror clip a. b. c. d. e. Figure 13. Collimating the optics. (a) When the mirrors are properly aligned, the view down the focuser drawtube should look like this (b) With the collimation cap in place, if the optics are out of alignment, the view might look something like this. (c) Here, the secondary mirror is centered under the focuser, but it needs to be adjusted (tilted) so that the entire primary mirror is visible.
Figure 14. To center the secondary mirror under the focuser, hold the secondary mirror holder in place with one hand while adjusting the center bolt with a Phillips screwdriver. Do not touch the mirror’s surface! Figure 16. The three small thumbscrews that lock the primary mirror in place must first be loosened before any adjustments can be made. Figure 15. Adjust the tilt of the secondary mirror by loosening or Figure 17.
Cooling the Telescope All optical instruments need time to reach “thermal equilibrium” to achieve maximum stability of the lenses and mirrors, which is essential for peak performance. When moved from a warm indoor location to cooler air outside(or vice-versa), a telescope needs time to cool (or warm) to the outdoor temperature. The bigger the instrument and the larger the temperature change, the more time will be needed. Out of collimation Collimated Figure 18.
1.9 4.9 2.4 1.9 1.7 2.4 3.4 2.5 Figure 19. Megrez connects the Big Dipper’s handle to it's “pan”. It is a good guide to how conditions are. If you can not see Megrez (a 3.4 mag star) then conditions are poor. matter. Your eyes take about 30 minutes to reach perhaps 80% of their full dark-adapted sensitivity. Many observers notice improvements after several hours of total darkness.
shadows fall on the craters and canyon walls to give them definition. While the full moon may look like a tempting target, it is not optimal for viewing! The light is too bright and surface definition is low. Even at partial phases the Moon is very bright. Use of an optional Moon filter to helps to dim the glare. It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepiece. You’ll find the Moon filter improves viewing comfort, and helps bring out the subtle features of the lunar surface. B.
give you inverted images, keep this in mind when you are starhopping from star to star. Note About Astrophotography SkyQuest Dobsonians are designed for visual, not photographic use. The Dobsonian mount is not an equatorial-type mount, so it cannot be motor driven for long exposure astrophotography. SkyQuests have also been optically optimized for visual use, since photographic optimization degrades visual performance.
rors, the better. Small specks of dust or flecks of paint have virtually no effect on the visual performance of the telescope. 7. Specifications The large primary mirror and the elliptical secondary mirror of your telescope are front-surface aluminized and overcoated with hard silicon dioxide, which prevents the aluminum from oxidizing. These coatings normally last through many years of use before requiring re-coating, which is easily done.
SkyQuest XT 10" Primary mirror focal length: 1200mm Primary mirror diameter: 254mm, BK7 optical glass Focal Ratio: f/4.7 Focuser: Crayford, accepts 2" and 1.25" eyepieces with included adapter, collimatible Optical tube material: Rolled steel Eyepiece: 25mm Sirius Plössl, fully coated with multi‑coatings, 1.
One-Year Limited Warranty This Orion SkyQuest XT telescope 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.
