RP-400 TELESCOPE
Instruction Manual
Carson Optical
35 Gilpin Avenue
Hauppauge, NY 11788-4723
Phone: 631-963-5000
Fax: 631-427-6749
For information, call toll-free: 1-800-967-8427
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Key to Figures 1-7:
Assembly of your Red Planet Telescope:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Objective Lens
Lens Shade
Optical Tube Assembly
Cradle Ring
6x30mm Finder Scope
Focus Knobs
Equatorial Mount
R.A. Flexible Cable
Counter Weight Bar
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. You can
then extend the legs to the desired height by loosening the sliding leg exten-
sion lock knob (Fig. 7-37), sliding the leg down the desired amount and then
tightening the extension lock knob until secure. Repeat the process with each
leg trying to keep the tripod as level as possible with the ground. You can
then attach the accessory tray (Fig. 7-34) to the tripod by lining up the thread-
ed bottom of the accessory tray with the hole in the middle of the three tripod
braces and twisting until tight. This tray is designed with eyepiece holder
slots (Fig. 7-35) to hold spare eyepieces when not in use.
10. Equatorial Mount Base
11. Tripod Legs
12. Counter Weight
13. Counter Weight Locking Screw
14. Eyepiece
15. 90° Corner Lens
16. Optical Tube Saddle Plate
17. Dec. Flexible Cable
18. Latitude Turn Screws
19. Saddle Plate Lock Knob
20. Dec. Setting Circle
Attaching the Equatorial Mount:
Remove the equatorial mount (Fig. 1-7) from the box and twist into the posi-
tion shown in Fig. 3. Place the bottom of the mount (Fig. 1-10) into the hole
in the top of the tripod head and secure with the mount locking screw (Fig.
3-25). Please be careful to make sure that the mount is securely attached to
the tripod.
21. R.A. Setting Circle
22. R.A. Lock Knob
23. Latitude Dial
24. Dec. Lock Knob
25. Equatorial Mount Locking Screw
26. Finder Scope Bracket Thumb Screws
27. Finder Scope Focus Knob
28. Finder Scope Bracket
29. Finder Scope Bracket Mounting Bolts
30. Focuser Draw Tube
Attaching the Counterweight:
Attach the threaded end of the counterweight bar (Fig. 1-9) into the threaded
hole in the equatorial mount (Fig. 1-7). Remove the safety screw and washer
from the end of the counterweight bar and set aside for a moment. Slide the
counterweight (Fig. 1-12) onto the bar and tighten down using the screw on
the side of the counterweight (Fig. 1-13). Be careful not to drop the coun-
terweight. It is quite heavy and could harm you or damage your floor if
dropped. Do not worry about the position of the counterweight just yet. We
will position it properly later. Replace the safety screw and washer at the end
of the counterweight bar.
31. Eyepiece Holder Thumb Screw
32. 90° Corner Lens Thumb Screw
33. Cradle Ring Lock Knob
34. Accessory Tray
35. Eyepiece Holder Slots
36. Tripod Braces
37. Tripod Leg Extension Lock Knob
Attaching the Slow Motion Cables:
Locate the two slow motion cables (Fig. 2-8,17). Loosen the screw at the end
of each cable so that it does not protrude through the hole. Slide one cable
onto the left side of the R.A. shaft (Fig. 1-8) (located near the bottom of the
mount) and tighten down with the locking screw. Slide the remaining cable
onto the Dec. shaft (Fig. 2-17) (located near the top of the mount) and tighten
down with the locking screw. These slow motion cables will allow you to
make fine pointing adjustments to the telescope in both R.A. and declination.
This will be discussed in more detail later.
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Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount:
Balancing the Telescope:
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. Tighten the saddle plate lock to secure the cradle
ring in place.
Balancing the Mount in R.A.:
To reduce stress on the mount, the telescope should be balanced on the polar
axis (See Fig. 2). Instructions on how to do so are as follows:
• Loosen the R.A. lock knob (Fig. 3-22) and position the telescope off
to one side of the mount (you may need to remove the R.A. slow mo-
tion cable (Fig. 1-8) temporarily). The counterweight bar (Fig. 1-9)
should be parallel to the ground.
Unscrew the cradle ring lock knob (Fig. 6-33) and open the cradle ring.
