Meade Infinity 70mm User Manual - Page 13

Using too high a power eyepiece is one of the most common mistakes made by new astronomers. Dress Warm: Even on summer nights, the air can feel cool or cold as the night wears on. It is important to dress warm or to have a sweater, jacket, gloves, etc., nearby. Know your observing site: If possible, know the location where you will be observing. Pay attention to holes in the ground and other obstacles. Is it a location where wild animals, such as skunks, snakes, etc., may appear? Are there viewing obstructions such as tall trees, street lights, headlights and so forth? The best locations are dark locations, the darker the better. Deep space objects are easiest to see under dark skies. But it is still possible to observe even in a city. Surf the Web and visit your local library: The internet contains a huge amount of astronomical information, both for children and adults. Check out astronomy books from your library. Look for star charts-these are available on a monthly basis in Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines. HAVE A GOOD TIME, ASTRONOMY IS FUN! SPECIFICATIONS Infinity 60 model: Objective lens diameter Optical tube focal length Focal ratio Mounting type Viewfinder 60mm(2.4") 800mm f/13.3 Alt-azimuth Red-dot Infinity 70 model: Objective lens diameter Optical tube focal length Focal ratio Mounting type Viewfinder 70mm(2.8") 700mm f/10 Alt-azimuth Red-dot What do the specifications mean? Optical tube focal length is the distance light travels in the telescope before being brought to focus in you eyepiece. Depending on the telescope model, the focal length is either 800mm or 700mm long. Look at the specification table to find out your telescopes focal Looking at or near the Sun will cause irreversible damage to your eye. Do not point this telescope at or near the Sun. Do not look through the telescope as it is moving. length. Objective lens diameter is how big the front lens is on your scope. Telescopes 11 are always described by how large their objective lens is. Depending on your telescope model, the lens diameter is either 60mm or 70mm. Other telescopes are 90mm, 8 inches, 16 inches, or even 3 feet in diameter. The Hubble Telescope's objective lens has a diameter of 2.4 meters (that's 7.8 feet across!). The focal ratio helps determine how fast the photographic speed of a telescope is. The lower the focal ratio number, the faster the ASTRONOMY RESOURCES • The Meade 4M Community 27 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618 • Astronomical League Executive Secretary 5675 Real del Norte, Las Cruces, NM 88012 • The Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112 • The Planetary Society 65 North Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106 • International Dark-Sky Association, Inc. 3225 N. First Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719-2103