Orion Transporter 70 Min-EQ 9859 User manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
IN 193 Rev. B 02/09
Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975
Customer Support [phone]
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Orion®
Transporter 70 Min-EQ™
#9859 Tabletop Equatorial Refracting Telescope

2
Figure 1. The Transporter 70 Min-EQ.
Declination lock knob
Declination setting circle
Counterweight shaft
Counterweight
Counterweight lock knob
R.A. slow motion control cable
Azimuth lock knob
EZ Finder II
reflex sight
R.A. setting circle
Latitude adjustment T-bolt
Eyepiece
Star
diagonal
Declination slow motion
control cable
Tripod leg

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Table of Contents
1. Parts List......................... 3
2. Assembly ........................ 3
3. Getting Started .................... 4
4. Setting up and Using the
Equaltorial mount .................. 5
5. Astronomical Observing ............. 8
6. Terrestrial Viewing................. 10
7. Transporting the Telescope.......... 10
8. Care and Maintenance ............. 11
9. Specifications .................... 11
1. Parts List
1 German equatorial mount
2 Slow-motion control cables
1 Counterweight shaft
1 Counterweight
3 Tripod legs
1 Optical tube assembly
2 Optical tube attachment knobs with washers
1 17mm Explorer II eyepiece
1 6mm Explorer II eyepiece
1 Mirror star diagonal
1 EZ Finder II reflex sight
1 Dust cover
1 Soft carry case
2. Assembly
Carefully remove all of the items from the shipping box. Make
sure all the parts listed in the parts list are present. Save all boxes
and packaging material. In the unlikely event that you need to
return the telescope, you should use the original packaging.
Assembling the telescope for the first time should take about 10
minutes. No tools are required. During assembly (and anytime for
that matter), do not touch the any of the lenses of either the tele-
scope or the eyepieces with your fingers. The optical surfaces
have delicate coatings on them that can easily be damaged if
touched. Never remove any lens assembly from its housing for
any reason, or the product warranty and return policy will be voided.
Refer to Figure 1 during the assembly process.
1. Attach the tripod legs, one at a time, by threading them into
the holes at the base of the equatorial mount.
2. With the tripod legs now attached to the equatorial mount,
stand the mount upright.
3. Orient the equatorial mount as it appears in Figure 1, at a
latitude of about 40°, i.e., so the pointer next to the latitude
scale is pointing to the mark at “40.” To do this, loosen the
latitude lock T-bolt, and turn the latitude adjustment T-bolt until
the pointer and the “40” line up. Then retighten the latitude
lock T-bolt. The declination (Dec.) and right ascension (R.A.)
axes may also need re-positioning (rotation) to match Figure
1. Be sure to loosen the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs before
doing this. Retighten the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs once the
equatorial mount is properly oriented.
4. Thread the counterweight shaft into the equatorial mount at
the base of the declination axis until tight.
5. Remove the screw and washer on the bottom of the counter-
weight shaft and slide the counterweight onto the shaft. Make
sure the counterweight lock knob is adequately loosened to
allow the counterweight shaft to pass through the hole in the
counterweight. Position the counterweight about halfway up
the shaft and tighten the lock knob. Replace the screw and
washer on the end of the shaft.
6. Attach the two slow-motion control cables to the R.A. and
Dec. slow motion control shafts of the equatorial mount by
positioning the thumb screw on the end of the cable (you can
attach a control cable to either end of the R.A. slow-motion
Congratulations on your purchase of an Orion telescope. Your new Transporter 70 Min-EQ is the most
portable equatorially mounted telescope ever developed by Orion. Since it fits completely in its included
carrying case, you can take the Transporter 70 Min-EQ on camping trips, vacations, and anywhere else
you want to bring it. Weighing in at just over 12.5 lbs., the Transporter is a breeze to carry.
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 find your telescope to be a never-ending source of wonder and exploration.
These instructions will help you set up, properly use and care for your telescope. Please read over them
thoroughly before getting started.
WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun
through your telescope or its finder scope—
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.

