Meade Telescope 125 User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL  
6”, 8”, 10”, & 12.5” Starfinder  
Dobsonian Telescopes  
Meade Instruments Corporation  
 
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Captions for Fig. 1  
Focuser assembly  
Eyepiece  
Viewfinder bracket  
Viewfinder  
Optical tube assembly  
Mirror cell  
Side board  
Ground plate  
Base plate  
Contents  
6", 8" 10", and 12.5 Starfinder  
Dobsonian Telescopes  
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
7.  
8.  
9.  
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4  
Parts Listing and Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4  
Assembling the Mount. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4  
Optical Tube Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5  
Attaching the Focuser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5  
Attaching the Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5  
Installing the Primary Mirror. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5  
Balancing the Telescope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
The Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
Aligning the Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
Using the Viewfinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
Collimation of the Optical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
Correct Collimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Spider Vane Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Secondary Mirror Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Primary Mirror Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Star Testing the Collimation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8  
Tips on Using a Dobsonian Telescope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8  
Magnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8  
Seeing Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9  
Observing Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9  
Care of Optics and Main Tube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9  
Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9  
Meade Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10  
Specifications and Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11  
10. Front board  
11. Altitude bearing  
® The name ‘Meade’ and the Meade logo are trademarks  
registered with the U.S. Patent Office and in principal  
countries throughout the world.  
© 1999 Meade Instruments Corporation  
 
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4. Firmly press the screw cover caps (2, Fig. 2) into the  
heads of the wood screws on the side boards. You may  
have to lightly tap the screw cover caps to properly seat  
them into the screw heads.  
INTRODUCTION  
The Starfinder Dobsonian telescope will open up the skies for  
a breathtaking array of visual observations. Galaxies, nebulae,  
star clusters — in all their variations of form, color, and extent  
— as well as the Moon, planets, comets and other objects  
within the solar system, may be studied in great detail.  
5. Install the two handles (1, Fig. 2) onto the side boards  
utilizing the supplied screws. Firmly tighten the screws.  
This manual is designed for the 6", 8", 10", and 12.5" Starfinder  
Dobsonian Telescopes. With the exception of a few assembly  
operations and features, the four telescopes are almost  
identical operationally. When differences in procedures occur,  
they are clearly noted. Most standard and optional accessories  
are interchangeable between the four telescopes. For optimal  
enjoyment of the telescope, please take a few minutes to read  
this manual and become familiar with all of the instrument’s  
capabilities.  
6. To install the center pivot bearing, first insert the nylon  
center bearing bushing (8, Fig. 2) into the center hole of  
the ground plate (10, Fig. 2) from the top side. You may  
have to lightly tap the bushing to fully seat it into the hole.  
7. Place the four (six on the 12.5" model) nylon washers  
(9, Fig. 2) onto the nylon center bearing bushing. Then,  
from the bottom, insert the 2 1/4" x 5/16" hex pivot bolt  
(12, Fig. 2), with a flat washer (13, Fig. 2) up through the  
center of the ground plate. This bolt should then be  
inserted through the center hole of the base plate  
(7,Fig. 2). Secure this assembly with the other flat washer  
and the 5/16" locking nut (6, Fig. 2).  
PARTS LISTING AND ASSEMBLY  
When first opening the packing boxes, note carefully the  
following parts included with the Starfinder Dobsonian  
Telescope (use Figure 1 and 2 to aid in the identification  
process):  
NOTE: Do not overtighten the nut or the base plate will not  
easily rotate upon the ground plate. Only tighten the pivot  
bolt and nut sufficiently to maintain a very light pressure  
between the ground plate and base plate. The two parts  
should easily turn in a “Lazy Susan” fashion.  
Carton #1: The Telescope  
— Optical tube assembly  
— Primary mirror mounted in its cell  
— Focuser  
This completes assembly of your Meade Starfinder Dobsonian  
Mount.  
— Modified Achromat (MA) 25mm eyepiece  
— 5 x 24mm viewfinder  
— Hardware kit.  
