Home for the 22 inch

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Hello all,

The image attached shows the first foray into the construction of a dome observatory for my 22" equatorial Newtonian. The slab is 5.3m in diameter and the concrete will arrive in the next week or two. The dome will be constructed form 25mm square tubing rolled to 5.1m diameter and assembled by welding. Overall height will be 4.1m and the timeline from slab pour to first light is two months....

Richard

[koputai (Jason)]

Looks great, with maybe a somewhat ambitious timeline!
I hope you have a chainsaw for a couple of those gums......

Cheers,
Jason.
Who likes trees, but not near a scope.

[DavidU (Dave)]

Awesome ! Is this just outside Newcastle?

[Gama]

Nice to see it going in a proper home Richard.

Theo.

[h0ughy (David)]

by the looks of that view I take it you have moved Richard? Congratulations and what a fantastic project

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Yes, Houghy, I have moved up to Clarence Town where the skyglow of the Mayfield CoalLoader is a mere memory!

The rolled bars have turned up yesterday and they will form the skeleton of the frame. The rolling was deadly accurate - thanks to the crew at Metal Shop Technics in Kurri Kurri.

Theo, I am looking forward to the the true potential of the "big 22" being explored up here in the dark!

Next steps are pour the slab and start welding the jigsaw ...eerrr.. I mean well-organised superstructure... together!

Richard

[okiscopey (Mike)]

Great project! Keep the photos coming. Is naming the observatory in the timeline?!?

[bloodhound31]

I pray it's just the most AWESOME venture for you Richard! You are going to LOVE it!!

Baz.

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Thanks, Mike and Baz. Yes, naming the observatory is on the agenda at some stage - "The Money Pit/Dome" and "Richard's Folly" are front runners at the moment.

Richard

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Great project, Richard. Keep the updates comeing in when you can. I love watching these observatory project evolve.

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Grasshoppers,

.....when one is waiting .......for the right weather.....and the right concrete mix.... then one must make one's observatory mound.....into a zen garden.....all 5 tonnes of it......

Richard.........

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

After some delay, the slab was poured on Saturday. 5.3m diameter reinforced slab with reinforced apron to prevent the whole thing sliding down the hill. 5 tonnes of earthwork plus 2.5 tonnes of 'crete should do the job.

Richard

[Gama]

Looking good.
The easy parts done..
Now comes the hard work..

Theo

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Originally Posted by Gama

Looking good.
The easy parts done..
Now comes the hard work..

Theo

I dunno about "easy" part Theo! On Saturday afternoon I couldn't move without something aching!

Richard

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Today we welded the base of the observatory together. The biggest challenge was making the base ring as circular as possible. It took a couple of hours to get it right. Then the level of the top ring was a challenge! The base cylinder will be covered with corrugated iron and the dome will be covered in .4mm flat gal.

[scopemankit (Chris)]

Magic!
I remember all the fun I had building my 3.5m dome in the Cederbrg. Enjoy the project!

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Im missing something, I dont understand, wheres the pier?. Are you useing a tripod?. Or are you bolting a pier to the slab?, if so, isolation?.

[Gama]

No Pier Fred.
The 22" is mounted on a HUGE modified English Fork mount.
Its semi-portable, as it has wheels to move it around, but the whole mount and scope weigh in at around 300-400kg.

Theo

[Neil]

Gday Richard, Thats looking like a very desent sized observatory. Are you going to put an astrodome on that slab?

[bkm2304 (Richard Brown)]

Yes, indeed Fred! 400kg of fork mount means that she sits VERY still and solid once down. And besides, piers are for itty bitty scopes! Today the dome started to take shape - the rain delayed play for quite a while though.