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Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all) caheaton Pooh-Bah Reged: 05/26/09 Loc: SW Ohio Cherry Springs arrival       #5228464 - 05/18/12 02:27 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hello, just curious as to when others are expecting to arrive and set up camp. I'm planning on getting to the park the Sunday before the start of the star party, figuring that staying all week will give me the best chance of having at least one good night of clear skies . Looking forward to it.... Post Extras:       Alvan Clark sage Reged: 03/13/10 Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: caheaton]       #5229966 - 05/19/12 04:39 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I don't know about other people but I base it on the weather. I don't show up and hope. If there are a few days that look good ahead of the party I go, if the few days look poor I don't go. Post Extras:       KHHoran member Reged: 04/06/12 Loc: Rochester, NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: Alvan Clark]       #5234265 - 05/22/12 03:27 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Craig, lucky you. My hubby is working on the evening of the 14th, so we won't be able to get there until early afternoon on the 15th. Save some clear skies for the rest of us! Post Extras:       George N Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/19/06 Loc: Binghamton & Indian Lake NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: KHHoran]       #5235018 - 05/23/12 12:18 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'll be there next month "whenever" depending on weather. I just spent 4 days (3 nights) at CSSP and others were there for 5 nights... all with clear sky day & night. We also had great seeing at times. I do hope that they mow the grass before next month. My pictures from May 17: pictures of CSSP from May 18th: CSSP pictures May 19th: CSSP pictures Post Extras:       caheaton Pooh-Bah Reged: 05/26/09 Loc: SW Ohio Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: George N]       #5236050 - 05/23/12 04:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very nice photo's, George. Thanks for sharing. I'm hoping the skies are as good as they were this past weekend. It was pretty good here too in SW Ohio for Thursday, Friday. Didn't get to make it to a "dark" sky site on Thursday, but did Friday and the 10" was able to show me some spiral arms on a couple of galaxies (M51 & M106)...just enough to wet my appetite for the big show at CSP! I was tempted to rent one of the observatories while I'm there, but I think I'll leave it for others...especially those who may wish to image and want to keep their scope out of any wind. I do think I'll look for one of the concrete pads...they may help with dew control. Post Extras:       George N Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/19/06 Loc: Binghamton & Indian Lake NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: caheaton]       #5236539 - 05/23/12 11:19 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: ......I was tempted to rent one of the observatories while I'm there, but I think I'll leave it for others...especially those who may wish to image and want to keep their scope out of any wind. I do think I'll look for one of the concrete pads...they may help with dew control. As of right now two of the observatorys are down for repairs..... and good luck with the pads.... they go fast. When I arrived last Thursday I could not believe that one guy who was not using a pad (he had a TV101) was nevertheless blocking the southern view from one with his large RV vehicle, thus making the pad useless for anyone else. All of the other pads were already taken . BTW, the pads are most important to big Dob guys (like me) because there is no need to level the scope. For pier and tripod rigs they don't provide much value. Dew? When it gets really bad at CSSP you need to be prepared. Last year at Black Forest all of the SCT guys were shut down, even if they had dew control. My Obsession 20 was soaked, but the dew heaters kept the secondary and eyepieces clear. For some reason my 5-inch APO's lens never dewed up and I kept the eyepiece clear by rubberbanding a handwarmer to it. This last time I had a little frost on an eyepiece for a while, but just warmed it in my pocket. It was so dry that there was no need for dew control. Post Extras:       KHHoran member Reged: 04/06/12 Loc: Rochester, NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: George N]       #5238578 - 05/25/12 09:05 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   George, does dew often get really bad at CSSP in June? I haven't been to the park yet, so I'm not familiar with the conditions there. I don't have an active dew control system on either of my scopes, only a shield for the SCT. I was wondering if it was recommended that I pick up some heaters. I hadn't planned on making this purchase quite yet, but I'd hate to go to the star party and end up twiddling my thumbs for 3 nights. -Kim Post Extras:       star drop Snowed In Reged: 02/02/08 Loc: Snow Plop, WNY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: KHHoran]       #5239822 - 05/25/12 10:05 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: George, does dew often get really bad at CSSP in June? I haven't been to the park yet, so I'm not familiar with the conditions there. I don't have an active dew control system on either of my scopes, only a shield for the SCT. I was wondering if it was recommended that I pick up some heaters. I hadn't planned on making this purchase quite yet, but I'd hate to go to the star party and end up twiddling my thumbs for 3 nights. -Kim Get the heater strips. Sometimes there is a vendor there that has some. Post Extras:       TonyDralle Pooh-Bah Reged: 08/17/06 Loc: Bethel Park, PA Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: star drop]       #5240278 - 05/26/12 07:21 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: George, does dew often get really bad at CSSP in June? I haven't been to the park yet, so I'm not familiar with the conditions there. I don't have an active dew control system on either of my scopes, only a shield for the SCT. I was wondering if it was recommended that I pick up some heaters. I hadn't planned on making this purchase quite yet, but I'd hate to go to the star party and end up twiddling my thumbs for 3 nights. Dew has been the limiting