How does the telescope stand up to high heat and humidity within Motel oScope?
It stands up just like it would in any observatory except that in the Motel o’Scope we’re not letting the air change. Once the cover is latched down there is very little air infiltration if properly built. In a typical small observatory there is much more air infiltration and that is what adds humidity from dew and condensation. Humid air is much harder on the telescope than dry air. We recommend that a Motel o’Scope owner keep some desiccant inside the enclosure. We keep a couple of 1oz packets of silica gel beads in ours at all times and recharge them in the microwave a couple of times a year. We do live in a very dry climate however and one could certainly add more depending on the environment. A 1lb bag of silica gel desiccant can be purchased for $10-15. We’ve also measured the temperature of our installation using a remote sensor for several years and have been very impressed with the ability of the foil faced foam board and the dacron cover (if painted mostly white) to keep the
