ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS AstroView 6 EQ User manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
IN 674 6-22
Orion®AstroView™6 EQ
Equatorial Newtonian Reflector Telescope #55027
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2022 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.All Rights Reserved. No part of this product instruction or any of its contents
may be reproduced, copied, modied or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY

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Figure 1. Included components of the Orion AstroView 6 Equatorial Mount.
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Congratulations on your purchase of a quality
Orion telescope. Your new AstroView 6 is designed
for high-resolution viewing of astronomical objects.
With its precision optics and equatorial mount,
you’ll be able to locate and enjoy hundreds of fas-
cinating celestial denizens, including the planets,
Moon, and a variety of deep-sky galaxies, nebulas,
and star clusters.
If you have never owned a telescope before, we
would like to welcome you to amateur astronomy.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with the
night sky. Learn to recognize the patterns of stars in
the major constellations. With a little practice, a little
patience, and a reasonably dark sky away from city
lights, you’ll nd your telescope to be a never-end-
ing source of wonder, exploration, and relaxation.
These instructions will help you set up, properly
use and care for your telescope. Please read them
over thoroughly before getting started.
Contents
I. Unpacking 3
II. Parts List 3
III. Assembly 3
I V. Balancing the Telescope 5
V. Using the EZ Finder II nder scope 6
VI. Polar Alignment 7
VII. Using the R.A. and Dec. Slow-Motion
Control Cables 8
VIII.Tracking Celestial Objects 8
IX. Collimating the Optics (Aligning the Mirrors) 10
X. Using Your Telescope—Astronomical
Observing 11
XI. Care and Maintenance 14
XII. Specications 15
A
D
E
F
M
H
B
G
C
IJK
L

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I. Unpacking
The entire telescope system will arrive in one box. Be care-
ful unpacking the box. We recommend keeping the original
shipping container. In the event that the telescope needs to be
shipped to another location, or returned to Orion for warranty
repair, having the proper shipping container will help ensure
that your telescope will survive the journey intact. Make sure
all the parts in the Parts List are present. Be sure to check
boxes carefully, as some parts are small. If anything appears
to be missing or broken, immediately call Orion Customer
Support (800-447-1001) for assistance
II. Parts List
Part Qty
A – Tripod 1
B – Equatorial Head 1
C – Optical Tube Assembly 1
D – Tube rings 2
E – Slow motion cables 2
F – Counterweight shaft 1
G – Latitude Adjustment t-bolts 2
H – Counterweights 2
I – Collimation cap 1
J – 25mm Plossl eyepiece, 1.25" 1
K – 10mm Plossl eyepiece, 1.25" 1
L – EZ Finder II reex sight 1
M – Accessory tray 1
III. Assembly
Assembling the telescope for the rst time should take about
30 minutes. No tools are needed other than the ones provided.
All screws should be tightened securely to eliminate exing
and wobbling, but be careful not to over-tighten or the threads
may strip.
During assembly (and anytime, for that matter), DO NOT touch
the surfaces of the telescope mirrors or the lenses of the nder
scopes or eyepieces with your ngers. The optical surfaces
have delicate coatings on them that can easily be damaged
if touched inappropriately. NEVER remove any lens assembly
from its housing for any reason, or the product warranty and
return policy will be voided
1. Spread the tripod legs apart and stand the tripod on the
ground. You can extend the legs to the desired height later
using the leg lock knobs. For now just keep them fully
retracted
2. Attach the accessory tray by registering its center cutout
over the center of the tripod leg brace assembly (Figure
2A). Press the tray down and twist it until the tray tabs click
in place under the three retaining clips on the brace (2B).
3. Now you will attach the equatorial mount to the tripod.
Place the base of the mount onto the tripod’s mounting
platform, then insert the mount attachment knob under the
tripod mounting platform and thread it clockwise up into
the mount until it’s tight (Figure 3). Make sure the included
washer is placed onto the bolt before threading it into the
mount.
4. Next, thread the second latitude adjustment T-bolt (D) into
the hole in the mount base. (One T-bolt comes pre-installed;
the other one you must install yourself.) Figure 3 shows the
two installed latitude adjustment T-bolts.
Figure 2. A) Place center of accessory tray over the center of the
leg brace assembly. B) Press down and twist tray until the tabs click
under retaining clips.
Figure 3. Secure the EQ mount to the tripod with the mount
attachment knob.
Tray tab
Retaining
clip
Latitude
adjustment
T-bolt
Mount
attachment
knob
Latitude
adjustment
T-bolt
(need to
install)
(pre-
installed)
Washer
A. B.
WARNING: Do NOT look at the Sun without a
professionally made solar filter on the telescope;
serious eye damage may result if you look at the
Sun with any unfiltered optical instrument. Do not
leave the telescope unsupervised around children.
Always cover the lenses when leaving the telescope
in direct sunlight.