factor at CSSP for use of my Celestron 8SE SCT. My first night there, in June about five years ago, I had no dew protection at all, and had to shut down because of dew under pristine skies after only 90 minutes or so. The next day, I bought an AstroZap heated dew strip at the vendors tent, and that solved the dew problem -- well, it would have, if I had had a higher capacity power tank. That night, still clear, the smaller, 7Ah, Celestron tank only kept up with the power demands of the scope plus dew heater for about 2.5 hours. So now I use a 17Ah power tank dedicated to the dew strip and still use the 7Ah to power the scope. Another vote, with star drop : Quote: Get the heater strips. and be sure you have enough power! - Tony Post Extras:       droid rocketman Reged: 08/29/04 Loc: Conneaut, Ohio Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: TonyDralle]       #5240285 - 05/26/12 07:34 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Whats the going fee for using the observing field now??? I know they charge by the night. Post Extras:       Dave Mitsky Postmaster Reged: 04/08/02 Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: droid]       #5240697 - 05/26/12 01:13 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   It's $12 a night now. Dave Mitsky Post Extras:       droid rocketman Reged: 08/29/04 Loc: Conneaut, Ohio Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: Dave Mitsky]       #5240702 - 05/26/12 01:15 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Dave Post Extras:       Dave Mitsky Postmaster Reged: 04/08/02 Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: droid]       #5240959 - 05/26/12 04:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You're welcome. Since I stayed for five nights last week, my Galaxy Pass has paid for itself. Dave Mitsky Post Extras:       George N Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/19/06 Loc: Binghamton & Indian Lake NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: KHHoran]       #5241967 - 05/27/12 10:46 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: George, does dew often get really bad at CSSP in June? ....... -Kim Yes. June.... or any time of the year. I've had my scopes so wet with dew that they were looking like they were hosed down at times. I've seen dew start to form there before it even gets dark. I've also had so much frost on my 20-inch Dob that it was pure white. Expect dew more often than not. An SCT will need dew heaters on many nights. Post Extras:       KHHoran member Reged: 04/06/12 Loc: Rochester, NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: George N]       #5246168 - 05/29/12 06:55 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the advice so far regarding dew prevention (and power!). This question would probably serve best in another forum, but since we've already been talking about the dew at Cherry Springs, I'll go right ahead and ask it. What would be better for a SCT, dew heater strips or a heated dew shield? Can dew strips be used with a regular dew shield? Also, for a dob should you use dew prevention for the secondary as well as the primary? Shouldn't it be less affected since it is somewhat shielded by the secondary holder? -Kim Post Extras:       George N Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/19/06 Loc: Binghamton & Indian Lake NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: KHHoran]       #5246278 - 05/29/12 08:14 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: ......What would be better for a SCT, dew heater strips or a heated dew shield? Can dew strips be used with a regular dew shield? Also, for a dob should you use dew prevention for the secondary as well as the primary? Shouldn't it be less affected since it is somewhat shielded by the secondary holder? -Kim Can't say much about an SCT; ask in that forum. I will say that any scope with an exposed secondary mirror can need dew heat there at a wet place like CS. I've had the secondary in all 3 of my Newts and my RC Cass dew/frost up. I also run dew heat on my finders and eyepieces. Post Extras:       Eric P sage Reged: 04/04/05 Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: KHHoran]       #5251781 - 06/02/12 09:50 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: What would be better for a SCT, dew heater strips or a heated dew shield? Can dew strips be used with a regular dew shield? I've tried both setups on my Mak and the AstroZap shield is better and more even in removing the 'fog' than the shield/heated strip combo I was using. Post Extras:       KHHoran member Reged: 04/06/12 Loc: Rochester, NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: Eric P]       #5259913 - 06/07/12 11:22 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks, all! I picked up some Dew-Not heaters for the SCT to go with my regular AstroZap shield, and will be all set for next weekend. Will be looking around at everyone's setup and how they handle dew, to see if I want to go the heated dew shield route sometime in the future. Eric, if you're there, I wouldn't mind taking a look at your heated dew shield, especially if it happens that we're really plagued by dew. (Knock on wood!) Post Extras:       caheaton Pooh-Bah Reged: 05/26/09 Loc: SW Ohio Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: KHHoran]       #5260495 - 06/07/12 04:56 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   In reaction to this thread I picked up some extra dew straps and an additional battery so I should be all set as well. Enough dew straps for the the secondary on the dob, objective on the refractor and also both finders, plus one for the ep. (I'm not about to let dew run me out of this ). I've also made a sign with the cloudy nights logo, my screen name and avatar so I can be readily recognized. Feel free to drop by! :-) Post Extras:       George N Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/19/06 Loc: Binghamton & Indian Lake NY Re: Cherry Springs arrival [Re: caheaton]       #5261228 - 06/08/12 01:05 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Who's bringing a lawn mower?? Just hope that they have mowed the field since last month. I had to borrow a mower from some guys who brought one to clear out a "pad" for my 20-inch Dob a month ago. ....anyway.... the weather forecast is looking good all of a sudden..... hope that it holds. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all)

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