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In the last few years we've added more and more technology to our backyard telescopes, turning many into powerful scientific instruments. Unfortunately we've found that with all the added technology it takes a lot more time to get set up and tear down all that equipment. With life becoming more hectic than ever, many astronomers report doing LESS observing than they have in the past. All this fantastic technology, and sizeable investment, sits unused in the corner of a room, or buried in the garage. What's needed is both a permanent and mobile solution to house and operate telescopic equipment at a moment's notice, whether in the backyard or in the field.
POD's low cost and high quality, along with its innovative design, make it the perfect alternative to much higher priced observatory solutions. We use only the finest American made, highly UV resistant Polyethylene from 3M. Longevity is in terms of decades, not years. If it's quality and longevity you want, there's only one - SkyShed POD Celebrating POD's 13th Anniversary! Join Thousands of SkyShed POD Owners Around the World. Note - In these days of restricted travel - Invest in your own backyard. "Stay-cation" - Explore the unverse with your family from your own home. Order ASAP for Spring and Summer '21 Delivery! Visit our Facebook page for
the latest updates and Btw! Don't believe the POD Anti-Hype from competitors! Some will say just about any crazy thing to divert you from POD. Listen to POD owners, many of whom have owned their PODs for over 10 years, and their POD is a most prized possession. Call us if you'd like to discuss it. It's a big decision. We're here to help, 24/7. Why a Clamshell design and
not a slot opening?
Keep It Simple, Smarty!
(the KISS
principle)
POD's Double-Wall-Design makes a HUGE
difference in strength and security!
In the early design phase we considered
a thin, single wall to lower price and weight. No matter how we looked
at it you end up with a flimsy structure. We knew astronomers would not
want to leave their expensive equipment inside it year 'round.
So we doubled the wall by putting one-POD-inside-another, and separated the two by
up to 4 inches. We added even more strength with large, star shaped "kissoffs"
between the two walls.
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 SkyShed POD Weathers 120+ MPH winds in Hurricane Michael 2018 POD Owner Dan
in Florida writes: It is with great joy that I can report my POD
survived 120+ MPH winds yesterday.
The POD was totally unaffected.
... Unfortunately I had a storage shed at ground level that was
totally obliterated by the storm surge ... I'm pleased as
punch at how well the POD did...Very relieved.
The Original, The Legendary Join the friendly 
SkyShed POD Group
HerePost directly with other POD owners! |
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 2017,
John O'Neal II writes:
My POD has successfully been transplanted from Ohio to North Carolina, where it will begin it's second decade of constant use. I maintain that the money spent to buy my POD was the best astronomical purchase I ever made. Scopes, mounts, cameras, etc come and go, but the POD is an investment for a lifetime of astronomical endeavors. |
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Built like a Tank! Made from high density, nontoxic, Highly UV resistant, double walled, polyethylene. |
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 Super strong, yet lightweight. Individual panels only weigh from 27-50 pounds. |
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 Assemble POD from 10 fitted panels to allow for short term mobile, or long term stationary installation. Bring POD with you to your dark sky site and set it up in less than an hour. Or leave it setup in your backyard for year round instant access to the sky. Ultimate flexibility! |
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 Huge viewing window! PODs Patented design provides you with a horizon to horizon, east to west view, at the same time! No need to motorize the roof. No need for motors, pulleys or cables. Saves both valuable observing time and money. |
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  360 Degree Rotation. View in any direction. Track objects for hours with no need to move the dome! Need the ultimate in zenith access? Check Out the PZT - Now Available!
Other domes can need motorized rotation systems which can cost over $3,000 View Jim Lafferty's "Cloudy Nights-Winning" 6.6 hour exposure of the Jellyfish Nebula. Imaged without having to rotate the dome. |
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POD is just under 8' in diameter by 8' in height and will accommodate the latest popular telescopes up to 14", including 14" CGX and 14" ACF. Plus small to medium sized refractors, even Dobsonians. Click Here for POD Dimension Graphics and Configuration Views. |
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Telescope is Offset to the South. Like many well known large observatories, POD is designed to have the pier/scope offset to the south, to take advantage of the busier Southern sky. In our case about 10" South of center. This also provides more work room to the North where you spend much of your time. DO NOT locate the scope in the center or Zenith can be obscured by the open dome flange. This is important! |
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 No need to paint. POD will retain its color for many years.
