Celestron Telescope 52291 User Manual

C5 Spotting Scope - #52291  
Instruction Manual  
 
Assembly  
This section covers the correct set up and operating procedures for your Celestron  
C5 spotting scope and includes information on visual and photographic  
observations. The C5 spotting scope uses a combination of mirrors and lenses to  
produce an image. Such an optical system is known as a compound lens. This  
particular design, known as a Schmidt-Cassegrain, is one of the most compact  
and rugged optical systems on the market today. The C5 (#52219) comes  
standard with the following accessories:  
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25mm Plossl Eyepiece 1.25” (48x)  
6x30 Erect Image Finderscope  
45° Erect Image Diagonal - 1.25”  
Photo Tripod Adapter block  
Nylon Water Resistant Case  
Lens Cap  
The Erect Image Diagonal  
The diagonal is a prism that diverts the light at a right angle from the light path of  
the spotting scope. The C5 spotting scope comes with an erect image diagonal  
that is designed for terrestrial viewing. To attach the diagonal:  
1. Turn the thumbscrew on the visual  
back until its tip no longer extends  
into (i.e., obstructs) the inner  
diameter of the visual back.  
2. Slide the chrome portion of the  
diagonal into the visual back.  
3. Tighten the thumbscrew on the  
visual back to hold the diagonal in  
place.  
If you wish to change the orientation of  
the diagonal, loosen the thumbscrew on the visual back until the diagonal rotates  
freely. Rotate the diagonal to the desired position and tighten the thumbscrew.  
 
The Eyepiece  
The eyepiece, or ocular, is the optical element that magnifies the image focused  
by the spotting scope. The eyepiece fits into either the visual back directly or the  
erect image diagonal. To install an ocular:  
1. Loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal (or erect image diagonal) so it  
does not obstruct the inner diameter of the eyepiece end of the diagonal.  
2. Slide the chrome portion of the eyepiece into the star diagonal (or erect  
image diagonal).  
3. Tighten the thumbscrew to hold the eyepiece in place.  
To remove the eyepiece, loosen the thumbscrew on the star diagonal and slide the  
eyepiece out.  
Eyepieces are commonly referred to by focal length and barrel diameter. The  
focal length of each eyepiece is printed on the eyepiece barrel. The longer the  
focal length (i.e., the larger the number) the lower the eyepiece power or  
magnification; and the shorter the focal length (i.e., the smaller the number) the  
higher the magnification. Generally, you will use low-to-moderate power when  
viewing. For more information on how to determine power, see the section on  
“Calculating Magnification.”  
Barrel diameter is the diameter of the barrel that slides into the diagonal or visual  
back. The C5 spotting scope use eyepieces with a standard 1-1/4" barrel  
diameter.  
Finderscope  
The C5 spotting scope come standard with a terrestrial (erect image) 6x30 finder.  
The purpose of the finder is to locate objects that might otherwise be overlooked  
in the narrow, higher power field of view of the spotting scope.  
Attaching the Finder to the Bracket  
1. Unthread the three screws in the finder bracket. until the ends are flush with  
the inner diameter of the bracket ring. Do not thread them in completely  
or they will interfere with the placement of the finder.  
 