Carton #2: The Mount  
— 2 Side boards  
— Front board  
— Ground plate  
— Base plate  
— 2 Handles  
— Hardware kit  
Assembling the Mount  
Assembly of your Meade Starfinder Dobsonian telescope  
should only take a few minutes. A phillips screwdriver, pliers,  
and an adjustable wrench are the only tools you will need.  
1. Attach the self-adhesive rubber feet (11, Fig. 2) to the  
underside of the ground plate (10, Fig. 2), the round piece  
with the Teflon pads. The feet should be mounted directly  
under the already installed Teflon pads.  
Two extra rubber feet have been supplied for use as  
“bumpers” where the telescope tube hits the front board  
(5, Fig 2.) at the travel limits. Place one in the center of the  
top ledge, and one in the center on the inside near the  
bottom (see Fig. 2). The exact position for these two  
bumpers will be obvious with the telescope mounted on  
the base.  
2. Attach the front board (5, Fig. 2) loosely to the two side  
boards (4, Fig. 2) using the supplied wood screws  
(3,Fig.2), and the predrilled holes. Do not fully tighten the  
screws yet.  
3. Attach the front board/side board assembly to the base  
plate (7, Fig 2) using the supplied Wood Screws, and the  
predrilled holes. Snugly tighten all screws, including those  
previously installed.  
 
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Optical Tube Assembly  
The optical tube has been pre-drilled at the Meade factory to  
accept all standard accessories.  
BALANCING THE TELESCOPE  
Dobsonian telescopes are designed to move easily, but at the  
same time remain in the position they are placed. This is  
achieved by carefully balancing the telescope at the Meade  
factory. The telescope is balanced for standard accessories.  
1. Attaching the Focuser: Lay the tube flat on the floor.  
Align the holes in the focuser assembly (1, Fig. 1) with the  
four pre-drilled holes in the optical tube. From the  
provided hardware, place the four Phillips-head screws  
through the holes. Then, carefully reach into the optical  
tube and attach a nut and washer to each screw. Tighten  
the screws, but do not overtighten; tightening to a firm feel  
is sufficient.  
However, should anything attached to the telescope change,  
for example using a larger or smaller eyepiece, or even moving  
the primary mirror during collimation, slight imperfections in  
balance may occur.  
You may find as you change eyepieces or accessories, that the  
telescope is out-of-balance. This is a relatively easy problem to  
correct. With a little ingenuity, counterweights can be fashioned  
by the telescope owner, using fishing sinkers or washers.  
2. Attaching the Viewfinder: With the optical tube lying flat  
on the floor, align the two holes in the viewfinder bracket  
(3, Fig.1) with the pre-drilled holes in the optical tube.  
From the supplied hardware, place a screw through each  
of the holes. Carefully reach into the optical tube and  
attach a nut to each screw. As with the focuser, tightening  
to a firm feel is sufficient. Overtightening may result in  
damage to the tube's finish. Aligning the viewfinder is  
discussed later in this manual.  
THE VIEWFINDER  
The Starfinder telescope, as with almost all astronomical  
telescopes, presents a fairly narrow field of view to the  
observer. As a result, it is sometimes difficult to locate and  
center objects in the telescope’s field of view.  
The viewfinder, by contrast, is a low-powered, wide-field  
sighting scope with crosshairs that enables the easy centering  
of objects in the main telescope’s field of view. Standard  
equipment with the Starfinder telescope is a viewfinder of 5-  
power and 24 mm aperture, called an “5 x 24mm viewfinder.”  
Your Meade Starfinder telescope was fully assembled, aligned,  
and tested at the Meade factory. To ensure safe shipping, the  
primary mirror was then removed from the telescope. Locate  
the primary mirror cell assembly (Fig 3). Again, take extreme  
care not to touch or bump the primary mirror.  