4
control shaft) over the indented slot on the shaft, then tighten-
ing the thumb screw.
7. Attach the optical tube assembly to the equatorial mount. First,
take the two optical tube attachment knobs and place a lock
washer, then a flat washer on each knob’s shaft. Line up the
holes in the optical tube’s mounting plate with the holes in the top
of the equatorial mount. Then push the optical tube attachment
knobs up through the holes and thread them into the mounting
plate.
8. Attach the EZ Finder II reflex sight to the mounting bracket on
the optical tube assembly. Loosen the two securing thumb-
screws on the EZ Finder II (Figure 3) and slide the EZ Finder
onto the mounting bracket. Tighten the two thumbscrews.
9. Attach the star diagonal to the telescope by threading the
diagonal onto the telescope tube with the knurled attachment
ring on the diagonal
10. Insert the chrome barrel of the 17mm Explorer II eyepiece into the
star diagonal and secure it with the thumbscrews on the diagonal
Your telescope is now fully assembled and should now resem-
ble Figure 1.
3. Getting Started
Balancing the Telescope
Once the optical tube is attached to the equatorial mount, the
next step is to balance the telescope on the mount’s R.A. axis.
Proper balance is required to insure smooth movement of the
telescope on the equatorial mount.
Keeping one hand on the telescope optical tube, loosen the R.A.
lock knob. Make sure the Dec. lock knob is locked tight. The tele-
scope should now be able to rotate freely about the R.A. axis.
Rotate it until the counterweight shaft is parallel to the ground
(i.e., horizontal).
Now loosen the counterweight lock knob and slide the weight
along the shaft until it exactly counterbalances the telescope
(Figure 2a).That’s the point at which the shaft remains horizontal
even when you let go of the telescope with both hands (Figure
2b). Retighten the counterweight lock knob. The telescope is now
balanced on the R.A. axis.
The telescope will already be balanced in the Dec. due to the
placement of the optical tube’s mounting plate.
Now that the telescope is properly balanced, when you loosen
the lock knob on one or both axes and manually point the tele-
scope, it should move without resistance and should not drift
from where you point it.
Focusing the Telescope
With the 17mm Explorer II eyepiece inserted into the star diago-
nal, move the telescope so the front (open) end is pointing in the
general direction of an object at least 1/4-mile away. Now with
your fingers, slowly turn the focusing 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, just to
make sure you’ve hit the exact focus point.
Do You Wear Eyeglasses?
If you wear eyeglasses, you may be able to keep them on while
you observe. In order to do this, your eyepiece must have enough
“eye relief” to allow you to see the entire field of view with glasses
on.You can try this by looking through the eyepiece first with your
glasses on and then with them off, and see if the glasses restrict
the view to only a portion of the full field. If the glasses do restrict
the field of view, you may be able to observe with your glasses off
by just refocusing the telescope the needed amount.
If your eyes are astigmatic, images will probably appear the best
with glasses on. This is because a telescope’s focuser can
accommodate for nearsightedness or farsightedness, but not
astigmatism. If you have to wear your glasses while observing
and cannot see the entire field of view, you may want to purchase
additional eyepieces that have longer eye relief.
Operating the EZ Finder II Reflex Sight
The EZ Finder II reflex sight (Figure 3) makes pointing your tele-
scope almost as easy as pointing your finger! It’s a
non-magnifying aiming device that superimposes a tiny red dot
on the sky, showing exactly where the telescope is pointed.
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 float in space.
The red dot is produced by a light-emitting diode (LED) near the
Figure 2a, b. Proper operation of the equatorial mount requires
balancing the telescope tube on the R.A. axis. (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.
Figure 2a Figure 2b
Figure 3. The EZ Finder II reflex sight.
Power
knob
Altitude
adjustment
knob
Securing thumbscrews
Azimuth
adjustment
knob
Battery cover

