I live in Finland and have had an automated remote observatory for three winters now (and one winter I imaged from my backyard) with temperature routinely under -15C. My observatory is not insulated (glass fiber dome and walls) and not heated apart from the equipment itself (only the control computer and IP-power switch are powered all the time, but don't have extra heating in a cabinet) and for the most part everything has worked just fine regardless of the temperature.

The specifically cold related things I've done are:
- using silicone cabling for power and USB (I have only one each going to the OTA with power and USB hubs mounted on top, so most cables don't move) as they don't get stiff in cold
- changing lubrication in my previous HEQ5 mount (though I did run the first two years and my current EQ8 with originals so far)
- tuning mount gear meshing in the cold and not during summer

The observatory is a bit warmer than the environment as it shields everything from wind and so on so dew and frosting hasn't really been an issue at all, though my open RC OTA is easier than SCT or refractor in that regards. I don't even have dew heaters installed even though I have them as haven't had the need.

The problems I've had related to cold are:
- some guiding issues probably from stiff cables at first before changing them, haven't had those since, though I also improved the cable management at the same time
- had some largeish backlash issues with the mount at first, possibly related to the lubrication and worm gear meshing as they disappeared after changing those
- my first remote controllable power switch just couldn't keep its relay on if it was cold enough and just turned everything off
- my dome closed switch stuck to closed position due to some powder snow having found its way just inside the shutter and melting there, dripping over the switch and freezing there

So all in all things work surprisingly well in cold as well with some caveats.

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