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Specifications, Appendix a: collimating (aligning the mirrors) – Orion STARMAX 9541 User Manual

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Specifications

#9549 GoScope 80 TableTop
Optical design

Refractor

Objective lens

Achromatic, air-spaced, fully
coated

Aperture

80mm

Focal length

350mm

Focal ratio

f/4.3

Diagonal

90° prism, accepts 1.25"
eyepieces

Eyepieces

20mm eyepiece (18x) and
10mm eyepiece (35x), fully
coated, 1.25"

Finder scope

EZ Finder II reflex sight

Optical tube mounting block Fits Orion Dovetail mounts

and ¼"-20 photo tripods

Total weight

5.7 lbs. (tube 2.9 lbs, mount
2.8 lbs)

#9909 StarMax 90 TableTop
Optical design

Maksutov-Cassegrain

Primary mirror coating

Aluminum with SiO

2

overcoat

Meniscus lens coating

Anti-reflection multi-coatings
on both sides of lens

Aperture

90mm

Focal length

1250mm

Focal ratio

f/13.9

Central obstruction diameter 29mm
Eyepiece adapter

Accepts 1.25" accessories,
camera T-threads

Diagonal

90° mirror star diagonal, 1.25"

Eyepieces

25mm (50x) and 10mm
(125x), fully coated

Finder scope

EZ Finder II reflex sight

Optical tube mounting block Fits Orion Dovetail mounts

and ¼"-20 photo tripods

Weight

6.5 lbs (tube 3.7 lbs, mount
2.8 lbs)

#9541 SkyScanner 100 TableTop
Optical design

Reflector

Primary mirror

Parabolic

Primary mirror coating

Aluminum with SiO2 overcoat

Secondary mirror diameter
Aperture

100mm

Focal length

400mm

Focal ratio

f/4

Focuser

1.25" Rack & Pinion

Eyepieces

20mm (20x) and 10mm (40x)
fully coated

Finder scope

EZ Finder II reflex sight

Optical tube mounting block Fits Orion Dovetail mounts

and ¼"-20 photo tripods

Weight

6.2 lbs (tube 3.4 lbs, mount
2.8 lbs)

Appendix A: Collimating

(Aligning the Mirrors)

Collimating is the process of adjusting the mirrors so they are
perfectly aligned with one another. Your telescope’s optics
were aligned at the factory, and should not need much adjust-
ment unless the telescope is handled roughly. It is only rec-
ommended you make changes if the telescope is grossly out
of alignment. Slight variations should still provide acceptable
viewing under most conditions.
To check collimation (mirror alignment), remove the eyepiece
and look down the focuser. You should see the secondary
mirror centered in the drawtube, as well as the reflection of
the primary mirror centered in the secondary mirror, and the
reflection of the secondary mirror (and your eye) centered in
the reflection of the primary mirror, as in.

Star-Testing the Telescope
When it is dark, point the telescope at a bright star and accu-
rately center it in the eyepiece’s field of view. Slowly de-focus
the image with the focusing knob. If the telescope is correctly
collimated, the expanding disk should be a perfect circle. If
the image is unsymmetrical, the scope is out of collimation.
The dark shadow cast by the secondary mirror should appear
in the very center of the out-of-focus circle, like the hole in a
donut. If the “hole” appears off-center, the telescope is out of
collimation.
NOTE: If you try the star test and the bright star you have
selected is not accurately centered in the eyepiece, the
optics will always appear out of collimation, even though
they may be perfectly aligned. It is critical to keep the star
centered, so over time you will need to make slight cor-
rections to the telescope’s position in order to account
for the sky’s apparent motion.

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