Maintenance
Messier series telescopes are precision optical instruments designed to
yield a lifetime of rewarding applications. Given the care and respect due
any precision instrument, your Messier will rarely, if ever, require factory
servicing.
Maintenance guidelines include:
a. Avoid cleaning the telescope’s optics: A little dust on the front surface of
the telescope’s correcting lens causes virtually no degradation of image
quality and should not be considered reason to clean the lens.
b. When absolutely necessary, dust on the front lens should be removed
with gentle strokes of a camel hair brush or blown off with an ear syringe
(available at any pharmacy). DO NOT use a commercial photographic
lens cleaner.
c. Organic materials (e.g., fingerprints) on the front lens may be removed
with a solution of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol. You
may also add 1 drop of biodegradable dishwashing soap per pint of
solution. Use soft, white facial tissues and make short, gentle strokes.
Change tissues often.
Caution:
Do not use scented or lotioned tissues or damage could result to the optics.
d. If the telescope is used outdoors on a humid night, water condensa-
tion on the telescope surfaces will probably result. While such con-
densation does not normally cause any damage to the telescope, it is
recommended that the entire telescope be wiped down with a dry cloth
before the telescope is packed away. Do not, however, wipe any of the
optical surfaces. Rather, simply allow the telescope to sit for some time in
the warm indoor air, so that the wet optical surfaces can dry unattended.
e. Do not leave your Messier inside a car on a warm summer day; exces-
sive ambient temperatures can damage the telescope.
Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye!
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