Discovery Spark AZ Telescopes User Manual

: June 3, 2024
: Discovery

Discovery Spark AZ Telescopes User Manual

Discovery Spark AZ Telescopes

1a. Discovery Spark 506 AZ

1b. Discovery Spark 703 AZ

1c. Discovery Spark 707 AZ, Discovery Spark 607 AZ

1d. Discovery Spark 767 AZ, Discovery Spark 114 AZ

Telescope tube
Dew cap
Objective lens
Primary mirror
Focuser
Focusing knob
Diagonal mirror
. Diagonal mirror thumbscrew
Eyepiece
Finderscope
Finderscope bracket
Finderscope adjustment screws
Fork mount
Altitude slow-motion control
Altitude lock knob
Azimuth lock knob
Tripod leg
Tripod lock knob
. Accessory tray

Mounting tab
Knurled knob
Altitude slow-motion control
Grooved wheel

Diagonal mirror
Barlow lens
Eyepiece

DISCOVERY SPARK AZ TELESCOPES

CAUTION! Never look directly at the Sun — even for an instant — through your telescope or finderscope without a professionally made solar filter that completely covers the front of the instrument, or permanent eye damage may result. To avoid damage to the internal parts of your telescope, make sure the front end of the finderscope is covered with aluminum foil or another nontransparent material. Children should use the telescope under adult supervision only

All parts of the telescope will arrive in one box. Be careful when unpacking it. We recommend keeping the original shipping containers. In the event that the telescope needs to be shipped to another location, having the proper shipping containers will help ensure that your telescope survives the journey intact. Be sure to check the box carefully, as some parts are small. All screws should be tightened securely to eliminate flexing and wobbling, but be careful not to overtighten them, as that may strip the threads.
During assembly (and anytime, for that matter), do not touch the surfaces of the optical elements with your fingers. The optical surfaces have delicate coatings on them that can easily be damaged if touched. Never remove lenses or mirrors from their housing, or the product warranty will be null and void.

Tripod assembly

Slowly loosen the tripod locking knobs and gently pull out the lower section of each tripod leg. Tighten the screws to hold the legs in place (except for Discovery Spark 703 AZ) (fig. 2).
Spread the tripod legs apart to stand the tripod upright.
Adjust the height of each tripod leg until the tripod head is properly leveled. Note that the tripod legs may not be the same length when the mount is leveled (except for Discovery Spark 703 AZ).
Place the accessory tray on top of the bracket, and secure it with thumbscrews from underneath or secure the accessory tray with one screw in the middle of the tray (except for Discovery Spark 506 AZ, Discovery Spark 703 AZ).

Mount assembly

Mount without a fork (fig. 3a):

Remove the altitude lock knob from the mount
Place the telescope optical tube on the altazimuth mount so that the hole in the optical tube lines up with the hole in the mount
Insert the altitude lock knob through the mount head and optical Make sure the hole is clear all the way through before tightening the knob. Secure the altitude lock knob.

Mount without a fork (fig. 3b):

The telescope tube has a mounting tab on its Place this tab into the slot on the tripod top.
Tighten the knurled knob on the tripod head to attach the tube onto the
Screw the altitude slow-motion control into the threaded socket at the rear of the

Fork mount (fig. 3c):

Remove the locking screw from the slow-motion control
Insert the rod into the hole on the side of the fork
Place the telescope tube between fork arms so that holes on the tube match the arm holes. Fasten the telescope tube to the mount with
Fasten the other end of the rod to the telescope tube by inserting the screw through shaft and tube holes and tightening

Optical accessories assembly

Your telescope can be equipped with additional accessories, such as eyepieces, diagonal mirror or prism, or a Barlow lens. The accessories should be installed in well-defined ordering.
Refractors (fig. 1a, 1b, 1c): Loosen the focuser thumbscrew. Insert the diagonal mirror into the focuser tube and retighten the thumbscrew to hold the diagonal mirror in place (fig. 5a). Then, insert the desired eyepiece into the diagonal mirror and secure it by retightening the thumbscrew. If a Barlow lens is needed, install it between the diagonal mirror and the eyepiece. You can use the erecting eyepiece to get a direct image.

Reflectors (fig. 1d): Loosen the focuser thumbscrew and take off the plastic cap from the focuser tube. Insert the selected eyepiece and secure it by retightening the thumbscrew (fig. 5b). If a Barlow lens is needed, install it between the focuser and the eyepiece.

Barlow lens

A Barlow lens increases the magnifying power of an eyepiece, while reducing the field of view. It expands the cone of the focused light before it reaches the focal point, so that the telescope’s focal length appears longer to the eyepiece. In addition to increasing magnification, the benefits of using a Barlow lens include improved eye relief, and reduced spherical aberration of the eyepiece. For this reason, a Barlow plus a lens often outperform a single lens producing the same magnification. And the best advantage is that a Barlow lens can potentially double the number of eyepieces in your collection.

Optical finderscope assembly and alignment

Unthread two screws in the back of the telescope tube. Place the finderscope base above the holes on the tube. Lock the finderscope base into position by tightening the screws (fig. 4).
Optical finderscopes are very useful accessories. When they are correctly aligned with the telescope, objects can be quickly located and brought to the center of the view. Turn the scope end in and out to adjust focus (fig. 7).

To align the finderscope, choose a distant object that is at least 550 yards (500 meters) away and point the telescope at the object. Adjust the telescope so that the object is in the center of the view in your eyepiece. Check the finderscope to see if the object is also centered on the crosshairs. Use three adjustment screws to center the finderscope crosshairs on the object.

Focusing

Slowly rotate the focus knobs one way or the other until the image in the eyepiece is sharp. The image usually has to be finely refocused over time due to small variations caused by temperature changes, flexures, etc. Refocusing is almost always necessary when you change an eyepiece, add or remove a Barlow lens (refractor 6a, reflector 6b).

Operating the mount

The AZ mount is an alt-azimuth mount that allows you to rotate the telescope about the vertical and horizontal axes and change its altitude and azimuth. To adjust the azimuth, loosen the big locking knob under the mount base and rotate the tube left or right about the axis then retighten it. Tighten the altitude slow-motion control for more precise height adjustment. Then, rotate the knurled wheel on the altitude slow-motion control rod.

For more precise motions use the altitude slow-motion control. Due to Earth’s movement, the objects will be constantly shifting out of your view, so you will have to adjust the altitude and azimuth of your telescope to continue your observations.

Reference materials usually list declination coordinates in degrees, hours and minutes above or below the horizon line. Azimuth coordinates may sometimes be listed with the compass points (N, SW, ENE, etc.), but it is more commonly listed in degrees around the 360-deg plane, where north is 0°, east is 90°, etc. (fig. 8).

Specifications

| Discovery Spark 506 AZ| Discovery Spark 607 AZ| Discovery Spark 703 AZ| Discovery Spark 707 AZ| Discovery Spark 767 AZ| Discovery Spark 114 AZ
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Optical design| refractor| Newtonian reflector
Optics material| optical glass with anti-reflective coating
Aperture, mm| 50| 60| 70| 70| 76| 114
Focal length, mm| 600| 700| 300| 700| 700| 900
Highest practical power, x| ****

100

| ****

120

| ****

140

| ****

140

| ****

152

| ****

228

Focal ratio| f/12| f/11.6| f/4| f/10| f/9| f/7.9
Tube material| metal
Mount| azimuth (AZ)
Eyepiece barrel diameter| 0.965″| 0.965″| 0.965″| 1.25″| 0.965″| 1.25″
Tripod| aluminum, 630—1130mm| aluminum, 600—1000mm| aluminum, 350mm| aluminum, 670—1230mm| aluminum, 600—1000mm| aluminum, 670—1230mm
Accessory tray| –| +| –| +| +| +
Finderscope| 5×24, optical| 5×24, optical| –| 5×24, optical| 5×24, optical| 6×30, optical

Eyepieces

| 6mm 20mm| 4mm 12.5mm 20mm| 6mm 20mm| 4mm 12.5mm 20mm| 4mm 12.5mm 20mm| 4mm 12.5mm 20mm
Diagonal mirror| 90°| 90°| 90°| 90°| –| –
Barlow lens| 3x| 3x| 3x| 3x| 2x| 2x
Erecting eyepiece| –| 1.5x| 1.5x| 1.5x| –| –

The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the product range and specifications without prior notice.

Care and maintenance

Never, under any circumstances, look directly at the Sun through this device without a special filter, or look at another bright source of light or at a laser, as it may cause PERMANENT RETINAL DAMAGE and may lead to
Take the necessary precautions when using the device with children or others who have not read or who do not fully understand these
Do not try to disassemble the device on your own for any For repairs and cleaning of any kind, please contact your local specialized service center.
Stop using the device if the lens fogs Do not wipe the lens! Remove moisture with a hair dryer or point the telescope downward until the moisture naturally evaporates.
Protect the device from sudden impact and excessive mechanical force.
Do not touch the optical surfaces with your fingers. Clean the lens surface with compressed air or a soft lens cleaning To clean the device exterior, use only the special cleaning wipes and special tools that are recommended for cleaning the optics.
Store the device in a dry, cool place away from hazardous acids and other chemicals, away from heaters, open fire, and other sources of high
Replace the dust cap over the front end of the telescope whenever it is not in Always put eyepieces in protective cases and cover them with caps. This prevents dust or dirt from settling on the mirror or lens surfaces.
Lubricate the mechanical components with metal and plastic connecting Components to be lubricated:
- Optical tube;
- Fine mechanics (focuser rail, telescope optical tube microfocuser);
- Mounting;
- Worm-and-worm pairs, bearings, cogs, threaded mounting

Use all-purpose silicon-based greases with an operating temperature range of –60 … +180°С (–76 … +356°F).

If a part of the device or battery is swallowed, seek medical attention
Children should use the device under adult supervision

Levenhuk Warranty

Levenhuk products, except for their accessories, carry a 10-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship All Levenhuk accessories are warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for six months from the purchase date. The warranty entitles you to the free repair or replacement of the Levenhuk product in any country where a Levenhuk office is located if all the warranty conditions are met.

For further details please visit: www.levenhuk.com/warranty

If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your product, contact the local Levenhuk branch.