User manual ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS AZ-3 ALT-AZIMUTH MOUNT

[. . . ] It is an excellent mount for terrestrial applications as well as astronomical viewing. Whether your target is a ship on the ocean horizon, a bird perched in a distant tree, or a planet looming in the night sky, the AZ-3 mount makes it easy to acquire the view and hold it steady. Description 1 3 1 1 2 2 Altazimuth mount Tripod legs w/attachment bolts Accessory tray w/mounting hardware Accessory tray bracket Slow-motion control cables Assembly tools (wrench, Phillips-head screwdriver) bracket, and thread them into the holes in the accessory tray. Next, tighten the bolts at the tops of the tripod legs, so the legs are securely fastened to the altazimuth mount. [. . . ] Use the screw that comes installed in each attachment point to do this. First remove the screw using the supplied screwdriver, then line up one of the ends of the bracket with the attachment point and reinstall the screw. Make sure that the smooth side of the accessory tray bracket faces upward. Now, with the accessory tray bracket attached, spread the tripod legs apart as far as they will go, until the bracket is taut. Attach the accessory tray to the accessory tray bracket with the three wingnut-head bolts already installed in the tray. Using the Mount To acquire an object in the telescope you've mounted on the AZ-3, first loosen the azimuth lock knob. Point the telescope at the object you wish to observe by simply pushing the back end of the telescope in the vertical (altitude) and horizontal (azimuth) directions. Accurately center the object within the telescope's field of view by using the altitude and azimuth slow-motion controls. The azimuth slow-motion control will not engage until the azimuth lock knob is retightened. The slow-motion controls are also useful for keeping moving subjects in the field of view. There is no need for "polar alignment, " and it is very easy to point the telescope at what you wish to see. When employing the AZ-3 for astronomical observing, use both slow-motion controls to keep objects centered in the telescope's eyepiece, since the rotation of the Earth will cause them to gradually move out of the field of view. With a little practice, you'll have no problem manually "tracking" the night sky. Keep in mind that increasing magnification makes objects appear to move faster. This is because the field of view becomes narrower. 3 And 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 with foil or some other completely opaque material. Looking at the Sun directly through any magnifying instrument, even for an instant, could cause permanent retinal damage or blindness. Note About the Slow-Motion Controls The slow-motion control cables can move the telescope a maximum of only 30° in any direction. This is because the worm gears that the cables attach to have a limited range of mechanical "travel. " If you can no longer rotate one of the control cables in a desired direction, you have reached the end of worm gear travel, and the worm gear should 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 move the telescope closer to the object you wish to observe (remember to first loosen the azimuth lock knob, if repositioning in azimuth). [. . . ] 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. [. . . ]