Orion ARISTOCRAT 9800 - Manual (Page 7)

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B. The Planets
The planets don’t stay put like the stars, so to find them you
should refer to Sky Calendar at our website (telescope.com),
or to charts published monthly in Astronomy, Sky & Telescope,
or other astronomy magazines. Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and
Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after the Sun and
the Moon. Your Aristocrat 60mm is capable of showing you
these planets in some detail. Other planets may be visible but
will likely appear star-like. Because planets are quite small in
apparent size, optional higher-power eyepieces are recom-
mended and often needed for detailed observations. Not all
the planets are generally visible at any one time.
JUPITER: The largest planet, Jupiter, is a great subject for
observation. You can see the disk of the giant planet and
watch the ever-changing positions of its four largest moons -
Io, Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede.
SATURN: The ringed planet is a breathtaking sight when it is
well positioned. The tilt angle of the rings varies over a period
of many years; sometimes they are seen edge-on, while at
other times they are broadside and look like giant “ears” on
each side of Saturn’s disk. A steady atmosphere (good see-
ing) is necessary for a good view. You will probably see a
bright “star” close by, which is Saturn’s brightest moon, Titan.
VENUS: At its brightest, Venus is the most luminous object in
the sky, excluding the Sun and the Moon. It is so bright that
sometimes it is visible to the naked eye during full daylight!
Ironically, Venus appears as a thin crescent, not a full disk,
when at its peak brightness. Because it is so close to the Sun,
it never wanders too far from the morning or evening horizon.
No surface markings can be seen on Venus, which is always
shrouded in dense clouds.
MARS: The Red Planet makes its closest approach to Earth
every two years. During close approaches you’ll see a red
disk, and may be able to see the polar ice cap.
C. The Stars
Stars will appear like twinkling points of light. Even powerful
telescopes cannot magnify stars to appear as more than a
point of light. You can, however, enjoy the different colors of the
stars and locate many pretty double and multiple stars. The
famous “Double-Double” in the constellation Lyra and the gor-
geous two-color double star Albireo in Cygnus are favorites.
Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out its color.
D. Deep Sky Objects
Under dark skies, there are many deep sky objects that are
bright enough to be viewed with your Aristocrat 60mm, includ-
ing galaxies, nebulas, and star clusters. Most deep-sky objects are faint, so it is important that you allow plenty of time for
your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Do not expect these to
look like the photographs you see in books and magazines.
To find deep sky objects in the sky, it is best to consult a star
chart and planisphere. These guides will help you locate the
brightest and best deep sky objects for viewing with your
Aristocrat 60mm.
7. care and Maintenance.
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a life-
time. Do not store the telescope outdoors. Small components
like eyepieces and other accessories should be kept in a pro-
tective box or storage case. Keep the dust covers on the front
and rear of the telescope and finder scope when not in use.
The Aristocrat’s legs are made of Mahogany wood that has
been lacquered for protection. As long as they are kept from
excess moisture, they will not warp or bend. Should they be
exposed to moisture, dry them with a towel as soon as possi-
ble.
All the brass parts of the telescope have been treated to pre-
vent tarnishing and discoloring. You will not need to polish the
brass. Fingerprints and other marks should be wiped off with
a soft cloth. The coating will also cause moisture that comes
in contact with the brass to “bead” on the surface. Moisture
on the brass parts should be wiped up immediately with a soft
cloth.
cleaning lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean-
ing fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be
used to clean the Aristocrat 60mm’s objective lens or the
exposed lenses of your eyepieces and finder scope. Never
use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eye-
glasses
Before cleaning with fluid and tissue, blow any loose particles
off the lens with a blower bulb or compressed air. Then apply
some cleaning fluid to a tissue, never directly on the optics.
Wipe the lens gently in a circular motion, then remove any
excess fluid with a fresh lens tissue. Oily fingerprints and
smudges may be removed using this method. Use caution -
rubbing too hard may scratch the lens. For the larger surface
of the objective lens, clean only a small area at a time, using
a fresh lens tissue on each area. Never reuse tissues.