Kids/Pets at your Telescope...

[niallk]

I recently got an Obsession 15" Classic - and store it assembled pointing up in a spare bedroom. 3 days after getting it, I found my 2 yr old jumping up and down on the mirror box lid - inside the truss poles like a little astro themed cage dancer! I nearly had a heart attack - No damage though thanks to strong construction - phew!!

I now store it with the shround in place so he can't climb into the optical path, and I'm changing the lock to the room - kids have lost all the keys to the internal doors in the house

What's the worst thing kids/pets have done to your astronomy gear? Any 'painted in Sudocreem' stories out there ?

[Beulah]

I trusted one of my sprogs with a scope one evening when I heard them muttering to themselves...at the same time, small furtive squeaking noises were heard, then a sliding thunk sound, like something heavy hitting.....glass....

Turned out that they had tried to remove an eyepiece by screwing the lens element off, leaving the barrel to drop out of the eyepiece holder, straight onto the mirror. Oh yes, there was a chip, but thankfully it is on the edge.... 

[Siriusmeg]

At a public event a while ago, my youngest (that's her in the pic) was highly indignant  "Why do we have to bring my telescope to show people?  That little girl just licked it!!"

We now use the sacrificial skywatcher 100mm ep when demonstrating inside  to avoid further damage.

[niallk]

I trusted one of my sprogs with a scope one evening when I heard them muttering to themselves...at the same time, small furtive squeaking noises were heard, then a sliding thunk sound, like something heavy hitting.....glass....

Turned out that they had tried to remove an eyepiece by screwing the lens element off, leaving the barrel to drop out of the eyepiece holder, straight onto the mirror. Oh yes, there was a chip, but thankfully it is on the edge....

Ouch!!! Hope it still works ok... Tough isn't it - you want to encourage an interest ... But not get your stuff wrecked!

As a last line of defense, I'm thinking of wrapping a combination lock luggage strap around the mirror box and through mirror lid handle so that toys/half eaten slices of toast etc don't get deposited onto my expensive mirror...

[Dannae]

Painful and amusing stories!

I once had to strip my feathertouch focuser because it felt overly tight racking in and out despite the tensioner screw all the way out.

Discovered several day old jam around the roller bearings

At star parties I've seen countless dogs off leads peeing up tripods, kind of like '3 legs meets 3 legs'

Regards

Dannae

[Beulah]

Ouch!!! Hope it still works ok... Tough isn't it - you want to encourage an interest ... But not get your stuff wrecked!

As a last line of defense, I'm thinking of wrapping a combination lock luggage strap around the mirror box and through mirror lid handle so that toys/half eaten slices of toast etc don't get deposited onto my expensive mirror...

The scope is fine, thanks for asking.  Coming up for a recoat, anyway. 

Definitely shore up any holes in the scope to stop the kids playing 'postman'....in the last house I used to do a yearly clean out of the storage heaters and you would not believe the stuff the little'uns shoved down the ventilation holes...managed to bag enough coins for a pint, though.. 

[scarp15]

My biggest issue is on the occasions in which I may set up a scope outside in the backyard. My daughter has pet rabbits, they get to roam around quite a bit and can be a nightmare to catch. So when the scope is outside and left unattended, I form a barrier using the collapsed rabbit run cage. The problem is the scope is then pointed upwards whilst cooling. It works but fortunately I do not set up in my yard so often.

[happy-kat]

At star parties I've seen countless dogs off leads peeing up tripods, kind of like '3 legs meets 3 legs'

That is plain horrible, and not really in keeping with a an outside gathering with gear.

[Astro_Baby]

Any dog caught doing that to my tripod would find itself finding my boot in its privates and taking a short flying lesson into the nearest hedge.

[Dave In Vermont]

My biggest issue is on the occasions in which I may set up a scope outside in the backyard. My daughter has pet rabbits, they get to roam around quite a bit and can be a nightmare to catch. So when the scope is outside and left unattended, I form a barrier using the collapsed rabbit run cage. The problem is the scope is then pointed upwards whilst cooling. It works but fortunately I do not set up in my yard so often.

Have you considered electrifying the cage?

I'll go away now.....

Dave

[Macavity]

The problem is the scope is then pointed upwards whilst cooling. 

Perhaps not such a great idea - Particularly if you live at the seaside?

