Cleaning a mucky mirror.

[Merlin]

Here's one way to do it:

[NGC 1502]

That one does break some well established rules........I'd say be very careful indeed with direct contact between fingers and optical surface, I'd far sooner use soft pure cotton wool and no pressure.

However, I have broken some of those rules myself and got away with it

Regards, Ed.

[Astrobits]

Fingers are remarkably sensitive and detect a hard dirt lump sooner than you would with any cloth or pad. However, fingers can spread grease over the surface which may, or may not, get removed by the detergent.

It strikes me that his mirror did not need cleaning in the first place. Cleaning too frequently and unnecessarily risks causing scratches.

He is also not sure about the overcoating on the mirror stating that it was either Silicon Dioxide OR Silicon Monoxide. Well, the overcoat is evaporated in a similar way to the Aluminium and Silicon Dioxide does NOT evaporate!. Instead Silicon Monoxide is evaporated and that then oxidises to Silicon Dioxide within the first few days after coating. Care has to be taken during this period as Silicon Monoxide is much softer than the Dioxide. So all silica coated mirrors will have Silicon Dioxide coatings by the time you come to clean them.

Nigel

[Darkmatter]

Soap flakes seem very hard to come by these days which were a recommended cleaning agent.

What would be recommended these days? i.e. with minimal chemicals 

[pete_l]

Soap flakes seem very hard to come by these days which were a recommended cleaning agent.

What would be recommended these days? i.e. with minimal chemicals 

Washing up liquid works fine for me