Host your rig at ZuluAlpha

• Bortle-1 skies
• ~270 clear nights/yr
• 1 381 ha private site
• Sutherland, South Africa
• US-based? Our night = your afternoon. No more all-nighters.

How it works

1. Reserve

   Pick a tier, pay the refundable deposit, and lock your slot.

2. Ship or source

   Send your gear or let us help build a turnkey rig that fits your tier.

3. Install & test

   We mount, cable, polar align, and verify full remote control.

4. Image remotely

   Log in and capture every clear night under Bortle-1 southern skies.

Pricing

Full plan breakdown & discounts.

Pier sizing

Will your rig fit? Measure & choose.

Compact

Smart scopes.

Small

60–80 mm APO / 5″ SCT.

Standard

100–120 mm APO / 8″–10″ SCT.

Heavy

10″–12″ RC/Newt.

Add-ons

Extras, pier-cam, custom power/network.

The Site

Dark skies, power & network.

FAQs

Common questions answered.

Operate your own instrument under truly dark southern skies—without building an observatory at home. Each ZuluAlpha client receives a dedicated position in our secure roll-off-roof facility near Sutherland, with core power, high-speed network connectivity, security, environmental monitoring and routine facility maintenance included.

Clients retain 24/7 remote access to their equipment, while routine human support is provided during South African business hours. Optional maintenance, remote-hands and technical-support services are available for clients who require more proactive or hands-on assistance.

Why ZuluAlpha:

• Bortle 1 skies with approximately 270 usable imaging nights per year
• A secure, monitored facility with automated weather protection
• 24/7 remote access to your instrument
• Routine facility monitoring and basic operational support included
• Monthly or annual hosting, with 12 months for the price of 11 when billed annually
• Optional pier cameras, additional instruments and Comprehensive Imaging Maintenance

Support and maintenance

Standard hosting includes continuous monitoring of the shared facility and routine maintenance of ZuluAlpha’s core infrastructure. Where reasonably practical, we also provide brief, occasional interventions such as visual checks, power cycles, reboots and reseating accessible cables.

Repeated interventions, equipment diagnostics, configuration changes, software or firmware work and more involved client-specific maintenance are billed separately.

Our optional Comprehensive Imaging Maintenance Plan adds a scheduled monthly inspection, a brief system-status report, priority scheduling during South African business hours, and an included monthly allowance of remote-hands or technical-support time.

Commercial, institutional and mission-critical support—including guaranteed response times, after-hours attendance and service-level agreements—is scoped and quoted separately.

For more information or a customised quote, please contact us

We are happy to discuss your specific needs – whether it’s verifying if your equipment will fit the Mini pier or planning a complete new imaging system. At ZuluAlpha, our mission is to make remote astrophotography and satellite observing accessible, affordable, and worry-free. Join us in exploring the universe from one of the best skies on the planet – at a fraction of the usual cost. Clear skies await! 🚀