Orion 10012 SkyScanner User manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
IN 375 RevD 11/22
Orion®TableTop Telescopes
#10012 SkyScanner™100mm TableTop Reflector
#10022 StarMax™90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain
#10022
#10012
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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.
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2
Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion
TableTop telescope. If you have never owned a
telescope before, we would like to welcome you
to amateur astronomy. Take some time to familiar-
ize 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 reason-
ably dark sky away from city lights, you’ll nd your
telescope to be a never-ending source of wonder,
exploration, and relaxation.
Orion TableTop telescopes are real astronomi-
cal instruments, with high-quality optics and pre-
cision-engineered mechanics; they are not toys.
Your telescope will arrive almost fully assembled
out of the box! Only the visual accessories need to
be installed. These include the EZ Finder II reex
sight, the eyepiece, and in the case of the StarMax
90, the diagonal.
These compact telescopes are designed for grab-
and-go portability. Whether you set yours on a pic-
nic table, the hood of your car, or on an optional
tripod for your viewing session, we’re sure you and
your family and friends will love scanning the night
sky for its many hidden treasures.
The following instructions will help you to get the
maximum performance from your new telescope,
please read them thoroughly.
Figure 1. Components of the SkyScanner 100 TableTop Reector telescope.
EZ Finder II
Dust cap
Optical tube
Base
10mm eyepiece
Moon lter 20mm eyepiece
WARNING: Do NOT look at the Sun without a
professionally made solar lter on the telescope;
serious eye damage may result if you look at the
Sun with any unltered optical instrument. Do not
leave the telescope unsupervised around children.
Always cover the lenses when leaving the telescope
in direct sunlight.

3
I. Parts List
• Optical tube
• Base
• 20mm Bertele eyepiece, 1.25”
• 10mm Bertele eyepiece, 1.25”
• EZ Finder II reex sight
• 90-degree star diagonal (10022 only)
• Moon lter, 1.25"
• MoonMap 260
• Dust cap
• Allen wrench, 2mm (10012 only) (Not pictured)
When unpacking the telescope it is suggested that you save
the internal packaging. In the unlikely event the product needs
to be returned, the shipping materials can be reused to ensure
it arrives safely at its destination. Make sure all the parts listed
in the Parts List and shown in Figures 1 and 2 are present.
Figure 2. Components of the StarMax 90 TableTop Mak-Cass telescope.
EZ Finder II
Moon lter
20mm eyepiece
10mm eyepiece
Star diagonal
Dust cap
Optical tube
Base

4
II. Setting Up the Telescope
Your new TableTop telescope arrives with the optical tube
already attached to the base. Carefully remove the assembled
telescope from the shipping box and set it upright on its base.
Remove the plastic bag from the telescope.
Rotate the telescope tube so it is positioned somewhat like in
the pictures on the cover of this manual.You may note that the
saddle clamp knob (see Figure 3) is in a downward position.
That is ne if it is. But if you‘d prefer to have it in the upward
position as shown in Figure 3, for more convenient access to
it, that’s easy enough to do. Just hold the telescope tube in
one hand and loosen the saddle clamp knob with the other
until you can lift or slide the telescope tube’s dovetail bar out
of the saddle. Then rotate the saddle until the clamp knob is
pointing up. Finally, reattach the telescope tube to the saddle
and tighten the saddle clamp knob.
Install the EZ Finder II
Slide the foot of the EZ Finder’s bracket into the dovetail shoe
on the telescope tube (Figure 4). Make sure the EZ Finder II
is oriented with the sight tube facing the front end of the tele-
scope, as shown.
Install and Eyepiece and (for the StarMax 90) the
Diagonal
The TableTop telescopes come with two 4-element Bertele
eyepieces: one of 20mm focal length and the other of 10mm
focal length. More information about the eyepieces are pro-
vided later in this manual.
For the SkyScanner 100 Reector, insert an eyepiece directly
into the focuser (Figure 5A). First remove the cap from the
focuser and loosen the two thumbscrews to provide clearance
for the eyepiece barrel. Then insert the barrel of the eyepiece
into the focuser and lightly retighten the thumbscrews.
For the StarMax 90 Mak-Cass, you will rst insert the star
diagonal into the visual back adapter. The diagonal deects
the light exiting the telescope by 90 degrees, providing a more
convenient angle for viewing through the eyepiece. Once the
diagonal is secured in the visual back adapter with the two
thumbscrews, insert an eyepiece into the diagonal and secure
it with the thumbscrew on the diagonal (Figure 5B).
