Telescopes stationed in observatories are generally unheated and uncooled to maintain thermal equilibrium. Although equipment under observatory domes may not be in direct sunlight, other observatories may differ, such as the skyscraper observatory.
Depending on location, the telescope may undergo baking under the sun or freezing. This invention is concerned with the former. A telescope may consist of plastic drive covers, nylon gears, special lens glue, rubber knobs, electronic components, and other components that can degrade, crack, or melt in direct sunlight which can approach oven temperature. Heat is a concern near the equator and in tropical or subtropical locations especially in the summer time.
The DTS is capable of shielding a sensitive telescope located outdoors or in a location which is exposed to the daytime elements such as wind, rain, and direct baking sun. Primarily as a heat and weather shield, the device covers the telescope and reflects 90% solar radiation. The outer layer is designed by NASA for space exploration. The inner layers are composited. The first version is benign with no internal machine cooling while the second active version has a miniature refrigerator using a circulatory Peltier cooler.
