will a dew band do it all?

[Cumbrianwolf]

I am looking at one of the large dew bands with integrated controller via RVO for my Maksutov Newtonian telescope and as we know this type of OTA has a front lens element fitted and will be prone to dew so it will need of some dew protection.

 

My question is will the heater band be more than enough as in I won't need a shield as well as the aforementioned?

 

Thanks in advance. I have not dealt with anything that has glass on the front since the days of my first true astronomical telescope in the form of the Meade LXD75 Schmidt Newtonian and at that point it was visual only so a caravan hair dryer was the order of the day.

[TerryMcK]

Most people use dew shields and dew bands on Mak/SGC/RASA type scopes to keep the corrector plate above the dew point. I’m sure I saw a combined shield cum heater somewhere recently.

[TerryMcK]

I did! https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/lynx-astro-heated-flexible-dew-shield-for-8-telescopes.html

Other dealers are available 😚

[Graeme]

8 hours ago, TerryMcK said:

I did! https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/lynx-astro-heated-flexible-dew-shield-for-8-telescopes.html

Other dealers are available 😚

 

I use one of those on my SCT.

 

And I use one of these:

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dew-prevention/celestron-dew-heater-ring-for-sct.html

 

But I don't know if they are made for the Maksutov Newtonian telescope 

 

Regards

 

Graeme

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Graeme

[Cumbrianwolf]

Thanks I may opt for both as suggested. I can fashion a sheild myself and combine the band into it as well. 

[Nightspore]

Altair

 

RVO

[Cumbrianwolf]

24 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

Altair

 

RVO

I struggled to find a suitable match for the size of the OTA I have, as they do not list the sizes on the Astrozap FlexiHeat Heated Dew Shields. I bought what was thought the correct Bahtinov mask, and it is not anywhere near what I needed. I shall make my own dew shield to match the size and buy a heater band.

[Nightspore]

3 hours ago, Cumbrianwolf said:

I struggled to find a suitable match for the size of the OTA I have, as they do not list the sizes on the Astrozap FlexiHeat Heated Dew Shields. I bought what was thought the correct Bahtinov mask, and it is not anywhere near what I needed. I shall make my own dew shield to match the size and buy a heater band.

 

Sounds good.

 

 

These work but I refuse to provide links to FLO. 

 

 

TSO's are more expensive but I enjoy denying FLO a sale.

 

 

I even put them on my refractors. I think I've told you this before though. The stroke's turned my memory into Swiss cheese lol.

 

 

[William Shaw]

I'm very cautious and have shields as well as heaters on all my gear. I've had extensions printed for my guide scope. Maybe OTT, but I've sometimes lost power to my dew straps and might also have some awkward light sources and the extra shielding helps. The shields can buy some extra time. 

[Nightspore]

53 minutes ago, William Shaw said:

I'm very cautious and have shields as well as heaters on all my gear. I've had extensions printed for my guide scope. Maybe OTT, but I've sometimes lost power to my dew straps and might also have some awkward light sources and the extra shielding helps. The shields can buy some extra time. 

 

This is why I prefer two extended shields unheated. Although I'm strictly visual.