Observe The World Around You; Lesson 5: Using Starfinder's Arrow Keys; Motor Drive System And Starfinder Handbox Installation - Meade 4504 Instruction Manual

1
2
2
3
Fig. 12a: Plastic adapter
assembly.
1. Plastic adapter
2. Protrusions
3. Aluminum shaft
5
4
5
6
Fig. 12b: Motor drive
assembly.
4. Motor drive
5. Recesses
6. Notched shaft

Observe the World Around You

Practice observing during the day, when it is easier to become familiar with the con-
trols of your telescope.
1. Loosen the telescope's R.A. lock (26, Fig. 2b) and Dec lock (27, Fig. 2b).
2. Move your telescope to observe distant street signs, mountains, trees, and other
structures. Use your viewfinder to to help site-in an object.
3. When the object is centered in the viewfinder's crosshairs, remember to re-tighten
the R.A. and Dec locks.
4. Center the object in your eyepiece. Practice focusing with your eyepieces.
5. Once you get a feel for how your telescope moves and focuses, try to view
something more challenging, like a bird or a distant moving train.
LESSON 5: Observing Using Starfinder's Arrow Keys
Before you can observe using Starfinder's Arrow keys, the motor drive assemblies
and the Starfinder handbox must be attached to the telescope.

Motor Drive System and Starfinder Handbox Installation

To attach the Electronic Motor Drive System to the telescope, follow this procedure:
1. Locate the plastic adapter (2, Fig. 11) on the R.A. axis (1, Fig. 11). Note the
aluminum shaft (3, Fig. 12a) inside the adapter and the four small protrusions (2,
Fig. 12a) on the adapter's circular edge.
2. Locate the components of the R.A. motor drive (8, Fig. 11). Note the notched
plastic shaft (6, Fig. 12b) inside the circular housing on the side of the motor drive.
Also note the four small recesses (5, Fig. 12b) inside this housing.
NOTE: The R.A. motor drive has a connector for the battery pack that is
marked "15v."
3. Attach the R.A. motor drive to the R.A. axis: Align and slide the notch (6, Fig.
12b) of the plastic shaft of the R.A. motor drive over the aluminum shaft (3, Fig.
12a) inside the plastic adapter on the R.A. axis. Orient the R.A. motor drive box
as depicted in 8, Fig. 11.
4. Rotate the R.A. motor drive until you feel the four protrusions (2, Fig. 12a) on the
plastic adapter slide into the four matching recesses (5, Fig. 12b) inside the motor
drive.
5. Tighten the set screws: Tighten the two set screws (4, Fig. 11) to a firm feel only
with the supplied 1.5mm hex key. The set screws come attached to the motor
drive.
6. Repeat the process to attach the Dec electronic motor drive to the Dec axis (10,
Fig. 11). Orient the Dec motor drive box as depicted in 10, Fig. 11.
7. Attach Starfinder: Plug Starfinder's coiled cord into the connector (9, Fig. 11) on
the Dec motor box.
8. Install batteries: Install ten (user-supplied) AA-size batteries into the separate
battery pack and plug the battery pack into the connector (16, Fig. 1) on the R.A.
motor box (6, Fig. 11). The battery pack case has a strip of adhesive attached to
it. Remove the protective covering from the adhesive and attach the case to the
tripod, if so desired.
The Electronic Motor Drive System is now ready for operation.
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