Carefully remove the optical tube assembly (Fig. 1-3) from the box. Gently
rest the optical tube into the cradle ring with the eyepiece (Fig. 2-14) towards
the back. The cradle ring should be roughly in the center of the tube. We
will balance this later. Close the cradle ring around the telescope and secure
by tightening the cradle ring lock knob (Fig. 6-33).
• Release the telescope gradually and see which side it falls towards.
To avoid accidental damage, do not let go of the telescope complete-
ly.
• Loosen the counterweight lock knob (Fig. 1-13) and position the
weight so that the telescope and counterweight remain stationary
(parallel to the floor) on their own.
• Tighten the counterweight into place.
Attaching the Finder Scope:
There are two finder scope bracket mounting bolts (Fig. 4-29) located at the
end of the optical tube near the eyepiece assembly. Remove the nuts and set
aside. Place the finder scope bracket (Fig. 4-28) onto the mounting bolts and
replace the nuts, tightening down the bracket securely to the optical tube.
Make sure the bracket is facing forward as shown in Fig. 4. Slide the finder
scope (Fig. 1-5) into the bracket facing forward.
Balancing the Mount in Dec.:
To prevent sudden movement when the Dec. lock (Fig. 3-24) is loosened, the
telescope must be balanced on the declination axis (See Fig. 2). Instructions
on how to do so are as follows:
• Loosen the R.A. lock knob (Fig. 3-22) and position the telescope off
to one side of the mount (you may need to remove the R.A. slow mo-
tion cable (Fig. 1-8) temporarily). The counterweight bar (Fig. 1-9)
should be parallel to the ground.
Attaching the Eyepieces:
Insert the 90° corner lens (Fig. 5-15) into the focuser draw tube (Fig. 5-30)
and secure into place by tightening the corner lens thumbscrew (Fig. 5-32).
Insert the Plossl 20mm eyepiece (Fig. 5-14) into the corner lens (Fig. 5-15)
and tighten down using the eyepiece holder thumb screw (Fig. 5-31).
• Tighten the R.A. lock knob (Fig. 3-22) to hold the telescope in place.
• Loosen the Dec. lock knob (Fig. 3-24) and rotate the telescope until
the tube is parallel with the ground.
• Release the telescope gradually and see which way it will rotate. To
avoid accidental damage, do not let go of the telescope completely.
• Loosen the cradle ring lock knob (Fig. 6-33) and slide the optical
tube forward or backward as needed until it remains stationary and
parallel to the ground on its own.
You have now completed the assembly of your Red PlanetTM telescope.
We will now need to make the necessary adjustments in order to use your
telescope properly.
• Tighten the cradle ring securely around the optical tube.
• Loosen the R.A. lock knob, return the telescope to its upright posi-
tion and retighten.
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Aligning the Finder Scope:
Understanding Celestial Movement:
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:
In order to get the most enjoyment out of your telescope it is necessary to
know the basics of how celestial objects move across the sky. Due to the ro-
tation of the earth, celestial objects appear to move from East to West across
the sky, much like the Sun. You will notice this movement as an object in
your telescope field of view will slowly move across the field and out of
view. Continuous adjustment is needed to keep an object in the field of view.
This will be explained in more detail later.
• Place the Plossl 20mm eyepiece (Fig. 2-14) into the corner lens (Fig.
2-15) of the telescope.
• Loosen both the R.A. lock knob (Fig. 3-22) and the Dec. lock knob
(Fig. 3-24) so that the telescope swings freely along both axes.
• Point the main telescope at a specific land object 200 yards or more
away. Lock down the R.A. and Dec. axes. Turn the slow motion
cables (Fig. 2–8,17) until the object is centered in the telescope field.
• Now look through the finder scope (Fig. 1-5) and loosen or tighten
the finder scope bracket screws (Fig. 4-26) until the crosshairs are
centered on the same object. Focus by turning the finder scope fo-
cus knob (Fig. 4-27) until the image in the finder scope is sharp and
clear.
Many people choose to “star-hop” when using a telescope, a quick and rela-
tively easy way to start. This is a method of using easily identifiable stars
and constellations to serve as reference points to find other objects in the sky.
A more advanced and precise method of locating specific celestial objects is
by using setting circles (Fig. 3-20,21) located on your equatorial mount (Fig.
1-7) to find the celestial coordinates of that particular object.
A Brief Overview of Celestial Coordinates:
• Check the alignment at nighttime by repeating this process with a
bright star or the moon. Make any necessary adjustments.
