So my dream of a permanent observatory is a long way off, but in the shorter term I've got a few great spots to setup camp. My current setup is a HEQ-5 mount, on wheels, which I take outside each time. This is not ideal.
I like the idea of a semi-permanent box, but it needs to have great street appeal, and not look anything like expensive equipment.
My current thoughts (if this is in fact a viable solution) is to have a pier, on wheels, disguised as a wine barrel (see rough sketch attached).
My thinking is, I could probably have this out the front driveway for a few weeks at a time in one spot, then occasionally move it.
I like the idea of an out door mount/pier, which only occasionally moves around, as opposed to setting up and polar aligning each time.
QUESTION: does anyone see any issues with using a wine barrel? I'd have to draw it up and check the mount doesn't collide with it, but could this work? Any major concerns people could forsee?
QUESTION: does anyone see any issues with using a wine barrel? I'd have to draw it up and check the mount doesn't collide with it, but could this work? Any major concerns people could forsee?
Thanks,
Daniel
My first thought it that your latitude in Sydney of about 33-34 degrees south would mean your HEQ5 would have to be set for that (it's too much hassle to adjust every time you open the obs if you wanted to set it lower). I suspect this would make it difficult to leave a scope permanently mounted on the HEQ5 unless it is quite short (like a FSQ85 Tak for example).
It also begs the question - why not just put castors on the pier with some adjustable feet? You could then wrap the whole arrangement in a waterproof sheet. Of course humidity would be an issue - but it would in a wine barrel as well. Making the pier mobile would probably make it easier to put the mount close to polar alignment by having fixed positions on the ground for the feet of the pier. Another problem nearly solved.
Technical issues aside, I don't like the idea of having it sit on the front driveway, curious eyes will eventually cotton on to what you have inside the barrel and at 3-00am your barrel and mount will roll off into the sunrise.
Not sure about leaving your mount inside it , outside the house ,but can not see why the pier would not be as good as a standard movable HEQ pier.
The barrel and the mount would attract a lot of condensation , cupfulls over time, from warm moist air trapped inside and from the cooling of metal at night unless it were air sealed , thermally isolated with insulation and desiccant.
Would it be simpler to bolt a pier or base plate to the driveway with an alignment plate and carry the mount out?
I love the aesthetic of the idea, you could put floor bolts on it (those long steel pegs you put on doors and slide "bolt" them into holes in the ground) three of those at a polar aligned position would have you up and running pretty fast.
Though I love the elegance of Bojan's solution and thinking you could do same with a removable cover and sit a bird bath bowl on top for disguise, plant ground cover plants around it so you can walk on them and it just looks like a bird bath feature in your garden (works as one too ).
A "popup" collapsible dob inside a wine barrel would be cool and have some way to lock it to the ground securely. How about a giant "useless box" (check youtube if you havent seen these awesome gadgets, see you in a few hours). Now remember the move Creepshow with the thing in the box under the stairs....make a useless box like that with motion sensors instead of switches so anyone approachin the lid lifts an d giant hairy clawed hand takes a swipe and your scope stays safe inside for you to roll out to use...concrete the base of the crate and add wheels, sides fold down to reveal scope. maybe preattached stools on each inside too if short enough. Go wild!
After ensuring proper ventilation (the water tank rim is elevated ~30cm above ground) there is no problem with condensation any more.
(The water tank I used is not available any more from Bunnings.. it seems the closest alternative could be Gedye compost bin, not sure about the size - 200l should be OK Standard rubbish bin is also OK).
I am also wrapping the plastic bag around the mount (to minimize the amount of air from where the condensation may occur).
It was supposed to be a temporary solution.... Maybe this or early next year (depending on my retirement) I will start building the dome in our backyard in Ballarat property.. then I will simpy dismantle the pier from concrete slab and move it to new location (or make new concrete one).
Thanks for all the great replies (and sorry for the delay in responding)!
So to summarise:
- good (aesthetic) design
- watch out for thieves
- condensation a major concern (air seal + thermal insulation needed)
- bolt the pier down (good idea: cannot do that though)
- useless box/monster claw: hilarious!
Bit of extra info/context: I currently have a standard HEQ5 mount, on a home made wooden frame on castors, though felt I couldn't/shouldn't leave this out full time. I have to negotiate a step from the front door.
Was thinking if the pier + mount was outside all the time, then just add the scope when ready to use, that is the next best thing to a full time obs.
Thinking I'll avoid the wine barrel for now, and practise rolling out each time (using markers, not holes in the driveway).
Actually have a retaining wall I can park up against, which hopefully will give good, solid reliable alignments.
Thanks again, this post save me much time and effort! Thinking a rusty oil barrel could have less treet appeal, though might not get internal approval, haha.
Here's a crazy idea that might spark some other ideas. It's very rough so don't take it too literally but it's less suspicious than a wine barrel. It could be chained up close to the house or a tree e.t.c. Then when it's time for use just lift it off and wheel it to a place/s in the yard that's been polar aligned in the past. However I do like the wine barrel idea and it certainly looks nicer than a wheelie bin.
Bahaha ... that is awesome! Much less suspicious than a wine barrel, very common place though all my bins are pretty stinky, might have to dirty it up to avoid anyone getting too close to ever want to look inside.
Only downside is, not sure it would get approval for a bin to sit there full time, hehe.
Thanks for sharing, is sparking some ideas ...eg "compost bin" more likely.
Even a permanent pier that may not even need a cover is a huge step forward as you can mark where the mount needs to go and the is little risk of it being stolen.
It makes set up much easier.
Trying to get back to this ... just like the stars, my obs design isn't moving too quickly! Never got a design I was happy with. Wine barrel = great appeal/high risk of theft. Bin design was the inverse.
I've kept my mount inside ever since, taking up precious space, be nice to have an outside setup. Cannot keep it in the ideal spot, but thinkng good to wheel it into place when using?
Thinking I'll make a "box on wheels" for my mount, keeping my "tripod + heq5" outside full time, then just take the cables, controller and scope out each time. Am worried about the mount suffering from the elements. Box would be water proof-ish and under shelter, though exposed to arvo Sun.
Would it need insulation?
Last edited by legoman_iac; 13-04-2021 at 07:26 PM.
Back again, going to get started on making a box. Just wondering if anyone has tips or reference on choosing insulation types? Not sure if I should have ventilation or keep it sealed??
