OCA's Adopt-a-Scope Program

By John E. Hoot (Program Director)

Download the Adoption Agreement
Adopt-a-Scope-Inventory

OCA accepts telescope donations from anyone. We house the scopes received in our storage facility until we can find them a new home with one of our club members. The program is structured so our members can adopt a scope to get started, or advance there skills in astronomy. The program is patterned after the animal shelter model. Under the program many of our donated scopes are up for adoption.  Simply purchase the scope at a ridiculously low price and take it home.  If it proves unsuitable, or the member outgrows its capabilities within 6 months of picking it up, the member can bring it back in working order and we will refund the purchase price less a $15 dollars handling fee and place the scope up for adoption again.  After six month the scope becomes the member’s forever.

The adoption process begins with examination of the inventory of telescopes. You can download the current inventory PDF file from the link above.  Some scopes will be shown as “Reserved”.  These scopes have been previously claimed by members, but are yet to be paid for and picked up. To reserve a scope, email you request for a scope to the coordinator. All requests are processed on a first come, first served basis. You will receive a reply indicating if the scope reservation has been accepted.  If you have a question about one of the scopes offered, address your question to the same email address. Please be sure to include the requested scoped inventory number and your full name so that we can validate your membership status and eligibility for the program.

If your request for the scope has been accepted the next step is to fill out two copies of the Scope Adoption form in the link above. Bring both copies with you to the next scope pickup event along with your payment. We accept personal checks, or cash payment for scopes. Checks should be made out to “Orange County Astronomers”. The next pickup date should appear on the club’s event calendar.

We set pickup days for reserved scope approximately every two months on a Saturday morning between 10AM and 2PM at the club’s storage facility at:

South Coast Self Storage

3480 W. Warner Ave

Santa Ana, CA 92704

If you cannot pickup the scope at the next pickup date, email us and we will try to reschedule your pickup.

Members are limited to one scope adoption per year, unless the scope adopted that year has been returned for refund. In that case they are again eligible to reserve another scope.