LEVENHUK BLITZ 70 BASE (01) PDF Document

Never point the device directly at the sun, a laser beam, or any other bright light source without installing a professional solar filter that completely covers the front part of the instrument, as this can cause PERMANENT RETINAL DAMAGE or BLINDNESS. Exercise particular caution when children or people unfamiliar with the instructions are using the device. Do not attempt to disassemble the device yourself. For any repairs and cleaning, contact a service center.

Do not wipe the lens! Remove the moisture by using a hairdryer or by pointing the telescope downwards until the moisture evaporates on its own.

Protect the instrument from falls from height and exposure to excessive mechanical force. Do not touch the optical surfaces with your fingers. Clean the lens surface with compressed air or a special soft lens cleaning cloth. Use only special cloths and tools for cleaning optics to clean the external surfaces of the telescope.

The instrument should be stored in a dry, cool place, away from hazardous acids and other chemical substances, heaters, open flames, and other sources of high temperature. When the telescope is not in use, place the dust cap on its front part. Always put the eyepieces in protective cases and cover them with caps. This will prevent dust from accumulating on the surface of the mirror and lens.

Lubricate the mechanical parts containing metal and plastic connectors. Parts requiring lubrication include:

Tube

Precision mechanisms (focuser drawtube, precision focuser of the telescope tube)

Mount

Worm gears, bearings, gears, threaded connections of the mount

Use universal silicone-based lubricants with an operating temperature range of -60 to +180°C.

If any part or battery is swallowed, contact a doctor immediately.

Slowly loosen the tripod lock knobs and gently slide out the lower parts of the tripod legs. Tighten the screws to set the required height of the legs (except for Blitz 70s BASE) (figure 2).

Spread the tripod legs so that it stands straight.

Adjust the height of each leg until the tripod head is leveled appropriately. Remember that after leveling the mount, the height of the tripod legs may be different (except for Blitz 70s BASE).

Place the accessory tray on the bracket and secure it with the knurled screws from underneath or attach the accessory tray with one screw in its central part (except for Blitz 50 BASE, Blitz 70s BASE).

Unscrew the vertical lock knob from the mount head.

Place the telescope optical tube onto the alt-azimuth mount, aligning the holes in both parts.

Insert the vertical lock knob through the holes in the mount head and the optical tube (check that the holes are not blocked before tightening the knob). Attach the tube by screwing in the vertical lock knob.

The telescope tube is equipped with a mounting plate on the bottom.

Place the plate in the recess on the top part of the tripod.

Tighten the knurled knob located on the tripod head to secure the tube to the tripod.

Screw the arm into the threaded hole in the rear part of the mount.

Unscrew the lock screw from the slow-motion adjustment rod.

Insert the rod into the hole on the side of the alt-azimuth mount.

Place the telescope tube between the arms of the alt-azimuth mount so that the holes in the tube align with the holes in the arms. Secure the telescope tube to the mount by tightening the knurled screws.

Attach the other end of the rod to the telescope tube by inserting the screw through the shank and holes and tightening it.

Loosen the drawtube’s knurled screw (figure 1a, 1b, 1c).

Insert the diagonal mirror into the drawtube and tighten the knurled screw to secure the diagonal mirror (figure 5a).

Next, insert the appropriate eyepiece into the diagonal mirror and secure it by tightening the knurled screw.

If a Barlow lens is necessary, mount it between the diagonal mirror and the eyepiece. A correcting eyepiece can be used for a direct image.

A Barlow lens increases the magnification of the eyepiece while simultaneously reducing the field of view. It expands the cone of focused light before it reaches the focal point, thereby increasing the focal length of the telescope relative to the eyepiece. In addition to increasing magnification, the Barlow lens also helps to increase the eye relief and reduce the spherical aberration of the eyepiece. For this reason, using a Barlow lens with a second lens often yields better results than using a single lens of the same magnification. The most important advantage of a Barlow lens is that it doubles the number of eyepieces you own.

Unscrew the two screws located on the rear part of the telescope tube. Place the finderscope base over the holes in the tube. Secure the finderscope in the correct orientation by tightening the screws (figure 4).

Finderscopes are very useful accessories. Their proper alignment relative to the telescope allows for quick object location and centering in the field of view. Alignment is best done outdoors during the day, when locating objects is easier. First, refocus the image in the finderscope (if necessary).

To align the finderscope, choose an object at a distance of at least 450 m and point the telescope at it. Adjust the telescope until the object is centered in the eyepiece’s field of view. Look through the finderscope and check if the object is also centered in its crosshairs. Use the three adjustment screws (figure 7) to align the finderscope’s crosshairs with the object.

Slowly turn the adjustment knobs until the image in the eyepiece is sharp. Due to slight fluctuations in temperature, bending, etc., it is usually necessary to slightly adjust the focus. Changing the focus is almost always necessary when changing the eyepiece or adding or changing the Barlow lens (refractor 6a, reflector 6b).

The AZ mount is an altitude-azimuth mount that allows the telescope to rotate in the vertical and horizontal planes and change its altitude and azimuth. To adjust the horizontal position, loosen the large lock knob located under the mount base and rotate the tube relative to the left or right axis, and then tighten the knob back. To adjust the vertical position, loosen the vertical adjustment knob and rotate the tube. Rotate the slow-motion adjustment knob for more precise vertical adjustment. Then rotate the grooved wheel on the slow-motion rod.

Use the vertical slow-motion knob for more precise adjustment. Due to the Earth’s rotation, objects will continuously drift out of the field of view, so adjusting the telescope’s position in the vertical and horizontal planes will be necessary to continue observations.

Reference materials usually provide information about declination coordinates given in degrees, hours, and minutes above or below the horizon. Azimuth coordinates may be given according to compass directions (N, SW, ENE etc.), but more often they are given on a 360-degree scale, where north is 0°, east is 90°, etc. (figure 8).

The specifications for the LEVENHUK BLITZ 70 BASE telescope are presented in the table below: