Baader Planetarium MAXBRIGHT II User manual

Manual
Thank you for your purchase of the Baader MaxBright II Binoviewer! Properly used, this
sophisticated optical accessory will provide you with a lifetime of amazing views. To ensure
optimal performance, please read this instruction manual before using your binoviewer.
BAADER PLANETARIUM
Zur Sternwarte 4 •D-82291 Mammendorf •Tel. [phone] / 8089-0 •Fax [phone]
www.baader-planetarium.com •[e-mail] •www.celestron.de
G
M
B
H
# 2456460
– EN ver. 08/2019 –

2Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Table of Contents
Baader MaxBright®II Binoviewer........................................ 3
Scope of Delivery and Accessories ...................................... 4
Optional Accessories ................................................. 5
Glassspath Correctors (GC)...................................................5
1¼" and 2" Nosepieces ......................................................5
1¼" Star Diagonals .........................................................6
2" Star Diagonals and Herschel Wedge..........................................7
Configurations ....................................................... 8
How to nd the perfect Star Diagonal .................................... 8
How to nd the perfect glasspath corrector ............................... 9
How to nd the perfect eyepieces....................................... 9
Largest Field of View ................................................. 9
Using Zoom-Eyepieces .............................................. 10
Using rubber eyeshields ............................................. 10
Setting the Interpupillary Distance...................................... 11
Adjusting Left-Right Focus (Diopter Compensation) ....................... 11
Connecting the MaxBright®II Binoviewer to a Telescope................... 12
Assembly with T-2 Coupling Nut ....................................... 12
Option 1: Assembly with a T-2 Star Diagonal ....................................12
Option 2: Assembly with a 1¼" (or 2") Nosepiece, without Star Diagonal ..............13
Assembly with Zeiss Microbayonet ..................................... 14
Option 1: Assembly with a T-2 Star Diagonal ....................................14
Option 2: Assembly without Star Diagonal ......................................15
Assembly with 2" Newtonian 1.7x Glasspath Corrector®.................... 16
Assembly with the 2" Glasspath Corrector 1.8x for Refractors and SC's........ 16
Assembly with 2" Star Diagonals....................................... 16
Further Adaptations ................................................. 17
Solar Observations with the Baader Safety Herschel Wedge ................. 17
Adapting the MaxBright®II to the Cool Ceramic Safety Herschel Wedge...............18
Assembly with the Universal Alan Gee II Telecompressor for SC's............. 18
Shortest possible Adaptation without Glasspath Corrector.................. 19
Addendum ......................................................... 20
Addendum 1: The right Glasspath Corrector ............................. 20
Back-Focus ..............................................................20
How to measure the back-focus of my telescope? ................................20
Choosing a Glasspath Corrector ..............................................21
Addendum 2: Servicing and Maintenance................................ 23
Problems, Maintenance and Warranty .................................. 24

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 3
Baader MaxBright®II Binoviewer
– DEVELOPED ESPECIALLY FOR ASTRONOMY –
• Thanks to its large 27 mm prisms with 25.5 mm free aperture (on the telescope
side even 26 mm), the MaxBright®II Binoviewer offers a signicantly larger eld of
view than cheaper binoviewers. The free aperture is only slightly inferior to many
more expensive bino-viewers like our Mark V Großfeld (Giant) binocular (with 30
mm prisms).
• Its features range from 7-layer multilayer anti-reective coatings on all glass air sur-
faces through a high-performance beam splitter with dielectric splitter layer to self-
centering ClickLock
®
quick clamps for both eyepieces, which have been specially
redesigned for the MaxBright
®
II.
• Eyepiece clamps with diopter adjustment for both eyepieces allow perfect re-
focusing for each eye – this is essential for using any bino-viewer.
• Because of the 1:10 power gear ratio, a gentle, small rotation by 20° of the Click-
Lock® ring is enough to securely clamp every 1¼" eyepieces – or to release it
later. Such a small rotation results in a lock which is at least as tight as a single
clamping screw which is tightend with much more force.
We offer several Glasspath Correctors for our binoviewers, which are designed to
correct spherical aberration. They are also designed to remove colour aberration which
will occur because of the long light-path through the glass prisms in the binoviewer,
if it is used with fast telescopes (with focal ratios between f/4 and f/7) because of the
highly convergent light beams present in these instruments.
Also, as a Glasspath Corrector moves the focus away from a telescope – similar to a
Barlow lens – you can use the binoviewer with almost any telescope. Only if you use
"slow" telescopes like Schmidt-Cassegrains (SC), you do not need a glass- path com-
pensator, because the lightbeams do not converge at such a wide angle. Nevertheless,
they can still be used to achieve different magnications. The sharpness will increase
even when used with SC- and HD-telescopes.
These "colour-abberation correctors" are an important addition to the binoviewer.
The peculiar housing of the three models with a clamping collar is designed to be
inserted between T-2-screw-connections. This way, these lenses can be used with all
telescopes, in different places of the light path, and you can achieve several distances
for projection.
The MaxBright®II Binoviewer is made according to high quality standards. The opti-
cal polish of the prisms, all coatings and last, but not least, the optical adjustment and
orthogonality of the 27 mm large prisms are so precise that the image doesn't deterio-
rate even at highest magnications.
If you you want to experience the universe relaxed with both eyes open, then the
MaxBright®II Binoviewer is the right choice for you!

4Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Scope of Delivery and Accessories
Please note: This is only the scope of delivery of the MaxBright®II Binoviewer
# 2456460. The MaxBright®II is also available in differents sets which include further
accessories. These accessories are also described in
this manual, but they are not further specied here.
For more information, please visit:
1. MaxBright®II Binoviewer
2. Rotatable T-2 Coupling Nut (pre-mounted)
3. Zeiss microbayonet (dovetail ring)
4. Spanner tool to x T-2 adapter or Zeiss-
Microbayonet to the bino-viewer.
5. ABS hard-top case with compartment for a
T-2 star diagonal and a nosepiece
1
2
3
5
4
The hard-top case of the Max-
Bright®II is prepared for further
accessories like a T-2 star diagonal
with an attached 2" nose-piece.
www.baader-planetarium.com
Not included are Glasspath Correctors (which ver-
sion you need depends on your telescope), eyepiec-
es, star diagonal and T-2-adapter (these also depend
on the kind of telescope which you want to use the
binoviewer with).

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 5
Optional Accessories
Glassspath Correctors (GC)
A Baader Glasspath Corrector (GC) fullls two
critical roles. Firstly, it corrects the glass path –
that's the amount of glass through which light
passes on its way through the prisms and which
causes chromatic aberrations (colour errors) with
fast telescopes. Secondly, the GC magnies the
focal length and moves the focal point of the
main telescope. You will nd more information
about choosing the right compensator in the ad-
dendum starting at page 20.
The GCs with a Z in the part number are for use
with the Zeiss microbayonet. They are inserted
"upside down", directly into the binoviewer.
Part Number Factor Focus gain
# 2456314 / # 2456314Z 1,25x ca. 20 mm
# 2456316 / # 2456316Z 1,7x ca. 35 mm
# 2456317 2,6x ca. 65 mm
# 2456300 1,7x ca. 80 mm – 2" Glasspath Corrector for Newton,
to attach to the Zeiss microbayonet
# 2456305 1,8x ca. 80 mm – 2" Glasspath Corrector for Refractors
and Schmidt-Cassegrains. Requires
T-2 Maxbright mirror star diagonal # 2456100
# 2456300
1,7x GC and
coma corrector for
Newtonians
# 2456305
1,8x GC for Refrac-
tors and Schmidt-
Cassegrain
# 2458105
1¼" nosepiece
# 2408150
2" nosepiece
T-2 Glasspath Corrector
Factor 1.25
# 2456314(Z)
T-2 Glasspath Corrector
Factor 1.7
# 2456316(Z)
T-2 Glasspath Corrector
Factor 2.6
# 2456317
GCs to be inserted
into star diagonals
or MaxBright II
body
1¼" and 2" Nosepieces
A T-2 nosepiece in 1¼" (31,8mm, # 2458105)
or 2" (50,8 mm, # 2408150) is used to
connect the binoviewer either through the
pre-installed T-2 coupling nut or the optional
TQC quick changer with a focuser/eyepiece
clamp. They can also be used to use a T-2
star diagonal at 1¼" or 2" focusers.

6Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
1¼" Star Diagonals
The optical length (that is, the necessary back-focus) must be added to the optical
length of the binoviewer.
Part Number Name Optical Length
# 2456100 T-2 Maxbright mirror diagonal 43 mm
dielectrical mirror made of Sitall glas ceramic
# 2456005 T-2 90° star diagonal (32 mm Baader Prism) 35 mm
# 2456095 T-2 90° star diagonal (36 mm Zeiss Prism) 38,5 mm
wit BBHS®coating
# 2456130 T-2 / 90° Baader Astro-Amici-Prism with 48 mm
BBHS®coating, for upright images
# 2456103 Baader T-2 BBHS® star diagonal (mirror) 43 mm
# 2458055 FlipMirror II star diagonal – to switch between 59 mm
straight-through and 90° light path
T-2 / 90° star diagonal
(Zeiss) Prism with BBHS® coating
# 2456095
T-2 / 90° star diagonal
with 32 mm Prism
# 2456095
T-2 / 90° Maxbright
mirror diagonal
# 2456100
Baader FlipMirror II
star diagonal
# 2456100
T-2 / 90° Amici-Prism
witt BBHS® coating
# 2456130
T-2 BBHS® mirror star diagonal
# 2456103

