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The SkyShed POD 2.4m Personal Observatory Dome
Finally, an observatory dome
which is quick and easy to set up, can be moved with little effort, yet
still affords secure, waterproof and windproof protection!
What makes the POD different from traditional observatory domes?
Easy setup & Portability.
Six wall sections and four dome
sections nest together, taking up less shipping space and weight than
conventional domes. In
fact, they're even portable enough to take to star parties, and POD customers do
this! First time assembly takes
less than 2 hours, subsequent quick assembly at a starparty for example, is even
quicker once rain seals and wheel tracks are bolted in place. The product is
2.4m in diameter at it's widest point.
Get
out under the sky!
Unlike conventional domes, the POD
offers a 180 degree wide angle view of the sky for more
visual enjoyment, allowing you to see objects in their context and chat with
fellow observers over the
side. This
wide aperture eliminates the "Chimney effect" affecting
older dome
designs, whereby convection currents are focused near the telescope slit as this
is the only place for your body heat to escape - causing poor seeing conditions.
Another advantage of the POD is that the dome doesn't need to be constantly
rotated as your telescope tracks the sky, and movement is only needed every 4-5
hours if that.
Opening up your dome just before sunset also gives you
faster telescope cool-down then you would get with a traditional observatory
design with a narrow
viewing slit.
By offsetting your scope from the centre of the dome, or using an equatorial
mount (which is naturally offset), you can achieve zenith viewing - though many
customers don't bother because fork and equatorial mounted telescopes are awkward
to use at this angle, especially if camera equipment protrudes out of the back,
potentially fouling the mount.
Customise your POD.
Colour combinations are available for the dome in
white, tan and light grey. Walls are available in white, tan, green
and two
shades of grey (see opposite colour charts and photos). We recommend a lighter colour on the dome, for
less heat retention, and a darker colour for the walls, which also looks great.
Additional inset wall panels called POD Bays
offer vastly expanded equipment storage space,
ideal
for
computers, accumulator batteries and eyepiece cases. Shelving systems
are available for the Bays, and you can upgrade your POD to between
one and a maximum of five POD Bays (an XL-5).
No other dome product has the
flexibility.
Bays nest into each other for
shipping, therefore ordering 3 Bays with your POD can cost a lot less
than ordering Bays individually as they take up almost the same
volume.
The Bays and walls
also offer a platform for installing your own power distribution panels, interior
lighting, networking, climate control,
and dome automation accessories. plus a
range of quality steel piers are coming soon
providing more floor space than a telescope tripod.
Protect your equipment.
Your POD can house a large
scope like an 11 or 12" Cassegrain. In fact - more customers are already
using 14" fork mounted SCT's on piers.
The door is designed with a
weatherproof seal, and tough locking system. The dome material is made of high
density Polyethylene giving a wipe-clean surface with a low friction feel
- also a first, and a superior material in every way. It's extremely durable,
almost impossible to stain, and features temperature and UV resistance. It's
also resistant to scratches and cracking, absorbing shocks really easily - unlike
thinner, inferior single walled plastic designs which distort easily. For the ultimate
in strength and heat blocking, you can order
black-lined Bays,
foam
filled walls or door frames, and foam filled dome segments (of
which only
2 out of the total 4 dome segments are required
to be filled). Weighing about 11 lbs more per
panel, this is a negligible increase in weight which stops infra red
heat entering the POD (and therefore heat build-up in hot climates),
with a massive increase in strength as a side-effect. A cleverly designed
ventilation channel allows air to circulate under the dome, which doubles
back, eliminating dust and moisture
ingress.
The dome can be easily fixed to the ground for use with a tripod
mounted scope, or preferably bolted to a raised decking kit, which allows better
ventilation with cool air able to flow under the decking and up through it into
the POD. A steel pier with concrete block foundation
can be used to eliminate vibration for longer exposure
CCD imaging. The pier protrudes up through the decking without touching the
wooden slats (about a half inch gap is fine) thereby isolating the pier from
vibration caused by footsteps. We don't recommend you anchor your POD
and pier on the same concrete pad as your scope, as vibration
can be transmitted through the concrete. We provide piers
and can help with installation and decking kits - please contact
us for details or
join the SkyShed POD UK user group
to share tips with other friendly
POD users. Check
your scope, mount fit & pier height. You can check to see
how your scope fits into the POD with this nifty piece
of software designed by
POD customer Ian Shatwell. The file is available on
the SkyShed POD UK user group.
Simply join the group, click on “Files” in the left-hand navigation,
download Observatory.exe, and double click to run it on your PC. You can
enter your scope and mount size, even your counterweight length, and slew the virtual telescope
around in real-time to check your sky view, finding the best offset
position for your mount. Very useful for big Newtonians & refractors and to
order one of our custom 8" piers.