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5. Install the counterweight shaft by threading it into the coun-
terweight shaft collar. (Figure 4A).
6. Now remove the safety stop at the end of the shaft and
slide the counterweight onto the shaft (Figure 4B).You may
have to loosen the counterweight lock knob to allow the
weight to slide onto the shaft. Once the counterweight is on
the shaft, replace the safety stop.
7. Attach the two slow-motion cables to the RA and Dec gear
shafts by threading the collar on the gear shaft onto the
cable until tight (Figure 5).
The EQ mount is now fully assembled. To install the optical
tube on the mount, proceed through the following steps.
8. Ensure that the right ascension and declination lock knobs
(Figure 6) are tightened so that the mount won’t swivel
accidentally when you’re attaching the tube rings or the
optical tube. And of course make sure the counterweight is
installed on the counterweight shaft.
9. Back out the two saddle clamp knobs enough to allow the
dovetail bar to seat properly. Then lift the optical tube and
set the dovetail mounting bar into the mount’s saddle.
10. When the dovetail bar is seated in the saddle, tighten the
saddle clamp knobs until tight.
11. One of the two tube rings has a piggyback camera adapter
on top (the knurled silver ring and thread); it can be used to
mount a camera for “piggyback” astrophotography.
Final assembly includes attaching the eyepieces and nder-
scope
12.Eyepieces slip into this 1.25" section of the 2" focuser
(Figure 7) and are secured by gently tightening down the
eyepiece setscrew on the side of the visual back. See the
section at the end of this manual for eyepiece selection.
13.Eyepieces can then slip into this visual back and are
secured by gently tightening down the eyepiece setscrew
on the side of the visual back. See the section at the end of
this manual for eyepiece selection.
14.Attach the nderscope to the dovetail beside the focuser
(Figure 8).
Figure 4. A) Thread the counterweight shaft onto the mount.
B) After removing the safety stop, slide the counterweight onto the
shaft.
Figure 5. Attach the two slow-motion cables to the mount.
Figure 6. The assembled EQ-13 mount looks like this.
A. B.
Safety stop
Dec. slow-motion
cable
R.A. slow-motion
cable
Saddle
clamp
knobs
Dec. lock knob
R.A. lock knob
Dovetail
saddle
R. A. (Polar) axis
Dec. axis
To Polaris
Slow motion
cable

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IV. Balancing the Telescope
To ensure smooth movement of the telescope on both axes
of the equatorial mount, it is imperative that the optical tube
be properly balanced. First we’ll balance the telescope with
respect to the R.A. axis, then the Dec. axis.
1. Keeping one hand on the telescope optical tube, loosen
the R.A. lock knob (see Figure 9). Make sure the Dec. lock
knob is locked, for now. The telescope should now be able
to rotate freely about the R.A. axis. Rotate it until the coun-
terweight shaft is parallel to the ground (i.e., horizontal), as
in Figure 9A.
2. Now loosen the counterweight lock knob and slide the
weight along the shaft (Figure 9A) until it exactly counter-
balances the telescope. That’s the point at which the shaft
remains horizontal even when you let go of the telescope
with both hands (Figure 9B).
3. Retighten the counterweight lock knob. The telescope is now
balanced on the R.A. axis.
Figure 7. Inserting an eyepiece into the 2" focuser.
Figure 8. Slide the EZ Finder II into the telescope’s nder scope
base as shown.
Front of
telescope
d.
c.
Figure 9. Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires that
the telescope tube be balanced on both the R.A. and Dec. axes.
(a) With the R.A. lock knob released, slide the counterweight along
the counterweight shaft until it just counterbalances the tube. (b)
When you let go with both hands, the tube should not drift up or
down. (c) With the Dec. lock knob released, loosen the tube ring
lock clamps a few turns and slide the telescope forward or back in
the tube rings. (d) When the tube is balanced about the Dec. axis,
it will not move when you let go.
a.
b.

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4. To balance the telescope on the Dec. axis, rst tighten the
R.A. lock knob, with the counterweight shaft still in the hori-
zontal position.
5. With one hand on the telescope optical tube, loosen the
Dec. lock knob (see Figure 6). The telescope should now
be able to rotate freely about the Dec. axis. If the front of the
telescope swings downward on its own (Figure 9C), that
means you need to move it back in the mount’s saddle. If
the front of the telescope swings upward, then you need to
shift the telescope forward in the saddle. To move the tele-
scope in the saddle, while holding the optical tube securely
in one hand, loosen the saddle lock knobs just a little – so
the dovetail bar doesn’t accidentally pop out of the saddle.
Position the telescope so it remains horizontal when you
carefully let go with both hands (Figure 9D). This is the bal-
ance point. The tube can also be moving forward and back-
ward in the rings themselves instead of sliding the dovetail
bar forward and back.
6. Retighten the saddle clamp knobs, and/or tube rings if nec-
essary.
The telescope is now balanced in both axes. Now when you
loosen the lock knob on one or both axes and manually point
the telescope, it should move without resistance and should
not drift from where you point it.
V. Using the EZ Finder II
Finder Scope
Operation
The EZ Finder II works by projecting a tiny red dot (it's not a
laser beam) onto a lens mounted in the front of the unit. When
you look through the EZ Finder II, the red dot will appear to
oat in space, helping you locate even the faintest of deep
space objects. The red dot is produced by a light-emitting
diode (LED) near the rear of the sight. A 3-volt lithium battery
provides the power for the diode.
Turn the power knob (see Figure 10) clockwise until you hear
the "click" indicating that power has been turned on. Look
through the back of the reex sight with both eyes open to see
the red dot. Position your eye at a comfortable distance from
Figure 10. Features of the EZ Finder II.
Power knobRed LED
Battery cover
Ta b
Altitude
adjustment
knob
Azimuth
adjustment
knob
Big Dipper
(in Ursa Major)
Little Dipper
(in Ursa Minor)
N.C.P.
Polaris
Cassiopeia
Figure 11. To nd Polaris in the
night sky, look north and nd the
Big-Dipper. Extend an imaginary line
from the two “Pointer Stars” in the
bowl of the Big Dipper. Go about ve
times the distance between those
stars and you’ll reach Polaris, which
lies within 1° of the north celestial
pole (NCP).
Pointer Stars
Figure 12. Adjusting tripod legs

