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must first remove the eyepiece from the focuser to attach a
filter). You'll find that the Moon filter improves viewing comfort,
and helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar surface.
B. The Planets
The planets don't stay put like the stars, so to find them you
should refer to the monthly star charts at OrionTelescopes.
com, or to charts published monthly in Astronomy, Sky &
Telescope, or other astronomy magazines. Venus, Mars,
Jupiter, and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after the
Sun and the Moon. Other planets may be visible but will likely
appear star-like. Because planets are quite small in apparent
size, optional higher-power eyepieces or a Barlow lens are rec-
ommended and often needed for detailed observations.
B. The Sun
You can change your nighttime telescope into a daytime Sun
viewer by installing an optional full-aperture solar filter over the
front opening of the telescope. The primary attraction is sun-
spots, which change shape, appearance, and location daily.
Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activity in the Sun.
Many observers like to make drawings of sunspots to monitor
how the Sun is changing from day to day.
Important Note: Do not look at the Sun with any optical
instrument without a professionally made solar filter, or
permanent eye damage could result.
D. The Stars
Stars will appear like twinkling points of light. Even powerful
telescopes cannot magnify stars to appear as more than a
point of light. You can, however, enjoy the different colors of
the stars and locate many pretty double and multiple stars. The
famous "Double-Double" in the constellation Lyra and the gor-
geous two-color double star Albireo in Cygnus are favorites.
Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out its color.
E. Deep-Sky Objects
Under dark skies, you can observe a wealth of fascinating
deep-sky objects, including gaseous nebulas, open and globu-
lar star clusters, and different types of galaxies. Most deep-sky
objects are very faint, so it is important you find an observing
site well away from light pollution.
To find deep-sky objects with your telescope, you first need
to become reasonably familiar with the night sky. Unless you
know how to recognize the constellation Orion, for instance,
you won't have much luck locating the Orion Nebula. A simple
planisphere, or star wheel, can be a valuable tool for learning
the constellations and seeing which ones are visible in the sky
on a given night. Once you have identified a few constellations,
a good star chart, atlas, or astronomy app will come in handy
for helping locate interesting deep-sky objects to view within
the constellations.
VI. Optional Accessories
• Moon Filter – A 1.25" Moon filter will cut down the strong
glare of sunlight reflected from the Moon, making Moon
viewing more comfortable and revealing more surface
detail. The filter threads into the bottom of the eyepieces
that came with your telescope.
• Barlow Lens – A 2x Barlow lens doubles the magnify-
ing power of any eyepiece it's used with, giving you a big
power boost to get in closer to your target object. You just
insert it between the diagonal and the eyepiece.
• Planisphere – A nifty "star wheel" that shows what stars
and constellations are visible in the sky at any time of any
night. Just set the date and time see a mini representation
of your local night sky. Great for identifying constellations
and planning an evening's observing session.
• Solar Filter – We offer special "safety film" and coated
glass solar filters that fit over the front of the telescope to
allow safe viewing of the Sun. Check out the ever-chang-
ing pattern of sunspots!
• Smartphone Photo Adapter – Holds your smartphone up
to the telescope's eyepiece so you can take consistently
sharp, well focused, high-magnification photos through
the telescope.
VII. Telescope Care and
Maintenance
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a lifetime.
Store it in a clean, dry, dust-free place, safe from rapid chang-
es in temperature and humidity. Do not store the telescope
outdoors, although storage in a garage or shed is okay. Small
components like eyepieces and other accessories should be
kept in a protective box or storage case. Keep the dust cover
on the front of the telescope when it is not in use.
Your refractor telescope requires very little mechanical main-
tenance. The optical tube has a smooth painted finish that is
fairly scratch-resistant. If a scratch does appear on the tube, it
will not harm the telescope. If you wish, you may apply some
auto touch-up paint to the scratch. Smudges on the tube can
be wiped off with a soft cloth and household cleaning fluid.
Cleaning Optics
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean-
ing fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be
used to clean the lenses of your telescope and eyepieces.
Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed
for eyeglasses. Before cleaning, remove any loose particles
or dust from the lens with a blower bulb or soft brush. Then
apply some cleaning fluid to a tissue, never directly on the
optics. Wipe the lens gently in a circular motion, then remove
any excess fluid with a fresh lens tissue. Oily fingerprints and
smudges may be removed using this method. Use caution;
rubbing too hard may scratch the lens. On larger lenses, clean
only a small area at a time, using a fresh lens tissue on each
area. Never reuse tissues.
When bringing the telescope inside after an evening's viewing
it is normal for moisture to accumulate on the lenses due to
the change in temperature. We suggest leaving the telescope
and eyepieces uncovered overnight to allow the condensation
to evaporate.
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