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rear of the sight. A 3-volt lithium battery provides the power for
the diode.
Turn the power knob clockwise until you hear the “click” indicating
that power has been turned on. Look through the back of the
reflex sight with both eyes open to see the red dot. Position your
eye at a comfortable distance from the back of the sight. 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 Reflex Sight
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 field of view of the telescope’s eye-
piece. Alignment of the EZ Finder II is easiest during daylight,
before observing at night.
1. 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 1/4 mile away. Now, with the EZ
Finder turned on, look though it. The object will appear in the
field of view near the red dot.
Note: The view through a refractor telescope with a star
diagonal will be reversed from left-to-right.
2. Without moving the main telescope, use the EZ Finder II’s
azimuth (left/right) and altitude (up/down) adjustment knobs
to center the red dot on the object in the eyepiece.
3. When the red dot is centered on the distant object, check to
make sure that the object is still centered in the telescope’s
field 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.
The EZ Finder II alignment should be checked before every
observing session. Choose any bright star or planet, center the
object in the telescope’s eyepiece, then adjust the knobs until the
object is centered on the red dot of the EZ Finder.
Replacing the Battery
Should the battery ever die, replacement 3-volt lithium batteries
are available from many retail outlets. Remove the old battery by
inserting a small flat-head screwdriver into the slot on the battery
cover (Figure 3) and gently prying open the cover. 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 (+) side facing down and replace
the battery cover.
4. Setting up and Using the
Equatorial Mount
When you look at the night sky, you no doubt have noticed
that the stars appear to move slowly from east to west over
Figure 4. The Transporter 70 Min-EQ equatorial mount.
RIGHT ASCENSION AXIS
Latitude
adjustment
scale
Latitude
adjustment
T-bolt
Latitude
lock T-bolt
DECLINATION
AXIS
Azimuth
lock knob
R.A. lock knob
R.A. setting circle
Declination
setting circle

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time. That apparent motion is caused by the Earth’s rotation
(from west to east). An equatorial mount (Figure 4) is designed
to compensate for that motion, allowing you to easily “track”
the movement of astronomical objects, thereby keeping them
from drifting out of the telescope’s field 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 first the R.A. axis of the mount must be aligned with the
Earth’s rotational (polar) axis – a process called polar align-
ment.
Polar Alignment
For Northern Hemisphere observers, approximate polar align-
ment is achieved by pointing the mount’s R.A. axis at the North
Star, or Polaris. It lies within 1° of the north celestial pole
(NCP), which is an extension of the Earth’s rotational axis out
into space. Stars in the Northern Hemisphere appear to
revolve around the NCP.
To find Polaris in the sky, look north and locate the pattern of
the Big Dipper (Figure 5).The two stars at the end of the “bowl”
of the Big Dipper point right 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 Transporter 70 Min-EQ:
1. Place the telescope on a flat, level surface, such as a stur-
dy table.
2. Loosen the latitude lock T-bolt. Turn the latitude adjustment
T-bolt and tilt the mount until the pointer on the latitude
scale is set at the latitude of your observing site. If you
don’t know your latitude, consult a geographical atlas to
find it. For example, if your latitude is 35° North, set the
pointer to 35. Then retighten the latitude lock T-bolt. The
latitude setting should not have to be adjusted again unless
you move to a different viewing location some distance
away.
3. Loosen the Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope optical
tube until it is parallel with the R.A. axis, as it is in Figure 1.
The pointer on the Dec. setting circle should read 90°.
Retighten the Dec. lock lever.
4. Loosen the azimuth lock knob at the base of the equatorial
mount and rotate the mount so the telescope tube (and
R.A. axis) points roughly at Polaris. If you cannot see
Polaris directly from your observing site, consult a com-
pass and rotate the mount so the telescope points North.
Retighten the azimuth lock knob.
The equatorial mount is now polar aligned.
From this point on in your observing session, you should not
make any further adjustments in the azimuth or the latitude of
the mount, nor should you move the tripod. Doing so will undo
the polar alignment. The telescope should be moved only
about its R.A. and Dec. axes.
Use of the R.A. and Dec. Slow-Motion Control
Cables
The R.A. and Dec. slow-motion control cables allow fine
adjustment of the telescope’s position to center objects within
Figure 5. To find Polaris in the night sky, look north and find the Big Dipper. Extend an imaginary line from the two "Pointer Stars" in the
bowl of the Big Dipper. Go about five times the distance between those stars and you'll reach Polaris, which lies within 1° of the north
celestial pole (NCP).
Big Dipper
(in Ursa Major)
Little Dipper
(in Ursa Minor)
N.C.P.
Pointer
Stars
Polaris
Cassiopeia