2. Slide the rubber O-ring onto the back (eyepiece end) of the finder.  
Finderscope  
3. Position the O-ring on the  
main body of the finder so  
that it is toward the front  
(i.e., objective) end of the  
finder.  
Nylon  
Adjustment  
Screw  
4. Slide the finder, eyepiece  
end first, into the front  
ring of the bracket. Push  
it back until the O-ring is  
snug inside the front ring  
of the bracket.  
Finder Bracket  
Rear Cell  
5. Hand tighten the three set  
screws until snug.  
To align the finder, please see the section on “Aligning the Finder.”  
The C5 spotting scope will attach to any photographic tripod with a 1/4x20  
threaded screw. The C5 attaches to the tripod via a photo tripod adapter block  
that has three 1/4x20 holes. To attach the C5 to a photographic tripod:  
1. Place any of the 1/4x20 holes in the photo tripod adapter block over the  
1/4x20 screw on your photographic tripod.  
2. Tighten the 1/4x20 screw to hold the C5 firmly in place.  
If the telescope/spotting scope is not properly balanced, try using one of the  
other holes in the photo tripod adapter block. Once mounted on the  
photographic tripod, you are ready to use your C5 spotting scope.  
Following is pertinent technical information for the Celestron C5 spotting scope  
that you may find useful.  
5" aperture (125mm) f/10  
Focal length — 1250mm (50")  
Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system  
Resolution 0.9 arc sec.  
Tube — 11" long  
Weight (with mount) — 6 pounds  
 
6x30 finder  
Highest useful magnification — 300x  
Lowest useful magnification — 23x  
Limiting magnitude (visual) — 13  
Near Focus — Approximately 20'  
Angular field of view with standard eyepiece: 1.04°  
Angular field of view using optional Reducer/Corrector lens: 1.7°  
Lens cover  
Starbright XLT coatings — XLT coating on corrector yield greater light  
transmission and provides greater reflectivity on primary and secondary  
mirrors  
Once your spotting scope is fully assembled, you are ready for your first look.  
This section deals with the basics of your spotting scopes operation.  
The Celestron C5 spotting scope focusing mechanism controls the position of the  
primary mirror which is mounted on a sleeve that slides back and forth on the  
primary baffle tube. The focusing knob,  
which moves the primary mirror, is on the rear  
cell of the C5 to the right of the diagonal and  
eyepiece. Turn the focusing knob until the  
image is sharp. If the knob will not turn, the  
primary mirror has reached the end of its  
travel on the focusing mechanism. Turn the  
knob in the opposite direction until the image  
is sharp. Once an image is in focus, turn the  
knob clockwise to focus on a closer object and  
counterclockwise for a more distant object. A  
single turn of the focusing knob moves the  
primary mirror only slightly. Therefore, it  
The emblem on the end of  
will take many turns (about 40) to go from  
the focus knob shows the  
close focus (approximately 20 feet) to infinity.  
correct rotational direction  
For astronomical viewing, out-of-focus star  
images are very diffuse making them difficult,  
for focusing your telescope.  
if not impossible, to see. If you turn the focus  
knob too quickly, you can go right through focus without seeing the image. For  
best results, your first astronomical target should be a bright object (like the  
Moon) so that the image is visible even when out of focus.  
The Celestron C5 comes with a 6x30mm finder that helps in aiming at distant  
objects that are hard to find in the narrow field of the spotting scope. The first  
number used to describe the finder is the power while the second number is the  
diameter of the objective lens in millimeters. This means the 6x30 finder is 6  
 
