Sky & Telescope - December 2023 - 64

Customization
Then there are active dew heaters. In
some climates, they're not just a good
idea; they're essential. These are little
battery-powered heating pads or strips
that attach to the secondary, to eyepieces,
to finders, etc. I've even seen dew
heaters on primary mirrors, which seems
counterintuitive when most people run
fans to cool their mirrors instead, but
let me ask you this: Would you rather
observe with a slightly distorted but dry
mirror, or would you prefer to pack up
and go home early when the mirror dews
up? Uh-huh. Don't be afraid to heat the
primary if yours dews up regularly.
I mentioned fans. They're standard
on some scopes, but if your scope isn't so
equipped, you might want to add one. Blowing air on the back
of the mirror at the start of a night will help it reach ambient
air temperature and help keep it there. And adding a fan
is simple. You can wire it in place or even just rubber-band
it to the collimation bolts on the back of the scope (those
knobs you installed to replace the hex-head or Phillips-head
screws, right?). Celestron offers an inexpensive, USB-powered
cooling fan that is easy to adapt to most any mirror cell
(https://is.gd/coolingfan).
When you install your fan, you might have to remove the
blocking plate that some manufacturers include on the rear
of the mirror cell. You should remove that anyway, just to
give your mirror direct exposure to air for cooling even without
a fan. Yes, that exposes the mirror to more dust, so buy a
shower cap and put it over the bottom of the scope when you
aren't using it.
There's always the addition of an eyepiece rack. Don't forget
to shield it from dew with the modification I featured in my colCOOLING
ASSIST Installing a fan can be as
simple as hooking rubber bands to your collimation
bolts.
umn a year ago (S&T: Dec. 2022, p. 72).
If you have any heavy eyepieces or
Barlows, you may need to add a counterweight
to the back of the scope to
compensate. Easy-peasy! Find a convenient
spot for it, stick a strip of Velcro
there, attach the matching Velcro to your
weight, and slap it on. Use a long strip
along the optical axis so you can adjust
the balance for various eyepieces by moving
the weight up and down the tube. If
you've got a metal tube, you can forego
the Velcro and use a magnet to hold the
weight in place.
Yours to Improve
I could mention dozens more modifications, but you get the
idea. Optimizing your scope is a time-honored tradition
among amateur astronomers, and people are coming up with
new ideas all the time. The next innovation might be yours.
If you think modifications are only for sub-standard
scopes, think again. Even top-end scopes can stand some customization.
As Dan Beacham points out, " The biggest modifications
I've done have been on my most expensive telescope. "
That said, be aware that making changes could void
your warranty. If you do something irrevocable, make sure
it's right. But don't be afraid to do it if you know it's right.
Because it's your telescope to use and to improve.
Or it will be, once you've drilled that first hole in it.
¢ Contributing Editor JERRY OLTION considers every new
telescope a blank canvas.
EXTRA-DARK TUBE Flocked paper is way darker than flat black
paint. That means significantly greater contrast at the eyepiece.
64 DECEMBER 2023 * SKY & TELESCOPE
EASY COUNTERWEIGHT Counterweights don't have to be pretty. If
necessary, you can use a convenient rock.
https://www.is.gd/coolingfan
Sky & Telescope - December 2023

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