Post a pic of your Observatory!

[iceman]

Use this thread to post pics of your observatory!

[Moon]

Ok I'll go first. Completed last year with the help of my brother, it features a roll-over roof design to save garden space.

Unpainted/Roof Closed:
72492

Painted/Roof Open:
72491

James

[[1ponders]]

I'll update my link as needed ;)

Construction can be seen here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=30065)

[Quark]

Hi All,

I have posted a link to the photo albums section of my website where I have an album for images of my observatory plus albums for my peltier cooler and imaging setup.

http://trevsastronomy.webs.com/apps/photos/

Regards
Trevor

[bird]

Not so much an observatory as a shed + concrete slab + pier + wooden fence, but it does the job :-)

cheers, Bird

[TheDecepticon]

And we know what a great job it has done, too!!:eyepop:

[DavidU]

Damn right ! I second that......

[rogerg]

6x3 with 3x3 open half. Roll-off-roof.

http://www.rogergroom.com/items/ObservatoryImages_185

[pmrid]

TenChain Hill Obs. Started life as a paddock shelter for horses. 5 x 4 metres - 2 piers and scopes, wireless networked. Those trees are not as close as this perspective makes them appear.

Peter.

[sheeny]

Here's mine:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=70413

Feel free to use the "Show more from this thread..." button to see the others;).

Al.

[h0ughy]

all the photos are here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=70702)

[[1ponders]]

Very nice Dave. :D I thought i would never see this day. :cool:

[kinetic]

Mine is a bit of an obscure but cheap alternative to the
mainstream. It's made of polystyrene foam triangles and is
a geodesic hemisphere. Copied from a brilliant DIY step by step
guide written by the designer Joe Garlitz. There are dozens
of Joe's design around the world now and quite a few in Australia.

Mine started out originally with a skin of a hybrid type of
papier-mache (don't laugh) , which lasted about 6 years then
I re-skinned it with a concrete render. It sits on a 3 ft colourbond
wall and the scope is fully remote controlled.
It has also moved sideways a few metres so I could build a pool!
Made in 2000 and survived quite a few wild storms so far :)

A few construction details here if anyone is interested:
http://jfbo.webs.com/observatory.htm
http://jfbo.webs.com/domeconstructionpage4.htm


Steve

[astroron]

My 3mx3m roll of roof observatory plus 16" scope on one of the four concrete pads for use by visiting Astronomers:):stargaze:

[[1ponders]]

And what a lovely spot it is too Ron.

[jjjnettie]

Look, Ron has clear skies at his place!!

[DavidU]

Ron, what's that blue stuff in the upper part of the pic?

[astroron]

That is the normal scene at Cambroon:) the stuff that is pouring down from the sky at the moment :rain:is not the norm for Cambroon, but now and again the farmers need a top up of their dams:lol:

[leon]

Well here is mine, the whole thing rolls away. :lol:

Leon :thumbsup:

[astroron]

Great setup Leon,pretty cool:cool2::cool2:

[marc4darkskies]

Domes are pretty :D

Construction sequence at: http://www.pbase.com/gailmarc/observatory

Cheers, Marcus

[allan gould]

A copy of Marcus', David's and JohnG's observatories.
First light - a storm/downpour in SE Qld.

[pmrid]

Hi Leon. I like the idea of the layer of tarp across the roof proper. Thermal insulation?
Peter

[okiscopey]

Rocky Peak Observatory: structure designed and built for me by Brett (Bert on IIS).

3.6m x 5m on 100mm concrete slab. Welded steel with Colorbond cladding. 'Bubble foil' insulation in roof only.

Steel piers. The big one (for Mewlon 250) is isolated from slab on concrete footing approximately 0.45m diameter x 1.8m deep.

Roof halves operated by inverted garage door closers. Works perfectly!

Plenty of painting and learning still to do inside.

[jjjnettie]

:lol: I never got to use it, but it was mine for a few years.
4.2mt in diameter. Originally built by Gordon Jones, then it was donated to the Sunshine Coast Astronomical Society (i think) then was used by Glenn Lang who in turn, passed it on to me.

[Jen]

;) There is some nice looking observatories in here :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Yeah but im still in dream land for now :lol:

[MLyons]

I needed to setup my Meade 14"LX200R permanently as it was not getting used much because of the effort required to get the thing set up for an observing session and the danger of damaging the scope when carrying it around

I had very little space to work with and the missus insisted that it end up not looking like a tin hut or some outhouse.

I got one of those plastic sheds and replaced the roof with an aluminium roller-shutter door.


Waterproofing was done with adhesive PVC sheeting used on outdoor signboards.

It works like a bomb and is totally maintenance free as there's no timber to treat every year and no steel to rust.

[cristian abarca]

Here are a few pictures of my observatory. I just have to put a few finishing touches on it and it's done. I should have it finished tomorrow.

Cristian

[macsen2]

Under $5oo and works well...........What more do you want ? WHO SAID PLENTY ?.............Similar to stitch and glue method,fiberglass finish,suits my F5.3 mak-newt and 4" triplet..............waterproof ? FOREVER.................Stick it on the corner of your existing shed [experienced almost cyclonic conditions,not a drop inside] MDF base,3 layers of chop strand mat[cost of mat and resin $200,tube ring 30mm $100,,,,,mdf plus all other material $70.. 7 feet in diameter,but easy enough to make them any size,just a little bit of extra cost.........................Whats the other $130 for?......to fit it onto your existing shed............................... .......MAC

[GrampianStars]

Inside of My Roll of Roof Obs
Luckily survived the 05' 06' Bushfires Flames came within 10mt.
Gets some severe visual use all year round by locals and OS visitors to the Grampians region.

Should get the latest Atik 314 L+ Cam for some serious study on the quiet Dark :eyepop: nights

[TS225]

Hi All,
Recently completed installation of a 2.3m Sirius Home Dome in the back garden. The dome came with a pier, Takahashi EM200B mount and Takahashi TS225 plus a number of accessories. The installation took three weekends with the help of a builder with footing and floor. I will need to give the dome exterior a good clean as it is not as nice and bright as others in this thread.
I live in a rather windy town, Wellington NZ, and have a strap I run over the top as extra security in high winds. Is there any way of adding additional "hold downs' to this type of dome.
Cheers
John Field

[Barrykgerdes]

Here is my old observatory. It is now a storage shed with the dome removed. I built it in 2000 and removed the dome 2009 when I needed to down size. While it was up it housed 1st a LX200 10". Later a LX200GPS 12". It served the purpose admirably with a permantly aligned polar wedge.

Construction details http://barry.sarcasmogerdes.com/observatory/programs/Obsvatry.doc

[stevous67]

For those who have strict planning guidelines set by their wife, this is what can happen…



Regards,


Steve

[Jen]

:lol::lol: very nice Steve :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[leon]

Yep Steve, have to agree that is very impressive indeed.

Leon

[ballaratdragons]

I don't have this one any more (the weather finally killed it), but in its time it was the smallest known Roll-Off-Roof Observatory in the world.

It was 1200mm x 1200mm and 1200mm high.
It easily accommodated my EQ6 mount and ED80 :thumbsup:

A pic of the inside and here is a 'You Tube animation' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcQ-ma_WN6w) of my son Aaron opening it up when he was only 11 years old. :lol:

and here is the original thread about it: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=18115
inside: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29301

[stevous67]

Thanks Jen and Leon for the nice comments.

Cheers
Steve