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Do you leave your Astro rig outside for extended periods of time??

William Optics Redcat 51 Equipment Backyard Astrophotography
peng155Gilmour DicksonOscar
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peng155 avatar
peng155 avatar
Hello Folks,

So I hope this is a relativly simple and quick question… Per the subject line, Do you leave your astro rig outside for any extended period of time??

I live in the Pacific Northwest… This is my first season of doing any real serious DSO astro-photography, of late I've been tearing down my rig after each nights session, and I'll set-up again the next afternoon… My rig basically consist of a AM3 mount and carbonfiber tripod, and either my Redcat 51 or C6 hyperstar, plus all of the connecting USB cales, and a AC to 12VDC power source.

I do most of my imaging in my own private backyard, and you really can't see my gear from the street unless you happen to wonder into the front yard, and come walking around either side of the house. My next door neighborrs have a clear line of sight into the backyard, but I think I trust them enough to where I doubt they'd jump the fence and walk off with the gear, and I have security cameras monitoring all of my yard entry points….

What I'm sort of worried about is the effects of mosture (ie. Rain) would have of the internals of the gear….. before I actually leave anything out over night, I'll get one of those reflective telescope covers to put over the equipment after my nights session, just incase a un-forecasted rain drizzle, or quick rain front happens by…

I was just wondering if I had anything to worry about if I just left the gear outside for an extended period of time during the summer months, and maybe a night of two during the spring, fall, winter months

Thanks
Francesco Meschia avatar
Francesco Meschia avatar
I am in a similar situation, and I normally leave my 5" refractor mounted in the backyard. Certainly in the summer, and relatively often even in the wet season. I use a Telegizmos 365 cover for protection against sunlight and rain.
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Michael Fleischer avatar
Michael Fleischer avatar
Hi Phil.

I have to admit I am too much of a scary cat and after each session I tear down my equipment, bring it to "safety" inside, and set up the equipment the next day or next time for the following photo session.


Greets Mike
peng155 avatar
peng155 avatar
Michael Fleischer:
Hi Phil.

I have to admit I am too much of a scary cat and after each session I tear down my equipment, bring it to "safety" inside, and set up the equipment the next day or next time for the following photo session.


Greets Mike

Hi Mike,

I can't say that I blame you... depending on your setup.... you're talking at least $1k sitting in your backyard out in the open and in the elements.... When I'm doing an all night session, I'm constantly looking at my allsky camera to see what if any clouds are blowing thru... and then I'll check the weather app on my phone to see if the forcast has changed...

I find that the seting up a few hours before I start my session isn't that bad.... it's the time it take for me to re-polar align the setup, and the tear down at the end of the session.. making sure I don't trip over anything while I walk back to the house with scope in hand....
wsg avatar
wsg avatar
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
I would recommend not leaving it outside, unless it's in a weather-proof shed or observatory, preferably with barbed wire around the opening (somehow), and a heavy duty lock on the door, and even better with a security camera pointed at it

5 things I would fear if I just left it outside, in a 365 cover for example, on a tripod

1. the thief
2. the gust of wind
3. the fog
4. the mischievous kid
5. the lightning strike

if my mount was mounted on a pier, then I would still worry about 1., 3., 4., 5.,
Tom Boyd avatar
Tom Boyd avatar
As I often drive to my observing site I set up and take down after each session…
Sam Badcock avatar
Sam Badcock avatar
Hi Phil,

The last half dozen odd times I’ve imaged, I leave my setup all ready to go and once I’ve done my flats just bring it all inside and chuck it in the corner somewhere so the next night or whenever I can it’s easy to whip out and setup quick!!

I shoot in my back yard as well and I’m on a back section with security cameras where one of them looks at the rig in a quiet neighbourhood so I’m pretty content about leaving it out over night!!

My last 3 sessions have been so n a work night so I’ve been setting up when I get home, get some sleep then wake up a little earlier to take flats and bring it all inside but if it’s the weekend then I Power Nap and occasionally go out and check on it!!

One thing I’m looking for is a protective cover of sorts that can be used while imaging just incase there’s unforcasted rain like ya mentioned

CS
- Sam
Jan Erik Vallestad avatar
Jan Erik Vallestad avatar
I leave mine outside all the time as long as the forecast is looking good. I do cover it with a jacket during daytime though to protect it from frost if things aren't running 24/7.
James avatar
James avatar
I live on the edge of rural UK and few people know there is a house here. But, I tear mine down every night. It only takes one opportunist or a random rain shower 🤷🏽

​​​
peng155 avatar
peng155 avatar
Sam Badcock:
Hi Phil,

The last half dozen odd times I’ve imaged, I leave my setup all ready to go and once I’ve done my flats just bring it all inside and chuck it in the corner somewhere so the next night or whenever I can it’s easy to whip out and setup quick!!