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the back of the sight. In daylight you may need to cover the
front of the sight with your hand to be able to see the dot, which
is purposefully quite dim. The intensity of the dot is adjusted by
turning the power knob. For best results when stargazing, use
the dimmest possible setting that allows you to see the dot
without difficulty. Typically a dimmer setting is used under dark
skies and a bright setting is used under light-polluted skies or
daylight.
At the end of your observing session, be sure to turn the power
knob counterclockwise until it clicks off. When the two white
dots on the EZ Finder II's rail and power knob are lined up, the
EZ Finder II is turned off.
Aligning the EZ Finder II
When the EZ Finder II is properly aligned with the telescope,
an object that is centered on the EZ Finder II's red dot should
also appear in the center of the eld of view of the telescope's
eyepiece. Alignment of the EZ Finder II is easiest during day-
light, before observing at night. Aim the telescope at a distant
object such as a telephone pole or roof chimney and center it
in the telescope's eyepiece. The object should be at least 1/2
mile away. Now, with the EZ Finder turned on, look through the
EZ Finder II. The object will appear in the eld of view near the
red dot.
Without moving the main telescope, use the EZ Finder II's azi-
muth (left/right) and altitude (up/down) adjustment knobs (see
Figure 10) to position the red dot on the object in the eyepiece.
When the red dot is centered on the distant object, check to
make sure that the object is still centered in the telescope's
eld of view. If not, recenter it and adjust the EZ Finder II's
alignment again. When the object is centered in the eyepiece
and on the EZ Finder's red dot, the EZ Finder II is properly
aligned with the telescope.
Replacing the Battery
Should the battery ever die, replacement 3-volt lithium bat-
teries are available from many retail outlets. Remove the old
battery by inserting a small at-head screwdriver into the slot
on the battery casing (Figure 10) and gently prying open the
case. Then carefully pull back on the retaining clip and remove
the old battery. Do not overbend the retaining clip. Then slide
the new battery under the battery lead with the positive (+) end
facing the retaining clip (outward) and replace the battery cas-
ing.
Once aligned, EZ Finder II will usually hold its alignment even
after being removed and remounted. Otherwise, only minimal
realignment will be needed.
VI. Polar Alignment
When you look at the night sky, you no doubt have noticed the
stars appear to move slowly from east to west over time. That
apparent motion is caused by the Earth’s rotation (from west to
east). An equatorial mount is designed to compensate for that
motion, allowing you to easily “track” the movement of astro-
nomical objects, thereby keeping them from drifting out of the
telescope’s eld of view while you’re observing.
This is accomplished by slowly rotating the telescope on its
right ascension (R.A.) axis, using only the R.A. slow-motion
cable. But rst the R.A. axis of the mount must be aligned
with the Earth’s rotational (polar) axis—a process called polar
alignment.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, approximate polar align-
ment is achieved by pointing the mount’s right ascension axis
at the North Star, also known as Polaris (see Figure 11).It lies
within 1° of the north celestial pole (NCP), which is an exten-
sion of the Earth’s rotational axis out into space. Stars in the
Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around the NCP.
To nd Polaris in the sky, look north and locate the pattern
of the Big Dipper (Figure 11). The two stars at the end of the
“bowl” of the Big Dipper point approximately to Polaris.
Observers in the Southern Hemisphere aren’t so fortunate to
have a bright star so near the south celestial pole (SCP). The
star Sigma Octantis lies about 1° from the SCP, but it is barely
visible with the naked eye (magnitude 5.5).
To polar align the equatorial mount:
1. Roughly level the mount by adjusting the length of the three
tripod legs as needed (Figure 12).
2. Loosen the latitude lock knob a half turn or so (Figure 13).
3. Using the two latitude adjustment T-bolts, set the latitude so
that the pointer on the latitude scale indicates the latitude
of your observing location. (Loosen one latitude adjustment
T-bolt before tightening the other.) If you don’t know your
location’s latitude, you can look it up on the internet. For
example, if your latitude is 35° North, set the pointer to 35.
Then retighten the latitude lock knob. The latitude setting
Figure 13. Loosen the latitude lock knob, then use the two latitude
adjustment T-bolts to set the latitude scale pointer to your location’s
latitude.
Latitude scale
Mount attachment knob
Latitude lock
knob
Latitude
adjustment
T-bolts

