ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS StarBlast 10282 User manual

Orion®StarBlast™90mm
Travel Refractor
#10282
IN 622 Rev D 03/19
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
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Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 20120 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

2
These instructions will help you set-up, properly use, and care
for your instrument. Please read them over carefully before get-
ting started.
Included Items
Unpack all of the items and lay them out in your workspace.
Make sure all the items listed below and shown in Figure 1
are present. Save the shipping box and packaging material. In
the unlikely event that you need to return the product, you must
use the original packaging. Assembly of the telescope is easy
and should take only about 15 minutes.
Item List
A .........................................Tripod
B ..................................Accessory tray
Congratulations on your purchase of a quality Orion product. The StarBlast 90mm Travel Refractor is a
versatile and portable 90mm-aperture telescope designed for exploring scenic daytime vistas as well as
scanning the night skies for celestial treasures. A complete telescope with an extendable stainless steel
tripod, great accessories, and a rugged case with shoulder strap that holds everything, the “StarBlast
90” makes a perfect companion for the explorer on the go.
Figure 1. Included items of the StarBlast 90mm Travel Refractor
WARNING: NEVER look directly at the Sun
through your telescope—even for an instant—
without a professionally made solar filter that
completely covers the front of the instrument,
or permanent eye damage could result. Young
children should use this telescope only with
adult supervision.
A
B
C
D
EF
G
H
I
J
K

3
C.................................... Optical tube
D....................5x20 correct-image finder scope
E ...........................25mm Kellner eyepiece
F.............................9mm Kellner eyepiece
G...................... Bolt case for 25mm eyepiece
H....................... Bolt case for 9mm eyepiece
I..................................Accessory Case
J................................... MoonMap 260
K.................................. Telescope case
Assembly
1. With all items removed from the case (K), find the
tripod (A) and spread the legs apart. Don’t worry about
extending the tripod legs yet; you will do that later.
2. Install the accessory tray (B) by aligning the center hole
with the center of the tripod brace, as shown in Figure
2A.
3. Then gently press the tray downward and rotate it while
insuring that each of the three tray locking tabs seats
underneath its respective brace tab, snapping into place
(Figure 2B). The tray should then appear as in Figure
3.
4. Now you will attach the optical tube (C) to the altazimuth
pan head. Align the center hole of the telescope’s
mounting block with the ¼”-20 threaded post on the pan
head’s mounting platform (Figure 4). Then turn the
knurled knob clockwise until the telescope is tight against
the pan head’s mounting platform.
5. Next, you will install the finder scope (D) onto the optical
tube. Slide the finder scope bracket into the slot between
the telescope optical tube and the focuser housing, as
shown in Figure 5. Make sure the bracket is inserted as
far as it will go (5B).
6. Now insert an eyepiece into the eyepiece collar of the
45-degree diagonal (Figure 6). We recommend starting
with the 25mm eyepiece (E).
Assembly is completed and the telescope should now appear
as in Figure 7.
Aligning and Using the
Finder Scope
The included 5x20 correct-image finder scope makes locating
your observing target easier. It provides 5x magnification and
has a 20mm lens diameter (aperture) – hence the “5x20” desig-
nation. It provides a wide field of view, and right-side-up image
orientation – the same orientation as the main telescope – to
allow you to center your target easily in the main telescope’s
field of view.
Alignment
To use the finder scope properly, it must be first be aligned with
the main telescope. This is easiest to do during daylight hours,
before observing at night. Follow this procedure:
1. With the 25mm eyepiece already installed in the
45-degree diagonal, point the telescope at a well-defined
land target (e.g., the top of a telephone pole) that’s at least
a quarter mile away. Center the target in the telescope
eyepiece by moving the optical tube using the pan handle.
Make sure the altitude and azimuth tension knobs are
slightly loosened to allow easy movement in both axes.
2. Now that a distant target is centered in the main
telescope’s eyepiece, look into the finder scope. Is the
object visible? Ideally, it will be somewhere in the finder’s
field of view. If it is not, some coarse adjustments of the
three finder scope alignment thumbscrews will be needed
to get the finder scope roughly parallel to the main tube.
By loosening or tightening the alignment thumbscrews,
you change the line of sight of the finder scope. Continue
making adjustments to the alignment thumbscrews until
Figure 2. Attach the accessory tray to the tripod brace by A)
registering the tray’s center hole over the center of the brace, then
B) twisting they tray so that each of the three tray locking tabs seats
underneath its respective brace tab.
B
A
Brace tab
Tray locking tab
Accessory Tray