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 Install POD on the ground, on a deck, or any flat surface. |
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POD is Available With 0, or Up To 5 POD Bays |
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Optional POD BAYs provide additional space for laptops, equipment, LCD screens, charts, storage, etc. The Bays extend to the ground, meaning you can put much more weight in them than a cubby that sticks out through the mid wall. *Unlike others who've copied our Bay design, POD Bay is one molded piece. Stonger, weather tight, longer lasting, easier to install. Way better! |
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Already own an observatory? POD makes a great addition to your line up. Can you take your current ob with you to the cottage or favorite star party? |
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 Flow through ventilation. Air transfer located below the dome for maximum weather protection. |
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 Operates in Extreme Temps POD can operate in temperatures far above and below the temps your equipment can operate in. |
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 Stainless steel and rust resistant hardware used throughout. |
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 Ecomate Insulated Wall Panels Option We've perfected a method of filling the POD wall panels with hardened foam insulation. Not only does this make the already strong walls incredibly strong, it cuts out IR waves, UV waves, and light. The thick insulation helps keep outside hot and cold temps on the outside in extreme environments. More... Ecomate® Awarded The IBEX Environmentall Award!
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 Excellent Wind and Dew Protection POD owners report much greater than expected wind and dew protection, while still having access to a huge sky view. POD's dome and Bays provide excellent protection for you and your equipment. |
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 "Redneck" Wind Tested to make sure POD can withstand high wind speeds we conducted wind tests with POD mounted on a flat bed trailer. We drove POD across the country side with the dome in both open and closed positions. POD passed the tests with flying colors. Click Here to view an online video! |
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 Secure your equipment with PODs locking door and dome. In addition POD has 12 internal anchor points around the wall base to deter theft and keep POD anchored even in extreme conditions. |
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A New HD (720p) Assembly Video! Hosted by SkyShed Observatory owners Wayne Parker and Lorelei Parker Power. Now better than ever! More info, more insight, more tips. In glorious HD! Email Us to receive the link to view the new video. |
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 Price
Vs. Quality
In price vs. quality
comparisons, POD outperforms competing products, even some much
higher priced ones, by a country
mile! Internet photos can not portray the huge difference in
quality between POD and competing plastic products. We use
only expensive poured aluminum molds to create POD. This means
we end up with a far more finished looking and refined product.
The differences in quality are easily visible upon close
inspection.The most frequent comments from new POD owners are, "The quality is much higher than I expected", "POD is much larger than I expected", and "POD is a lot stronger than I expected." What we hear most is "I Love My POD!" |
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| Building Material Comparison | |||||||||
We use only the finest
American made, highly UV resistant Polyethylene from 3M. Longevity
is in terms of decades, not years. If it's quality and
longevity you want, there's only one - SkyShed POD
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 The POD Team Difference! Before and after delivery you have unprecedented access to the team who developed POD, the people who make your POD, and direct contact with the people who ship your POD. Questions or concerns are normally responded to within minutes if not hours, often by multiple members of the team. Unprecedented! |
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 Astronomy
Technology Today Editor Loves His
POD!
Gary Parkerson, managing editor of ATT Magazine, sure knows his astro gear. He's seen it all. Of all the observatories he could choose from, he chose POD. Read Gary's "POD Love Letter" to the POD Yahoo Group about his personal experience with POD. Thanks to Gary for letting us share it with you. Click Here to read the letter. |
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 Andy Raiford, TX This thing is a phenomenal success! Andy Raiford, Astronomy educator, and equipment reviewer andysshotglass.com
Click Here
for more. |
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 John Chumack, OH
I have built many homemade and manufactured Domes, and have owned 6 domes of various manufacturers throughout the years. I can honestly say that the SkyShed POD was by far the quickest and easiest to build and its incredibly solid!!!! It literally rotates with one finger.....very smooth!!!! I'm still amazed how simple, yet strong the design is, and how warm and quiet it was inside the POD out of the snowy cold wind, I couldn't even hear the wind howling." "After viewing your excellent instructional DVD, I must say this was extremely helpful, actually a must see for quick & easy assembly"! John Chumack, OH More Testimonials... |
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 POD
has created a monster!! I am finding myself trying to image
every night! The convenience of just walking into my backyard,
opening the dome, switching the equipment on and start imaging
has multiplied my time out under the stars 10-fold!!! ... I am a
beginner at narrow band imaging but the POD is allowing me to
really attack that learning curve by making it so convenient to
image nightly.
Thanks!!
