Dust in eyepieces?

[Manok101]

I've got dust in some of my eyepieces during the long month of mostly clouds. I was wondering what to do if that dust is on the other side of my eyepieces?

[Capricorn]

If it is on the outside glass surface then easy to clean off by whatever your prefered method is. Breath and tissue to cleaning fluid and cotton wool bud. Think Warthog said "Whats wrong with gassoline and wire wool?"

If the dust is inside then how did it get there. Eyepieces are fairly well sealed. Having said that I had one that came loose and rattled.

If the eyepiece is a plossl then it is not that difficult to take apart, clean and reassemble. The lens have a specific way of going in however. :confused:

If it is anything else then as the number of lens increases there is a greater chance of getting the reassembly wrong (lens order and orientation). It may be best to live with it.

Personally I would try disassembling a WA as they tend to have 5 elements in 3 groups so not too bad, more complex ones unless necessary I would leave. Did however work in optics and optical systems for 5 years, so they don't worry me too much.

P.S. If it is a short focal length the lens (plossl) are a pain in the rear as they are so small. Keeping fingers off them during reassembly is near impossible.

[ollypenrice]

When you say 'the other side' do you mean the bottom of the EP? The surface that receives the light? This can be awkward to get at but if you keep the EP upside down you should be able to get the barrel off and then reach the glass with a lens cloth. Just replace the barrel and you are done, without displacing the glass.

Olly

[Manok101]

Yeah, I meant the under side of the lense, or even the bottom part with all the coating stuff on it, I haven't taken the time to figure out where the dust is, it seems to be in two of the eyepieces, and I don't want to ruin my plossls, as these are fairly good quality.

[ollypenrice]

I think it may not be 'in' them at all. You may be seeing reflections of surface dust. Just get a lens cloth and cleaner from an optician and give them a gentle clean. I'm sure they will be fine.

Olly

[yeti monster]

Have you tried a hurricane blower to shift the dust? Before going rubbing away with cloths and tissues etc.

[OutThereSomewhere]

Perhaps try a Rocket Blower ? I suppose they're the same as the hurricane blower. They work well on camera gear.

[umadog]

Blower. If that fails use a soft a brush. Don't take it apart.