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a.
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.
matic left-to-right centering of the optical tube in the cradle.
Once in the cradle, the tube should pivot freely up and
down with gentle hand pressure. Note that the tube will
not yet be properly balanced, since the eyepiece and EZ
Finder II are not in place, and the CorrecTension system
has not been installed.
9. The rubber bumper (L) provides a convenient "stop" for the
telescope's altitude motion; it prevents the telescope mirror
cell from being knocked against the hard surface of the
base's front brace. Remove the backing from the rubber
bumper and position the bumper so it is positioned in the
spot where the optical tube (mirror cell) contacts the front
base as shown in Figure 4a and 4b. Press firmly so the
adhesive holds the bumper securely in place.
Installing the EZ Finder II
Using the included dovetail mounting bracket, the EZ Finder
II will slip neatly into the dovetail base preinstalled on your
SkyQuest optical tube. To attach the dovetail mounting bracket
to the EZ Finder II, loosen the two thumbscrews on the bottom
rail of the EZ Finder II. Slide the EZ Finder II onto the bracket
and tighten the two thumbscrews (See Figure 5). Then simply
slide the dovetail mounting bracket into the telescope's dove-
tail mounting base and tighten the thumbscrew on the base to
secure the mounting bracket.
Operation
The EZ Finder II works by projecting a tiny red dot (it's not a
laser beam) onto a lens mounted in the front of the unit. When
you look through the EZ Finder II, the red dot will appear to
float in space, helping you locate even the faintest of deep
space objects. The red dot is produced by a light-emitting
diode (LED) near the rear of the sight. A 3-volt lithium battery
provides the power for the diode.
Turn the power knob (see Figure 5) clockwise until you hear
the "click" indicating that power has been turned on. Look
through the back of the reflex sight with both eyes open to
see the red dot. Position your eye at a comfortable distance
from the back of the sight. In daylight you may need to cover
b.
Power
knob
Altitude
adjustment
knob
Thumbscrews
Figure 5.
The EZ Finder II
the front of the sight with your hand to be able to see the
dot, which is purposefully quite dim. The intensity of the dot
is adjusted by turning the power knob. For best results when
stargazing, use the dimmest possible setting that allows you
to see the dot without difficulty. Typically a dimmer setting is
used under dark skies and a bright setting is used under light-
polluted skies or daylight.
At the end of your observing session, be sure to turn the
power knob counterclockwise until it clicks off. When the white
dots on the EZ Finder II's body and power knob are lined up,
the EZ Finder II is turned off.
Installing the CorrecTension (XT) Friction
Optimization System
Perhaps the most exciting feature of the SkyQuest Dobsonians
is the CorrecTension Friction Optimization system. Because
of their light weight, 10" and smaller Dobsonians have always
been plagued by insufficient friction on the altitude bearing
surfaces. As a result, such telescopes move up and down
much too freely. This causes problems when the observer
tries to accurately center and track an object for viewing,
especially at higher powers. Also, the telescope becomes
very sensitive to balance, requiring additional equipment
such as counterweight systems or adjustable side bearings
to compensate.
SkyQuest Dobsonians employ a simple yet effective remedy
for the friction problem that obviates the need for such cum-
bersome countermeasures. CorrecTension Friction Optimization
utilizes a spring coil to "pull" the tube assembly down onto
the altitude bearing pads, thereby increasing the friction by
just the right amount. With CorrecTension, you can change
eyepieces, or add a barlow lens or solar filter without having
to tediously adjust the telescope's balance as you would with
other Dobsonians. The altitude friction will roughly equal the
azimuth friction, ensuring optimal performance.
To install the CorrecTension assembly, follow these steps
while referring to Figure 6:
1. Put one of the black nylon spacers on a black Phillips-head
screw. The spacer should be oriented so the narrow end
seats against the head of the screw. Slip one of the black
1/4" washers over the end of the screw. Now, thread the
screw into the hole in the base side panel just below the
Azimuth
adjustment
knob
Battery
casing
Dovetail
mounting
bracket
5
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