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using a newtonian on the coast

eyespy

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eyespy

eyespy

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Just down the road from me i have a fantastic open bit of green for observing ,but its on the seefront.I read somewhere that see salt could get on the mirror and corrode it ! its so tempting to take my 200p down there as my garden is so restrictive .....does anybody observe near the sea with a newt?:)

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brantuk

brantuk

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Great question!

We usually got to the Kelling Heath star party near the coast at Cromer. Never had any problems with salty air - but then it's only for about 2 weeks each year. I can't see it being a problem with regular use - but maybe someone will advise otherwise.

Btw - one regular SGL'er here uses his scope on an offshore oil rig.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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It would be interesting to see what Pete Lawrence thinks. He lives right on the sea (well just beside it). As does SPM..........but i dont imagine he posts here often,LOL.

Then as brant says.............there is our resident oil rigger Yeti.

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roundycat

roundycat

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I'm about a mile and a half from the North Sea and south easterlys blow right up my nose. Given the typically restrictive English viewing opportunities it doesn't seem to have been a problem yet. I use refractors but it's all glass in the end.

Dennis

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kev

kev

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Most reflectors these days come with silica overcoats on the aluminium. That would protect the ally from the chloride to some degree, although personnally I wouldnt want to try it too much. I would be concerned not only about the salt, but also the sand.... nice abrasive gritty stuff less than ideal for grinding mirrors(?). !

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Ogri

Ogri

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Aluminium definitely doesn't like salt. Some places across from the beach at Clevedon, used to have to replace their aluminium TV aerials every 12 months due to the salt in the air.

I'd certainly keep a close watch on mirror coatings, and maybe look into anything that's available to help protect them?

I've no idea if such products exist though.

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brianb

brianb

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Modern "premium" high reflectivity coatings are dielectric rather than metal film. They last a lot longer. You used to be able to get mirrors coated with rhodium rather than aluminimum, the reflectivity was a bit less but definitely no corrosion issue!

Salt spray can be a considerable problem near trunk roads in winter .... but, as a coastal observer, I find the main issue with salt spray is that it gets the optics dirty. A dew cap helps keep some of the spray off but I still have to clean exposed surfaces regularly. This is much easier to do with a refractor or a catadioptric scope than it is with a scope with exposed mirrors.

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Chris H

Chris H

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I live 150m from the sea and it an extremely corrosive environment when there is a northerly/on shore wind blowing I don't use my dob. The salt rusts everything terribly, for example powder coated steel with a 10 year guarantee is ruined in 2 years. You need a galvanised mirror :):D

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eyespy

eyespy

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well e few people there are voiceing concern me thinks...might be better to get either a mak or refractor as a second scope,something enclosing the optics to be safe :)thanks for all your input on this:headbang:

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Llamanaut

Llamanaut

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im in weymouth and regularly observe about a hundred metres from the sea... not had any problems so far and ive been doing it regularly for about a month, ive only had offshore winds though so any salt goes away from me not towards me, you could promise yourself never to observe when the winds coming from the direction of the sea... the biggest problem i had was from field pollen when i observed closer inland. You hardly get dew problems either on the coast... hope this helps?

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crazyjedi

crazyjedi

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I regularly observe from a site in wales just a few metres from the sea and haven't had a problem yet. As Paul said all but the cheapest mirrors should be very well coated and resistant to corrosion. However - they do say that Sea water is one of the most corrosive, natural substances known to man. You should be ok for a long time tho provided you don't take your scope down to the beach near the spray. :)

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