I've just tried doing a search on this topic here and have come up with very little. I'm just wondering if anyone here has used or seen a tent-type field observatory that'd be tall enough to cover a 12" SCT on a collapsed tripod if required yet would allow full 360-degree rotation without snagging?
They seem reasonably popular in the USA but I can't find anyone who supplies them as such in Australia. I'm considering using our Coleman Insta-Set screen tent in lieu of anything better, but these need the screens folded right back out of the way to gain a view. The good thing is that they are a solid unit that can be rotated when required - as long as you cut a hole in the sewn-in bfloor to set the tripod in so that the rest can rotate. Height is good at 2.1m in the centre - which still gives you a good dec. angle. You can always move to the edge if you need to go higher. Having quite a decent silver-lined roof they'd keep dew down to a minimum too.
Here's what we use Chris.
It's called an Oztrail has adjustable height, quick and easy to erect.
We also have removable walls for it as well which are an optional extra.
These are not a cheap gazebo be prepared to pay around the $250-300 mark without the walls.
Those Kendrick tents are an ingenious idea.
I've a bit of experience with industrial sewing and I reckon it wouldn't be too hard to convert a Kookaburra 3, 4 or 5 man dome tent into a usefull astrocessary.
Interesting idea.
I have noticed how much mozzies like laptop screens in the night. With this in mind I have recently been wondering about a tent simply for myself next to the telescope - to sit in with the laptop and have fly netting protecting me from the bugs. Can't imagine I'd be spending the money on it any time soon but it would be nice, that or a observing tent that has 2 compartments - one sealed from mozzies.
Looks good but does not solve the wind problem....
There was a company in USA making the tent domes, very good..
But they went out of business, unfortunatelly.... and it seems no-one does the similar thing any more.
When I find the picture I will post it, just for your info....
Looks good but does not solve the wind problem....
There was a company in USA making the tent domes, very good..
But they went out of business, unfortunatelly.... and it seems no-one does the similar thing any more.
When I find the picture I will post it, just for your info....
Bojan - I think I know the one you are referring to.... I saw a proper ad for it in an mag a while back.
I found it.. on Randy Brewer's webpage.( http://www.randybrewer.net/)
It seems they (Sky Tent is the name of the company.... either they are not in business or they do not make those domes any more) made quite a few, because when searching on the web I found more people using this model.
Something like that would be the solution to our problems
OK - what about this? It's a Coleman Insta-Set shower/dunny tent we use for camping at spots for a few days or more. It just occured to me that the base is 1.5m x 1.5m and the door aperture is 1,750mm high - so it's plenty big enough to take the scope and cover it from dew and a quick shower. You can still sit on a stool behind it and it'd keep most of the wind off. It also doesn't affect the GPS. If my 12" stands right at the door, I can get some pretty decent altitude still.
It takes roughy 45 seconds to erect, including taking it out of its bag - which is great.
hehe.. it's actually a little more roomy than it looks in the photo - but not by much. I'd prefer to be outside than in there, but if the weather looks dodgy or a great dew is about to settlem I'd live with the lack of room. You can still put a stool at the back and a small table. Let's just call it "cosy"
I am on my way to Nunawading this afternoon :-)
Thanks :-)
Pleasure bojan
If you could get to Sydney, my wife is opening a new Rays store in Campbelltown this week. She'd give you a "celestial" discount......... but then again, Nunawading is a tad closer
Anyway - let me know what you think of the structure. It's brilliant in my books. Very quick and easy to erect because the poles stay with the fabric, so you don't have to go threading anything.
Chris, it definitelly looks the right thing but of course I have to see it first.
And, judging by the picture, it may be a good idea to add one more wing (or two) ~ 1m long, just to protect the dobsonian tube from side wind blows, when it is pointed to lower elevations. That should not be too hard :-)
Will let you know when I see the thing :-)
OK, the toilet... ups.... The telescope portabledome is at home.
Chris, you were right, the unit seems to be quite solid when properly anchored and it is very easy to setup.
Now to test it, I need a windy evening ... in Melbourne this is not a problem at all :-)
