Telescope Questions HELP

I am a teacher and have been put in charge of our district's
observatory. It was because of motivation, rather than experience or
knowledge! I am truly a novice. The observatory has a Meade LX200
telescope.

I have been working with the technology and have a few questions.

1. I hosted a science night for my students and went out during the
day to make sure I could run the equipment. It worked fine. Then
that November evening I was unable to see anything. Any ideas on what
might have happened?

2. How cold is too cold to run the telescope? I was wondering if the
temperature had anything to do with not being able to view the night
sky.

3. That same November evening was cool, but not cold. I placed a
space heater in the observatory while we worked. Was having the
observatory hood open and having a heater running an okay thing to do?

Thanks for the help. More questions to come...I have a camera to hook
up to the telescope, too!

Darla

Hi there. You posted:

1. I hosted a science night for my students and went out during the
day to make sure I could run the equipment. It worked fine. Then
that November evening I was unable to see anything. Any ideas on what
might have happened?

A telescope must be cooled down to the ambient temperature. This can take
several hours, so the instrument must be exposed to that temperature for that
time. You weren't specific about "not being able to see anything", so I don't
know if this means that you couldn't get a clear view or that the scope
wouldn't point to the specific targets. The corrector plate could have dewed
or fogged over, in which case, you need a long dewcap or a dewcap-heater
combination such as those available from Kendrick Astrosystems. The
finderscope should also be properly aligned to help with pointing the
telescope, and the telescope itself should have its optics properly
"collimated", so as to deliver the best possible image.

2. How cold is too cold to run the telescope? I was wondering if the
temperature had anything to do with not being able to view the night
sky.

I have seen LX200's running at temperatures just above zero, but the displays
may not work well at that temperature. I would suggest keeping the hand
controller inside until you are ready to use the instrument. I have observed
the night sky at temperatures well below zero, so as long as the sky is clear
and the instrument isn't fogged over (or "frosted" over if its really cold),
it should be possible to use it.

3. That same November evening was cool, but not cold. I placed a
space heater in the observatory while we worked. Was having the
observatory hood open and having a heater running an okay thing to do?

No, it is not. A space heater can create heat currents near the instrument
which will ruin the local atmospheric "seeing", resulting in very blurry
images. Again, the observatory (and the telescope) should have been as cold
as the outside temperature for at least several hours before use. Even then,
atmospheric seeing in the upper atmosphere can sometimes ruin some high-power
views even if the telescope is properly cooled down. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

**********************************************
* Attend the 11th Annual NEBRASKA STAR PARTY *
* July 18-23, 2004, Merritt Reservoir *
* http://www.NebraskaStarParty.org *
**********************************************

Hello Darla,


(Darla) writes:

I am a teacher and have been put in charge of our district's
observatory. It was because of motivation, rather than experience or
knowledge! I am truly a novice. The observatory has a Meade LX200
telescope.

I have been working with the technology and have a few questions.

1. I hosted a science night for my students and went out during the
day to make sure I could run the equipment. It worked fine. Then
that November evening I was unable to see anything. Any ideas on what
might have happened?

Check/try these:

- there was no clouds (should be clear night sky)
- you removed the metal shield in front of the telescope
- the observatory lights were down. (should be as dark as possible).
- waited that your eyes will dark adapt (takes 20-30 minutes)
- if you need light use ONLY dim red flashlight
- put an low power eyepiece (ocular) into the telescope and aim the
telescope to some familiar target in the distance (distant radiomast or smthg)
- check that your finder scope is aligned with the actual telescope
- Do this alignment during the day time (its easier)
- focus
- try first to find some bright star from the sky, use the finder scope first
and position it in the middle of the field of view.
- check if you can see it in the big scopes view.
- focus


2. How cold is too cold to run the telescope? I was wondering if the
temperature had anything to do with not being able to view the night
sky.


Its not the temperature. Clouds or shield maybe?



3. That same November evening was cool, but not cold. I placed a
space heater in the observatory while we worked. Was having the
observatory hood open and having a heater running an okay thing to do?

No, its not OK thing to do. The colliding hot and cold air will
destroy the seeing from the observatory.

Do not use heater. Use lots of warm clothes and drink some hot
tea/coffee.


Thanks for the help. More questions to come...I have a camera to hook
up to the telescope, too!


Before you do anything with camera let us first know what did you see when
you looked thru the eyepiece (=ocular).


Cheers,
ML

"Mika Luostarinen" wrote in message
...

Hello Darla,


(Darla) writes:

I am a teacher and have been put in charge of our district's
observatory. It was because of motivation, rather than experience or
knowledge! I am truly a novice. The observatory has a Meade LX200
telescope.

I have been working with the technology and have a few questions.

1. I hosted a science night for my students and went out during the
day to make sure I could run the equipment. It worked fine. Then
that November evening I was unable to see anything. Any ideas on what
might have happened?

Check/try these:

- there was no clouds (should be clear night sky)
- you removed the metal shield in front of the telescope
- the observatory lights were down. (should be as dark as possible).
- waited that your eyes will dark adapt (takes 20-30 minutes)
- if you need light use ONLY dim red flashlight
- put an low power eyepiece (ocular) into the telescope and aim the
telescope to some familiar target in the distance (distant radiomast or
smthg)
- check that your finder scope is aligned with the actual telescope
- Do this alignment during the day time (its easier)


Do not point it at the Sun!!!!!! You can be instantly blinded, or your
equipment can be damaged. Do not point it at the Sun without proper
filters!!!! Please be careful.

Harvey