How do most store their scopes?

[SacRiker]

Is it typical to store a scope fully assembled on mount/tripod?  Or do most break down everything and store in boxes/cases?  Total newb question, but I am curious.  

[Dave In Vermont]

Mine are set-up in my home. I take them off the mounts when I take them out for use.

One caveat here for owners of SCT's: Do not leave these with their nose-end pointed down. Either level or inclined upwards is fine. Pointed down, the grease used to lube the sled the mirror rides can run/drip. This could get on the inside of the corrector-plate. No fun!

Clear Skies,

Dave

[avtaram]

I keep my 12" Dob and 6" Newt fully assembled/mounted in the summer house and these can be moved out as they are for observing.

My fracs are kept in their cases in the house along with the eyepiece cases.

Because the 12" and 6" scopes are so easy to move out for observing fully assembled the fracs rarely get any observing time these days.

avtar

[Wide Aperture]

Hi, I have most of my scopes in a case and have 2 of my mounts sitting out.  I have my Orion EQ-G and Sky View Alt/Az mount in the corner of my office next to the door, that way all I have to do is pick it up and walk out to my deck. I will sometimes put my Orion 120mm F/5 ST on the mount and cover it with a sheet to keep off any dust.

[Astro Imp]

The OTA I keep wrapped in an old sheet in a cricket bag, EPs and Mount in foam flight lined cases, tripod wrapped in an old blanket, all kept in my garage so at near ambient temperature.

[StarSeeker]

i keep mine fully assembled in the bedroom with all the dust caps on, i would prefer to keep the scope downstairs but due to very inquisitive grand children i would be asking for trouble lol!

but setting up outside only takes a matter of minutes, if the skies are looking good then i take the ota to the outbuildng to cool and get the mount down when ready.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Mine are set-up in my home. I take them off the mounts when I take them out for use.

One caveat here for owners of SCT's: Do not leave these with their nose-end pointed down. Either level or inclined upwards is fine. Pointed down, the grease used to lube the sled the mirror rides can run/drip. This could get on the inside of the corrector-plate. No fun!

Clear Skies,

Dave

Not the 1st time i have read this about SCT's. Good advice and to add to it...................store out of direct sunlight during summer.

[aust202]

I keep mine set up in the living room, however when I am working nights I pack it away in the Orion carry bag I have for it, so as I dont have people looking in whilst I am asleep.

Admin could you delete my previous post please, for some reason it posted whilst typing

[hgjevans]

Mine lives in the garage - the mount and tripod are collapsed with the spreader and one counterweight removed, but otherwise fully assembled. The scope itself rests in its original shipping box. Eyepieces, binoculars, and that sort of thing live in the house.

[jgs001]

I used to keep everything fully setup in the garage, but now we don't have a garage anymore, the scopes are in cases in the cupboard under the stairs, the mount is as close to setup as can be, in the same place. 

[jonathan]

Because space is limited in my house I keep the tripod / mounts assembled and covered with an old waterproof mac (keeps dust and prying eyes off, mainly), the leg separator is unwound so that the legs can be pushed together a bit.

The OTAs are all in cases deeper in the house for a stable environment and protection from easy theft - they will need to walk through almost the entire house to remove them; it's not that hard to carry a couple of cases out in reality when I want to go observing though.

For my 8SE OTA I have a Curver 80ltr plastic box which is the perfect size for the original foam packing and the OTA, with room for some other bits and pieces at one end.  It has wheels but is light enough to carry, I would not wish to risk knocking the OTA if I could avoid it.

You should invest in a metal flight case with foam (pluck foam is easy to use) for your eyepieces, star diagonal, filters, etc. that you are bound to acquire over time (note - it's not necessary to remove the star diagonal or 25mm eyepiece from the 8SE when storing, but if coated in dew then you should ensure they can easily dry naturally once inside, don't cover / seal them up straight away and maybe keep the caps off overnight).  Mine is now full (it started off with just a couple of items in) so I will need to think about another one.

Remember when storing your scope to manage your batteries if you use them (or one), the alternative to batteries would be a 12v supply from the mains, you can buy auto transformers for this from motoring shops.

If I had space then I would probably store the OTAs assembled on the mounts, covered with a thick blanket or old waterproof mac, but would separate them to transport otherwise they would be too heavy for me to manage (except for the 8SE, which is manageable in one go because it has no counterweights and the legs are not as big as my EQ tripods).

[RichM63]

Space and complaints are not an issue, so generally my kit is pretty much always mounted, although there are various bits all over the place depending on what I'm tinkering with. I at least try to keep everything in the same room.  

[jimbo747]

Keep mine fully assembled in kitchen, only a mak 127 slt so doesn't take up much room. If the forecast looks clear I'll take the ota off and store in the shed in its foam box so I don't have to wait an hour or so for it to cool down (only thing I find annoying!)

[MattJenko]

Mine live all over the place. Dob is upright and in base, ready to be taken out, or dismantled for a car trip. Refractor is off the mount, but ready to go, so camera, guide scope, dew bands all attached, so it can simply be taken straight outside and put on mount and plugged in as quickly as possible. This just sits on top of the case in a corner with the end caps on, waiting for clear skies.

[cfpendock]

One caveat here for owners of SCT's: Do not leave these with their nose-end pointed down. Either level or inclined upwards is fine. Pointed down, the grease used to lube the sled the mirror rides can run/drip. This could get on the inside of the corrector-plate. No fun!

Interesting.  I didn't think of this, but I can see that in a warm country it could happen.  So, in future - thanks for the good advice.  

My fear for my other lenses is fungal attack, so I keep them in the house, each with a bag of regularly rejuvenated silica gel somewhere close to the glass.

All of the rest - mounts, electronics etc live in a shed.

Chris

[alro]

Im also new to this, so some good advice hoovered up!

i keep mine assembled, with tripod legs slightly closed. I have an oil cloth cover my wife made to measure, with a designer pattern to cover, this is a caveat to letting me keep it set up!

[Fish]

SCT sits mounted and ready to go in obsy, dob sits under a cover in the garage ready to go . The only scope I let stay indoors is my Lunt solarscope and that sits on a tripod in the spare room. All other gear is stored in obsy ,all nice and cold :-)

[alro]

Left assembled, behind door. My wife made the cover.

al

[DaveS]

Mount set up and aligned on the patio, with the feet in three dimples for location, covered with a Telegizmos 365 cover.

Imaging 'scope and guide scope (With respective cameras / filterwheels etc) mounted on dual dovetail bar on a bookcase in my living room ready to go out as soon as teh sky clears.

Electrical stuff dispersed a bit, but all to hand ready.

I can be set up, focused and ready to image in less than 1/2 hour, 15 min on a good night.

[Puglets]

Good thread for a burgler

[theghettostylus]

I'm new to astronomy! I keep mine set up in the shed, all caps on and eyepieces stay in the shed with the scope.

I did put a tarp over the scope one night and found it to have a crazy amount of dew all over it so now I leave it uncovered. Don't have any problems with it!

I did have it stored in the house for a few days but stupidly left it next to a radiator and the cooling time was far to long aha (won't make that mistake again!

[Michael11]

I keep all my gear packed in boxes / bags, so I can load it into a car right away, without having to pack.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

I keep all my gear packed in boxes / bags, so I can load it into a car right away, without having to pack.

Nice link to deepskywatch.com Thank you

[Hartmann]

I keep My Mak 127 tube stored in his original bag and the NEQ-5  fully assembled nex to the outside door ,except the spreader and counterweights. This way can be  prepared in less than 5 minutes when i want to observe.

I often left the Tube outside 30 minutes before i assemble the mount to cool it down.

[andyb505]

I keep mine assembled, with all dust caps on, in the garage. All eyepieces are kept in and old camera attaché case.

One question.

I keep a plastic bag over the scope, is there something better? a towel, a nylon bag? any ideas welcomed.

Andrew.