Travelling with your kit

[Al Long]

We are planning to go away to the middle of the Atlantic for Crimbo this year (COVID willing), does anyone have any words of wisdom on taking my kit on a plane?

[Sheila]

that depends on what your kit is.  They dont take kindly to a 14 inch dobsonian 😊

Less is better and weight will be an issue.  Only time I took kit was to australia and I only took a tripod and DSLR

and made do with very short subs of the milky way.  Did not fancy putting a scope in the hold and having it chucked around by the baggage handlers.  

[Al Long]

3 minutes ago, Sheila said:

that depends on what your kit is.  They dont take kindly to a 14 inch dobsonian 😊

Less is better and weight will be an issue.  Only time I took kit was to australia and I only took a tripod and DSLR

and made do with very short subs of the milky way.  Did not fancy putting a scope in the hold and having it chucked around by the baggage handlers.  

I was thinking of taking my AZ-GTI and 150mm Newt, but I may look to buy a smaller tube. 

[philjay]

Some years ago I took an st80 with camera tripod and single zoom lens to Spain. The scope and ep was in my carry on and the tripod, suitably bagged, went in luggage.

I supposse a newt could go in luggage but would it survive the handling process?

[Sheila]

I don’t think a newt would survive the journey. They fling the hold luggage about like sacks of potatoes 😪 would not like to see the mirror etc when it arrived. Then it has to survive the return journey

[Clive]

Check with your carrier as to what hold bagage weight and cabin baggage size restrictons apply.  They are certainly a lot less these days with the budget carriers than they were when I last took astro equipment on holiday. And I agree with everyone above, I would only carry optics in hand luggage.

[+Bino-viewer]

As Clive says.

 

Don't contemplate putting expensive, delicate gear in the hold. A carbon fibre lightweight tripod would be ok though.

Hand baggage only. The size and weight limit are up to the airline.

 

I wouldn't take a Newt either. A small lightweight refractor is the way to go.

 

Take a look at http://alpha-lyrae.co.uk/

Matthew has travelled extensively and his blog details lots of travel ideas and options with astro gear.

[Clive]

If it's just visual you're contemplating, how about a decent pair of binoculars?

[Doc]

I agree a decent pair of bins is what I would take.

[Al Long]

Thank you all for your advice. The Newt will be staying safely at home. I am on the hunt now for a small portable tube or some decent binoculars that won’t break the bank (or cause a divorce!!)

[+bryand]

I've got some 15x70s which are pretty good, and fairly compact.  You may want to consider a monopod as well.

[philjay]

The other year i took just a pair of Nikon 10x42 monarch binoculars to Kelling, no scopes just the bins and my lounger. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it proved to me I didnt need apeture and mag to enjoy dark skies. I actually saw the North American neb with them as well, very faint and BIG!