skyshed pod

[cventer]

Anyone here have a skyshed pod ?

How do you find it ?

Where did you order it from ? How much was it and how long did it take to arrive ?

[dannat (Daniel)]

i don't have one but you can order them from telescope & astronomy in SA, i think about 3500 - they come in a crate when enough orders are filled
i would not mind one either - my wife is even warming to the idea when we move to our new place

[sheeny (Al)]

It's great! I have an XL3 (3 bays). Have a look here:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...7s+Observatory

I had a C8 SGT in it originally and there was plenty of room. Now with a C11 and an ED80 side by side on an EQ6 I find that it can get a little squeezy to move around at times. It's probably just me going to take some time getting used to the difference. It's not bad just something I've noticed.

I enjoy having the half dome open. It makes it easy to look around at the sky and watch what clouds are doing, etc.

It can get a bit warm in summer. Mine gets to 40ish°C in summer, but I think Mozzie's has got to about 55! But there are solutions available to help keep the temp down.

I have my pier set up in the centre. Some people say you should offset it to avoid the lid blocking the zenith, but from my research whether it's offset or not, some part of the sky on the meridian will be affected. There is a Zenith table available to allow the dome to be slid right off out of the way if this is a real problem. I haven't got that desperate yet.

When you install the pier, make it as short as you can comfortably work with and use an observing chair to get low for viewing for visual work. The lower the scope/mount is the less of a problem the blind spot at zenith will be. I need to shorten my pier now that I have the EQ6 on it... it's a taller mount than the CG5. I just haven't brought myself to strip it all and do it yet... I want to play with new scopes!

Telescopes - Astronomy are the aussie dealers.

Al.

[cventer]

Thanks Al. Very nice looking setup you have.

I contacted telescopes&astronomy in SA. They have to wait to fill a container before it ships from usa. So current expectation is not until May next year.

This is what sucks about living in AU. 6 month wait time for something in stock within USA is just crazy.

I am just not a patient man

[trackerau]

Have you thought of a an Aussie made dome?

try : http://www.siriusobservatories.com/

I have no idea of the $$$$$.

[mozzie (Peter)]

may next year its a weight till then but there well worth it myself and al weighted for a while for the first shipment and its the best investment ive made im running 12"lx90 concrete pier mount plenty of room to walk around al's right zenith is a little difficult but having the halfopen viewing makes you feel as if your out in the open if your going to order one get at least the xl3 the storage bays are a must they also make them insulated thats a bit of food for thought ive had mine up to the mid 50'in temp but ive know put some insulation in the bays its helped keep the heat down on those really hot days if at hame just open the door and i turn a little fan on it keeps the temp down weve had 3 floods here in coffs this year and the pod has had no water in it some nights just under 600 mm there a great dome and highly recommended them
mozzie