Meade Telephone 60EQ A User Manual

Instruction Manual  
Meade 60EQ-A: 2.4" (60mm) Equatorial Refracting Telescope  
Meade Instruments Corporation  
6001 OAK CANYON, IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92618-5200 U.S.A.  
© 2004  
20084 04/04  
I
(949) 451-1450  
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Standard Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5  
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
Unpacking and Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6  
Aligning the Viewfinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Balancing the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Understanding Celestial Movements and Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  
Lining Up With The Celestial Pole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8  
Polar Alignment of the Equatorial Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8  
Using the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9  
Applications of the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10  
Calculating Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10  
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11  
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11  
Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11  
 
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Fig. 1: Meade 60EQ-A 2.4" Equatorial Refracting Telescope  
Features in Fig. 1:  
17. Viewfinder  
1. Adjustable sliding inner leg extension  
2. Sliding leg extension lock  
3. Accessory tray  
18. Viewfinder bracket  
19. Main optical tube  
20. Object lens cell  
4. Leg brace  
5. Leg brace support  
6. Tripod legs  
7. Tripod-to-mount attachment point  
8. Right ascension control cable  
9. Declination control cable  
10. Focuser knob  
11. Diagonal mirror thumbscrew  
12. Diagonal mirror  
21. Dust cap (not visible)  
22. Dew shield/lens shade  
23. Optical tube saddle plate  
24. Declination lock  
25. Declination setting circle  
26. Right ascension lock  
27. Right ascension setting circle  
28. Counterweight  
29. Counterweight lock  
13. Eyepiece  
30. Counterweight shaft  
31. Counterweight safety washer  
32. Azimuth adjustment lock  
33. Latitude adjustment lock  
14. Eyepiece holder and thumbscrew  
15. Focuser draw tube  
16. Viewfinder collimation screws  
 
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Fig. 3: Attaching the  
accessory tray.  
Fig. 4: Attaching the  
viewfinder.  
Fig. 2: Close up of the mount.  
Features in Fig. 2:  
Feature in Fig. 3:  
Features in Fig. 4:  
24. Declination lock  
36. Mounting bolt hole  
16. Viewfinder collimation  
screws  
37. Viewfinder bracket  
mounting thumbscrews  
25. Declination setting circle  
26. Right ascension lock  
34. Right Ascension setting circle  
35. Latitude circle  
39. Declination axis  
40. Polar axis  
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4!  
4@  
g
Fig. 7: Attaching tripod legs  
to telescope mount.  
f
3*  
3*  
Fig. 5: Attaching the Optical  
Tube. Underside view of the  
optical tube saddle plate.  
Fig. 6: Attaching a leg brace  
to a leg brace support.  
Features in Fig. 6:  
Features in Fig. 7:  
Feature in Fig. 5:  
4. Leg brace  
6. Tripod leg  
38. Optical tube attachment  
thumbscrews  
5. Leg brace support  
41. Telescope mount  
42. Wingnut and bolt  
STANDARD EQUIPMENT  
Complete optical tube assembly (objective lens diameter = 60mm; focal length = 900mm)  
Full-length, fully adjustable, aluminum tripod and accessory tray, with slots for extra eyepieces and  
other accessories  
MA 25mm (36X) eyepiece (1.25" O.D., “Outside Diameter”), MH 9mm (75X) eyepiece (1.25" O.D.)  
2x Barlow lens  
Diagonal mirror (1.25” O.D.)  
5x24mm viewfinder with bracket  
Complete equatorial mount with counterweight assembly  
Flexible control cables on both axes  
Hardware package: A. 3 bolts (2.5" long) with wing nuts and washers  
B. 3 screws (1/2" long) with wing nuts and screwdriver tool  
Astronomy software (separate instructions supplied in software package)  
 
