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Reflective ring
1.25" adapter
Viewing hole
Figure 4.
The collimating tool in the AstroView 100 focuser.
Figure 5.
The lens cell of the AstroView 100. There are three
pairs of collimating screws; each pair of screws work together to
adjust the tilt of the lens.
peak optical performance. Collimation is the process of align-
ing the telescope's optics. In the case of the AstroView 100,
collimation entails tilting the objective lens assembly so that
the optical axis is precisely parallel to the telescope's focuser.
The telescope has been collimated at the factory, so no
adjustments to the lens cell are likely to be necessary. If you
are unsure or uncomfortable about making collimation adjust-
ments, we strongly recommend that you just leave it alone.
8
Your AstroView 100 optical tube assembly comes with a colli-
mation tool. Figure 4 shows the collimation tool in place.
Use of the collimating tool is best done during the day, either
outdoors or in a well-lit room. Point the telescope at a dark tar-
get of uniform brightness, like a painted wall or a black piece
of construction paper. The distance of the target is unimpor-
tant. You will also need a 2.5mm hex key and a Phillips-head
screwdriver.
1. Insert the collimating tool into the telescope's focuser. You
will need to use the telescope's 1.25" adapter in the
focuser. Secure the collimating tool in the focuser with the
thumbscrew on the 1.25" adapter.
2. Look into the viewing hole of the collimating tool. You are
now looking straight down the interior of the telescope
tube at the objective lens.
3. Loosen the securing thumbscrew, and rotate the collimating
tool until you can see the reflection of the of the tool's
reflective ring in the objective lens. To do this, you will need
to point the wide hole in the collimating tool's body toward
a source of light. Ignoring the tiny central reflection, you
should see two separate reflections of the ring in the
objective lens. If you see only one reflection, then your tel-
escope is already collimated.
4. Use the collimating screws in the lens cell to center the
reflections on top of one another (Figure 5). There are
three pairs of screws; each pair works together to tilt the
lens. Using your 2.5mm hex key and Phillips-head screw-
driver, loosen one of the screws and then tighten the other
in the pair. Look into the viewing hole of the collimating tool
Pair of
collimating
to see if the reflections have moved closer together or fur-
screws
ther apart. Once you get the reflections as close together
as you can get with one pair of screws, move on to anoth-
er pair.
5. Continue making adjustments to each pair of screws until
the reflections are precisely centered on each other, which
will give the appearance of one ring. Once only one circu-
lar ring is visible, no further collimation adjustments are
needed.
Your AstroView100 is now collimated. You should not need to
align the optics again unless the telescope is roughly handled.
8. 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
dust cover on the front of the telescope when it is not in use.
Your AstroView100 telescope requires very little mechanical
maintenance. The optical tube is aluminum and has a smooth
painted finish that is fairly scratch-resistant. If a scratch does
appear on the tube, it will not harm the telescope. If you wish,
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