Dew problems

[bobr]

Hi

Could anyone offer any advice please, the only place I can set up my mount so I can see Polaris and my target, is in the middle of my lawn, but with all the wet weather, everything is getting soaking wet, not just a bit of dew, there was a puddle under my camera when I got it inside, so I decided to pack up, I have only used a ground sheet as yet, has anyone had a similar problem ?

bobr

[brian livesey]

Why not suspend your observations until the weather improves?

[Brian]

Heated dew bands can help keep your optics clear, but in exceptional circumstances such as you experienced then possibly only a domed observatory with a narrow slit would help keep things somewhat drier. Otherwise, as Brian says, it may be best to wait for better conditions.

Regards,

[michael feist]

During my recent observation during the day of Venus, once the Sun set my spotting scope started to dew-up, even the eyepiece from the heat from my eye, thereby my final sightings of Venus were made from the upper window. One of the drawbacks of the MAK80 (as with other MAKs is that the front optics are very exposed as no dew-shield is usually fitted...why not? I suppose I could use a makeshift one of card. Spotting scopes usually have a extending shield beyond the OG. Regards mike f.

[brian livesey]

I made a dewshield for the 90mm Mak-Cass very easily by spotting a £2 cylindrical jigsaw puzzle box in Poundland. The contents were binned and the bottom was knocked out of the box, while retaining the lid.

[michael feist]

Once I spent some time checking the size of various food containers with lids in the local supermarket as a telescope that I had did not have an object glass cover cap! I rather expected a tap on the shoulder from a member of staff with the question 'Can I help you Sir'.
Regards mike f.

[brian livesey]

I have a 80X60 Acuter spottingscope. There wasn’t a dew-shield on it, so I made one from a stainless steel coffee container. Again, courtesy of Poundland.

[bobr]

Hi

Sorry for the delayed reply, daughter had covid over Christmas, much better now though.

Thanks for your suggestions, just wondered if anyone had any tips, I have been waiting to see if the weather would get any better, but it has been weeks and it is still very wet, dew bands did work well at the start of the year but humidity has been at 100%, so will have to wait it out I guess, did look at modifying a utility tent, if I can get a cheap one might play with that.

Thanks again
bobr

[brian livesey]

It’s turned out to be exceptionally wet in the North West this December. We are living in a persistent twilight world, as front after front roll in from the Atlantic.
All we can do is sit it out and try not to scream at the depressing grey monotony. Better days will come, as the Sun slowly but surely rises higher in the sky.

[David Frydman]

Local reservoirs are now 78%, 88%, 100% and 100%.

They were much lower when we had 40C in the summer.

The underground water and borehole levels may still be low, although I am not sure.

Drought to me is worse than having lots of rain, although deep floods are troubling.

Dry weather will return.

Whatever the weather have a Happy New Year.

Regards,
David

[brian livesey]

A peaceful New Year David to you and all.