Getting Started; Parts Listing; How To Assemble Your Telescope; Choosing An Eyepiece - Meade ETX-70AT Instruction Manual

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1
3
4
Fig. 4: View of the ETX tele-
scope showing six AA-size
batteries mounted inside the
battery compartment:
(1) Battery Compartment
(2) Battery Holder
(3) 9v Connector
(4) Battery Holder Connector
Fig.5: MA 25mm and
MA 9mm eyepieces.

10 Getting Started

GETTING STARTED

Parts Listing

Getting the telescope ready for first observations requires only a few minutes. When first open-
ing the packing box, note carefully the following parts:
• The ETX Astro Telescope with fork mount system.
• #494 Autostar handbox with attached coil cord.
• MA 25mm and MA 9mm eyepieces, each packed in a plastic storage container.
• Hex-wrench, packed with the instruction manual. See "GENERAL MAINTENANCE,"
page 27.

How to Assemble Your Telescope

Assembly of the ETX telescope requires only six AA-size (user-supplied) batteries and a few, simple steps:
1. The telescope's battery compartment (1, Fig. 4) is located on top of the drive base. Open
the battery compartment by lifting the release latch and pulling it away from the drive base.
2. Remove the battery holder from the compartment and carefully lift the 9v connector out
from the compartment. Take care not to accidentally detach the wires of the battery con-
nector from the base. Whenever you replace the batteries, to safeguard the wires, dis-
connect the 9v connector from the battery holder before removing the batteries.
3. Insert six AA-size batteries into the battery holder, oriented as shown on the diagram on
the battery slots of the battery holder. Insert the center battery on each side last for easi-
er installation. Connect the 9v connector plug to the battery holder. Carefully replace the
battery holder back into the battery compartment. Replace the cover.
CAUTION: Use care to install batteries as indicated by the battery compartment.
Follow battery manufacturer's precautions. Do not install batteries backwards or
mix new and used batteries. Do not mix battery types. If these precautions are not
followed, batteries may explode, catch fire, or leak. Improperly installed batteries
void your Meade warranty. Always remove the batteries if they are not to be used
for a long period of time.
4. Be certain that the power switch on the computer control panel (10C, Fig. 1) is in the OFF
position. Plug the coil cord of the Autostar Controller into the HBX port (10A, Fig. 1).
NOTE: Autostar does not require batteries; the telescope's batteries supply power
to Autostar.
Remove the MA 25mm eyepiece (1, Fig. 1) from its container and place it in the eyepiece
5.
holder (3, Fig. 1). Tighten the thumbscrew (2, Fig. 1) to a "firm feel" only. Unscrew the dust
cover counterclockwise to remove it from the telescope.
Basic assembly of the telescope is now complete.

Choosing an Eyepiece

A telescope's eyepiece magnifies the image formed by the telescope's main optics. Each eye-
piece 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 two standard eyepieces. The MA 25mm eyepiece gives a
wide, comfortable field of view with high image resolution, while the MA 9mm eyepiece pro-
vides a smaller field of view but higher magnification when seeing conditions permit.
Low power eyepieces offer a wide field of view, bright, high-contrast images, and eye relief dur-
ing long observing sessions. To find an object with a telescope, always start with a low power
eyepiece such as the MA 25mm. When the object is located and centered in the eyepiece, you
may wish to switch to a higher power eyepiece to enlarge the image as much as practical for
prevailing seeing conditions.
NOTE: Seeing conditions vary widely from night-to-night and site-to-site. Turbulence
in the air, even on an apparently clear night, can distort images. If an image
appears fuzzy and ill-defined, back off to a lower power eyepiece for a more well-
resolved image (Fig. 7a and 7b).