Daytime scope protection at star parties?

[MortonH]

Hi all,

Need advice from some seasoned star party attendees. I've been to a couple before but always stayed offsite. For this year's IIS Astro Camp at Lostock I plan to stay onsite, possibly in a tent.

What do people do with their scopes during the day? I'm not particularly keen to leave mine out all day, even if under a Telegizmo cover, etc. but I don't fancy them roasting in a hot car either.

Thoughts/ideas? Lock them in the car and then put that under a cover?

Morton

[Davros]

I leave mine set up for the whole week. I use a cover i made out of a couple of car windscreen shade things (the silver ones).

[MortonH]

Good idea. Imagine flying over a star party during the day if everyone did the same thing!

Did you just tape them together?

[Cam]

The couple of star parties I've been to everyone just left everything set up. I've seen everything from proper covers and old tarps used on refractors to a toilet/ensuite tent pick up and plonked over a dob.

[Allan_L]

At IISAC some people leave them out.
Most under a tarp or something similar.
Some under a shower/toilet tent

Some put them in their cars, then make sure they are protected from sunstroke.

Some have marquis or a shade tents in their camp setup, that they can store the scope under.

I used to put my CPC1100 back into my van, more to protect it from dew/moisture than anything else.

[Davros]

I folded the sunscreens into the shape i wanted and then stitched them together with about a million zip ties.

[Nico13]

Yep been wondering about this myself for the next Snake Valley as I'm not too keen on the optics cooking in the midday sun.
I like the idea of the car screen covers, might be able to do something with that for the time.

[Astro_Bot]

Just a thought: would one of those reflective "survival" blankets do the trick?

eBay examples (http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l2632.R2&_nkw=thermal+blanket&_sacat=16034&_from=R40)

[MortonH]

Possibly. Been looking at the Telegizmos website and they claim their material is much better than this stuff, but who knows if you really need it for a few days at a star party.

[jjjnettie]

I've always kept my scope set up when at star parties.
I cover first with a beach towel, then a cotton quilt then a reflective water proof Telegizmos cover.
Though that cover finally disintegrated. I'm making a new one out of a silver tarp now.
A heavy duty bin liner or three is also handy to have in your kitbag if you get hit with torrential rain.

[Arthur Alchin]

I am definitely a "camp tent toilet" person and blue tarps. I do like the idea of the space blanket though, I have a spare at home might give it a go.

Just have to work out what is the vulnerable parts of the scope that are going to be affected by heat. My big concern with the weather is hail and wind and massive downfalls. And ice if course for those who do winter camping

[barx1963]

I am a "toilet tent" person. I usually setup the 12" on a small blue tarp and when I am finished for the night I lift up the toilet tent and drop it over the setup. During the night the tent protects my charts etc that are on my small folding table.
This has worked well. i I am worried about heavy rain in the period between going to bed and getting up in the morning i may put some towells around the bottom to prevent water getting on the base.

Unfortunately the 20" is going to require more comprehensive measures!!

Malcolm

[brian nordstrom]

:) I normally put a beach towel over first as well , then the blue bunnings tarp held in place with a couple of bungee cords .
The reason for the towl is , is that sometimes as the blue tarps get a little worn they leave a bit of blue material behind , but at $20 a pop its no worries and when they get to that stage they become ground sheets .;) .
Brian.

[sheeny]

I used to tarp mine, but since I got the 16" lightbridge "travel scope":P I use a motorcycle weather cover. Fits it beautifully.

Al.

[tlgerdes]

2 things I have made.

1) 2 car sunshades sown together on the 2 short sides and one alongside

2) Two 1.8*2.4m tarps sown together on 3 sides, its like a big condom for my telescope, covers everything, ultimate protection :lol:

[peter_4059]

I used to go for silver tarps but bought a telegizmos 365 cover last year - best thing, very water proof and made to fit so doesn't need tying down. I normally put a large towell over the ota first to soak up any dew then telegizmo over the top.

[erick]

Yep, towel or sheet and then Telegizmos.

