Orion StarBlast 4.5 Manuals

MEO Central Library (757) 385-0150 and the Library Telescope Program of the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through this telescope or its finder scope — even for an instant — as permanent eye damage could result. Do not point the telescope at the Sun, as parts will melt! Children should use this telescope only with adult supervision. Orion StarBlast 4.5" Telescope Orion StarBlast 4.5" Telescope INSTRUCTION MANUAL Introduction The BBAA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit scientific and educational organization dedicated to “Bringing Astronomy to the People of Hampton Roads.” Founded on December 14, 1978, we are a group of amateur astronomers drawn together by a common interest in observational astronomy. The BBAA is an active member society of the Astronomical League [1] and a part of NASA’s Night Sky Network [2]. Visit backbayastro.org [3] to see our calendar of events, club information, newsletters and links to astronomy-related sites. If you have a question for us please send an e-mail to [email protected] [4]. Please feel free to bring this telescope and join us at our free monthly Skywatch event at the Northwest River Park in Chesapeake, VA. The BBAA provides ongoing support in education and maintenance of this telescope to our library partners. Our goal is for you to gain a better understanding and appreciation of our universe through your experience with the telescope. We hope you enjoy using it. The BBAA would like to thank The New Hampshire Astronomical Society who originally created this instruction manual. 2 Telescope Parts 1) Eyepiece (Zoom 8 to 24 mm) 2) EZ Finder with AA battery box (See picture below) 3) Telescope tube 4) Focuser (See picture below) 5) Tube Clamp 6) Altitude Clamp 7) Mirror Assembly 8) Support 9) Handle 10) Eyepiece rack (removed) 11) Eyepieces 12) Mount Feet 13) Secondary Mirror Screws 14) Secondary Mirror 3 DO NOT TRY TO ADJUST THE ITEMS IN RED

1 Lynbrook Public Library 56 Eldert Street Lynbrook, NY 11563 516-599-8630 Orion StarBlast 4.5" Telescope INSTRUCTION MANUAL June 2015 WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through this telescope or its finder scope — even for an instant — as permanent eye damage could result. Do not point the telescope at the Sun, as parts will melt! Children should use this telescope only with adult supervision. NEVER POINT THIS TELESCOPE AT THE SUN! 2 Telescope Parts 1) Eyepiece (Zoom 8 to 24 mm) 2) EZ Finder (replaced with finder scope) 3) Telescope Tube 4) Focuser 5) Tube Clamp 6) Altitude Clamp 7) Mirror Assembly 8) Support 9) Handle 10) Eyepiece Rack (removed) 11) Extra Eyepiece (removed) 12) Rubber Feet 13) Focus Wheels 14) Eyepiece securing screws (replaced) 3 The Telescope This is a reflector telescope which has a primary mirror (4.5 inches wide) at the bottom of the tube that reflects and bends the light coming into the tube to a point near the top of the tube where it bounces off a secondary mirror and directs it to the eyepiece where an image is formed and magnified. The eyepiece is a Zoom eyepiece which enables you to change the setting from 8mm to 24mm thereby increasing the magnification and decreasing the field of view. Although we have tried to make the telescope simple to use and care for, it is still a very delicate instrument. Please handle it gently and in will serve library users for years to come. Transporting the Telescope The easiest way to carry the scope is to place your forearm under the telescope tube when it is in a level position, and lift, holding the upright support against your side. When in a car, simply place the scope on a seat and use a seatbelt to secure it. The lap belt goes across the base, and the chest belt should cross the tube. When not in use, please keep the telescope in the padded container. Care and Maintenance of the Telescope Regarding cleaning the lenses or mirrors: Don’t. Let the Librarian know if they seem dirty. Eyepieces can get dirty fairly quickly, particularly when poked with fingers. Please don’t poke them as it’s very easy to scratch the coatings. Aligning the Mirrors: Again, please don’t. If it seems that the telescope is in need of adjustment, please tell the Librarian. Fog on the mirrors and eyepieces: One of the odd things that happens when stargazing is that dew forms on pretty much everything (and everyone). The primary mirror is tucked safely down at the bottom of the telescope, and so it does not get much dew on it. Eyepieces, however, often have dew form on them, making them useless until they warm up and dry out. If the eyepiece fogs up, wrap your hands around it for a few moments. As it warms up, the fog should disappear. Please don’t wipe the lens with a tissue or cloth as it has special coatings on it that could be damaged if you do. Please ask people to not touch the lens… ever. The eyepiece chart on the telescope shows what magnification you will have for each setting of the Zoom eyepiece. The “True Field” describes the width of the image in the eyepiece. A full Moon is 30 minutes of a degree (or ½ of a degree) wide, so you could fit about 4 full Moons in the field of view when using the 8mm setting. Change the Zoom setting until your target fits the eyepiece the way you like. You will have to tweak the focus. 4 Modifications: We have tried to make this telescope very easy to use and hard to damage or lose parts. Many screws and knobs are covered, glued into place or otherwise made difficult to turn. Please do not try to tighten or loosen any screws or knobs. As described in this manual, you can move the focus wheels and you can turn the Zoom eyepiece to change the power of magnification but please do not try to turn any other screws or knobs. The various covers and caps are tied to the telescope to prevent loss. Please do not detach the various strings. Getting Started Please read the instructions and practice with the telescope inside before you take it out in the dark. The image will be much better if you let the telescope cool down to air temperature before you start observing. This is a “push-to” telescope. Once you find what you are looking for, you can either watch the object move through your “field of view” (what you see through the eyepiece) and then reposition the telescope, or keep pushing the scope to hold the object in the center of the eyepiece. The objects move through the field of view primarily due to the rotation of the Earth. Objects appear to move across the field of view faster at higher magnifications. This is because the field of view becomes narrower. Like many reflector telescopes, the image in the eyepiece is upside-down. When looking at star charts you will have to keep this in mind. Do You Wear Eyeglasses? If so, you will probably be able to observe with your glasses off by just refocusing the telescope to your unaided vision. If your eyes are astigmatic, images will probably appear best with glasses on. This is because a telescope’s focuser can accommodate for nearsightedness or farsightedness, but not astigmatism. This is important enough to say again: WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through this telescope or its finder scope - even for an instant - as permanent eye damage could result. Young children should use this telescope only with adult supervision. NEVER POINT THIS TELESCOPE AT THE SUN!

