StarWars
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 11542
Loc: At The Movies
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How To Clean Telescope Optics.
http://www.astro-tom.com/tips_and_advice/cleaning_optics.htm
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werewolf6977
Lord High Smasher
Reged: 12/15/03
Posts: 7408
Loc: Hanover, Ohio
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You can link to http://www.Arksky.org/asoclean.html also. Pete
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Pete
6" Apogee/LXD55 - "The Beast"
Starhopper 6" Dob - "Shiva"
Spaceprobe 130 EQ - "Spacey"
Bushnell Fatboy
The Abomination
Sun Pak Pro 7500 Platinum Edition
10X25 Bushnell Camo Roofies
7X35 Tasco Classic Plastic (good views though)
7X42 Tasco Rare Bird
10X50 Nikon Actions (Type 7)
15X70 Skymasters - "DroolMeisters"
One ratty old IBM 600E LapTop
Edited by werewolf6977 (08/31/04 10:09 AM)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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How to Clean telescopes: As infrequently as possible by keeping them stored properly between use, by using them carefully, by keeping yourself clean, especiaaly your hands. By puuting them way in the condition that you bought them!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks apollo this was a very helpful thread for me.
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Mobius1
sage
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 471
Loc: Madison, WI / Gurnee, IL
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Prevention definitely is my number one method; always cover up when not in use. I never actually clean the optical surfaces unless absolutely necessary.
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Martin
Orion 100ED
Orion 120-ST EQ
PST-Ha
Celestron CGE 1100
Canon Rebel XSI
DSI-IIC
Yerkes Observatory Volunteer
(24" Cass on weekends)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Folks, you have to clean all external surfaces at least once a year. THE most common way to damage coatings on scopes/lenes more than a few years old is to NOT clean them.
I think I'll do a more complete post on this next week...
Steve White 
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Sphinx
journeyman
Reged: 07/17/05
Posts: 5
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The best guide I know of is by Marty Cohen at Company 7:
http://www.company7.com/library/clean.html
David
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Televue NP-101 on Vixen Sphinx
Orion XT6i Dob
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I agree, Com.7's and the TeleVue's are the most accurate I have seen; http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=143
Steve White
Private Citizen
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blandp11
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/19/05
Posts: 1938
Loc: Glen Ridge, NJ USA
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I follow the Astro-Physics instructions, which are applicable for SCT or MCT corrector plates. Instructions at the page bottom:
http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?tech_support/refractors/care_refractor
Philip
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Mostly refractors
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aven59
super member
Reged: 03/11/05
Posts: 102
Loc: France
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Soory to say that... But
I wear Glasses (Multi-coated) and I clean them once a day (carefully) without scratching them...
If you clean your eyepiece once a year, that's because you don't use it (at least for those with a small focal length...)
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Closed. Thank you.
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Ron123
member
Reged: 03/27/06
Posts: 15
Loc: nj
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The company seven is the site to view. Bought my scope from them. Clean and re-grease about every two years
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norman_lloyd
newbie
Reged: 05/22/06
Posts: 4
Loc: Calgary Alberta Canada
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I have noticed a fine film haze on the inside of my C-8 accompanied by what can only be described as a very fine line of circular "doodles". These are very faint and seem harmless, but what can be done to remove both the haze and the "doodles"? I can try to submit a picture...
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karim
super member
Reged: 11/09/05
Posts: 129
Loc: HB, California
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You said a very important thing that people miss most of the time, one must keep themselves clean. No oily or dirty hands, if you have long hair, pull it back, you'd be surprised how much small hair falls on the floor. Don't wear wool sweaters while handling your eyepieces and telescope.
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http://www.eyepiecereviews.com
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amys
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/06
Posts: 1761
Loc: Groton, CT
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i have noticed the same kind of film on the inside of my new NexStar 8i. I thought it was on the outside -- dew that had dried on the corrector. I tried to clean it today but the film clearly is on the inside.
Should anything be done about that? I certainly don't want to try taking it off. I wonder if it is really affecting the image that much.
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Amy
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StarsAbove
sage
Reged: 09/09/05
Posts: 202
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I noticed the same thing on my CPC800 when I got it. It certainly does NOT affect viewing. I THINK it is from being stored in the foam shipping block for over a year before it was sold to me. I think many foams outgass and leave a thin film on the optics. I could not swear to this. Needless to say I do NOT store the scope in the foam shipping blocks. I had reason to send my scope into Celestron recently for a minor service. At that time they cleaned the optics and now there is no more film on the inside of the corrector. You can, of course, remove the corrector and clean the inside. Instructions for doing that have been posted elsewhere on CN. But I was too timid to try this myself.