I shoot in my back yard as well and I’m on a back section with security cameras where one of them looks at the rig in a quiet neighbourhood so I’m pretty content about leaving it out over night!!

My last 3 sessions have been so n a work night so I’ve been setting up when I get home, get some sleep then wake up a little earlier to take flats and bring it all inside but if it’s the weekend then I Power Nap and occasionally go out and check on it!!

One thing I’m looking for is a protective cover of sorts that can be used while imaging just incase there’s unforcasted rain like ya mentioned

CS
- Sam

Hi Sam,

Yeah, a protective cover for the rig.. will be a must.... And now that I have free time to screw around with DSO imaging (I've retired) I'll probably need to clear out a corner of the garage and setup a new PC work station in there to monitor the nightly imaging session... and probably make a tripod mount base with wheels so i can just leave everything setup, and just wheel the whole thing in and out of the garage each session.. sort like one of these:

peng155 avatar
peng155 avatar
James:
I live on the edge of rural UK and few people know there is a house here. But, I tear mine down every night. It only takes one opportunist or a random rain shower 🤷🏽

​​​

James,

I bet you have just amazing dark skies where you are!
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James avatar
James avatar
Not too bad. Bortle 5 here and depending on where I point the telescope (not too far a travel either) I can be shooting towards Bortle 4. Sadly, in most places in the UK Bortle 4 is the best you can do 😆
Steve avatar
Steve avatar
Yes, for two setups, under TeleGizmos 365 covers.  I take the setups down when we're traveling or strong wind gusts are expected.  But I'm in Colorado, much less humid.  In the PNW you'd probably need to dehumidify as well (unless you're in eastern Oregon or similar).
Sam Badcock avatar
Sam Badcock avatar
Sam Badcock:
Hi Phil,

The last half dozen odd times I’ve imaged, I leave my setup all ready to go and once I’ve done my flats just bring it all inside and chuck it in the corner somewhere so the next night or whenever I can it’s easy to whip out and setup quick!!

I shoot in my back yard as well and I’m on a back section with security cameras where one of them looks at the rig in a quiet neighbourhood so I’m pretty content about leaving it out over night!!

My last 3 sessions have been so n a work night so I’ve been setting up when I get home, get some sleep then wake up a little earlier to take flats and bring it all inside but if it’s the weekend then I Power Nap and occasionally go out and check on it!!

One thing I’m looking for is a protective cover of sorts that can be used while imaging just incase there’s unforcasted rain like ya mentioned

CS
- Sam

Hi Sam,

Yeah, a protective cover for the rig.. will be a must.... And now that I have free time to screw around with DSO imaging (I've retired) I'll probably need to clear out a corner of the garage and setup a new PC work station in there to monitor the nightly imaging session... and probably make a tripod mount base with wheels so i can just leave everything setup, and just wheel the whole thing in and out of the garage each session.. sort like one of these:


Yeah I looked at one of those but currently it’s not really a good idea as I’ve got steps to deal with haha though some kind of protective cover that you can still use while imaging is a good idea
mackiedlm avatar
mackiedlm avatar
I'm in the west of Ireland, maybe not quite as wet as the Pacific NW but not far off. I have 2 rigs in my back yard both on todmorden piers. I leave both out 24/7 unless I'm going to be away from home or there is a serious wind storm forecast. They are under Telegizmo 365 covers, secured tight round the pier with webbing straps. I leave a couple of bags of silica gel inside the covers and a bluetooth temperature/humidity sensor which logs both and can download to my phone.  When humidity inside gets to 75% I regenerate the dessicant by cooking in the microwave for 10 mins.

The rigs, scopes and cameras have lived this way for 2 years with no adverse effects.


In terms of security, my yard is not overlooked, and I'm confident I'd be aware of anyone coming in. So I dont worry about that.

