Transporting Telescope.....

[magic77]

Whats the best way of transporting your telescope?..Any top tips? Do`s and donts!!...All the Best for 2011 to all SGL Members...

[LukeSkywatcher]

Make it wear a seatbelt.

[umadog]

Don't go quickly over speed bumps. Mirrors don't like that.

[yeti monster]

I've allowed my wee Skymax 90 to endure the rigours of airport baggage handlers on 2 occasions, and it survived....

I wouldn't trust them with anything larger though.

[brantuk]

I usually bungee the ota onto the back seat and put the seatbelt on it for safety. The base goes in the boot again bungeed down. If you go long distance you may hear rattling where the car vibrations have loosened the mirror screws and/or locking screws. Stop and do them up a bit but not too tight (don't wanna crack anything going over a bump).

Hope that helps

[LukeSkywatcher]

It may sound stupid but tie that sucker down when it is in the car. a 10 minute drive might put the collimation out by a mile. Wrap it in a towel even before the seat belt goes on.

[umadog]

Yeah but you collimate each time, don't you ;-), so that shouldn't matter.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yeah but you collimate each time, don't you ;-), so that shouldn't matter.

I only have a 5" Dob which i move about 10ft from its storage space to observing space so collimation is a thing i do about every 6 months.

The bigger the scope the more often it should collimated.

[yeti monster]

Yeah but you collimate each time, don't you ;-), so that shouldn't matter.

I collimate as the need arises.

Foam sleeping mats are useful for isolating vibraiton during transit. I laid 4 mats down in the tub of my Land Rover when I took ny 10" SNT for a 30 mile drive. Collimation was only a tweek out when I came to set it up.

[acey]

For air travel, my small refractor goes in a rucksack with dewshield removed. For domestic dark-site trips, my 12" flextube goes in the boot of the car uncovered. Just make sure the scope can't roll - I have other gear packed around it to prevent this. I didn't have the problem with my old 8" dob which was lighter, but the first time I took the 12" out and braked at a red light I heard a noise from the boot as it rolled over. Did it no harm and I'd have collimated anyway as soon as I got to the site - but it alarmed me at the time. The 8" used to be taken on the same trip, and I collimated it about twice a year.

[BAZ Senior]

I wrap mine in an old quilt, then put it on a foam mat on the back seat ,well strapped in with seat belts. If you do hit something, you don't want to be getting intimate with your scope.

[Beulah]

I also use a quilt or sleeping bags..they double up as a way of warming up!