Aligning The Viewfinder; Collimation Of The Optical System - Meade Starfinder 16 Instruction Manual

D. ALIGNING THE VIEWFINDER
The viewfinder will require alignment, or collimation, with the main telescope, in order that the viewfinder and
the main telescope are parallel and point to the same position.
1. Insert the 25mm eyepiece and focus the main telescope on a convenient land target by turning the
focuser pinion knobs. This target should be a well-defined, specific point (e.g. the top of a telephone
pole or the corner of a building) at least 200 yards distant.
2. Center the selected target in the main telescope's field of view.
3. Tighten or loosen, as appropriate, the viewfinder's collimation thumb screws (there are six of these
screws located on the viewfinder bracket rings) until the crosshairs of the viewfinder are precisely
centered on the object already centered in the main telescope.
With this collimation accomplished, objects located first in the wide-field viewfinder will then be centered in
the main telescope's field of view.
E. COLLIMATION OF THE OPTICAL SYSTEM
Precise collimation, or alignment, of your telescope's optical system is essential for good performance. All
Meade telescopes are accurately collimated at the factory prior to shipment, so collimation adjustments will
probably not be necessary. Nevertheless, take the time now to familiarize yourself with the following
collimation procedure so that you may recognize a properly collimated instrument and adjust the collimation
yourself, if necessary:
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1. Reflection of eye
2. Diagonal mirror
3. Reflection of primary mirror
4. Focuser drawtube
1. Remove the eyepiece from the focuser and look directly at the diagonal mirror located inside the upper
end of the optical tube. Within its reflection you will see the main mirror, a reflection of the diagonal
mirror, and your eye, each centered within each other, and with respect to the bottom edge of the focuser
drawtube. (Refer to Figure .)
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(optional accessory)
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5. Secondary mirror holder
6. Tilt screws
7. Lock nuts
8. Spider vanes
Figure 3
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