[LVAS] Telescope Care Tip

[Rob Lambert]

Hi Roger,

Normally, this isn't a great consideration for us out here in Vegas.
Humidity is normally below the freezing point. I think I've only been
dewed on once and that was last winter at Red Stone near Lake Mead. I
usually don't bring my equipment in to the house or garage until the
the next morning.  My scopes and eyepieces usually stay in the garage
where the temperature changes are more gradual and are more similar to
those outside.  If I lived in my home state of Alabama, it would be
more like the conditions at your house.

Hope you get a response from someone that brings their equipment back
into their home after observing.

Take care.

Rob

On Saturday, February 20, 2010, roger ivester <drivester at hotmail.com> wrote:
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> All,
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> Wish someone had told me about this when I was 12 years old using my older brothers 60 mm (2.4-inch) refractor.
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> I would bring the scope in after an observing session, cap the the lens and forget about it till the next time. Sometimes it might be 20° outside. I would bring the scope back into the warm house and condensation would develop on the outside of the tube, and apparently within.
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> The scope developed a fungus on the back side of the objective lens. A very bad thing for a refractor.
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> This condition many not be as prevalent in the Las Vegas, Mojave Desert region or other western and southwestern locations due to the lack of humidity. But taking care when moving an astronomical instrument from extreme conditions cold to warm, and warm to cool should be considered.
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> This would especially apply to all sealed system instruments such as Schmidt-Cassegrains, Maksutov-Cassegrains, refractors, binoculars, or even eyepieces.
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> If you have an observatory, or keep the scope stored in an outside building it is much better on the optics, as extreme variation of the temperatures do not occur.
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> I wrap a towel around binoculars and small sealed scopes when taking them outside or bringing them back into the house if the temperature is significantly different.
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> I also leave my refractor uncapped at both ends and wrap in a cloth before bringing back into the house. I put my barlow's, and other EP's back in the case without capping. The next morning I put all of the caps in place.
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> The outside of my tube even on my 10-inch reflector will become soaked in the spring and fall when there is a lot of humidity. I will cover with a light cloth before bringing it back into the house. I will let everything dry overnight and cap all the next morning. This includes EP's also.
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> Just something for thought. Again I do not know if you have this problem in the much dryer region of the west and southwest.
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> Would someone please respond and let me know if this care would apply to you.
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> Roger
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>     The moon and stars to govern the night.....   Psalm 136:9
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-- 
Rob Lambert
702-461-1390