What's the best way to maintain the telescope?

[tom33pr]

Hi there,

What do you use to clean lenses/mirrors?

Could you please list a few 'rules of thumb' regarding the general telescope maintenence?

Thanks in advance.

[John]

For lenses (not mirrors) the Baader Optical Wonder fluid and their micro fibre cloth are excellent.

For mirrors just blow the dust / debris off with a hurricane puffer (manually operated !) and only wash when filthy - there are lots of threads on how to do that on SGL !.

[Zakalwe]

For lenses (not mirrors) the Baader Optical Wonder fluid and their micro fibre cloth are excellent.

For mirrors just blow the dust / debris off with a hurricane puffer (manually operated !) and only wash when filthy - there are lots of threads on how to do that on SGL !.

"Filthy" means covered in a thick layer of dust or stuck-on detritus, not a few tiny spots or some specks of dust.

[John]

"Filthy" means covered in a thick layer of dust or stuck-on detritus, not a few tiny spots or some specks of dust.

Yep - that's my meaning for the word as well

[pbyrne]

I have found that it is rarely necessary to clean a mirror. My dob had a mirror that was dirty, not filthy, the dust and specks of dirt were clearly seen, yet it did not affect the views.

I would leave it alone, if the circle at the centre of the mirror cannot be seen, then it might be time for a clean.

There are many sites on the web that can help you out.

[Moonshane]

I only use mirrors these days but my rules are:

1) never shine a torch down your tube - makes the mirror look filthy

2) never clean your mirror

3) don't ever clean your mirror

4) if you think it needs a clean then reconsider.

In truth you can clean your mirror if required but you should do it very carefully using methods which are all over the internet. One of the best I have seen by a fellow SGL member is

Even a quite dirty mirror can still perform just as well (as far as your eyes can tell) as a pristine one and certainly better than a scratched one.

[ollypenrice]

Look through your optics, not at them.

Olly

[tom33pr]

2) never clean your mirror

3) don't ever clean your mirror

4) if you think it needs a clean then reconsider.

...I like that!

[Astro_Baby]

Look through your optics, not at them.

Olly

Would to God we could in the uk look through them.