Levenhuk Skyline PRO 150 MAK [17/40] Camera adapter

Pointing in any direction other than due North requires a combination of R.A. and Dec. positions.

This can be visualized as a series of Dec. arcs, each resulting from the position of rotation around

the R.A. axis. In practice however, the telescope is usually pointed, with the aid of a finderscope,

by loosening both the R.A. and Dec. locks and swiveling the mount around both axes until the

object is centered in the eyepiece. The swiveling is best done by placing one hand on the

telescope tube and the other on the counterweight rod, so that the movement around both axes

is smooth, and no extra lateral force is applied to the axis-bearings. When the object is centered,

make sure the R.A. and Dec. locks are both retightened to hold the object in the field of view and

allow tracking by adjusting R.A. only.

Telescopes with long focal lengths often have a "blind spot" when pointing near the zenith,

because the eyepiece-end of the optical tube bumps into the mount's legs. To avoid this, the tube

can be very carefully slipped up inside the ring clamps. This can be done safely because the tube

is pointing almost vertically, and therefore moving it does not cause a Dec. balance problem. It is

very important to move the tube back to the Dec. balanced position before observing other sky

areas.

Something which can also be a problem is that the optical tube often rotates so that the

eyepiece, finderscope and the focusing knobs are in less convenient positions. The diagonal

mirror can be rotated to adjust the eyepiece. However, to adjust the positions of the finderscope

and focusing knobs, loosen the tube rings holding the telescope tube and gently rotate it. Do this

when you are going to observe an area for while, as it is inconvenient to repeat every time you

briefly go to a new area.

Finally, there are a few things to consider to ensure that you are comfortable during the viewing

session. First is setting the height of the mount above the ground by adjusting the tripod legs. You

must consider the height that you want your eyepiece to be, and if possible plan on sitting on a

comfortable chair or stool. Very long optical tubes need to be mounted higher or you will end up

crouching or lying on the ground when looking at objects near the zenith. However, a short

optical tube can be mounted lower so that there is less movement due to vibration sources, such

as wind. This is something that should be decided before going through the effort of polar

aligning the mount.

To attach a camera to your telescope you may need an adapter to get the camera focused. Some

reflectors require wider motion range than the one allowed by the focuser; some refractors are

designed to be used with diagonal mirrors and thus need a longer focal length when used with

camera.

To achieve that, simply attach an extender to the focuser of your telescope and then attach the

camera with a T-adapter to the extender.

Camera adapter

Maintenance

Replace the dust cap over the front end of the telescope whenever it is not in use. This prevents

dust from settling on the mirror or lens surfaces. Be careful when cleaning optics and try not to

damage the coating. Use only special cleaning wipes.