Quote:
Originally Posted by Sausageman
I am planning on staying in Cairns and driving North well before dawn, I am an early riser so it won't be an issue for me, the only thing is it will be all camera viewing, I won't bring my telescope up there on the plane, I know how rough the airlines are with suitcases having been in the industry for a lot of years.
So, pack it well, or leave it at home if flying up to Cairns.
Mike.
|
Hi Sausageman,
I think you're being prematurely defeatist.
Cairns will be my ninth total eclipse + another 2 annulars. I've flown all over the world to intercept these eclipses with a variety of instruments
500mm f4.5 lens (110mm front element)
and 70 and 80mm refractors including an ED 80
I have a custom designed and machined ultra light motorized EQ mounting (4.5 kg all up). The EQ mount and optics usually all get packed into a standard Antler semi rigid suitcase - the panels flex a bit. The mount and optics all get wrapped or rolled in about 4 layers of bubble wrap and thrown in the suitcase with my clothes in between.
The whole system + clothes checks in just over 20kg. On most of these trips, I've spent considerable periods of time (weeks to months) traveling before and after the eclipse. Never had any damage to anything despite multi-sector flights to places like Bolivia, Romania, Libya, Zambia, China (twice). No damage. Once in China I blamed baggage handling for some damage to a stepper motor wire but in hindsight, I think it was just a case of metal fatigue. On the way home from Zambia, the suitcase arrived with one corner cracked but the refractor and 500mm f4.5 lens packed inside were fine.
When I visited the remote Tuamoto atolls in French Polynesia for the 2010 eclipse, I packed it all into a backpack rather than a suitcase again with a bit more bubble wrap and a thick beach towel around everything - once again no problems.
Telescopes, particularly modern refractors are very solidly made. Obviously I can't promise, but in my experience, I think your gear will most likely survive a 2hr domestic trip to Cairns given that mine has survived many 20-30 hr multi sector flights.
cheers
Joe
http://joe-cali.com/eclipses