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 7
2" Star Diagonals and Herschel Wedge
The optical length (necessary back-focus) of all com-
ponents must be added to the optical length of the
binoviewer. For a shorter connection, you can remove
the 2" Clicklock® clamp of our star diagonals. Then
you can attach the binoviewer directly to the housing
with the 2"/T-2 adapter # 1508035 as shown in the
image to the right.
The following table gives the optical length without the
Clicklock®-clamp.
Baader 2" ClickLock®
mirror diagonal with
2" ClickLock®-clamp
# 2956100
Safety Herschel Wedge
# 2956500P /
# 2956500V
Baader 2" BBHS®
prism diagonal with
2" ClickLock®-clamp
# 2456117
Part Number Name Optical Length
# 2956100 Baader 2" ClickLock®Mirror Diagonal 71,5 mm
# 2456115 Baader 2" BBHS®Mirror Diagonal 71,5 mm
# 2456117 Baader 2" BBHS®Prism Diagonal 59,5 mm
# 2456120 Baader 2" Astro-Amici-Prism 85 mm
with BBHS®coating
# 2456500P/ 2" Baader Safety Herschel Wedge 67 mm
# 2456500V(Photo/Visual) for solar observation
See page 16 for information about removing the 2" nosepiece.
Baader 2" Astro-Amici
Prism with BBHS®
coating
# 2456120
Baader 2" BBHS®
mirror diagonal with
2" ClickLock®-clamp
# 2456115
MaxBright II with 2"
BBHS®star diagonal
# 2456115
Please note:
Some T-2 threads may be a little bit
too short for the T-2 coupling nut of
the MaxBright II. We have incuded a
T-2 spacer ring which can be placed
into the female thread of the coup-
ling nut.

8Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Configurations
There are many possible ways to adapt the Baader MaxBright®II Binoviewer to your
telescope. To keep the required back-focus as short as possible, you can attach it
directly to the T-2-threads of matching accessories. With the optional TQC Heavy Duty
T-2 Quick Changer # 2456313A, you can change the orientation easily. You can realise
almost every combination with the Astro-T-2-System.
How to find the perfect Star Diagonal
When the binoviewer is used with refractors and Cassegrain telescopes, it is much
more comfortable to use a diagonal between the telescope and the binoviewer. Unfor-
tunately, many cheaper 1¼" star diagonals are not a good choice because they were
only designed for an eyepiece which is tted directly into the eyepiece holder. So close
to the eyepiece, the optical quality of the star diagonal does not have to be very high.
On the other hand, all of our star diagonals are of such a quality that they can be used
up to 160 mm in front of the focal point. To achieve this, all optical surfaces have to be
of a very good quality and very precisely polished.
When choosing a star diagonal, care must be taken to ensure the safety of the
binoviewer and eyepieces. Many cheaper 1¼" diagonals are simply not up to the task
of supporting a binoviewer setup, especially with two heavy wideeld eyepieces. Plastic
bodies, small locking screws and a generally lightweight construction are inadequate
to safely hold heavy accessories like a binoviewer. Unfortunately it's quite common to
hear about heavy and expensive eyepieces being dropped to the ground (and broken)
because of the poor locking system on these budget diagonals.
This is compounded by the extra height (and increased leverage) imparted by placing
the binoviewer on top of the diagonal’s existing eyepiece clamp (which also consumes
a large amount of precious back-focus). This is a large problem if you use 2" star diag-
onals. An eyepiece clamp can use approx. 60 mm of optical length. That is why the 2"
Clicklock®of our BBHS and Clicklock®star diagonals can be removed, so that you can
attach the binoviewer (or a camera body) directly onto the housing of the star diagonal.
You need the optional adapter T-2/2" # 1508035 with an optical length of only 0.5 mm.
The perfect solution for this prob-
lem consists of using a Baader T-2
diagonal. Our T-2 diagonals are
equipped with T-2 threads allow-
ing the binoviewer to be mounted
directly onto the diagonal body.
The result is a very sturdy connec-
tion utilising the minimum amount
of back-focus possible. These
diagonals feature prisms or mirrors
of the absolute best optical quality,
incorporated into a solid one-piece
precision machined metal body
perfectly suited to hold the heavi-
est accessories.
The MaxBright II can be attached directly to our 2" star diagonals
with the 2"/T-2-adapter # 1508035 – as shown here with Baader
Classic Orthos and the 2"BBHS®mirror diagonal# 2456115