8
should not have to be adjusted again unless you move to a
different viewing location some distance away.
4. Next, loosen the mount attachment knob (see Figure 6) just
enough to allow you to rotate the mount in azimuth. Then
rotate the mount by hand so the R.A. axis points rough-
ly at Polaris (Figure 6). If you cannot see Polaris directly
from your observing site, consult a compass and rotate the
mount so the telescope points North. Then retighten the
mount attachment knob.
The equatorial mount is now (roughly) polar aligned. From this
point on in your observing session, you should not make any
further adjustments to the azimuth or the latitude of the mount,
nor should you move the tripod. Doing so will ruin the polar
alignment. The telescope should henceforth be moved only
about its R.A. and Dec. axes.
VII.Using the R.A. and Dec.
Slow-Motion Control Cables
The R.A. and Dec. slow-motion control cables (see Figure 6)
allow ne adjustment of the mount’s position to center objects
within the telescope’s eld of view. Before using the cables,
manually “slew” the mount to point the telescope in the vicinity
of the desired target. Do this by loosening the R.A. and Dec.
lock knobs and moving the telescope about the mount’s R.A.
and Dec. axes. Once the telescope is pointed somewhere
close to the object to be viewed, retighten the mount’s R.A.
and Dec. lock knobs.
The object should now be visible somewhere in the eld of
view of the EZ Finder II. If it isn’t, use the slow-motion controls
to scan the surrounding area of sky. Note: when using the slow
motion cables, the R.A. and Dec lock knobs should be tight-
ened, not loose. When the object is visible in the nder scope,
use the slow-motion controls to center it. Now, look in the tele-
scope’s eyepiece (start with the low power 25mm eyepiece)
and use the slow-motion controls to center it in the eyepiece.
The R.A. slow motion cable can turn the mount’s R.A. axis a
full 360 degrees. However, the Dec. slow-motion cable has a
limited range of about 25 degrees. If you reach the end of the
range of motion – and you cannot turn the knob further – you
should reverse direction by 10 degrees or so, then release the
Dec. lock knob and move the telescope by hand back to about
where it was pointed before the slow-motion cable stopped
turning. Now you should be able to use the slow motion cable
again for ne pointing in either direction.
VIII.Tracking Celestial
Objects
When you observe a celestial object through the telescope,
you’ll see it drift slowly across the eld of view. To keep it in the
eld, assuming the equatorial mount is polar aligned, just turn
the R.A. slow-motion control cable counterclockwise to track.
The Dec. slow-motion control cable is not needed for tracking.
Objects will appear to move faster at higher magnications,
because the eld of view is narrower.
Optional Electronic Drive for Automatic Tracking
An optional DC electronic drive is available for the AstroView
6 reector. This battery-operated drive provides automated,
hands-free tracking. Objects will then remain stationary in the
eld of view without any manual adjustment of the R.A. slow-
motion control cable.
Understanding the Setting Circles
The two setting circles on an equatorial mount enable you to
locate celestial objects by their “celestial coordinates”. Every
object resides in a specic location on the “celestial sphere”.
That location is denoted by two numbers: its right ascension
(R.A.) and declination (Dec.). In the same way, every location
on Earth can be described by its longitude and latitude. R.A.
is similar to longitude on Earth, and Dec. is similar to latitude.
The R.A. and Dec. values for celestial objects can be found in
any star atlas or online planetarium app.
On the AstroView 6, the R.A. setting circle is scaled in hours,
from 1 through 24, with small marks in between representing
10-minute increments (Figure 14). The numbers at the base of
the setting circle scale apply to the Northern Hemisphere while
the numbers above them apply to viewing in the Southern
Hemisphere.
The Dec. setting circle is denoted in degrees, with each main
mark representing 10° increments (Figure 14). Values of Dec.
coordinates range from +90° to -90°. The 0° mark indicates the
celestial equator. For this mount, the number scale goes to 90 on
either side of 0 – there are no (+) or (-) signs. When the telescope
is pointed north of the equator, actual values of Dec. are negative.
For example, the coordinates for the Orion Nebula (M42) are:
R.A. 5 hr 35.4 min, Dec. -5° 27'
Figure 14. The R.A. and Dec. setting circles allow you to locate
an object by its R.A. and Dec. coordinates.
Dec. setting
circle
R. A. setting
circle

9
That’s 5 hours and 35.4 minutes in right ascension, and -5
degrees and 27 arc-minutes in declination (there are 60 arc-
minutes in 1 degree of declination).
Before you can use the setting circles to locate objects, the
mount must be polar aligned, and the setting circles must be
calibrated. The easiest way to calibrate the setting circles is to
point the telescope at an identiable bright star, center it in the
eyepiece, then set the setting circles to the star’s published
coordinates, which you can nd in a star atlas or astronomical
software program, or perhaps on the internet.
Calibrating the Setting Circles
Using a star atlas or astronomy planetarium program, identify
a bright star visible in your sky. Some smartphone astronomy
apps allow you to hold your phone up to the sky and the app
will identify the stars and constellations visible in the direction
you’re pointing to. Note the right ascension and declination
coordinates of the star.
Let’s take as an example Altair, in the constellation Aquila. Its
coordinates are:
R.A. 19 hr 51 min, Dec 8° 52'
1. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs on the equatorial
mount, so the telescope optical tube can move freely.
2. Point the telescope at Altair. Lock the R.A. and Dec. lock
knobs. Center the star in the eyepiece with the slow-motion
control cables.
3. Rotate the R.A. setting circle until the metal arrow indicates
19 hr 51 min.
4. Then rotate the Dec. setting circle until the metal arrow indi-
cates +8° 52'
Note that the setting circles may be a little hard to rotate. But
just grab it rmly around the edge and twist it and it will rotate.
Finding Objects with the Setting Circles
Now that both setting circles are calibrated, look up the coordi-
nates of an object you wish to view.
1. Loosen the R.A. lock knob and rotate the telescope until
the R.A. value from the star atlas matches the reading on
the R.A. setting circle. Remember to use the lower set of
Figure 15. Collimating the optics. (a) When the mirrors
are properly aligned, the view down the focuser drawtube
should look like this (b) With the collimation cap in place,
if the optics are out of alignment, the view might look
something like this. (c) Here, the secondary mirror is
centered under the focuser, but it needs to be adjusted
(tilted) so that the entire primary mirror is visible. (d) The
secondary mirror is correctly aligned, but the primary
mirror still needs adjustment. When the primary mirror is correctly aligned, the “dot” will be centered, as in (e).
a.
Primary mirror
center mark
Reflective surface
of collimation
cap
b. c.
d. e.
Figure 16. Secondary mirror collimation screws.
Central threaded
adjustment screw
(rarely needs
adjustment)
Tip-tilt
adjustment
screws

