6 replies to this topic

[striperseeker]

I am original owner of a Meade 2080 Premier 50 SCT. It has the MCOG feature. I noticed the other day that the corrector plate looks a little "cloudy" on the inside. Is this normal due to the age? It was bought by me in 1990 at Redlich Optical in Alexanderia VA.  I also saw some dust and a "foreign object" on the main mirror. Is it worth the trouble to take it apart and clean it? I read where 90% clean is good. It's well collimated. Trouble is, I don't have anything to compare the visual images to with which I can say, hey it looks good or not.

TIA

Mark

 

 

 

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[starman876]

all SCT's correctors get this cloudy look after a while.  we just clean it if it really bothers you.   As far as how good are the images with your scope it depends on many factors.  The first one being how good the optics in the scope are. eyepiece quality and then external factors like seeing.   If you have never cleaned one before then look up the many threads on this subject which provide very good instructions.

[LukaszLu]

Before you start cleaning anything, do a little experiment. Take a powerful LED flashlight and shine it directly on the bathroom mirror that you think is clean ... ;-)

[CHASLX200]

Looks ok to me as is.  But mark the corrector before you remove it and put it back the way it was.

[starman876]

Before you start cleaning anything, do a little experiment. Take a powerful LED flashlight and shine it directly on the bathroom mirror that you think is clean ... ;-)

LED flashlights will make any mirror look horrible.   If any sleeks are left behind from cleaning they will be revealed by an LED flashlight.   

[LukaszLu]

LED flashlights will make any mirror look horrible.   If any sleeks are left behind from cleaning they will be revealed by an LED flashlight.   

That's the point. If someone starts torturing himself by shining strong LED light directly on the mirror surface (the same goes for the lens...), the prognosis for the mental state and the condition of the mirror is poor :-)

Edited by LukaszLu, 16 January 2021 - 09:28 AM.

[starman876]

That's the point. If someone starts torturing himself by shining strong LED light directly on the mirror surface (the same goes for the lens...), the prognosis for the mental state and the condition of the mirror is poor :-)

I had a C14 brand new from Celestron.  When I received the scope my LED flashlight revealed all kinds of streaks on the primary.  I sent it back to Celestron.  They said you should not shine a flashlight on the mirror.  I said bull.   They finally replaced the optics.  I thought that someone wiped the primary a little to hard at the factory.  That scope with the replaced optic set  had great optics.  I think when someone sends a scope back because you are not happy with the optics they magically find a better set for you.