Aligning the Viewfinder  
3. Installing the Primary Mirror: (Refer to Figure 3) You will  
note that there is a colored marker on the rear of the  
telescope tube. There is a corresponding colored marker  
(3, Fig. 3) on the mirror cell. Carefully slide the mirror cell  
into the rear of the tube, ensuring that the two colored  
markers line up. Secure the cell to the tube with the four  
provided large-headed screws (1, Fig. 3). Again, do not  
overtighten the screws. A firm feel is sufficient.  
In order for the viewfinder to be useful, it must first be aligned  
with the main telescope, so that both the viewfinder and the  
main telescope are pointing at precisely the same place. To  
align the viewfinder, follow this procedure:  
1. The viewfinder bracket includes six alignment screws.  
Turn the three rear-most alignment screws so that the  
viewfinder tube is roughly centered within the viewfinder  
bracket, as viewed from the eyepiece-end of the  
telescope.  
4. Carefully place the assembled optical tube into the  
previously assembled base as illustrated in Figure 1. Note  
that the two large bearings on the side of the tube  
(11, Fig.1) rest in the cutouts of the mount . Also note the  
orientation of the tube to the mount; the focuser (1, Fig. 1)  
should be on the opposite side from the mount’s Front  
Board (10, Fig. 1).  
2. Using the standard equipment 25mm eyepiece, point the  
main telescope at some easy-to-find, well-defined land  
object, such as the top of a telephone pole. Center the  
object precisely in the main telescope’s field.  
3. While looking through the viewfinder, gently turn one or  
more of the three front-most viewfinder alignment screws  
until the crosshairs of the viewfinder point at precisely the  
same position as the main telescope. During this  
procedure, occasionally look through the main telescope  
to make sure the object is still centered.  
When the object is centered in the viewfinder, confirm that the  
viewfinder’s crosshairs and the main telescope are now  
pointing at precisely the same object. The viewfinder is now  
aligned to the main telescope. Unless the alignment screws are  
disturbed, the viewfinder will remain aligned indefinitely.  
Using the Viewfinder  
Now, to locate any object, terrestrial or astronomical, first  
center the object on the crosshairs of the viewfinder; the object  
will then be centered in the field of the main telescope.  
Note: If you intend to use higher observing magnifications, first  
locate, center, and focus the object using a low-power eyepiece  
(e.g., the 25mm eyepiece). Objects are easier to locate and  
center at low powers; higher power eyepieces may then be  
employed by changing eyepieces.  
COLLIMATION OF THE OPTICAL SYSTEM  
Precise collimation, or alignment, of your telescope’s optical  
system is essential for good performance. All Meade  
telescopes are accurately collimated at the factory prior to  
shipment, so collimation adjustments will probably not be  
necessary. Nevertheless, take the time now to familiarize  
yourself with the following collimation procedure so that you  
may recognize a properly collimated instrument and adjust the  
collimation yourself, if necessary.  
 
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(3, Fig. 4) and secondary mirror (2, Fig. 4) are tilted so that the  
focused image (6, Fig. 4) falls directly through the center of the  
focuser drawtube (5, Fig. 4).  
Face-on view  
Edge-on view  
To inspect the view of the mirror collimation, remove the  
eyepiece and look down the focuser drawtube. The round edge  
of the focuser drawtube (1, Fig. 6) will frame the reflections of  
the primary mirror with the secondary mirror (2, Fig. 6) the  
spider vanes (3, Fig. 6) and your eye (4, Fig. 6). Properly  
aligned, all of these reflections will appear concentric (i.e.  
centered) as illustrated in Fig. 6. Any deviation from the  
concentric reflections will require adjustments to the secondary  
mirror assembly (Fig. 5), and/or the primary mirror cell.  
Spider Vane Adjustments  
Looking down the open end of the telescope tube, check to see  
if the secondary mirror system is centered in the optical tube. If  
the assembly is off-center, loosen one of the spider vane  
adjustment/lock knobs while unscrewing the opposite knob.  