10
numbers on the R.A. setting circle if you’re in the Northern
hemisphere. Retighten the lock knob.
2. Loosen the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope until
the Dec. value from the star atlas matches the reading on
the Dec. setting circle. Remember that values of the Dec.
setting circle are positive when the telescope is pointing
north of the celestial equator (Dec. = 0°), and negative
when the telescope is pointing south of the celestial equa-
tor. Retighten the lock knob.
Most setting circles are not accurate enough to put an object
dead-center in the telescope’s eyepiece, but they should
place the object somewhere within or near the eld of view
of the nder scope, assuming the equatorial mount is accu-
rately polar aligned. Use the slow-motion controls to center the
object in the nder scope, and it should appear in the tele-
scope’s eld of view.
The R.A. setting circle must be re-calibrated every time you
wish to locate a new object. Do so by calibrating the setting
circle for the centered object before moving on to the next one.
Confused About Pointing the Telescope?
Beginners occasionally experience some confusion about how
to point the telescope overhead or in other directions. One
thing you DO NOT do is make any adjustment to the mount’s
latitude setting or to its azimuth position. That will throw off the
mount’s polar alignment. Once the mount is polar aligned, the
telescope should be moved only about the R.A. and Dec. axes.
This is done by loosening one or both of the R.A. and Dec.
lock knobs and moving the telescope by hand, or keeping the
knobs tightened and moving the telescope using the slow-
motion cables.
IX. Collimating the Optics
(Aligning the Mirrors)
Collimating is the process of adjusting the mirrors so they are
aligned with one another. Your telescope’s optics were aligned
at the factory, and should not need much adjustment unless
the telescope is handled roughly. Accurate mirror alignment is
important to ensure the peak performance of your telescope,
so it should be checked regularly. Collimating is relatively easy
to do and can be done in daylight.
To check collimation, remove the eyepiece and look down the
focuser drawtube . You should see the secondary mirror cen-
tered in the drawtube, as well as the reection of the primary
mirror centered in the secondary mirror, and the reection of
the secondary mirror (and your eye) centered in the reection
of the primary mirror, as in Figure 15a. If anything is off-center,
proceed with the following collimating procedure.
The Collimation Cap and Mirror Center Mark
Your AstroView 6 comes with a collimation cap. This is a sim-
ple cap that ts on the focuser drawtube like a dust cap, but
has a hole in the center and a silver bottom. This helps center
your eye so that collimating is easy to perform.
Figures 15b through 15e assume you have the collimation
cap in place. In addition to providing the collimation cap, you’ll
notice a tiny ring (sticker) in the exact center of the primary
mirror. This “center mark” allows you to achieve a very pre-
cise collimation of the primary mirror; you don’t have to guess
where the center of the mirror is. You simply adjust the mirror
position (described below) until the reection of the hole in the
collimation cap is centered inside the ring. NOTE: The center
ring sticker need not ever be removed from the primary mirror.
Because it lies directly in the shadow of the secondary mir-
ror, its presence in no way adversely affects the optical perfor-
mance of the telescope or the image quality. That might seem
counterintuitive, but it’s true!
Aligning the Secondary Mirror
With the collimation cap in place, look through the hole in the
cap at the secondary (diagonal) mirror. Ignore the reections
for the time being. The secondary mirror itself should be cen-
tered in the focuser drawtube, in the direction parallel to the
length of the telescope. If it isn’t, as in Figure 15b, it must be
adjusted. Typically, this adjustment will rarely, if ever, need to
be done. It helps to adjust the secondary mirror in a brightly lit
room with the telescope pointed toward a bright surface, such
as white paper or wall. Placing a piece of white paper in the
telescope tube opposite the focuser (i.e., on the other side of
the secondary mirror) will also be helpful in collimating the sec-
ondary mirror. Using an Allen wrench, loosen the three small
alignment setscrews in the center hub of the 3-vaned spider
Figure 17. Primary mirror collimation screws. Clockwise around
the perimeter, the left screw in each pair is the "pull screw" and the
right screw is the "push" screw.
Push screw
Push screw
Push screw
Pull screw
Pull screw
Pull screw
Figure 18. A star test will determine if a telescope’s optics are
properly collimated. An unfocused view of a bright star through
the eyepiece should appear as illustrated on right if optics are
perfectly collimated. If circle is unsymmetrical, as in illustration on
left, scope needs collimation.
Out of collimation Collimated

