Your new AstroView 100 EQ Reflector is designed for high-resolution viewing of astronomical objects. With its precision optics and equatorial mount, you’ll be able to locate and enjoy hundreds of fascinating celestial denizens, including the planets, Moon, and a variety of deep-sky galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters.
Page 4
Figure 3. The Focuser of the AstroView 100 9. Lay the telescope optical tube in the tube rings. Position the optical tube in the rings so that the 1/4"-20 mounting block on the underside of the tube is centered relative to the rings.
Figure 4a. Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires that the telescope tube be balanced on the R.A. axis. (a) With the R.A. lock lever released, slide the counterweight along the counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube. (b) When you let go with both hands, the tube should not drift up or down.
Images through the finder scope will appear upside- down and backwards (rotated 180°). Images through the AstroView 100 EQ with its diagonal in place will be reversed from left-to right. Now when you loosen the lock lever on one or both axes and manually point the telescope, it should move without resist- ance and should not drift from where you point it.
Page 7
1. Level the equatorial mount by adjusting the length of the three tripod legs. Figure 6. The equaltorial mount of the AstroView 100 EQ. Figure 7. Big Dipper. Extend an imaginary line from the two “Pointer Stars” in the bowl of the Big Dipper. Go about five times the distance between those stars and you’ll reach Polaris, which lies within 1°...
Page 8
The telescope should be moved only about its R.A. and Dec. axes. The Polar Axis Finder Scope A feature of the AstroView 100 EQ is the polar axis finder scope housed inside the R.A. axis of the equatorial mount (see Figure 9). When properly aligned and used, it makes accurate polar alignment quick and easy to do.
Page 9
Optional Motor Drive Optional DC motor drive systems can be mounted on the AstroView 100 EQ’s equatorial mount to provide hands-free tracking. Objects will then remain stationary in the field of view...
Page 10
Dec. setting circle are positive, while when the telescope is pointed south of the celestial equator, values of the Dec. setting circle are negative. So, the coordinates for the Orion Nebula listed in a star atlas will look like this: R.A. 5h 35.4m Dec. -5° 27"...
Figure 10 This illustration shows the telescope pointed in the four cardinal directions (a) North, (b) South, (c) East, (d) West. Note that the tripod and mount have not been moved; only the telescope tube has moved on the R.A. and Dec. axes To point the telescope to the east or west, or in other direc- tions, you rotate the telescope on its R.A.
Page 12
Use of 2" Eyepieces A feature of the AstroView 100 EQ is its ability to use either 1.25" or 2" barrel-diameter eyepieces. At low magnifications, 2" eyepieces can give a wider field of view than standard 1.25"...
Page 13
You can change your nighttime scope into a daytime Sun viewer by installing an optional full-aperture solar-filter over the front opening of the AstroView 100 EQ. The primary attraction is sunspots, which change in shape, appearance, and location daily. Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activity in the sun and follow an 11 year cycle.
This is because the equatorial mount is designed for tracking the motion of stars, and is not very easy to aim at terrestrial objects. The AstroView 100 EQ’s optical tube has a mounting block that will accept the 1/4"-20 thread- ed stud used on most camera tripods.
Your AstroView 100 EQ comes with a collimation tool. Figure 13 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.
Orion Warranty Repair, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076. If the product is not reg- istered, proof of purchase (such as a copy of the original invoice) is required.
Need help?
Do you have a question about the 100 EQ and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers