Telescope Winter Use

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George
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:32 pm
Location: Oakdale, MN.

Telescope Winter Use

Post by George »

Here's a beginners question. I attempted to look up the answer my self, but ran into some conflicting suggestions (who would have thought?) so I figured it's best to ask here.

To use a scope on my outside deck (NexStar 4SE in my case), outside temp 10 degrees f, inside temp 75 degrees f. Move it outside for a period of time to get acclimatized to the temperature before using, Ok, but what to do when bringing it back into a warm house with it's humidity? Allow to air dry naturally? Wrap it in something to slow/minimize the condensation while it's warming up? Lens caps on or off?

Somewhat a sidebar question.... How about the cold effect on the GoTo drive grease?

I'm not really intending to spend much time outside this winter with the scope but there will probably be a few times at least so I thought I should find out the best way to prevent any damage.

tnx
George
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Sureshks
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Real Name: Suresh Sreenivasan
Location: Hopkins, MN

Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by Sureshks »

Hello George,

It's best to put the telescope outside a couple hours before use to allow it to adjust to the ambient temperature. If it is not fully adjusted you may see "wavy" images, particularly on solar system objects, which diminishes the scope's performance. It's also helpful to get a dew removal system (Kendrick, Dew Not, AstroZap, Thousand Oaks Optical...) to keep moisture off of your optics during the night.

When bringing it back inside after a night of observing... do not cover the optics. If you do that enough times, you risk getting a ring of moisture baked into the optical coatings. I did that a long time ago with my C8. Instead, just leave it open inside and let the optics warm back up to room temperature. It usually takes a couple hours to adjust back, particularly when it's very cold outside. Once it's warmed up you can put the caps back on for storage.

I hope this helps!

Suresh
Suresh Sreenivasan
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Deane Clark
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Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by Deane Clark »

Ideally one would avoid letting it get covered in condensation once you bring it inside. If you have a good case for the OTA and the OTA itself is not covered in dew or frost, my advice would be to put the lens caps on and place it in the case outside and close the case before bringing it in. Then, after a few hours, or next morning, be sure to take it out of the case and check for any dew or dampness. If found, then let it dry out without lens caps on. Set yourself a reminder to check. Again, I think of this as the ideal situation when you have a good moisture proof case and the scope isn’t already damp or frosted. If not, then certainly follow Suresh’ advice.

But, I would add one other thing. When you bring the scope inside, assuming it has a corrector plate, then I would cap the visual back or just leave the eyepiece in so that humidity will not get in the interior of the tube.
Deane Clark
Eagle Lake Observatory keyholder
------------------------
I can quit any time I want. I just don't want to.
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George
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:32 pm
Location: Oakdale, MN.

Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by George »

Thank you both for your comments. I'm looking forward to getting my scope out a few times this winter and I'll do my best to keep it dry while it's warming up on it's return.

George
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wmaalouli
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:58 pm
Real Name: Walid Maalouli

Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by wmaalouli »

In my experience with my GoTo dobs, temperatures below the 30's start affecting drive performance with lubrication becoming viscous, and the LCD on the hand controller becomes very dim, not to mention issues with computers, tablets and phones. I generally relegate my astronomy activities to small non-electronic scopes between December and March, in my case the Meade Mini Lightbridge 114 and the Celestron 15x70 binoculars (on a parallelogram mount), and rarely can tolerate more than a couple of hours of exposure even with appropriate clothing (I have mediterranean blood :lol).
On the plus side, avoiding electronic aids during that time gives me a chance to sharpen my star hopping skills.
Telescopes: Orion XTg-8 dobsonian, Meade Mini Lightbridge 114 reflector, Meade ETX-70,80 and 90
Binoculars: Celestron 15x70
emma999
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2023 7:30 pm

Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by emma999 »

George wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:31 pm Here's a beginners question. I attempted to look up the answer my self, but ran into some conflicting suggestions (who would have thought?) so I figured it's best to ask here.

To use a scope on my outside deck (NexStar 4SE in my case), outside temp 10 degrees f, inside temp 75 degrees f. Move it outside for a period of time to get acclimatized to the temperature before using, Ok, but what to do when bringing it back into a warm house with it's humidity? Allow to air dry naturally? Wrap it in something to slow/minimize the condensation while it's warming up? Lens caps on or off?

Somewhat a sidebar question.... How about the cold effect on the GoTo drive grease? The poncho I'm wearing now is great for keeping my body warm in this type of weather. I'm planning to buy some poncho here again so that I'll have different options to choose from.