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INTRODUCTION  
This manual details the set-up, operation, specifications and optional accessories of the Meade 60EQ-A 2.4"  
(60mm) Equatorial Refracting Telescope.  
UNPACKING AND ASSEMBLY  
1. Remove and identify the telescope’s components, using the listing above.  
2. Attach the 3 aluminum tripod legs (6, Fig. 1) to the base of the altazimuth mount (7, Fig. 1) with the 3  
leg braces supports (5, Fig. 1) facing inward. Three bolts each about 2.5"" long, with washers and wing  
nuts (42, Fig. 7), are provided for this purpose in a hardware package. Stand the telescope upright,  
spreading the tripod legs evenly apart so that the accessory tray can be positioned to attach to the 3 leg  
braces.  
3. Use the provided 3 short screws, washers and bolts to attach the accessory tray (3, Fig. 1) to the tripod.  
Line up one of the leg braces (4, Fig. 1) between the opening of one of the tripod leg brace supports (5,  
Fig. 1) on the tripod so that one of the short screws will be able to pass through the holes of the leg  
brace support and the leg brace. Using a Phillips-head screwdriver, thread one of the short screws  
through the hole. Place a washer on the other end, followed by the matching nut. Tighten to a firm feel.  
Repeat this procedure until all 3 leg braces are mounted on the 3 leg brace supports. See Fig. 6.  
4. To attach the accessory tray (3, Fig. 1) to the leg braces (4, Fig. 1), place the round accessory tray over  
the over mounting bolt hole (36, Fig. 3). Threading the attachment knob into the the mounting hole on  
top of the tray and turning the knob clockwise. Tighten to a firm feel, but do not overtighten—you will  
need to remove the tray if you wish to collapse the tripod. To remove the tray, just rotate the knob  
counterclockwise and remove the knob. You can then lift and remove the tray.  
5. Extend the sliding center portion of the adjustable height tripod leg (1, Fig. 1) to the desired length for  
all 3 legs. Lock the tripod legs by tightening the leg lock thumbscrew (2, Fig. 1) to a firm feel.  
6. Holding the counterweight (28, Fig. 1) firmly in one hand, slip the counterweight onto the counterweight  
shaft (30, Fig. 1). Attach the counterweight and counterweight shaft, by supporting the unlocked  
counterweight firmly in one hand while threading the counterweight shaft into the base of the Declination  
axis of the telescope’s equatorial mount (see position in Fig. 1). Once firmly attached, slide the  
counterweight about 2 inches from the bottom of the counterweight shaft and secure it in place with the  
counterweight lock (29, Fig. 1) of the counterweight. Note: If the counterweight ever slips, the secured  
threaded safety washer/screw (31, Fig. 1) will not let the weight slide entirely off the counterweight shaft.  
Be certain that this safety washer/screw is always in place.  
7. Attach the flexible cables (8, Fig. 1) and (9, Fig. 1), as shown. These cables are secured in place with  
a firm tightening of the thumbscrews located at the attachment ends of each cable.  
8. Tilt the polar axis (40, Fig. 2) of the telescope to roughly a 45° angle with the horizon. This tilt is  
accomplished by first loosening the latitude adjustment lock (33, Fig. 1), adjusting the mount and firmly  
re-tightening the latitude control lock.  
9. Remove the optical tube attachment thumbscrews (34, Fig. 3) from the optical tube mounting bolts that  
are on the underside of the main optical tube (19, Fig. 1). Then lay the telescope optical tube assembly  
onto the saddle plate (23, Fig. 1) passing the mounting bolts through the holes in the saddle of the  
mount. Re-attach the attachment thumbscrews to the mounting bolts, and tighten to a firm feel. See Fig.  
5. Be sure the focuser portion of the optical tube is on the same side of the saddle as the Declination  
control cable (9, Fig. 1).  
10. Attach the viewfinder bracket (18, Fig. 1) to the telescope using the 2 thumbscrews provided (37, Fig.  
4). The bracket fits over the two small bolts near the focus knob (10, Fig. 1). Thread the thumbscrews  
over the bolts and tighten to a firm feel. Slide the Viewfinder tube into the bracket and loosely tighten  
the tube. See “Aligning the Viewfinder” below.  
11. Insert the diagonal mirror (12, Fig. 1) into the focuser drawtube (15, Fig. 1) and the 25mm eyepiece (13,  
Fig. 1) into the diagonal mirror. Secure each in place with a moderate tightening of the respective  
thumbscrews.  
The telescope is now completely assembled. Before it can be affectively used, however, the viewfinder (17,  
Fig. 1) must be aligned with the main telescope.  
 
