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screwdriver, secure the bracket in position by tightening the two attachment screws (G-1)
inside the bracket (these screws are placed inside the bracket at the factory) into the mating
threads (G-6) located on the focuser housing, or (in the cases of 114mm and 127mm models)
located on the mounting block (C-7).
Slide the viewfinder (G-2), eyepiece-end (G-8) first, into the viewfinder bracket. (Remove the
rubber eyecup (G-8) from the viewfinder before sliding the viewfinder into the bracket.
Replace this rubber eyecup after the viewfinder is positioned in the bracket.) Tighten (to a
firm-feel only) the four alignment thumbscrews (G-3) to hold the viewfinder in the bracket.
Focusing the Viewfinder: Each Meade DS telescope is supplied with one of two viewfinder
models, 5 x 24mm or a larger 6 x 30mm. Identify the viewfinder of your telescope from Fig.
H. Focusing the 5 x 24mm viewfinder is accomplished by turning the viewfinder eyepiece (H-
1) on its internal thread. Generally a few turns are sufficient to achieve proper focus. The 6 x
30mm viewfinder is locked into permanent focus at infinity. Look through the 6 x 30mm
viewfinder at a distant land object; if the focus is not sharp, then follow this procedure: (a)
loosen the focus lock ring (H-2) a few turns, permitting the lens cell (H-3) to be rotated; (b) look-
ing through the viewfinder at a distant land object, rotate the lens cell until the object is sharply
focused; (c) tighten the focus lock ring (H-2) up against the lens cell.
Important Note: Objects appear upside-down and reversed left-for-right when observed in the
viewfinder. With refracting telescope Models DS-60, DS-70, DS-80, and DS-90, objects
viewed through the main telescope with the diagonal mirror (A-10) in place are seen right-side-
up, but reversed left-for-right. This image inversion is of no consequence when observing
astronomical objects, and in fact all astronomical telescopes yield inverted images. During ter-
restrial observing, where a fully-correctly-oriented image (right-side up and correct left-for-right)
is desirable, an optional Meade 45° Erecting Prism (available in either 0.965" or 1.25" format
to suit the appropriate Meade telescope model) is available. See the optional accessories
sheet which accompanies the telescope or consult the Meade Telescope Catalog. Note that for
reflecting telescopes, including Meade Models DS-114 and DS-127, no means of image inver-
sion is available; while these telescopes may be used for terrestrial observing, the image will
not be correctly oriented in either right-side-up or left-for-right orientations.
Aligning the Viewfinder: Loosen the vertical (A-14) and horizontal (A-15) locks, by turning
the lock knobs about one turn counterclockwise, permitting the telescope to move freely on
both axes. Place a low-power (e.g., 25mm) eyepiece in the focuser of the main telescope and
point the telescope at an easy-to-find land object (e.g., the top of a telephone pole). Turn the
focuser knob (A-16) so that the image is sharply focused, and center the object precisely in
the main telescope’s field of view. Re-tighten the lock-knobs (A-14) and (A-15). Then, looking
through the viewfinder, turn the viewfinder’s four alignment screws (G-3) until the viewfinder’s
crosshairs point precisely at the same object as centered in the main telescope. The viewfind-
er is now aligned to the main telescope. The right-hand image in Fig. J shows an object cen-
tered in the main telescope before the viewfinder (the left-hand image) has been aligned to
the main telescope. Fig. K shows these same images after the viewfinder and main telescope
are aligned.
Assembly of the basic telescope is now complete. If your telescope includes one of the DS
optional features, continue to Appendix 2 to complete the assembly of the optional feature
before observing.
Observing Through the Telescope: Place the diagonal mirror (A-10) in the telescope’s eye-
piece-holder (A-17) and tighten the thumbscrews of the eyepiece-holder to secure the diago-
nal mirror in place. (Note that DS 114mm and 127mm reflecting telescope models do not
include, and do not require, a diagonal mirror.) Place a low-power (e.g., 25mm) eyepiece into
the diagonal mirror (or, with DS 114mm and 127mm models, directly into the eyepiece-hold-
er), and tighten the eyepiece in place with the thumbscrews (A-18) provided.
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