Tabletop or (Optional) Tripod?
One of the great assets of the TableTop telescopes is their
extremely compact, portable size. You may nd that the most
comfortable way to use the telescope is while sitting down or
kneeling on the ground next to it. If you wish to raise the tele-
scope off the ground a bit so that it can be used while stand-
ing or sitting in a chair, then a platform such as a milk crate, a
camping table, or a picnic table might be just the ticket.
One other possibility for how to “mount” the telescope is on
an optional tripod. The TableTop telescopes are equipped with
a built-in photo tripod adapter (Figure 6), which features a
female 3/8”-16 threaded insert in the center, and a remov-
able 1/4”-to-3/8” thread adapter pre-installed in it. The adapter
allows the TableTop telescope base to be mounted on most
standard photographic tripods. Most photo tripods have either
a 3/8"-16 or a 1/4"-20 threaded post to allow attachment of a
pan head or ball head. Attaching the TableTop telescope to the
tripod’s threaded post rather than to a pan head will provide
better stability. So we recommend removing any pan head or
ball head from the tripod and installing the telescope directly
Figure 4. Slide the foot of the EZ Finder II bracket into the
dovetail shoe on the telescope tube, as shown. Then tighten the
thumbscrew.
Thumbscrew
Shoe
Sight tube
Figure 3. The telescope optical tube is attached to the dovetail
saddle via a dovetail bar mounted on the telescope tube. StarMax
90 Mak-Cass pictured here.
Saddle
clamp knob
Dovetail bar
Dovetail Saddle
A
z
i
m
u
t
h
A
l
t
i
t
u
d
e

5
on the tripod itself. If the tripod has a 3/8” post, you will need
to remove the 1/4”-to-3/8” thread adapter from the telescope’s
tripod adapter (Figure 6), to expose the 3/8” threads. This can
be done using a at-blade screwdriver, as the thread adapter
has two opposing slots on its top edge to accommodate a
screwdriver blade. If the tripod has a ¼”-20 post, then the
TableTop base can be threaded on as equipped right out of
the box.
Simply thread the base onto the tripod’s threaded post until
tight (Figure 7).
Using the EZ Finder II Reflex Sight
The included EZ Finder II reex sight (Figure 8) makes point-
ing your telescope almost as easy as pointing your nger. It
permits easy object targeting prior to observation in the high-
er-power main telescope. It superimposes a red dot gener-
ated by an internal LED light on the sky, showing right where
your telescope is pointed (Figure 9).
Before you can use the red dot nder scope, you must remove
the small tab sticking out from the battery compartment. Doing
so will allow the pre-installed 3V CR-2032 button cell battery
to make contact with the nder scope’s electronic circuitry to
power the nder’s red LED illuminator. The tab can then be
discarded.
Turn the power knob 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 inside the sight tube. Position your eye at a comfortable
distance from the back of the unit. The intensity of the dot
is adjusted by turning the power knob. For best results when
Figure 5. A) The rack-and-pinion focuser on the SkyScanner 100
TableTop Reector B) The focus knob on the StarMax 90 TableTop
Mak-Cass.
Thumbscrews
Focus knobs
Focuser
Visual Back
Eyepiece
Star Diagonal
Focus knob
A
B
Figure 6. The photo tripod adapter on the bottom of the base
has a 3/8” threaded insert and a 1/4”-to-3/8” thread adapter
installed.
3/8" threaded insert
with 1/4" to 3/8"
thread adapter
Photo tripod
adapter
Figure 7. Mounting the TableTop base on a photo tripod.

6
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 in daylight.
Aligning the EZ Finder
To use the red dot nder scope properly, it must be aligned
with the main telescope. When the EZ Finder II is properly
aligned with the telescope, an object that is centered on reex
sight’s red dot should also appear in the center of the eld of
view of the telescope’s eyepiece. Alignment is easiest to do
during daylight hours, before observing at night. Follow this
procedure:
1. First, remove the dust cover from the front of the telscope.
2. With the 20mm eyepiece installed in the focuser, point
the telescope at a well-dened land target (e.g., the top
of a telephone pole) that’s at least a quarter mile away.
3. Center the target in the telescope eyepiece.
Note: The image in the eyepiece will appear rotated (upside
down) in the SkyScanner 100 Reector. This is normal for
reector telescopes.The image will appear right-side-up but
mirror reversed in the StarMax 90 Mak-Cass.
