ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS SkyQuest GoTo Truss Tube Dobsonians XXg... User manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
IN 461 Rev. B 10/12
Customer Support [phone] • E-mail: [email protected]
Corporate Offices [phone] • 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076
© 2010-2012 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
Orion® SkyQuest™ XXg
GoTo Truss Tube Dobsonians
#10148 XX12g, #8964 XX14g, #8963 XX16g
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
OrionTelescopes.com
XX14g

2
Figure 1. Overview of SkyQuest XXg Dobsonian (16" shown)
Navigation
knob
Captive
clamping
knobs (x12)
Upper optical
tube section
12.5mm Illuminated Plössl
Eyepiece rack
2" extension adapter
1.25" eyepiece adapter
Top groundplate
Bottom groundplate
Captive base
connecting bolts (x12)
EZ Finder II
2" DeepView eyepiece
2" Dual-speed
Crayford focuser
Truss poles
Lower optical
tube section
Handle
Altitude motor and
encoder housing
Altitude
clutch knob
GoTo hand
controller
Hand controller
bracket
Azimuth motor and
encoder housing

3
Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion
SkyQuest XXg GoTo Dobsonian. These revolu-
tionary Dobs combine large-aperture optical per-
formance with state-of-the-art computerized GoTo
pointing capability. Moreover, these big telescopes
were designed by Orion to be remarkably transport-
able – both their base and optical tube break down
into easily manageable components that can fit
into any standard size vehicle. Setup for an observ-
ing session takes just minutes, and the views are
spectacular! We know you will enjoy many years
of rewarding observations with your SkyQuest XXg
GoTo Truss Dobsonian.
Please read these instructions thoroughly before
beginning assembly and subsequent use of the
telescope.
1. Unpacking
The SkyQuest XX12g is packed in three boxes, one contain-
ing the optical tube assembly (OTA), truss poles, and acces-
sories; a second containing the unassembled Dobsonian
base; and third containing the primary mirror and mirror cell.
The XX14g ships in four boxes, with the truss poles and coun-
terweights contained in a separate box. The XX16g is pack-
aged in five boxes, with the base components divided into two
separate boxes to keep the weight and size of the individual
boxes more manageable.
Before beginning assembly, unpack each box and confirm
that all of the parts in the Parts List below are present. The
parts are listed by the box they should arrive in, but some of
the parts may be in different boxes than indicated below. Be
sure to check all boxes carefully, as some parts are small. If
anything appears to be missing or broken, immediately call
Orion Customer Support (800-676-1343) or email support@
telescope.com for assistance.
WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun through your
telescope or its finder scope – even for an instant – with-
out a professionally made solar filter that completely cov-
ers the front of the instrument, or permanent eye damage
could result. Young children should use this telescope
only with adult supervision.
Table of Contents
1. Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2. Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3. The GoTo Hand Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4. Setup for AutoTracking or GoTo Mode . . . . . . . . 18
5. Using the Telescope in AutoTracking Mode . . . . 18
6. Alignment for GoTo Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
7. Using the Telescope in GoTo Mode . . . . . . . . . . 20
8. Collimating the Optical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
9. Using Your Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
10. Care and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
11. Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Appendix A: Time Zones of the World . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Appendix B: RS-232 Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Menu Tree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Star Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

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Parts List
Box #1: Optical Tube Assembly and Accessories
(Figure 2)
Qty. Description
1 Lower optical tube section
1 Upper optical tube section
2 Optical tube dust covers (one for each tube section)
4 Truss pole pairs (XX12g only)
1 DeepView 28mm eyepiece, 2"
1 Eyepiece extension adapter, 2" (not shown)
1 Illuminated 12.5mm Plössl eyepiece, 1.25"
1 EZ Finder (with bracket)
1 Collimation cap
1 Eyepiece rack
2 Eyepiece rack wood screws (20mm long, color black)
2 Hex keys (2mm, 3mm)
1 Tube connecting knob
1 SynScan AZ Hand controller
1 Hand controller cable (coiled)
1 Azimuth motor connection cable
1 RS-232 computer interface cable
1 Hand controller bracket (with 2 mounting screws)
3 Counterweight mounting bolts (XX14g, XX16g)
1 Cooling accelerator fan with battery holder
(XX12g only)
1 Instruction manual (not shown)
1 Starry Night CD-ROM
Figure 2. Contents of the optical tube box. a) The larger
components. b) Accessories and hardware.
a.
b.
Upper
optical tube
section
Lower
optical tube
section
Dust covers
Battery pack
(XX12g only)
Cooling fan and
mounting screws
(XX12g only)
Tube
connecting
bolt
Hex keys
Counterweight
mounting bolts
(XX14g and
XX16g only)
Eyepiece
rack
mounting
screws
Eyepiece rack
Quick collimation cap
DeepView 28mm
2" eyepiece
Bracket for hand
controller and
mounting screws
Starry Night
Special Edition
CD-ROM
12.5mm Illuminated
Plössl eyepiece
with illuminator arm
EZ Finder II

