TheSkySearchers

There's a new astronomy tent offered by Explore Scientific.
See https://explorescientific.com/products/ ... atory-tent
Their video about setting it up and folding it back down is pretty entertaining:
Your thoughts?

AntennaGuy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:24 am There's a new astronomy tent offered by Explore Scientific.

Your thoughts?

Definitely interesting, something worth considering. Would have like to have seen the roof on it.

II downloaded the manual, there is no actual roof for either section of the tent, only the tent fly.
A bit of a strange set up and I have a feeling that with it being a popup tent it will not be very sturdy.

chris_g wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:50 am

AntennaGuy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:24 am There's a new astronomy tent offered by Explore Scientific.

Your thoughts?

Definitely interesting, something worth considering. Would have like to have seen the roof on it.

From the web site

I've use the "grandfather" of this - a 5'-cube Pop-up Hunting Blind - for Observing in Central Florida for years. Available from most large Sports / Hunting Stores: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/amerist ... ound-blind

Our prime concern is the "Heavy Bombardment" of Mosquitos that we get shortly after Sundown. Then the Heavy Dew that occurs as the Temps Fall. Without a Roof, all of your Gear and Computers are quickly Drenched. So, the Table and PC and boxes of gear go inside, with reasonable room left for yourself and a full-size folding party chair. Being a Hunting Blind, the 3x non-door walls have zippered fold-down pass-through Windows (with Zippered/Velcro'd Bug Screening - dark/camouflaged to hide the Hunters - which also does well to darken the glow of Laptop or Red Flashlight). This is PERFECT for passing through Cables and Hand Controllers (and even to see the Laptop Screen while manually Focusing and/or Aligning the Scope). And, being on all 3x sides, I've frequently setup 2x Imaging Rigs on opposite sides, each cabled into the enclosed / roofed "Operator's Room".
As with the "Observing Walls" in the video, the Blind is Floorless (I bring a 6'x6' poly tarp - I've also seen 6'x6' and 10'x10' Camper Patio Rugs). Floorless is "Good" because I also bring along a 2nd Pop-up-Blind which I can quickly "Pop-OVER" the Imaging Rig / Scope / Tripod if surprised by a quick shower or ground-fog.

While it is Good that Explore Scientific (or any other Astronomy Gear Company) is showing interest in Observing Tents, I think that this specific one is likely to FLOP.

• Without Roof over at least the Observer Area there is too little Structure to face even the most modest Breeze
• The Tent Fly ("Roof Tarp") is both Too Little and Too Late to be used as a Roof - it can't readily be setup over just half of the combined structure
• The Tent Fly Stay Ropes are going to be Trip Hazards in the Dark - I can't believe that any Astronomy Gear Company doesn't include a dozen little Dim Red LED "Blinkies" by default with each Tent
• also: critique of the video:
  • Far too much time and effort on the "gimmick" of "One-Handed assembly"
  • Emphasis on the "Observer's Room" but no Props to actually show any Utility of that room - eg: bringing in a quick Chair and Table - like the Mount brought in for the other room

thanks for the tip .
seem to be nice .

The 5x5 section would fit nicely on my deck.

I've done a lot of research on pop-up changing tents, camping tents, hunting blinds, ice fishing shelters, and so on. A consistent theme is they can be a royal PITA to fold back up. That may or may not be a problem. And from what I can see in the video, I might question the durability.

For under $50, you can buy a Walmart tent with slide-in poles and cut out a section of roof. OTOH, I think the ES is worth a second look, depending how much you want to spend. I'd also like to see them list the usual camping tent specs (as applicable). Thanks for the tip!

pakarinen wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:08 pm The 5x5 section would fit nicely on my deck.

I've done a lot of research on pop-up changing tents, camping tents, hunting blinds, ice fishing shelters, and so on. A consistent theme is they can be a royal PITA to fold back up. That may or may not be a problem. And from what I can see in the video, I might question the durability.

For under $50, you can buy a Walmart tent with slide-in poles and cut out a section of roof. OTOH, I think the ES is worth a second look, depending how much you want to spend. I'd also like to see them list the usual camping tent specs (as applicable). Thanks for the tip!

do you have a link for the tent ? at walmart .

There are a few, Amazon also. IIRC, people tended toward 4-person tents; I lost the link where a guy went into detail on buying, cutting, adding zippers. I think his main concern was the interior height:
I was also looking at this one:

https://www.omegon.eu/instruments/omego ... r_1_select
http://store.smartastronomy.com/poobte.html

pakarinen wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:08 pm I've done a lot of research on pop-up changing tents, camping tents, hunting blinds, ice fishing shelters, and so on. A consistent theme is they can be a royal PITA to fold back up. That may or may not be a problem. And from what I can see in the video, I might question the durability.

Folding Up is literally a One-Handed Operation (well maybe a little help from the 2nd Hand makes it easier). It's a simple twist of the wrist and a tug (assuming you can remember which way to position your wrist when you grip and twist). The Hoops of Spring Steel do the "Folding" (Coil in on themselves). The Walls are Rip-Stop Nylon and medium-grade YKK-clone Zippers (Mettle Shuttle / Plastic Teeth) and Field-grade Velcro. The one that I have does have a pair of Fiberglass Poles that Insert across the Roof Diagonals to provide additional Rigidity, and Peg-down Loops at the bottom corners. Staked down, mine has withstood 30-35mph Gusts and quick Torrential Downpours.

mmmm @pakarinen I wonder what the difference is between these two tents you linked to. That Omegon one sure looks tempting to me for when I go out to Cherry Springs State Park. But the Meade Clear View also looks good. I wonder if either of them has a floor. Also how does one park the scope so you can put the cover on? I suppose one would have to rotate the scope so it was horizontal rather than pointing up at due north. Also there seems to be a significant price differential $179 vs $359.
But these are both very interesting - I had not thought of a tent like structure. Great Idea!

Kendrick Astro from Canada used to sell a very nice astro tent but they discontinued it due to having a hard time putting minimum orders together to keep the price down.
https://www.kendrickastro.com/observatory.html

If I learned anything it is that you need two hands to set it up especially if you want to sell it!

The demo gives the worst possible impression of stability. While the website shows tiedowns for lateral stability, after this demo I would really like to see someone put it up in a breeze outside, using the tiedowns, and show that it does not blow over.

ES should concentrate on eyepieces with better eye relief.

Oh, interesting tents, but the pop up beach tent somehow got into my field of vision and now I'm happy to live with this tent, especially if I need to go out for the weekend. It has a huge plus, which many ordinary tents do not have, it is the material that they use. I do not know how they did it, but it does not really bask in the sun, which is a big plus if you are out for the weekend, and not just you need to spend the night somewhere. A good plus is that it is quite light and if you need to go into the forest, it does not add much weight and is quite easy to fold out. My wife and I get out on the first day of the weekend in the evening and while I break up our small camp, build a fire, my wife easily copes with arranging a bed for us for the night!

Do you have a link to the tent you have?