POD
Review in SkyNews Magazine
Astronomy journalist Steve Barnes wrote
a review in Canadian Astronomy Magazine
SkyNews.
Read the
SkyShed POD review.
Read the Insight Magazine article about the
POD Observatory and it's role in science
& physics education for UK Schools. We're also proud to
announce we've our first POD in a UK School, and we've just delivered a
POD Observatory to Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics.
POD Assembly Video Online Version 2
For those of you who are about to receive PODs and would like to
get a jump on the assembly video, you can view an online abridged version of the
setup DVD you will receive with your POD.
The video will show you just how easy it is to set up
your POD.
View
Part 1 ,
Part 2 ,
Part 3
,
Part 4 ,
Part 5 ,
Part 6
,
Part 7 ,
Part 8 ,
Part 9
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See the
SkyShed POD featured on Discovery
Channel here! |
United Kingdom SkyShed POD Prices:
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POD Standard: |
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POD Standard with 5x
normal Walls, no Bays. |
£1950 |
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POD Standard "Full heat management upgrade" with
5x Foam Filled Walls, 1x Foam filled door frame, 2x Foam filled dome segments,
no Bays. |
£2470 |
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POD XL-3: |
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POD XL3 with 3x normal Bays, 2x normal Walls
Save £602
over separately ordered Bays |
£2195 |
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NEW
POD XL3 "Full Heat Management Upgrade" 3x Black Lined Bays, 2x Foam Filled Walls, 1x Foam filled door frame, 2x Foam
filled Dome Segments) for the ultimate in strength & heat management with ample storage
space. |
£2715 |
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POD XL-5: |
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POD XL5 - with 5 equipment Bays offering
a huge amount of equipment storage space. |
£2295 |
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NEW POD XL5 "Full Heat
Management Upgrade"
with
5x Black Lined Bays, 1x Foam filled door frame, 2x Foam filled Dome Segments
for the
ultimate in strength & heat management. |
£2815 |
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Dome Only: |
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POD Clamshell Dome Only for DIY attachment to your own shed, garage roof or other
building. |
£975 |
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Dome Only Hardware pack use with your own mounting ring. |
£65 |
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In-line Skate Wheel Upgrade Kit
use these 35 wheels with
your own mounting ring (dome only) or upgrade your existing POD wheels for
smoother, quieter operation. |
£65 |
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Accessories & Upgrades: |
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POD Special Equipment Offers
We can put together telescope pier & mount bundles
saving you hundreds of pounds on a complete observatory. We can also help with
Geoptik CNC
machined hardware
for your POD and the
Kendrick Astro Instruments Dew Control
System plus custom piers and
mount adapter plates. |
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Foam Filled Wall Upgrade per single Wall. |
Add £65 / Wall |
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Foam Filled DOME Upgrade fills
only
2x segments per Dome. |
Add £130 / Dome |
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Black Lined BAY Upgrade price per Bay. |
Add £65 / Bay |
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Single POD Bay
Replaces a Wall (it's cheaper to get an XL3) |
£249 |
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POD Bay Shelf Fits inside a Bay |
£60 |
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POD Wall Separate single unit |
£175 |
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POD 8" Steel Pier, custom height to suit your mount |
please call us |
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EQ6 Pier head adapter
in solid billet Aluminium |
please call us |
UK POD Delivery options:
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Zone: |
Distance from Norwich: |
Price: |

Click to view the UK delivery zone map
In the UK we offer a Delivery service, with prices based on distance from
Norwich (or
you can collect your POD in your own van). |
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Greenn |
0-50 miles |
£40 |
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Pink |
50-100 miles |
£75 |
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Red |
100-150 miles |
£110 |
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Yellow |
150-200 miles |
£145 |
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Blue |
200-300 miles |
£190 |
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Orange |
300-400 miles |
£250 |
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White |
Over 400 miles |
Quote |
POD colour options:
(note walls & domes can be different colours)
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Colour: |
Dome: |
Walls & Bays: |
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Discovery White |
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Lunar Grey |
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Midnight Grey |
none |
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Forest Green |
none |
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Desert Tan |
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Neutron Blue (Glows in the dark) |
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Ion Green (Glows in the dark) |
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POD Wall & Bay upgrade options:
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Upgrade: |
Benefit: |
Image: |
Extra Cost: |
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Foam Filled POD Wall |
IR blocking and
improved insulation with a side effect of a huge increase in strength. This upgrade isn't
absolutely essential for cool countries like the
UK.
Click to enlarge image. |
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£65 per Wall |
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Black Lined POD Bay |
Increase in strength, IR blocking
and improved insulation. This upgrade isn't essential for cool countries like
the UK.
Click to enlarge image. |
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£65 per Bay |
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