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 9
If your telescope is equipped with a 2" eyepiece clamp, you can use the binoviewer
with an optional 2" nosepiece # 2408150. You can attach it either directly to the
binoviewer with the TQC QuickChanger, or to an optional T-2 star diagonal.
How to find the perfect Glasspath Corrector
For telescopes with an f-ratio of about f/7 or faster, you need a Glasspath Corrector
(GC) to correct the colour aberrations introduced by the prisms at such fast tel-
escopes. It also moves the focal point outwards, which is necessary to reach focus at
all at some telescopes. Besides three GCs especially for the astro T-2 system, there
are also two special 2" GCs, one for Newtonians and one for lens telescopes and
Schmidt-Cassegrains. You can nd more about choosing the best GC in the adden-
dum, starting at page 20.
How to find the perfect Eyepieces
The MaxBright®II Binoviewer features an optical window
with a clear aperture of 26mm, so you can use (almost)
all standard 1¼" eyepieces.
The maximum outside body diameter of eyepieces
that can be used with the binoviewer is about 58 mm.
If the binoviewer is used with eyepiece having a larger
diameter, for example the Pentax XW, you may have
problems reaching the correct separation between the
two eyepieces if the interpupillary distance between your
eyes is less than 60 mm.
For observing the planets with high resolution, we
recommend our Classic Ortho or even Carl-Zeiss-Abbe
eyepieces. For general observations, we recommend the
Hyperion 68° and the Morpheus 76° wideangle eyepiec-
es. These provide large eye
relief and are very comfortable to use.
It is extremely important to choose pairs of identical eye-
pieces made by the same manufacturer in the same period
of time. It is quite common to nd signicant differences
(optically and mechanically) in eyepieces of the same
brand and type built at different periods of time. If you do
not use identical eyepieces, you may experience problems
merging the two images, because the brain can't handle
these different images.
Largest Field of View
Usually, eyepieces with a focal length of 32 mm provide
the largest possible eld of view; eyepieces with longer
focal length can give you "only" a brighter image because
of their lower magnication. The reason for this is that the
nosepiece (with the eld stop inside of it) physically limits
The Eudiascopic 35mm-eyepieces
show a very large field of view, in spite
of having only a 1¼" nosepiece.
Two 36 mm Hyperion®Aspheric at
the MaxBright®II Binoviewer

10 Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
the part of the sky which you can see in it. That's why a 32 mm Plössl with about 50°
apparent eld of view usually shows already the largest true eld of view. Neverthe-
less, we have two eyepieces which can show you even more. This is only possible
because their eld stop is not inside of the nose piece. These two eyepieces suitable
for binoviewing are:
• Eudiascopic 35 mm eyepiece 1¼" # 2404105 with 45,6° eld of view. This is almost
as large as the eld of view of 32 mm 2" Ere eyepieces.
• Hyperion®Aspheric 2" eyepiece 36 mm # 2454636 – 50° eld of view with the in-
cluded 1¼" adapter.
Both eyepieces avoid the "tunnel view" which is typical for longer focal lengths, so that
they combine lower magnications and a convenient eld of view.
Using Zoom-Eyepieces
Many economically priced zoom eye-
pieces only have a small eld of view
which decreases with higher magnica-
tions. Furthermore, they have a low opti-
cal quality especially at higher magnica-
tions.
In contrast to standard zoom-designs,
our Hyperion®Universal Zoom Mark IV
eyepieces are made so that they provide
the best sharpness and the largest eld
of view at the highest magnication.
Simple zoom-eyepieces are designed the
other way round. That's why we recom-
mend especially the Hyperion®Zoom
eyepieces for use with a binoviewer. The
precise click stops at 8/12/16/20/24 mm
make it easy to set both eyepieces to the
same magnications.
Using rubber eyeshields
If your eyepieces are equipped with round rubber eyeshields (like e.g. our Hyperion
or Morpheus eyepieces), leave them in an upright position, unless you are wearing
glasses. If you need to wear glasses, fold the eyeshields down to see the complete
eld of view. If you are using eyepieces like the Baader Classic Orthos, it is best to use
the eyeshields with the folding side wing.
Please note: If you are very short-sighted, you should wear the glasses for observa-
tions with the binoviewer – focusing will be easier then. This is also valid in the case
of astigmatism, which is best corrected with glasses (or contact lenses) – you can't
correct for astigmatismus only with the diopter adjustment.
MaxBright®II Bino-viewer with FlipMirror II Star Diagonal
and two Hyperion® Universal Zoom Mark IV eyepieces
on a Schmidt-Cassegrain.

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 11
Setting the Interpupillary Distance
Interpupillary distance (the separation between the centres of the eyes' pupils) varies
from person to person. The binoviewer should be adjusted to match your interpupillary
distance. Using both hands, hold the body of the binoviewer like a pair of binoculars.
While viewing a distant object (daytime) or a bright star eld, rotate the two halves of
the binocular body about the central pivot until you see the eld of view as a single
sharp circle with both eyes.
Adjusting Left-Right Focus (Diopter Compensation)
Many people require a different focus setting for their left and right eyes. That's why
you set a different distance to the body of the binocular for each eyepiece. This diopter
adjustment can be easily achieved. Adjust the focus of both eyepieces as follows:
1. Set the inner rings for the diopter compensation (marked with Up/Down) to
somewhere in the middle. If you rotate them, you'll see how the upper end of the
eyepiece clamp moves.
2. With the telescope aimed at an object, close the right eye and look into the left
eyepiece. Using the telescope's focus mechanism, adjust until the image is sharp.
3. Close the left eye and with the right eye look into the right eyepiece. Rotate the
right eyepiece holder until you see a sharp image. If you reach the limit of the focus
travel, use the telescope's focus mechanism to adjust the image until it is sharp
– then switch back to the left eye and rotate the left eyepiece holder for a sharp
image.
4. Now you can look with both eyes into the eyepieces. You can now focus for differ-
ent eyepieces or addition of other components to the optical path by using just the
telescope's focus mechanism.
Please note: If the dioptric differ-
ence between your eyes is very large
(more than 5 – 6 diopters), you may
nd that even with one eyepiece
holder adjusted fully in and the other
fully out, you cannot bring both to
focus. If so, you may want to view
while wear- ing your eyeglasses.
Alternatively, you may unlock the
eyepiece in the fully extended holder
and lift it out a few millimeters to
compensate for the strong difference
between your eyes.
The lower ring collar is used for the diopter adjust-
ment – compare the position of the eyepiece clamp
on the left and on the right.

