Diagonal Holder Adjustments - Meade 114EQ-AR Instruction Manual

COLLIMATION (ALIGNMENT)
OF OPTICS
All Meade 114 EQ-AR
telescopes are optically
aligned at the factory prior to
shipment. It is unlikely that you will
need to align, or collimate, the optics
after receipt of the instrument.
However, if the telescope received
unusually rough handling in
shipment, it is possible that the
optics must be re aligned for best
optical performance. In any case this
alignment procedure is simple, and requires
only a few minutes the very first time the
telescope is used. Take the time to
familiarize yourself with the following
collimation procedure, so that you will
recognize a properly collimated instrument
and can adjust the collimation yourself,
if necessary.
A. CORRECT COLLIMATION
The properly collimated (aligned) mirror
Meade114EQ_AR 4/13/06 4:08 PM
system in the Meade 114 EQ-AR assures
the sharpest images possible. This occurs
when the primary mirror and diagonal
mirror are tilted so that the focused image
16
falls directly through the center of the
focuser drawtube. These mirror tilt
adjustments are made with the diagonal
assembly and the primary mirror cell
(Fig. 11) and will be discussed later.
The Newtonian Reflecting Telescope
To inspect the view of the mirror
collimation, look down the
focuser drawtube with the
eyepiece removed. The edge of
the focuser drawtube (1, Fig.
14), will frame the reflections of
the primary mirror with the 3
mirror clips (2, Fig. 14), the
Page 18
diagonal mirror (3, Fig. 14), the
spider vanes (4, Fig. 14), and
your eye (5, Fig. 14). Properly
aligned, all of these reflections
Diagonal
Assembly
Diagonal Mirror
Focused Image
will appear concentric (i.e., centered)
as illustrated in Fig. 14.
Any deviation from the concentric
reflections will require adjustments to
the diagonal assembly and/or the
Fig. 11
primary mirror cell (Fig. 11).
B. DIAGONAL HOLDER
ADJUSTMENTS
If the diagonal mirror (1, Fig. 15) is
centered in the drawtube (2, Fig. 15),
but the primary mirror is only partially
visible in the reflection (3, Fig. 15), the 3
Phillips-head diagonal tilt screws (To adjust
these screws you must first remove an
adhesive backing) must be unthreaded
slightly to the point of where you
can tilt the diagonal holder from
side-to-side by grasping the
diagonal holder with your hand
and tilt until you see the primary
mirror become as centered in the
Fig. 12
reflection of the diagonal mirror
as possible. Once you are at the
best position, thread in the 3
Phillips-head diagonal tilt screws
to lock the rotational position.
Then, if necessary, make
Primary Mirror
Diagonal Assembly
Primary Mirror-Tilt
Screws
1
2
3