Question about the dew heater and dew shield - Forums

Topic starter

May 25, 2022

Hi, I would like to know if a dew shield for epsilon 160ED is necessary. I am still waiting the 160ED, it is in shipping. I will usually use it in PA Cherry Springs.
Sometimes it could be very humid in the night. I dont know if a dew shield will work or not. If it has to be a dew heater, will the heat have bad influence? Where do you usually attach the dew heater if you use it? At the bottom or near the top or somewhere in the middle? Thank you!
Clear Skies,
Dan

Engaging

Roman Pearah

May 26, 2022 · Edited: May 26, 2022

I think it's a good idea but you need to be careful about how extended it is. AstroZap makes one but it's too long. However, if you contact them, they will do a custom one like this:

If also suggest getting their "shower cap" dust cover, so you don't need to take the shield off.

Giovanni Paglioli

IOTD Staff

May 31, 2022

I have no personal experience with the 160, I own and use a 210 which is very old respect to the newer 130-160-180. I really never have had issues with humidity whithout any dew heater or light shield. If it was the case so the conditions where really useless for astrophotography at all. Anyway my tube is really big and the primary mirror is really inside the tube, also the secondary mirror is quite inside and the tube act as a light baffle. I don't know about Yours.

Götz Golla

Jun 1, 2022

Honestly I never had issues with dew with my E130, even though we do have humid nights. I ordered a dew shield together with the telescope, but I never used it. Thats maybe also because mine is long and really difficult (if not impossible) to attach. I would order a dew shield only if it is shorter and specifically fitted for the Epsilon. I would use the dew shield not so much against dew, but as an additional protection against stray light shining into the tube.

Helpful Concise

Julien Dufour

Sep 30, 2022

Roman Pearah:
I think it's a good idea but you need to be careful about how extended it is. AstroZap makes one but it's too long. However, if you contact them, they will do a custom one like this:

If also suggest getting their "shower cap" dust cover, so you don't need to take the shield off.

Hi Roman,

i’m looking for a dew shield for my 160ed.
could you tell me the length of your custom ?
it’s shorter than this one ? https://astrozap.com/products/takahashi-epsilon?variant=8283305181228

CS
julien

Frank Breslawski

Sep 30, 2022

Hi Julien,

I‘m also using your linked dew shield from Astrozap. It‘s perfectly fine for my Epsilon 130-D. No problems with vignetting or anything else - it‘s doing its job 👍

CS
Frank

Well Written Concise

Julien Dufour

Sep 30, 2022

Frank Breslawski:
Hi Julien,

I‘m also using your linked dew shield from Astrozap. It‘s perfectly fine for my Epsilon 130-D. No problems with vignetting or anything else - it‘s doing its job 👍

CS
Frank

Thanks a lot Frank.
Nice to read it !

i’ve lost 4 hours last night. And i don’t want to loose anymore photon :-)

Frank Breslawski

Oct 1, 2022

Julien Dufour:
i’ve lost 4 hours last night. And i don’t want to loose anymore photon :-)

Unfortunately this is also part of our hobby

Don't know how much hours of collected photons I also had to delete in the past...