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ALIGNING THE VIEWFINDER  
The wide field of view provided by the 5 x 24mm viewfinder (17, Fig. 1) permits easy object sighting prior to  
observation in the higher-power main telescope. To align the viewfinder, follow this procedure:  
1. First remove the dust cap (21, Fig. 1, not visible in photo) from the dew shield/lens shade (22, Fig. 1).  
Then using the lowest power (25mm) eyepiece, point the main telescope at some well defined land  
target (e.g. the top of a telephone pole) at least 200 yards distant.  
2. Look through the viewfinder and tighten or loosen, as appropriate, the viewfinder’s 6 collimation screws  
(16, Fig. 1 and Fig. 4), until the cross hairs of the viewfinder are precisely centered on the same object  
already centered in the main instrument’s field of view. Hint: Center the front of the viewfinder in the  
bracket using the 3 front ring thumbscrews, then make final object centering adjustments with the 3 back  
ring thumbscrews.  
3. With this alignment accomplished, objects located first in the wide-field viewfinder will then be centered  
in the main telescope’s field of view. Focusing of objects in the viewfinder is accomplished by turning the  
threaded eyepiece of the viewfinder. (Note: The viewfinder presents an image which is upside-down;  
this is customary in all astronomical viewfinders).  
BALANCING THE TELESCOPE  
In order for the telescope to move smoothly on its mechanical axes, it must first be balanced as follows:  
Note: If the counterweight is positioned as recommended on the previous page—the telescope is already  
approximately balanced.  
1. Loosen the Right Ascension lock (26, Fig. 1). With the R.A. lock loosened, the telescope mount will turn  
freely about the polar axis. Rotate the telescope about the polar axis so that the counterweight shaft (30,  
Fig. 1) is parallel to the ground (horizontal).  
2. Loosen the counterweight’s locking thumb screw (29, Fig. 1) and slide the counterweight (28, Fig. 1)  
along the shaft until the telescope remains in any given position without tending to drift up or down the  
polar axis. Then retighten the counterweight lock.  
The telescope is now balanced.  
UNDERSTANDING CELESTIAL MOVEMENTS AND COORDINATES  
Understanding where to locate celestial objects and how those objects move across the sky is the key to  
enjoying the hobby of astronomy. Most amateur astronomers practice “star-hopping” to locate celestial  
objects. They use star charts or astronomical software to identify bright stars and star patterns as  
“landmarks” in their search for astronomical objects. Another technique for locating objects is use the setting  
circles that are provided on your telescope. See Step #6, page 9.  
Understanding how astronomical objects move: Due to the Earth’s rotation, celestial bodies appear to  
move from East to West in a curved path through the skies.  
All stars and celestial objects are mapped onto an imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth. This mapping  
system is similar to the system of latitude and longitude on Earth surface maps.  
In mapping the surface of the Earth, lines of longitude are drawn between the North and South Poles and  
lines of latitude are drawn in an East-West direction, parallel to the Earth’s equator. Similarly, imaginary lines  
have been drawn to form a latitude and longitude on the celestial sphere. These lines are known as Right  
Ascension and Declination. The path an object follows through the sky is known as Right Ascension (R.A.).  
The angle of this path an object follows is known as Declination (Dec.).  
The celestial map also contains two poles and an equator just like a map of the Earth. The celestial poles  
are defined as those two points where the Earth’s North and South poles, if extended to infinity, would cross  
the celestial sphere. Thus, the North Celestial Pole (see Fig. 8) is that point in the sky where the North Pole  
intersects the celestial sphere. The North Star, Polaris, is located very near the North Celestial Pole. The  
celestial equator is a projection of the Earth’s equator onto the celestial sphere.  
So just as an object's position on the Earth’s surface can be located by its latitude and longitude, celestial  
objects may also be located using Right Ascension and Declination. For example: You can locate Los  
Angeles, California, by its latitude (+34°) and longitude (118°). Similarly, you can locate the Ring Nebula  
 
