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Telescope cleaning
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Author | Message |
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reimk4526 Send message Joined: 4 Mar 08 Posts: 136 Credit: 200,400 RAC: 0 |
I need to clean the main mirror on my reflector telescope but, I'm not sure how to do it with out removing or risking damaging it. Any help is appreciated. Thank You |
Kai Send message Joined: 30 Jun 09 Posts: 619 Credit: 15,732 RAC: 0 |
You might want to try this linked video tutorial: How to Clean your Telescope Mirror "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein Vextor Homepage | Vextor Blog |
momo19 Send message Joined: 26 Jul 09 Posts: 240 Credit: 429,662 RAC: 0 |
I don't have any telescope, I look the sky with my poor eyes. But for those who have one, it is a very practical link, to show how to clean telescope Mirrors. A friend " All The Universe sings the Praises Of Your Lord, but you do not understand its singing(song) ". |
enzed Send message Joined: 27 Mar 05 Posts: 347 Credit: 1,681,694 RAC: 0 |
to do the job fully you will need to take the mirror out the bottom, it usually has 4 or 6 etc screws/bolts in the frame holding the mirror in place around the circumference. I use a weak solution of alcohol based glass cleaner. I would recommend against using your hand, your body has acidic coating on the skin. use a womans makeup brush to gently wash the surface. After putting the mirror back into the scope you will have to realign "collimate" the mirror, this is done by slowly turning the three big screw ends/knobs poking out the bottom of the mirror mount. Have a browse on the web and look up how to do this the easy way. cheers |
skildude Send message Joined: 4 Oct 00 Posts: 9541 Credit: 50,759,529 RAC: 60 |
removing the mirror is a really bad idea. the mirror has been set in position for proper reflection onto the occular mirror. returning the screws/mirror to the exact same settings is pretty daunting(voice of experience) I'd think a bit of canned air or lens paper gently wiped on the lens would suffice. I assume you kept the appeture covered when not in use so the worst you'd have is a bit of dust. In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face. Diogenes Of Sinope |
reimk4526 Send message Joined: 4 Mar 08 Posts: 136 Credit: 200,400 RAC: 0 |
I have been told of this technique before and would prefer use it, but am stumped as to how to remove the dust from the telescopes tube altogether. |
skildude Send message Joined: 4 Oct 00 Posts: 9541 Credit: 50,759,529 RAC: 60 |
face the appeture down. spray canned air into the opeing without expelling the liquid. the dust will settle down. repeat until you are dust free. In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face. Diogenes Of Sinope |
ML1 Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 20518 Credit: 7,508,002 RAC: 20 |
face the appeture down. spray canned air into the opeing without expelling the liquid. the dust will settle down. repeat until you are dust free. Errr... For cleaning any optics, are not "spray cans" "not recommended" because of the danger of expelling the spray can liquid and so staining the very thing you're trying to clean...? Similarly so, don't try blowing it clean with your own breath due to the danger of blowing dust and spittle onto the optics. Try using a camera lens cleaning blower or whatever filtered air or compressed inert gas supply. (With the telescope aperture face downwards so that the dust falls away.) There must be lots of advice for this on the web and on telescope sites. Hope that helps. Good luck, Martin See new freedom: Mageia Linux Take a look for yourself: Linux Format The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3) |
kasule francis Send message Joined: 9 Jul 08 Posts: 293 Credit: 104,493 RAC: 0 |
VIRTUAL TELESCOPE BIRTH DAY We choose to go to the moon and to do other things, we choose to go to the moon not because its easy but because its hard. kennedy |
Dirk Villarreal Wittich Send message Joined: 25 Apr 00 Posts: 2098 Credit: 434,834 RAC: 0 |
Wayne Rosing on Telescopes and Computer Science--->Instituto de AstrofÃsica de Canarias Original English Version with subtitles in Spanish. |
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