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Just a short note to let you know
how pleased I am with my POD. Fortunately, I was one of the
first to receive my POD in mid-June ('07). Weather permitting, I have
used my Celestron Nexstar 8iSE just about every night. How
convenient to unlock the POD, open the secondary dome, fire up
the scope and start observing or imaging. No more lugging the
equipment in and out of the garage. My back thanks you! I also
purchased the SkyShed pier and it has worked out great. Thanks
again for making my observing sessions really enjoyable. Warren, Stardust Observatory, Illinois |
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| It is great to have the POD assembled on my deck. You haven't lived, until you have a XL3 POD on your home's deck - I go out on the deck and in about 30 sec I am up in running! ... for those waiting, I can tell you that it will be worth the wait, this is a great product. James P. | |||||||||
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A SkyShed POD Is A Wonderful thing. I went out last night, it was in the 30's and the most stable skies I've seen in a while. I fired up a gas space heater kicked back in my chair with coffee for 3 hours. I did not even the fire up the scope. I sat there with a pair of binoculars scanning the Eastern sky from horizon to zenith. I could see things I had never seen before. Can't do that in a slit dome. Many Thanks to Wayne and crew. CDS David |
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All I can say is WOW! Not only did I get my CGE14 in it but
Piggy Backed on that is an Orion 100ED and it all fits! We also
had a storm last night with winds 25-30 mph and heavy rain, I
checked everything this morning and the interior is all dry as a
bone. I'm absolutely beside myself, it's the best purchase I've
ever made. A big thank you to yourself and the whole SkyShed POD
team! Clear Skies, Jesse |
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The SkyShed POD is going to be a revolutionary product for
amateur astronomy. It will take its place in history with the
SCT, the DOB, the Telrad and the ETX Autostar. Greg Lisk CET President/Observing Chair - RASC Belleville Centre Telescope Reviewer - SkyNews Magazine Author - How to Buy a Telescope |
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Two XL3 TAN/TAN PODS were
installed at our 35 acre site near Necessity, Texas (100 miles
west of Ft. Worth). Both PODs were installed on their own 12' x
16' deck. The installation was simple and easy. The PODs were in
operation in only a few hours after beginning the installation.
I can truthfully say that the PODs exceeded our expectations for
a truly affordable personal observatory. We are expecting to add
several more PODs (POD village) at our observing site within the
next few years! Preston Starr Physics Manager University of North Texas Astronomers by Necessity |
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Over the years... |
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SkyShed POD Wins Astronomy Mag 2019 "Readers Choice Award" for Favorite Dome! Thank you to all the great Astronomy readers and SkyShed POD owners who voted for POD in the 2019 Readers Choice Awards! We are very grateful, and will continue to strive to deserve your vote! |
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SkyShed POD on the
Vanilla Ice Project! We
had a lot of fun contributing to an episode of the
very popular Vanilla Ice Project on the DIY network
in the U.S. and Canada. Each season Rapper/Entrepreneur/Builder Vanilla Ice starts with a derelict or run-down Florida mansion, and turns it into an incredible place. This season Vanilla (Rob Van Winkle) who is an aspiring astronomer, wanted to add an observatory to his latest creation -- and chose SkyShed POD. Thanks Rob! And thanks for being such a great host and all-around nice guy. We had a great time with you and Wes! Fans of the show can contact us to find out how we can create a SkyShed POD for you too! Visit the Valilla Ice Project on DIY Network |
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POD Visor
Lightweight and low cost, the POD Visor is a great addition to your POD for those in urban settings. SkyShed POD: The most configurable observatory on the planet. Permanent or Mobile, Slotted Dome, Clam Shell Dome, Slide Off Dome, All In One. Choose the configuration that suits your location, your object, or your mood.
Click Here
for larger images. Price starting at $349.00.
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12.5'+ POD MAX
Launches!
The 12.5'+ sized POD MAX is
designed primarily for serious astro photographers
with large equipment, schools and public
institutions, and for corporate research. |
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 SkyShed
Obs Owner/Designer Travels to Afghanistan to
Entertain Coalition Forces
Wayne says "We were honored and thankful for the privilege to spend time with frontline troops, and hopefully bring a little bit of home and a momentary repose to their lives, if only for a short time. Our philosophy in the band is that no one who's sane supports war, but we have to support our men and women who are out there fighting for freedom." For the complete
press release and a link to a photo album of the
trip
Click Here |
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 Read
Max Corneau's Astronomy Technology Today Cover
Article from the Jan/Feb '09 IssueNASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, Max Corneau's great article about tearing down an old roll off observatory and replacing it with a POD XL5 at his club's dark sky site in Texas. Read the article in .pdf Here Many thanks to Max
and the great folks at
ATT Mag!
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.gif) POD
won Sky &
Telescope
magazine's Hot
Product Award.
SkyShed POD was included in
2008's S&T "Hot Product"
awards. The editors of S&T review dozens of new
astronomy products each year, then single out a few
for the prestigious honor of "Hot Product" .Thank you to POD owners! This award would not have happened without you. This is our second HP award. Our SkyShed Roll Off Plans were named for 2005. Since then we've worked hard to live up to the level of excellence that the award recognizes, and will continue to into the future.
Special thanks to the great people at S&T for
another show of support for SkyShed Observatories,
and our mission to make astronomy more accessible to
all. |
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 IBM
Research Unveils Breakthrough in Solar Farm
Technology. POD
at use in IBM project. IBM
researchers have achieved a breakthrough in
photovoltaics technology that could significantly
reduce the cost of harnessing the Sun's power for
electricity. Click Here
to see the IBM press release.
