Traveling with Telescope by car

[Qualia]

I think many would be shocked with what exactly my truss-dob has to go through to get to its dark site. It's wheeled up and down curbs, into public transport, a good twenty minute hike across very rough scrub lands - we're not talking pot-holes here but deep, stoney ditches and continuously being shaked on its way. And after all that, a little tweak of the primary, maybe a touch on the secondary and of we go. I'm not sure if my Moonshane telescope was built for this and if other dobs could handle such treatment, but I figure after this time, so long as you're careful of the mirror, make sure nothing falls on it, there's not too much which can go wrong.

[nightfisher]

great post mr qualia, im still learning these mirror things

[LukeSkywatcher]

You should strap it in for your own safety. How heavy will a 10kg scope effectively weigh under the G force of a crash - as it accelerates at the back of your head?

Exactly. Scopes can be replaced...........heads cant.

[breezy]

Roughly 30 to 60 times more than if stationary

But I can't remember the exact math for it , in a nutshell make sure it can't escape lol

[cfpendock]

I put my CPC1100, wedge, tripod, accessories and baggage into the boot of my car. The scope is wrapped in a blanket. It's all a very tight fit, but hence snug and cannot move about.

Chris

[mapstar]

I transport my scope in its own padded box in the boot, since making it I've never had a problem with damage or collimation at journeys end, and it also looks like there is nothing in the car from the outside too but the blanket transport option is cheaper and easier.

[trazor]

Wrap and pad all mine with blankets, in the boot of the car,not a problem so far........

[rwilkey]

Thick blanket around my 200P in the back of the estate (Peugeot 406). Refractor has it's own non-custom cardboard box

[ronin]

Wrap mine in an old style rectangular sleeping bag and seat belt around it.

Just fits across the rear seat, about 1/2" to spare.

Sleeping bag stays in the car in case I break down somewhere in the wilds at night.

[SeedyF]

My flex tube dob gets split into OTA and base and they get a back seat each with protective blanket and a seatbelt.

My old 150 on an EQ3 mount used to get laid flat on the folded down back seat.

I am ashamed to say I drive much more carefully with the scope in the car than I ever did when my boys were small and in the car - but dont worry, they are 19 and 22 now so it turned out ok :-)

[Swampcreature]

My scopes and mounts go in the boot space or are boxed and strapped down in the van. Very minimum would be under the passengers seat. Credit to those who seat belt them in but a seat belt is designed to restrain a human torso. Having crashed and rolled a car I get a bit paranoid about loose objects especially if it might be a GEM mount and counterweights flying about.

Saying that, I`ve just come back from Morrisons with 24 cans of lager and a bottle of lambrini on the back seat. Good safety alert.

[SeedyF]

My scopes and mounts go in the boot space or are boxed and strapped down in the van. Very minimum would be under the passengers seat. Credit to those who seat belt them in but a seat belt is designed to restrain a human torso. Having crashed and rolled a car I get a bit paranoid about loose objects especially if it might be a GEM mount and counterweights flying about.

Saying that, I`ve just come back from Morrisons with 24 cans of lager and a bottle of lambrini on the back seat. Good safety alert.

Lambrini - are you mad?? At least 24 cans of lager has a lot of friction to hold it in place, Lambrini unrestrained is just asking for trouble

[breezy]

Is lambrini still sold ????? Tis discharge from the balls of bealzebub

[Gomtuu]

I use the box and plastic inserts the scope came in for transporting my 200PDS. The box fits crossways in the boot of my Mk2 Focus perfectly, with about 1mm spare at either side!

Does anybody make padded carrying bags for scopes?