Meade 4504 manuale d’uso

Instruction Manual Meade Model 4504 4.5" (114mm) Equatorial Reflecting T elescope With Starfinder Electr onic Hand Contr oller ENTER GO TO MO DE MEADE ENTER GO TO MO DE SPEE D ? S T A R F IN D E R Meade Instruments Corporation[...]

W ARNING NEVER USE A MEADE ® TELESCOPE T O LOOK A T THE SUN! LOOKING A T OR NEAR THE SUN WILL CA USE INST ANT AND IRREVERSIBLE D AMA GE T O Y OUR EYE. EYE D AMA GE IS OFTEN P AINLESS, SO THERE IS NO W ARNING T O THE OBSER VER THA T D AMA GE HAS OCCURRED UNTIL IT IS T OO LA TE. DO NO T POINT THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER A T OR NEAR THE SUN. DO N[...]

page 3 T ABLE OF CONTENTS P ART ONE: The Basics Lesson 1: Unpacking and Assembly ....................................................................5 How to Assemble Y our T elescope ......................................................................8 Lesson 2: Balancing the T elescope ...........................................................[...]

page 4 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 6 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Fig. 1 : Parts included in the Meade Model 4504 Giftbox.[...]

page 5 P AR T ONE: The Basics LESSON 1: Unpac king and Assembl y As you unpack your telescope, carefully note the following parts. The bolded numbers in parentheses on this page refer to the photos on page 4. T elescope Assembly • Equatorial mount ( 1 ) with a pre-attached heavy duty , continuously adjustable aluminum tripod with leg braces • 3[...]

page 6 1 2 6 5 4 7 8 3 16 10 11 12 9 14 13 15 Fig. 2a: The Meade Model 4504 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting T elescope. 1. Equatorial mount 2. Optical tube assembly 3. Cradle rings 4. Viewfinder bracket 5. Viewfinder rubber eyepiece 6. 5 x 24 viewfinder 7. Viewfinder bracket thumbscrews 8. T elescope front dust cover 9. Dec setting circle 10. Count[...]

page 7 23 18 21 22 27 25 19 20 20 24 26 17 28 29 30 28 29 NO TE: The coiled cord that connects to the two motor drives has been omitted from the illustration f or the sake of clarity . Fig. 2b: The Meade Model 4504 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting T elescope. Fig. 2c: The Meade Model 4504 4.5" Equatorial Reflecting T elescope.[...]

page 8 How to Assemb le Y our T elescope The giftbox contains the optical tube assembly and the tripod with the equatorial mount. The accessories are located within compartments custom-cut into the styro- foam block inserts. Refer to Figures 1, 2a, 2b, and 2c for images of the parts and the overall assembly of the 4504 telescope. 1. Remove the comp[...]

page 9 8. Tilt the assembly: Unlock the R.A. lock ( 26, Fig. 2b ) and the Dec lock ( 27, Fig. 2b ) so that the telescope turns freely on both axes. T ilting these axes makes it easier for you to perform the following steps. T urn the latitude adjustment knob ( 16, Fig. 2a ) until approximately 1 1/2 inches of thread is showing. This will adjust the[...]

page 10 LESSON 2: Balancing the T elescope In order for the telescope to be stable on the tripod and also for it to move smoothly , it must be balanced. T o balance the telescope, you will unlock the Right Ascension or R.A. lock ( 26, Fig. 2b and Fig. 9a ). When this axis is unlocked, the telescope pivots more or less horizontally on the mount. Thi[...]

page 11 NEVER point the telescope directly at or near the Sun at an y time! Observing the Sun, even f or the smallest fraction of a second, will result in instant and irrever sible ey e damage, as well as ph ysical damage to the telescope itself. 5. Check this alignment on a celestial object, such as a bright star or the Moon, and make any necessar[...]

page 12 1 2 6 5 4 7 8 3 10 11 12 9 13 Fig. 11: Motor driv e system assembly . 1. R.A. Worm Shaft 2. (R.A. Axis) Plastic Adapter 3. Aluminum Shaft 4. Set Screw 5. Circular Housing containing notched plastic shaft 6. Battery Pack Connector 7. LED 8. R.A. Motor Drive 9. Handbox (HBX) Port 10. Dec Motor Drive 1 1. R.A. Lock 12. Dec Worm Shaft 13. Set S[...]

page 13 Observe the W orld Ar ound Y ou 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 viewfin[...]

page 14 Activate the Arr o w Ke ys This procedure describes how to activate Starfinder's Arrow keys: 1. After Starfinder's cord is plugged in and the batteries are installed, a copyright message lights on the Starfinder LCD display ( 1, Fig. 13 ). 2. A message warning not to look at the Sun scrolls across the display . Press the key promp[...]

page 15 Speed 1: Fastest speed to move the telescope from one point in the sky to another . Speeds 2 or 3: Best used for the rough centering of an object in the eyepiece. Speeds 4 or 5: Enables the centering an object in the field of a low-to-moderate power eyepiece such as the standard H 25mm Speeds 6 or 7: Best used for the fine centering of an o[...]