12 Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Connecting the MaxBright®II
Binoviewer to a Telescope
There are many options to connect the binoviewer to your telescope. Depending on the
back-focus and the optical design of your telescope, you can chose the option which
best ts to your needs.
Assembly with T-2 Coupling Nut
With glasspath correctors 1,25x # 2456314,
1,7x # 2456316 or 2,6x # 2456317
When delivered, a T-2 counter nut is pre-mounted to
the MaxBright®II Binoviewer.
Tip: By changing the Glasspath Corrector, you can
achieve different magnications with one pair of
eyepieces.
Option 1: Assembly with a T-2 Star Diagonal
Especially with a prism diagonal, this is the most
common option, because a prism allows for a very
short light path. By using the T-2-thread of our star diagonals, you can remove its
eyepiece clamp and save several centimetres of back-focus. The lightpath of a prism
is shorter than that of a mirror.
When using the T-2-thread, you simply screw one of the GCs # 2456314, # 2456316 or
# 2456317 into the star diagonal (without the centering plastic ring which is included
with the glasspath corrector). Our star diagonals provide a matching thread for this.
You can nd an overview of the different models and their optical lengths on page 5.
To use a T-2 star diagonal at a telescope without T-2-thread (but with a standard eye-
piece clamp), you need in addition either the 1¼" nosepiece # 2458105 or the 2"nose-
piece # 2408150.
1. Remove the dust covers of your star diagonal.
2. Screw the glasspath corrector into the body of
the star diagonal as shown in the picture to the
right.
3. If necessary, attach a 1¼" nosepiece # 2458105
or a 2" nosepiece # 2408150 to the other side of
the star diagonal.
4. Remove the dust caps from the binoviewer and
attach the star diagonal to its T-2-thread. Turn
the counter nut until both parts are connected
securely. Untighten the counter nut slightly to
change the orientation of the binoviewer, if nec-
essary.
Inserting the glasspath correctors 1,25x,
1,7x and 2,6x into the Baader T-2 star
diagonals.
MaxBright®II Bino with 1¼" star diago-
nal and 2" nosepiece

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 13
Option 2: Assembly with a 1¼" (or 2") Nosepiece, without Star Diagonal
If your telescope has got enough back-focus or if you want to use it for straight-
through-viewing, you can attach a 1¼" or 2" nosepiece directly to the bino-viewer.
1. Remove the dust cover from the binocular's
T-thread
2a. 1,25" Nosepiece:
Screw one of the Glasspath Correctors
# 2456314, # 2456316 or # 2456317 into the
1,25" nosepiece # 2458105.
2b. 2" Nosepiece
Put the black plastic ring which is included
with the glasspath corrector over the thread
of the GC. Now place the GC into the
2"-nosepiece # 2408150.
3. Now use the T-2 counter nut of the binoviewer to x the nose piece with the glass-
path corrector to the binoviewer. Rotate the counter nut until the nosepiece holds
tight.
4. Now put the binoviewer into the focuser of your telescope and secure it.
5. Remove the dust covers from the eyepiece clamps by opening the ClickLock®-
clamps. Simply rotate them to open the clamps. Please note: Both clamps work in
opposite directions!
6. Insert two eyepieces with the same design and focal length into the binoviewer.
Clamp them by turning the Clicklock®clamps.
Once the glasspath corrector is placed and
centered in the 2"/T-2 nosepiece, you can
screw it onto the T-2 counter nut of the
binoviewer.
The glasspath corrector is simply screwed
into the 1,25" nosepiece.
This image shows how the glasspath cor-
rector is inserted into the optional T-2/2"-
adapter. The black plastic ring covers the
thread of the GC, so that it will be centered
in the adapter.