4
the image in both the finder scope and the telescope’s
eyepiece is centered.
The finder scope alignment needs to be checked before every
observing session. This can easily be done at night, as well,
before a stargazing session. Choose any bright star or planet,
center the object in the telescope eyepiece, and then adjust the
finder scope’s alignment screws until the star or planet is also
centered in the finder’s field of view.
The finder scope bracket has a tilt joint that allows the finder
scope to be tilted at a desirable angle relative to the main tele-
scope tube. Just loosen the thumbscrew on the bracket a bit
and tilt the finder scope to the desired position, then retighten
the thumbscrew.
Focusing the Finder Scope
To ensure a sharp image in the finder scope, simply aim it at a
target and rotate the finder’s knurled eyepiece until the image
appears in focus.
Using the Finder Scope
Once the finder scope has been properly aligned with the main
telescope’s optical tube, you are ready to locate objects to view.
The finder scope provides a wide, correctly oriented image that
matches the orientation of the much more highly magnified
image viewed through the main telescope. The idea is to move
the telescope on its mount to center the subject you want to
observe in the wide-field finder scope first, then when you look
into the main telescope’s eyepiece, the subject will be centered
in it as well.
When transporting the telescope in its case, we recommend
removing the finder scope and bracket assembly from the opti-
cal tube. (No need to remove the finder scope from its bracket!)
Store the finder scope and bracket assembly in the included
small accessory case (I) for safe keeping (Figure 8).
Telescope Operation
Extending the Tripod Legs
To extend the tripod legs to the desired length, simply turn the
leg lock knob counterclockwise to release the leg, then retighten
the knob after extending the leg. Each leg has two extendable
sections, each with a lock knob (Figure 9). Do not overtighten
the lock knobs or you could damage the leg collars or strip the
threads of the bolt or its receptacle.
Using the Pan Head
The StarBlast 90mm refractor features a standard “altazimuth”
pan head mount, which permits motion along two perpendicu-
lar axes: altitude (up/down) and azimuth (left/right). This makes
pointing the telescope easy and intuitive. To move the telescope
in the azimuth direction, loosen the azimuth tension knob a little
Figure 3. The tray is now locked in place.
Figure 4. Attaching the optical tube to the pan head.
Figure 5. A) Slide the base of the finder scope bracket into the slot
between the optical tube and the focuser housing. B) Slide it in as far
as it will go.
B
A
Threaded hole
Threaded post
Slot
Slide
Tilt joint
thumbscrew

5
(refer to Figure 7), then take hold of the pan handle and gently
move it left or right.
To move the telescope in altitude, first twist the pan handle
counterclockwise, then move the telescope up or down to the
desired position. Then twist the pan handle clockwise to lock
that position. You may be able to find a suitable azimuth and
altitude axis tension to allow the telescope to be moved freely
without having to make any adjustments to the tension every
time you move the telescope.
Eyepiece Selection
Magnification, or power, is determined by the focal length of
the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece being used.
Therefore, by using eyepieces of different focal lengths, the
resultant magnification can be varied. It is quite common for
an observer to own five or more eyepieces to access a wide
range of magnifications. This allows the observer to choose the
best eyepiece to use depending on the object being viewed and
viewing conditions. Your StarBlast 90mm refractor comes with
25mm (E) and 9mm (F) Kellner eyepieces, which will suffice
nicely to begin with. You can purchase additional eyepieces
later if you wish to have more magnification options.
Magnification is calculated as follows:
For example, the StarBlast 90mm has a focal length of 500mm,
which when used with the supplied 25mm eyepiece yields:
The magnification provided by the 9mm eyepiece is:
The maximum attainable magnification for a telescope is direct-
ly related to how much light it can gather. The larger the aper-
ture, the more magnification is possible. In general, a figure of
50x per inch of aperture is the maximum attainable for most
telescopes. Going beyond that will yield simply blurry, unsatis-
factory views. Your StarBlast 90mm refractor has an aperture
of 90mm, or 3.5 inches, so the maximum practical magnifica-
tion would be about 175x (3.5 x 50). This level of magnification
assumes you have ideal atmospheric conditions for observing
(which is seldom the case).
Keep in mind that as you increase magnification, the brightness
of the object viewed will decrease; this is an inherent principle
of the laws of physics and cannot be avoided. If magnification is
doubled, an image appears four times dimmer. If magnification
is tripled, image brightness is reduced by a factor of nine!
So start with low power by using the 25mm eyepiece, then try
switching to the 9mm eyepiece later if you want to boost the
magnification.
Focusing the Telescope
To focus the telescope, turn the focus wheels (Figure 7) for-
ward or back until you see your target object in the eyepiece.
Then make finer adjustments until the image is sharp. If you’re
having trouble achieving initial focus, rack the focuser drawtube
all the way in using the focus wheels, then while looking into
the eyepiece slowly turn the focus wheels so that the drawtube
extends outward. Keep going until you see your target object
come into focus. Note that when you change eyepieces you
may have to adjust the focus a bit to get a sharp image with the
newly inserted eyepiece.
Figure 6. Insert an eyepiece into the 45-degree diagonal and secure
it with the thumbscrew.
Figure 7. The telescope is now mounted and ready for action!
= Magnification
Telescope Focal Length (mm)
Eyepiece Focal Length (mm)
= 20x
= 56x
500 mm
25mm
500 mm
9mm
Eyepiece
45°Correct-
image diagonal
Thumbscrew
Alignment thumbscrews
Finder scope eyepiece
Compass
Pan handle
Altitude tension
Focus
wheel
Azimuth
tension
knob

