On clear nights, dew is often a real problem. After just a few hours, the optics begin to fog up, making observation or photography impossible. A good dew cap reduces the risk of fogging and thus extends the observation time. It also blocks stray light from the sides. Stray light, for example from streetlights, reduces contrast and often causes unwanted reflections in photographs. Dew caps are completely black on the inside. Stray light cannot penetrate the telescope at all.

Newtonian spikes are created by the interference of light rays passing through the opening of the telescope and the spike mask. The mask consists of a series of thin, parallel lines that bundle the light into these lines. When the light then hits the camera lens, a diffraction pattern is created that produces the spikes.

The spike mask is a simple and effective tool that can add a dramatic effect to your images. It is a good choice for anyone who wants Newtonian spikes in their astrophotography images without having to deal with image post-processing.

To use the spike mask, simply place the mask in front of the telescope lens and then point the telescope at a bright object, such as the moon or a star cluster. The spikes should then be visible.

Here are some tips for using the spike mask:

• Make sure the mask is clean before using it. Dirt or dust can affect image quality.
• Make sure the mask is perfectly aligned. If the mask is not aligned, the spikes may be blurry or distorted.
• Use a telescope with a large aperture. The larger the aperture of the telescope, the more noticeable the spikes will be.
• With a little practice, you can use the spike mask to take beautiful pictures with Newtonian spikes.

• Attach the mask to the telescope and align it with the object you want to photograph.
• You will already see the classic spikes of a Newtonian telescope in Live View.
• The spike will become more visible during shooting.

This dew cap fits the Seestar S30 from ZWO.

Technical data:

Scope of delivery

• Dew cap
• Spike mask attachment