Dobsonian telescopes are really big. They are great for beginners, they are affordable and easy to learn, but storage can be tricky.
Store your Dobsonian telescope in a weatherproof location inside or outside of your house. Telescopes need to be kept away from dust, dirt and moisture, but temperature fluctuations are not as big of a concern. Telescopes are meant to be used outside, but they should not be allowed to get wet from rain or dew when stored.
Dust caps, cases and covers can help keep your telescope clean and functioning no matter where you store it. Some people use shower caps to cover the back of the mirrors to block dust from entering the fans.
My telescope can be broken down and stored inside, and I feel most comfortable storing the scope inside. I have stored it in my car when I was going to travel with it on two consecutive nights and that has always worked well for me.
Storing the scope outside in my car decreases the time I need for my scope to acclimate when I start observing. I have a few tricks I use when acclimating, find them in this post.
Is it Ok to store a Dobsonian Telescope outside?
Telescopes need to be kept away from moisture, so they should only be stored outside in a weatherproof shed, observatory or other enclosure.
Short term storage outside will likely not be a problem if you know it is not going to rain. I have set up the scope in my backyard and covered it with a tarp, put the caps on and gone in to sleep without any harm to my telescope.
Eyepieces
Storing a telescope outside can shorten the life of the coatings on your optical glass. I could not find any information from manufacturers about this claim, but it is always talked about on forums. Be sure to check your eyepieces regularly and look out for any imperfections in the glass or coatings. They can be repaired.
I have an Apache hard sided case that I use to carry my eyepieces. Even if you have trouble storing your telescope inside, consider storing your eyepieces indoors where they are less susceptible to moisture damage.
Insects
Storing a telescope outside makes it vulnerable to insects. I have seen pictures of spiderwebs and eggs in the large optical tube of a Dobsonian telescope.
To clean these things out you have to touch some delicate surfaces and you risk harming them. It is difficult to remove dead bugs from your mirror and spider webs cannot easily be blown off and must be removed by hand. Fingerprints can be very difficult to remove from your mirror, so be very careful cleaning out any insect debris.
Mold and Mildew
Moisture trapped in your telescope can eventually turn into mold and mildew.
Soft surfaces are more susceptible to mold or mildew, but they can grow on glass, metal and wood surfaces as well.
These are hard to remove from surfaces and may require the use of cleaning chemicals. These are not suitable for use on optical glass.
Always contact the manufacturer for instructions for how to clean your telescope, eyepieces or other accessories.
Security
While it is unlikely that anyone would steal your telescope, storing your telescope outside is less secure than storing it inside in most cases.
You will likely also have power banks, cameras, lenses, flashlights and other accessories that may be more attractive to a thief.
Any backyard sheds or observatories should have locks or other security measures, and be sure to put your name or other identifying mark on any tools you store outside.
Is it ok to store a Dobsonian telescope in the garage?
Many astronomers store their telescopes in the garage. This is a great place for storing a telescope as it will stay closer to ambient temperature than it would indoors. When storing your telescope in the garage, be sure to store the scope with dust caps on to help keep out dirt and debris.
In the garage your telescope will experience a wide range of temperature fluctuations. Consider keeping your locking screws on the looser side to prevent any distortion in the mirrors of warping of the telescope components.
Telescopes are meant to be used outside, so they are not generally harmed by temperature fluctuations.
The garage may not be the best place for your telescope if there are lots of spiders or other insects in your garage. It can be very difficult to remove cobwebs and insect eggs from a mirror. It is possible, but very delicate work.
Storing a Solid Tube Dobsonian vs a Truss Tube
I have had both a solid tube and a truss tube dobsonian. If I had the wheelbarrow handles and a garage, I would probably leave the scope assembled and just wheel it out. Unfortunately I have no garage, no wheelbarrow handles and my house is surrounded by trees! I break down the scope everytime I use it and store it indoors.
I have a very large 16 inch Dobsonian truss tube telescope. I store it in my guest room. It would be much more difficult for me to store a solid tube scope of the same size, but my 10 inch solid tube Dobsonian fit easily in my home.
Measure your storage space and be sure you have a place for your telescope, but do not worry, almost any scope can be transported in even a small car.
I have a Honda Civic and I have no trouble transporting my very large telescope. You can read more about transporting Dobsonian telescopes in this comprehensive guide.
Storing a 16 Inch Dobsonian
I store my 16 inch telescope in my guest room. I travel with my scope every time I use it, so I put it in and out of storage a few times a week without any problems.
When you are looking to upgrade to that big scope you will need to find somewhere to keep it.
A large closet in your home, a garage or shed would all be great places to store a 16 Inch Dobsonian telescope. My truss tube telescope is easy to break down and store in parts, but those beautiful Obsession solid tube Dobs would need a larger storage space.
Even solid tube large Dobsonians can be stored and transported without special equipment.
There is an argument to be made for getting an enclosed trailer at this point. These are weatherproof and make transporting very easy.
We have this trailer, which can be modified so that there is a place for everything and nothing shifts around.
We plan to build a bus that can house all the astronomy gear and be a portable observatory and stargazer lounge. We love being together as a family and having a place for the kids to sleep while my wife and I explore the sky sounds really perfect.
Get creative, astronomers all over the internet have some amazing setups for those large telescopes.