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Box #2: Primary Mirror and Cell (Figure 3)
Qty. Description
1 Parabolic primary mirror (XX12g, flat back; XX14g and
XX16g, convex back)
1 Mirror support cell
3 Collimation knobs
3 Nylon washers (3/4" outer diameter)
3 Springs
Box #3: Truss Pole Assemblies and
Counterweights (XX14g and XX16g) (Figure 4)
Qty. Description
4 Truss pole pairs
6 Counterweights, 2.2 lbs. each (XXX14g only)
9 Counterweights, 2.2 lbs. each (XXX16g only)
Figure 4. Contents of the truss pole and counterweight box.
(The XX16g contains nine counterweights.) For the XX12g, the
truss poles are included in the optical tube box, and there are no
counterweights.
Figure 3. Contents of the primary mirror box. a) The primary mirror, mirror cell, and collimation hardware for the XX12g. b) The primary
mirrors and mirror support cells for the XX12g (top) and XX14g/XX16g are quite different.
a. b.
Primary mirror in
mirror support cell
(XX12g)
Mirror
retaining
clips
Collimation
knobs
WashersCenter mark
XX14g
and
XX16g
XX12g
Springs

6
Box #4: Dobsonian Base (Figure 5)
Qty. Description
1 Left side panel (with altitude motor and encoders pre-
installed)
1 Right side panel
1 Front panel
2 Side braces
1 Groundplate assembly (with azimuth motor and
encoders pre-installed) This is contained in a separate
box (Box #5) for the XX16g.
6 Base assembly wood screws (coarse thread, 47mm
long)
12 Base connecting bolts with hand knobs
12 Rubber retaining washers
12 Spacers for connecting bolts
1 Insertion tube for rubber retaining washers (~3" long)
2 Carrying handles
4 Handle mounting bolts (socket head cap screws,
25mm long)
3 Hex keys (size 2mm, 4mm, 6mm)
3 Plastic feet (XX12g only; feet are pre-installed on
XX14g and XX16g)
3 Feet wood screws (1" long; XX12g only)
Box #5: Dobsonian Base (XX16g only)
Qty. Description
1 Groundplate assembly (with azimuth motor and
encoders pre-installed)
Figure 5. Contents of the base box(es). a) The larger components,
b) Hand controller, cables, and other hardware.
a.
b.
Right side panel
Groundplate assembly
Front panel
Side brace Side brace
Left side panel
Azimuth motor
connection cable
Mounting bolts
for handles
Coil cable for
hand controller
Base connecting
bolts (x12)
Rubber retaining
washers
Base assembly
wood screws (x6)
Feet (x3) and mounting screws
(Feet come pre-installed on
XX14g and XX16g)
Spacers for
connecting
bolts (x12)
DC power cable
Insertion tube
Handles
Hex keys
RS-232
cable
Hand
controller