power and has a 30mm objective lens. Incidentally, power is always compared to  
the unaided human eye. So an 8 power finder magnifies images eight times more  
than the human eye.  
To make the alignment process a little easier, you should perform this task in the  
daytime when it is easier to locate objects in the spotting scope without the  
finder. To align the finder:  
1. Choose a conspicuous object that is in excess of one mile away. This will  
eliminate any possible parallax effect.  
2.  
Point your spotting scope at the object you selected and center it in the  
main optics of the spotting scope.  
3.  
Check the finder to see where your alignment target is located in the  
field of view.  
4. Adjust the screws on the finder bracket, tightening one while loosening  
another, until the cross hairs are centered on the target.  
5. Tighten each set screw a quarter of a turn to ensure that they will not come  
loose easily.  
With the spotting scope fully assembled and all the accessories attached, you are  
To use your C5 spotting scope visually:  
1.  
Find a distant object that is fairly bright.  
2.  
Insert a low power eyepiece (one with a long focal length — 25 to  
30mm) into the spotting scope.  
3.  
Adjust the tripod until the C5 is pointed in the direction of the object  
you selected.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
Locate the object in your finder.  
Move the C5 until the object is centered in the finder.  
Look through the main optics and the object will be there (if you aligned  
the finder first).  
Once you have found the object, you will most likely need to focus. If the object  
is moving, leave the adjustment clamps loose so that you can pan easily. Try  
using different optional eyepieces to see how the field changes with various  
magnifications.  
You can change the power of your Celestron C5 spotting scope just by changing  
the eyepiece (ocular). To determine the magnification of your Celestron C5,  
simply divide the focal length of the spotting scope by the focal length of the  
eyepiece used. In equation format, the formula looks like this:  
Focal Length of Spotting Scope (mm)  
Magnification = ————————————————  
Focal Length of Eyepiece (mm)  
Let’s say, for example, that you are using a 26mm eyepiece. To determine the  
magnification, you simply divide the focal length of your C5 (1250mm) by the  
focal length of the eyepiece (26mm). Dividing 1250 by 26 yields a magnification  
of 48 power.  
Although the power is variable, each instrument — under average skies — has a  
limit to the highest useful magnification. The general rule is that 60 power can  
be used for every inch of aperture. For example, the C5 is 5" in diameter.  
Multiplying 5 by 60 gives a maximum useful magnification of 300 power.  
Although this is the maximum useful magnification, most observing is done  
 
between 20 to 35 power for every inch of aperture which is 100 to 175 times for  
the C5.  
Determining the field of view is important if you want to get an idea of the  
angular size of the object you are observing. To calculate the actual field of  
view, divide the apparent field of the eyepiece (supplied by the eyepiece  
manufacturer) by the magnification. In equation format, the formula looks like  
this:  
Apparent Field of Eyepiece (in degrees)  
True Field = ————————————————  
Magnification  
As you can see, before determining the field of view, you must first calculate the  
magnification. Using the example in the previous section, we can determine the  
field of view using the same 26mm eyepiece. The 25mm Plossl eyepiece has an  
apparent field of view of 52°. Divide the 52° apparent field by the magnification,  
which is 50 power. This yields an actual field of 1.04°.  
To convert degrees to feet at 1,000 yards, which is more useful for terrestrial  
observing, simply multiply by 52.5. Continuing with our example, multiplying  
the angular field 1.04° by 52.5 produces a linear field width of 54.6 feet at a  
distance of one thousand yards.  
The apparent field of each eyepiece that Celestron manufactures is found in the  
Celestron Accessory Catalog (#93685).  
When working with any optical instrument, there are a few things to remember to  
ensure you get the best possible image.  
• Never look through window glass. Glass found in household windows is  
optically imperfect and, as a result, may vary in thickness from one part of a  
window to the next. This inconsistency can and will affect the ability to focus  
your spotting scope. In most cases you will not be able to achieve a truly sharp  
image. In some cases, you may actually see a double image.  
• Never look across or over objects that are producing heat waves. This includes  
asphalt parking lots on hot summer days or building rooftops.  
• Hazy skies, fog, and mist can also make it difficult to focus when viewing  
terrestrially. The amount of detail seen under these conditions is greatly reduced.  
Also, when photographing under these conditions, the processed film may come  
out a little grainier than normal with lower contrast.  
 
