Beginner Help Please

[Suzy]

Well done on your decision Natalie, a fine choice and a great compromise.

When you upgrade for you & hubby, it will be an easy go to scope for your daughter- she will see many years through with it and it will grow with her for many years to come, as opposed to outgrowing it. Many of us here started with a 6" or 8" scope.

Time to go and make space in the garage for the beast!

Regarding your scope being stored in the garage, I once read somewhere that if tools in the garage have rust on them, then it's no place for a scope. Does it get damp/windy there? Is it where the car is parked (exhaust fumes etc that can get on to the mirror).
Perhaps I'm over reacting, but i've been told never to store my scope in a garage. I don't know about a garage that is attached to a house though.
I have concerns so I wonder if someone can chime in here that knows more on the subject. Ron?

[Brian W (Brian)]

I have concerns so I wonder if someone can chime in here that knows more on the subject. Ron?[/QUOTE]

answer; to paraphrase Ron in the Sorcerers Stone... you got to get your priorities straight... leave the car outside, install a fan and solve all the problems.
Brian

[Suzy]

Originally Posted by Brian W

I have concerns so I wonder if someone can chime in here that knows more on the subject. Ron?

[/QUOTE]answer; to paraphrase Ron in the Sorcerers Stone... you got to get your priorities straight... leave the car outside, install a fan and solve all the problems.
Brian[/QUOTE]

Classic!

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by Suzy

Well done on your decision Natalie, a fine choice and a great compromise.

When you upgrade for you & hubby, it will be an easy go to scope for your daughter- she will see many years through with it and it will grow with her for many years to come, as opposed to outgrowing it. Many of us here started with a 6" or 8" scope.

Regarding your scope being stored in the garage, I once read somewhere that if tools in the garage have rust on them, then it's no place for a scope. Does it get damp/windy there? Is it where the car is parked (exhaust fumes etc that can get on to the mirror).
Perhaps I'm over reacting, but i've been told never to store my scope in a garage. I don't know about a garage that is attached to a house though.
I have concerns so I wonder if someone can chime in here that knows more on the subject. Ron?

If the garage is also the storage place for liquids such as petrol, oil, paint, ect and work is carried out on the car then the garage is not is not the place to store the Telescope.
The storage place needs to be dry well ventilated and have as little dust as possible.
Covers for both ends of the scope plus a plug for the focuser, and also a cover that covers the whole of the scope in the Horizontal position.
Always after a nights observing check in the morning to see if there is any misting on the Primary and Secondary mirrors and leave to dry naturally until clear.

Cheers

[NatalieR (Natalie)]

Thanks for the info guys...I had absolutely no idea. Looks like it's going to get stored in the lounge room until we work out where to put it permanently. Wonder if hubby would mind it living in the corner of the bedroom? We have ordered a cover for the entire thing and will look at getting plugs etc once I see what it's got when it gets here.

Thanks again.

Nat

[erick (Eric)]

For an 8" telescope, buy a quality shower cap and fit it over the mirror end of the telescope when it is in storage. That should keep the creepy crawlies and dust out from that end.

[stattonb (Statton)]

8'' Dob goto is a great first scope to get not to big but not to small lol ya can always upgrade in the future if you want to do some advanced imaging.
Good size for your little one too,you should get many years of fun with it