page 16 Observe a Star using the Automatic T racking Feature In this example, Starfinder's Arrow keys are used to find a star , and then Starfinder's tracking capability automatically keeps the star centered in your telescope's eyepiece. 1. If you have just completed Lesson 5, Starfinder's display now reads "Align: One Star[...]

page 17 Initializing Starfinder This exercise describes how to initialize Starfinder . Initialization is a procedure that enables Starfinder to operate correctly . When you first use Starfinder , it doesn't yet "know" the location of the observing site or the time or date of the observation session. During the Initialization procedur[...]

page 18 7. Starfinder then prompts you to enter the status of Daylight Savings T ime. Press one of the Scroll keys to toggle between the YES/NO settings. Select the desired setting by pressing ENTER. NO TE: Da ylight Savings Time may be ref erred to b y a diff erent name in various areas of the world. 8. If you have previously entered the Country/S[...]

page 19 T raining the Drive Next, train the drive using Starfinder . Perform this procedure the first time you use Starfinder with your telescope, after a Reset, or if you are experiencing any pointing accuracy problems. T raining the drive gives your telescope a higher degree of point- ing accuracy . NO TE: Use a terrestrial object, such as a tele[...]

page 20 Align Y our T elescope Using Starfinder After completing the "T rain the Drive" procedure, align your telescope using Starfinder . The fastest and easiest way to start observing with Starfinder's Go T o capabilities is to align your telescope using One-Star (Polar) Alignment. An alternate method, T wo-Star alignment, is descr[...]

page 21 Which One ’ s the Alignment Star? If Starfinder has chosen an alignment star that you are unfamiliar with, how can you be sure if the star in your eyepiece is really the alignment star? The rule of thumb is that an alignment star is usually the brightest star in that area of the sky . When you view an alignment star in an eyepiece, it wil[...]

page 22 Y ou have now completed all the Lessons f or the basic operation of y our 4504 telescope. All of Starfinder's f eatures perform in the same wa y as the features covered in P art 1. Practice these procedures so y ou can apply them to the more adv anced Starfinder menu features presented in P art 2 of this manual. 4. “ T onight ’ s B[...]

page 23 PA R T T W O : Starfinder Controls and Menus This section describes how Starfinder operates, including: • Starfinder's controls • How to move through Starfinder's menus • Alignment setups • Starfinder's Menus Control of the 4504 is through the operation of the standard-equipment Starfinder handbox (Fig. 17). Nearly al[...]

page 24 MODE Ke y: Returns to the previous menu or data level in the Starfinder database until the top level, “ Select Item," is reached. The MODE key is similar to the ESCAPE key on a computer . NO TE: Pressing MODE while in the Select Item le vel mo v es Starfinder to the topmost screen: "Select Item: Object." NO TE: If MODE is p[...]

page 25 Speed/? Ke y: Briefly pressing the Speed/? key cycles through the seven slew speeds that move the telescope (see “ Slew Speeds, ” page 14). NO TE: Pressing the Speed/? ke y briefly changes the slew speed. Holding down the Speed/? k ey longer (one to tw o seconds) accesses the Help function. The Speed/? key also accesses the "Help&q[...]

page 26 How Starfinder's Men us W ork It is important to understand that Starfinder's menu selections are set in a loop. This means that pressing the Scroll Down key cycles down through all the available options within a given category and then returns to the first option. The Scroll Up key cycles up through the options in the opposite or[...]

page 27 NO TE: T o perform an accurate calculation, Starfinder must be properly initialized with the current date , time, and location of the observing site. T o enter the current date, time, and location inf ormation of your obser ving site, see “ INITIALIZE ST ARFINDER” page 17, before proceeding with this e xercise . T o Calculate Sunset tim[...]

page 28 Starfinder Menus Object Menu Almost all observing with Starfinder is performed using the Object menu. ( Note: Exceptions include Guided T our and Landmark Sur vey . ) See “ GO TO SA TURN, ” page 20, for an example of observing using the Object menu. Also see “ USING THE GUIDED TOUR, ” page 21. Many Starfinder menu categories contain[...]

page 29 1. When a desired object is visible in the eyepiece, press MODE until the "Select Item: Object" menu is displayed. 2. Scroll through the Object menu options until "Object: Identify" displays. 3. Press ENTER to search the database for the identity of the object being observed. 4. If the telescope is not directly on a Star[...]

page 30 T o access a hypertext word directly from the Glossary menu, use the Scroll keys to scroll through the alphabet. Press ENTER on the desired letter . Scroll to the desired entry , then press ENTER to read the description. Utilities Menu The Utilities menu provides access to several extra features within Starfinder , includ- ing a countdown t[...]

page 31 P ark Scope is designed for a telescope that is not moved between observing ses- sions. Align the telescope one time, then use this function to park the telescope. Next time it is powered up, enter the correct date and time – and no alignment is required. Pressing ENTER causes the telescope to move to its pre-determined Park position. Onc[...]