Next, you will also center the target object on the EZ Finder
II’s red dot. Without moving the telescope, use the EZ Finder
II’s altitude and azimuth adjustment knobs (shown in Figure
8) to position the red dot on the object.
4. When the red dot is centered on the distant object, check
to make sure the object is still centered in the telescope’s
eyepiece. If it isn’t, re-center it then adjust the EZ Finder
II’s alignment again. When the object is centered in the
telescope eyepiece and in the EZ Finder II, the EZ Finder
II is properly aligned with the telescope. The EZ Finder
II’s alignment should be checked before each observing
session.
At the end of your observing session, be sure to turn the
power knob counterclockwise until it clicks off.
Replacing the Battery
Replacement 3-volt lithium (CR-2032) batteries are available
from many retail outlets. To replace the dead battery, use a
small Phillips head screwdriver to remove the battery cover
(Figure 10A). Then carefully pull back on the retaining clip
and shake out the old battery. Do not over-bend the retaining
clip. Then slide the new battery under the retaining clip with
the positive (+) side facing the clip as shown (Figure 10B).
The EZ Finder II alignment should be checked before every
observing session. Choose any distant target (during the day)
or bright star (at night), center the object in the telescope’s
eyepiece, and then adjust the knobs until the object is cen-
tered on the red dot of the reex sight. (See Figure 5.)
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 body and power knob are
lined up, the EZ Finder II is turned off.
III. Operating the Telescope
Eyepiece Selection
By using eyepieces of different focal lengths, it is possible to
attain different magnications you’re your TableTop telescope.
That’s because the magnifying power of a telescope is depen-
dent on both the focal length of the telescope and of the eye-
piece being used with it.
To calculate the magnication of a telescope-eyepiece com-
bination, simply divide the focal length of the telescope by the
focal length of the eyepiece.
Focal Length of Telescope (mm)
Magnication = Focal Length of Eyepiece (mm)
So, for example, the StarMax 90 Mak-Cass has a focal length
of 1250mm. When used with the 20mm eyepiece, the result-
ing magnication would be 62.5x
1250mm = 62.5x
20mm
For the SkyScanner 100 Reector, it has a focal length of
400mm. When used with the 10mm eyepiece, the resulting
magnication is 40x.
Figure 9. The EZ Finder II superimposes a tiny red dot on the
sky, showing right where the telescope is pointed.
Figure 8. The EZ Finder II “red dot” scope.
Sight tube
Bracket foot
Altitude
adjustment
knob
Azimuth
adjustment
knob
Power
knob

7
400mm = 40x
10mm
Your telescope comes with two eyepieces: one with 20mm
focal length for low power, wide eld viewing, and the other
with 10mm focal length for higher-power observation. 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.
We recommend starting a viewing session by inserting your
lowest-power (longest focal length) eyepiece to locate and
center the target object. Low magnication yields a wide eld
of view, which shows a larger area of sky in the eyepiece. This
makes nding and centering an object much easier. Trying to
nd and center objects with a high power (narrow eld of view)
eyepiece is like trying to nd a needle in a haystack! Once
you’ve centered the object in the eyepiece, you can switch to
a higher magnication (shorter focal length) eyepiece, if you
wish. This is recommended for small and bright objects, like
planets and double stars. The Moon also takes higher mag-
nications well. The best rule of thumb with eyepiece selec-
tion is to start with a low power, wide-eld eyepiece, and then
work your way up in magnication. If the object looks better,
try an even higher magnication eyepiece. If the object looks
worse, then back off the magnication a little by using a lower-
power eyepiece.
Magnification Limits
Every telescope has a useful magnication limit of about 2x
per millimeter of aperture. This translates to a limit of 200x for
the SkyScanner 100 Reector, and 180x for the StarMax 90
Mak-Cass. Some telescope manufacturers will use mislead-
ing claims of ultra-high magnications: “See distant galaxies
at 640X!” While such magnications are technically possible,
the actual image at that magnication would be a dim, indis-
tinct blur. Low and moderate magnications are what give the
best views. A small, but bright and crisply detailed image is
always better than a dim, blurry, over-magnied one.
Altitude and Azimuth (Aiming the Telescope)
Your TableTop telescope’s base permits motion along two
axes: altitude (up/down) and azimuth (left/right) (Figure 3).
Both motions can be made simultaneously and in a continu-
ous manner for easy aiming. This way you can point to any
position in the night sky, from horizon to horizon.
