How to Travel with a Telescope?

[hiewliwen]

Hello Stargazers!

I was introduced to Astronomy first by Gary from Sidewalk Astronomy and again by the SingAstro volunteers during the ArtScience Sunday Showcase event last weekend.
I have got a few questions. I tried the search function on the forum but it did not yield any results. If my questions were asked before, then please excuse me.

1) How do you bring/travel with your telescope? e.g. Bringing it out to an star gazing event or travel overseas. What kind of luggage or logistics are needed?
2) For gazers in the far East, where are some of the sites for star gazers in relatively darker skies?
3) Is it possible to predict or forecast cloud coverage over certain part of Singapore or it is usually determined on the spot.
4) For someone who BMW (bus, walk, MRT... okay taxis too), does it mean I am limited to 5" or smaller telescopes? Are there alternatives that is both portable and have a large aperture?
5) NexStar SE SCT have al-az mount. 6" and below comes with angle plate. Does using the angled plate meant that is it now on an "EQ mount"?
Looking forward to the replies and hope to join in on one of the star gazing events soon.

Thanks.
~wen

[Airconvent]

Hi Wen,
I have managed to purchase a backpack from Queensway Shopping Centre large enough to just carry my 8SE OTA (using some bubble wrap as padding) but its a tad heavier than I would like. I think the best balance is to carry an 6SE OTA with a Vixen Porta II mount. Someone showed me it was possible at theArtscience event, so I know its doable. Eyepieces, diagonals are easily carried in a small pouch. This is a very easy set up for BMW.
Weixing has managed to cart along his 98mm FLT (look at his photos in the Astronomy 2017 Photos thread) taking the MRT. At the end, its about how much you able/willing to carry along with you.

[Mibmom]

Hi hiewliwen,
I have "hand carried" a Nexstar 6SE OTA in a back pack on flights (with DIY padding).
The Nexstar SE mount was in the checked in luggage. I did not bring the tripod.
Oh be prepared to open the bag to show the TSA that it is in fact a telescope.
Honestly I would not go as far as an 8" on a flight as hand carried.
Hope this helps.

[rlow]

For airline carry-on cabin baggage, I've brought APM 100mm ED Apo bino (7.5kg) with Velbon Video Panhead Mount, and AP 130mm f/6.3 EDF-GT Apo (8kg) with Astroslew Inox Alt-Az Mount, both with Carbon- Fibre Tripod. C8 ota (5.6kg) would be possible for carry-on cabin baggage, as well as some 7 inch, 8 inch to 10 inch ultra-compact dob.

For airline check-in baggage, I've brought APM 6 inch f/8 Apo OTA (12.5kg), and the extreme case of 22 inch ultra-compact dob (55kg). Usual travel dobs for airline travel as check-in baggage are 11 inch to 14 inch ultra-compact dobs.

Note that these ultra-compact travel dobs I mentioned are specifically designed for airline travel, not standard classic dobs

For MRTs, you are generally limited by what you can carry or wheeled through the MRT wider "turnstile" gate next to the Control Station.

I used to backpacked a C8 OTA with Astroslew 1 Mount on bus & ferry trips to Pulau Ubin & Malaysia.

[hiewliwen]

Thank you Airconvent, Mibmon & Richard for the answers!

I will rethink about getting 6SE (if I do buy it) or ultra-compact dob (will need more research into it.).

[joachim.ong]

Hi hiewliwen, to forecast cloud conditions I use the satellite image from himawari
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/mscweb/data/h ... p?area=se3