Only make adjustments to 2 knobs at a time until the secondary  
mirror is centered in the drawtube. When the spider vane is  
correctly positioned, the view through the drawtube will look like  
Correct Collimation  
A properly collimated (aligned) mirror system in your Starfinder  
Dobsonian telescope assures the sharpest images possible.  
Your Starfinder is properly aligned when the primary mirror  
 
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Fig. 8. (Note that the secondary mirror is misaligned.)  
cleaning solutions as this may damage the bearings or the  
painted surfaces of the telescope.  
Secondary Mirror Adjustments  
3. You will notice that your telescope will move in altitude by  
raising and lowering the tube, and in azimuth by rotating  
the base. As you observe objects in the night sky they will  
appear to drift out of the field of view due to the Earth’s  
rotation. To keep an object centered in the field of view,  
just lightly nudge the telescope in the proper direction.  
This may take a little practice at first, but you’ll soon get  
the hang of it.  
If the secondary mirror (1, Fig. 8) is centered in the drawtube  
(2, Fig. 8) but the primary mirror is only partially visible in the  
reflection (3, Fig. 8) the 3 hex screws located on the secondary  
mirror assembly (2, Fig. 5) must be unthreaded slightly to refine  
the tilt-angle of the secondary mirror until the entire primary  
mirror can be seen centered within the secondary mirror  
reflection. When the secondary mirror is correctly aligned, it will  
look like Fig. 9. (Note that the primary mirror is misaligned.)  
4. Be sure the Mount is placed on a relatively level surface  
to allow proper operation. Each of the three feet should be  
in firm contact and not wobble. If you are in an area with  
particularly rough or soft ground, it may be helpful to place  
the Mount on a thick piece of plywood.  
Primary Mirror Adjustments  
If the secondary mirror and the reflection of the primary mirror  
(1, Fig. 9) appear centered within the drawtube (2, Fig. 9) but  
the reflection of your eye (3, Fig. 9) appears off-center, you will  
need to adjust one or more of the three primary mirror hex  
screws of the primary mirror cell. These primary hex screws are  
located behind the primary mirror, at the lower end of the main  
tube. Adjust the primary mirror alignment by slightly turning one  
hex screw at a time, looking through the focuser after each  
adjustment to determine if the mirror is moving in the correct  
direction.  
5. Part of the fun of using a Dobsonian type of telescope is  
the challenge of hunting for objects in the night sky. Invest  
is some simple star charts and books that tell you how to  
locate objects using a technique called “star hopping.”  
Once you begin learning the star patterns and  
constellations, you’re well on you way to finding many  
amazing sights.  
Star Testing the Collimation  
MAGNIFICATION  
With the collimation performed, the next step is to test the  
accuracy of the alignment on a star. Use the 25mm eyepiece  
and point the telescope at 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 method below:  
The magnification, or power, at which a telescope is operating  
is determined by two factors: the focal length of the eyepiece  
employed and the focal length of the telescope. The Meade  
Starfinder Dobsonian telescope is supplied with one eyepiece  
as standard equipment. The focal length of the eyepiece,  
25mm, is printed on its side.  
1. Bring the star image slowly out of focus until one or more  
rings are visible around the central disc. If the collimation  
was performed correctly, the central star disk and rings will  
be concentric circles, with a dark spot dead center within  
the out-of-focus star disk (this is the shadow of the  
secondary mirror), as shown in Fig. 10A. (An improperly  
aligned telescope will reveal elongated circles, Fig. 10B,  
with an off-center dark shadow.)  
Telescope focal length is, roughly speaking, the distance that  
light travels inside the telescope before reaching a focus.  
The focal length of the Dobsonian 6" f/8 = 1220mm.  
The focal length of the Dobsonian 8" f/6 = 1220mm.  
The focal length of the Dobsonian 10" f/4.5 = 1140mm  
The focal length of the Dobsonian 12.5" f/4.8= 1525mm  
2. If the out-of-focus star disk appears elongated (Fig. 10B),  
you will need to adjust the primary mirror tilt hex screws of  
the primary mirror cell. Adjust the hex screw on the mirror  
cell until the circles are concentric on either side of focus.  
