Transport

[petergc]

Hey guys if you were to take your scope and mount out for an evenings /nights viewing away from town/village light pollution, how would you transport them?

I live in a small housing estate with a smallish garden so I have to build my mount and scope up every time I go out of an evening. It's quite bright round here so lunar viewing is best done and a little star hoping.

Later in the year when Orion graces our skies I want to go out to Christmas Common in Buckinghamshire and spend a night there to take some of my first pictures.

So I'm just looking for ideas really on transport methods for the mobile astronomer.

[lennylovit]

hi i got a smart car and get a 200pdob in it !!! fits in just,not a lot of room for me

[jnc71106]

what scope and mount are we talking about ??

[NGC 1502]

Well the first thing is to make a list of what you need to take, so you don't leave something vital at home. Don't forget to take lots of cold weather clothing and a hot flask. Better to take more layers of clothing than you think you will need. Do you have a car? If not you can always take your binocs on a bus, but be careful to check when the last bus home is !!

Depends on your kit how it all fits into the car. A trial fitting is a good idea rather than struggling to get it all in when you are keen to get going. A tube assembly can fit across the back seat, that will give it some padding. Use the seat belts to secure it, you don't want to be wearing the scope if you have to brake hard .

The mount could go in the boot, padded perhaps.

If you can find an observing buddy that's all good, and will help your personal security too. Don't forget your mobile (fully charged).

HTH, Ed.

[Saleratus]

I always have a little plastic box ready called "Scopeside Observing Kit" which includes all the bits and pieces I might want near the scope when out observing--including some hex wrenches, cleaning fluid, q-tips, and wipes, flashlights, extra batteries, etc.

I have a small roll-up camp table and an adjustable height observing chair, and feel these are indispensable to enjoying a long observing session.

I always try to arrive at the site early so I can set up in a rather relaxed way.

[Tinker1947]

I read someplace in the last week, if your cold don't have a hot drink, as this opens the blood vessels and allows more body heat to dissipate than the hot drink puts in....

[petergc]

Thanks for your replies guys. I have a sky watcher evostar 120 with an eq3-2 mount, a celstron eye piece case, a Canon 60d in a camera ruck sack with various lens and a pair of olympus 12 * 50 bins. I do drive but my main concern is transport of my optical tube and how to keep it safe.

I still have to buy a viewing chair and a red light.

[E621Keith]

When I was an undergrad, I used to wrap my 120 in a sleeping bag and put it into a 75L hiking rucksack along with a EQ4 head, counterweight and a camera bag with eyepieces and DSLR. The tripod was strapped on externally. It survived numerous journeys in the London underground, trains and buses.

You don't have to worry too much if you drive, refractors are pretty tough. You can just wrap it in a sleeping bag and put it in your back seat.

[jnc71106]

Sleeping bag is a good option or get yourself a tool box from b&q I picked up a Stanley box for £20 and used to put my 102 frac inside

It was attacked by a horse one day in the new forest who took offence to my setup but the tool box and scope survived, pack the box out with some foam and you have a pretty good case for yourself

I don't think one of those flashy geoptik cases would have stood up to the horses assault

[petergc]

Ok thanks chaps. That gives me some good ideas all I need now is some nice clear evenings