Leaving Telescope and Kit Outside (No Dome/shed)

[topgearuk]

I'm looking at ways of increasing my imaging and enjoyment time, one of the factors I face is I don't get much free time, general life and a new baby make sure of this.. However I still have an interest and looking at ways I can cut my set-up time down to a minimum.. I know this must be something everyone faces who are not lucky enough to own a dome or shed.

So are there any other solutions to keeping things set-up but protected from the elements when not in use.. Right now and on a good night I'm looking at a good hour plus to set-up (probably made worse by lack of use and remembering everything). I've managed this about 6 times this past year if that. Twice I started with clear sky and by the time I had finished it was cloudy. Once I hadn't used it for so long I put the scope on the mount with the top plate 180º and spent all night wondering why I couldn't get any alignments (Noob mistake)

I'm sure all of the above is something that rings true to most people and part of it, but has anyone found any other solutions? Pictures of your set-up's would be great to see or is there nothing out there and this is just part of the experience?

One thing I brought was a skywatcher pillar, which I have left outside and in the right position before, this helped but only by a little bit as the head is mounted on by 3 screws which take time to do and undo, and I prefer the tripods height over the pillar which also helps to make use of the smallish patch of sky I have access too.

[gnomus]

The setting up and tearing down of telescopes, coupled with our 'unreliable' weather must be one of the most frustrating aspects of the hobby and my guess is that it is this that is a major factor in folks giving up.  I lost count of the number of times that I got to the end of a 40 minute set-up only to find the clouds had rolled in.  I got to the point that I would set up only when it looked like everything was going to be (near) perfect and the forecast was predicting a good few hours of clear skies.  As such, I missed a lot of good-but-not-(near)-perfect nights.  

I now have an observatory, but you do need space for these and they can be quite expensive.  My observatory has a 'permanent' rig set up in it, and I am very reluctant to tinker with that, but I do have other scopes, so I recently added a small pier out in the garden, next to the observatory, so that I could get quick set up and tear down of these scopes.  

The pier is cemented into the ground.  I have one of those AA Pier top adapters.  The idea is that I keep my CGEM mounted on the pier at all times.  That way I don't need to redo polar alignment each time.  Plus, so long as I return it to the Home position, I should be able to use the 'Last Alignment' feature, and not have to go through the tedious 'Star Alignment' routine.  I have one of those external barbecue covers to keep the rain, snow and wind out.  When I want to use it, I just connect the power, clamp a scope in the dovetail, and away I go.   I've only just built the pier, and have only been able to try it out once, but set up couldn't have taken more than 5 minutes and tear down was even less.  I will get round to putting tape markings on scopes and bars, so that I don't need to balance scopes every time.  

It seems to me that having the mount permanently set up is crucial.  Having the telescope outside all the time is less important.  There is, of course, the risk of things being damaged by the environment or some of the unsavoury souls who inhabit it.  But I'd rather take those risks and use the mount than having it sit under the stairs not being used at all.  

In summary - why not build a permanent pier.

[StarryEyed]

I gave up on imaging and complicated setups. Grab and go scope is on the mount in the garage and I can pickthe whole lot up and move it through the door out side and be viewing in a couple of minutes. I can then roll out the extention for the mount if I want or grab a couple more eyepiece from the case. No goto computers, no polar alignment or finding alignment stars.

A setup time of zero no keypads or missed opportunities.

Edited December 23, 2016 by StarryEyed

[Bizibilder]

I use this system with my EQ5 and steel pillar:  Plastic dustbin inverted followed by two "garden furniture" waterproof covers (get the De lux ones that will survive in sunshine not the green ones that disintegrate after a year or so outside!).  My set up has been in use for several years and, apart from buying the more reliable covers, works very well.:

The GIF above shows the general idea (with the original not-so-good green cover).  It takes about 10mins to set up the scope/computer etc and start imaging.  All the bits are from either Tesco or Homebase.

[StarryEyed]

Another point of view is. So what if it gets weathered as long as it gets used.

Edited December 23, 2016 by StarryEyed

[JamesF]

Roger's solution is excellent.  It's what I'd do in that situation.

James

[ChrisLX200]

You can safely leave the mount outside under a waterproof/breathable cover, but just make sure to protect all the electrics (sockets, PCBs etc) with a dose of ACF50 to prevent corrosion and resultant poor contacts. Also treat any metalwork liable to rust with the same (ie., parts made from ordinary steel or plated steel rather than stainless steel or anodised alloy). You should find that a big time saver.

ChrisH

[DaveS]

Telegizmos 365 cover. Double layer tested for 24/7 365. Not cheap but worth it if you have kit worth as much as a small car under it.

I also use a silicone spray on the metalwork occasionally.

Having your setup on a permanant pier will cut your set up time drasticaly

[AlistairW]

I was thinking about leaving my mount outside under a cover, but bring the OTA inside. My question is -, is it ok to leave the counterweights on the bar - or would that put unnecessary stress on the mount ?

[timwetherell]

3 hours ago, AlistairW said:

I was thinking about leaving my mount outside under a cover, but bring the OTA inside. My question is -, is it ok to leave the counterweights on the bar - or would that put unnecessary stress on the mount ?

If they're held with a lock screw, perhaps sliding them right up the shaft when not in use to minimise the torque on the mount might be an easy and quick option? That's what I used to do with a 20kg counterweight on a very big "portable" mount I had once and it was fine. The main thing was to make sure that the weight and shaft were in the straight down position (as they would fall if you loosened all the clutches) so there's no strain on the worm gears etc.

[AlistairW]

Thanks Tim - thats a good idea.