• When using your C5 as a telephoto lens, the split screen or microprism focuser of  
the 35mm SLR camera may “black out.” This is common with all long focal  
length lenses. If this happens, use the ground glass portion of your focusing  
screen. To achieve a very sharp focus, consider using a focusing magnifier.  
(These are readily available from your local camera store.)  
• If you wear corrective lenses (specifically glasses), you may want to remove  
them when observing with an eyepiece attached to your C5. When using a  
camera, however, you should always wear corrective lenses to ensure the  
sharpest possible focus. If you have astigmatism, corrective lenses should be  
worn at all times.  
Your Celestron C5 can be used for both terrestrial and astronomical  
photography. Your C5 has a fixed aperture and, as a result, a fixed f/ratio. To  
properly expose your subjects photographically, you need to set your shutter  
speed accordingly. Most 35mm single lens reflex (SLR) cameras offer  
through-the-lens metering that lets you know if your picture is under or  
overexposed. This is important for terrestrial photography where exposure  
times are measured in fractions of a second.  
To reduce vibration when tripping the shutter, use a cable release. Releasing the  
shutter manually can cause vibration, something that produces blurred photos. A  
cable release allows you to keep your hands clear of the camera and spotting  
scope, thus reducing the possibility of shaking the spotting scope. Mechanical  
shutter releases can be used, though air-type releases are  
& MAINTENANC  
While the C5 spotting scope requires little maintenance, there are a few things to  
remember that will ensure your spotting scope performs at its best.  
Occasionally, dust and/or moisture may build up on the corrector plate of your  
C5. Special care should be taken when cleaning any instrument so as not to  
damage the optics.  
If dust has built up on the corrector plate, remove it with a brush (made of  
camel’s hair) or a can of pressurized air. Spray at an angle to the lens for  
approximately two to four seconds. Then, use an optical cleaning solution and  
white tissue paper to remove any remaining debris. Apply the solution to the  
tissue and then apply the tissue paper to the lens. Low pressure strokes should go  
from the center of the corrector to the outer portion. Do NOT rub in circles!  
You can use a commercially made lens cleaner or mix your own. A good  
cleaning solution is isopropyl alcohol mixed with distilled water. The solution  
 
should be 60% isopropyl alcohol and 40% distilled water. Or, liquid dish soap  
diluted with water (a couple of drops per one quart of water) can be used.  
Occasionally, you may experience dew build-up on the corrector plate of your C5  
during an observing session. If you want to continue observing, the dew must be  
removed, either with a Celestron Lens Shade / Dew Cap or by pointing the  
spotting scope at the ground until the dew has evaporated.  
If moisture condenses on the inside of the corrector, place the spotting scope in a  
dust-free environment and point it down. Remove the accessories from the rear  
cell of the spotting scope to allow the moisture to evaporate from the optical tube.  
To minimize the need to clean your spotting scope, replace all lens covers once  
you have finished using it. Since the rear ceu e .00821(c)5.325n5153(o)]TJ 2593(e)1/R1033 0 0 cm  
To verify collimation, view a star near the zenith. Use a medium to high power ocular —  
12mm to 6mm focal length. It is important to center a star in the center of the field to  
judge collimation. Slowly cross in and out of focus and judge the symmetry of the star.  
If you see a systematic skewing of the star to one side, then re-collimation is needed.  
Even though the star pattern appears the same on both sides of focus, they are asymmetric. The dark  
obstruction is skewed off to the left side of the diffraction pattern indicating poor collimation.  
1. While looking through a medium to high power eyepiece, de-focus a bright star  
until a ring pattern with a dark shadow appears (see figure 8-2). Center the de-  
focused star and notice in which direction the central shadow is skewed.  
2. Place your finger along the edge of the front cell of the telescope (be careful not  
to touch the corrector plate), pointing towards the collimation screws. The  
shadow of your finger should be visible when looking into the eyepiece. Rotate  
your finger around the tube edge until its shadow is seen closest to the narrowest  
portion of the rings (i.e. the same direction in which the central shadow is  
skewed).  
3. Locate the collimation screw closest to where your finger is positioned. This will  
be the collimation screw you will need to adjust first. (If your finger is  
positioned exactly between two of the collimation screws, then you will need to  
adjust the screw opposite where your finger is located).  
4. Use the hand control buttons to move the de-focused  
star image to the edge of the field of view, in the same  
direction that the central obstruction of the star image is  
skewed.  
5. While looking through the eyepiece, use an Allen  
wrench to turn the collimation screw you located in step  
2 and 3. Usually a tenth of a turn is enough to notice a  
change in collimation. If the star image moves out of the  
A collimated  
field of view in the direction that the central shadow is  
skewed, than you are turning the collimation screw the  
wrong way. Turn the screw in the opposite direction, so  
that the star image is moving towards the center of the  
field of view.  
telescope should  
appear symmetrical  
with the central  
obstruction  
centered in the  
star's diffraction  
pattern.  
6. If while turning you notice that the screws get very  
loose, then simply tighten the other two screws by the same amount.  
 