On a given telescope, such as the Starfinder Dobsonian,  
different eyepiece focal lengths are used to achieve different  
magnifications, from low to high.  
To calculate the magnification obtained with a given eyepiece,  
use this formula:  
Power = Telescope Focal Length  
___________________  
Eyepiece Focal Length  
Example: Using the 25mm eyepiece supplied with the 8" f/6,  
the power is:  
Power = 1220mm  
________ = 49x  
25mm  
The type of eyepiece, whether Modified Achromatic, Plössl, or  
Super Plössl, has no effect on magnification, but does have a  
bearing on such optical characteristics as field of view, flatness  
of field, and color correction.  
TIPS ON USING A  
DOBSONIAN TELESCOPE  
1. Never lubricate the Teflon pads on the ground plate. The  
Meade Starfinder Dobsonian has been designed with  
some inherent friction. You want the telescope to move  
easily when you position it, but you also want it to stay in  
the position you place it. Using any kind of oil, silicone  
spray, wax, or grease will ruin the performance by causing  
the telescope to move too easily. Just keep these bearing  
surfaces clean; that’s all the maintenance required.  
Maximum practical magnification is about 50X per inch of  
aperture. Generally, however, lower powers will produce higher  
image resolution. When unsteady air conditions prevail (as  
witnessed by rapid “twinkling” of the stars), extremely high  
powers result in “empty” magnification, where the object detail  
observed is actually diminished by the excessive power.  
When beginning observations on a particular object, start with  
a low power eyepiece; get the object well-centered in the field  
of view and sharply focused. Then try the next step up in  
magnification. If the image starts to become fuzzy as you work  
up 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. Keep in mind that a  
bright, clearly resolved, but smaller, image will show far more  
2. The altitude bearing surfaces (11, Fig 1) of the telescope  
are lightly lubricated at the factory for optimum  
performance. Over a period of time, these surfaces may  
become dry or dirty. Simply clean off the bearing surfaces  
with a dry cloth or paper towel and reapply a thin coating  
of silicone grease or spray to the surfaces to maintain  
peak performance. Do not use solvents or alcohol-based  
 
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detail than a dimmer, poorly resolved, larger image.  
As you use your telescope more and more, you will find that  
you are seeing more and finer detail: observing through a  
large-aperture telescope is an acquired skill. Celestial  
observing will become increasingly rewarding as your eye  
becomes better trained to the detection of subtle nuances of  
resolution.  
Because of certain characteristics of the human eye (in  
particular, eye pupil diameter) and because of optical  
considerations inherent in the design of the telescope, there  
exist minimum practical power levels also. Generally speaking  
the lowest usable power is approximately 4X per inch of  
telescope aperture.  
CARE OF OPTICS AND MAIN TUBE  
With the reasonable care due any fine instrument, your Meade  
telescope will last a lifetime. If the eyepieces become dirty, try  
cleaning them with a camel’s hair brush or compressed air. If  
you must wipe the surface of the lenses, do so gently with a soft  
cloth so as not to scratch the protective coatings.  
SEEING CONDITIONS  
Even in normal city conditions, with all of the related air and  
light pollution, there are many interesting celestial objects to  
observe. But, to be sure, there is no substitute for the clear,  
dark, steady skies generally found only away from urban  
environments, or on mountaintops: objects previously viewed  
only in the city take on added detail or are seen in wider  
extension, or even become visible at all for the first time.  
The aluminum coating on the primary and secondary mirrors  
may last more than ten years without significant deterioration.  
(The coatings will last a shorter period if regularly exposed to  
salty or polluted air.) Minor blemishes, scratches, or streaks will  
NOT impair the telescope’s performance. Re-coating, when  
necessary, is relatively inexpensive. Contact your local Meade  
dealer for information on mirror re-coating services.  
