Installing Optional Finderscopes - Celestron STAR HOPPER Instruction Manual

Put the telescope tube in the rocker box.
Orient the telescope tube so it is horizontal.
With the telescope in the horizontal position, loosen the altitude hubs on both sides of the telescope.
Slide the telescope in whichever direction it needs to go in order to achieve balance. If the telescope rotates such
that the front of the tube goes up, then slide the telescope forward and try again. If the rear goes up, then slide
the telescope toward the rear.
Once a balanced position has been found, make sure the sides of the telescope tube are parallel to the sides of the
rocker box by moving the telescope tube slightly left or right within the rocker box, as needed.
Tighten the altitude hubs.
Balancing the Star Hopper
Place the standard eyepiece in the focuser (or any optional eyepiece you choose).
Place the telescope tube in the horizontal position.
Loosen the clamp release screw on the tube ring. This allows the telescope tube to slide back and forth in the
ring.
Slide the telescope, forward or backward, in the tube ring until the telescope is balanced.
Tighten the clamp release screw on the tube ring.
Adjusting the friction on the Star Hopper
To accommodate individual preferences, the clutch tension is adjustable, but after a desired clutch tension is set, there
is no need to adjust it again. When properly adjusted, clutch tension should be light enough that the telescope can
move smoothly and easily, but tight enough that the wind won't move the telescope.
To adjust the clutch tension:
Balance the telescope and orient the tube in a horizontal position (see section above on balancing the telescope).
Using the diagram on page 4, locate the altitude clutch adjustment screw. It is the bolt attaching the telescope
mounting ring to the mount.
Use a wrench to tighten or loosen the bolt until the desired clutch tension is achieved.
IMPORTANT: Don't over tighten the bolt, as this could result in cracking the wood of the mount.
A plastic screw is provided to give increased friction when viewing either with the telescope tube pointed straight
up, or in high wind conditions. This screw should make contact with the rotation disk (inside the side panel)
that the telescope is attached to without pressing hard against it, which would hinder altitude movement. NOTE:
When viewing objects near the zenith (straight up in the sky) the finderscope should be pointed either toward the
side panel or at a 180° angle away from it, for optimal balance.
Celestron offers optional finderscopes that are useful in pointing the telescope at a particular object and locating it in
your field of view. A finderscope is a small auxiliary telescope with cross hairs, of low power, but with a wide field
of view, and is attached to the main telescope. The Star Hopper
Hopper® 6 and 8 telescopes have a set of pre-drilled holes for the 6x30 finderscope, (item #93777) or the 5x24
finderscope (#93775). To install the finderscope, locate the two holes next to the focuser on the telescope tube. Place
the finderscope bracket on the telescope tube and line up the holes in the base of the bracket with the holes in the
tube. Use the screws and nuts provided with the finderscope to attach the bracket to the telescope tube. Do this by
putting the screws through the finderscope bracket and into the pre-drilled holes in the telescope tube, then
tightening them.
Besides the 6x30 or 5x24, another excellent finderscope option for the Star Hopper
Pointer (item #51630). For more options, see the Optional Accessories section on pages 23 and 24.
®
4½
®
4½ altitude axis
Installing Finderscopes
(Optional Accessory)
®
4½ comes with a 5x24 finderscope. The Star
11
®
6 and 8 is Celestron's Star