Prior to Telegizmos, towel or sheet plus big plastic bag that the single bed mattresses come in!

Mind you, I thought you were wanting electric fence recommendations :D (Sometimes could be very useful!)

[MortonH]

Haha. Hadn't got as far as "security"!!!

Decided to buy the used Telegizmos solar cover that was in the IIS classifieds. It's for a 12-14" Dob, so I reckon it might fit over my dual scope alt-az setup. Will find out soon.

[mental4astro]

I've had a couple of scope covers made for me by my mum (gotta luv ya mum! :D) from old council flags. You know, the ones that they hang of flag poles down the middle of a street. They are big flags made of very durable material and are quite reflective too. I had them made out of the LOUDEST colours I could find, :lol: . Cheap too at $10 each from Reverse Garbage. They are actually very soft and slide very easily over the scopes, and breathe ok. I added little ties on the ends later on.

[allan gould]

My wife made a large cover out of the white curtain backing material that you can get from spotlight etc.
Absolutely brilliant as during the day the scope is actually cooler on the inside than outside and stays at about 25 degrees. Never had a problem. Cover it with a tarp over the curtain backing cover at night.
Perfect.

[Omaroo]

Hi Morton. One thing that I like to do is polar align. It works better for photography. ;) Once this is achieved I like to leave the scope and mount in situ. I cover mine with a silvered Telegizmos cover - been great for years although there are a couple of small holes in mine now - nothing a little square of duct tape wont fix.

Security? I've never heard of anyone attending a star party ripping off anyone else's scope or attached accessories. Not in Australia with our close-knit bunch anyway. As far as strangers coming on to the site - there are attendees everywhere - for practically the whole time, so if anyone came up to your gear and started poking around, it'd be a fairly quick "Oi!" response from someone else.

I pack my laptop and other loose stuff in the car or in my camper trailer during the day - but that's it.

[Octane]

+1 for a Telegizmos 365.

My normal one disintegrated after about two years use. The first bit of it to go was where the Takahashi finder screws on the FSQ kept rubbing against the material in the wind, and eventually made a hole.

Brian has the right idea about laying a towel or a liner over the gear first. The blue tarp particles are annoying. Nothing a quick wipe won't fix, though.

H

[Poita]

We sell this stuff at work, it is known as '3 Pass Lining', it actually has a silver, almost foil-like layer in between two white layers attached to the back of the fabric. Makes for great insulation. Also works well as a projection screen :)

[MortonH]

Thanks guys. I bought a used Telegizmos solar cover and I have lightweight tarp if rain looks likely.

Interesting the number of home-made solutions! :)

[barx1963]

I have purchased a full custom made telegizmos cover for the 20", tried it out the other night worked really well, kept the scope cool and protected all day.

Malcolm

[Varangian]

A towel followed by a Bunnings BBQ cover. Fits the 12" beautifully.

[multiweb]

I wonder if you could hire Mike Sidonio as a body guard for your telescope? The blast radius would be approx. 2.5m (arm length) I reckon? ;)

[Barrykgerdes]

You had better avoid him at the next SPSP or you may get a big hug for that!;):lol:

Barry

[multiweb]

You can be my wingman and take one for the team. :thumbsup:

[The Mekon]

High cloud outside right now, the SDM is waiting. Today I purchased a car cover for a friends car that will be kept outside in my yard for a couple of months. It was a Kenco brand made from Tyvek which is a DuPont product. The cover is supposed to be waterproof but breathable. To me it looks like a great telescope cover (or covers) once it has finished its current job. The material is a soft white fabric that is lightweight, reflective and easily sewn. I reckon I could make 4 or 5 covers out of this single cover. It was not a cheap cover - $129 at supacheap. I may leave it as a single piece as then it will easily cover all my equipment at the next star party.

[barx1963]

My new Telegizmos cover had it's first outing at a camp this weekend. High temps (mid 30s) and fiarly breezy but handled the conditions just fine. The only issue I have is that it came with a couple of straps to pull the cover tighter and use as tie downs to stop it blowing around, but the buckles are next to useless so a project this week is to replace those.

Malcolm