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David
CPC 800 XLT
102mm f/7 Achromat
41º32'N 81º32'W
http://astro.lightarts.net
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amys
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/06
Posts: 1761
Loc: Groton, CT
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Could be fumes from the foam -- I hadn't thought of that. I store the scope in a foam-padded case, which is necessary because I have to pack it into the car and drive to where I'm going to use it.
How much did it cost to have Celestron service it, if you don't mind my asking?
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Amy
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StarsAbove
sage
Reged: 09/09/05
Posts: 202
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Since the scope was under warranty, and they had authorized its return for a minor problem, they did not charge me anything. Of course I had to pay the shipping cost to them which were not small. It is my understanding that if you return your scope for any kind of repair, they routinely do a cleaning. Other people have had the same experience. It's a nice touch from Celestron. I have to admit they did a really great cleaning job.
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David
CPC 800 XLT
102mm f/7 Achromat
41º32'N 81º32'W
http://astro.lightarts.net
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karim
super member
Reged: 11/09/05
Posts: 129
Loc: HB, California
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I went to a star party once, as I was carefully walking around to experience other telescopes, in the pitch darkness I see a faint outline of a person moving their hand in a circular motion, as I approached I saw a man holding a piece of cloth cleaning the dew off his 4" lens, and when I say cleaning, he looked like he was using all of his strength to get the lense really shiny! As I got closer I saw the Takahashi logo...
I hesitated a couple of seconds before asking him to stop.
I didn't know whether I should keep quiet and not embarass the man in front of his friends or voice my concern and maybe save his $5000 telescope.
I asked to speak to him on the side, this will make him stop and I would be able to tell him without embarassing him.
I think the *FIRST* an amateur astronomer must learn is how to clean their telescope and whether they should do so in the first place. I also feel a big responsibility lies in the hands of the seller.
I don't blame that man for what he did, after all he *was* cleaning his scope. I do blame him though for getting into a potentially expensive hobby without at least talking to someone and asking for opinions and tips.
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http://www.eyepiecereviews.com
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LDb
sage
Reged: 02/01/08
Posts: 336
Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
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I'm an optical physicist and have been an amateur astronomer for 40 years or so -- this stuff (see below link) is terrific for all optical cleaning. There is absolutely no better way to clean optical surfaces and coatings out there -- ask the folks at Keck who use it, or NASA, or many others -- it's not expensive and does the best job leaving an absolutely immaculate surface without any kind of rubbing.
check out their site
http://photoniccleaning.com/
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10" LX200R-UHTC (on ScopeBuggy which is terrific)
ETX-90-RA
ATM'ed-8"f/8 and 4.25"f/10 planetary Newtonians
Brandon eyepieces: 48mm,32mm,24mm,7/8",12mm,16mm,8mm,6mm,4mm (yes-4mm; special build in 1985 from 1960 optics)
Dakin 2.4x Barlow
Vintage ep's:
Gailand 7mm WF, 16.3mm (THE Galoc), Bertele 18mm
Siebert Optics:
Black Knight BinoViewer, 0.6x-1x-2x Power Wheel, Matched 24mm Ultra eyepieces, 4x-8x telecentric zoom barlow
Astro-Tech Titan WF ep's: 38mm, 32mm, 26mm, 20mm, 15mm, 10mm
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scrubmonkey
member
Reged: 02/09/08
Posts: 65
Loc: Pensacola Florida USA
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I had accidentally tilted a can of canned air (specifically for optics) when a burst of greasy propellant sprayed on my corrector plate. Worried, I hit this forum, and armed with the knowledge imparted, I attempted to lightly clean the spot with a couple Q tips dipped in distilled soap and water. I made no progress, the spot remained.
After a bit more research I found and ordered the Zeiss Pre-Moistened Lens cloths at astronomics. After a light cleaning, the corrector plate was good as new. The Zeiss cloths are worth every penny.
Zeiss Cleaning Tissues
Mike
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Celestron C6 XLT SGT scope
CG5 mount w/ioptron goto NOVA kit
Meade QX Wide Angle ep 36mm
Meade ep 5.5mm
Celestron ep 12mm
Pensacola, Florida
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"First rule in government spending: why build one when you can have two at twice the price?"
- S.R. Hadden
Edited by Jason B (03/19/08 09:25 PM)
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