7
the field of view. Before you can use the cables, you must
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 EZ Finder
II. If it isn’t, use the slow-motion controls to scan the surround-
ing area of sky. When the object is visible in the EZ Finder II,
use the slow-motion controls to center it on the red dot. Now,
look in the telescope’s eyepiece. If the EZ Finder II is properly
aligned, the object should be visible somewhere in the field of
view. Once the object is visible in the eyepiece, use the slow-
motion controls to center it in the field of view.
The Dec. slow-motion control cable can move the telescope a
maximum of 25°. This is because the Dec. slow-motion mech-
anism has a limited range of mechanical travel. (The R.A.
slow-motion mechanism has no limit to its amount of travel). If
you can no longer rotate the Dec. control cable in a desired
direction, you have reached the end of travel, and the slow-
motion mechanism must be reset. This is done by first rotating
the control cable several turns in the opposite direction from
which it was originally being turned. Then, manually slew the
telescope closer to the object you wish to observe (remember
to first loosen the Dec. lock knob). You should now be able to
use the Dec. slow-motion control cable again to finely adjust
the telescope’s position.
Tracking Celestial Objects
When you observe a celestial object through the telescope,
you’ll see it drift slowly across the field of view. To keep it in the
field, if your equatorial mount is polar aligned, just turn the
R.A. slow-motion control cable clockwise. The Dec. slow-
motion control cable is not needed for tracking. Objects will
appear to move faster at higher magnifications, because the
field of view is narrower.
Optional Electronic Drives for Automatic
Tracking
An optional DC electronic drive can be mounted on the R.A.
axis of the equatorial mount to provide hands-free tracking.
Objects will then remain stationary in the field of view without
any manual adjustment of the R.A. slow-motion control cable.
Understanding the Setting Circles
The setting circles on an equatorial mount enable you to
locate celestial objects by their “celestial coordinates”. Every
object resides in a specific 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 star catalog.
The mount’s R.A. setting circle is scaled in hours, from 1
through 24, with small marks in between representing 10-min-
ute increments. The numbers closest to the R.A. axis gear
apply to viewing in the Southern Hemisphere, while the num-
bers above them apply to viewing in the Northern
Hemisphere.
The Dec. setting circle is scaled in degrees, with each mark
representing 2.5° increments. Values of Dec. coordinates
range from +90° to -90°. The 0° mark indicates the celestial
equator. When the telescope is pointed north of the celestial
equator, values of the Dec. setting circle are positive, while
when the telescope is pointed south of the celestial equator,
values of the Dec. setting circle are negative.
So, the coordinates for the Orion Nebula listed in a star atlas
will look like this:
R.A. 5h 35.4m Dec. -5° 27’
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 correctly polar aligned, and the R.A. setting
circle must be calibrated.The Dec. setting circle has been per-
manently calibrated at the factory, and should read 90°
whenever the telescope optical tube is parallel with the R.A.
axis.
Calibrating the Right Ascension Setting Circle
1. Identify a bright star in the sky near the celestial equator
(Dec. = 0°) and look up its coordinates in a star atlas.
2. Loosen the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs on the equatorial
mount, so the telescope optical tube can move freely.
3. Point the telescope at the bright star whose coordinates
you know. Lock the R.A. and Dec. lock knobs. Center the
star in the telescope’s field of view with the slow-motion
control cables.
4. Rotate the setting circle until the metal arrow indicates the
R.A. coordinate listed in the star atlas for the object.
Finding Objects With the Setting Circles
Now that both setting circles are calibrated, look up in a star
atlas the coordinates of an object you wish to view.
1. 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.
2. 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 upper set of
numbers on the R.A. setting circle. 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 the field of view of the EZ Finder
II, assuming the equatorial mount is accurately polar aligned.

