Carson RP-200 User guide

RP-200 TELESCOPE

Instruction Manual

50668 005737 1

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carson-optical.com

MADE IN CHINA

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN CHINA

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN TAIWAN

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN TAIWAN

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN CHINA

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN CHINA

RONKONKOMA NY 11779

www.carson.com

MADE IN CHINA

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN CHINA

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carson.com

MADE IN CHINA

HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

www.carsonoptical.com

MADE IN TAIWAN

2070 5th Avenue

Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Phone: 631-963-5000

Fax: 631-427-6749

For information, call toll-free: 1-800-967-8427

[email protected] / [email protected] / www.carson.com

Box Contents

Figures 1-6 / Figure Key

Telescope Assembly

 •SettingupYourTripod

 •AttachingtheHorizonMount

 •AttachingtheSlowMotionCables

 •AttachingtheTelescopeTubetotheMount

 •AttachingtheFinderScope

 •AttachingtheEyepieces

 •AligningtheFinderScope

Calculating Power

UnderstandingCelestialMovement

Using the Telescope

CareandMaintenanceofYourTelescope

 •Cleaning

Specications

Warnings

CustomerService

Warranty Information

Congratulations on your purchase of a Carson RP-200 Red Planet Series

telescope.Thistelescopefeaturesaneasy-to-usedesignandhighperfor-

mance optics that are perfect for amateur astronomers looking to explore the

wondersofouterspace.Pleasereadthismanualcarefullytoensurethatyou

assembleanduseyourtelescopecorrectly.Whenusedproperly,yourRed

Planet

telescopeshouldprovideyearsofexcitingobservationsoftheuni-

verse.PleasenotethatthisRefractortelescopewasdesignedforbothterres-

trialandastronomicalviewing.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE YOUR RED PLANET

TELESCOPE

TO LOOK AT OR NEAR THE SUN! DOING SO WILL CAUSE

INSTANT AND PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE.

Eachboxcontainsthefollowing:

 •CompleteOpticalTubeAssembly.

 •HorizonMount.

 •Heavy-DutyAluminumTripod.

 •9mmKellnerEyepiece(1.25”O.D.).

 •20mmKellnerEyepiece(1.25”O.D.).

 •45°CornerLens

 •8x21mmErectingFinderScope.

 •FlexibleCableControlsforBothAxes.

Pleaseunpackyourtelescopecarefullyandmakesurethatallaccessoriesare

includedinthebox.

4-7

8-9

10-11

13-14

Table of Contents:

Fig.1 Fig.3

Fig.2

Fig.4

Fig.6

Fig.5

Key to Figures 1-6:

1. ObjectiveLens

2. LensShade

3. OpticalTubeAssembly

4. 8x21mmErectingFinderScope

5. Eyepiece

6. Focus Knobs

7. OpticalTubeSaddlePlate

8. AltitudeAdjustmentFlexibleCable

9. HorizontalAdjustmentFlexibleCable

10. HorizonMount

11. HorizonMountBase

12. TripodLegs

13. EyepieceHolderThumbScrew

14. OpticalTubeAssemblyTripodConnector

15. SaddlePlateLock

16. AltitudeDial

17. FocuserDrawTube

18. 45°CornerLens

19. MountLockingScrew

20. AltitudeLockKnob

21. FinderScopeBracketThumbscrews

22. FinderScopeFocusKnob

23. FocuserDrawTubeLockingScrew

24. FinderScopeBracketThumbScrew

25. FinderScopeBracket

26. 45°CornerLensThumbScrew

27. TripodTighteningRing

28. TripodBrace

29. EyepieceHolderSlots

30. TripodHook

31. TripodLegLockClosed

32. TripodLegLockOpen

AssemblyofyourRedPlanetTelescope:

Setting Up Your Tripod:

Thealuminumtripodcomespreassembledandready-to-use.Removethe

tripodfromtheboxandpullapartthelegs.Gentlypushdownthetripod

braces(Fig.6-28)untiltheyareinthelowestposition.Turnthetightening

ring(Fig.6-27)(locatedatthecenteroftheTripodBrace)clockwisetolock

thetripodintheopenposition.Youcanthenextendthelegstothedesired

heightbypullingopenthetaboneachleglock(Fig.6-32),slidingtheleg

downthedesiredamountandthenpushingtheleglockbackagainsttheleg

intothelockedposition(Fig.6-31).Repeattheprocesswitheachlegtrying

tokeepthetripodaslevelaspossiblewiththeground.Youwillnoticethere

areholesinthetripodlegbraces(Fig.6-29).Thesearedesignedtohold

eyepieces when not in use.

