Altair Sentinus Allsky Camera Dome Housing

Altair Sentinus Allsky Camera Dome Housing

The Sentinus is a weatherproof housing that turns an astronomy camera into a permanent allsky camera, recording the whole sky night after night for meteors, aurora, satellites and cloud monitoring.

It was designed from the ground up and tested over two years by a group of allsky enthusiasts, going through six iterations before release.

Tool-Free, Rainproof Design

The enclosure is rainproof and opens and closes by hand, with no tools needed. Your camera and lens sit on a height-adjustable internal mount that unclips to lift the camera out.

The cavity below the camera takes a Raspberry Pi, mini-PC or similar device on a flat mounting plate that slides into place. Alternatively, run the camera cables straight out through the base.

Mounting and Power

The housing clips onto the included wall bracket with one hand, which makes fitting it safer when you are up a ladder. A recess for a cable tie adds extra security, and four screws fix the bracket to any surface. The base also has a standard 1/4"-20 UNC camera tripod thread in non-corroding material.

The base has three holes. Two take the included blanking plugs and are compatible with widely available screw-in USB adaptors and cable glands. The third holds a 12V DC input socket, supplied with two bare wires and a 2.1 x 5.5mm plug to connect to your power source, such as a 12V/5V splitter for a Raspberry Pi. Terminal connectors mean no soldering is needed.

Built to Last Outdoors

The enclosure is made from high-quality, UV-stable, heat-resistant PETG. Samples have been through six summers and winters outdoors without any deterioration.

The clear dome is a special UV-resistant acrylic, with a more consistent thickness than cheaper domes for better optical clarity.

Options

Camera fitting — choose the internal mount for your camera: Altair GPCAM, ZWO, Raspberry Pi HQ or Player One. Altair recommend their 178 and 678 cameras for allsky use, such as the Altair GPCAM3 178C and Altair 678C. To change camera later, fit the Sentinus Adapter.

Street light shroud (+£15) — a 3D-printed shroud that eliminates all but the worst internal reflections from bright nearby lights. Also sold separately as the Altair Sentinus Street Light Shroud.

Dew heater ring (+£25) — fits the camera mount. A sealed silicone unit, more robust than resistor-type heaters and moisture-proof.

What's in the Box

• Sentinus Allsky housing
• UV-resistant acrylic dome
• Internal camera mount for your chosen camera, with screws
• Internal mount for a Raspberry Pi or similar device, with screws
• Wall bracket
• 2.1 x 5.5mm power plug and socket with wires
• Two blanking plugs for the base
• Street light shroud and/or dew heater ring, if selected

Specification

• Housing material: UV-stable, heat-resistant PETG
• Dome: UV-resistant acrylic
• Rainproof, tool-free opening
• Height-adjustable, removable internal camera mount
• Base: 3 holes (2 with blanking plugs, 1 with 12V DC socket)
• Power connector: 2.1 x 5.5mm
• Tripod thread: 1/4"-20 UNC
• Camera fittings: Altair GPCAM, ZWO, Raspberry Pi HQ, Player One

Important Notes

• Camera, lens, computer and power supply are not included.
• For cameras not listed, Altair can make a custom bracket. Contact us with the camera body dimensions and the diameter of the front flange behind the C-mount.

Product Info