INSTRUCTION MANUAL Meade 114ST EQ-D 4.
–2– WARNING! NEVER USE A MEADE 114ST EQ-D TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN! LOOKING AT OR NEAR THE SUN WILL CAUSE INSTANT AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO YOUR EYE. EYE DAMAGE IS OFTEN PAINLESS, SO THERE IS NO WARNING TO THE OBSERVER THAT DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. DO NOT POINT THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AT OR NEAR THE SUN. DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AS IT IS MOVING. CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION WHILE OBSERVING.
–3– TABLE OF CONTENTS Telescope Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Unpacking and Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1. Balancing the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2. Alignment of the Viewfinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Understanding Celestial Movements and Coordinates. . . . . . . .
–4– Key to Figs. 1a - 1g 1. Eyepiece 21. Focus knobs 2. Equatorial mount 22. R.A. lock 3. Right Ascension (R.A.) flexible cable 23. Dec. lock control 24. 5 x 24 viewfinder 4. Declination (Dec.) flexible cable control 25. Viewfinder focuser 5. Counterweights 26. Viewfinder adjustment thumbscrews 6. Counterweight shaft 27. R.A. setting circle 7. Counterweight lock 28. Dec. setting circle 8. Safety washer/thumbscrew 29. Latitude dial 9. Viewfinder Dustcover 30. Azimuth lock 10.
–5– 24 26 9 18 25 16 1 20 19 39 12 17 21 13 41 40 11 4 6 7 3 2 5 8 30 Fig. 1a: Model 114ST EQ-D: Optical tube assembly. 38 10 31 23 23 13 28 22 29 27 Fig. 1b: Bolt hole for tray assembly. Fig. 1c: Mount features. 14 14 Fig. 1d: Optical tube attachment (underside view). 34 37 36 11 3 33 15 30 32 Fig. 1e: More mount features. Fig. 1f: Leg brace and tray assembly. 35 Fig. 1g: Attaching tripod leg to mount.
–6– INTRODUCTION The Meade 114ST EQ-D is an easy-to-operate, high performance 4.5" (114mm) reflecting telescope, intended for astronomical observing. Equipped with a deluxe equatorial mount and aluminum tripod, the telescope’s motion is continuously adjustable for tracking celestial objects. Your telescope comes to you ready for adventure; it will be your companion in a universe of planets, galaxies, and stars.
–7– the counterweight lock (7, Fig. 1a) of the counterweight. Note: If the counterweight ever slips, the secured threaded safety washer/screw (8, Fig. 1a) will not let the weight slide entirely off the counterweight shaft. Be certain that this safety washer/screw is always in place. 7. Attach the flexible cables (4, Fig. 1a) and (3, Fig. 1a and 1e), as shown. These cables are secured in place with a firm tightening of the thumbscrews located at the attachment ends of each cable. 8.
–8– 2. Loosen the counterweight’s lock (7, Fig. 1a) and slide the counterweight (5, Fig. 1a) along the shaft until the telescope remains in any given position without tending to drift up or down the polar axis. Then retighten the counterweight lock. The telescope is now balanced. UNDERSTANDING CELESTIAL MOVEMENTS AND COORDINATES Understanding where to locate celestial objects, and how those objects move across the sky is fundamental to enjoying the hobby of astronomy.
–9– (–) sign (e.g., the Dec. of the South celestial pole is –90°). Any point on the celestial equator (such as the the constellations of Orion, Virgo, and Aquarius) is said to have a Declination of zero, shown as 0° 0' 0." With all celestial objects therefore capable of being specified in position by their celestial coordinates of Right Ascension and Declination, the task of finding objects (in particular, faint objects) in the telescope can be simplified. The setting circles, R.A. (27, Fig. 1c) and Dec.
– 10 – • • • • • • Always start an observation with a low power eyepiece (the MA 25mm eyepiece); get the object wellcentered in the field of view and sharply focused. Next, insert the MA 12mm eyepiece to try the next step up in magnification. If the image starts to become fuzzy as you work into higher magnifications, then back down to a lower power; the atmospheric steadiness is not sufficient to support high powers at the time you are observing.
– 11 – • from a star chart, and move the telescope in R.A. and Declination until the setting circles read the R.A. and Dec. of the object you are attempting to locate. If the above procedure has been carefully performed, the faint object will now be in the field of a low power eyepiece. The R.A. Setting Circle must be manually re-calibrated on the current Right Ascension of a star every time the telescope is set up, and reset to the centered object’s R.A. coordinate before moving to a new R.A.
– 12 – Collimation (Alignment) of the Optics All Meade 114ST EQ-D telescopes are 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 best optical performance. In any case this alignment procedure is simple, and requires only a few minutes the very first time the telescope is used.
– 13 – d. Star testing the collimation Remove With the collimation performed, you will want to test the accuracy of the adhesive alignment on a star. Use the MA 25mm eyepiece and point the telescope at backing a moderately bright (second or third magnitude) star, then center the star image in the telescope’s field-of-view. With the star centered follow the 2 method below: 1 • Bring the star image slowly out of focus until one or more rings are visible around the central disc.
– 14 – 1 1 2 3 2 3 4 2 5 Fig. 9: Correct Collimation. Fig. 10: Diagonal Mirror Misalignment. 1 2 3 4 Fig. 11: Primary Mirror Misalignment. A Fig. 12: Collimation.
– 15 – SPECIFICATIONS Primary (main) mirror focal length: . . . . . .1000mm Primary mirror diameter: . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.5" (114mm) Focal ratio: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .f/8.8 Mounting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .German equatorial OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES See your Meade 114ST EQ-D dealer for further details on any of these accessories. See your Meade 80 EQ1-b dealer for further details on any of these accessories. Additional Eyepieces (1.
ADVANCED PRODUCTS DIVISION Meade Instruments Corporation World’s Leading Manufacturer of Astronomical Telescopes for the Serious Amateur 6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92618 ■ (949) 451-1450 FAX: (949) 451-1460 ■ www.meade.
