18
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.
CARE OF THE OPTICS
Your Meade LightBridge Plus telescope is a fine
instrument. With reasonable care, it will last a
lifetime.
Maintenance guidelines include:
A. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: A
little dust on the front surface of the telescope’s
correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of
image quality and should not be considered reason
to clean the lens.
B. When absolutely necessary, dust on the mirror
should be blown off with an ear syringe (available
at any pharmacy). DO NOT use a commercial
photographic lens cleaner.
C. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the
front lens may be removed with a solution of 3 parts
distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You may
also add 1 drop of biodegradable dish washing
soap per pint of solution. Use soft, white facial
tissues and make short, gentle strokes. Change
tissues often.
Caution: Do not use scented or lotioned tissues or
damage could result to the optics.
D. If the telescope is used outdoors on a humid
night, water condensation on the telescope surfaces
will probably result. While such condensation does
not normally cause any damage to the telescope,
it is recommended that the entire telescope be
wiped down with a dry cloth before the telescope
is packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the
optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope
to sit for some time in the warm indoor air, so that
the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended.
E. If your telescope is not to be used for an
extended period, perhaps for one month or more,
it is advisable to remove the batteries from the fan
battery pack. Batteries left in the telescope for
prolonged periods may leak, causing damage.
