Mirror cleaning

Use cotton balls to clean the lens is a good idea, i will try.:laugh:




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Green Laser Pointers from Electronic Gadgets

Dave.
I rang a friend of mine that works for Pilkingtons in the UK,
they are/were(?) involved (at least the R&D Dept) with supplying info on Mirrors for some of the big name telescopes.
I'll ask him to send on the formula but, apparently, even if the
mirror looked nearly opaque to your eye, there would still be enough light reflected and focused to create a workable image.
Now, how true this to be I can't say for sure but he's not a bullshitter.
I've been tempted in the past to clean mirrors.
I now just won't - ever.
Lenses ya. No issues.
Isopropyl alcohol and surgical wool but only if it really needs it
on a camera lens no worries.
On a scope lens that has some sort of UHTC coating...
Uh.. forget about it... thats what I'd say...
It'd take a muck load of crap on the lens for it to warrent
an attempt at cleaning.

Still,
My heart is warmed at the fact that you keep your set up outside.
Scopes, well protected and cared for are designed to be in this
condition.

That's interesting Frank - and comforting! I've also heard it say that sure, if you shine a gazillion watt torch onto a mirror it'll show up every dust mote known to mankind... So right now, I'm not going touch it. I think that if I do decide it needs to be done that I'd rather get someone else to do it. But we'll see.

As for being outside, the whole lot has been outside for at least 3 years (I think the mount is in its 4th or 5th year) - including the observatory PC! To be fair, I did buy quality stuff (and boy, did I pay for it) but the various manufacturers' clearly consider the usage of their stuff outside and build it accordingly.

Just another testament to the saying "you get what you pay for"...

Thanks for the feedback and if you get a response, do let me know.
Cheers
Dave

hey Frank, remember clean the bird crap off the club mirror a few year back, man we hozed that thing down, working ok now, needs recoating but hey, for now its no harm that its reflectivity is in the 80's.