Both the altitude and azimuth axes have adjustable tension.
You want sufficient friction of motion to keep the telescope
from rotating too freely in each axis, which can make it dif-
cult to land on and stay aimed at an object you wish to view.
However, if you apply too much tension the telescope will be
difficult to move smoothly and in small increments needed to
Figure 10. To replace the EZ Finder II’s CR2032 3V lithium
battery, A) rst remove the small Phillips screw to unlock the battery
cover, B) remove the old battery and replace it with the positive (+)
side facing the retaining clip.
Retaining clip Battery
Battery cover
Figure 11. Making optional adjustments to the azimuth tension.
A
B

8
center an object in the eyepiece for viewing. Tension on both
axes is set at the factory, but if you feel some further tweaking
is warranted, read on.
Tension in the altitude axis is adjusted by turning the large
tension adjustment knob (Figure 3) to be tighter or looser.
To adjust the tension of the azimuth axis you will rst need
to remove the photo tripod adapter (Figure 6). Simply loosen
and remove the three Phillips-head screws on the adapter,
and it will lift right off. Then you must use two 13mm or adjust-
able wrenches (not included), one on each nut, as shown
in Figure 11, to tighten or loosen them as needed to adjust
the amount of friction. Once you have made the necessary
adjustments, reinstall the adapter with the three Phillips-head
screws.
Focusing the Telescope
The TableTop telescopes both come equipped with an adjust-
able focuser designed to keep images sharp.The SkyScanner
100 Reector has a 1.25” rack-and-pinion focuser with two
large manual focusing knobs (Figure 5A). The StarMax 90
Mak-Cass has a single focus knob on the back end of the
tube assembly (Figure 5B).
We recommend practicing focusing in the daytime when start-
ing out to get the hang of it. With the 20mm eyepiece insert-
ed into the focuser, aim the optical tube so the front (open)
end is pointing in the general direction of an object at least
1/4-mile away. With your ngers, slowly rotate the focus knob
until the object comes into sharp focus. Go a little bit beyond
sharp focus until the image starts to blur again, then reverse
the rotation of the knob gradually, until you’ve nailed the exact
focus point.
IV. Using Your Telescope
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. Avoid view-
ing over rooftops 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!
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 20 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, 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. Beware, too, that nearby porch
lights, street lights, and car headlights will ruin your night
vision.
“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 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cations. At higher magnications, 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
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). If you cannot see stars of magnitude 3.5 or dim-
mer then conditions are poor. Magnitude is a measure of how
bright a star is – the brighter a star is, the lower its magnitude
will be. A good star to remember for this is Megrez (mag. 3.4),
which is the star in the “Big Dipper” connecting the handle
to the “dipper”. If you cannot see Megrez, then you have fog,
haze, clouds, smog, or other conditions that are hindering
your viewing. (See Figure 12.)
Tracking Celestial Objects
The Earth is constantly rotating about its polar axis, complet-
ing one full rotation every 24 hours; this is what denes a “day”.
We do not feel the Earth rotating, but we see it at night from
the apparent movement of stars from east to west. When you
observe any astronomical object, you are watching a moving
target. This means the telescope’s position must be continu-
ously adjusted over time to keep a celestial object in the eld
of view. This is called “tracking” the object. It’s easy to do with
the TableTop telescopes because of their smooth motions on
both axes. As the object moves off towards the edge of the
eyepiece’s eld of view, just lightly nudge or tug the telescope
to re-center the object. Objects appear to move across the

9
eld of view faster at higher magnications. This is because
the eld of view becomes narrower.
Daytime Terrestrial Viewing
Some telescopes can be used for daytime terrestrial observa-
tion in addition to nighttime stargazing. Of the two TableTop
telescopes covered in this manual, only the StarMax 90
Mak-Cass is suitable for terrestrial viewing. With the supplied
accessories, the images you see are right-side-up, but mirror
reversed. Obviously, this is not ideal. For a correctly oriented
image, you can purchase a 1.25" “correct-image” or “image
erecting” diagonal and substitute it for the “star diagonal” that
came with the telescope. Then you will see a normally ori-
ented image, just like you see with your eyes.
Also note that the StarMax 90 optical tube can be removed
from the TableTop base and mounted on a standard photo tri-
pod, if desired. The telescope’s dovetail mounting bar has two
¼”-20 threaded holes on the bottom. Most tripod pan heads
or ball head quick-release plates have a ¼”-20 threaded post,
which would allow coupling of the StarMax 90 optical tube to
the tripod.
