No matter whether you are using a reflector or a refractor telescope, your experience may be affected if it has a dirty lens. Dirty lenses on refractors mean you cannot use the telescope to its fullest extent. The greatest issue is that it reduces the quality of your image, if your lens is considerably dirty. In this article, we look at how to clean telescope lenses.
So, to always have a telescope that is working in top condition, you need to clean your lenses when required.
However, if an incorrect procedure is used, it is possible to damage one of your lenses beyond repair. As such, you need to follow specific procedures to clean them. Luckily, we are here to help!
This article will discuss the best way to clean your telescope lenses.
What Tools Do You Need To Clean Your Telescope Lenses?
The tools you need to clean your telescope lenses are:
Soft lens cleaning brush
Clean microfiber cloth
Rocket blower
Cleaning solutions, like methanol or isopropyl alcohol
How To Clean Your Telescope Lenses
Follow these steps to ensure your telescope lenses are clean and ready to use!
First, use your rocket blower to remove debris and dust from the lens. You should not use your mouth to blow on your lens because your breath will likely contain water that may condense on it. At this stage of the procedure, it is best to keep moisture off the lens so that any debris is easily removed. Do not use a hairdryer to dry any lens, as the hot air may damage it.
There will likely be some dust left on the lens. If so, you will need to clean it with a soft brush.
Once you have completed the step above, spray your microfiber cloth with a cleaning solution.
Gently wipe the surface of the lens with your cloth to remove any leftover smudges or dirt. It is important to do this gently, or you risk scratching or otherwise damaging the telescope lens. Repeat until the lens surface is cleaned.
Finally, take your dry microfiber cloth and use it to dry the telescope lens.
Repeat on the other side of the lens if required
Congratulations! Your lens is now clean and ready to be used! We hope you enjoy gazing at the stars and not dust!
I have used the above procedure on numerous occasions and find it quick and effective. Always keep in mind that telescope lenses are coated to improve image quality. The coating needs to be looked after.
Top Tips For Cleaning Your Telescope Lenses
Here are our top tips for cleaning your telescope lenses properly!
First, you do not need to totally take your telescope apart in order to clean it. This is because putting a telescope back together can be difficult and has the potential to go wrong. However, if you are experienced with dismantling a telescope and are confident that you can do it without damaging it, then proceed with disassembling and re-assembling it as you please. However, under no circumstances should you disassemble the primary lens cell of a refractor telescope (lens cells are described below).
Do not touch any internal mirrors of a telescope because the coating can be easily damaged. If the internal mirrors need to be cleaned, call a professional. However, if you wish to tackle the job yourself, we have instructions on cleaning telescope mirrors.
Do not use any abrasive cleaners on the telescope lenses because this will likely scratch them.
While cleaning your lens, check for any sign of mold growth. To check for this look through the lens and look for very small branching structures. As stated above, do not disassemble a lens cell to clean it. Small growths will not significantly affect image quality. If found monitor it and check for any moisture ingress in the telescope’s storage space. You may wish to place a desiccant where you store your telescope.
When storing the telescope, it is best to keep them facing down so they do not catch dust. Also, fit any lens caps that were supplied with your telescope. This way, they will not need to be cleaned as frequently.
Do not pour the cleaning solution directly onto the telescope’s lens because you risk damaging it. Instead, spray it into the cloth. If you pour cleaning solution onto a lens it may penetrate into the lens cell. This may affect the image quality.
Do not store your telescope in damp or humid places because this can promote the growth of mold.
What is a Lens Cell?
I am going to digress a little to describe what a lens cell is. A lens cell is a grouping of two or more lenses that act in the place of a single lens.
The biggest problem with simple refractors using a single primary lens is chromatic aberration. Chromatic aberration occurs because not all colors of light are bent to the same extent. This means that different colors are brought to focus at different points. As a result, color fringing is observed.
To mitigate the issue, more than one lens is used. Different lens configurations correct better than others. Of course better correction costs more money.
You should never disassemble a lens cell because lens spacing and alignment are important. Without the correct skills, reassembling the cell correctly will be difficult, if not impossible.
Should I Clean My Telescope Lenses Frequently?
If your telescope lenses only have small amounts of dust, you do not need to clean them to the extent listed above.
When it comes to lenses, cleaning too often is worse than cleaning too little. This is because frequent cleaning can age and damage the coatings on the lenses and mirrors. This will cause their performance to degrade.
Therefore, it is important only to clean your telescope lenses when absolutely necessary. Any specks of dust can be blown (preferably) or wiped away with a dry cloth, and the thorough cleaning listed above only needs to be done once annually.
How To Clean The Telescope’s Microfiber Cloth
After you have used the microfiber cloth on the telescope, you will need to clean it before you put it away.
Follow these tips to clean your microfiber cloth!
Make a solution of warm water and mild soap. The soap must be free from dye, perfume, parabens, and sulfates.
Submerge the microfiber cloth in the solution and gently clean it via agitation.
Rinse the microfiber cloth in warm water
Squeeze the water out of the cloth gently
Now, rinse the cloth again in distilled water
Continue rinsing until the rinse water is clean
Remove any excess water from the cloth, but make sure you do it gently
Dry the cloth in a place free from lint to ensure it stays residue and dust-free for the next time you need to clean your telescope
Final Thoughts
Over time, dust, debris, and smudges will gather on your telescope lenses. A significant amount of contamination may cause the telescope’s image quality to decline. So, when this happens, you must clean your telescope lens!
It is important to note that it is natural for the lens of your telescope to accumulate dirt. To blow or wipe away small amounts, you only need a blower or dry cloth.
Telescope image quality is only marginally affected by a small amount of dust. Every time you clean a lens, you risk damaging it. For these reasons, you should only clean your lens when it is necessary.
Ideally, you should thoroughly clean your telescope lens about once a year. The best way to clean your telescope lens is by using all the procedure above.
After cleaning your lenses you should store your telescope with the lens facing down in a cool, dry place and clean your microfiber cloth so it is ready to use the next time you need to clean it. If you think that there is an issue with moisture use a desiccant.
Hi, my name is Jason Anderson, and I am a Physics Professor. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with space, the universe, the moon, you name it. I spent hours and hours at the planetarium close to my hometown, wondering what else could be out in the universe.
Since then, I’ve been an avid stargazer and astronomer, and love nothing more than spending my time charting stars, observing planets, and finding constellations.
This is why I decided to start Telescope Guru. I only wish to share this fun pastime with the world. With this site, I hope to answer all of your questions relating to astronomy, telescopes, and stargazing.