Weirdest thing - One day my observatory door was splattered with earthworms!

Was this some seasonal mating thing? How did they climb up? But then I noticed

they were all DEAD - Cut into two inch lengths! I felt almost sorry for the bird... 

But then, a load of COLD "spaghetti" down your neck or on a telescope mirror.

[scarp15]

Have you considered electrifying the cage?

I'll go away now.....

Dave

Tempting thought 

Perhaps not such a great idea - Particularly if you live at the seaside?

Quite right, the scope cap is a fabric astrozap cover, so I wouldn't want a bird to think that it is a perch, mostly black birds here but there is the occasional pigeon.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I dont have any kids. I do have a dog who i share my observing sessions with but she is more interested in running around the garden and protecting her space (and me). In the past i have had a hedgehog wander right up to me and bump into my tripod and give me a look as if to say "what's this?........its in my way". It was in no rush to get away from me. It hung about for maybe 10 mins.

[Ags]

So, I wanted a telescope when I was sixteen, and 25 short years later my Nexstar 4se finally arrived. At the first opportunity I set it up and invited over my daughter and our grandson for first light.

The grandson had a look at Saturn and was duly impressed. Then it was his mom's turn, and I spent a few moments explaining how to focus and what she was looking at. I looked up... to see the grandson swinging a large rock towards the mak's corrector plate! "I wanted mommy to see an asteroid!" was his explanation.

Fortunately, no damage was done.

[Hertford Stargazer]

I dont have any kids. I do have a dog who i share my observing sessions with but she is more interested in running around the garden and protecting her space (and me). In the past i have had a hedgehog wander right up to me and bump into my tripod and give me a look as if to say "what's this?........its in my way". It was in no rush to get away from me. It hung about for maybe 10 mins.

That reminds me of when I was out in my front garden observing through the scope, it was pitch dark as the street lights had gone out and all I could hear was this really loud crunching noise. I tried to ignore it but after a few minutes curiosity got the better of me, switching on the red torch I found a large hedgehog sitting under the tripod munching on what I presumed to be a snail or two. He/she didn't even flinch, just carried on munching. I was just glad the crunching noise wasn't the gears in my EQ5 

[LukeSkywatcher]

That reminds me of when I was out in my front garden observing through the scope, it was pitch dark as the street lights had gone out and all I could hear was this really loud crunching noise. I tried to ignore it but after a few minutes curiosity got the better of me, switching on the red torch I found a large hedgehog sitting under the tripod munching on what I presumed to be a snail or two. He/she didn't even flinch, just carried on munching. I was just glad the crunching noise wasn't the gears in my EQ5 

Hedgehogs really are about the most noisy nocturnal creatures. 

[niallk]

Hedgehogs really are about the most noisy nocturnal creatures.

Have only seen a live one once - charming little creatures

[LukeSkywatcher]

Have only seen a live one once - charming little creatures

They really are lovely animals. Ive had to rescue a couple from my dog in the past.

[frugal]

Hedgehogs really are about the most noisy nocturnal creatures.

You obviously haven't got badgers who try to remove a metal bin lid at 3am...

My dog is very good around the scope. She gets all excited when I got out to the scope and runs around the garden, but she has never knocked anything.

[Paul73]

You obviously haven't got badgers who try to remove a metal bin lid at 3am....

Just wait until mating season...

I surprised a couple of enthusiastically courting badgers on our lawn in the wee small hours. I had been sent to investigate the unearthly screams by the galant, and still warm in bed, Mrs Paul73.

Paul

[Hertford Stargazer]

Not seen any badgers for a few years but the hedgehogs are lovely. I have to keep our dog inside when observing as he can't keep his gob shut for more then five minutes 

[frugal]

Just wait until mating season...

I surprised a couple of enthusiastically courting badgers on our lawn in the wee small hours. I had been sent to investigate the unearthly screams by the galant, and still warm in bed, Mrs Paul73.

Paul

Nah, the mating foxes drown out the badgers..?

[DazC]

What's the worst thing kids/pets have done to your astronomy gear? Any 'painted in Sudocreem' stories out there ?

Does finding one of my eps covered in spaghetti by my youngest daughter count?!

D.C

[granty515]

as soon as i lay my eq platform in the garden my dog pee's on it lol