ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS 8727 User manual

Orion®High-Reflectivity
Mirror Star Diagonals
#8727 2" version w/dielectric coatings
#8729 2" version w/enhanced aluminum coatings
#8879 1.25" version w/enhanced aluminum coatings
#8880 1.25" version w/dielectric coatings
Congratulations on your purchase of a high-quality Orion star
diagonal. Your diagonal utilizes a precision flat mirror with high-
reflectivity coatings and top quality machined housings. Using a
star diagonal with your telescope provides a comfortable view-
ing angle for astronomical observation. In addition, a diagonal
is required to reach focus in many short-focal length refractors.
The diagonal will work with refractors, Schmidt-Cassegrains, and
Maksutov-Cassegrains, but not Newtonian reflector telescopes.
How to Use the Star Diagonal
Remove the cover caps and place the barrel of the star diagonal
directly into the telescope’s focuser. Secure it in place with the
thumbscrew(s) on the focuser. Insert your eyepiece into the of
the diagonal and secure the eyepiece with the diagonal’s thumb-
screw. Notice there is a brass compression ring inside the open-
ing of the diagonal, interior to the thumbscrew. This ring prevents
the thumbscrew from marring the barrel of your eyepiece.
If you would like to adjust the position of the diagonal to
accommodate observers of different heights, simply loosen the
thumbscrew(s) on your telescope’s focuser, rotate the diagonal,
and re-secure your telescope’s thumbscrew(s). Before rotating the
diagonal, however, make sure the thumbscrew on the diagonal is
tightened, or the eyepiece may fall out and onto the ground!
The 2" star diagonal will accept either 2" or 1.25" eyepieces
using the supplied 1.25" eyepiece adapter. If using 2" eyepieces,
remove the 1.25" adapter from the diagonal.
Focusing
Focus with your telescope’s focusing knob. The 1.25" diagonal
requires approximately 9cm inward focus travel relative to the
eyepiece’s focus position without the diagonal. The 2" model will
require slightly more inward focus travel, as it requires approxi-
mately 11cm relative to the eyepiece’s focus position without the
diagonal.
Image Orientation
The star diagonal reverses the image from left-to-right. This
reversal is hardly noticeable when viewing the night sky. If you are
printing star maps on your computer, you may want to have your
program flip the star map to match your eyepiece’s reversed view
through the diagonal.
Use of Filters
The 1.25" diagonal is threaded to accept Orion 1.25" filters on its
barrel. If you use filters directly on the star diagonal, it will prevent
having to remove and reinstall filters when switching eyepieces.
The 2" diagonal will also accept filters (Orion 2" size only), either
on the barrel of the diagonal itself or on the bottom of the 1.25"
eyepiece adapter.
Care and Maintenance
Although the star diagonal is quite durable, it should avoid pro-
longed, unnecessary exposure to the elements. Keep the diagonal
capped on both ends when not in use, preferably in a foam-lined
eyepiece case. It is also recommended to leave the diagonal in a
dry place with caps off overnight to let it completely dry out after
use. Store the instrument in a cool, dry place; storage in a humid
environment can result in degradation of the optical coatings on
the mirror. This is not covered by the warranty.
Customer Support [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Corporate Offices [phone]
89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
The Orion 2" High Reflectivity Mirror Star Diagonal
Thumbscrews
Barrel
1.25" Eyepiece adapter
The Orion 1.25" High Reflectivity Mirror Star Diagonal
Brass compression ring
Thumbscrew
Barrel
Brass compression rings
IN 278 Rev B 01/09

Cleaning the Diagonal
The mirror of the star diagonal is coated with high-reflectivity
coatings which can be damaged with careless handling. Avoid
touching mirror surfaces with your fingers or any coarse material.
Clean the mirrors only if they get noticeably dirty. Always use
lens cleaning tissue and fluid specifically designed for telescope
optical coatings. Do not use regular tissue or fluids made for eye-
glass or household use.
To properly clean the star diagonal’s mirror, the mirror must be
removed from its housing. To do this, first remove the four Phillips
head screws from the bottom of the diagonal. For 2" models, you
will also need to remove the two button head cap screws from
the side of the diagonal (requires a 2mm or 5/64" hex key). The
mirror is gently supported by foam padding and can be removed
by simply sliding it out of the diagonal housing.
Once the mirror is removed from its housing, blow compressed
air over the surface to remove dust particles and debris, then
gently wipe away smudges with telescope optical cleaning fluid
and tissue. Apply some fluid to a tissue and gently wipe the mirror
surface. Use another clean, dry piece of tissue to gently wipe up
any fluid remaining. Repeat if necessary. Use caution; wiping with
too much applied pressure may cause scratches.
Specifications
Enhanced aluminum coating: 97% reflectivity
Dielectric coating: 99% reflectivity
Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076
Customer Support Help Line (800)‑676‑1343 • Day or Evening
One-Year Limited Warranty
This Orion High-Reflectivity Mirror Star Diagonals is warranted against defects in materials or workman-
ship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original
retail purchaser only. During this warranty period Orion Telescopes & Binoculars will repair or replace, at
Orion’s option, any warranted instrument that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid
to: Orion Warranty Repair, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076. If the product is not registered, proof
of purchase (such as a copy of the original invoice) is required.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused, mishandled, or
modified, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and
you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. For further warranty service information,
contact: Customer Service Department, Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA
95076; (800)-676-1343.