My tree is leaking

My house has a very nice and large deck. It is a solid structure with quite
a unique feature. A tree passes right through it. No it's not magic. It's
a hole. . .a three and a half foot diameter hole which just barely allows
the almost one hundred foot high spruce passage to the heavens. Though it
obscures the northern half of the sky, the eastern, southern, and western
views of the firmament are quite nice from the comfort of the deck. The
image through the eyepiece is quite steady too since I have overcome my
propensity to violently jump up and down whilst alongside the telescope. I
liked observing from the deck. I used to like the tree.

Seymour, my telescope, has had to have his primary cleaned about twice a
year. This bothered me. Once a year is really too often but if I waited
that long the mirror would be covered with spots. I just couldn't figure
what was causing them. The tube is always closed off when not in use; dust
cover in place on the tube and an empty 35mm film canister in position in
the focuser. Dew hardly ever forms on the surface of a closed tube
newtonian which eliminated that source of atmospheric particulate
distribution. So, for me, part of the ritual of amateur astronomy had
become these biannual mirror baths.

One night, about a month or so ago, I had gone out on the deck with pillow,
comforter, and binoculars in hand. It was to be an evening dedicated to
observing satellites and meteors. Spreading the folded comforter on the
deck and dressing one of its ends with the pillow, I eased myself onto my
back and looked skyward. I was going to let my eyes "dark adapt" for
several minutes.

It was a wonderfully clear night. Not a cloud in sight. Not one for
hundreds of miles if the images on Weather.com are reliable. But wait, what
was this? I was feeling drops of moisture every so often landing on my face
and hands. My tree is leaking! Much as when Newton added 2 and 2 upon
witnessing the apple fall from a tree and deduced gravity, I used the same
mathematical model to deduct the source of that constant contamination on
Seymour's heart.

I broke out the distilled water, cotton swabs, and gentle detergent a few
days later. . .hopefully for the last time. Seymour and I will not be
strolling the night sky together any longer from the comfort of the deck and
in the aim of the tree.


I am,



Starstuffed

Starstuffed wrote:

My house has a very nice and large deck. It is a solid structure with quite
a unique feature. A tree passes right through it.

etc.

My wife's indoor potted large tree-like plants cover the area underneath
with emitted sticky-stuff. I hope for the day when they expire from
"unknown" causes ;_

damn tree.

In article ,
Starstuffed wrote:

My house has a very nice and large deck. It is a solid structure with quite
a unique feature. A tree passes right through it. No it's not magic. It's
a hole. . .a three and a half foot diameter hole which just barely allows
the almost one hundred foot high spruce passage to the heavens.
[...]
Seymour, my telescope, has had to have his primary cleaned about twice a year.
[...]
[eureka, etc.]

Hmm. I'm puzzled -- how could the tree sap reach the primary when you're
observing with it? Presumably you don't point the tube right up at the tree.
Do you suppose the inside of the scope tube gets coated with the stuff?
Or that the occasional drop lands on the secondary/spider and falls from there
to the primary? I don't get it. If it is something like that, I wonder if
strapping an extension tube on the end of your scope would let you
keep observing on your comfortable deck?

In my previous house, I'd observe with an 8" SCT under a big old maple tree.
It dripped sap too, and covered most of the sky, sigh.
But it *did* prevent dew from forming, for probably just that latter reason.
And I stopped finding sap drips on the corrector plate when I used an
extension tube (dew shield).

Stuart in usually (but not today!) steamy Champaign, IL

Stuart hit the nail right on the head with the following hammer:

Hmm. I'm puzzled -- how could the tree sap reach the primary when you're
observing with it? Presumably you don't point the tube right up at the
tree.


This was the mistake I made. I would set the scope out with the tube in a
vertical position and the fan running to aid the cooling of the primary and
in an effort to flush out heat from the tube. Thinking that since hot air
rises, if the tube was vertical then that would speed up and more thoroughly
bring the whole system into thermal equilibrium. Sometimes, it would be in
this position for hours.

When it comes to actually observing from the deck, since the tree's canopy
extends directly overhead, attempting to view objects within ten to fifteen
degrees in any direction from the zenith puts the fifteen inch wide tube's
opening in such a way that stuff coming off the tree still has a tendency to
enter.