7
2. Assembly
Now that you have unpacked the boxes and familiarized your-
self with all the parts, it is time to begin assembly.
Initial Assembly of the GoTo Dobsonian Base
The GoTo bases of the SkyQuest XXg Dobs are shipped par-
tially assembled for your convenience. All the motors, opti-
cal encoders, and gears are pre-installed at the factory. The
two round groundplates are preassembled and should not
be taken apart. Note that there is a protective ring of white
polyethylene foam material between the two groundplates
(Figure 6). Do not attempt to remove this material; it is glued
in place. It is designed to keep dust away from the azimuth
motor assembly and gears.
When fully assembled, the SkyQuest XXg GoTo Truss Tube
Dobsonians are big telescopes. But we designed them to
break down into easily manageable components, none of
which is too big or too heavy for a reasonably fit individual
to lift and carry (but for the XX16g a helper would be great!).
In fact, both the base and the optical tube can be quickly
disassembled into smaller components for transport and/
or storage, then reassembled – all without tools! We’ll get
to the tube later, but for the base you’ll see that it has four
main components: the groundplate assembly (top and bottom
groundplates and installed azimuth motor housing), the left
side panel with installed altitude motor housing, the right side
panel, and the front panel.
For the initial assembly of the base, you will need a Philips
screwdriver.
1. To install the feet (XX12g only; feet are pre-installed at
the factory on the XX14g and XX16g), turn the ground-
plate assembly upside-down and gently rest it on the azi-
muth motor housing on a clean, flat surface. Carpet is
good, or you may want to place a cloth under the azimuth
motor housing to avoid scratching it. Locate the three
starter holes on the perimeter of the bottom ground-
plate (Figure 7a). Insert the screws through the feet and
thread them into the predrilled starter holes (Figure 7b)
with a Phillips screwdriver until tight.
2. Connect the side braces to the side panels using three
base assembly screws for each panel (Figure 8). The
brace should be attached to the outside surface of the
side panel – the outside of the left side panel has the
altitude motor housing attached. The screws go through
the holes in the side panels and thread into the starter
holes in the side braces. Use the included 4mm hex key
to firmly tighten the screws, but be careful not to strip the
holes by over-tightening!
Figure 8. Attach a side brace to the outside of each side panel
using three base assembly wood screws and the 4mm hex key.
Figure 7. a) Starter holes for feet on bottom baseplate.
b) Attaching the base feet.
a.
b.
Side
brace
Side
panel
Figure 6. Polyethylene foam dust guard between ground
groundplates. DO NOT REMOVE!
Dust guard

8
3. Now you will install the captive connecting bolts, each of
which is already fitted with a black hand knob. There are
12 connecting bolts altogether; refer to Figure 9 for loca-
tions. Start with the front panel, which has through holes
for six connecting bolts.
First, slide a spacer onto a collecting bolt. Then insert
the connecting bolt into the through hole, in the direction
indicated in Figure 9. Holding the knob with one hand,
use your other hand to press a rubber washer over the
threaded (protruding) end of the bolt. It will be a tight fit;
you may have to work the washer a bit to get it on. Push
the washer up on the bolt as far as you can with your fin-
gers (Figure 10a). Then place the insertion tube on the
bolt (Figure 10b) and use it to push the washer farther
up on the bolt, into the counterbored hole in the wood
(Figure 10c). The washer will keep the bolt captive when
it is fully disengaged from the mating part of the base.
Repeat this procedure for the other five connecting bolts
to be installed in the front panel, and for the six addition-
al connecting bolts that attach the side panels and side
braces to the top groundplate.
Figure 10. a) Place a rubber washer on the threaded end of the
connecting bolt and push it on as far as you can with your fingers.
b) Then use the included insertion tube to push the washer past
the threads and up into the counterbored hole in the wood. c) The
recessed washer will keep the bolt captive in the hole.
Figure 9. Locations for connecting bolts in the front and side panels
(one side panel not shown). Connecting bolts should be inserted in
the predrilled holes in the direction indicated by the arrows.
Rubber
washer
Insertion
tube
Spacer (Don’t
forget this!)
a.
b.
c.