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(also known as “M57”) by its Right Ascension (18hr) and its  
Declination (+33°).  
North  
Celestial  
Pole  
+90° Déc.  
(Vicinity of  
Polaris)  
Star  
I
Right Ascension (R.A.): This celestial version of longitude is  
measured in units of hours (hr), minutes (min), and seconds  
(sec) on a 24-hour "clock" (similar to how Earth's time zones  
are determined by longitude lines). The "zero" line was  
arbitrarily chosen to pass through the constellation Pegasus, a  
sort of cosmic Greenwich meridian. R.A. coordinates range  
from 0hr 0min 0sec to 23hr 59min 59sec. There are 24 primary  
lines of R.A., located at 15-degree intervals along the celestial  
equator. Objects located further and further East of the zero  
R.A. grid line (0hr 0min 0sec) carry higher R.A. coordinates.  
See Fig. 8.  
Celestial  
Equator  
12  
11  
13  
10  
14  
15  
21  
9
3
16  
20  
8
4
17  
18  
19  
7
6
5
Rotation  
of the  
Earth  
2
22  
0° Dec.  
1
23  
0
Right  
Ascension  
South  
Celestial  
Pole  
-90° Dec.  
I
Declination (Dec.): This celestial version of latitude is  
measured in degrees, arc-minutes, and arc-seconds (e.g., 15°  
27' 33"). Dec. locations North of the celestial equator are  
indicated with a plus (+) sign (e.g., the Dec. of the North  
Fig. 8: Celestial Sphere.  
celestial pole is +90°). Dec. locations South of the celestial equator are indicated with a minus (–) sign  
(e.g., the Dec. of the South celestial pole is –90°). Any point on the celestial equator (such as the the  
constellations of Orion, Virgo, and Aquarius) is said to have a Declination of zero, shown as 0° 0' 0." See  
Fig. 8.  
As all celestial objects therefore may be located with their celestial coordinates of Right Ascension and  
Declination, the task of finding objects (in particular, faint objects) in the telescope is vastly simplified. The  
setting circles, R.A (34, Fig. 2) and Dec. (25, Fig. 2) of your telescope may be dialed, in effect, to read the  
object coordinates and the object found without resorting to visual location techniques. However, these  
setting circles only perform correctly if the telescope is properly aligned with the North Celestial Pole.  
LINING UP WITH THE CELESTIAL POLE  
Objects in the sky appear to revolve around the celestial  
pole. (Actually, celestial objects are essentially “fixed,”  
and their apparent motion is caused by the Earth’s  
rotation). During any 24 hour period, stars make one  
complete revolution about the pole, circling with the pole  
at the center. By lining up the telescope’s polar axis (40,  
Fig. 2) with the North Celestial Pole (or for observers  
located in Earth’s Southern Hemisphere with the South  
Celestial Pole), astronomical objects may be followed, or  
“tracked,” by moving the telescope about one axis, the  
polar axis.  
Little Dipper  
Polaris  
Big Dipper  
Cassiopeia  
Figure 9: Finding Polaris  
If the telescope is reasonably well aligned with the pole, therefore, very little use of the telescope’s  
Declination flexible cable control is necessary and virtually all of the required telescope tracking will be in  
Right Ascension. (If the telescope were perfectly aligned with the pole, no Declination tracking of stellar  
objects would be required whatsoever). For the purposes of casual visual telescopic observations, lining up  
the telescope’s polar axis to within a degree or two of the pole is more than sufficient: with this level of  
pointing accuracy, the telescope can track accurately by slowly turning the telescope’s R.A. flexible cable  
control and keep objects in the telescopic field of view for perhaps 20 to 30 minutes.  
POLAR ALIGNMENT OF THE EQUATORIAL MOUNT  
To line up the Meade 60EQ-A with the pole, follow this procedure:  
1. Release the Azimuth lock (32, Fig. 1) of the Azimuth base, so that the entire telescope-with-mounting  
may be rotated in a horizontal direction. Rotate the telescope until it points due North. Use a compass  
or locate Polaris, the North Star (see Fig. 9), as an accurate reference for due North.  
2. Level the mount, if necessary, by adjusting the heights of the three tripod legs.  
 
