RP-400 TELESCOPE Instruction Manual ©2009 CARSON OPTICAL HAUPPAUGE NY 11788 www.carsonoptical.com MADE IN CHINA 7 50668 00573 1 Carson Optical 35 Gilpin Avenue Hauppauge, NY 11788-4723 Phone: 631-963-5000 Fax: 631-427-6749 ©2011 CARSON OPTICAL ©2007 CARSON OPTICAL HAUPPAUGE NY 11788 HAUPPAUGE NY 11788 www.carsonoptical.com www.carson-optical.com call toll-free: 1-800-967-8427 For information, MADE IN CHINA MADE IN CHINA info@carsonoptical.com / sales@carsonoptical.com / www.carsonoptical.
Table of Contents: 3 Box Contents 4-8 Figures 1-7 / Figure Key 9-10 Telescope Assembly • Setting up Your Tripod • Attaching the Equatorial Mount • Attaching the Counterweight • Attaching the Slow Motion Cables • Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount • Attaching the Finder Scope • Attaching the Eyepieces 11-12 Balancing the Telescope • Balancing the Mount in R.A. • Balancing the Mount in Dec.
Fig.1 Fig.3 Fig.2 Fig.
Fig.5 Fig.7 Fig.
8 Key to Figures 1-7: Assembly of your Red Planet Telescope: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. Setting Up Your Tripod: The aluminum tripod comes almost entirely preassembled and ready-to-use. Remove the tripod from the box and pull apart the legs. Gently push down the tripod braces (Fig. 7-36) until they are in the lowest position.
Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount: Remove the cradle ring (Fig. 1-4) from the box. The top of the equatorial mount is called the optical tube saddle plate (Fig. 2-16). Loosen the saddle plate lock (Fig. 3-19) and slide the cradle ring into the saddle plate until the stopper on the bottom of the cradle ring assembly rests against the front of the saddle plate. Make sure that the cradle ring lock knob (Fig. 6-33) is on the right side of the mount.
Aligning the Finder Scope: The low power and wide field of view provided by the 6x30mm finder scope (Fig. 1-5) provides a quick and easy way to sight an object prior to looking through the high-power telescope. The finder scope must first be properly aligned with the telescope in order to work properly. This alignment is best performed during the daylight. Follow the steps below to align your finder scope properly: • Place the Plossl 20mm eyepiece (Fig. 2-14) into the corner lens (Fig.
Every celestial object has a corresponding R.A. and Dec. coordinate. Given the proper coordinates, you can use the setting circles on your telescope mount to locate any celestial object. The coordinates can only be used if the telescope is first aligned with the North (or South) Celestial Pole. Polar Alignment: If the telescope is accurately aligned with the celestial pole, very little declination adjustment will be necessary to track a celestial object.
Using Setting Circles: The setting circles (Fig. 3-20,21) on your equatorial mount can be used to locate hard to find 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 field of view of your telescope. • Rotate the R.A.
Specifications: Optical Design: Aperture: Focal Length: Focal Ratio: Optical Coatings: Finder Scope: Eyepiece 1: Magnification 1: Eyepiece 2: Magnification 2: Mount: Weight: Refractor 90mm (3.54”) 1000mm (39.37”) 11.11 Fully Coated 6x30mm Plossl 20mm 50x Plossl 10mm 100x Equatorial 21.2 lbs. Warnings: • Never use this telescope (or its viewfinder) to look directly at or near the sun. Viewing the sun can cause instant and irreversible eye damage.