Conversely, if the collimation screw gets too tight, then loosen the other two  
screws by the same amount.  
7. Once the star image is in the center of the field of view, check to see if the rings  
are concentric. If the central obstruction is still skewed in the same direction,  
then continue turning the screw(s) in the same direction. If you find that the ring  
pattern is skewed in a different direction, than simply repeat steps 2 through 6  
as described above for the new direction.  
Perfect collimation will yield a star image very symmetrical just inside and outside of  
focus. In addition, perfect collimation delivers the optimal optical performance  
specifications that your telescope is built to achieve.  
If seeing (i.e., air steadiness) is turbulent, collimation is difficult to judge. Wait until a  
better night if it is turbulent or aim to a steadier part of the sky. A steadier part of the sky  
is judged by steady versus twinkling stars.  
NOTE: THE ADJUSTMENT SCREWS ON THE SECONDARY MIRROR  
ARE VERY SENSITIVE. USUALLY A TENTH OF A TURN WILL  
COMPLETELY CHANGE THE COLLIMATION OF THE SPOTTING  
SCOPE. DO NOT FORCE THESE SCREWS IF THEY WILL NOT  
TURN. IF TIGHTENING ONE SCREW IN THE DIRECTION YOU  
NEED TO GO IS DIFFICULT, SIMPLY LOOSEN THE OTHER TWO  
SCREWS BY EQUAL AMOUNTS TO BRING ABOUT THE SAME  
CHANGE.  
DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY TOUCHING UP  
COLLIMATION AS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL HIGH-  
RESOLUTION VIEWS. IT IS WORTH THE TROUBLE!!!!  
 
The following is a partial list of optional accessories available for your Celestron  
C5 spotting scope. You will find that additional accessories enhance your  
viewing pleasure and expand the usefulness of your spotting scope.  
Barlow Lens - A Barlow lens is a negative lens that increases the focal length of  
a telescope. Used with any eyepiece, it doubles the magnification of that  
eyepiece. Celestron offers two Barlow lens in the 1-1/4" size for the C5. The 2x  
Ultima Barlow (#93506) is a compact triplet design that is fully multicoated for  
maximum light transmission and parfocal when used with the Ultima eyepieces.  
Model #93507 is a compact achromatic Barlow lens that is under three inches  
long and weighs only 4 oz. It works very well with all Celestron eyepieces.  
CD-ROM (93700) - Celestron and Software Bisque have joined together to  
present this comprehensive CD-ROM called The Sky™ Level 1 - from Celestron.  
It features a 10,000 object database, 75 color images, horizontal projection,  
custom sky chart printing, zoom capability and more! A fun, useful and  
educational product. PC format.  
Eyepieces - Like telescopes, eyepieces come in a variety of designs. Each design  
has its own advantages and disadvantages. For the 1-1/4" barrel diameter there  
are four different eyepiece designs available.  
OMNI Plössl - Plössl eyepieces have a 4-element lens designed for low-to-high  
power observing. The Plössls offer razor sharp views across the entire field, even at  
the edges! In the 1-1/4" barrel diameter, they are available in the following focal  
lengths: 4mm, 6mm, 9mm, 12.5mm, 15mm, 20mm,  
25mm, 32mm and 40mm.  
X-Cel - This 6 element design allows each X-Cel  
Eyepiece to have 20mm of eye relief, 55° field of  
view and more than 25mm of lens aperture (even  
with the 2.3mm). In order to maintain razor sharp,  
color corrected images across its 55° field of view,  
extra-low dispersion glass is used for the most highly  
curved optical elements. The excellent refractive  
properties of these high grade optical elements, make  
the X-Cel line especially well suited for high  
magnification planetary viewing where sharp, color-  
free views are most appreciated. X-Cel eyepiece  
come in the following focal lengths: 2.3mm, 5mm,  
8mm, 10mm, 12.5mm, 18mm, 21mm, 25mm.  
 