6
Terrestrial and Celestial Viewing with the
StarBlast 90mm
The Orion StarBlast 90mm is equipped with a built-in, 45-degree
“correct-image” diagonal, which provides an upright, “normal”
view. Because of this, the StarBlast is an excellent terres-
trial telescope for viewing Earth-based scenes during daylight
hours. More powerful than binoculars, it can get you visually “up
close” to your target for vivid, detailed views. For best results,
however, DO NOT VIEW OUT WINDOWS. The glass in a win-
dow is approximately 1000 times less accurate than the optics
of your StarBlast 90mm – so it will soften your views, and things
will seem to be slightly out of focus. If you must view through
a window, use the lowest power available (and open the win-
dow!).
The StarBlast 90mm also excels for nighttime viewing, enabling
you to see hundreds of craters on the Moon, Jupiter and its four
major moons, the rings of Saturn, and much more! If you take
the telescope to a location away from city lights (the darker, the
better), you will be able to spot most of the famous “M objects,”
or Messier objects, which include open star clusters, globular
star clusters, gaseous nebulas, and even galaxies outside our
own Milky Way galaxy. You’ll need a star map or a planisphere
(the Orion Star Target plansiphere is a great one) and some
patience, but the rewards are endless.
Best Targets
Best night sky targets from the city:
• The Moon
• Venus
• Jupiter
• Saturn
Best targets from rural locations (everything above, plus):
• The Great Nebula in Orion – a spectacular glowing cloud
of gas in Orion’s sword; this is a “stellar maternity ward,” a
place where new stars are forming.
• The Summer Milky Way – the GoScope is well suited
to scanning the Milky Way to “discover” dozens of star
clusters.
• The Pleiades (M45) – a bright open star cluster
• The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) – the brightest external
galaxy
• The Double Cluster in Perseus
• M11, M6 & M7 – three bright, summer star clusters
• The Beehive Cluster – A big, open star cluster in the
spring sky
• The Great Cluster in Hercules M13 – a wonderful
globular star cluster, spring & summer
• M22 – another grand globular star cluster in Sagittarius, a
summer constellation
“Seeing” and Transparency
Atmospheric conditions vary significantly 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
you look up at the sky and stars are twinkling noticeably, the
seeing is poor and you will be limited to viewing at lower magni-
fications. At higher magnifications, images will not focus clearly.
Fine details on the planets and Moon will likely not be visible.
In conditions of good seeing, star twinkling is minimal and imag-
es appear steady in the eyepiece. Seeing is best overhead,
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 “trans-
parency”—air free of moisture, smoke, and dust. All tend to scat-
ter light, which reduces an object’s brightness. Transparency is
judged by the magnitude of the faintest stars you can see with
the unaided eye (5th or 6th magnitude is desirable).
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 acclimate to the temperature outdoors before
you start observing with it.
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, galaxies,
and star clusters—or even very many stars, for that matter. 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 faint-
er details in objects you view in your telescope.
Figure 8. The small accessory case holds the two eyepieces and the
finder scope.

7
To see what you’re doing in the darkness, use a red-filtered
flashlight rather than a white light. Red light does not spoil your
eyes’ dark adaptation like white light does. A flashlight with a
red LED light is ideal. Beware, too, that nearby porch, street-
lights, and car headlights will ruin your night vision.
Everything Fits in the Carrying Case!
The StarBlast 90mm refractor comes complete with a soft case
that neatly holds all its components (K). The telescope optical
tube and tripod both fit inside the case, separated by a pro-
tective divider to keep them from contacting each other. The
tripod accessory tray fits in a pocket inside the case. The case
is equipped with both hand straps and a shoulder strap for con-
venient transport of your telescope wherever you go! The eye-
pieces and finder scope should be kept in the included small
accessory pouch (I) inside the larger case. Each eyepiece
comes with a white plastic “bolt case” (G and H) designed to
protect and keep the eyepiece clean when it’s not in use.
Using MoonMap 260
Included with your StarBlast 90mm refractor telescope is
Orion’s exclusive MoonMap 260 (J). It depicts the locations
and names of over 260 features on the Moon such as craters,
mountains, valleys, "seas" and more. It is a great tool for begin-
ning astronomers. This detailed map will even show you where
various spacecraft from past space missions have landed on
the Moon's surface!
The great thing about the Moon is that its phase changes every
night. Focus your attention on the border between the illumi-
nated and dark portions or the surface, called the “terminator”.
Shadows cast along the terminator help to reveal the rugged
relief of the landscape. Note that the worst time to view the
Moon is during the full Moon phase. That’s because sunlight
shines directly downward on the lunar surface, so no shadows
are cast by the moon's topography.
Telescope 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 changes
in temperature and humidity. Do not store the telescope out-
doors, although storage in a garage or shed is okay.
Keep the dust cover on the front of the telescope when it is not
in use. It’s the rubber cap tethered to the front of the telescope.
Your refractor telescope requires very little mechanical main-
tenance. The optical tube has a smooth painted finish 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 household cleaning fluid.
Cleaning Optics
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning
fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be used
to clean the lenses of your telescope and eyepieces. Never
use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eye-
glasses. Before cleaning, remove any loose particles or dust
from the lens with a blower bulb or soft brush. Then apply some
cleaning fluid to a tissue, never directly on the optics. Wipe the
lens gently in a circular motion, then remove any excess fluid
with a fresh lens tissue. Oily fingerprints and smudges may be
removed using this method. Use caution; rubbing too hard may
scratch the lens. On larger lenses, clean only a small area at a
time, using a fresh lens tissue on each area. Never reuse tis-
sues.
When bringing the telescope inside after an evening’s viewing
it is normal for moisture to accumulate on the lenses due to
the change in temperature. We suggest leaving the telescope
and eyepieces uncovered overnight to allow the condensation
to evaporate.
Figure 9. Adjust the legs to the desired height, then lock them by
turning the leg lock knobs clockwise.
Figure10. All included components of the StarBlast 90mm fit neatly
in the included soft case.
Leg lock
knobs
Accessory tray
Optical tube
Tripod
Accessory
case

8
Specifications
Objective lens: 90mm (3. 5") diameter,
achromatic
Effective focal length: 500mm
Focal ratio: f/5.6
Lens coatings: Antireflection coated
Focuser: Rack-and-pinion, accepts
1.25" accessories
Eyepieces: 25mm and 9mm Kellner,
1.25" barrel diameter,
threaded for Orion filters
Eyepiece coatings: Antireflection coated
Diagonal: Integrated 45-degree
correct-image, 1.25"
Eyepiece magnification: 20x (with 25mm eyepiece)
and 56x (with 9mm eyepiece)
Finder scope: 5x20 correct-image,
45-degree eyepiece angle
Tripod: Stainless steel, 3-section
tube legs
Pan head: Two-way (alt-azimuth)
Max height, legs extended: 54.5"
Total weight: 8 lbs. 11.8 oz
One-Year Limited Warranty
This Orion product is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year
from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benet 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. Proof of purchase (such as a
copy of the original receipt) is required. This warranty is only valid in the country of purchase.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused, mishandled, or
modied, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear. This warranty gives you specic legal rights. It is not
intended to remove or restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or
national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully applicable.
For further warranty information, please visit www.OrionTelescopes.com/warranty.
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 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