Altair Sentinus camera housing and dome for Allsky camera with sunshield and heating tape
IMPORTANT NOTE: This version of the camera has been tested for 6 years with maximum temperatures up to 35ºC. If you live in an area with higher temperatures, up to 50ºC, you can get the version made with ASA filament for an additional 40€. If you are interested in this option please contact Telescopiomania directly.
The Altair Sentinus Allsky Dome housing has been designed from scratch and tested for two years by several Allsky enthusiasts to ensure durability and flexibility. There have been no less than 6 iterations of the product to refine the design.
The Sentinus housing is rain resistant and can be opened and closed without tools thanks to its innovative design.
Multiple cameras and lenses can be added via an internal height-adjustable bracket that can be easily unclipped for camera removal. The cavity below the camera is designed to accommodate a Rasberry Pi, mini PC or similar device via a flat mounting plate that easily slides into place. Or you can simply add cables to the camera directly, out of the base of the housing.
The Sentinus housing can be mounted on the included wall bracket with one hand for added security, for example, if you are climbing a ladder. For added security, there is a recess for attaching a cable tie. Four screws are required to attach the wall bracket to any surface.
The base has 3 cable holes. Two of them have a diameter of 30 mm and include plugs compatible with commercially available screw-on USB adapters and cable glands. The third hole in the base contains a 12 V DC input socket. Two bare wires are included with the socket and a 12v plug 2.1x5.5mm is included so you can wire up to your power source of choice, such as a 12v / 5v splitter for Rasberry Pi. (You can use wire terminal connectors so no soldering is required). In addition, the base allows you to mount the Altair Allsky camera housing on a camera tripod with standard 1/4 "UNC camera tripod thread without corrosion.
The housing is made of high quality, heat and UV resistant PETG plastic and is robustly constructed. Samples of this material have been exposed to 6 summers and winters without any deterioration.
The included clear dome is made of a special UV resistant acrylic, unlike other cheaper domes. The thickness is more consistent for greater optical clarity.
Optional items and accessories:
An optional lantern cover is available, which eliminates all but the worst cases of internal reflections caused by nearby bright lights. (At TELESCOPIOMANIA we include this accessory as it is almost a must-have).
An optional spray heater ring is available that fits the camera mount. This is a sealed silicon unit that is more robust than the resistor type and moisture-proof designs (At TELESCOPIOMANIA we include this accessory as it is almost a must have).
An optional C-mount Altair lens is available with a 180-degree field of view compatible with 1/2" CMOS sensors with a focal ratio of 1.55 mm at f2. (Request information from TELESCOPIOMANIA)
We recommend the ALTAIR 178M or ALTAIR 678M color or mono cameras for use with this lens. (Request information from TELESCOPIOMANIA).
For other brands of cameras, a custom mount can be made for that camera. We would first need the dimensions of the camera body to check the fit and the diameter of the front flange behind the lens C-mount. (Contact TELESCOPIOMANIA for details).
What is included in the kit:
- Sentinus Allsky housing
- UV-resistant acrylic lens hood
- Internal mount for Altair GPCAM style cameras and associated screws (consult for custom mounts)
- Internal mount for Rasberry Pi or similar device and associated screws
- Mounting clamp to fit the case
- 2.1x5.5mm plug/socket with power leads
- Two blanking plugs for the 30 mm holes in the base
- 1/4-20UNC threaded mount on base for camera tripods
- Sunshade to protect against light pollution
- Anti-humidity heating tape
Altair Sentinus housing and dome for Allsky camera with sunshield and heating tape
