DIY Observing Hood

[Linda]

As we have some neighborhood light around our house and my observing spot, I spent some time today making a observing hood, inspired by the hooded observing vest by Dark Skies Apparel. I used a solid cordura material. The hood can be fastened to my warm observing coat and can easily be removed again.

 

 

[Stu]

Looks great Linda, hope you get a chance to test it soon.

It looks like the design is nice and open; whenever I've tried putting a blanket over my head I find that I quickly steam up the eyepiece with my breath, but it looks like you will avoid this problem. 

[Linda]

3 minutes ago, Stu said:

Looks great Linda, hope you get a chance to test it soon.

It looks like the design is nice and open; whenever I've tried putting a blanket over my head I find that I quickly steam up the eyepiece with my breath, but it looks like you will avoid this problem.

Good point. I have had bad experiences with a blanket. It doesn't keep sitting and it is too close to my head to be able to look in my atlas. As a beginner I need the atlas really hard. This hood was supposed to support that.
 

[saac]

Really cool idea and well executed Linda.  I've often thought something like that would help when solar observing - viewing the laptop screen in daylight iis almost impossible.

 

Jim

[Linda]

I changed the material to cordura. Looks too much like corduroy, what I wrote the first time. 

[Linda]

7 minutes ago, saac said:

Really cool idea and well executed Linda.  I've often thought something like that would help when solar observing - viewing the laptop screen in daylight iis almost impossible.

 

Jim

Indeed, the only time I tried solar, the sun kept shining i my eyes! I's seen pictues of people using carton around the scope. I hope my hoop works as well.

Laptops and iPads are not made for outside in daylight. Can't you use a Kindle?

[saac]

I've never tried a Kindle, may be worth a go.  It's not so much a problem not since I have my diy home observatory - the laptop is shielded enough so that I can see it clearly.  Before that I was using an ad hoc cardboard box shield, but they are flimsy and inevitable fall apart.  What I like about your hood solution is that it moves with you and is always ready - a good solution for a mobile setup.

 

Jim