Click Here for a larger image.
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 DIY
POD Zenith Table!
or
PZT
For those who
want easier zenith access with some scopes. How
about slewing through zenith from horizon to
horizon, and not having to move the dome all night? As without the PZT, you need no motors, no
chains, no need to interface the dome and scope. No
problems. Way more time for imaging. Longer duration
images. Now Available!
More...Competing products need motorized rotation systems which can cost over $3,000!
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 Ecomate
Insulated Walls
We
perfected a method of filling the POD walls with hardened Ecomate foam insulation. Not only does this make the
already strong walls incredibly strong, it
cuts out IR waves, UV waves, and light.
The thick insulation helps keep outside hot and cold temps on the outside in extreme environments. Click Here for more info and larger views. In addition, since we can''t insulate the POD Bay, we add 15 lbs of more HDPE to create a "Heavy" Bay at 50 lbs when you choose the Insulation and Heavy Bay option. This makes the already strong Bay even stronger, helps keep IR waves out, and aids in cooling in hot temps.
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 POD
Now Available in more Countries than Ever
We're very happy to announce that POD is now
available in more countries than ever. In addition
to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, POD is now
available in Great Britain, France, Spain,
Netherlands, Italy,
Australia and New Zealand, Japan,
Hong Kong,
Most of Asia, Scandinavia, Russia/CIS,
and India. Visit the
Retailer
page for a list of countries and links to
international retailer websites. |
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PODs Are Popping Up All Over Don't delay. Each POD is custom made to your option choices. PODs ordered today will be delivered in 10-12 weeks in North America. |
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 POD Owner Galleries!We receive many photos and we had to find a way to showcase them quickly and easily. We've chosen a non-linear, montage style, without captions or descriptions. This will allow us to update them easily and regularly. For
the most part the photos speak for themselves.
Thanks to POD owners for allowing us to share
hundreds of their
photos with you. A lot of the photos have to do with
assembling or equipping your POD, so new owners may
find them helpful. Check back often as the Galleries
grow. Send us your POD photos to include them! |
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 3D
Photo Gallery2D photos don't due justice to POD's shape. Being round, 2D photos tend to squash POD's depth. 3D photos help give you a better idea of POD's shape and size. In order to view the photos in 3D you'll need red/cyan glasses or red/cyan eyepiece filters. Number 23A and 80A filters work nicely. Red lens on the left. Have Fun!
Click Here
to view.
NEW Download a
3D
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 SkyShed
Tops Cloudy Nights PollsCloudy Nights is a popular article and discussion website for astronomers. In an observatory popularity poll, SkyShed garnered about as many votes as all other observatory companies combined! In the "Best Product of 2007" poll, SkyShed POD was second in votes only to the revolutionary "Ethos" 100 degree eyepiece from TeleVue. If we have to be second to something we're honored it's Ethos. Thanks to all the CN members who voted for SkyShed! |
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Click Here to read the story. Click Here to read an accompanying review by Dave Miller.
Thanks to the great people
at ATT for their support!
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 Lorelei
Parker Power for ATT MagazineDuring the writing of the POD cover article, Astronomy Technology Today editors learned that SkyShed Observatories co-owner Lorelei Parker Power is also a published writer. They asked Lorelei to be a regular contributing writer for the magazine, focusing on women in astronomy. Lorelei's first article debuted in the November issue to rave reviews. Her cover story with Farah Payan of Woodland Hills Telescopes is featured in the January issue. Click Here to read Lorelei's debut article. |
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Thanks to SkyNews for their great support! Click Here to read the article
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POD and Astronomy Day, or
"How many people can you put in a
POD?"
Twenty one people actually, PLUS a C 8i on a tripod! Glenn Mac Donald set up Rock Mallin's Beta POD in Ottawa for an Astronomy Day public viewing event. Members of OAOG setup over 50 'scopes, for the viewing pleasure of thousands of members of the public, in warm temps, under a clear sky. Twenty one of them jumped right into POD to show you how big it is in there. Click Here
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SkyShed
Observatories Owner/Designer Wayne Parker traveled
to Afghanistan with his 1980's CDN rock band "Glass
Tiger", to meet with and entertain coalition troops.
Wayne carried a PST solar scope everywhere he went
and whenever possible set the scope up to show the
sun to troops. The reaction from the troops was
great, and it provided a few moments to take their
minds off the war going on around them. Many service
members were intrigued to see the desert sun for the
first time through a scope. 
POD
Review in SkyNews Magazine
SkyShed
POD is dedicated in memory of John Kidner, a first
class astronomy retailer and great friend, whose advice and
guidance helped make POD happen.