Attaching the Horizon Mount:

Removethehorizonmount(Fig.1-10)fromtheboxandplacethebottomof

themount(Fig.1-11)intotheholeinthetopofthetripodheadandsecure

withthemountlockingscrew(Fig.3-19).Pleasebecarefultomakesurethat

themountissecurelyattachedtothetripod.

Attaching the Slow Motion Cables:

Locatethetwoslowmotioncables(Fig.1-8,9).Loosenthescrewattheend

ofeachcablesothatitdoesnotprotrudethroughthehole.Slideonecable

ontotheshaftonthesideofthehorizonmount(Fig.1-9)(locatedclosestthe

bottomofthemount)andtightendownwiththelockingscrew.Slidethe

remainingcableontothealtitudeadjustmentshaft(Fig.1-8)(locatednearthe

middleofthemount)andtightendownwiththelockingscrew.Theseslow

motioncableswillallowyoutomakenepointingadjustmentstothe

telescopebothhorizontallyandvertically.Thiswillbediscussedinmore

detaillater.

Attaching the Telescope Tube to the Mount:

Thetopoftheequatorialmountiscalledtheopticaltubesaddleplate(Fig.

1-7).Pullandholddownonthesaddleplatelock(Fig.2-15)andslidethe

bracketattachedtothebottomoftheopticaltubeassembly(Fig.2-14)into

thesaddleplateuntilthesaddleplatelockclicksintoplace.Tightenthe

saddleplatelocktosecuretheopticaltubeinplace.

Attaching the Finder Scope:

Therearetwonderscopebracketmountingbolts(Fig.4-24)locatedatthe

endoftheopticaltubeneartheeyepieceassembly.Removethenutsandset

aside.Placethenderscopebracket(Fig.4-25)ontothemountingbolts,

replacethenutsandtightendownsecurelytotheopticaltube.Makesurethe

bracketisfacingforwardasshowninFig.4.Slidethenderscope(Fig.1-4)

intothebracketfacingforward.

Attaching the Eyepieces:

Insertthe45°cornerlens(Fig.2-18)intothefocuserdrawtube(Fig.2-17)

andsecureintoplacebytighteningthecornerlensthumbscrew(Fig.5-26).

InserttheKellner20mmeyepiece(Fig.2-5)intothecornerlens(Fig.2-18)

andtightendownusingtheeyepieceholderthumbscrew(Fig.2-13).

YouhavenowcompletedtheassemblyofyourRedPlanet

telescope.

Wewillnowneedtomakethenecessaryadjustmentsinordertouseyour

telescope properly.

Aligning the Finder Scope:

Thelowpowerandwideeldofviewprovidedbythe8x21mmnderscope

(Fig.1-4)providesaquickandeasywaytosightanobjectpriortolooking

throughthehigh-powertelescope.Thenderscopemustrstbeproperly

alignedwiththetelescopeinordertoworkproperly.Thisalignmentisbest

performedduringthedaylight.Followthestepsbelowtoalignyournder

scope properly:

 •PlacetheKellner20mmeyepiece(Fig.2-5)intothecornerlens(Fig.

2-18)ofthetelescope.

 •Loosenthealtitudelockknob(Fig.3-20)sothatthetelescopeswings

freely along both axes.

 •Pointthemaintelescopeataspeciclandobject200yardsormore

away.Lockdownthealtitudeaxis.Turntheslowmotioncables

(Fig.1–8,9)untiltheobjectiscenteredinthetelescopeeld.

 •Nowlookthroughthenderscope(Fig.1-4)andloosenortighten

thenderscopebracketscrews(Fig.4-21)untilthecrosshairsare

centeredonthesameobject.Focusbyturningthenderscopefo-

cusknob(Fig.4-22)untiltheimageinthenderscopeissharpand

clear.

 •Checkthealignmentatnighttimebyrepeatingthisprocesswitha

brightstarorthemoon.Makeanynecessaryadjustments.

Nowthatyournderscopeisproperlyaligned,anyobjectcenteredinyour

nderscopeshouldalsobecenteredinyourtelescope.

Calculating Power:

Themagnicationofatelescopedependsonboththefocallengthofyour

telescope as well as the eyepiece you use. There is a simple formula you can

usetodeterminethemagnicationyouareusingatanygiventime.Simply

dividethefocallengthofthetelescopebythefocallengthoftheeyepiece.

