Oh gee...now that's a somewhat controversial question in the amateur astronomer community! Around the time when I joined the BBAA this was one of my first questions to this forum, and I learned that there are incredibly varied opinions. While your Orion telescope manual specifically recommends cleaning your mirror once a year, it's nothing absolute. In my case, my first 3 months observing the Messier objects primarily from Sandbridge took an immense toll on my primary. In that short amount of time (although it's true I was averaging around an obsessive 15 observations a month that summer) the saltwater in the air over time managed to form a film on the primary, which fogged up the optics. Since then I've been a lot more careful about my scope and I think I've only cleaned the mirror again once. Dust alone is not something to be worried about! You should be fine for a while.
-Nick Anderson
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backbayastro@..., "LeighAnne" wrote:
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> Is there a quick and easy way to dust off the primary mirror?
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> The instructions for my Orion XT8 classic dob tell me to remove the primary mirror and soak it soapy water and alcohol and wipe clean with cotton balls. Sounds like too opportunities to screw up, scratch and/or drop my mirror. I'm scared.
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> Isn't there a Swiffer for primary mirrors? HA!
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