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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 placed
over the front aperture of your telescope, 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 gorgeous 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 globular 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.
Do not expect these objects to appear like the photographs
you see in books and on the internet; most will look like dim
gray smudges. Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color
in deep-sky objects except in a few of the brightest ones. But
as you become more experienced and your observing skills
get sharper, you will be able to ferret out more and more subtle
details and structure.
VI. Telescope Care and
Maintenance
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a life-
time. Store it in a clean, dry, dust free place, safe from rapid
changes in temperature and humidity. Do not store the tele-
scope outdoors, although storage in a garage or shed is OK.
Small components like eyepieces and other accessories should
be kept in a protective box or storage case. Keep the caps on
the front of the telescope and on the focuser drawtube when
not in use.
When bringing the telescope inside after an evening's view-
ing it is normal for moisture to accumulate on the lenses and
mirrors due to the change in temperature. We suggest leaving
12
the telescope and eyepieces uncovered overnight to allow the
condensation to evaporate.
Cleaning the Telescope's Optics
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning
fluid specifically designed for 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.
Cleaning Lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning
fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be used
to clean the AstroView's objective lens or the exposed lenses of
your eyepieces or finder scope. Never use regular glass cleaner
or cleaning fluid designed for eye glasses. Before cleaning with
fluid and tissue, blow any loose particles off the lens with a
blower bulb or compressed air. 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. For the large surface of the objective lens, clean only
a small area at a time, using a fresh lens tissue on each area.
Never reuse tissues.
Replacing the EZ Finder II's Battery
Should the EZ Finder II's battery ever die, you will need to
replace it with a fresh one. Replacement 3-volt lithium batteries
(CR2032) are available from many retail outlets. Remove the old
battery by inserting a small flat-head screwdriver into the slot on
the battery cover (Figure 17A) and gently prying open the cover.
Then carefully pull back on the retaining clip and remove the old
battery. Do not over-bend the retaining clip! Then slide the new
battery under the retaining clip with the positive (+) side facing
the retaining clip (Figure 17B). Finally, replace the battery cover.
VII. Useful 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.
•
Motor Drive – A motor drive, which attaches to the right
ascension axis of an equatorial telescope mount, enables
your telescope to "track" the motion of stars and other celes-
tial objects as they drift slowly from east to west in the night
sky. This keeps them in the eyepiece field of view indefinitely,
instead of drifting out of sight.
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