My weather is such that clear nights are few and this set up allows me to make the most of even partial nights. My imaging time has increased dramatically since I did this.
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andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Always. 20 years with a 7 year break.
Tony Gondola avatar
Tony Gondola avatar
I have been in the habit of leaving the mount outside throughout the year, I just bring in the OTA and electronics. It's super nice to have it out there ready to go, without a thought to polar alignment. I've been doing this now for 5 years with two different mounts, never had an issue. I spent most of that time in southern New Mexico so no issues with moisture but plenty of heat. My first spot was in clear view of the road if you really looked. The rest of the time was a walled back yard. I kept it covered with (gasp) a doubled black garbage bag. I suppose that made it look less desirable! Honestly though, I never worried about it walking off and if it did, well, homeowners yeah?
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Andrew Topper avatar
Andrew Topper avatar
I have left my setup outside in Vegas up to 105F heat with a TeleGizmos cover with no bad effects. If it gets any hotter I chicken out and pull everything in. I also keep a security cam pointed at the setup full time. While I have it out I'm careful to track weather (Rain/Winds). Summer storms can get into the valley and dump 2" of rain in 20 minutes with little advanced warning. The cover turns the setup into a big sail.
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Jon Rista avatar
Jon Rista avatar
For many years, I've left my mount on a tripod or pier, covered by a 365 cover. The mount and pier are the only things I've ever been willing to leave outside. When it comes to highly precise and carefully machined and set optics, I've never been able to bring myself to leave those outside, through all the changes in temperature, humidity, etc. Oh, and don't forget bugs…man, have I found bugs in incredibly tight spots I never thought they could get into (in my mount and pier). 

In Colorado, during the summer, it is not unusual for us to have 90 degree days, and 55 degree nights a swing of 45 degrees. During some parts of the year or on particularly extreme days, I've seen temperatures swing as much as 60+ degrees, and on rarer occasions as much as 80 degrees in less than a 24 hour period of time (early winter storms can sometimes do that…you start out at 90 degrees then a fluke storm blows in and you can end up at 10 degrees! The humidity swing can be crazy too…going from 10% when its hot, to as much as 80-90% when the incoming storm really kicks in. 

So, optics, no, never ever left any outside. If I had a proper enclosure, and observatory, one where I could mitigate or manage or control temperature and humidity, then I would probably leave everything set up. But just out in my back yard, I can't bring myself to leave the scope or any optics out there for long periods of time.
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Tom Marsala avatar
Tom Marsala avatar
If I'm going to image more than one clear dry night I'll leave it out. But I'll just leave the mount and tripod out and bring the OTA in where it's cool. Especially in the summer where it can reach 110, I like to have the scope at 76 so that when I bring it outside it doesn't have to cool down… it has to warm up, lol! But I have left it out as long as 8 days, the mount that is, and I just have tape marking where the OTA goes so that it remains balanced once I put it on and I'm ready to go. I do cover the mount with a box and some reflective material so that the sun doesn't bear down on it.
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Alonso Uribe avatar
Alonso Uribe avatar
I am in SoCal, for the last month and half has been nothing but clear skies about 90-95% of the time. My rig has been left outside every single night/day, well protected with a heavy duty cover, I have not polar align in over 3 weeks, I do a quick check to make sure I am still within parameters but that is a far as I go. During raining season I do not risky it and I'll be paying extreme attention to a couple of forecast apps. I love Astrospheric, I found it very accurate 99% of the time.
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
Alonso Uribe:
I am in SoCal, for the last month and half has been nothing but clear skies about 90-95% of the time. My rig has been left outside every single night/day, well protected with a heavy duty cover, I have not polar align in over 3 weeks, I do a quick check to make sure I am still within parameters but that is a far as I go. During raining season I do not risky it and I'll be paying extreme attention to a couple of forecast apps. I love Astrospheric, I found it very accurate 99% of the time.

I live in SoCal too, and I have too many clouds, lucky you 

and I have to say, I hate Astrospheric. what a lying forecast! it has wasted my time.

it has told me numerous times, the I would have clear skies, even sometimes saying that the nights ahead will also be clear, and then with false hopes, I take my equipment outside, and bam... the clouds come rushing out of seemingly nowhere, usually right after I finish the PA.

ClearOutside so far has been way more trustworthy, even with the fog forecasts which so far have been accurate enough.
Arny avatar
Arny avatar
I leave my rig out on my roof terrace under a TeleGizmo 365 weather cover since last christmas through rain, snow, heat  and humidity - no problems with corrosion, moisture etc …

Arny
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Stjepan Prugovečki avatar
Stjepan Prugovečki avatar
I have piers with iOptron mounts on all the time. Rain, snow, storms, name it… I just put the vapour barrier foil (used for roofs normally) over the mounts  and Telegizmo over it. 
Sometimes I leave refractor scopes also for a week or two.) No problems ever since (3y) .  All located in quite rural area, visible from the road, no cameras…. (benefits of small country, as even if someone takes it , what then .. to whom to sell . )