Gazeebo

[GasGiant]

Hi, 

 Im looking at getting a scope, however storage may be an issue as I have a small ish house already packed to the gunnels with stuff ! 

I do have two large-ish gardens though and enough space for a scope in a semi permanent position on a patio area.  I appreciate a decent shed is the answer but how about a gazeebo ?

That would be enough for wind and rain but maybe condensation etc would be a problem. Naturally, I dont want to ruin it.  I simply dont have space to store inside and I dont have disposable £$£ for a shed and a new scope 😞

What do you guys do, especially with bigger scopes and mounts ?

 

Carl 

[M40]

Have a nose through the diy observatories forum, it might give you a few ideas. Someone built a good observatory using correx in which all was kept outside.

There are also covers called telegizmo 365 from first light optics which enable you to keep your stuff outside, personally I would limit it to the mouht though, I'm not sure I would keep the telescope outside under one. All the best.

[Mr Spock]

What size scope?

Would it be easy to store the OTA in a shed and then cover the mount? Something like a trug with a tarpaulin over the top would work.

[Ratlet]

As an alternative to a new shed, consider second hand on marketplace or gumtree.  You might have a bit of a wait, but it'll be considerably cheaper than new, even factoring in van hire.  You won't need anything massive and might be able to pick one up for free!  Just need a few concrete blocks for a base and away you go.

[Moonshed]

A lot depends on the size and type of scope you intend buying. A 50mm refractor could easily be stored in a small corner of the house whereas an 8” Celestron SCT takes up a lot of space, plus it’s very heavy and difficult to carry. I store my Celestron set up and ready to go in its own shed. When I had a 50mm refractor I stored it in a bedroom.

Personally I wouldn’t store any scope outside with only a cover over it for protection, but TeleGizmos do a scope cover designed for permanent outdoor protection and I have seen good reviews for it, so something to think about perhaps?

What scope do you have in mind?

Edited October 4, 2023 by Moonshed

[Carbon Brush]

Depending on where in the garden, you might consider a scope cover disguised as a garden feature.

I have seen photos of a fibreglass pretend dovecote. In reality a weatherproof cover for a mount.
The scope went indoors.

I have seen a tardis. Open the doors and slide back on rails to reveal a complete imaging setup.

When considering my observatory, I was told that a bottle recycling bank in a prominent location would not go down well.
Hence the decision to go for a shed with roof rolling over a pergola.

[wookie1965]

I'd love to have a permanent set up but it's not feasible. 😥