The SkyScanner 100 Reector, like any other reector type
telescope, is not recommended for terrestrial viewing. That’s
because the image it renders is rotated or upside down and
not easily corrected. This is not an issue for astronomical
viewing because there is no “right side up” in space!
Using the Orion Moon Filter and MoonMap 260
Moon Filter
This popular accessory reduces glare from the bright lunar
surface for more comfortable viewing. It also boosts contrast
so you can enjoy more-detailed views of surface features. The
neutral density lter transmits only 13% of incoming light to
the eyepiece, preventing the overpowering brightness from
washing out details, providing better clarity and resolution,
and reducing eye strain. It does not alter the natural color of
the Moon, either. Just screw the lter into the threaded barrel
of the eyepiece and you’re all set (Figure 13).
MoonMap 260
With locations and names of over 260 features on the Moon
such as craters, mountains, valleys, "seas" and more, the
Orion MoonMap 260 is a great tool for beginning astronomers.
This detailed map will even show you where various space-
craft have landed on the Moon's surface! The whole family
will enjoy looking at the Moon with the telescope, then using
the MoonMap 260 to learn the names of the craters and other
features observed. Using a red ashlight (sold separately) to
read the MoonMap in the dark will be helpful; the red light will
not spoil your eyes’ dark adaptation.
What to Expect
So what will you see with your telescope? You should be
able to see bands on Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, craters
on the Moon, the waxing and waning of Venus, and many
bright deep-sky objects. Do not expect to see color as you
do in Hubble Space Telescope photos, since those are taken
with long-exposure cameras and have “false color” added.
Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in deep-sky
objects. But remember that you are seeing these objects
using your own telescope with your own eyes, in real time.
And that’s pretty cool!
V. 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, maria, and even mountain ranges can all be clearly
seen from a distance of 238,000 miles away! With its ever-
changing phases, you’ll get a new view of the Moon every
night. The best time to observe our one and only natural satel-
lite is during 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
Figure 13. The Moon lter threads into the eyepiece barrel as
shown.
Moon lter
Figure 12. Megrez connects the Big Dipper’s “handle” to its “pan.”
If you cannot see Megrez, a magnitude 3.4 star, then the viewing
conditions are poor.

10
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 the included Moon Filter to dim the Moon when
it is very bright. It simply threads onto the bottom of the eye-
piece barrel. You’ll nd that a 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 telescope. 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 this telescope
without a professionally made solar lter installed on the front
opening, or permanent eye damage could result. Do not use
the EZ Finder II when solar viewing, either.
C. The Planets
Planets, being in our own solar system and having their own
orbits, do not stay at “xed” locations like the stars do. So to
nd them you should refer to Sky Calendar at our website
(telescope.com), or to charts published monthly in Astronomy,
Sky & Telescope, or other astronomy magazines. Venus,
Jupiter, and Saturn are the brightest objects in the sky after
the Sun and the Moon. Other planets may be visible but will
likely appear star-like. Because planets are quite small in
apparent size, you will need to use high power. 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.
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 see-
ing) 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.
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 gorgeous two-color double star Albireo in Cygnus is a
favorite. Defocusing a star slightly can help to bring out its
color.
E. Deep-Sky Objects
Under dark skies, you can observe a wealth of fascinating
deep-sky objects, including gaseous nebulas, open and glob-
ular star clusters, and a variety of different types of galaxies.
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 on the internet; most will look like dim gray
smudges. Our eyes are not sensitive enough to see color in
deep-sky objects. 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.
To nd deep sky objects in the sky, it is best to consult a star
chart, planetarium program or app, or a planisphere. These
guides will help you locate the brightest and best deep-sky
objects for viewing with your TableTop telescope.You can also
try low-power scanning of the Milky Way. Pop in the 20mm
eyepiece and just cruise through the “star clouds” of our gal-
axy. You’ll be amazed at the rich elds of stars and objects
you’ll see! The Milky Way is best observed on summer and
winter evenings.
VI. Care and Maintenance
If you give your telescope reasonable care, it will last a life-
time. Store it in a clean, dry, dust-free place, safe from rapid
changes in temperature and humidity. Do not store the tele-
scope outdoors, although storage in a garage or shed is okay.
Small components like eyepieces and other accessories
should be kept in a protective box or storage case. Keep the
dust cover on the front of the telescope when it is not in use.