Hi Mike,
While there are weather resistant covers and such. Do not underestimate the
strength of the wind on a mount and or mount scope when a "sail" of a cover is
fastened over it.
The incident most folks will recall had to do with a dust devil which tossed
over 205 pounds of OTA and mount (tossed it 3 feet down wind as well as over),
the monsoon winds are as strong or stronger than what "Toto" encountered with a
resulting $1600 worth of damage.
A Small anchored out building wheeled over the scope or a full blown
observatory (roll-off or other is probably in order. The monsoon rain and / or
hail is not to be trivialized either.
In the end, re-polar aligning the mount is significantly cheaper. Though I do
understand the total pain of it.
Thank you,
Jimmy Ray
Arizona Sonoran Desert Observatory - Glendale
-----Original Message-----
From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael McDonald
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 6:46 PM
To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AZ-Observing] Telescope mounts and the monsoon?
What do people do with their telescope mounts now that monsoon season is almost
upon us? I think I just about have my AVX polar aligned and ready to try some
imaging. (Maybe this time I’ll remember to do the fine focusing before I
capture an hours worth of donuts!) But the weatherman says monsoon season may
start for real on Wednesday so I’ll have to fold up the patio umbrellas I’ve
been using to keep the sun off the mount. Add all of the dust that the monsoon
brings and I’m worried about the mount surviving. But I also hate the idea of
throwing my hard earned alignment away and starting over in …? September?
Mike McDonald
mikemac@xxxxxxxxxxx
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