page 32 • Calibrate Motor: If the telescope motors appear to have a problem, use this option to retest the motors before doing a Reset. This option is also used if a Starfinder unit is moved between telescopes to match Starfinder to the telescope. • High Precision: If High Precision is turned on when looking for a faint celestial object ( i.e. [...]

page 33 P AR T 3: Caring for Y our T elescope Cleaning The lens or mirror surfaces should be cleaned as infrequently as possible. Front sur- face aluminized mirrors, in particular , should be cleaned only when absolutely neces- sary . In all cases, avoid touching any mirror surface. A little dust on the surface of a mirror or lens causes negligible[...]

page 34 Collimation (Alignment) of the Optics Y our telescope is optically aligned at the factory prior to shipment. It is unlikely that you will need to align, or collimate, the optics after receipt of the instrument. However , if the telescope received unusually rough handling in shipment, it is possible that the optics must be re-aligned for bes[...]

page 35 refine the tilt-angle of the diagonal mirror until the entire primary mirror can be seen centered within the diagonal mirror reflection. When the diagonal mirror is correctly aligned, it will look like Fig. 28 (the primary mirror is shown out of alignment). Primary mirror adjustments If the diagonal mirror ( 1, Fig. 28 ) and the reflection [...]

page 36 Star testing the collimation With the collimation performed, you will want to test the accuracy of the alignment on a star . Use the H 25mm eyepiece and point the telescope at a moderately bright (sec- ond or third magnitude) star , then center the star image in the telescope ’ s field-of-view . With the star centered, follow the method b[...]

page 37 MODEL 4504 TELESCOPE SPECIFICA TIONS Optical design ................................................................Newtonian Reflector Clear aperture ..............................................................1 14mm (4.5 ” ) Focal length ....................................................................910mm Focal ratio (photographi[...]

page 38 APPENDIX A: Calculating Eyepiece P ower The power , or magnification of the telescope depends on two optical characteristics: the focal length of the main telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece used dur- ing a particular observation. The focal length of the 4504 telescope is fixed at 910mm. T o calculate the power in use with a part[...]

page 39 APPENDIX B: T errestrial Viewing, Celestial Movement, and P olar Alignment T errestrial Viewing The 4504 is an excellent, high-resolution terrestrial (land) telescope. Viewing terrestrial objects requires looking along the Earth's surface through heat waves. These heat waves often cause degradation of image quality . Low power eyepiece[...]

page 40 On the surface of the Earth, “ lines of longitude ” are drawn between the North and South Poles. Similarly , “ lines of latitude ” are drawn in an East-West direc- tion, parallel to the Earth's equa- tor . The celestial equator is sim- ply a projection of the Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere. Just as on the surfac[...]

page 41 Using Setting Circ les The setting circles of the Polar aligned equatorial mount can be used to locate faint celestial objects not easily found by direct visual observation. T o use the setting cir- cles, follow this procedure: • Use a star chart or star atlas, and look up the celestial coordinates, Right Ascension and Declination (R.A. a[...]

APPENDIX C: Using Starfinder to Enter Celestial Coor dinates Although Starfinder's database contains more than 1400 objects (stars, nebulae, planets, etc. ) that you can observe, you may eventually want to view objects that are not part of the database. Starfinder provides a feature that allows you to enter an object's R.A and Dec coordin[...]

page 43 APPENDIX D: Helpful Char ts Latitude Chart for Major Cities of the W orld T o aid in the Polar Alignment procedure (see "TO POLAR ALIGN THE TELESCOPE," page 15), latitudes of major cities around the world are listed below . T o determine the latitude of an observing site not listed on the chart, locate the city closest to your sit[...]

page 44 In the early 17th century , an Italian Scientist named Galileo, using a crude telescope considerably smaller than your 4504, turned it to look towards the sky instead of distant trees and mountains. What he saw , and what he realized about what he saw , forever changed the way mankind thought of the universe. Imagine what it must have been [...]

page 45 Planets Planets change positions in the sky as they orbit around the Sun. T o locate the planets on a given day or month, consult a monthly astronomy magazine, such as Sky and T elescope or Astronomy . Listed below are the best planets for viewing through the 4504. Ve n u s is about nine-tenths the diameter of Earth. As V enus orbits the Su[...]

page 46 A Roadmap to the Stars The night sky is filled with wonder and intrigue. Y ou too can enjoy exploring the universe simply by following a few pointers on a roadmap to the stars. First, find the Big Dipper which is part of the constellation Ursa Major . The Big Dipper is usually easy to locate year round in North America. Extending directly o[...]

Meade Limited W arranty Every Meade telescope, spotting scope, and binocular is warranted by Meade Instruments Corp. (MIC) to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR from date of original retail purchase in the U.S.A. MIC will repair or replace the product, or part thereof, found upon inspection by MIC to be defecti[...]

0600 14-7010-04 AD V ANCED PRODUCTS DIVISION Meade Instruments Corporation World’ s Leading Manuf acturer of Astronomical T elescopes for the Serious Amateur 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618 ■ (949) 451-1450 F AX: (949) 451-1460 ■ www .meade.com © 2000[...]