Scope Cooling Times?

[Macavity]

Scope Cooling Times? Usually mentioned as a (slightly) negative feature of Maksutov 'scopes (waaaaah) - But I do wonder: Are MAKS the only scope that suffers thus? Why? What are the main symptoms of an overly warm scope? For a modest scope like my "Skymax" 127, is there going to be some dramatic effect? It may be that I simply haven't yet hung around LONG enough to see the full potential of properly cooled-down scope!

[Kai]

All scopes can suffer from this to varying degrees.

"Closed" scopes fare worst ie Mak's and Sct's

You tend to see a double boiling effect if its not properly cooled down ie the air in the tube and the air in the atmosphere !!

[MartinB]

Like bad seeing

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Maks are generally worst in the cooling department as they have the thickest glass on the front, much thicker than an SCT. Newts are generally quite good unless you have a huge one. In between are the refractors.

Its generally a good idea to store your 'scope in a secure garage as there is a lot less cooling required compared to moving it from in your house.

Captain Chaos

[themos]

secure garage

or larder.

[AndyH]

I'll second the larder. Not really appreciated by others tho

Andy.

[Macavity]

Thanks for the useful thoughts. My "cat" is now in a box, which might work for "pre-acclimatisation". Since it's a communal garden, I think I might invest in a bicycle chain and padlock tho'.

[Greg]

At this time of year I'll put my scopes out as soon as Polaris is visible and then that's where they'll stay untill observing time, usually about an hour or so later...

Or has been said, keep them in a secure shed or garage..

Greg