14 Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Assembly with Zeiss Microbayonet
With glasspath correctors 1,25x # 2456314Z, 1,7x # 2456316Z or 2,6x # 2456317
For this, you need the optional TQC Heavy Duty T-2 Quick Changer # 2456313A.
To use the included dovetail ring, you need to remove the T-2 counter nut rst. Use
the included tool 4for this. Set it into the two holes inside of the nut to unscrew the
T-2-adapter from the MaxBright®II Binoviewer (as shown below). Then you can easily
screw the dovetail ring onto the M34-thread of the binoviewer.
The two 1,25x and 1,7x glasspath correctors are moun-
ted into the dovetail at the binoviewer
The 2.6x glasspath corrector is inserted into the T-2 star
diagonals as shown here.
2,6x GC 1,25x + 1,7x GC
Remove the inner ring with
the included tool
The M34-thread without the
adapters
Screw the Zeiss-dovetail ring
onto the M34-thread
Option 1: Assembly with a T-2 Star Diagonal
1. Remove the dust caps from the TQC Quickchanger.
3. a) GC 1,25x and 1,7x:
Screw the GC into the chrome dovetail ring at the front end
of the binoviewer (image below, to the right).
b) GC 2,6x:
Screw the GC into the T-2 star diagonal. (image below, to the left)
4. Screw the TQC Quickchanger onto the T-2 star diagonal (or onto the T-2 nose-
piece, if you don't use a star diagonal.

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 15
5. Attach the TQC Quickchanger with star diagonal and T-2 nosepiece at the
binoviewer.
6. Attach the binoviewer to your telescope and make sure that the connection is
sturdy.
7. Remove the dust covers from the eyepiece
clamps by opening the ClickLock®-clamps. Sim-
ply rotate them to open the clamps. Please note:
Both clamps work in opposite directions!
8. Insert two eyepieces with the same design and
focal length into the binoviewer. Clamp them by
turning the Clicklock®clamps.
Option 2: Assembly without Star Diagonal
You can connect the ring dovetail of binoviewer
directly to a nosepiece, too, if you don't want to use a
star diagonal. Because of the necessary quickchang-
er, the optical length increases a little bit. Nevertheless, this may be useful e.g. if you
want to use the binoviewer with several telescopes.
The two glasspath correctors with factor 1,25x and 1,7x can be screwed into the
ring dovetail, as described for option 1. Then, you can use the TQC quickchanger
# 2456313A to connect the binoviewer to every T-2-thread, either directly at the tel-
escope or to a nosepiece.
The 2,6x glasspath corrector must be inserted into the 2" nosepiece # 2408150. For
this, you need the plastic spacer ring which is included with glasspath corrector (im-
age below). Insert the GC into the nosepiece and screw the TQC quickchanger onto
the nosepiece. Now you can use the MaxBright II with every 2" focuser.
The glasspath corrector can be screwed
into the 1,25" nosepiece.
Once the glasspath corrector is centered
in the 2"/T-2 nosepiece, it can be screwed
onto the quickchanger, which fits onto the
ring dovetail of the binoviewer.
This image shows how to insert a glas-
spath corrector into the optional T-2/2"
adapter. The black spacer ring fits onto
the thread of the glasspath corrector and
centres it in the nosepiece.

16 Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Assembly with 2" Newtonian 1.7x Glasspath Corrector®
As described before, you need to replace the
T-2 counter nut with the Zeiss microbayonet.
The 1.7x glasspath corrector is then attached to
the binoviewer instead of the TQC quickchang-
er. The TQC is not necessary for this setup.
The 2" Newtonian glasspath corrector
# 2456300 provides you a focus gain of approx.
80 mm. It is the only chance for many Newto-
nian telescopes to reach focus without moving
the main mirror.
Assembly with the 2" Glasspath Corrector 1.8x for Refractors and SC's
As described before, attach the Zeiss microbayonet to the MaxBright II instead of
the T-2 counter nut. Attach the Glasspath Corrector to one side of the T-2 Maxbright
Mirror # 2456100 and the TQC QuickChanger to the other side. For the GC to work
correctly, the distances have to match exactly, which is why you must use the T-2
Maxbright Mirror and no other star diagonal.
Then put the 2" 1.8x Glasspath Corrector # 2456305 with
the attached star diagonal into the 2" eyepiece holder of
your telescope and secure it. Then you can attach
the binoviewer at the TQC QuickChanger and
insert the eyepieces.
PLEASE NOTE: This GC is inserted deeply into
the telescope, therefore it can only be used with
Schmidt-Cassegrains with a sufciently large bafe, or at
telescopes without correctors close to the visual back. It can
not be used with Petzval, EdgeHD or some Maksutov-telescopes
with corrector lenses close to the eyepiece holder.
Assembly with 2" Star Diagonals
With Glasspath Correctors 1,25x # 2456314 (Z), 1,7x # 2456316 (Z) or 2,6x # 2456317
To use a 2" star diagonal, you rst have to remove the 2" eyepiece clamp as described
on page 7, then screw the SC/T-2-adapter #1508035 into the housing.
Next place the plastic spacer ring above the thread of the glasspath corrector. Now
insert the glasspath corrector into the T-2/SC-adapter. It is held safely in place as soon
as you attach the quickchanger or the binoviewer.
Exception: The two glasspath correctors 1,25x # 2456314Z and 1,7x # 2456316Z for
Zeiss micobayonet are mounted in the ring dovetail as described before.
The 2" ClickLock®-clamps of our 2" star diagonals and the Herschel Wedge (see
below) can be removed. For this, you need to remove the small screws, as shown here
for the BBHS®mirror diagonal # 2456115, or in the case of the Herschel, you need to
2" 1.7x GC # 2456300 at
MaxBright®II Binoviewer
2" 1.8x GC
# 2456305 at the
MaxBright®II

