condensation?

[punchy]

Well still no scope of yet just wanted to ask how people protect scopes/mirrors against condensation once you bring them in from the cold?

[JKB]

Hi

Depends where you keep the scope? I keep mine in the garage so not too much of a temperature change. Always wipe the outside of the scope down with a chamois leather to get rid of the worst water then store with the scope pointing slightly down. Any moisture will condense and run towards the open end of the tube so as not to run onto the mirror.

HTH

Cheers

Jamie

[punchy]

I will have to store it in the house good point about pointing downwards hopefully getting a reflector scope

[barkis]

Bringing it indoors after a cold nights observing, will inevitably cause condensation. Everthing will suffer, the mount, the OTA, controller,

and anything else of course. Leave them in a safe place, and carefully remove any excess moisture from everything affected, except of course the optical parts, be it lens, or mirror.

Best to leave them uncapped whilst they dry naturally, may take time, but they will recover. Replace protective covers once the optics are clear of any moisture.

Don't forget your eyepieces will be affected too, if they have been exposed to the cold.

Needless to say, that when they are uncovered, you have to guard against any children, or adults, who may be tempted to drop something inside the tube. Ulikely I guess, but it has been known to happen .

Ron.

[cabby]

I keep ours in the shed along with the eyepieces so they are nearly always not far off the outside temp, that way I can get them out and use at short notice (when the clouds go!!)

[John]

I keep my scopes in the house. I keep them capped when I bring them in and any condensation that forms on the optics seems to dissipate on it's own.

[Ramjo]

Get one of those moisture absorbent bags and hang it inside the reflector when not in use

[punchy]

Just a thought but what about cap everything outside and bin bag over the scope secured around the tripod (am I going too far probably).

Lots of cloud here for the past week so no binocular gazing

[altnacraig]

I keep my ETX125 in the garage covered by a sheet - and have made my own dew shield out of a piece of 'solid' foam used for putting below sleeping bags!. It's the thin type of foam (roughly 1cm thick). Paint one side black and then tie it round the scope with an elastic band. It works perfectly...

[nicnac]

Get one of those moisture absorbent bags and hang it inside the reflector when not in use

good old silica gel eh lol

[punchy]

ah a roll matt

[Moonshane]

it's not something to worry about as long as you don't get drips on the optics and it can dry off naturally overnight. it's the hidden closed in moisture that's more insidious.