For example, if you are using the 20mm eyepiece with your RP-200

telescope thepowerwouldbe:

Power = 500mm / 20mm = 25x

Usinganeyepiecewithasmallerfocallengthwillincreasethemagnication

ofyourtelescope.Itisalwaysbesttostartatthelowestmagnicationcon-

guration.Thewidereldofviewmakesiteasiertospotfarawayobjects.

Onceanobjectiscenteredinyoureldofviewyoucanswitchtothehigher

powercongurations.

UnderstandingCelestialMovement:

Inordertogetthemostenjoymentoutofyourtelescopeitisnecessaryto

knowthebasicsofhowcelestialobjectsmoveacrossthesky.Duetothero-

tationoftheearth,celestialobjectsappeartomovefromEasttoWestacross

thesky,muchliketheSun.Youwillnoticethismovementasanobjectin

yourtelescopeeldofviewwillslowlymoveacrosstheeldandoutof

view.Continuousadjustmentisneededtokeepanobjectintheeldofview.

Using the Telescope:

Onceyouhaveproperlyassembledandalignedyourtelescopeyouarenally

readytostartusingit.

• Tolocateanobjectusingthetelescope,rstloosenthealtitudelock

(Fig.3-20)allowingthetelescopetorotatealongbothaxes.Look

throughthenderscope(Fig.1-4)tosighttheobjectyouarelook-

ingforandcenteritinthenderscopecross-hairs.Youmayneedto

focusthenderscopebyturningthenderscopefocusknob(Fig.

4-22).Thenre-tightenthealtitudelock.

• Itisbesttousethelowestpowereyepiece(theKellner20mmeye-

piece)atrst.Thisallowsforawidereldofviewmakingiteasier

tolocateobjects.Oncetheobjectiscenteredintheeldofviewyou

canswitchtheeyepiecetohighermagnications.

• Oncetheobjectiscenteredintheeldofview,turnthefocusknobs

(Fig.1-6)untiltheimageisclearandsharp.Ifthefocusknobsare

locked,loosenthefocuserdrawtubelock(Fig.5-23)beforeturning

the knobs.

• Youwillnoticethattheobjectyouareviewingwillslowlymove

acrosstheeldofview(causedbytherotationoftheEarth).You

willneedtoturntheslowmotioncables(Fig.1-8,9)tokeeptheob-

jectcentered.

• Theorientationoftheimageyouseethroughboththenderscope

andeyepieceofthistelescopeisnormal.Thisallowsyoutousethis

telescope effectively when viewing terrestrial as well as astronomical

objects.

Therearemanyconditionsthatmayaffectyourabilitytofocusorobserve

celestialobjectsclearly.

• Brightlylitareas(lightpollution)willmakeitdifculttoseefaint

objectsinthesky.Itwillalsomakeitdifcultforyoureyestoadjust

tothedark.Youshouldtryandndadarkareaandallowyoureyes

toadjusttothedarkbeforemakingobservations.Usingaredltered

ashlighttoviewchartsandyourtelescopecomponentsisrecom-

mendedtopreserveyournightsight.Thebestviewingconditions

are when the sky is inky black.

• Hazyskies,pollution,cloudsandmoisturecanallaffecttheclarityof

your viewing image.

• Avoidtouchingtheeyepieceoropticaltubewhilelookingthrough

thetelescope.Thevibrationscausedbythiscontactwillcausethe

objectyouarelookingattomove.Youshouldalsomakesurethat

thesurfaceyouplaceyourtelescopeondoesnotvibrateormoveas

thiswillalsocauseyourviewingobjecttomove.

• Youshouldavoidsettingupyourtelescopeinsidearoomlooking

throughanopenwindow.Thedifferenceinairtemperaturesmay

result in a blurry image.

• Viewingthroughaclosedwindowmightalsoresultinadistortedim-

ageduetothevaryingdensitiesofwindowglass.

• Avoidviewingobjectsthatarelowonthehorizon.Objectsthatare

higher up in the sky will appear much sharper.

• Suddenchangesintemperaturemaycausecondensationtoappear

on the optical components of the telescope. It is best to set up your

telescopeaheadoftimeandthenwaitwhilethetelescopeadjuststo

the new temperature before using it.

1110

CareandMaintenanceofYourTelescope:

Cleaning:

 •Alwaysreplacedustcoversandlenscapswhennotinuse.Thiswill

minimizetheamountofdustanddebristhatgetsintoyourtelescope.

