RE: [Utah-astronomy] seeking advice
Joe, I've cleaned my corrector plate a couple times over the 6 years that I've had my 10" LX200. Here are a few good references. I've, of course, always waited until there was a pretty bad "dirty film" on the corrector before cleaning it. You could also search the archives at mapug.com According to "thee" LX200 guru - Doc G., the correctors on the LX's are pretty resilient. However, keep in mind what Dr. Clay says..."Although we are attempting to obtain the best possible light transmission efficiency from our optics by cleaning them free of deposits, film and debris, lock firmly in your memory that cleaning coated optical surfaces is the single-most damaging action that will be done to them, short of actual physical damage or breakage. No matter how careful, how delicate, nor what cleaning solution is used.....every time cleaned will result in a microscopically-reduced optical performance than before cleaning." http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/lx_corre.htm http://m1.aol.com/kewtasheck/corrector.html http://www.arksky.org/asoclean.htm
-----Original Message----- From: Joe Bauman [mailto:bau@desnews.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 8:13 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: [Utah-astronomy] seeking advice
Hi, I'm hoping one of our list folks can give me some information as soon as convenient. I'm planning to head out for some astrophotography soon, and as I was working on some problems (like making a hyperfocal lens), I had the telescope set up during the daytime. This gave me a good look at the corrector plate and it was fairly dusty. The last time I cleaned a corrector plate was with my old Celestron 8" and I really screwed things up -- I took the corrector off and failed to note its alignment, so I got it back on wrong. I was never again able to collimate it well. Now with my new 12" I don't want to make mistakes and I won't be taking the corrector off.
What I would like someone to tell me -- particularly an experienced old hand like Patrick, Chuck, Siegfried, Bruce, etc., etc. -- is a good, safe, quick way to clean the dust from the surface of the corrector. Any suggestions? Or does anyone have any stories to share on this?
Thanks very much, Joe
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Aloha Joe I've always used canned air at about 6-8", then followed by a fine hair brush for the stubborn motes and then if needed to remove smudges or fingerprints, a good lens cleaner and a good optical quality cleaning cloth used easily on the surface. I do this when the corrector REALLY needs it (about once a year). Rob
Yokwe Yuk! as we used to say in the Marshall Islands. (Rob, as far as I know, it means the same things as Aloha.) The more I hear about the many hazards of cleaning, the less inclined I am to do it until the corrector plate is really dirty. Regarding telescope optics, I guess cleanliness often isn't next to godliness. This plate has some dust and one tiny droplet of something, maybe a raindrop that dried there. The image is still sharp and contrasty. In a year, when it has collected more grime, maybe I should look over all this excellent advice I've received today and decide what to do. For now I am still a little gun-shy because of botching the job with my 8". Best wishes to all, Joe
Just one caution about canned air. Keep the can vertical. Don't turn the can upside down or even sideways as that will allow the propellant to spray out. Don't know what the propellant is but it leaves a yucky film. Patrick Rob Ratkowski wrote:
I've always used canned air at about 6-8", then followed by a fine hair brush for the stubborn motes and then if needed to remove smudges or fingerprints, a good lens cleaner and a good optical quality cleaning cloth used easily on the surface. I do this when the corrector REALLY needs it (about once a year).)
Right Patrick Keep the can vertical otherwise there is a propellent residue that is left and a bigger problem is made to deal with. Rob
--- Patrick Wiggins <paw@trilobyte.net> wrote:
Don't know what the propellant is but it leaves a yucky film.
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participants (5)
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Chuck Hards -
Dale Hooper -
Joe Bauman -
Patrick Wiggins -
Rob Ratkowski