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Telescope Storage


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Hi guys,

Where do you store you telescope? Can you leave it in the garden under a cover or would that affect it?

The reason I ask is that I am looking at a Dobsonian and I was wondering if I would have to bring inside or put it in the shed afterwards every night?

Tia

Mikey

 

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Mikey

I have a 10" flex Dob, and keep it inside all the time when not in use

Storing outside with a cover, depending on the material of the cover, can get condensation under the cover, which could lead to mold build up on the mirrors

Hope been of assistance

John  

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If you can keep it inside, especially in a climate controlled house as we have here in Texas, that would be ideal.  Humidity can cause degradation of the mirror coatings, corrosion in the electronics, rust on the fasteners, and expansion of wood products.  Of course, if you live in a desert climate as in Arizona, outside storage is a much safer bet.  There's it's just a matter of keeping critters out of it and ensuring temperatures don't get too hot.  Winters in cold climates can wreak their own havoc on telescopes stored outdoors, but I have less experience in this area.

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This is a topic that constantly raises it’s head and usually results in two opposing views, those that leave their equipment out and those that don’t. Personally I leave mine out because that means I’m more likely to use it.

Several years ago I gave this hobby up and the biggest single reason for that was the constant hassle of moving equipment in and out of the house, setting up and all the issues that arise from the process. As someone that has to work the following day it became a pain and it became easy to say “I can’t be bothered I’ll just watch a film”

This is an outdoor activity and I would rather be using the equipment than keeping it nice and shiny in the house so when I took the hobby up again I decided that I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. I bought a telegizmos 365 cover and now I leave everything outside set up (apart from electronics). Now, I no longer have to polar align or star align, synscan enables me to start from a saved position, and I’m observing in 10 minutes.

I left my equipment out throughout this winter with no ill effects. If it’s gonna rain heavy I put a Green Witch cover on followed by the tg, if it’s gonna be sustained and torrential I’ll bring everything in.

I would rather have a few cosmetic marks and use the equipment than have it shiny and new in the house 

So I wouldn’t worry too much about leaving it outside, as long as you invest in a good cover, using it is more important than polishing it 

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6 hours ago, Geoff Barnes said:

  Hi Mikey and welcome!

Have a read through this thread to get some ideas about Dob storage..

 

 

6 hours ago, cletrac1922 said:

Mikey

I have a 10" flex Dob, and keep it inside all the time when not in use

Storing outside with a cover, depending on the material of the cover, can get condensation under the cover, which could lead to mold build up on the mirrors

Hope been of assistance

John  

 

5 hours ago, Louis D said:

If you can keep it inside, especially in a climate controlled house as we have here in Texas, that would be ideal.  Humidity can cause degradation of the mirror coatings, corrosion in the electronics, rust on the fasteners, and expansion of wood products.  Of course, if you live in a desert climate as in Arizona, outside storage is a much safer bet.  There's it's just a matter of keeping critters out of it and ensuring temperatures don't get too hot.  Winters in cold climates can wreak their own havoc on telescopes stored outdoors, but I have less experience in this area.

 

19 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

This is a topic that constantly raises it’s head and usually results in two opposing views, those that leave their equipment out and those that don’t. Personally I leave mine out because that means I’m more likely to use it.

Several years ago I gave this hobby up and the biggest single reason for that was the constant hassle of moving equipment in and out of the house, setting up and all the issues that arise from the process. As someone that has to work the following day it became a pain and it became easy to say “I can’t be bothered I’ll just watch a film”

This is an outdoor activity and I would rather be using the equipment than keeping it nice and shiny in the house so when I took the hobby up again I decided that I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. I bought a telegizmos 365 cover and now I leave everything outside set up (apart from electronics). Now, I no longer have to polar align or star align, synscan enables me to start from a saved position, and I’m observing in 10 minutes.

I left my equipment out throughout this winter with no ill effects. If it’s gonna rain heavy I put a Green Witch cover on followed by the tg, if it’s gonna be sustained and torrential I’ll bring everything in.

I would rather have a few cosmetic marks and use the equipment than have it shiny and new in the house 

So I wouldn’t worry too much about leaving it outside, as long as you invest in a good cover, using it is more important than polishing it 

Many thanks for the replies. Really appreciated. It is giving me food for thought. I am thinking the same in that if I have to take it outside all the time I am less likely to use it. I only have one exit from my flat so with no back door it means having to carry it about 20m before getting started. It's no big deal but I know it will start to bug me then I will not use it.

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1 minute ago, johninderby said:

As you live in a flat is there anywhere secure outside you can leave it  or is it a public space? If living in a house with a private back garden that is a different matter. 

Yeh, security is an important consideration 

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1 minute ago, johninderby said:

As you live in a flat is there anywhere secure outside you can leave it  or is it a public space? If living in a house with a private back garden that is a different matter. 

I have my own decent sized back garden that I could leave it in.

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Have you considered a small shed just big enough to hold the dob and a chair.The plastic type are quite cheap and easy to assemble and being a dob no setup time when you move it out of the shed.

Edited by johninderby
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2 hours ago, johninderby said:

Have you considered a small shed just big enough to hold the dob and a chair.The plastic type are quite cheap and easy to assemble and being a dob no setup time when you move it out of the shed.

Yes it is a good idea, it would need to a reasonable height for an 8"??? Although I would still like to keep costs down. I have budget which is kinda getting eaten up with the telescope already and not much wiggle room for a separate shed unfortunately.

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8 hours ago, mikeyjm26 said:

I have my own decent sized back garden that I could leave it in.

I keep my scope in the house and take it out to use. If I was to leave it in the garden under a cover, I probably wouldn't own a telescope for very long! I have thought about a secure shed, but it doesn't really offer much of an advantage because the telescope still needs to be set up. If I could have a permanent observatory that would be a different matter...

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2 minutes ago, toshapetriji said:

You deserve one...

I do! But with close neighbours it would be wasted where I live. Depending on which part of the sky I want to look at I also have to set up in two different places in the garden to dodge the houses. Maybe I deserve two...

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An 8” dob isn’t hard to carry for most people as you can carry the base and tube outside seperately. It all depends on if having to carry it outside would put you off using it.

Adding a carry handle to the tube makes things much easier. Either a permanently attached one or one of the strap type that is removable.

4FEFC6C8-37F5-45BC-925D-70FA5CD24FD6.jpeg

Edited by johninderby
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