Astronomers use a system of “celestial coordinates” similar to the Earth’s
latitude and longitude system to help locate objects in the sky. All celestial
objects are mapped on a “celestial sphere”, an imaginary sphere of arbitrary
size concentric with the Earth. If you extend the Earth’s rotational axis to
infinity, both North and South, the points at which this axis intersects the
celestial sphere are known as the North Celestial Pole and the South Celestial
Pole. If you project the Earth’s equator outward to the celestial sphere this
would be known as the “Celestial Equator”.
Now that your finder scope is properly aligned, any object centered in your
finder scope should also be centered in your telescope.
Calculating Power:
The magnification of a telescope depends on both the focal length of your
telescope as well as the eyepiece you use. There is a simple formula you can
use to determine the magnification you are using at any given time. Simply
divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece.
For example, if you are using the 20mm eyepiece with your TP-400 telescope
the power would be:
The equivalent to latitude lines on the celestial sphere are known as lines of
“Declination”, or “Dec.” for short. These lines are measured in degrees, min-
utes and seconds. Declination readings north of the celestial equator carry a
“+” sign, while readings south of the celestial equator carry a “-“ sign. Ob-
jects located on the celestial equator have a 0°0’0” Declination. The North
Celestial Pole has a +90°0’0” Declination while the South Celestial Pole has
a -90°0’0” Declination. The star Polaris is located very near the North Celes-
tial Pole and has a +89.2° Declination.
Power = 1000mm / 20mm = 50x
Using an eyepiece with a smaller focal length will increase the magnification
of your telescope. It is always best to start at the lowest magnification con-
figuration. The wider field of view makes it easier to spot far away objects.
Once an object is centered in your field of view you can switch to the higher
power configurations.
The equivalent to longitude lines on the celestial sphere are known as lines of
“Right Ascension” or “R.A.” for short. These lines are measured in hours, minutes
and seconds starting at the “zero” line of R.A. which passes through the constella-
tion Pegasus. There are 24 primary lines of R.A. located at 15° intervals along the
celestial equator. Right Ascension coordinates range from 0hr 0min 0sec to (but
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not including) 24hr 0min 0sec.
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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.
Using the Telescope:
Once you have properly assembled, balanced and aligned your telescope you
are finally ready to start using it.
• To locate an object using the telescope, first loosen the R.A. lock
(Fig. 3-22) and Dec. lock (Fig. 3-24) allowing the telescope to rotate
along both axes. Look through the finder scope (Fig. 1-5) to sight
the object you are looking for and center it in the finder scope cross-
hairs. You may need to focus the finder scope by turning the finder
scope focus knob (Fig. 4-27). Then re-tighten the R.A. and Dec.
locks.
Polar Alignment:
If the telescope is accurately aligned with the celestial pole, very little dec-
lination adjustment will be necessary to track a celestial object. Most of the
tracking can be done using the Right Ascension cable (Fig. 1-8).
To line up your telescope with the pole:
• It is best to use the lowest power eyepiece (the Plossl 20mm eye-
piece) at first. This allows for a wider field of view making it easier
to locate objects. Once the object is centered in the field of view you
can switch the eyepiece to higher magnifications.
• Once the object is centered in the field of view, turn the focus knobs
(Fig. 1-6) until the image is clear and sharp.
• Make sure the equatorial mount is locked in the “home” position,
meaning that the optical tube assembly is parallel to the correspond-
ing portion of the mount below it and that the declination axis is
straight up and down with the counter weight (Fig. 2-12) in it’s low-
est position. For reference, the equatorial mount in Fig. 2 is in the
home position.
• You will notice that the object you are viewing will slowly move
across the field of view (caused by the rotation of the Earth). You
will need to turn the R.A. flexible cable (Fig. 1-8) to keep the object
centered.
• Loosen the equatorial mount locking screw (Fig. 3-25) so that the
entire telescope (with mount) rotates freely on the tripod.
• Rotate the entire telescope until the polar axis (See Fig. 2) points due
North. If you are not sure which direction is North, locate Polaris
and point the polar axis towards it. Polaris is less than one degree
away from the Celestial North Pole and is accurate enough for polar
alignment.
• If needed, level the mount by adjusting the tripod legs accordingly.
• Determine the latitude of the area you are in. Use the latitude turn
screws (Fig. 3-18) to tilt the telescope until the pointer indicates the
correct latitude on the Latitude Dial (Fig. 3-23).
