Sky & Telescope - January 2021 - 72

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Dome Homes for
Your Telescopes
T

his month we've assembled a listing of companies that specialize in observatory domes for sale in the North American
marketplace. When you're contemplating that backyard observatory, keep these products in mind to make your telescope's
home dry, secure, and protected from the wind. (Prices listed do not include crating and shipping costs.)

APHELION DOMES
Located in British Columbia, Canada,
Aphelion Domes offers several sizes of
clamshell-style domes ranging from 7 to
12 feet in diameter (starting at $11,750).
Its fiberglass and resin observatories
allow your telescope access to the entire
sky, or they can be partially opened to
shield your instrument from excessive
wind or light trespass. Additional options
include motors and computer interfacing.
Aphelion Domes
22061 64th Ave.
Langley, BC, Canada V2Y 2N8
604-534-1958; apheliondomes.com

produce and expand upon its innovative
design. Astro Haven Enterprises, in California, offers fiberglass clamshell observatory domes in 7- to 20-foot configurations. These are available with advanced
functions, including independent shutter
control using servo-driven linear actuators and belt drives, as well as dome rotation. Prices available upon request.

products. The company also carries a
full line of accessories including expansion bays, rotational motors, rain and
cloud sensors, and telescope piers.
NexDome
109 - 1585 Broadway St.
Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada V3C 2M7
604-421-2835; nexdome.com

Astro Haven Enterprises
P.O. Box 3637
San Clemente, CA 92674
949-215-3777; astrohaven.com

EXPLORADOME
ASH MANUFACTURING
For more than 50 years, Ash Manufacturing, based in Plainfield, Illinois, has
specialized in custom-manufactured aluminum domes for amateur and professional facilities (including many schools,
universities, and colleges). Ash can produce a world-class facility with domes
ranging from 8 to 30 feet in diameter to
suit most any size instrument and built
precisely to fit the customer's specific
needs. Additional options include on-site
installation and motorization kits. Email
for a brochure and more information.
Ash Manufacturing Company
P.O. Box 312
Plainfield, IL 60544
815-436-9403; ashdome.com

ASTRO HAVEN
The company founded by the inventor of
the clamshell observatory continues to
72

JANUARY 2 021 * SK Y & TELESCOPE

ExploraDome features polyethylene plastic structures in 8- and 11-foot models
rotomolded as a single piece, significantly
reducing assembly time. Prices start at
$1,421.80 for the 8-foot ExploraDome.
Additional offerings include aluminumframed polyethylene building structures,
expansion bays, rotation kits, and computerized controls.
ExploraDome
62824 250th St.
Litchfield, MN 55355
800-328-7659; explora-dome.com

NEXDOME
NexDome in Canada produces a lightweight, modular 8-foot ABS plastic
dome with Solarkote UV protective
hardened coatings starting at $1,699.
NexDome is designed to break down
into small, manageable sections that can
be shipped anywhere in North America
for a fraction of the cost of competing

http://www.nexdome.com http://www.astrohaven.com http://www.apheliondomes.com http://www.explora-dome.com http://www.ashdome.com

Sky & Telescope - January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - January 2021