Storing 10" Dobsonian Telescope

[MercuryRising]

Hi All,

Just wondering if there's a "right" temperature to store my 10" dobsonian at? It can go in the house, in the conservatory or the garage.

The conservatory is getting hot with the current weather. In the winter it was perfect for keeping it cool.

The garage meanwhile will always be cool, but slight damp may be a worry.

The house is fine - but it takes longer to get it outside!

Are there any temperatures I need to be careful about?

Thanks

[garethmob]

wel the colder the better really, as it means less time "cooling down"

damp may be a problem any way to "seal" it when its in storage?

[MercuryRising]

Sealing it may be an option. Is colder better than hotter in terms of the longevity of the optics too? Or doesn't it matter?

[garethmob]

i dont think it matters really but im not 100% sure iv never seen a post saying dont keep them hot

bubble wrap with tape could seal it perhaps keeping it in conservatory, and if it looks like its going to be clear move it to the garage for a few hrs before observing

[LukeSkywatcher]

Dobs work perfectly well outside in the winter in temps of -30C. I dont think storing it inside a conservatory in the summer will do any harm to it either.

The tubes,optics etc are not going to kink or crack or any such thing.

Moisture really would be the only enemy. That can be solved by packing the scope with sillica gel etc.

There is a thread running here and peoples sheds/obys (where they store their scopes) are currently hitting upto 37C.

[umadog]

The temperature won't affect the optics but humidity will. The worst is if dew actually forms in the mornings. This dissolves gunk that's on the mirror and redeposits it when it dries. At this time of year that may mean you end up with large circular concentrations of pollen. You don't want to leave stuff like that on the coating for long. The good news is that you can just squirt it down with 200 or 300 ml of distilled water and leave it to air dry.