11
several turns. Now hold the mirror holder stationary (be careful
not to touch the surface of the mirrors), while turning the center
larger Allen setscrew (Figure 16). Turning the screw clockwise
will move the secondary mirror toward the front opening of the
optical tube, while turning the screw counter-clockwise will
move the secondary mirror toward the primary mirror.
When the secondary mirror is centered in the focuser draw-
tube, rotate the secondary mirror holder until the reection of
the primary mirror is as centered in the secondary mirror as
possible. It may not be perfectly centered, but that is OK. Now
tighten the three small alignment set screws equally to secure
the secondary mirror in that position.
If the entire primary mirror reection is not visible in the sec-
ondary mirror, as in Figure 15c, you will need to adjust the tilt
of the secondary mirror. This is done by alternately loosening
one of the three alignment setscrews while tightening the other
two an equal amount. The goal is to center the primary mir-
ror reection in the secondary mirror, as in Figure 15d. Don’t
worry that the reection of the secondary mirror (the smallest
circle, with the collimation cap “dot” in the center) is off-center.
You will x that in the next step. Be sure that the nal adjust-
ment of the secondary tilt adjustment screws is to TIGHTEN
the screw. You cannot leave any of the screw loose, otherwise
the secondary mirror will not be secure and will wobble out of
alignment.
Aligning the Primary Mirror
The nal adjustment is made to the primary mirror. It will need
adjustment if, as in Figure 15d, the secondary mirror is cen-
tered under the focuser and the reection of the primary mirror
is centered in the secondary mirror, but the small reection of
the secondary mirror (with the “dot” of the collimation cap) is
off-center.
The tilt of the mirror is adjusted with three pairs of allen head
collimation screws (Figure 17).
Each pair of collimation screws work together to adjust the tilt
of the primary mirror. The raised ‘push’ screw (right screw in
each pair) pushes the mirror forward while the left ‘pull’ screw
pulls the mirror cell back. One must be loosened and the other
tightened by the same amount in order to adjust the tilt. Try
loosening and tightening one of the pairs of collimation screws
one turn. Look into the focuser and see if the secondary mirror
reection has moved closer to the center of the primary. You
can tell this easily with the collimation cap and mirror center
mark by simply watching to see of the “dot” of the collimation
cap is moving closer or farther away from the ring on the cen-
ter of the primary mirror. Repeat this process on the other two
pairs of collimation screws, if necessary. It will take a little trial
and error to get a feel for how to adjust the mirror to center the
“dot” of the collimation cap in the ring of the mirror mark.
When you have the dot centered as much as possible in the
ring, your primary mirror is collimated. The view through the
collimation cap should resemble Figure 8e. Make sure all the
collimation screws are tight (but do not overtighten), to secure
the mirror tilt
A simple star test will tell you whether the optics are accurately
collimated.
Star-Testing the Telescope
When it is dark, point the telescope at a bright star and accu-
rately center it in the eyepiece’s eld of view. Slowly de-focus
the image with the focusing knob. If the telescope is correct-
ly collimated, the expanding disk should be a perfect circle
(Figure 18). 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 tele-
scope is out of collimation.
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 corrections to the telescope’s position
in order to account for the sky’s apparent motion.
X. Using Your Telescope—
Astronomical Observing
Choosing an Observing Site
When selecting a location for observing, get as far away as
possible from direct articial light such as street lights, porch
lights, and automobile headlights. The glare from these lights
will greatly impair your dark-adapted night vision. Set up on
a grass or dirt surface, not asphalt, because asphalt radiates
more heat. Heat disturbs the surrounding air and degrades the
images seen through the telescope. Avoid viewing over roof-
tops and chimneys, as they often have warm air currents rising
from them. Similarly, avoid observing from indoors through an
open (or closed) window, because the temperature difference
between the indoor and outdoor air will cause image blurring
and distortion.
If at all possible, escape the light-polluted city sky and head
for darker country skies. You’ll be amazed at how many more
stars and deep-sky objects are visible in a dark sky!
“Seeing” and Transparency
Atmospheric conditions vary signicantly from night to night.
“Seeing” refers to the steadiness of the Earth’s atmosphere at
a given time. In conditions of poor seeing, atmospheric turbu-
lence causes objects viewed through the telescope to “boil”. If,
when you look up at the sky with just your eyes, the stars are
twinkling noticeably, the seeing is bad and you will be limited
to viewing with low powers (bad seeing affects images at high
powers more severely). Planetary observing may also be poor.
In conditions of good seeing, star twinkling is minimal and
images appear steady in the eyepiece. Seeing is best over-
head, worst at the horizon. Also, seeing generally gets better
after midnight, when much of the heat absorbed by the Earth
during the day has radiated off into space.
Especially important for observing faint objects is good
“transparency”— air free of moisture, smoke, and dust. All
tend to scatter light, which reduces an object’s brightness.
Transparency is judged by the magnitude of the faintest stars
you can see with the unaided eye (6th magnitude or fainter is
desirable).

12
Cooling the Telescope
All optical instruments need time to reach “thermal equilibri-
um”. The bigger the instrument and the larger the temperature
change, the more time is needed. Allow at least 30 minutes
for your telescope to cool to the temperature outdoors. In very
cold climates (below freezing), it is essential to store the tele-
scope as cold as possible. If it has to adjust to more than a 40°
temperature change, allow at least one hour.
Let Your Eyes Dark-Adapt
Don’t expect to go from a lighted house into the darkness of
the outdoors at night and immediately see faint nebulas, gal-
axies, and star clusters—or even very many stars, for that mat-
ter. Your eyes take about 30 minutes to reach perhaps 80% of
their full dark-adapted sensitivity. As your eyes become dark-
adapted, more stars will glimmer into view and you’ll be able to
see fainter details in objects you view in your telescope.
To see what you’re doing in the darkness, use a red-ltered
ashlight rather than a white light. Red light does not spoil your
eyes’ dark adaptation like white light does. A ashlight with a
red LED light is ideal, or you can cover the front of a regular
incandescent ashlight with red cellophane or paper. Beware,
too, that nearby porch and streetlights and car headlights will
ruin your night vision.
Eyepiece Selection
By using eyepieces of varying focal lengths, it is possible to
attain many magnications with the AstroView 6. The tele-
scope comes with two high-quality Plössl eyepieces: a 25mm,
which gives a magnication of 30x, and a 10mm, which gives a
magnication of 75x. Other eyepieces can be used to achieve
higher or lower powers. It is quite common for an observer to
own ve or more eyepieces to access a wide range of magni-
cations. This allows the observer to choose the best eyepiece
to use depending on the object being viewed.
To calculate the magnication, or power, of a telescope and
eyepiece combination, simply divide the focal length of the
telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece:
focal length of telescope
Magnication = focal length of eyepiece
For example, the AstroView 6, which has a focal length of
750mm, used in combination with the 25mm eyepiece, yields
a magnication of
750mm = 30x
25mm
Every telescope has a useful limit of magnication of about 2x
per millimeter of aperture. Which comes to about 260x for the
AstroView 6. Claims of higher power by some telescope manu-
facturers are a misleading advertising gimmick and should be
dismissed. Keep in mind that at higher powers, an image will
always be dimmer and less sharp (this is a fundamental law of
optics). The steadiness of the air (the “seeing”) can also limit
how much magnication an image can tolerate.
Whatever you choose to view, always start by inserting your
lowest-power (longest focal length) eyepiece to locate and
center the object. Low magnication yields a wide eld of view,
which shows a larger area of sky in the eyepiece. This makes
acquiring and centering an object much easier. If you try to
nd and center objects with high power (narrow eld of view),
it’s like trying to nd a needle in a haystack!
Once you’ve centered the object in the eyepiece, you can
switch to higher magnication (shorter focal length eyepiece),
if you wish. This is especially recommended for small and
bright objects, like planets and double stars. The Moon also
takes higher magnications well.
Deep-sky objects, however, typically look better at medium or
low magnications. This is because many of them are quite
faint, yet have some extent (apparent width). Deep-sky objects
will often disappear at higher magnications, since greater
magnication inherently yields dimmer images. This is not
the case for all deep-sky objects, however. Many galaxies are
quite small, yet are somewhat bright, so higher power may
show more detail.
The best rule of thumb with eyepiece selection is to start with
a low power, wide eld, and then work your way up in magni-
cation. If the object looks better, try an even higher magnica-
tion. If the object looks worse, then back off the magnication
a little by using a lower-power eyepiece.
Objects to Observe
Now that you are all set up and ready to go, one critical deci-
sion must be made: what to look at?
A. The Moon
With its rocky surface, the Moon is one of the easiest and most
interesting targets to view with your telescope. Lunar craters,
marias, and even mountain ranges can all be clearly seen
from a distance of 238,000 miles away! With its ever-changing
Figure 19. Star hopping is a good way to locate hard-to-nd
objects. Refer to a star chart to map a route to the object that uses
bright stars as guideposts. Center the rst star you’ve chosen
in the nder scope and telescope eyepiece (1). Now move the
scope carefully in the direction of the next bright star (2), until it
is centered. Repeat (3 and 4). The last hop (5) should place the
desired object in the eyepiece.

