Good setup time

[sharkey93]

Good afternoon people, I'm just curious as to what time would be best to start setting up my Scope for a viewing session.

Like would it hurt if say I setup my Scope around 1600 hours BST for late evening viewing say between 2100 and 0200.

As I know you need to leave your scope to adjust to the temps.

Plus I'd leave the lens covers on until I go to view.

[Macrob1]

Well here's my newbie answer. I don't think it would hurt to set up so early but it's not necesary - I guess it's easier though if you can see what you're doing. Advice given to me is to take the objective covers off and this a what I do. I have dew shields and keep the scope level so the objectives are protected.  I keep my eyepiece covers on though.

Cheers from Oz

[kilix]

wow, you certainly don't need to setup the scope 5hrs prior to observing. If I see your history correctly, you have Esprit 80, which is a triplet, but still, it should be thermally equalized in no longer than ~30mins. Maybe owners of triplets can come here with exact numbers. Also, it's not winter anymore, so thermal equilibrium is not as big concern as it was before.

Most importantly - when you setup the scope during daytime, make absolutely sure, that all the covers are on and never leave the scope unattended.

My Mak (which contains a lot of glass) can equalize in about an hour during winter. That is more than 25°C thermal difference.

[Stu]

I would just wait until the sun has set (or at least your observing site is in shade) so that the scope doesn't heat up before cooling down!

Catching Jupiter early (still in daylight) is good hunting at the moment so an early setup can give you a chance of catching it soon after 8.30pm.

Obviously it is very different in the winter when it is dark and cold very early.

[sharkey93]

Fair enough I throught 5 Hours was going to be excessive, Just wanted to be sure as I don't have Dew heaters just the Dew shield

[newbie alert]

4pm is a little early I'd say as it's still light at 8..the sun still has a bit of power to it at 4 so you be heating it up and then it be cooling down before you start..if t takes you say an hour to setup then start an hour before..Its not as if you can do anything before it's dark enough to see enough stars,polaris in particular to do the alignment...theres a drastic temp change during that time period..think you'd be introducing hot air thermals inside the ota..

[ronin]

I generally do it by simply putting the scope out first, then finding all the other bits, and putting them somewhere I am likely to find them when wanted. Having a goto I then set the cope up and do the alignment. Then decide what to look at and tell the scope to head off to it.

I rush nothing so I guess 20 to 30 minutes setup and cooling for the scope.

If I have the brain in gear I will stand the scope outside do the mount and scope setup then leave it to go eat something, also means I set it up in the evening light rather then a more dark bit of the evening, simpler, then I plug in the power and having it level and aimed in the right direction I can go almost immediatly into the alignment.

[Davesellars]

It would be pointless to set it up so early at the moment unless you're going to be doing some solar observation.

What scope is it and where is it normally stored?  Size and starting temperature are going to affect the amount of time required.

[Geoff Lister]

I try to level mount and OTA, and with hiking compass point OTA north, about half an hour before dusk, so I can see the bubble level, compass, and ALT scale easily. Then I power-up and set date and time. I cover with an old sheet and, following ronin's example, go in for tea. When I come out, everything is ready for the 2-star alignment.

I usually then check "Stellarium" to select the best, available & visible, alignment stars.

[sharkey93]

3 minutes ago, Davesellars said:

It would be pointless to set it up so early at the moment unless you're going to be doing some solar observation.

What scope is it and where is it normally stored?  Size and starting temperature are going to affect the amount of time required.

I have an 80mm Esprit Triplet. and temps will varie have had 14 15c evenings as of late here in the South UK

[davehawkins]

One reason I don't set up early in the day unless doing some solar observing is the unexpected change in the weather. You don't want your gear to get rained on .

[sharkey93]

3 minutes ago, davehawkins said:

One reason I don't set up early in the day unless doing some solar observing is the unexpected change in the weather. You don't want your gear to get rained on .

True True

[SonnyE]

On 5/16/2017 at 05:50, sharkey93 said:

Good afternoon people, I'm just curious as to what time would be best to start setting up my Scope for a viewing session.

Like would it hurt if say I setup my Scope around 1600 hours BST for late evening viewing say between 2100 and 0200.

As I know you need to leave your scope to adjust to the temps.

Plus I'd leave the lens covers on until I go to view.

Nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, my mount lives outside covered. I just mount my telescope when the sun gets low enough.

Then I wait for the first Stars to show to begin my alignment. Right now that is around 20:30 to 21:00 hours for me.

But temperature adjustment has never been to much of a bother for me as I live in a fairly mild climate zone, and use a refractor. And a carbon fiber tube at that.

When away, I like to set up my mount early to get it just the way I like it. Nice and level and stable. Then just add the telescope.

 

But, if setting up in a busy intersection, I'd wait until after rush hour....