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The Astronomik calendar of the Lunar phases in 2024 is ready.
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We wish you a merry Chirstmastime and a happy and healthy 2023...
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Cleaning Astronomik Filters
There is lot´s of advise how to clean optical surfaces. Usually any optical surface has to be treated with the highest care to avoid scratches or destruction. Here we want to give you some advise how to clean Astronomik Filters:
Due to our hard coating you don´t have to be afraid to damage your filter! Astronomik filters are completely scratch resistant, and moisture resistant too.
Cleaning Aids:
How to remove Dust
To remove dust from your filter we do recomend a good paint brush or a lenspen.
How not to do:
Please do not use a manual bellow, because typically you will have more dust on your filter after using a bellow than before. The same is valid for untreated air from a compressor: Please do not use your compressor to blow of dust. The air usually contains small drops of oil and water. This won´t destroy your filter, but there will be much more dirt to remove.
How to remove fingerprints
To remove fingerprints and similar residuals we do recommend a GOOD microfiber cloth. Optional you might use Isopropanol (from your local pharmacy) and a optical cleaning cloth. Use a lenspen for small and persistant spots of dirt.
How not to do:
Basically you may also use destiled water, but evaporation is very slow and the water is sucked into the cell due to capillary action. - This is unwanted!
We do advise against any kind of special or "magic" optical cleaning sollutions: The chemical composition is generally unkown and your filter might even get destroyed in the worst case!
The cleaning process:
Use the paint brush and wipe of the dust from both sides of the filter. -Done and ready!
When your using a Microfibre cloth apply soft presure and wipe fingerprints of in streaks across the surface. (It´s a good idea to mark one side of the cloth. Use allways the same side for the fingers and the other for the optical surface.) After several cleaning processes you will have to clean the microfibre cloth in your washing machine to remove the grease form the fibers. If you still can see traces of grease on the surface after the cleaning process with a microfibre cloth you will need Isopropanol and a special cotton-fibre cloth for optical cleaning.
Suck a part of the cloth in Isopropanol and wipe the grease away.
You may buy Isopropanol at your local pharmacy. Please choose the best purity grade. A small bottle of 100ml will last forever. We cannot ship Isopropanol due to legal restrictions. But you may order all other stuff mentioned here.
Important advice when using Isopropanol:
Isopropanol is a transparent, colorless, very votal and flammable liquid. The stench will bring in mind a hospital or medical office. Isopropanol is used for desinfection purpose there. Isopropanol and air are mixing up to very flamable vapors. These vapors are also deafening. Please make shure that your working place is well vented!
Contact to the eyes or mucosa causes irritations.
When buying a bottle of Isopropanol in your pharmacy you will usually get a safety data sheet. (At least in germany). Please follow all instructions given there!
Isopropanol is a transparent, colorless, very votal and flammable liquid. The stench will bring in mind a hospital or medical office. Isopropanol is used for desinfection purpose there. Isopropanol and air are mixing up to very flamable vapors. These vapors are also deafening. Please make shure that your working place is well vented!
Contact to the eyes or mucosa causes irritations.
When buying a bottle of Isopropanol in your pharmacy you will usually get a safety data sheet. (At least in germany). Please follow all instructions given there!
Optical cleaning
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Lenspen
excl. VAT (Non-EU): €13.44 incl. VAT (EU): €15.99 -
Microfaser-Reiningungstuch
excl. VAT (Non-EU): €10.04 incl. VAT (EU): €11.95 -
Spezial Optik-Baumwolltuch
excl. VAT (Non-EU): €5.00 incl. VAT (EU): €5.95