Page 87 - BBC Sky at Night - September 2017 UK

SKILLS SCOPE DOCTOR SEPTEMBER 87

Scope With alleviate some strain
Simply lying back in
a camping chair will
Steve
Richards
DOCTOR

Our equipment specialist cures your
I have a pair of binoculars, but struggle
optical ailments and technical maladies to keep them steady. What’s the best

way to stabilise them?
JO COCHRANE
A good dry garage is an
excellent place to store Binoculars are a really great way of enjoying the
a telescope; but also night sky as a wide range of fascinating celestial
consider boxing it up objects can be observed through them. However,
after a relatively short period of observing, your
neck muscles may well start to ache and soon after
that, your arm muscles will start to complain at the
weight. It is at this point that the view will start to
waver as you fail to hold the binoculars steady.
A low cost, low tech solution is to simply
lie back on a sun lounger. However, there are
technical solutions ranging from simple altaz
mounts on a basic tripod through to substantial
parallelogram mounts such as the Orion
Paragon-Plus. You can even make or buy a
simple cradle with a front silvered mirror that
will allow you to look down at the reflection
of the night sky in a very comfortable seated
I am planning to store my Meade LX90 in position. Have a look at the ScopeTeknix

an airtight and waterproof box in a brick Binoflex ST50 mirror binocular mounting.
garage. What else should I consider?
CHARLES MCCAUL STEVE’S TOP TIP

Telescope storage is a common box will offer some good protection +RZ!GR!,!FDOFXODWH!WKH!PDJQL"FDWLRQ!
problem for astronomers as the from this. The advantage of a
unwieldiness of our instruments cool environment is that the of my eyepiece?
is not always compatible with family temperature stabilisation, which It can often be useful to know what magnification
life or smaller dwellings! is so important at the start of an you are using when observing the night sky,
The main requirements for safe observing or imaging session to especially if you are following someone else’s
storage are that the storage area is avoid tube currents, will be achieved guide to observing a particular object.
secure, dust-free, dry, free from quicker – thus extending your Magnification is affected by two parameters,
extreme temperature changes but time at the eyepiece. the focal length of the telescope and the focal
length of the eyepiece. The telescope focal length
ideally cool, and easily accessible. Storing your telescope in a well-
Outbuildings make useful storage sealed box, as you intend, will protect can usually be found on a plaque attached
to the telescope and most eyepieces have their
areas and a brick-built garage it from dust and direct water ingress,
like yours is a good starting point, but there is still the potential for focal length silk screen printed on the barrel.
To find the magnification of your telescope/
moisture from the air to gain access.
PETE LAWRENCE, STEPHEN TONKIN although the roof construction worthwhile placing some silica gel Steve Richards is a keen astro imager
eyepiece combination, simply divide the
Because of this it would also be
and position with regard to the
telescope focal length by the eyepiece focal
Sun are important considerations.
length in the same units.
inside the box as a precaution.
Temperature stability is a bonus
Always ensure that the telescope
because temperature changes and
high humidity levels result in
is free from condensation before
returning it to its box by leaving it
condensation, which should be
and an astronomy equipment expert
in a dry area for a few hours first.
avoided at all costs. Your sealed
Email your queries to scopedoctor@skyatnightmagazine.com
skyatnightmagazine.com 2017