The amateur astronomer is faced typically with two broadly  
defined problems when viewing astronomical objects through  
the Earth’s atmosphere: first is the clarity, or transparency, of  
the air, and secondly the steadiness of the air. This latter  
characteristic is often referred to as the quality of “seeing.”  
Amateur astronomers talk almost constantly about the “seeing  
conditions,” since, perhaps ironically, even the clearest, darkest  
skies may be almost worthless for serious observations if the  
air is not steady. This steadiness of the atmosphere is most  
readily gauged by observing the “twinkling” of the stars: rapid  
twinkling implies air motion in the Earth’s atmosphere, and  
under these conditions, resolution of fine detail (on the surface  
of Jupiter, for instance) will generally be limited. When the air is  
steady, stars appear to the naked eye as untwinkling points of  
unchanging brightness, and it is in such a situation that the full  
potential of the telescope may be realized: higher powers may  
be used to advantage, closer double stars resolved as distinct  
points, and fine detail observed on the Moon and planets.  
The most common error is to clean the optics too often. If  
cleaning does become necessary, clean as follows:  
1. Using distilled water and cotton, gently swab the surface  
of the mirror to remove any dust or dirt. Use the cotton to  
make one pass over the mirror and then use new cotton.  
This will keep the dirt previously removed from contacting  
the mirror surface and scratching the coatings.  
2. Dip a wad of cotton in a mild detergent solution (1/2  
teaspoon to 1 pint of water) and gently swab the entire  
surface. This will remove any oily deposits or fingerprints.  
3. Swab the entire surface. Do not turn over the cotton wads  
or dissolved skin oils may deposit on the mirror’s surface.  
Immediately take a dry swab and continue wiping the  
entire surface gently. Keep changing wads until the mirror  
surface is completely dry and free of streaks.  
OBSERVING GUIDELINES  
Several basic guidelines should be followed for best results in  
using your telescope:  
When cleaning the outside of the Starfinder optical tube (1),  
use a mild detergent, (Pine-Sol, Formula 409, Fantastic, or oil  
soap). Oil soap is preferred as it also acts as a preservative for  
the paint. Solvent or alcohol-based cleaning solutions will  
diminish the original luster of the paint.  
1. Try not to touch the eyepiece while observing. Any  
vibrations resulting from such contact will immediately  
cause the image to move.  
2. Allow your eyes to become “dark-adapted” prior to making  
serious observations. Night adaptation generally requires  
about 10-15 minutes for most people.  
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES  
A wide assortment of professional Meade accessories is  
available for the Starfinder telescopes.  
3. Let the telescope “cool down” to the outside  
environmental temperature before making observations.  
Differences in temperature between a warm house and  
the cold outside air require about 30 minutes for the  
telescope’s optics to regain their true correct figures.  
During this period the telescope will not perform well.  
Dust Covers: Snug-fitting vinyl dust covers protect optics from  
outside dust during storage of the telescope.  
Eyepieces: Many additional eyepieces are available for higher  
and lower magnifications. All Meade Starfinder Equatorial  
telescopes accept standard 1.25" O.D. eyepieces as well as 2"  
O.D. eyepieces.  
4. If you wear glasses and do not suffer from astigmatism,  
take your glasses off when observing through the  
telescope. You can re-focus the image to suit your own  
eyes. Observers with astigmatism, however, should keep  
their glasses on, especially with lower powered  
eyepieces. The effects of astigmatism are reduced with  
higher power eyepieces, so eyeglasses may be removed  
to improve eye relief.  
Meade Super Plössl (SP),  
Super Wide Angle (SWA),  
and Ultra Wide Angle (UWA)  
Eyepieces in the standard  
American-size (1.25") barrel  
diameter permit a wide range  
of magnifying powers with the  
telescope. Powers obtained  
with each eyepiece are as  
follows:  
5. Avoid setting up the telescope inside a room and  
observing through an open window (or, worse yet, through  
a
closed window!). The air currents caused by  
inside/outside temperature differences will make quality  
observing impossible.  