Image Orientation:
When looking through the telescope with the 90° corner lens installed you
will notice that the image you see is reversed from left to right. This is nor-
mal for refractor telescopes.
• Then fine tune the latitude turn screws (Fig. 3-18) until Polaris ap-
pears in the center of your telescope field of view.
• Do not move the telescope in R.A. or Dec. while polar aligning.
These adjustments should remain locked.
• If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you should follow these
steps but point the polar axis due South and locate Sigma Octantis
instead of Polaris.
Your telescope is now polar aligned for the area you are using it. You will
need only to point the telescope North (or South in the Southern Hemisphere)
when using it from now on. You will only need to repeat the polar alignment
if you move to a different location and your latitude has changed.
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Using Setting Circles:
• 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.
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. 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 find 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 finished.
• 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 finished.
• 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 fingerprints, 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.
• Look through the finder 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 finder scope.
• Look through the telescope eyepiece (Fig. 2-14) and the object you are
searching for should be centered in the field of view.
• For a more thorough cleaning, photographic type lens cleaning fluid
may be used. Always apply the fluid to the cleaning cloth, never
directly on the lens.
• This process must be repeated every time you set up your telescope.
• Avoid touching the surface of the objective lens.
• Do not attempt to take apart your telescope to clean it.
There are many conditions that may affect your ability to focus or observe celestial
objects clearly.
• Brightly lit areas (light pollution) will make it difficult to see faint objects
in the sky. It will also make it difficult for your eyes to adjust to the dark.
You should try and find a dark area and allow your eyes to adjust to the dark
before making observations. Using a red filtered flashlight 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.
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This warranty extends to the original purchaser only and is not assignable or
transferable. It shall not apply to any product that has been subject to mis-
use, abuse, negligence or accident, or to any defects or damage directly or
indirectly caused by the use of unauthorized replacement parts and/or service
performed by unauthorized personnel.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other
rights which could vary from state to state. Some states do not allow
limitations on the life of an implied warranty and/or do not allow excluding
or limiting incidental or consequential damages. If so, the above limitations
or exclusions may not apply to you.
Specifications:
Optical Design:
Aperture:
Refractor
90mm (3.54”)
1000mm (39.37”)
11.11
Fully Coated
6x30mm
Plossl 20mm
50x
Plossl 10mm
100x
Focal Length:
Focal Ratio:
Optical Coatings:
Finder Scope:
Eyepiece 1:
Magnification 1:
Eyepiece 2:
Magnification 2:
Mount:
Weight:
Warranty Procedure:
Provide proof of purchase. A receipt or other dated proof of purchase
must be included with merchandise being returned for a warranty claim
to be processed.
Equatorial
21.2 lbs.
Call or write for authorization. Before returning any product for a warranty
claim, a Return Authorization (RA) number must be obtained.
No merchandise will be accepted without an RA, and failure to obtain an
RA will prevent or delay processing of the warranty claim. To obtain an
RA call 631-963-5000, or write to Carson Warranty Service, 35 Gilpin Ave,
Hauppauge NY 11788 with a description of the problem. Include your name,
address and telephone number.
Package the return carefully. Shippers will not reimburse for damages
due to insufficient packaging, even if the merchandise is insured. Print the
RA number prominently on the top of the package.
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.
• Always supervise children when using this telescope.
• Do not leave telescope unattended at any time. Untrained adults or
children may not be familiar with the correcting operating procedure.
• Do not point the telescope at the sun even when you are not looking
through it. This will cause internal damage to the telescope.
• Handle this telescope with care. Rough handling might knock the
internal optical components out of alignment.
Prepay shipping. Insure the package. Send it to Carson Warranty Service, 35
Gilpin Ave., Hauppauge NY 11788. Merchandise must be shipped prepaid.
Carson will not accept merchandise C.O.D.
Customer Service:
We will be happy to help you with any problems you may experience while
using your telescope. Please call our toll-free customer service line at
1-800-967-8427.
Warranty Information:
This Carson product is warranted to be free from defects in material and
workmanship for a period of one year from date of purchase. During this
period Carson will, at its option and without charge, either repair any part
or assembly of parts found to be defective in material or workmanship, or
replace this Carson product with a Carson product of comparable value and
condition, subject to the limitations and exclusions noted herein.
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