Protecting camera whilst left in setup between imaging

[Eruliaf]

Quick question for the community. Like many, I keep my rig complete between sessions and just lift and store in my garage - even leaving the camera in place. I am upgrading from a DSLR to a dedicated astro camera and I realised that my new camera will not have a sensor shutter.

Does anyone have any clever ideas on how to protect the camera sensor from dust if left in the scope (can be several weeks between sessions)?

Am I worrying about nothing, or would it be better to remove the camera at the end of each session? If this is the case, how would you go about ensuring that difference sessions have the same setup so you can stack images from multiple sessions using the same calibration frames?

Thanks

[scotty38]

Genuine question but where do you think the dust would be getting in when left set up?

[Eruliaf]

I have a reflector, so there is the possibility of dust being in the tube from the imaging session. I do have the camera on the top to minimise the chance of it getting in - but just wanted to see what others do to stop any dust getting on the sensor.

[ONIKKINEN]

I dont think it matters that much if you have a comacorrector, spacers  and maybe filters etc between open air and the sensor. As long as you install everything without dust on the surfaces there really shouldnt be a place for more to enter.

 

Only place that can have dust is the inner lens element of the comacorrector which is probably at least 100mm away from the focal point so the shadow the dustmotes cast is really out of focus when it reaches the sensor. I know i have dust on the first lens and it doesnt show up in flats so i dont worry about it.

[Lee_P]

I think this is a rare case in astrophotography of things actually being simple! Just leave the camera on, you're more likely to introduce dust into the system by removing it.

[ollypenrice]

The camera has a chip window, no doubt, so it's quite unlike a lenseless DSLR. You have nothing to worry about.

Olly

[iapa]

On 09/08/2021 at 18:27, Eruliaf said:

I have a reflector, so there is the possibility of dust being in the tube from the imaging session. I do have the camera on the top to minimise the chance of it getting in - but just wanted to see what others do to stop any dust getting on the sensor.

I leave mine outside, nearly all year round, under a thingy wotsit* 365 cover - worked fine for past few years

 

* il look up who makes it.