|
Collecting Sky Dust with a Dry Collector
This procedure will collect sky dust using a nylon
fabric collector. This is the simplest way to collect Sky Dust.
|
Click HERE
to open a printer-friendly PDF version of these instructions.
|
 |
-
Materials.
-
The best collector is made from a five-foot square piece of lightweight, white,
urethane-coated, rip-stop nylon. This material is commonly sold in fabric
stores for making light rain gear.
-
Sky dust is easier to see on a light colored collector, white is preferred.
-
The urethane coating makes a smooth surface so that it's easy to remove sky
dust.
-
This fabric is usually sold in 60-inch wide rolls. A five-foot length (five
feet by five feet or about 1.25 square meters) is large enough to be effective,
but not too large to handle.
-
A stiff plastic kiddy wading pool is the best way to set out the collector and
move it around. These are commonly sold in children's stores and big box
outlets.
-
The ideal pool size is about five feet across the bottom.
-
The pool can be reused, but store it out of direct sunlight so it won't become
brittle.
-
Two clean gallon-size plastic zipper bags, one labeled "Clean", the other
"Sample".
-
Duct tape.
-
Preparing the collector.
-
Identify the collector with a unique marking.
-
Use an indelible marker to place an identification in each corner, "C-1" for
example.
-
Wash and carefully rinse the collector.
-
Suspend the collector with clothespins on a line indoors away from sources of
contamination until dry.
-
Fold the collector.
-
Lift the bottom edge of the collector up to the top edge so that the coated
side closes on itself.
-
Remove the collector from the line.
-
Fold in half longways so that the collector is quartered and square in shape
again.
-
Fold the bundle in thirds one way.
-
Fold the bundle in thirds the other way. The final bundle will be about ten
inches square.
-
Slide the collector into the plastic zipper bag labeled "Clean" and seal.
(photo)
-
Insure that the kiddy pool is reasonably clean to avoid unnecessary
contamination.
-
Setting up the collector.
NB - this takes three or
more people!
-
Have two people remove and unfold the collector so that the coated side is up.
-
The coated side has less sheen and feels rubbery compared to the uncoated side.
-
Your fingernail will make a whistling sound when flicked across the uncoated
side, but not on the coated side.
-
Lower the collector into the kiddy pool and center it, coated side up.
(photo)
-
Tape the collector in place with eight pieces of duct tape, one in each corner
and each side.
-
Retrieving the collector.
-
Carefully remove the duct tape from the collector. Place a finger on the nylon
and peel the tape toward the pool end of the strip.
(photo)
-
To avoid unnecessary contamination, be careful not to allow your hair or
clothing to hang over the collector.
-
Fold one side toward the center of the collector.
-
Fold the opposite side toward the center of the collector. This will place the
edges of these sides together at the center.
-
Repeat these folds for the remaining two sides. The collector will now be lying
in the bottom of the pool, a quarter of its full size and square in shape.
-
Fold the bundle in thirds one way.
-
Fold the bundle in thirds the other way. The final bundle will be about ten
inches square.
-
Slide the collector into the plastic zipper bag labeled "Sample"and seal.
-
Add the Time, Date, and Location to the bag label.
-
Rain or wind.
-
Make note of weather conditions during the collection period, including wind
strength and direction. Measure the amount of any precipitation.
-
If weather threatens your collection, simply fold the kiddy pool and tie a
clean rope around it. (photo)
-
Carry and store the folded pool with the fold down and level so that sky dust
will remain on the collector.
-
Put the pool out again and continue collecting when the weather clears.
As discussed in the FAQ's, there are many other ways to collect Sky
Dust. We encourage you to design your own collection procedure, and we
would love to hear what you do!
|