Martin

"Starstuffed" wrote in message k.net...
My house has a very nice and large deck. It is a solid structure with quite
a unique feature. A tree passes right through it. No it's not magic. It's
a hole. . .a three and a half foot diameter hole which just barely allows
the almost one hundred foot high spruce passage to the heavens. Though it
obscures the northern half of the sky, the eastern, southern, and western
views of the firmament are quite nice from the comfort of the deck. The
image through the eyepiece is quite steady too since I have overcome my
propensity to violently jump up and down whilst alongside the telescope. I
liked observing from the deck. I used to like the tree.

Seymour, my telescope, has had to have his primary cleaned about twice a
year. This bothered me. Once a year is really too often but if I waited
that long the mirror would be covered with spots. I just couldn't figure
what was causing them. The tube is always closed off when not in use; dust
cover in place on the tube and an empty 35mm film canister in position in
the focuser. Dew hardly ever forms on the surface of a closed tube
newtonian which eliminated that source of atmospheric particulate
distribution. So, for me, part of the ritual of amateur astronomy had
become these biannual mirror baths.

One night, about a month or so ago, I had gone out on the deck with pillow,
comforter, and binoculars in hand. It was to be an evening dedicated to
observing satellites and meteors. Spreading the folded comforter on the
deck and dressing one of its ends with the pillow, I eased myself onto my
back and looked skyward. I was going to let my eyes "dark adapt" for
several minutes.

It was a wonderfully clear night. Not a cloud in sight. Not one for
hundreds of miles if the images on Weather.com are reliable. But wait, what
was this? I was feeling drops of moisture every so often landing on my face
and hands. My tree is leaking! Much as when Newton added 2 and 2 upon
witnessing the apple fall from a tree and deduced gravity, I used the same
mathematical model to deduct the source of that constant contamination on
Seymour's heart.

I broke out the distilled water, cotton swabs, and gentle detergent a few
days later. . .hopefully for the last time. Seymour and I will not be
strolling the night sky together any longer from the comfort of the deck and
in the aim of the tree.



If it's just condensation dripping off the tree, it's going to be
pretty close to being "distilled" water anyway. Although it might
pick up a small amount of dust particles from the tree, I doubt it's
going to have much *sap* in it. Spruce trees are pretty stingy with
their moisture. If you have any dark china or ceramic bowls or
dishes, try setting a piece out beneath the tree long enough to
collect a few drops then take it inside and let the moisture
evaporate. If it's just dew it should leave no residue on the dish
and I wouldn't worry about it getting on the scope...too much. No
point in forfeiting a favorite observing site if the tree's not the
culprit.

Doug Hosey

Doug wrote:

If it's just condensation dripping off the tree, it's going to be
pretty close to being "distilled" water anyway. Although it might
pick up a small amount of dust particles from the tree, I doubt it's
going to have much *sap* in it. Spruce trees are pretty stingy with
their moisture. If you have any dark china or ceramic bowls or
dishes, try setting a piece out beneath the tree long enough to
collect a few drops then take it inside and let the moisture
evaporate. If it's just dew it should leave no residue on the dish
and I wouldn't worry about it getting on the scope...too much. No
point in forfeiting a favorite observing site if the tree's not the
culprit.


Very insightful. I'll give the "dish" idea a go. Perhaps the deck will
still be okay if I follow a few precautions:

1. Don't leave the scope "open" and pointed up to aid in the cooling
process.

2. Limit the viewing from the deck to objects sufficiently clear of the
zenith. Safe to view objects would include all those within about 60
degrees of the east, south, and west horizons. This is fine for planets,
the moon, clusters, and a great many doubles.

3. Get off the deck and away from the tree when looking within
approximately 30 degrees from the zenith or to the north.


Martin

Could it be aphids in the tree?

--

Don Baker
Go 18, 5 & 14....(also 8, 40, & 30)
www.geocities.com/thebugbomber

Don asked:

Could it be aphids in the tree?


Don,

There may be aphids in the tree but they seem to be staying put. I do
appreciate your input.

I understand that the ecosystem which exists within the confines of the
mantle of a big tree such as this can be really complex. There are things
and processes going on amongst the branches that science is just now coming
to grips with.

A tree is kind of like a galaxy in that it can be considered an island, or
an oasis, which provides all the necessary conditions to harbor and
perpetuate the dynamic process of creation and the sustenance of life.

Again, thanks for your input.


Regards,


Martin

In message , Don Baker
writes
Could it be aphids in the tree?

That or scale insect are the most common causes. Same happens to
windscreens on cars parked under trees.

And the honeydew can become a really horrible sticky mess - especially
if there is also plenty of airblown dust and pollen about.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown