My Affordable All-Sky Camera

My Super Budget DIY All-Sky Camera Project

For a while now, I’d been itching to add an all-sky camera to my setup. So, I went ahead and snagged a WATEC 902H camera (boasting an impressive 0.0003 lux sensitivity @ F/1.4) along with a Fujinon YV10X5B-SA2L varifocal lens. The best part? I found the whole kit used for just a few dozen euros!

To keep the camera and its lens safe from the elements, I decided to DIY an enclosure. My secret ingredients? A few PVC plumbing fittings and a waterproof LED garden lamp (which I cleverly sourced from the gardening section of a local hardware store).

After carefully dissecting the garden lamp – keeping only the top part, essentially its clear dome – I assembled it with the PVC fittings and glued everything into place.

Gaining access to the camera inside is super straightforward: just remove the four screws holding the dome in place…

The camera itself is snugly held in position by a simple folded piece of paper. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best!

And voilà! Here’s the beast, all cozy in its custom enclosure…

UPDATE - February 3, 2012: The camera is now proudly installed at the observatory, its PVC enclosure finished and painted sleek black. Initial tests? They’re looking great!