Motel o'Scope - The Telescope Enclosure
Motel o'Scope is a pier-mounted telescope enclosure. Its small footprint makes it an ideal solution for observers and astrophotographers who would like to keep their equipment polar aligned and ready for use on a moment's notice.
Motel o'Scope consists of an enclosure base and cover. The enclosure base is an ingenious design of very high quality parts including many that are custom machined that clamps to a 12" concrete pier without bolts, anchors or fasteners. The cover is constructed using foil-faced foam board, aluminum reinforced edges and aluminum foil tape. Optionally, the cover may be finished using aircraft-quality dacron using a process that creates a UV barrier and a beautifully paintable surface. The super light-weight cover is also very strong.
Motel o'Scope is a kit, made up of parts that you purchase yourself, as well as a manual and some essential parts that we can provide. The do-it-yourself materials may be purchased from your local home construction store including the foam board as well as some parts that may need to be purchased from a national supplier such as McMaster Carr or Grainger. Once you have the parts you need, the detailed construction manual will help you build the most basic enclosure within 1-2 days. The dacron-covering process can be more involved and requires additional purchases from an aircraft supply house.
Motel o'Scope is adjustable in several ways. It can accomodate variations in pier diameter from approx. 11-1/2" to 12-1/4". It can be adjusted for piers that aren't perfectly concentric (round). The table platform can be mounted offset in one direction to account for telescopes whose equipment load isn't exactly centered over the pier.
Motel o'Scope creates a great environment to protect your equipment. The cover fits onto the enclosure base using a positive seal against a neoprene foam perimeter. Properly built, your telescope will sit in a dust-free and insulated space. The use of aluminum foil-faced foam board and other aluminum features create a UV resistant space that reflects solar radiation. Paint and/or the optional dacron covering adds more UV protection, insulation and protection from dings and nicks.
Motel o'Scope is an alternative for those enthusiasts that don't have the real estate for an observatory. The footprint at ground level is 12" while the footprint at waist level is 26" x 50". The cover is 48" tall. The enclosure deck provides a convenient space to mount power strips, ccd equipment, sensors, usb and ethernet hubs, alarm detectors for security and more. The only constraint that the deck places on an observer is the use of right-angle mounted eyepieces.