Clean The Corrector Plate

What's the best what to clean water marks off the corrector plate. Only noticed them the other day

Hi Joanna,

Check out www.arksky.org/asoclean.htm or Google "cleaning optical surfaces"

If your corrector plate is just plain dusty, then do nothing. You only need to clean it if there is something *really nasty* on it... like oil or bird poo. Otherwise just leave it alone. The same goes for mirrors: if you can see your reflection, then it's clean enough. The dirt will make no visible difference at the eyepiece.

Phil.

Hi

Like Phillip says unless theres is a big load of gloop on the corrector plate then you are better off leaving it alone. Small tiny water spots are quite common and do not really degrade the image to any great extent if at all. Just make sure that you do not put the scope away after a heavy nights dew without drying it off with a hair dryer on low setting.

DB

All good sound advice.
They are not "water marks" incidentally.
Clean water leaves no marks. Rainwater is filthy and acidic.
If you really MUST clean the glass use only distilled (de-ionised...purified) water and optical quality lint free cloth.
Do not rub.Dab very gently.
Use NO "cleaners"of any sort.
Do not use paper tissues,they are death to delicate optical coatings.

The biggest lump of dust on your optics is called the "Secondary Mirror".
The dust on even very dusty optics obscures the view by just a tiny fraction of what that big lump of "dust"does.

Peter.

What happened I think was dew built up on the corrector plate and for some reason it ran before it had a chance to dry off. As it's not interferring with viewing I think I'll take yer advice and leave it alone.