1 The Claremont Galactic Space Viewer Orion StarBlast 4.5” Reflector Telescope INSTRUCTION MANUAL Claremont Public Library 208 North Harvard Avenue Claremont, CA 91711 (909) 621-4902 This telescope is made available by the Friends of the Claremont Library (http://www.claremontlibrary.org/) and fostered by the Pomona Valley Amateur Astronomers (http://pvaa.us/) For telescope maintenance, please contact Mathew Wedel [email protected] (preferred) or [email protected] 2 "The best thing that we're put here for's to see; The strongest thing that's given us to see with's a telescope. Someone in every town seems to me owes it to the town to keep one. In Littleton it may as well be me." Brad McLaughlin, quoted by Robert Frost in “The Star Splitter” And that works in Claremont, too! WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through your telescope or its finder scope — even for an instant — as permanent eye damage could result. Do not point the telescope at the Sun, as parts will melt! Children should use this telescope only with adult supervision. 3 Telescope Parts 1) Eyepiece 2) EZ Finder 3) Optical tube 4) Focuser 5) Tube Clamp 6) Altitude Clamp 7) Mirror Assembly (don‟t touch) 8) Support 9) Handle 10) Eyepiece rack 11) Eyepiece 12) Feet

1 Syosset Public Library Orion StarBlast 4.5" Telescope INSTRUCTION MANUAL Syosset Public Library 225 South Oyster Bay Road Syosset, NY 11791 516.921.7161 ● www.syossetlibrary.org 2 WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through the telescope or its finder scope — even for an instant — or permanent eye damage could result. Do not point the telescope at the Sun, as parts will melt! Children should use this telescope ONLY with adult supervision. 3 Telescope Parts 1) Eyepiece (replaced with zoom eyepiece 8 to 24 mm – glued in) 2) EZ Finder Scope (remember to turn off when not in use) 3) Telescope tube 4) Focuser 5) Tube Clamp 6) Altitude Clamp (please do not turn this) 7) Mirror Assembly (please do not turn these screws) 8) Support 9) Handle 10) Eyepiece rack (removed) 11) Eyepiece (replaced by zoom eyepiece) 12) Feet Focuser Details 13) Focus wheels 14) Eyepiece securing screws (glued in 9place please do not try to turn)

1 Orion StarBlast 4.5" Reflector Telescope USER MANUAL This telescope was generously donated by the Smaby Family Foundation The Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory and our team of dedicated docents provide ongoing support in the education and maintenance of this telescope. (760) 341-7323 | ranchomiragelibrary.org | [email protected] 2 Orion StarBlast 4.5" Telescope Reflector MANUAL DE USUARIO Este telescopio fue generosamente donado por la Fundación Familiar Smaby La Biblioteca y Observatorio de Rancho Mirage y nuestro equipo de dedicados voluntarios ofrecen apollo en la educación y mantenimiento de este telescopio. (760) 341-7323 | ranchomiragelibrary.org | [email protected] 3 CAUTION: Please read! Children should use this telescope with adult supervision. Do not insert or drop anything into the optical tube. Do not attempt to clean the optics. If dirty, please contact the library. Do not touch the mirrors or the eyepiece lens glass. Do not look at the sun with this telescope, it is not designed for safe solar viewing. Severe and permanent eye damage will occur if the sun is observed with this telescope! The basics of the Library Telescope Program were originally conceived by the New Hampshire Astronomical Society, with the St. Louis Astronomical Society adding numerous helpful resources to the program. The Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory greatly appreciates their efforts in establishing a library telescope program.