Night Vision Flashlight - (#93588) - Celestron’s premium model for astronomy,  
using two red LEDs to preserve night vision better than red filters or other  
devices. Brightness is adjustable. Operates on a single 9 volt battery (included).  
Moon Filter (94119-A) - Celestron’s Moon Filter is an economical eyepiece  
filter for reducing the brightness of the moon and improving contrast, so greater  
detail can be observed on the lunar surface. The clear aperture is 21mm and the  
transmission is about 18%.  
Photographic Tripod (#93606) - Even at low power, your C5 Spotting Scope  
produces too much power to hand hold. For the best results, use a stable platform  
like the Celestron Photographic Tripod. This tripod has an oil fluid pan head for  
smooth panning. The quick release head allows you to attach and remove the C5  
quick and easily. It is extremely lightweight and rigid.  
Reducer/Corrector (#94175) - This lens reduces the focal length of the  
telescope by 37%, making your spotting scope a 787.5mm f/6.3 instrument. In  
addition, this unique lens also corrects inherent aberrations to produce crisp  
images all the way across the field when used visually. When used  
photographically, there is some vignetting that produces a 26mm circular image  
on the processed film.  
Sky Map (#93722) - Celestron Sky Maps are the ideal teaching guide for  
learning the night sky. You wouldn’t set off on a road trip without a road map,  
and you don’t need to try to navigate the night sky without a map either. Even if  
you already know your way around the major constellations, these maps can help  
you locate all kinds of fascinating objects.  
Skylight Filter (#93621) - The Skylight filter is used on the Celestron C5  
spotting scope as a dust seal. The filter threads onto the rear cell of your  
telescope. All other accessories, both visual and photographic (with the  
exception of Barlow lenses), thread onto the skylight filter. The light loss caused  
by this filter is minimal.  
Star Diagonal (94115-A) - A Star Diagonal lets you view objects that are at a 90  
angle from the direction the telescope is pointing, thereby allowing comfortable  
viewing when pointed near the zenith (i.e. directly overhead). The resulting  
image is right side up, but will be reversed from left to right.  
T-Adapter (#93633-A) - T-Adapter (with additional T-Ring) allows you to  
attach your 35mm SLR camera to the rear cell of your Celestron C5. This turns  
 
your C5 into a 1250mm telephoto lens perfect for terrestrial photography and  
short exposure lunar photography.  
T-Ring - The T-Ring couples your 35mm SLR camera body to the T-Adapter,  
radial guider, or tele-extender. This accessory is mandatory if you want to do  
photography through the telescope. Each camera make (i.e., Minolta, Nikon,  
Pentax, etc.) has its own unique mount and therefore, its own T-Ring. Celestron  
has 8 different models for 35mm cameras.  
Vibration Suppression Pads (#93503) - These pads rest between the ground and  
tripod feet. They reduce the amplitude and vibration time of your telescope when  
shaken by the wind or an accidental bump. This accessory is a must for long  
exposure prime focus photography.  
A full description of all Celestron accessories can be found in the Celestron  
accessory catalog (#93685).  
 
Celestron  
2835 Columbia Street  
Torrance, CA 90503 U.S.A.  
Tel. (310) 328-9560  
Fax. (310) 212-5835  
Copyright 2006 Celestron  
All rights reserved.  
(Products or instructions may change  
without notice or obligation.)  
Item #52291-INST  
01-07  
$10.00  
 

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