Telescope Enclosure

Telescope Enclosure for 8-inch Meade SCT

The telescope enclosure was designed by Joe Gerencher and was manufactured by Hill Metal of Allentown, PA, according to the engineering drawings created by Kurt Schreefer.  The telescope platform is on the upper-most roof of Collier Hall of Science at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA.  Piers on the telescope platform hold reflectors and refractors which have to be set up and taken down each observing session.

Click on any image to enlarge.

closed telescope enclosure
The enclosure, closed and locked, viewed from southwest.

telescope enclosure hinge detail
The north end has a locked hinge.

unlocking telescope enclosure
Removing the lock on south end.

pulling telescope enclosure lid by handle
Pulling on handle on north end.

half open telescope enclosure
Tipping on hinge at north end.

mostly open telescope enclosure
Rotating lid to floor

open telescope enclosure
Setting lid onto floor.  Table exact height as lid.


hinge detail
The rod through the hinge can be unlocked and removed.

pulling rod from hinge
After unlocking rod, rod is pulled to free lid from table.

open telescope enclosure
Lid is freed from table and can be slid away on its flat top.

table without lid
Without the lid, the telescope is more easily available to larger groups.

sliding lid to table to rejoin
Lid slid back to table at end of observing session.

lid ready to reattach
A handle inside the lid allows easy alignment of the hinge components.

reinstalling rod in hinge
Rod reinserted to join lid to table.

lifting lid
Lid rotated back up onto closure.

rotating lid to closed position
Lid is easily rotated by one person back into closed position.

milled edge of table for telescope enclosure
The tab fits into slot on table for lock.  
Notice the milled edge of the table, which keeps water from entering.

schematic: side view
Lid rotates at hinge on northern end.

schematic: pier
Detail of pier for table.

schematic: end views
Left view - south end (lock end).   Right view - north end (hinge end).
Hinges shown in right diagram were modified on final design.

schematic: lid
Details of lid.  Made of welded aluminum sheet metal.

schematic: Table
Detail of table top, showing milled edges.