I'm not really intending to spend much time outside this winter with the scope but there will probably be a few times at least so I thought I should find out the best way to prevent any damage.

tnx
George
That's a great question, and it's always wise to seek advice when it comes to taking care of your equipment. When transitioning your telescope, like the NexStar 4SE, from a cold outdoor environment to a warm indoor space, there are a few things you can do to minimize any potential damage.

Firstly, it's generally recommended to allow the telescope to gradually adjust to the indoor temperature. This can be done by bringing it inside and leaving it in a protected area, such as a case or bag, for some time. Allowing it to gradually warm up helps minimize sudden temperature changes that could lead to condensation.

In terms of condensation, you can consider using a dew shield or wrap the telescope in a breathable cloth or plastic bag to slow down the temperature transition and minimize the potential for moisture buildup. This can help protect the lenses and other sensitive components. As for lens caps, it's generally a good practice to keep them on during temperature transitions to prevent any dust or debris from settling on the optics.

Regarding the GoTo drive grease, extreme cold temperatures can affect the performance of the grease. It's always a good idea to consult the manufacturer's recommendations or user manual for specific guidelines on temperature ranges and maintenance procedures. They may provide insights on the effects of cold temperatures on the drive system and any necessary precautions or lubrication adjustments.

Remember, taking a few extra steps to protect your equipment during temperature transitions can go a long way in preventing any potential damage. Enjoy your stargazing sessions this winter, and if you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Clear skies!
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Deane Clark
Posts: 2446
Joined: Wed May 19, 2004 11:38 pm
Location: Mpls

Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by Deane Clark »

emma999 wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2023 8:57 pm
George wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:31 pm Here's a beginners question. I attempted to look up the answer my self, but ran into some conflicting suggestions (who would have thought?) so I figured it's best to ask here.

To use a scope on my outside deck (NexStar 4SE in my case), outside temp 10 degrees f, inside temp 75 degrees f. Move it outside for a period of time to get acclimatized to the temperature before using, Ok, but what to do when bringing it back into a warm house with it's humidity? Allow to air dry naturally? Wrap it in something to slow/minimize the condensation while it's warming up? Lens caps on or off?

Somewhat a sidebar question.... How about the cold effect on the GoTo drive grease? The poncho I'm wearing now is great for keeping my body warm in this type of weather. I'm planning to buy some poncho here again so that I'll have different options to choose from.

I'm not really intending to spend much time outside this winter with the scope but there will probably be a few times at least so I thought I should find out the best way to prevent any damage.

tnx
George
That's a great question, and it's always wise to seek advice when it comes to taking care of your equipment. When transitioning your telescope, like the NexStar 4SE, from a cold outdoor environment to a warm indoor space, there are a few things you can do to minimize any potential damage.

Firstly, it's generally recommended to allow the telescope to gradually adjust to the indoor temperature. This can be done by bringing it inside and leaving it in a protected area, such as a case or bag, for some time. Allowing it to gradually warm up helps minimize sudden temperature changes that could lead to condensation.

In terms of condensation, you can consider using a dew shield or wrap the telescope in a breathable cloth or plastic bag to slow down the temperature transition and minimize the potential for moisture buildup. This can help protect the lenses and other sensitive components. As for lens caps, it's generally a good practice to keep them on during temperature transitions to prevent any dust or debris from settling on the optics.

Regarding the GoTo drive grease, extreme cold temperatures can affect the performance of the grease. It's always a good idea to consult the manufacturer's recommendations or user manual for specific guidelines on temperature ranges and maintenance procedures. They may provide insights on the effects of cold temperatures on the drive system and any necessary precautions or lubrication adjustments.

Remember, taking a few extra steps to protect your equipment during temperature transitions can go a long way in preventing any potential damage. Enjoy your stargazing sessions this winter, and if you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Clear skies!
It appears we’ve had an AI chat bot join the forum.
Deane Clark
Eagle Lake Observatory keyholder
------------------------
I can quit any time I want. I just don't want to.
www.aponon.org
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Dick Jacobson
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Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 9:21 pm
Location: Cottage Grove, MN

Re: Telescope Winter Use

Post by Dick Jacobson »

If possible, I'd recommend keeping your equipment in an unheated structure (garage, shed, observatory, vehicle). Over the years I've usually kept my equipment in a garage and have had little trouble with condensation or temperature changes.

Good AI detection, Deane! The post by "emma999" exhibits typical chat bot characteristics - reasonable sounding language with no first-hand knowledge behind it. Someone on Cloudy Nights did an experiment, asking a chat bot how to build a telescope, and the response was utter nonsense. It's like someone who spends their entire life in a library with no real world experience. Chat bots use the cheap trick of predicting the most likely sequence of words that a human would produce, based on statistics gathered while reading libraries.
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