TheSkySearchers

Just one of those ideas that float to the surface occasionally.

With all of the different travel boxes that are capable of being heated or cooled I was thinking this may be a idea for preparing for a viewing session.
If a person had a small telescope like a Mak/ SC you could place it in the box a hour or two before hand and bring it much closer to forecast ambient temperature instead or setting up and waiting.

A lot of these boxes are capable of heating or cooling and have temperature sensors and controllers so a person may be able to build a box to size from sheet foam and use the internals from the travel box.

Set up and view instead of set up and wait.

Heating it would be easy electrically. Cooling would need more thought!

When I'm using the EdgeHD14" I usually just drag it outside in the shade a couple of hours prior to setup so it can acclimate. If I'm going to a dark site, the closest one is at least an hour's drive and I'll drive with the AC off and windows down so it can start to acclimate. Then it's usually another hour of setup and waiting for darkness. By then, it should be ready to go.
For a scope the size of the 14" EdgeHD, that would be a heck of a box!
When traveling, the 14 gets strapped into the passenger seat with the seatbelt.

Interesting idea
Warm up or cool down time has not been an issue for me , the "box" my scopes live in is an unheated garage that matches outside temperature year round . A garden shed works equally as well as long as secure .

It's an intriguing idea. The heating part would be easy like Graeme said. And for cooling, TEC cooling systems are not all that complicated to install. The question is would anybody actually use it?

AstroBee wrote: ↑Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:17 pm When I'm using the EdgeHD14" I usually just drag it outside in the shade a couple of hours prior to setup so it can acclimate. If I'm going to a dark site, the closest one is at least an hour's drive and I'll drive with the AC off and windows down so it can start to acclimate. Then it's usually another hour of setup and waiting for darkness. By then, it should be ready to go.
For a scope the size of the 14" EdgeHD, that would be a heck of a box!
When traveling, the 14 gets strapped into the passenger seat with the seatbelt.

You acquired an Edge HD 14? Congratulations! ASI2600, obsy, you are going all in!

SkyHiker wrote: ↑Sat Jun 10, 2023 10:36 pm

AstroBee wrote: ↑Sat Jun 10, 2023 9:17 pm When I'm using the EdgeHD14" I usually just drag it outside in the shade a couple of hours prior to setup so it can acclimate. If I'm going to a dark site, the closest one is at least an hour's drive and I'll drive with the AC off and windows down so it can start to acclimate. Then it's usually another hour of setup and waiting for darkness. By then, it should be ready to go.
For a scope the size of the 14" EdgeHD, that would be a heck of a box!
When traveling, the 14 gets strapped into the passenger seat with the seatbelt.

You acquired an Edge HD 14? Congratulations! ASI2600, obsy, you are going all in!

The 14 was donated to our club by someone that was getting too old to handle it. They offered it up to anyone that had a mount and the ability to handle it. I was the only one that raised their hand. So technically, it's not mine, but I've been told I can hold on to it for as long as I like.
I'm thinking of buying a hyperstar setup for it. I figure if I have to return the scope to the club, I could sell it on the aftermarket.

My idea was more of a idea/ issue with living in a flat.
I imagine the majority of observers do not have places they can set up and forget for a few hours.

For transporting a grab and go telescope JT's TEC cooler idea could be built into a telescope case and plugged into the car's 12V. It would be quite apt as satellites use Peltier elements to stabilise the temperature difference between the sun facing side and the space facing side!

Graeme

That would be interesting.