Who uses Thermal imagers for scope & field work?

Hi,

Anyone here uses a thermal imager that can see into the
far infrared (7.5 to 13 micron) to check on the thermal
status of their dobsonians, newtonians or even SCTs
and refractors? See:
http://www.goinfrared.com/cameras/all_cameras.asp
Thermal Imagers are also useful to detect
wild animals in the fields as their heat signature clearly
stand out in the grass or trees. You can detect moisture
developing in the optics or tubes by lower temperature
compared to ambient. In the dobsonians and newtonians
or other open tubes. One can use it to see if the
internal space has reach thermal equilibrium by presence
of any heat current or wave. How about SCT, has
anyone tried viewing at the surface of the tubes
or front to see any changes in temperature?
Any thermal imager is sensitive down to 0.05 Celsius
so you should detect any changes in temperature
that small even if not directly on the inside because
the imagers can't see thru glass but just surface.
Also the concept of emissivity seems to make it
complicated because shiny aluminum tubes have lower emissivity so it
may not show its true temperature
if you don't get the emissivity setting adjusted right
or paint the tube black to get close to blackbody.
That's why I'm asking if anyone has actually use
a thermal imager in astro viewing in the field. What are
your positive and negative experience about it?

Hayden

On Tue, 26 May 2009 16:17:35 -0700 (PDT), Hayden
wrote:

Anyone here uses a thermal imager that can see into the
far infrared (7.5 to 13 micron) to check on the thermal
status of their dobsonians, newtonians or even SCTs
and refractors?

I don't use one for that, nor for looking for animals, but I do use a
8-14um allsky IR camera to measure the atmospheric water column, and to
detect clouds. Works great.
_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com