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I am about to take my dob to the desert southwest for two months and I am pretty sure where I will be setting up has a dirt surface. Does anyone have any idea how I can protect the primary mirror from getting dusty? It is so close to the ground. I have no idea how I would get it clean if some debris were to be kicked up nearby. The only thing I can think of is to have a good sized ground cloth under it, but that seems like an imperfect solution.
Hello Marian.
The ground cloth sounds like the place to begin.
If you have wind and blowing dust that would be more of a problem of course.
Maybe putting a cloth "Shower Cap" over the mirror end would give some protection to dust at ground Ievel.
I use a tarp (Harbor Freight has many different sizes) laid out and then outdoor carpet on top of that when I'm out in the field. Also, I use elasticized plastic shower caps for both ends of my telescope tube when it is not in use.
Believe it or not unless some kind of liquid material gets into your telescope tube and onto your mirror, it will not get dirty enough to necessitate a cleaning while you are out in the field. Your telescope mirror can get very very dirty before you see any significant degradation in performance.
I also use a tarp - the camping kind that you place under your tent if you are familiar with that sort of thing. Seems to work OK when I am out at dark sky locations. Also, don't want ants, spiders, or other critters to get into the OTA.
-Michael Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50 Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl Camera: ZWO ASI 120 Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs Latitude: 48.7229° N
helicon wrote: ↑Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:03 pm
I also use a tarp - the camping kind that you place under your tent if you are familiar with that sort of thing. Seems to work OK when I am out at dark sky locations. Also, don't want ants, spiders, or other critters to get into the OTA.
I have used so far a 4x4 sheet of 3/4" plywood and to keep bugs and spiders out of the primary on my xt10i.. I got some mosquito screening at the dollar store that they sell for doors. (very fine mesh) I put that screening between my cooling fan cover and the bottom of the mirror base. All kept in place with velcro.
One of the most common things I have seen used at star parties is a section of outdoor carpetting/ astroturf.
Not very heavy, hard to destroy and will not become slippery with snow/ water on it.
Gabrielle See Far Sticks: Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser 127/1200 BV, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS 100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885 EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, SXP2, AXJ, AXD Az/Alt: AYO Digi II, Stellarvue M2C, Argo Navis encoders on both Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102 Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Tak prism, TAL, Vixen Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss (1011110) The only culture I have is from yogurt