Scope and mount quick maintenance guide:

Make sure that your telescope and mount are in optimum condition for dark skies by carrying out the following simple but effective checks and adjustments

Check the calibration of your polarscope

It is easy to knock your polarscope out of alignment while you’re carrying your mount around; many people never bother to calibrate it properly in the first place. Now is the time to complete this important task.

Revitalise your counterbalance weights

Counterbalance weights seem to get a bit of a bashing if photographs of secondhand mounts are anything to go by. Keep them looking smart and rust-free with a paint touch-up brush.

Mark out your mount’s home position

Many popular Go-To mounts have a ‘Home’ or ‘Park’ position from which you start each alignment session. Placing markers on your mount’s axes will help you set up speedily and accurately.

Clean your eyepieces

Eyelash grease accumulates on your eyepiece lenses. Use a blast of air to remove dust, then clean the surface with lens-cleaning fluid and a microfibre cloth.

Clean the mounting hardware and the outside of the tube

Dust and grit can find their way between your tube rings and the telescope tube itself. Clean the linings of the tube rings to avoid scratches when you rotate or adjust the position of the tube.

Check your tripod legs

We tend to take tripods for granted, but frequently opening and closing their legs can lead to loose bolts. Have a quick check over each bolt to avoid expensive accidents.