6. Perhaps most important of all, avoid “overpowering” your  
telescope. The maximum usable magnification at any  
given time is governed by the seeing conditions. If the  
telescopic image starts to become fuzzy as you increase  
in power, drop down to a reduced magnification. A smaller,  
but brighter and sharper, image is far more preferable to a  
larger, but fuzzy, indistinct one.  
 
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Eyepiece  
6" f/8  
Power  
8" f/6  
Power  
10" f/4.5 12.5" f/4.8  
Viewfinders: In addition to the standard-equipment 5x24mm  
viewfinder supplied with all Starfinder telescopes, the higher  
power/larger aperture 6x30 and 8x50mm viewfinder are  
available to substitute or retrofit.  
Power  
Power  
SP 6.4mm  
SP 9.7mm  
SP 12.4mm  
SP 15mm  
SP 20mm  
SP 26mm  
SP 32mm  
SP 40mm  
191X  
126X  
98X  
81X  
61X  
47X  
38X  
31X  
191X  
126X  
98X  
81X  
61X  
47X  
38X  
31X  
178X  
118X  
92X  
76X  
57X  
44X  
36X  
*
238X  
157X  
123X  
102X  
76X  
59X  
48X  
*
MEADE CUSTOMER SERVICE  
If you have a question concerning your Meade Starfinder  
Dobsonian telescope, call Meade Instruments/Customer  
Service Department at (949) 451-1450, or fax at (949) 451-  
1460. Customer Service hours are 8:30AM - 4:00PM, Pacific  
Time, Monday through Friday. In the unlikely event that your  
Dobsonian telescope requires factory servicing or repairs, write  
or call the Meade Customer Service Department first, before  
returning the telescope to the factory, giving full particulars as  
to the nature of the problem, as well as your name, address,  
and daytime telephone number. The great majority of Starfinder  
servicing issues can be resolved by telephone, avoiding return  
of the telescope to the factory.  
SWA 13.8mm 88X  
SWA 18mm 68X  
SWA 24.5mm 50X  
SWA 32mm  
SWA 40mm  
88X  
68X  
50X  
38X  
31X  
83X  
63X  
47X  
36X  
*
111X  
85X  
62X  
48X  
*
38X  
31X  
UWA 4.7mm 260X**  
UWA 6.7mm 182X  
UWA 8.8mm 139X  
260X**  
182X  
139X  
87X  
243X  
170X  
130X  
81X  
324X**  
228X  
173X  
109X  
UWA 14mm  
87X  
*
Not recommended for 10" and 12.5" models.  
** Should be used only under extremely steady  
atmospheric conditions.  
Meade Super Plössl and Super Wide Angle Eyepieces are  
ideal for general-purpose astronomical or terrestrial observing.  
The typical Starfinder Dobsonian user may wish to add 2 or 3  
of these eyepieces to his or her telescope. An introductory  
selection might include the SP9.7mm and SP15mm. The more  
advanced observer will perhaps select the SP 9.7mm, SP  
12.4mm, and SWA 18mm. The Super Wide Angle Eyepiece  
series yields extremely wide fields of view, perfect for the  
examination of star fields, diffuse nebulae, or for terrestrial  
applications. Under very steady seeing conditions Meade UWA  
4.7mm and 6.7mm eyepieces present the widest fields of view  
obtainable at high powers and are excellent eyepieces for the  
Moon and planets.  
Filters: Thirteen color filters are  
available for significantly increased  
contrast and resolution of detail on  
the Moon and planets. For  
example, the #80A (blue) filter  
effectively enhances the reddish-  
colored detail on the surface of  
Jupiter. These filters thread into the barrels of all standard 1.25"  
O.D. eyepieces and may also be used for eyepiece projection  
photography.  
Illuminated Reticle Eyepiece: Permits  
easy visibility of guiding crosslines even  
against the darkest skies. The standard  
#702A double-crossline, phosphorescent-  
enhanced reticle allows for variable  
illumination from faint to very bright.  
