I do not believe it!!

[Galilean]

I took my PST to my Astronomy group meeting today, it being nice and sunny. All the folks were oohing and aahing at the prominences, when suddenly the image disappeared. I had a fiddle but could see nothing amiss, the sun was still centre in the solar finder. Then I noticed it - a great glob of BIRD [removed word] right over the objective lens. Had to rush home to sort it out before it set into concrete. A gentle swab with cotton wool and clean water appears to have done the trick with no obvious permanent damage.

So there are other hazards to day-time astronomy that you would not necessarilyexpect!

[boss hogg]

it's supposed to be lucky

[klytus]

Lucky shot on the part of the bird i'd say

[NotSoSuperNova]

I can imagine it being really annoying but you have to give credit where credit's due. I would however do my darndest to track him down, pin him to the floor and return the favour

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

May be a dew shield could protect the optics from airborne mishaps of this kind.

[Cath]

Their are worse places for it to land!

[Montana]

That's something I dread and actually was one of the first posts I made on the other forum was what to do in an emergency. I have my bottle of cleaning liquid at the ready!

Alexandra

[DrRobin]

Hi,

If it isn't bad enough for them flying in front of the sun, I would say that is very unlucky. Like Alexandra, I carry my cleaning kit (blower, papers, fluid, sensor pen,etc) with my Ha scope as I seem to use it nearly every session, whereas with night time it hardly ever gets used.

Robin

[JamesF]

I wonder if there's something about the reflections off the lenses that attracts them?

James

[allcart]

Darn it, I forgot it was thursday. I have a few days off and intended going to the club tonight. Shame I missed you. would have been nice to meet a local solar enthusiast.

[majapala]

May be a dew shield could protect the optics from airborne mishaps of this kind.

You would, however, need to change the description from 'dew' shield.

[Galilean]

I wonder if there's something about the reflections off the lenses that attracts them?

James

Maybe - I once saw a bird attacking its reflection in a car´s door mirror. But it didn´t poop on it!