Telescope storage - Improves Contrast!!

[iwatkins]

Hi All,

You often hear how reflecting telescopes provide less contrast that refractors.

There is a very simple reason for it. In both types you point your telescope at the heavens and in pours the photons.

At the end of the session, you store your telescope away. Refractor users store their telescopes lying down in their cases but Newtonian users store theirs on their EQ mounts pointing upwards or vertically for Dob mounted ones.

A lying down refractor allows the photons captured during the session to drain out, but your Newtonian on an EQ or Dob doesn't drain. They slowly fill up making the contrast less and less overtime.

So next time you worry about the contrast of your 16" Dob, remember to store upside down from time to time.*

:D:D

Cheers

Ian

* please don't.

[Moonshane]

you nut case. I was shaking my head in disbelief until the very end. nice one.

[Demonperformer]

store upside down from time to time.*

Or maybe just drill a few holes in the mirror so that they can drain away without turning it upside down;)?

[MissMessier]

Hi All,

You often hear how reflecting telescopes provide less contrast that refractors.

There is a very simple reason for it. In both types you point your telescope at the heavens and in pours the photons.

At the end of the session, you store your telescope away. Refractor users store their telescopes lying down in their cases but Newtonian users store theirs on their EQ mounts pointing upwards or vertically for Dob mounted ones.

A lying down refractor allows the photons captured during the session to drain out, but your Newtonian on an EQ or Dob doesn't drain. They slowly fill up making the contrast less and less overtime.

So next time you worry about the contrast of your 16" Dob, remember to store upside down from time to time.*

:D:D

Cheers

Ian

* please don't.

...don't worry the men in white coats will be with you shortly. Watch the blood drain from your face in the parabolic mirror as they tie a straight jacket around your torso and leave you in a dark padded cell where no photons can reach you*...

* "please don't" you beg them to stop

[Spare Tyre Nebula]

LOL

[Astro Imp]

Had to check the date, thought I had lost a month

[BAZ Senior]

That's why we have flextubes, so the excess falls out, simples.

[AstroDwarf]

Didn't work for me

Solved my problem with a packet of dark light (available from FLO, I understand)

[sbooder]

I always empty my reflector before putting away, aperture to the ground and give it a good shake; they all fall out no problem.

[Ghost66]

could save them in a bucket for when it's cloudy

[sbooder]

Have you ever tried catching them in a bucket? They travel very fast you know!

[palebluedot]

[inksmithy]

easy, pour them into another telescope

Alan

[brantuk]

I take the mirrors and lenses out at the end of each session and wash off residual photons under the tap. Any stubborn ones that stick, come off easily with a sponge lol. Sometimes I put cling film over the end of the scope - then I can just peel off residual photons at the end of a session hahaha!

[sbooder]

You can of course just leave the end cap on while viewing, that foxes those pesky photons!

[Photohound]

I always empty my reflector before putting away, aperture to the ground and give it a good shake; they all fall out no problem.

I carry a small 'toffee hammer' in my EP case, a few taps around the primary seems to move the stubborn ones... and it really helps my collimation skills - lol :D:D

[Rusty Strings]

Dysons are so good that you can suck those pesky photons out!

[Slangers]

I suck them up in my special anti-laser and then squirt them over the fence into next door's garden.

[brantuk]

Don't be surprised if you see a photon tree springing up next door - it'll happen at the speed of light lol

[Sgt.Pepper]

Of course there are some people who are addicted to photons, rather like heroin addicts their symptoms can manifest themselves in terrible ways.

Here's a picture of a photon addict:

[MissMessier]

At least he's seen the light...

[vulcan]

Now be careful folks. We don't want to increase light pollution. All stray and unwanted photons should be locked in flock-lined light-tight boxes and put away in a basement vault!

[palebluedot]

[Probe]

Now be careful folks. We don't want to increase light pollution. All stray and unwanted photons should be locked in flock-lined light-tight boxes and put away in a basement vault!

HAHA!

[Andrew INT]

Maybe the local council could provide photon recycling bins next to the bottle-banks?