 •Cleaningshouldbeperformedonlyifabsolutelynecessary.Ifdust

hasbuiltupontheopticsuseasoftcamel’shairbrushorpressurized

air to gently remove it.

 •Toremovedirt,greaseorngerprints,cleanwithasoftcottoncloth

rubbing in a circular motion. Use of a coarse cloth or unnecessary

rubbingmayscratchthelenssurfaceandeventuallycausepermanent

damage.

 •Foramorethoroughcleaning,photographictypelenscleaninguid

maybeused.Alwaysapplytheuidtothecleaningcloth,never

directlyonthelens.

 •Avoidtouchingthesurfaceoftheobjectivelens.

 •Donotattempttotakeapartyourtelescopetocleanit.

Specications:

OpticalDesign:  Refractor

Aperture:   80mm(3.15”)

FocalLength:  500mm(19.69”)

Focal Ratio: 6.25

OpticalCoatings:  FullyCoated

FinderScope:  8x21mmErecting

Eyepiece1:   Kellner9mm

Magnication1:  56x

Eyepiece2:   Kellner20mm

Magnication2:  25x

Accessory:   45°cornerLens

Mount:   Horizon

Weight: 7.8 lbs.

Warnings:

 •Neverusethistelescope(oritsviewnder)tolookdirectlyator

nearthesun.Viewingthesuncancauseinstantandirreversible

eyedamage.

 •Alwayssupervisechildrenwhenusingthistelescope.

 •Donotleavetelescopeunattendedatanytime.Untrainedadultsor

childrenmaynotbefamiliarwiththecorrectingoperatingprocedure.

 •Donotpointthetelescopeatthesunevenwhenyouarenotlooking

throughit.Thiswillcauseinternaldamagetothetelescope.

 •Handlethistelescopewithcare.Roughhandlingmightknockthe

internal optical components out of alignment.

CustomerService:

We will be happy to help you with any problems you may experience

while using your telescope. Please call our toll-free customer service line at

1-800-967-8427.

Warranty Information:

ThisCarsonproductiswarrantedtobefreefromdefectsinmaterialand

workmanshipforaperiodofoneyearfromdateofpurchase.Duringthis

periodCarsonwill,atitsoptionandwithoutcharge,eitherrepairanypart

orassemblyofpartsfoundtobedefectiveinmaterialorworkmanship,or

replacethisCarsonproductwithaCarsonproductofcomparablevalueand

condition,subjecttothelimitationsandexclusionsnotedherein.

Thiswarrantyextendstotheoriginalpurchaseronlyandisnotassignableor

transferable.Itshallnotapplytoanyproductthathasbeensubjecttomis-

use,abuse,negligenceoraccident,ortoanydefectsordamagedirectlyor

indirectlycausedbytheuseofunauthorizedreplacementpartsand/orservice

performedbyunauthorizedpersonnel.

Thiswarrantygivesyouspeciclegalrights,andyoumayalsohaveother

rightswhichcouldvaryfromstatetostate.Somestatesdonotallowlimi-

tationsonthelifeofanimpliedwarrantyand/ordonotallowexcludingor

limitingincidentalorconsequentialdamages.Ifso,theabovelimitationsor

exclusions may not apply to you.

1312

Warranty Procedure:

Provideproofofpurchase.Areceiptorotherdatedproofofpurchase

mustbeincludedwithmerchandisebeingreturnedforawarrantyclaimto

beprocessed.

Callorwriteforauthorization.Beforereturninganyproductforawarranty

claim,aReturnAuthorization(RA)numbermustbeobtained.Nomerchan-

disewillbeacceptedwithoutanRA,andfailuretoobtainanRAwillprevent

ordelayprocessingofthewarrantyclaim.

ToobtainanRAcall631-963-5000,orwritetoCarsonWarrantyService,

20705thAvenue,RonkonkomaNY,11779withadescriptionoftheproblem.

Includeyourname,addressandtelephonenumber.

Packagethereturncarefully.Shipperswillnotreimbursefordamagesdueto

insufcientpackaging,evenifthemerchandiseisinsured.

Print the RA number prominently on the top of the package.

Prepayshipping.Insurethepackage.Senditto:

CarsonWarrantyService,20705thAvenue,RonkonkomaNY,11779.

Merchandisemustbeshippedprepaid.Carsonwillnotaccept

merchandiseC.O.D.

1514

Carson RP-200 User guide

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