Live Stack Mosaic Horse and Flame

A place to share images that you have taken with SharpCap.
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Please upload large images to photo sharing sites (flickr, etc) rather than trying to upload them as forum attachments.

Please share the equipment used and if possible camera settings to help others.
carlwagle
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:58 am

Re: Live Stack Mosaic Horse and Flame

#11

Post by carlwagle »

Where are you guys putting these dew heaters on? I am aware of dew heaters being applied to eye pieces but are you getting them around the main refractor lens up at the front end of the telescope, or some other places? Carl
BlackWikkett
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Re: Live Stack Mosaic Horse and Flame

#12

Post by BlackWikkett »

ImageRC6 dew strap locations by Black Wikkett, on Flickr

Three dew straps on my rig are highlighted in the image. The strap on the primary is probably not needed but did have an occasion where dew formed on the mirror and have had the strap there ever since and no dew has ever accumulated again. The strap on front of the OTA would be way more effective around the secondary mirror. Since this is an RC with the 4 finger spider supporting the secondary it achieves very symmetrical diffraction spikes. I've attempted different solutions to get the dew strap cabling in place and not effect the diffraction spikes but the effect was not to my liking. Since this is only a 6 inch (150mm) scope the dew strap around the outside of the tube seems to generate enough heat to stop dew.
carlwagle
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:58 am

Re: Live Stack Mosaic Horse and Flame

#13

Post by carlwagle »

Thank you for this great reply.
It has certainly warned me that a simple dew cap might not be enough for a lot of places.
I have just received from High Point Scientific their "in house" star finder scope for my Celestron Astromaster 130 (five and a half inch mirror) and have not till now thought about the possible need of a dew heater for it. I had not even planned for a dew cap over the end of it till now.

I have heard of someone keeping a car battery powered hair dryer on hand for clearing up internal dew problems on reflector scopes. Carl
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turfpit
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Re: Live Stack Mosaic Horse and Flame

#14

Post by turfpit »

This is my arrangement for a Celestron C8 SCT. On image 2, the red arrow indicates the end of the scope. The idea is to try to create warm air just above the glass. I have had both heater bands on the dew shield. By trial and error, the arrangement shown works reliably for me. When I get dew it is as though it has rained.

Hair dryers at the bottom of the garden at 03:00 - I wouldn't fancy having to explain that one to an irate SWAMBO who has just been work up.

dew-heaters1.JPG
dew-heaters1.JPG (23.56 KiB) Viewed 1405 times

dew-heaters2.JPG
dew-heaters2.JPG (55.75 KiB) Viewed 1405 times

Dave
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