Selecting Your Site and Getting Set Up For Observing

There are two primary factors when evaluating your site and both must be considered during your equipment selection process. The first is light pollution which is light from ground sources (street lights, airports, etc) that reflect light to the sky. The second is your site’s clear view radius (the directions in the sky - North, South, East, West - that are free from obstructions such as trees, building, hills, etc).

Light Pollution

If you are located within a city or have selected a site area with high light pollution you may be restricted from some larger scopes (over 8” to 10”). Larger diameter scopes collect a lot of light, good and bad, so be careful of getting a scope that is too large to be useful in a high pollution area. There are LPR (Light Pollution Reduction) filters that help reduce the unwanted light if the pollution levels are light to medium. If the light pollution in your site is high, you can either select another site location or consider a smaller scope that will minimize the effect of the light pollution. If you have a very dark site with minimal obstructions, the choices of sizes and types of scopes that will work well at your site is expanded.

Clear View

The perfect site would have 360 degrees available for viewing. This is rare when selecting your home as your primary site location. At my location from my back deck I have 75 percent of the sky available to view - North, South and West. If something special is happening in the East, I must use an alternate site location. The good thing about observing the night skies is that all objects move and change location throughout the nights and months. By scheduling the objects you wish to observe in advance you can work around most obstructions.

Setting Up

If your home is your primary site setup will become routine as it will be the same each night. If you have to use a remote location, while it may be initially more difficult (transporting the scope, crossing the field, etc) it too will soon become routine. In either case make sure you allow time for your scope’s temperature to become stable to the air around it. Depending on the difference in degrees from storage location to observing location and the type of scope you have, this normally takes about 5 to 15 minutes. (Allow additional time for extreme cold conditions.) This will help reduce distortion in your image often experienced during the time it takes your scope to become stable. Your accessories should be well organized and secure. (See Images Below) You do not want to be dropping or stepping on your eyepieces and CCD equipment in the dark. If you are using motorized equipment make sure your battery is charged. (Not a good thing when the battery dies just when you finally get ??????? in view.)

Finally, if you are still not sure that the scope you have selected is right for your site, discuss it with either the manufacture of the scope or the dealer you plan on purchasing it from. Do not expect them to tell you exactly what to buy or what you need. They will recommend either a style/type or several types and sizes that would do well for the location you have described to them. The final selection must be yours and is dependant on your needs and budget. Try and remember, the last thing either party wants to have is an unhappy customer, well at least this is true with the vendors I have chosen.,,,,,

See: Why Meade? Or Buying Equipment pages for my experiences with dealers and scope manufacturers.

Click On A photo to enlarge:



My solution to staying organized is a Meade accessories case. It holds all my lenses, CCD equipment, lap top, etc.

Your investment for accessories may equal or exceed the cost of your scope, in my opinion cheap insurance.

Item #07296 Model #50 at www.telescopes.com (very reasonable price)

Safety Tip: Check the path you use to get your equipment to your site and your site area for tripping hazards before you start your set up. After setup check around your scope to make sure it is clear as you will have to change your position several times during your observing session. Many a scope has suffered damage because someone forgot to check these items in the excitement of the moment or rushing the set up process. In daylight, we can see what is in our way, in the dark, what we can not see is still there! Always check a new site location in the daylight before attempting to use it at night. If you are using a remote, site having a cell phone with you is a good idea. Be careful,,,,,, and enjoy the great Sites Above.