[AbsolutelyN]

I've had my AZ-EQ6 outside for a full year now so thought I'd put an update here for anyone else thinking of keeping mount outside permanently. Disaster struck early on and I had to buy a new motherboard for the mount, I suspect water had got through the cheap £35 telescope cover I was using.  I still use the same cover and I can see a couple of tiny pin holes in it which probably caused the problem.

Eventually I'll get a better cover but in the mean time I simply use two large heavy duty rubble bags over the mount to add extra waterproof layer and then the bigger scope cover, all held in place with hooked bungy cords. On top of this I also have two dew strips which I wrap around the mount to keep a small amount of heat inside. It's been like this for almost a year and not had any problems at all. The only real issue is the tripod feet seem to rust and jam as I guess they are much more exposed to water. Every now and then I give them a real good spray of wd-40 but open to suggestions. I'd be interested to know if anyone uses another heat source, especially after the recent thread of dew heaters catching fire.... 

[joe aguiar]

Visual is so much easier I either just take the whole setup from inside out if it's my smaller to medium scopes. If it clouds up it takes 2 min to bring it back in.

Try to keep it in closest room to the back door not down the stairs in  basement in back room that's too much trouble. 

For my med to big scopes it might be 2 or 3 trips but again if it's near the back door those 3 trips are 5 to 6 min max.

I also have my scopes setup of course capped for dust so viewing is easy but yes imaging is much harder and more stuff to do.

Joejaguar 

[garryblueboy]

365 Telegizmo def way to go I use one great for leaving your rig out 

[WanderingEye]

Just had this made for £50.. 550mm diameter, by 1550mm height

Waterproof,  breathable, and had two vents put in, with fine mesh to stop bugs...

 

 

[AbsolutelyN]

24 minutes ago, WanderingEye said:

Just had this made for £50.. 550mm diameter, by 1550mm height

Waterproof,  breathable, and had two vents put in, with fine mesh to stop bugs...

 

 

Looks great ... any chance of info where you got it? Thanks

[WanderingEye]

4 hours ago, AbsolutelyN said:

Looks great ... any chance of info where you got it? Thanks

Of course..here you go, I had the deluxe fabric

https://bags4everything.co.uk

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by WanderingEye

[retret66]

I leave mine out and just take the scope indoor. I release the clutch and leave the weights attached. I then add the gun safe warmer 18” rod running like 12watts of power. I then murdered my wifey’s stocking and put crystal cat litter and hang it inside. Then I cover it with an oversize garbage bag with some holes on it then cover it again with a lawn mower cover. Inside is very dry no matter what temperature is outside.

 

[assouptro]

Hi 

I got fed up of setting up and stripping down.

I had a stone circle laid in the lawn so I could leave the tripod in situ covered with a motorcycle cover,(motorcycle sold to buy my first serious telescope)  but this got in the way of family garden use and the tripod legs started to rot. 

I then saw a feature in the sky at Night Magazine and decided to build myself a permanent pier (once I had been given permission!) 

I was able to sacrifice a bush (well it actually survived and was moved to a large pot) and build a small extra section of deck so my setup didn’t take up too much room from the usable garden. 

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/how-to-build-a-back-garden-telescope-pier/

originally I had a 12” Meade LX200gps on a fork with piggyback scopes but recently swapped the mount for an azeq6.

I am able to leave most of my kit outdoors under a telegizmos 365 cover with a plug in dehumidifier running under the cover and I can set up and down in minutes now enabling me to take advantage of any clear spells 

I hope this gives you some help 

cheers 

Bryan 

[Anthonyexmouth]

My setup stays outside under 2 bbq covers. all power routed to the workshop and an alexa enabled socket in there. i just bark at my alexa in the kitchen to turn the telescope on and then all i have to do is uncover and away i go. wouldn't have it any other way now. 

 

 

[Mick H]

I so nice to see Blue Tits and House Sparrows on the lining line in your garden, but you should put a table on top of your post for bird feeding. 😉

Oops sorry Bryan, I did not have my glasses on.

Nice setup Bryan.

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by Mick H

[WanderingEye]

1 hour ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

My setup stays outside under 2 bbq covers. all power routed to the workshop and an alexa enabled socket in there. i just bark at my alexa in the kitchen to turn the telescope on and then all i have to do is uncover and away i go. wouldn't have it any other way now. 

 

 

An you get no condensation at all on the mount..?

[Anthonyexmouth]

12 hours ago, WanderingEye said:

An you get no condensation at all on the mount..?

none at all, i think the double layer of 2 bbq covers helps with that. usually have a strap around the bottom to stop it flapping or blowing off . 

[MarsG76]

On 23/12/2016 at 21:06, topgearuk said:

general life and a new baby make sure of this

I hear you.. in the same boat.. with 2 now... Setting up and tearing down would all but kill any time I have with the scope.... but this is why I could see no reliable option than to build a small hut to house my setup permanently assembled. The whole structure is small and I have my PC in there also so starting imaging is literally a matter of a few minutes, if continuing exposures on the same object.

 The problem I have with the covered up solutions is that a lot of humidity and moisture will get in under the tarp and ultimately cause oxidization on the mount.. even the PCB... there would be times when its raining for weeks and this might be too close to leaving in in the elements.. just prolonged damaging effect.

Observation is something I haven't done for almost a year, it's all imaging, but at least this much is possible.

 

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

27 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

 

 The problem I have with the covered up solutions is that a lot of humidity and moisture will get in under the tarp and ultimately cause oxidization on the mount.. even the PCB... there would be times when its raining for weeks and this might be too close to leaving in in the elements.. just prolonged damaging effect.

 

Mines been out in the UK weather for over a year, and only a mile from the sea. zero signs of any issues or corrosion. gets more condensation on it when imaging than it does under the cover. Always wipe down with a towel before covering it up. or if i know its going to be dry all night i just let it run all night and cover in the morning.