View Single Post
  #17  
Old 01-02-2013, 02:52 PM
Allan_L's Avatar
Allan_L (Allan)
Member > 10year club

Allan_L is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Coast NSW
Posts: 3,339
Quote:
Originally Posted by madbadgalaxyman View Post
Oh, and one more thing, don't store optical elements with the business end upwards, if you can avoid it. This is particularly bad for the primary mirror in a telescope.
Hi Robert.
Can you elaborate a little more on what you mean by this, please?
On a DOB for example, do you mean don't store the telescope with the primary mirror "Facing" upwards (ie mirror at bottom, as when in normal use)
or
do you mean upside down (ie with the primary mirror actually at the top).

I could imagine a reason to think about storing it "upside down". And that is to keep dust etc from settling on the primary mirror while in storage.
But I also heard that storing upside down may place extra stress and strain on the mirror from the mirror clips, which may cause distortion? Also the risk of the mirror falling out of the clips which are not designed to take that weight in that way.

Thanks
Reply With Quote