8
Use the slow-motion controls to center the object in the EZ
Finder II, and it should appear in the telescope’s field 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. In
Figure 1 the telescope is pointed north, as it would be during
polar alignment. The counterweight shaft is oriented down-
ward. But it will not look like that when the telescope is pointed
in other directions. Let’s say you want to view an object that is
directly overhead, at the zenith. How do you do it?
One thing you DO NOT do is make any adjustment to the lati-
tude adjustment T-bolt. That will nullify the mount’s polar
alignment. Remember, once the mount is polar aligned, the
telescope should be moved only on the R.A. and Dec. axes.To
point the scope overhead, first loosen the R.A. lock knob and
rotate the telescope on the R.A. axis until the counterweight
shaft is horizontal (parallel to the ground). Then loosen the
Dec. lock knob and rotate the telescope until it is pointing
straight overhead. The counterweight shaft is still horizontal.
Then retighten both lock knobs.
Similarly, to point the telescope directly south, the counter-
weight shaft should again be horizontal. Then you simply
rotate the scope on the Dec. axis until it points south.
What if you need to aim the telescope directly north, but at an
object that is nearer to the horizon than Polaris? You can’t do
it with the counterweight down as pictured in Figure 1. Again,
you have to rotate the scope in R.A. so the counterweight
shaft is positioned horizontally. Then rotate the scope in Dec.
so it points to where you want it near the horizon.
To point the telescope to the east or west, or in other direc-
tions, you rotate the telescope on its R.A. and Dec. axes.
Depending on the altitude of the object you want to observe,
the counterweight shaft will be oriented somewhere between
vertical and horizontal.
Figure 6 illustrates how the telescope will look pointed at the
four cardinal directions—north, south, east, and west
The key things to remember when pointing the telescope are
that a) you only move it in R.A. and Dec., not in azimuth or lati-
tude (altitude), and b) the counterweight and shaft will not
always appear as it does in Figure 1. In fact, it almost never
will!
5. Astronomical Observing
Choosing an Observing Site
When selecting a location for observing, get as far away as
possible from direct artificial 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
heat which 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 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,
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 (see section on “choosing eyepiec-
es” for more details on power). 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
Figure 6a,b,c,d. This illustration shows the telescope pointed in the four cardinal directions: (a) North, (b) South, (c) East, (d) West. Note that
the tripod and mount have not been moved; only the telescope tube has been moved on the R.A. and Dec. axes.
Figure 6a Figure 6b Figure 6c Figure 6d

9
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
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).
One good way to tell if conditions are good is by how many
stars you can see with your naked eye. If you cannot see stars
of magnitude 3.5 or dimmer 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 remem-
ber 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 (Figure 7).
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.
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
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 fainter details in objects you view in your tele-
scope.
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, or you can cover the front of a
regular incandescent flashlight with red cellophane or paper.
Beware, too, that nearby porch and streetlights and car head-
lights will ruin your night vision.
Eyepiece Selection
By using eyepieces of varying focal lengths, it is possible to
attain many magnifications with the Transporter 70 Min-EQ.
Your telescope comes with two Explorer II eyepieces, a 17mm
that gives a magnification of 21x, and a 6mm that gives a
magnification of 58x. Other eyepieces can be used to achieve
higher or lower powers. It is quite common for an observer to
own five or more eyepieces to access a wide range of magni-
fications.This allows the observer to choose the best eyepiece
to use depending on the object being viewed.
To calculate the magnification, 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 = Magnification
focal length of eyepiece
For example, the Transporter 70 Min-EQ, which has a focal
length of 350mm, used in combination with the 17mm eye-
piece, yields a magnification of:
350mm = 21x
17mm
Every telescope has a useful magnification limit of about 2x
per millimeter of aperture (which means maximum magnifica-
tion of about 140x for the Transporter 70 Min-EQ). Claims of
higher power by some telescope manufacturers are a mis-
leading 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
magnification 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 magnification yields a wide field 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
find and center objects with high power (narrow field of view),
it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack! Once you’ve cen-
tered the object in the eyepiece, you can switch to higher
magnification (shorter focal length eyepiece), if you wish.
The best rule of thumb with eyepiece selection is to start with
a low power, wide-field eyepiece, and then work your way up
in magnification. If the object looks better, try an even higher
magnification. If the object looks worse, then back off the mag-
nification a little by using a lower-power eyepiece.
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
NASA photos, since those are taken with long-exposure cam-
eras and have “false color” added. Our eyes are not sensitive
enough to see color in deep-sky objects except in a few of the
brightest ones.
Figure 7. Megrez connects the Big Dipper’s handle to it's “pan”. It
is a good guide to how conditions are. If you can not see Megrez (a
3.4 mag star) then conditions are poor.