Magellan I: The Magellan I accessory will  
permit you to add a powerful pointing tool  
to your Starfinder Dobsonian telescope.  
Encoders supplied with this product for the  
R.A. and Dec. axis can be easily installed  
in factory machined mounting features.  
Once installed, the Magellan I will allow the  
electronic selection and pointing of the  
telescope at a large number of catalogued  
objects in the sky.  
#140 2x Barlow Lens: The Barlow  
Lens, or Telenegative Amplifier, is a  
convenient accessory used to  
increase the effective magnification  
of any given eyepiece. The Barlow  
Lens is inserted into the focuser and  
accepts all standard 1.25" O.D. eyepieces.  
 
- 10 -  
Specifications and Features: Meade StarfinderDobsonian Telescopes  
TELESCOPE:  
Starfinder  
Starfinder  
Starfinder  
Starfinder  
Dobsonian 6  
Dobsonian 8  
Dobsonian 10  
Dobsonian 12.5  
Optical Design  
Newtonian Reflector  
152mm (6")  
Newtonian Reflector  
203mm (8")  
Newtonian Reflector  
254mm (10")  
Newtonian Reflector  
318mm (12.5")  
Diameter/Clear Aperture  
Primary &  
Secondary Mirrors  
Grade-A Pyrex® glass,  
fine annealed  
Grade-A Pyrex® glass,  
fine annealed  
Grade-A Pyrex® glass,  
fine annealed  
Grade-A Pyrex® glass,  
fine annealed  
Secondary Mirror Support  
Focal Length  
4-vane; steel  
1220mm  
f/8  
4-vane; steel  
1220mm  
f/6  
4-vane; steel  
1140mm  
f/4.5  
4-vane; steel  
1525mm  
f/4.8  
Focal Ratio  
Resolving Power (arc secs.)  
Limiting Visual Magnitude  
0.74  
0.56  
0.45  
0.36  
13.5  
14.0  
14.5  
15.0  
Limiting Photographic Magnitude  
Image Scale  
16.0  
1.18°/inch  
16.5  
17.0  
17.4  
1.18°/inch  
500X  
1.26°/inch  
600X  
0.95°/inch  
600X  
Maximum Practical Visual Power  
35mm Angular Film Coverage  
Optical Tube  
400X  
1.11° x 1.58°  
1.11° x 1.58°  
9.6" dia. x 48" long-  
1.19° x 1.70°  
0.89° x 1.27°  
7.6" dia. x 48" long-  
12.7" dia. x 45" long  
15.1" x 58" long  
spiral-wound Sonotube spiral-wound Sonotube  
spiral-wound Sonotube  
spiral-wound Sonotube  
Secondary Mirror Minor Axis  
Secondary Mirror Obstruction  
1.18"  
3.9%  
1.83"  
3.6%  
2.37"  
5.6%  
2.60"  
4.3%  
Dobsonian Mounting  
Base Diameter  
13.75"  
17.1"  
22.2"  
26.75"  
Mount Dimensions (approx.) 12" square x 19" high  
16" square x 17" high  
21" square x 20" high  
25" square x 22 " high  
Materials-- ----------------All models: thermally-fused Melamine® with industrial particle board core.---------------  
Bearings: Altitude  
Azimuth  
Nylon  
Teflon  
Nylon  
Teflon  
Nylon  
Teflon  
Nylon  
Teflon  
Net Weights: Optical Tube  
Mounting  
20 lbs.  
14 lbs.  
26 lbs.  
18 lbs.  
30 lbs.  
32 lbs.  
55 lbs.  
41 lbs.  
Shipping Weight (approx.)  
38 lbs.  
49 lbs.  
68 lbs.  
106 lbs  
 
- 11 -  
t
 
Meade Instruments Corporation  
World’s leading manufacturer of astronomical telescopes for the serious amateur.  
6001 Oak Canyon, Irvine, California 92620 (949) 451-1450  
Fax: (949) 451-1460 www.meade.com  
Ver. 0499  
Part no. 14-0218-00  
 

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