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permanent eye damage could result. Also, be sure to
cover the finder scope, or better yet, remove it altogether.
C. The Planets
The planets don't stay put like the stars, so to find them you
should refer to Sky Calendar at our website OrionTelescopes.
com, or use the IntelliScope Object Locator. Venus, Mars,
Jupiter, and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after
the Sun and the Moon. Your XX12 is capable of showing you
these planets in some detail. Other planets may be visible but
will likely appear star-like. Because planets are quite small in
apparent size, optional higher power eyepieces are recom-
mended and often required for detailed observations. Not all
the planets are usually visible at any one time.
Jupiter: The largest planet, Jupiter, is a great subject for
observation. You can see the disk of the giant planet and
watch the ever-changing positions of its four largest moons:
Io, Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede. Higher power eyepieces
should bring out the cloud bands on the planet's disk.
Saturn: The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight. The tilt angle
of the rings varies over a period of many years; sometimes
they are seen edge-on, while at other times they are broad-
side and look like giant "ears" on each side of Saturn's disk.
A steady atmosphere (good seeing conditions) is necessary
for a good view. Look closely and you may see the Cassini
division, a thin, dark gap in the rings. You should also see one
or more of Saturn's moons, which look like faint nearby stars.
The brightest is the moon Titan.
Venus: At its brightest, Venus is the most luminous object in
the sky, excluding the Sun and the Moon. It is so bright that
sometimes it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight!
Ironically, Venus appears as a thin crescent, not a full disk,
when at its peak brightness. Because it is so close to the Sun,
it never wanders too far from the morning or evening horizon.
No surface markings can be seen on Venus, which is always
shrouded in dense clouds.
Mars: The Red Planet makes a close approach to Earth every
two years. Observing Mars is most favorable at these times.
You should see a salmon-colored disk with some distinct dark
patches, and you may be able to spot a whitish polar ice cap.
To see surface detail on Mars, you will need a high power
eyepiece and very steady air!
D. The Stars
Stars will appear as tiny points of light. Even powerful tele-
scopes cannot magnify stars to appear as anything more than
pinpoints. 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; that is, objects that reside outside of our
solar system. These include gaseous nebulae, open and glob-
ular star clusters, and a variety of different types of galaxies.
The large aperture of the XX12 is particularly well suited
to gathering light, which is critical for observing these faint
celestial entities. For deep sky observing, it is important that
you find an observing site well away from light pollution. Take
plenty of time to let your eyes adapt to the darkness. 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 from these fascinating objects.
Beginners are often surprised to discover that the deep sky
objects they see in the eyepiece of a telescope are mostly
grayish, not colorful like those you see in long-exposure astro-
images. The reason is that our eyes are not sensitive to color
in faint light. Still, there is something very special about see-
ing an astronomical object in real time with your own eyes —
"live," if not in living color.
note about astro-imaging
The SkyQuest XX12 IntelliScope Truss Tube Dobsonian is
designed for visual, not imaging, use. The Dobsonian mount
is not an equatorial-type mount, so it cannot be motor driven
for long exposure astro-imaging. The telescope has also been
optically optimized for visual use, since photographic optimi-
zation degrades visual performance.
With that in mind, however, it is possible to do some simple
astro-imaging with the XX12. With the use of afocal imaging
techniques (where the camera is simply held to the eyepiece
to take a picture) and digital cameras, it is possible to capture
images of bright objects. Certain imaging accessories, such
as the Orion SteadyPix, can help in obtaining images by the
afocal method.
6. 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.
The telescope can be stored assembled or disassembled, but
be sure to keep the dust covers on the telescope when not
in use. We highly recommend storing the optical tube sec-
tions in the optional case set for the XX12. Small components
like eyepieces and other accessories should be kept in an
optional accessory case.
Your XX12 requires very little mechanical maintenance. The
optical tube is steel and has a painted finish that is fairly
scratch-resistant. If a scratch does appear on the tube, it will
not harm the telescope. Smudges on the tube or base can be
wiped off with a soft cloth and household cleaning fluid.
cleaning Eyepiece lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning
fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be used
to clean the exposed lenses of your eyepieces or finder scope.
Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for
eyeglasses. Before cleaning with fluid and tissue, however,
blow any loose particles off the lens with a blower bulb or com-
pressed air. Then apply some cleaning fluid to a tissue, never
directly on the optics. Wipe the lens gently in a circular motion,
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