9
4. Now attach the front brace to the two side panels with the
four appropriate captive connecting bolts. Use the hand
knob to screw each bolt into the threaded metal recep-
tacle recessed in the side panel. The side panels should
be oriented so the side braces are facing outward. The
front panel should be oriented so that the two pilot holes
for the eyepiece rack face outward. Do not completely
tighten the connecting bolts yet. The completed assem-
bly should look like Figure 11.
5. Place the assembled side panel/front panel structure on
the top groundplate, aligning the protruding connecting
bolts with the threaded inserts in the groundplate. Turn
the connecting bolt hand knobs to fasten the side panel/
front panel structure to the groundplate. Firmly tighten all
12 connecting bolts installed in steps 3 and 4. To avoid
stripping the threads, do not overtighten.
6. Attach a handle on each of the two side panels. Insert
a large socket head cap screw through the holes in the
handle and into the predrilled hole in the side panel. The
hole has a flanged threaded metal insert in it. Use the
6mm hex key to thread the screw into the insert until tight.
Refer to Figure 1 for handle placement.
7. The aluminum eyepiece rack holds three 1.25" eyepieces
and one 2" eyepiece in a convenient place on the base,
within easy reach while you are observing. To attach the
eyepiece rack, locate the two small pilot holes on the
front panel. Thread the small Phillips-head screws into
the holes until the screw head is about 1/8" from the
panel’s surface. Now place the wide part of the “keyhole”
on the eyepiece rack over the screw heads and slide it
downward until it stops (Figure 12). Tighten the screws
to secure the rack in place.
8. The XXg base includes a bracket that holds the hand
controller when it’s not in use. The bracket mounts on
the left side panel adjacent to the altitude motor housing
(Figure 13). Locate the two small pilot holes and attach
the bracket using the small screws included with the
bracket until just barely tight. Do not over-tighten these
screws or you will strip the holes!
Keyholes
Figure 11. The completed side panel and front panel assembly.
Figure 13. Find the two pilot holes and attach the hand controller
bracket – but don’t overtighten the screws!
Figure 12. Place the large opening of the “keyhole” slots in the
eyepiece rack over the mounting screw heads, then push the rack
downward. To do this, leave the screw heads about 1/8" out from
the panel. After the rack is installed, you can tighten the screws to
secure it in place.
Hand controller
bracket

10
9. Now install the azimuth motor connection cable. It is a
flat cable that has an 8-pin RJ-45 plug on both ends.
Plug one end into the jack on the azimuth motor hous-
ing on the top groundplate; plug the other end into the
jack labeled AZ MOTOR on the altitude motor housing
(Figure 14).
10. Finally, connect the GoTo hand controller. Plug the wide
RJ-45 connector on the coiled hand controller cable into
the corresponding port on the hand controller (Figure
29b). Plug the smaller RJ-12 connector into the port
labeled HC on the altitude motor housing.
Initial Assembly of the Optical Tube
The primary mirror is shipped in its metal support cell sepa-
rately from the optical tube, to prevent possible damage to
both the mirror and the optical tube. Once the primary mirror
is installed, there will be no need to remove it except if clean-
ing is necessary (see “Care & Maintenance”). First, the mirror
will be installed in the lower tube section, then the truss poles
and upper tube section will be attached.
The primary mirror of the XX12g has the typical flat back side,
whereas the thinner primaries of the XX14g and XX16g have
a “conical,” or convex back with raised “ribs” radiating from the
center for added strength. The reduced-mass design of these
larger mirrors allows more-efficient equilibration to outdoor
ambient temperature. All the primary mirrors have a small
adhesive ring placed in the exact center (Figure 3a); it aids
in achieving a precise collimation, which will be covered later.
The ring, which has no effect on the image rendered by the
telescope, should NOT be removed.
1. To install the mirror cell in the optical tube, the rear end
ring attached to the lower tube section must first be
removed. This is done by unthreading and removing the
Phillips-head screws that attach the end ring to the tube
(Figure 15), and then pulling the end ring off of the tube.
Warning: Once the rear end ring is removed from
the tube, the raw edge of the tube itself will be
exposed. Be careful not to cut or otherwise hurt
yourself on the tube’s edge. Also, be careful not
to pinch your fingers between cell and tube when
re-attaching the assembled mirror cell!
2. Next, for the XX14g and XX16g, thread the three coun-
terweight mounting bolts into their respective holes in the
rear end ring, as shown in Figure 16. Use an adjustable
wrench or a 16mm crescent wrench to tighten the bolts.
Do not install the counterweights yet.
Figure 14. The altitude motor housing has jacks for the hand
controller (HC) cable, azimuth motor connection cable, and power
cable as well as an ON/OFF switch.
Figure 15. To remove the rear end ring, unthread the screws that
connect it to the tube.
Figure 16. Thread the three hex-head counterweight mounting
bolts (XX14g and XX16g only) into the holes in the counterweight
support plates as shown. Tighten using an adjustable or 16mm
crescent wrench.