Conquering Dew: DEW NOT and DEW BUSTER

Defeating Dew: My Secret Weapon for Clear Skies

What amateur astronomer hasn’t battled the dreaded dew? Sure, it’s easy to make a DIY dew shield, as I’ve explained in another article in the “DIY Projects” category, but let’s be honest, that’s often not enough – especially when you’re observing at the zenith! There are a few ways to tackle it, like using a hairdryer, but that’s not very practical if you’re far from a power source, and frankly, it gets exhausting in the long run.

No, the real solution, the one that truly works, is to use a heating strap around the areas prone to condensation (like the Schmidt corrector on an SC or the objective lens on a refractor). You can try to make your own heating straps, but often their efficiency is insufficient, rendering them pretty useless.

I opted for DEW NOT brand heating straps, which I purchased directly from Canada. I ordered two models: one for my C11 and another for my C80ED. They’re incredibly durable and stay permanently attached to my telescopes. Overall, I’m extremely happy with them!

To ensure I’m not overheating and creating unwanted warm air currents, I also use a DEW BUSTER temperature controller. This fantastic device can control up to eight heating straps, with two of them operating in automatic mode. These two are controlled by a temperature probe, which precisely maintains the temperature just above the dew point! It’s an absolute marvel.