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3. Determine the latitude of your observing location by checking a road map or atlas. Release the latitude  
lock (33, Fig. 1) and tilt the telescope mount so that the star “Polaris” is centered in the telescope’s  
viewfinder eyepiece, then re-tighten the latitude lock.  
4. If steps (1) - (3) above were performed with reasonable accuracy, your telescope is now sufficiently well-  
aligned to the North Celestial Pole for visual observations.  
Once the mount has been polar-aligned as described above, the latitude angle need not be adjusted again,  
unless you move to a different geographical location (i.e. a different latitude). The only polar alignment  
procedure that you need to perform each time you use the telescope is to point the polar axis due North, as  
described in step (1) above.  
USING THE TELESCOPE  
1. With the telescope aligned to the Pole, you are now ready to begin observations.  
a. First, decide on an easy to find object. Land objects, during the daytime are a good way to become  
accustomed to the functions and operations of the telescope. At night, try observing the Moon, if it  
is visible, or a bright star.  
b. Slightly loosen the telescope’s R.A. lock (26, Fig. 1) and Declination lock (24, Fig. 1). With a slight  
amount of hand-pressure the telescope should now be able to turn freely on its 2 axes.  
c. Using the aligned viewfinder (17, Fig. 1), sight-in the object you have chosen. With the object  
centered on the viewfinder’s cross hairs, re-tighten the R.A. and Declination locks.  
d. The object should now be somewhere in the main telescope’s field of view. Next, using the 25mm  
eyepiece, precisely center the object in the main telescope’s field of view, and sharply focus the  
image by turning the focus knob (10, Fig. 1). The 25mm eyepiece included as standard equipment  
is the best eyepiece to use for the initial finding and centering of any object. The 25mm eyepiece  
presents a bright, wide field of view, ideal for terrestrial and general astronomical observing of star  
fields, clusters of stars, nebulae, and galaxies. For lunar and planetary viewing, switch to a higher  
power eyepiece such as the 9mm–conditions permitting. If the image starts to become fuzzy as you  
work into higher magnifications, then back down to a lower power; the atmospheric steadiness is  
not sufficient to support higher powers at the time you are observing.  
e. Note that the object immediately starts to drift out of the field of view. This motion is caused by the  
Earth’s rotation. If your telescope is polar aligned, you can “track” the object and keep it in the field  
of view by turning the R.A. control cable (8, Fig. 1). Objects will appear to move through the field of  
view more rapidly at higher powers. Note: The Declination control cable (9, Fig. 1) is used only for  
centering purposes, and not for tracking.  
2. Avoid touching the eyepiece while observing through the telescope. Vibrations resulting from such  
contact will cause the image to move. Avoid observing sites where ground-based vibrations may shake  
the tripod. Viewing from the upper floors of a building may also introduce image movement.  
3. Allow a few minutes for your eyes to become “dark adapted” before attempting observations. Use a red-  
filtered flashlight to protect your night vision when reading star maps or inspecting components of the  
telescope.  
4. Avoid setting up the telescope inside a room and observing through an open window (or worse yet, a  
closed window). Images viewed in such a manner may appear blurred or distorted due to temperature  
differences between inside and outside air. Also, it is a good idea to allow your telescope a chance to  
reach the ambient (surrounding) outside temperature before starting an observing session.  
5. Certain atmospheric conditions can distort an observed image. Planets, in particular, viewed while low  
on the horizon often exhibit lack of sharpness—the same object when observed higher in the sky will  
appear to be much better resolved with far greater contrast. Also, turbulent air in the upper atmosphere  
can cause the images to “shimmer” in the eyepiece—reduce power until the image steadies. Keep in  
mind that a bright, clearly resolved, but smaller image will show far more interesting detail than a larger,  
dimmer, fuzzy image.  
6. Setting Circles: These etched dials (25, Fig. 1) and (27, Fig. 1) aid in the location of faint celestial  
objects, perhaps, not easily found by direct visual observation. To use the setting circles, follow this  
procedure:  
 
