Nexstar 127 slt cleaning

[bm1980]

Hi i am just cleaning my eyepieces and diagonal with jessops isopropyl cleaning fluid on cotton buds and next i would like to clean the main lense at the end of my scope which has become slightly dirty. Is it ok to clean the lense with the fluid on a cleaning cloth? I have heard people say never touch it and others say it is ok, i would apreciate a few pointers on cleaning a mak telescope as i dont want to scratch it and make things worse

Thanks

Ben

[great_bear]

You're right that the biggest risk is scratching, second risk is damaging the coatings.

The best way I find (and I have a scope very similar to yours) is to blow off any surface dust and dirt, then lightly drag the *back* of a lint-free cloth across the lens to lift away any abrasive particles, shake the cloth out, and then breathe on the lens and wipe the mist off using the *front* of the lint-free cloth, with as little pressure as possible against the lens.

The use of cleaning fluids isn't normally required, and if it is, I'd not use Isopropyl but Baader Wonder Fluid instead.

[great_bear]

Forgot to say that you really, really ought not to use Isopropyl on a mirror diagonal. Even eyepieces is risking it with older units.

[bm1980]

Thanks for the advise Jeremy, i will have a go using the method you described and i will lay of with the Isopropyl

thanks

Ben