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Remember that you are seeing these objects using your own
telescope with your own eyes! The object you see in your eye-
piece is in real-time, and not some conveniently provided
image from an expensive space probe. Each session with
your telescope will be a learning experience. Each time you
work with your telescope it will get easier to use, and stellar
objects will become easier to find. Take it from us, there is big
difference between looking at a well-made full-color NASA
image of a deep-sky object in a lit room during the daytime,
and seeing that same object in your telescope at night. One
can merely be a pretty image someone gave to you. The other
is an experience you will never forget!
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 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 “ter-
minator”). 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 filter to dim the Moon when it is very
bright. It simply threads onto the bottom of the eyepieces (you
must first remove the eyepiece from the focuser to attach a
filter). You’ll find that the Moon filter improves viewing comfort,
and also helps to bring out subtle features on the lunar sur-
face.
B. The Planets
The planets don’t stay put like the stars, so to find 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, Mars, 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,
optional higher-power eyepieces are recommended and often
needed for detailed observations. Not all the planets are gen-
erally visible at any one time.
C. 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 favor-
ites. Defocusing a star slightly can help bring out its color.
D. 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 find 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.
6. Terrestrial Viewing
The Transporter 70 Min-EQ can be used for long-distance
viewing over land. We recommend using an optional 45° cor-
rect-image prism diagonal instead of the included 90° mirror
star diagonal. The correct-image diagonal will yield upright,
non-reversed images and provide a more comfortable viewing
angle.
The equatorial mount should not be used for terrestrial view-
ing. While it is excellent for tracking the stars, the equatorial
mount will make aiming the telescope towards terrestrial tar-
gets difficult. However, the Transporter 70’s optical tube can
be mounted to any sturdy camera tripod via the 1/4”-20
threaded holes in its mounting block. Any tripod capable of
handling 2.5lbs. or more can support the Tranporter 70’s opti-
cal tube. Simply unthread the attachment knobs and remove
the optical tube from the Min-EQ mount, then attach the opti-
cal tube to the camera tripod by threading the camera tripods
mounting stud into the Transporter 70’s mounting block. Use
the threaded hole that will best balance the optical tube on the
tripod.
Remember to aim well clear of the Sun, unless the front of the
telescope is fitted with a professionally made solar filter and
the finder scope is covered, or better yet, removed altogether.
7. Transporting the
Telescope
The Transporter 70 Min-EQ was designed for observers who
wanted a telescope that is easy to transport. The entire tele-
scope, including the optical tube and Min-EQ mount, will fit in
the provided soft carry case. This makes the Transporter 70
Min-EQ incredibly portable.
To use the carrying case, you need to disassemble the mount.
Once disassembled, place the counterweight shaft and tele-
scope legs at the very bottom of the carry case, underneath
the case’s padded “floor”. The counterweight goes into the
corner separated by a padded wall.The mount itself is secured
to the padded “floor” with the cloth velcro straps. Place the
slow motion control cables in with the mount. Then, place the
padded compartment separator on top of the mount and

11
secure it in place with the velcro to form the top compartment
of the carry case. Place the optical tube in the top compart-
ment of the carry case. The star diagonal and eyepieces
should go into the carry case’s front pocket.
8. 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 OK.
Small components like eyepieces and other accessories
should be kept in a protective box or the front pocket of the
carry case. Keep the dust cover on the front of the telescope
when not in use.
Cleaning Lenses
Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens clean-
ing fluid specifically designed for multi-coated optics can be
used to clean the Transporter’s objective lens or exposed
lenses of your eyepieces. Never use regular glass cleaner or
cleaning fluid designed for eyeglasses. Before cleaning with
fluid and tissue, however, blow any loose particles off the lens
with a blower bulb or compressed air. Then apply some clean-
ing 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. For the large surface of the objective
lens, clean only a small area at a time, using a fresh lens tis-
sue on each area. Never reuse tissues.
9. Specifications
Objective lens: Achromatic, fully coated
Aperture: 70mm
Focal length: 350mm (f/5)
Finder: EZ Finder II reflex sight
Diagonal: 90° Mirror star diagonal
Eyepieces: 17mm Explorer II (21x), 6mm Explorer II (58x),
fully coated, 1.25"
Mount: Min-EQ tabletop equatorial mount
Motor drives: Optional
Weight: 12.6 lbs.

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One-Year Limited Warranty
This Transporter 70mm Min-EQ is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of
one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only.
During this warranty period Orion Telescopes & Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any
warranted instrument that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid to: Orion Warranty
Repair, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076. If the product is not registered, proof of purchase (such
as a copy of the original invoice) is required.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused, mishandled, or
modified, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you
may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. For further warranty service information, con-
tact: Customer Service Department, Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA
95076; [phone].
Orion Telescopes & Binoculars
89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076
Customer Support Help Line [phone] • Day or Evening