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a. Using a star chart or star atlas, look up the celestial coordinates (Right Ascension and Declination)  
of an easy to find object, such as a bright star.  
b. With the telescope polar aligned as previously described, center the object in the telescope’s field  
of view.  
c. Manually turn the R.A. setting circle (27, Fig. 1) to read the R.A. of the object now in the telescopic  
field.  
d. The setting circles are now calibrated (the Declination circle is factory pre-calibrated). To locate a  
faint object using the setting circles, determine the object’s celestial coordinates from a star chart  
and move the telescope in R.A. and Declination until the setting circles read the R.A. and  
Declination of the object you are attempting to locate. If the above procedure has been carefully  
performed, the faint object will now be located in the vicinity of the telescope’s telescopic field in a  
low power eyepiece.  
e. The R.A. circle must be re-calibrated to the R.A. of a known object each time the setting circles are  
used, which may be several times in one observing session.  
APPLICATIONS OF THE TELESCOPE  
The number of fascinating objects visible through your Meade refractor is limited only by your own  
imagination. Astronomical software, or a good star atlas will assist you in locating many interesting celestial  
objects. These objects include:  
Cloud belts across the surface of the planet Jupiter.  
The 4 major satellites of Jupiter, with the satellite positions changing each night.  
Saturn and its famous ring system, as well as several faint moons.  
The Moon: A veritable treasury of craters, mountain ranges and fault lines. The best viewing of the Moon  
is during its crescent phases. Images observed during the full Moon phase will be poor due to the angle  
of illumination.  
Deep-Space: Nebulae, galaxies, multiple star systems, star clusters—hundreds of such objects can be  
located through the Meade 60EQ-A. These objects are best observed under dark skies.  
Terrestrial Objects: Your Meade refractor may also be used for the observation of land subjects. In this  
case, note that the diagonal mirror results in an image which is reversed left-for-right, but which is  
correctly oriented up-and-down. For a fully corrected image, the #928 Erect Image Prism system is  
required. (See “OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES”). Terrestrial observations should almost always be made  
using a low-power eyepiece for bright, sharp images. Land objects will not normally accept higher  
powers because the telescope is being used through the thickest part of the Earth’s atmosphere, unlike  
astronomical observations made by pointing the telescope up through the atmosphere.  
CALCULATING POWER  
The power, or magnification, at which a telescope is operating is determined by 2 factors: The optical, or  
focal, length of the telescope’s objective lens and the focal length of the eyepiece. The focal length of the  
Meade 60EQ-A is 900mm. To compute power, divide the focal length of the eyepiece into the focal length of  
the objective lens. The result is the magnifying power of the telescope. For example, when the 25mm  
eyepiece is used with the Meade 60EQ-A:  
Power = 900mm ÷ 25mm = 36X  
The Barlow lens serves to increase the power of each eyepiece. Insert the 2X Barlow lens into the the  
diagonal prism, followed by the eyepiece, and secure by tightening the respective thumbscrews. For  
example, the 25mm (36X) eyepiece, when used in conjunction with the 3X Barlow Lens, provides 108X. The  
9mm eyepiece provides 100X; when used the 2X Barlow, it provides 200X.  
The letters “MA” refers to the “Modified Achromatic” optical design, which yields corrected images with  
refractor telescopes. The optical design has no bearing on the power of the eyepiece.  
A few words of wisdom about power. While the theoretical power or magnification of a telescope is  
virtually limitless, there are, however, practical limits imposed by the Earth’s atmosphere as to what can be  
 
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seen well at a given power. The most often useful higher magnification with any 60mm diameter telescope  
is in the range of 80 to 120 power. The general rule to follow with any telescope, regarding power: Only use  
as much magnification as supports a steady, well-defined image. This often varies with the stability of the air  
being viewed through and is one reason why having various eyepieces is highly desirable. Higher powers  
are no guaranty of better images; in fact, the opposite is often true. Also, keep in mind, that land viewing and  
wide-field, deep-space observation are low power applications of your telescope.  
MAINTENANCE  
As with any quality optical instrument, lens surfaces should be cleaned as infrequently as possible. A little  
dust on the surface of the objective (front) lens causes negligible degradation of image quality and should  
not be considered reason to “clean” the lens. When lens cleaning does become necessary, use a camel’s  
hair brush or compressed air blown gently to remove dust. Wipe only with a soft, clean cloth, applying as  
little pressure as possible to avoid scratching glass surfaces. Note: Remove the dew shield/lens shade (22,  
Fig. 1) to access the objective lens (20, Fig. 1) for cleaning.  
SPECIFICATIONS  
Focal Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .900mm  
Aperture (Diameter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60mm (2.4”)  
Eyepieces: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MA 25mm, MH 9mm  
f/ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .f/15  
Mounting Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Equatorial  
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES  
See your Meade or full-service Meade dealer for further details on any of these accessories.  
#928 45° Erecting Prism (1.25 O.D.): Correctly orients the telescopic image during terrestrial observing and  
yields an image position at a 45° angle to the main telescope tube, resulting in a more comfortable observing  
position in most cases.  
Additional Eyepieces (1.25" barrel diameter): For higher or lower magnifications with the telescopes that  
accommodate 1.25" eyepieces, Meade 3-element Modified Achromatic eyepieces, available in focal lengths  
of various sizes, provide a high level of image resolution and color correction at an economical price. Also,  
at slightly higher prices, Meade 4-element Series 3000 Plössl eyepieces yield wider fields of view with  
excellent edge-of-field corrections and are available in a range of focal lengths including 5, 6.7, 9.5, 16, 25,  
and 40mm.  
Basic Camera Adapter (1.25” O.D.): Permits direct attachment of 35mm SLR cameras to the telescope.  
(Requires T-Mount for your specific brand of camera). Suitable for lunar disk and land photography.  
 
 

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