Another dew question

[Steve1976]

ok, lets suppose you get dew on your telescope / eyepieces, or even ice!!

When you pack it up for the night and take it back indoors should you leave the dust cap on or off for a while? Is it best to leave the scope pointed down or up? Or does stuff like that not make a difference?

[brianb]

Solid or liquid condensation on the OUTSIDE is best ignored - cap the scope securely before bringing it indoors.

If the optical surfaces are affected, bring the scope indoors and dry the surfaces as soon as possible using a warm air blower (hair dryer set at low power). Only when dry put the covers on. If no blower is available the surfaces WILL get wet; allow them to dry naturally doing your damndest to keep dust off in the meantime (lie eyepieces on their side, position the scope so that the optical surfaces are not pointing upwards).

Condensation, dealt with promptly, will evaporate leaving pristine clean surfaces.

Storage: SCTs are best stored with the tube pointed down at an angle of about 45 degrees so that any drips from condensation or seperating grease hit the tube rather than running across the optical surfaces. Newtonians horizontal if at all possible, otherwise vertical but fitted with a secure cap on the upper end to keep dust out. A dust cap on the bottom end is a good idea as well if you have an issue with spiders etc (most of us do ... I'm not in the least afraid of the little blighters, but they do have annoying habits!) Refractors, just keep the livestock out, otherwise they don't seem to care much about how they're stored.

[Steve1976]

Thanks Brian thats really helpfull!

[Steve1976]

Just had an afterthought - sometimes I observe from a place which is 15 minutes walk from my house. I don't drive here and so in order to get the scope back to my house I have to pack it all up. So what do you advise in this case ?

[brianb]

in order to get the scope back to my house I have to pack it all up. So what do you advise in this case ?

Caps on, towel off the exterior, fresh silica gel bags in the case. Unpack immediately you get home & allow to dry naturally.