13
phases, you’ll get a new view of the Moon every night. The
best time to observe our one and only natural satellite is dur-
ing a partial phase, that is, when the Moon is NOT full. During
partial phases, shadows are cast on the surface, which reveal
more detail, especially right along the border between the dark
and light portions of the disk (called the “terminator”). A full
Moon is too bright and devoid of surface shadows to yield a
pleasing view. Make sure to observe the Moon when it is well
above the horizon to get the sharpest images.
Use an optional Moon lter to dim the Moon when it is very
bright. It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepieces (you
must rst remove the eyepiece from the focuser to attach a
lter). You’ll nd that the Moon lter improves viewing comfort,
and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar surface.
B. The Sun
You can change your nighttime telescope into a daytime Sun
viewer by installing an optional full-aperture solar lter over
the front opening of the AstroView 6. The primary attraction is
sunspots, which change shape, appearance, and location daily.
Sunspots are directly related to magnetic activity in the Sun.
Many observers like to make drawings of sunspots to monitor
how the Sun is changing from day to day.
Important Note: Do not look at the Sun with any optical
instrument without a professionally made solar lter, or
permanent eye damage could result. Leave the covercaps
on the nder scope, or, better yet, remove the nder scope
from the telescope when solar viewing.
C. The Planets
The planets don’t stay put like the stars, so to nd them you
should refer to Sky Calendar at our website, www.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 AstroView 6 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. Higher-power eyepieces
should bring out the cloud bands on the planet’s disk.
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 seeing)
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. To see surface
detail on Mars, you will need a high-power eyepiece and very
steady air!
D. 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 gorgeous two-color double star Albireo in Cygnus are
favorites. Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out its
color.
E. Deep-Sky Objects
Under dark skies, you can observe a wealth of fascinat-
ing deep-sky objects, including gaseous nebulas, open and
globular star clusters, and a variety of different types of gal-
axies. Most deep-sky objects are very faint, so it is important
that you nd an observing site well away from light pollution.
Take plenty of time to let your eyes adjust to the darkness.
Do not expect these subjects to appear like the photographs
you see in books and magazines; most will look like dim gray
smudges. Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in
deep-sky objects except in a few of the brightest ones. But as
you become more experienced and your observing skills get
sharper, you will be able to ferret out more and more subtle
details and structure.
How to Find Deep-Sky Objects: Star Hopping
Star hopping, as it is called by astronomers, is perhaps the
simplest way to hunt down deep-sky objects to view in the
night sky. It entails rst pointing the telescope at a bright star
close to the object you wish to observe, and then progressing
to other stars closer and closer to the object until it is in the
eld of view of the eyepiece. It is a very intuitive technique
that has been employed for hundreds of years by professional
and amateur astronomers alike. Keep in mind, as with any new
task, that star hopping may seem challenging at rst, but will
become easier over time and with practice.
To star hop, only a minimal amount of additional equipment
is necessary. A star chart or atlas that shows stars to at least
magnitude 5 is required. Select one that shows the positions
of many deep-sky objects, so you will have a lot of options to
choose from. If you do not know the positions of the constel-
lations in the night sky, you will need a planisphere to identify
them.
Start by choosing bright objects to view. The brightness of
an object is measured by its visual magnitude; the brighter
an object, the lower its magnitude. Choose an object with a
visual magnitude of 9 or lower. Many beginners start with the
Messier objects, which represent some of the best and bright-
est deep-sky objects, rst catalogued about 200 years ago by
the French astronomer Charles Messier.
Determine in which constellation the object lies. Now, nd the
constellation in the sky. If you do not recognize the constella-

