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Accessories to combat DEW


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So another proactive post here just to wisen up.

So what are the solutions here to prevent Dew besides working around the weather forecast ...

What works well

What works fast

What is the expensive option

What is the practical option

What can be improvised from home

What approach should one avoid

What approach is mandatory

What approach is optional

and no I'm not writing an Encyclopaedia on Dew, just need to learn from experience of SGL members, so that I can plan my observing sessions, once I get all set up. That'll be the day ...

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To some degree it depends on what scope you're trying to protect from dew.

The fast approach is to zap it with a hair-dryer when it gets damp, but this doesn't work well in the long run. In the long-run you want to prevent dew from forming at all. Dew is easier to keep at bay than to remove. A long dew-shield coupled with a heater is best. Refractors and SCTs benefit from heating the primary. On Newtonians, nobody really bothers with heating the mirror. Some do heat the secondary, but it probably only works well if the secondary is in an enclosed holder. Blowing ambient air over a surface with a fan will also work.

A Dewbuster is very well thought of. Go to the website--there is lots of advice, including DIY tips for making heaters.

Keep eyepieces in a box and keep the box closed. Don't leave eyepieces out on a rack where they will cool down.

Avoid over-heating the scope because this introduces thermal currents that screw up the views.

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I knocked up a simple dew shield out of foam. Was a bit scepticle about how well it would work but I noticed the difference as I didnt make a shield for my finder and that got soaked but no issue with the scope its self

nova-albums-equipment-pics-picture13420-home-made-dew-shield.jpg

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