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Tony Legge
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 9
Location: Cambridge, England
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 Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:03 pm Post subject: How to store a Dobson telescope? |
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| Hi all, I have acquired a 10" Orion Optics which I am very pleased with. This is on a very robust equitorial mount, too heavy for easy moving and needing too much storage space. So the OTA will soon go onto a Dobson mount. My question is - Can the tube be stored upright when not in use, on its mount? I read that this should not be done as 'dust settles on the mirror.' What? Through the tube end cap? This unit needs to have a small 'footprint' in my study. What is the usual practice? Best, Tony |
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Norbs
Joined: 09 Aug 2006
Posts: 5
Location: Cheshire, UK
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| Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Tony,
I store my 8" in its upright position. I would imagine any dust already in the tube with the cap on would fall to the mirror in seconds so I recon it makes no difference how long your dob is stored.
Perhaps someone knows something I don't, which is likely 
I wonder if the advice was for a truss dobsonian which perhaps has an unprotected mirror.
Regards |
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G4LED
Joined: 24 Nov 2006
Posts: 24
Location: Holmfirth UK
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| Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 10:54 am Post subject: Storing and shifting an Intelliscope 10" dob. |
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Tony. I store the dob in a garage adjacent to the viewing area on the tarmac drive. The OTA on my Orion (US made) 10" Intelliscope dob stores vertically; dust is excluded with a roughly shaped doubled cotton bed sheet shroud. This is slipped over from the top down and tucked under the baseplate. The bottom mirror is indeed horizontal but stays clean as there is little residual dust in the tube after use-it is usually a tad windy here in the Pennines. The whole assembly has the weight low down and is stable; carrying a few metres into position is straightforward. It is of course not the weight of the dob that is a portability issue but the widening base shape that clobbers the shins. I lift vertically from the trunnion axis sideholes and can move around as needed. Lowering has to be done with bended knees, the sole manoevre that is a slight, but brief, strain.
Regards G4LED
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"Holme Valley Weather" Davis Vantage Pro+ station; XT10 Orion Intelliscope(frontspiece) |
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