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 17
Star Diagonal with T-2
adapter and glasspath
corrector
Star diagonal with
optional T-2 quick-
changer
Binocular with T-2
quickchanger at the
2"-Clicklock®mirror
diagonal
Remove 2" ClickLock®with
an Allen wrench
Mirror diagonal with
revealed SC-thread
Mirror diagonal with
threaded 2" / T-2-Adapter
2"/T-2-adapter
# 1508035
Further Adaptations
Solar Observations with the Baader Safety Herschel Wedge
Binoviewing is especially impressive when you look at the sun – you'll see it in 3D, like
a ball oating in space. Delicate surface details will be much more obvious compared
to monocular viewing. The MaxBright®II Binoviewer is uniquely suited to provide
outstanding views with the 2" Baader Herschel Solar Prism, an optical accessory de-
signed for refractor telescopes to permit safe, high-resolution observation and imaging
of the solar photosphere. As the Herschel Solar Prism does not have T-2 threads on
the top, a T-2/2" adapter ring # 1508035 is required. Inserting the binoviewer into the
2" eyepiece holder is not recommended as it may not be possible to reach focus on
many refractors due to the long optical path length of the various components.
CAUTION: Before you start exploring the Sun it is very important to be informed about
all the possible risks of solar observation. Please take a careful look at the manuals of
all the equipment and lters before pointing your telescope at the Sun.
unscrew the clamp. Then you can access a female 2"-SC-thread, into which you can
screw the 2"-SC/T-2-adapter # 1508035. The glasspath corrector is inserted into the
2"-SC/T-2-adapter.
Now you can attach the MaxBright®II either directly to the prism with the T-2 counter
nut, or you attach the optional TQC quickchanger # 2456313A to the housing, to use
the Zeiss microbayonet.

18 Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Adapting the MaxBright®II to the Cool Ceramic Safety Herschel Wedge
We recommend to use the Zeiss microbayonet in combination with the optional TQC-
quickchanger # 2456313A instead of the T-2 counter nut, because you can then screw
the glasspath correctors 1,25x and 1,7x directly into the binoviewer. For the 2.6x GC,
please see the note at the end of this chapter.
You need the adapter # 1508035 to connect the binoviewer to the Herschel Wedge.
The adapter changes the 2" female thread of the Herschel wedge into a male T-2-
thread. The 2" female thread is hidden under the 2" ClickLock®-clamp.
Once you have removed the 2" Clicklock®, you'll see a 2" inverter ring (2" male thread),
onto which the 2" lters OD 3.0 and Solar-Continuum are screwed. Remove the lters
from the inverter ring and attach them to the 2"/T-2 adapter #27. Then screw the adapter
with the lters into the housing of the Herschel Wedge. Now you can screw the TQC
QuickChanger # 2456313A onto the T-2 thread of the adapter #27. Finally, attach the
binoviewer to the TQC, as usual.
The glasspath correctors 1,25 and 1,7 are to be screwed
directly into the binoviewer, without the black plastic ring. The
2,6 glasspath corrector must be put into the SC/T-2-adapter
# 1508035 together with the black spacer ring. It is locked
in place by the quickchanger and the dovetail ring of the
binoviewer. You can nd a detailed description in the manual
of the Herschel Wedge.
CAUTION: If you mount a glasspath corrector inside the SC/T-2-adapter # 1508035,
it will hit the lter which is also screwed into the adapter. This is always the case with
the 2.6x GC, but also with the other GCs, if you do not use the Zeiss microbayonet. If
you use a GC in the SC/T-2-adapter, you must not screw the 2" lters completely into the
adapter.
Assembly with the Universal Alan Gee II
Telecompressor for Schmidt-Cassegrains
For Schmidt-Cassegrains, the Universal Alan Gee II (UAG II) Telecompressor
# 2454405 offers an interesting opportunity to almost double the eld of view. It chang-
es the focal ratio of a typical Schmidt-Cassegrain from f/10 to f/5.9.
It can be attached directly onto the T-2-thread of the MB II (and MB I) binoviewer.
To attach the UAG II onto the star diagonal, the included 7.5mm T-2 extension ring
Herschel Wedge with TQC Quick-
Changer
Binoviewer and glasspath cor-
rector on the Herschel Wedge
Herschel Wedge without
Clicklock®, but with
T-2-adapter #1508035.