14
tions on sight, consult a planisphere. The planisphere gives an
all-sky view and shows which constellations are visible on a
given night at a given time.
Now, look at your star chart and nd the brightest star in the
constellation that is near the object you are trying to nd. Using
the nder scope, point the telescope at this star and center it
on the crosshairs. Next, look again at the star chart and nd
another suitably bright star near the bright star currently cen-
tered in the nder. Keep in mind that the eld of view of the
nder scope is about 7°, so you should choose another star
that is no more that 7° from the rst star, if possible. Move the
telescope slightly, until the telescope is centered on the new
star.
Continue using stars as guideposts in this way until you are
at the approximate position of the object you are trying to nd
(Figure 19). Look in the telescope’s eyepiece, and the object
should be somewhere within the eld of view. If it’s not, sweep
the telescope carefully around the immediate vicinity until the
object is found.
If you have trouble nding the object, start the star hop again
from the brightest star near the object you wish to view. This
time, be sure the stars indicated on the star chart are in fact
the stars you are centering in the eyepiece. Remember, the
nder scope (and main telescope eyepiece, for that matter)
gives an inverted image, so you must keep this in mind when
star hopping from star to star.
XI. Care and Maintenance
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a lifetime.
Store it in a clean, dry, dust-free place, safe from rapid chang-
es in temperature and humidity. Do not store the telescope
outdoors, although storage in a garage or shed is OK. Small
components like eyepieces and other accessories should be
kept in a protective box or storage case. Keep the caps on the
front of the telescope and on the focuser drawtube when it is
not in use.
Your AstroView 6 telescope requires very little mechanical
maintenance. The optical tube is steel and has a smooth paint-
ed nish that is fairly scratch-resistant. If a scratch does appear
on the tube, it will not harm the telescope. If you wish, you may
apply some auto touch-up paint to the scratch. Smudges on
the tube can be wiped off with a soft cloth and a household
cleaner.
Cleaning Lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean-
ing uid specically designed for multi-coated optics can be
used to clean the exposed lenses of your eyepieces or nd-
er scope. Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning uid
designed for eyeglasses. Before cleaning with uid and tissue,
however, blow any loose particles off the lens with a blower
bulb or compressed air. Then apply some cleaning uid to a
tissue, never directly on the optics. Wipe the lens gently in a
circular motion, then remove any excess uid with a fresh lens
tissue. Oily ngerprints and smudges may be removed using
this method. Use caution; rubbing too hard may scratch the
lens. On larger lenses, clean only a small area at a time, using
a fresh lens tissue on each area. Never reuse tissues.
Cleaning Mirrors
You should not have to clean your telescope’s mirrors very
often; normally once every year or so. Covering your telescope
when it is not in use will prevent dust from accumulating on
the mirrors. Improper cleaning can scratch mirror coatings, so
the fewer times you have to clean the mirrors, the better. Small
specks of dust or ecks of paint have virtually no effect on the
visual performance of the telescope.
The large primary mirror and the elliptical secondary mirror of
your telescope are front-surface aluminized and over-coated
with hard silicon dioxide, which prevents the aluminum from
oxidizing. These coatings normally last through many, many
years of use before requiring re-coating (which is easily done).
To clean the secondary mirror, remove the mirror in its hold-
er from the 4-vaned spider in the tube. Do this by grasping
the secondary mirror holder with your ngertips while turning
the central bolt on the spider’s central hub counterclockwise.
Handle the mirror holder only; do not touch the mirror surface.
Then follow the same procedure described below for cleaning
the primary mirror. The secondary mirror is glued into its hold-
er, and should not be removed from the holder for cleaning.
To clean the primary mirror, carefully remove the mirror cell
from the telescope. Do this by rst removing the four screws
that connect the mirror cell to the tube.These screws are locat-
ed on the outside of the tube, just above the mirror cell casting.
Next, remove the primary mirror from the mirror cell; you will
need to remove the three mirror clips to do this. Completely
unthread the two Phillips head screws on each clip, and care-
fully lift the mirror from its cell. Be careful not to touch the front
surface of the mirror with your ngers. Set the mirror with the
aluminized face up on a clean, soft towel. Fill a clean sink,
free of abrasive cleanser, with room-temperature water, a few
drops of liquid dishwashing detergent, and if possible, a cap-
full of rubbing alcohol. Submerge the mirror (aluminized face
up) in the water and let it soak for several minutes (or hours if
it’s a very dirty mirror). Wipe the mirror under water with clean
cotton balls, using extremely light pressure and stroking in
straight lines across the surface. Use one ball for each wipe
across the mirror. Then rinse the mirror under a stream of luke-
warm water. Any particles on the surface can be swabbed gen-
tly with a series of clean cotton balls, each used just one time.
Dry the mirror in a stream of air (a “blower bulb” works great),
or remove any stray drops of water with the corner of a paper
towel. Water will run off a clean surface. Cover the mirror sur-
face with tissue, and leave the entire assembly in a warm area
until it is completely dry before reassembling the telescope.

15
XII. Specifications
Primary mirror diameter: 6"
Primary mirror coating: Aluminum with silicon dioxide (SiO2) overcoat
Primary mirror gure: Parabolic
Focal length: 750mm
Focal ratio: f/5
Focuser: 2" Crayford, accepts 1.25" eyepieces
Eyepieces: 25mm and 10mm Plössl, fully coated with multi-coatings, 1.25"
Magnication: 30x (with 25mm), 75x (with 10mm)
Finder scope: EZ Finder red dot nder scope
Mount: German-type equatorial
Tripod: Steel
Motor drives: Optional

16
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This Orion product is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a peri-
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This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused,
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