Carson Optical RP-400 Telescope User Manual


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Using Setting Circles:
Thesettingcircles(Fig.3-20,21)onyourequatorialmountcanbeusedtolocate
hardtondcelestialobjects.Followtheinstructionsbelowtousethesetting
circles effectively:
•Makesureyourtelescopeisassembledproperlyandpolaraligned.
•Lookupthecelestialcoordinatesofaneasytospotobjectlocatednearbyto
theobjectyouseekonastarchartoratlas(notincluded).
•Centerthiseasytospotobjectintheeldofviewofyourtelescope.
•RotatetheR.A.settingcircle(Fig.3-21)onyourtelescope’smountbyhand
untilthepropercoordinatelinesupwiththeR.A.indicator.Youwillnotice
thattheR.A.settingcirclehastwosetsofnumbers.Thetopnumbersarefor
theNorthernhemisphere.ThebottomnumbersarefortheSouthernhemi-
sphere.Oncecompleteyoursettingcirclesarenowcalibrated.Youarenow
readytolocatethehardtondobject.
•LoosentheDec.lock(Fig.3-24)andmovethetelescopeinDeclination
untiltheindicatorpointstothecorrectcoordinate.Re-tightentheDec.
Lockwhennished.
•LoosentheR.A.lock(Fig.3-22)andmovethetelescopeinR.A.until
theindicatorpointstothecorrectcoordinate.Re-tightentheR.A.lock
whennished.
•Lookthroughthenderscope(Fig.1-5)toseeifyouhavelocatedtheobject
youarelookingforandcentertheobjectinthecrosshairsofthenderscope.
•Lookthroughthetelescopeeyepiece(Fig.2-14)andtheobjectyouare
searchingforshouldbecenteredintheeldofview.
•Thisprocessmustberepeatedeverytimeyousetupyourtelescope.
Therearemanyconditionsthatmayaffectyourabilitytofocusorobservecelestial
objects clearly.
•Brightlylitareas(lightpollution)willmakeitdifculttoseefaintobjects
inthesky.Itwillalsomakeitdifcultforyoureyestoadjusttothedark.
Youshouldtryandndadarkareaandallowyoureyestoadjusttothedark
beforemakingobservations.Usingaredlteredashlighttoviewcharts
andyourtelescopecomponentsisrecommendedtopreserveyournightsight.
Thebestviewingconditionsarewhentheskyisinkyblack.
•Hazyskies,pollution,cloudsandmoisturecanallaffecttheclarityofyour
viewing image.
•Avoidtouchingtheeyepieceoropticaltubewhilelookingthroughthetele-
scope.Thevibrationscausedbythiscontactwillcausetheobjectyouare
lookingattomove.Youshouldalsomakesurethatthesurfaceyouplace
yourtelescopeondoesnotvibrateormoveasthiswillalsocauseyourview-
ing object to move.
•Youshouldavoidsettingupyourtelescopeinsidearoomlookingthroughan
openwindow.Thedifferenceinairtemperaturesmayresultinablurryimage.
•Viewingthroughaclosedwindowmightalsoresultinadistortedimagedue
tothevaryingdensitiesofwindowglass.
•Avoidviewingobjectsthatarelowonthehorizon.Objectsthatarehigher
up in the sky will appear much sharper.
•Suddenchangesintemperaturemaycausecondensationtoappearontheop-
ticalcomponentsofthetelescope.Itisbesttosetupyourtelescopeaheadof
timeandthenwaitwhilethetelescopeadjuststothenewtemperaturebefore
using it.
CareandMaintenanceofYourTelescope:
Cleaning:
•Alwaysreplacedustcoversandlenscapswhennotinuse.Thiswill
minimizetheamountofdustanddebristhatgetsintoyourtelescope.
•Cleaningshouldbeperformedonlyifabsolutelynecessary.Ifdust
hasbuiltupontheopticsuseasoftcamel’shairbrushorpressurized
air to gently remove it.
•Toremovedirt,greaseorngerprints,cleanwithasoftcottoncloth
rubbing in a circular motion. Use of a coarse cloth or unnecessary
rubbingmayscratchthelenssurfaceandeventuallycausepermanent
damage.
•Foramorethoroughcleaning,photographictypelenscleaninguid
maybeused.Alwaysapplytheuidtothecleaningcloth,never
directlyonthelens.
•Avoidtouchingthesurfaceoftheobjectivelens.
•Donotattempttotakeapartyourtelescopetocleanit.
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