© Baader Planetarium GmbH | 2020 19
# 1508153 is required. Alternatively
to the included 7,5mm extension,
you can use the T-2 Quick-Chang-
er System (TQC/TCR) # 2456322
The T-2 star diagonal can then
either be attached to the SC-
thread of the telescope with the
help of the BTA-adapter # 2408160,
or you can use a 2"/T-2 nose-
piece # 2408150 if the telescope
is equipped with a 2" ClickLock®
eyepiece clamp (#2956220 for C8
and C925; #2956233 for C11 and
C14). The simple clamping screw of
the standard 1.25" visual back is not
strong enough to keep the heavy
combination of binoviewer, eye-
pieces and star diagonal securely in
place.
Shortest possible Adaptation without Glasspath Corrector
In combination with telescopes with long focal lengths (f/10 or slower), it may be
interesting to screw the binoviewer directly onto the star diagonal. This gives you a
very short (and theft-proof) adaptation, which is ideal for public observatories. In ad-
dition, you can screw a T-2 star diagonal directly onto our Baader Diamond SteelTrack
focusers with the optional T-2-adapter # 2957202 – very compact, and protected from
"accidental removal". To do so, you have to remove the T-2 counter nut or the Zeiss
microbayonet.
The shortest possible adaptation can be achieved with the prism diagonal # 2456005
(T-2 90°, with 32mm Baader prism).
You also need the T-2 Locking Ring # 2458271 and the Slip Ring # 2458272. Screw
the Locking Ring onto the male thread of the T-2-prism and put the Slip Ring between
binoviewer and locking ring. The raised surface of the slip ring should face towards
the binoviewer and the at one towards the star diagonal. Now screw
the binoviewer onto the prism and x it in the desired position with
the locking ring. The slip ring lets you still set the interpuoillar
distance.
If the handle of the locking ring ends up in an
uncomfortable position, you can change
its position. It is only screwed into
the ring, you can put it into any
of the three threaded holes
which are all around the
locking ring, each 120° apart.
The Universal Alan Gee II 1is connected with the help
of the included 7,5mm extension ring 2onto the T-2 star
diagonal 3. The star diagonal is attached to the telescope
either through the BTA-adapter for Schmidt-Cassegrains
# 2408160 4or a 2"/T-2 nose piece # 2408150 5.
2
3
5
4
Universal Alan Gee II
# 2454405
1

20 Manual: MaxBright®II Binoviewer
Addendum
Addendum 1: The right Glasspath Corrector
Back-Focus
Sometimes referred to as “in-focus” or “in-travel”, back-focus is an important factor to
consider when choosing a binoviewer or any other long accessory (cameras, Herschel
Wedge, etc). Back-focus is simply the distance from a telescope's focal point to the
surface of its fully retracted focuser. Any accessory inserted into the focuser consumes
some of this back-focus – star diagonals, eyepiece adapters, reducers, cameras, eye-
pieces, etc. In order to reach focus, the focal plane of an eyepiece or camera must be
positioned at the telescope's focus.
To aid in determining the total path length when using various components, our list-
ing of Baader Astro T-2 SystemTM includes the optical path length for each product. If
the stack-up of parts is longer than the telescope's back-focus, it will not be possible
to reach focus.
Unfortunately, there is no consistency in the telescope industry for the amount of
back-focus a telescope provides. Very few manufacturers provide the back-focus
specifications for their scopes. Thus, the best way to determine your telescope's back-
focus is to measure it yourself. To reduce the possibility of errors, it is best to measure
the back-focus using all adapters or star diagonals that will be present when using the
binoviewer.
Newtonians typically have the least amount of back-focus; in order to extend the
focal point well past the focuser surface, a larger secondary mirror would be required,
or at least moving the primary mirror up the tube – which of course creates its own
issues, too. This increases the central obstruction resulting in a loss of contrast and
increased cost. For this reason, we offer a large 2" 1.7x Glasspath Corrector that is de-
signed specically for Newtonians. This compensator also corrects the off-axis coma
that affects fast Newtonians and reduces the required back-focus to 31 mm!
Most Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov telescopes provide large amounts of back-fo-
cus due to their movable primary mirror. It may be possible to use a binoviewer without
a compensator, though our 1.25x Glasspath Corrector is recommended for its colour
correction and to keep the focal length of the telescope closer to its optimal design.
Refractors vary considerably in the amount of back-focus they provide, sometimes
even within the same model line. Even if a refractor will come to focus without a com-
pensator, it is again recommended that at least the 1.25x Glasspath Corrector should
be used for colour correction or to allow the use of longer focal length eyepieces while
still providing higher magnications.
How to measure the back-focus of my telescope?
The best method for finding out the back-focus of your telescope is: Do a
measurement! Don't forget to attach all the adapters you will need for the binoviewer
before measuring the back-focus.
The easiest way to measure back focus is to point your scope at the Moon (with all
accessories, but without an eyepiece) and project its image onto a white card. The