Question about dew.

[AstroNurse]

I have a dew shield on the way, but will probably try out my scope before it gets here. What is the safe way to clean dew from my scope? And can dew be damaging in any way? I've been told that I shouldn't even touch it with a lens cloth (used for glasses, etc). I've also heard I could use a blow dryer on it's lowest setting.

Thanks for being such troopers with my newbie questions!

Again, I have a shield on the way, so I don't need recommendations on a dew shield. Sorry, I just posted this same question on another forum and was getting suggestions for a dew shield...which I said I already ordered. I just want a way to deal with it before my dew shield arrives. If I should just wait until it gets here, that's fine too. Thank you!

[Astropheonix]

Hello astronurse ....... yes you can clean the dew of ur scope ( your scope's awesome ) but with a gentle hand!....you may also use a 120v hair dryer but that too on lowest settings!   and no worries u can use the scope without the dew shield too and do some ap!  

 clear skies

[Pete Presland]

i just use a normal fan heater to clear it. they are quiter than a hairdryer (my wifes sounds like a jumbo jet) when the dew becomes noticable a quick bblast with the heater and its gone in seconds. it does noe take the view long to return to normal afterwards. your dewshield will help a lot when it arrives.

[Astropheonix]

i dont know exactly but dew shields only slow down the dew formation process though it wont stop it. For better results dew heaters or a dew heater strip  may be used .....

[AstroNurse]

I will probably get a dew heater strip eventually I've spent enough for the last couple of days, though, so I guess I'll give my bank account a break lol. I also have an observing chair, a lens and filter kit, a Telrad, an AC adapter, and of course the dew sheild on the way right now. And recycling doesn't come for another week...our garage is going to be full of boxes for a while!

[Astropheonix]

well thats a lot of stuff to get started with ....... well happy hunting !

clear skies 

[baggywrinkle]

Do not wipe away the dew, you need to warm the OTA.

You can make a dew shield from a simple camping mat and some velcro tape.

It will slow things down as it provide a column of still air above the lens, clear nights are worse  believe it or not as the metal and glasswork will cool below the dew point of the air due to thermal radiation. You often find that the metalwork feels  cooler than the ambient air as it radiates heat away.

[Charon]

I bought a Astro Zap heated dew shield off FLO and since then no dew problem, it works really good.

[Luke]

Welcome to the money pit that is astronomy

SCT's are lovely scopes though they are dew magnets. On days when it is windy, you may find you can actually leave the dew shield off and it won't dew up, that can be handy to stop the wind shaking the scope as much.

Like others I have invested in a dew heating system to go with the dew shield. It cost a small fortune, but in the long run it has felt like good value. So I would try to get it high up on the wish list once your bank account has recovered. Once with a refractor, I forgot to switch on the dew heater and the lens frosted over. It made me realise how nice it is to have a dew heater!

I haven't got around to getting a heater strip for my dob yet, so I use a low power hair dryer that connects to my power pack on gentle heat. It would be a fairly pathetic fan for drying hair, but seems perfect for gently clearing the dew.

I don't like the idea of wiping dew off the plate of my SCT, but that's just me, I'd be worried if there's a speck that might catch and scratch the plate. If I did want to clean the plate I'd want to do that during the day and blow off any dust first.

[ChrisLX200]

If there's one thing an SCT must have - it's a dew shield. Nearly all refractors come with them but SCTs don't, I don't understand that (other than the desire to make money by selling you more essential accessories). It's a bit like buying a car with only three wheels on it, the fourth being offered as an accessory.

ChrisH