{"id":31198,"date":"2022-04-13T11:20:16","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T11:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=107434"},"modified":"2022-04-13T11:31:18","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T11:31:18","slug":"how-to-improve-your-telescope-set-up","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/how-to-improve-your-telescope-set-up\/","title":{"rendered":"How to improve your telescope set-up"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Martin Mobberly\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 13 April 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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T<\/span>elescopes look great in the glossy pages of a magazine and, in the hands of dedicated and patient observers, they can deliver excellent views.<\/p>\n

However, in practice it is often a different story: a telescope frequently needs adjustment and a number of accessories before it becomes user-friendly.<\/p>\n

In this guide we\u2019ll reveal how to soup up and improve not just your telescope, but your astronomy observing set-up as a whole, with tips, hacks and advice on how to streamline the process and make your telescope give you better views of the night sky.<\/p>\n

With a few simple adjustments to your telescope and an overhaul of your night workspace, you can make those observing bugbears disappear.<\/p>\n

For more observing advice, read our guide on how to become a better astronomer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Keep notes during your observing sessions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Keep a log book for observing, but you can also keep a separate one to note down practical steps to improve your telescope set-up.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Many observers use an astronomer\u2019s log book<\/a> to note down what they\u2019ve observed through their telescope, but how about making notes on the observing session itself?<\/span><\/p>\n

Were you comfortable? Was there anything you needed that you had to temporarily stop your observing to go and fetch? Could anything have made it better?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy enough to think of these things at the time, but it\u2019s just as easy to forget them between one evening observing and the next night with clear skies.<\/p>\n

Make sure you have a notebook and a pen packed in your observing kit. The next night you head out with your telescope,<\/span>\u00a0note down all the little, minute-by-minute improvements that you think you could make.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will be key to methodically deciding where and how to make improvements.<\/p>\n

Consider a permanent telescope enclosure<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A telescope pier with a homemade protective shield is a great option. Credit: Robert Lucas<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

For starters, unless you have a small altazimuth-mounted telescope, there will have been plenty of nights when you wished your telescope was permanently stored outdoors.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not all super-strong and most people find lugging anything heavier than 15kg (30lb) about on damp and cold nights a less-than-relaxing experience.<\/p>\n

So if you have a garden, think seriously about improving your observing facilities by permanently storing it in an enclosure.<\/p>\n

You could build a wheeled telescope tripod<\/a>, or build a telescope rolling dolly<\/a>. You could also construct a telescope pier<\/a> and build a protective enclosure for your telescope piller<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Or you could even trying building a home observatory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Observatories come in all shapes and sizes: as well as domes, there are run-off sheds, run-off roof buildings, hinged boxes and \u2018kennels\u2019 from which your telescope slides out. Much simpler solutions are worth considering too.<\/p>\n

In recent years \u2018wheeley bars\u2019 have proved popular for improving telescope set-up times and accessibility.<\/p>\n

These consist of castors attached to a skeleton arrangement that fits to the bottom of the telescope tripod or pedestal, enabling even large telescopes to be moved easily.<\/p>\n

Use finderscopes and circles<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A decent set of finderscopes<\/a> is essential. They should all be thoughtfully mounted in the most convenient position.<\/p>\n

Whenever possible, site your finders near to the main scope\u2019s eyepiece. This will make it easy to go from the finder to the main telescope when you\u2019ve identified an object.<\/span><\/p>\n

Illuminated cross-hair finders are worth their weight in gold and it\u2019s not extravagant to get more than one.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing more satisfying than finding an object by star-hopping<\/a>, but many small Go-To systems miss the target completely.<\/p>\n

A zero-power \u2018red dot\u2019 naked eye finder and an illuminated 10\u00d750 model will help you to home in on an object in three easy steps: firstly naked eye, then moving on to a 5\u00b0 field and finally through the telescope eyepiece<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a finderscope tip: tie your finder caps to the finder supports using string and a hole punched in the cap side so they dangle safely down. You\u2019ll never lose the elusive things in the dark again.<\/p>\n

For locating bright planets in twilight<\/a>, a single, accurate declination circle can be a godsend.<\/p>\n

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Make homemade setting circle discs or bands using a strip of thin plastic and a permanent pen.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Many older observers miss the presence of old-fashioned mechanical setting circles on new scopes. They have a reassuring reliability, without a mass of wires, cables and batteries. <\/b><\/p>\n

With just a bit of sweeping in right ascension you\u2019ll easily find the planet you\u2019re looking for.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a bit of care and accurate marking, you can make homemade setting circle discs or bands using a strip of thin, pliable plastic and a permanent, waterproof marker pen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, make sure your telescope is polar-aligned, then calibrate the declination circle on a star of known declination. Finally glue it in place with a strong adhesive like Super Glue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep your telescope optics in shape<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Keep your telescope lens nice and clean. Prevention is better than cure! Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

As far as the cleanliness of precision telescope optics is concerned, prevention is better than cure.<\/p>\n

Any telescope mirror regularly exposed to the elements will need re-aluminising every few years.<\/p>\n

The easiest way to prevent early degradation is to cap the ends of the tube with airtight covers and place a very low-wattage tubular heater (like the sort recommended for small greenhouses) on a time switch inside, but not touching, the tube.<\/p>\n

Lenses don\u2019t degrade, but they do get stained and dirty. Many professional astrophotographers swear by the lens cleaner Caliope Opti-Clean. <\/span><\/p>\n

You paint it onto the lens and it turns into a polymer film that can be peeled off, taking all the atmospheric muck with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more advice, read our guide on how to take care of your telescope<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Regularly check your telescope is collimated<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Precisely lining up the optics for optimum performance strikes fear into the heart of most observers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understandably, many newcomers to astronomy dread fiddling about with a screwdriver, adjusting fragile precision optics in the damp and dirty outside world.<\/span><\/p>\n

A lot depends on your telescope\u2019s deficiencies but, as a minimum for basic telescope maintenance and collimation a set of small screwdrivers, Philips screwdrivers, Allen keys and small spanners are essential.<\/span><\/p>\n

Schmidt-Cassegrain users who hate fiddly, Allen key collimating tools are well advised to install some of \u2018Bob\u2019s Knobs\u2019 collimation thumbscrews.<\/span><\/p>\n

Astro-Engineering\u2019s Picostar can also lessen the pain by providing an artificial star that lets you collimate your telescope<\/a> on a cloudy night without worrying about atmospheric seeing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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All you need is a long garden (at least a metre for every centimetre of aperture) because the point source must be far enough away to appear star-like.<\/span><\/p>\n

The brightness is variable and it should be placed at 25m for a 250mm telescope.<\/p>\n

You can make your own device by putting a pin-prick in tin foil stretched in front of a torch bulb, although getting the hole small enough is tricky.<\/p>\n

You could also use a laser collimator<\/a> to keep your telescope collimated.<\/p>\n

Make sure your observing site is tidy and organised<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Last but not least, give some thought to staying comfortable at the telescope on those cold, dark and damp nights.<\/p>\n

Kneeling, bending and stretching in sub-zero conditions can drain your enthusiasm in minutes, as can tripping over an infinite number of trailing cables.<\/p>\n

Everything you need should be within arm\u2019s reach and at a convenient height, including the eyepiece, your torch, pen and paper, star atlas and hairdryer (for dew removal).<\/p>\n

Improving your stargazing experience is not just about the telescope; it\u2019s also about the workspace surrounding it.<\/p>\n

By making a few well-planned improvements, you\u2019ll take the stress out of setting up your scope and have a much more pleasant, stress-free time at the eyepiece.<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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