Is it safe to leave a scope on it's mount?

[matt a]

Hi

I'm not usually a worried but looking at my shiny new telescope( not out side because clouds look just the same through a scope), on its goto mount, I can't help thinking that it looks it'll damage the tube or fall off! Is it safe to leave it on its mount, or should I take itoff.

Cheers

Matt

[todd8137]

i have a meade 90mm refractor on a goto mount i leave it on all the time and its 2 years ols and no harm as come to it say in that i do have a quite place for them to sleep so people banging it or getting near to my scopes will never happen shhhh they sleeping

[Tinker1947]

If you can leave it attached and you don't need to move it when your viewing that's go to be a plus, not getting it knocked about has got to be good.

[matt a]

Cheers guys, good to know that I ( and my scope) can sleep easy.

[cantab]

Probably safer to leave it on than be removing and replacing the OTA each time. It's when putting a scope on a mount that there's the risk of making an error that will drop the scope on the ground.

[austen4]

Depending on your scope you should take it off. I take my SW 200p off my heq5 and counter-weights and I asked this question not long ago and I got told it puts strain on the motors but I assume if you have a reasonably light scope it would be ok. Im not sure if you motors would be under strain on all mounts. It may only be EQ mounts.

Hope this has helped