How to Care for Your Telescope

Introduction

Be cautious when caring for your telescope. Cleaning the optics can do more damage than letting the dust sit on them.

General Maintenance

Things You'll Need

• Towels
• De-mineralized Water
• Telescope Mirrors
• Large Cotton Balls And Swabs Balls
• 2 Hand Towels
• Telescopes
• Plastic Storage Containers
• Dishwashing Detergent
• Sky And Telescope Subscriptions
• Telescope Eyepieces
• Telescope Mountings
• Blower Brushes
• Bulb
• Camel's Hair Brushes
• Lens Caps

Steps

1 Step One

Buy or make a hood to protect the telescope when not in use.

2 Step Two

Keep the lens cap on when not in use. Make a lens cap for your eyepiece out of the top of a plastic film canister.

3 Step Three

Store your telescope facing down to keep dust from collecting on the lenses.

4 Step Four

Store extra eyepieces and lenses in sealed plastic bags or food containers.

5 Step Five

Avoid touching the lens or mirrors with your fingers at all times. The dirt and oils from your skin can damage them.

6 Step Six

Clean the touched surface as soon as possible if you did touch it.

7 Step Seven

Know that, unless done with extreme care and gentleness, cleaning lenses or mirrors often causes tiny scratches called sleeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Dirty telescope optics can always be cleaned, but scratched optics can only be replaced.
• Don't shine a light down the telescope tube and then clean it on the basis of what you see. It will always appear dirty when viewed this way. Often you will do more damage cleaning your telescope than leaving it alone.

Cleaning the Mirror

Steps

1 Step One

Remove any jewelry from your hands and arms.

2 Step Two

Clean out the kitchen sink and place a towel on the bottom of it.

3 Step Three

Fill the sink with lukewarm tap water and a little bit of detergent.

4 Step Four

Place the mirror in the sink and swab it with sterile cotton.

5 Step Five

Drain the sink.

6 Step Six

Fill the sink with de-mineralized or distilled water and rinse the mirror.

7 Step Seven

Remove the mirror when rinsed and place it on a folded towel to the side of the sink. Let it air-dry completely.

Eyepieces and Accessories

Steps

1 Step One

Clean your eyepiece using a blower brush or a blower bulb.

2 Step Two

Avoid air canisters or blowing dust off with your mouth. Both of these methods can put moisture on the glass.

3 Step Three

Use the softest possible camel's hair brush with uncut bristles to brush dirt off the glass.

4 Step Four

Store all accessories separately in sealed containers.