Zhumell Z114: Library Telescope Edition
A Telescope Designed to Make the Universe More Accessible!
The Library Telescope is a combination of a tried-and-true telescope design and pragmatic innovation. At the core of this design is a 114 mm Newtonian reflector that sits on an easy-to-use and portable table-top Dobsonian mount. Utilizing an already "grab-and-go" design, the Library Telescope takes that concept one step further with various modifications that allow the telescope to pass between library patrons with minimal need for servicing from library personnel between check-outs.
This Newtonian Reflector comes with a 114 mm parabolic mirror, a unique feature for a telescope of this size, which helps correct for spherical aberration to provide sharper views. Utilizing high-reflectivity coatings, this Newtonian can deliver more than 90% light transmission to provide brighter views, even for dim celestial objects like nebulae! The Library Telescope 114 mm optical tube assembly comes complete with a table-top Dobsonian mount. Dobsonian bases are renowned for their simple, yet stable design that makes pointing your telescope a breeze. This "table-top" design provides portability, which is incredibly important when transporting the entire Library Telescope from the library to patrons' homes.
What Makes a Telescope Library-Ready?
With feedback from library patrons and countless hours of trial and error, the Library Telescope Program has developed several upgrades which ensure a telescope can be used by everyone and will stand the test of time. With their guidance, we’ve applied these upgrades into a robust telescope offering, including minimized optical alignment issues, a simplified red dot finder, tethered dust caps, Apertura LED headlamp and more! Lear all about these upgrades below!
Robust Optical Alignment
A critical component of the Library Telescope's performance is the alignment of the optics. Collimation, as it's called, is important as it ensures the best possible focusing of the light entering the telescope. Traditional reflecting telescopes provide user-adjustable knobs for the purpose of collimation, but this can also increase the chances of misaligning the optics, if done incorrectly. In order to combat this possibility, the Library Telescope simplifies this process by offering a nut and bolt system in place of the knobs. This provides a longer lasting and more robust alignment. It also eliminates the need for library patrons to adjust the collimation but gives library facillitors the ability to adjust easily when necessary.
Simplified Object Locator
Being able to locate objects in the night sky is one of the most exciting parts of any observation, but knowing where to point the telescope can be daunting. The Library Telescope comes with an object locator called a Red Dot Finder (RDF). While there can be a learning curve in using the RDF, with some practice, this tool can be an excellent navigational aid by providing a simple and effective way of aligning your telescope with the objects you want to view. The High Point Scientific team pre-aligns and affixes the RDF to the 114 mm telescope tube. This process allows for closer alignment right out of the box. Additionally, we have repositioned the battery compartment to be on the top of the finder, instead of the bottom. This means that the RDF does not have to be removed to replace the batteries, simplifying the process overall.
Affixed Zoom
We want to emphasize the importance of eyepieces when it comes to visual observations. The optical system is only as good as the eyepiece being used. That is why, for the Library Telescope, there is an included affixed Zoom eyepiece. This eyepiece offers various magnifications from 22x to 65x. This means, this single eyepiece is capable of providing views of various objects, whether it be our celestial neighbor, the Moon, or further way objects like planets or star clusters. The 7 mm to 21 mm Zoom eyepiece is attached directly to the focuser, ensuring it will never be lost and the magnification range means there is no need for patrons to change out eyepieces when they are ready to explore other objects in our night sky.
Tethered Dust Caps
With the knowledge that the Library Telescope is meant to be shared with the public, we wanted to make sure safety and cleanliness of the optics was a a high priority. This is why we've included three tethered dust caps. Keeping these accessories tethered to the telescope means that they will never be misplaced and always readily available during times of storage and travel. The first tethered cap is actually a protective shroud for the affixed eyepiece. Then, there is a larger dust cap for the entire front objective. Finally, there is a smaller cap, also know as the lunar cap, which serves two purposes: to be a traditional dust cap and to provide light reducing abilities. This second purpose is meant to reduce the light coming in from the full moon so it can be viewed comfortably.
Accessory Bag
Accessories can truly round out an observation experience. With that in mind, there is a convenient accessory bag included with the Library Telescope. This bag is ideal for carrying the included Apertura Ember LED headlamp, the extra batteries, and any other optional accessories a library may want to include for their patrons. The bag is made out of a polyvinyl, water resistant material, and it includes multiple, zippered pockets for optimal organization. The bag is wrapped around the Dobsonian base for ease of access and to prevent possible misplacement.
Apertura Ember LED Headlamp
An exciting inclusion with the Library Telescope is the Apertura Ember Headlamp. This headlamp has four different brightness levels: “Dark Site,” “Star Chart,” “Backyard,” and “Setup,” with 0.3, 2.5, 25, and 50 lumen ratings respectively. These modes make it easy to find the appropriate setting for your observation environment. The headlamp uses a rechargeable lithium battery with an incredible 40-hour runtime on the “Dark Site” or “Star Chart” mode. You can quickly recharge this battery with the included USB-C cable. The high-quality elastic headband fits snuggly and includes adjustable straps to provide a comfortable, hands-free light source. Using this LED headlamp in conjunction with the the Library Telescope provides a great solution for viewing the included graphics or viewing your surroundings while preserving your night vision through its red light only mode.
Helpful Graphics
Hands on experience with a telescope isn't the only goal of the Library Telescope Program. They also want this library-ready telescope to aid in the learning about the night sky. To accomplish this, they added helpful graphics such as a Moon map to help identify lunar surface features, magnification chart for the included eyepiece helping put everything into perspective, and a QR code that will direct patrons to their quick start resources website. This page includes an introduction to astronomy, and educator/patron resources. We’ve taken these additions and applied them using high-visibility, long lasting vinyl stickers that are designed to be seen at night with the included Apertura LED Ember Headlamp.
Extra Batteries
An important inclusion for the Library Telescope, though seemingly small, are the replacement CR2032 batteries for the RDF. It can be frustrating to prepare for a night of observing only to find that the object finder has run out of batteries. For peace of mind, we have provided the first set of replacement batteries right out of the box!